Aryamann's pov!

"Don't blame this on Bhumi, dad" I said coldly.

"Who is blaming Bhumi?? If anyone is to blame it is you. She is a kid. A teenager in fact. It is you who is irresponsible," dad said blaming me and I looked at him in wonder.

Is he seriously defending Bhumi?

What magic has this girl cast over everyone. She even has dad under her spell!

"Sir, Mr Brahma is here," my PA informed me coming inside and we all settled around the conference table waiting for him.

An old man in his early sixties entered the conference room with his PA hot on his heels.

"Good morning, Mr Brahma," dad greeted.

"Morning, Mehrotra." He said, taking a seat, right across from me.

"Well!" Daksh started and Mr Brahma raised an eyebrow in a silent question.

"Is everything alright, Mr Brahma? Why this sudden meeting. Next meeting was scheduled after a week." I said in a neutral tone.

"I thought I would make my decision sooner," he said solemnly.

"Oh that's great Mr Brahma. But why hurry?" Daksh asked.

"Well, my PA showed me a video going viral on social media, today early this morning," he said and I closed my eyes in horror.

"Oh. I am so sorry on my son's behalf Mr Brahma. We can sort it out. Please reconsider your decision," dad said.

"I don't think there is anything to reconsider. My decision will be final." Mr Brahma said with finality in his tone.

"Mr Brahma, let's re- negotiate the deal clauses. We can even make changes. Let's try again," Daksh said.

"Aryamann Mehrotra, you don't have anything to say?" Mr Brahma asked, facing me.

"What are you expecting me to say? A sorry? I apologise for not feeling guilty about what happened yesterday, Mr Brahma." I said and dad looked at me in horror but Mr Brahma merely raised his eyebrows.

"Are you saying that you are not sorry for behaving so recklessly yesterday?" Mr Brahma asked me looking straight into my eyes.

"I most certainly am, Mr Brahma. My wife had her first alcoholic drink yesterday and she wanted to celebrate it. I don't find anything wrong in that. It will be better if we don't sign this deal Mr Brahma. Because, maybe next time she might ask me to dance in the middle of a road and I might do exactly that as long as she is- " I trailed off.

What the hell am I talking about? What is wrong with me?

Why am I getting so annoyed with these people? And why am I not blaming Bhumi for ruining everything.

Oh God! I am going crazy

"Excuse me!" I said and got up from my chair and walked towards the door but stopped hearing Mr Brahma 's words.

"Happy?" He asked and I looked at him confused.

"What?"

"I was completing your sentence. As long as she is 'happy'? Is that what you were going to say" he asked, amusement dangling in his eyes and I looked at him suspiciously.

He laughed out loud shocking everyone in the conference room

"You remind me of myself when I was younger. Madly in love. I would do anything, even if it makes me go bankrupt, as long as my darling is happy," he said and we all gaped at him.

"Mr Brahma, are you trying to say?" Dad asked confusedly.

"Let's sign the deal today, Mr Mehrotra," he announced and everyone was still in shock.

"I had my reservations about Aryamann's marriage. Honestly speaking! Last year, I refused the deal because he was unmarried and this year he suddenly got married. I mean who won't be a little suspicious. Trust me I have seen many fake marriages in my time, just for business purposes," he said and I froze.

He was right on point.

How the hell did he guess!

"Fake marriage?" Dad asked in horror.

Only if he knows.

"I am sorry. That's what I thought, until this morning when I saw the video. Now I am convinced. So why delay, let's sign the deal," he said cheerily.

We signed the deal and a party was arranged for the evening at Mehrotra mansion in regard to the meeting.

"""

"Aryamann, that was awesome. How did you guess that he was bluffing?" Gaurav asked as soon as we reached my home.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Mr Brahma. How did you manage to do that? I mean, no one would doubt that you are not in love." Gaurav said, smirking.

Don't react, Aryamann.

"I just guessed," I said, not raising to his bait.

"But Aryamann-"

"Look, the deal is signed. No more discussion on this Gaurav." I said as I got out of the car.

"Whose car is that?" I asked, looking at the car on the porch.

"Who knows," Gaurav said as we walked in.

I stopped dead on my tracks seeing the scene in front of me.

Bhumi was in Ekansh's arms and he was saying something patting her back.

"Aryamann," Gaurav looked at me worried.

As they heard Gaurav they both looked up and saw us.

Bhumi immediately got out of Ekansh's arms and came running to me.

"Is everything alright, Aryamann? How was the meeting? Was it about the video? Did they cancel the deal?? Is dad angry with me?? Say something, Aryamann!" Bhumi asked in a single breath.

"Bhumi bear, give him a break to talk," Ekansh said, teasingly.

"Relax, Bhumi, the deal is signed," Gaurav said.

"See, I told you right. You were worrying for nothing." Ekansh said, coming towards Bhumi.

I immediately slipped my arms around her waist pulling her against me and glared at Ekansh.

He simply raised his eyebrows at my gesture.

"Aryamann, you don't have to do this possessive husband drama in front of me. Bhumi told me everything about the contract wedding. So you can relax and be your true self," he said, smirking at me and Bhumi stiffened in my arms.

"Ansh," Bhumi called in a warning tone.

"Bhumi, you were not supposed to reveal the details of our deal to anyone." I said in a cold tone and Bhumi looked at me nervously.

"I didn't tell him intentionally, Aryamann. It is just that I can't lie to him," she said, truthfully..

"Not helping," Gaurav murmured under his breath.

"He can easily recognize when I am lying. I don't know how, but he does that right from our childhood," she said as if she hates that quality in him.

"No use in sulking, Bhumi bear. That is one area I specialised in." Ekansh said, winking at Bhumi and she glared at him.

The househelp served us coffee and I am not in a mood as long as this so- called Ansh remains here.

I looked at Gaurav, faking a smile at something Ekansh said.

Seems like I am not the only one.

"Aaahh!" I looked up to see Ekansh pulling his shirt away from his skin which was stained by the hot coffee and Gaurav giving an innocent look at him.

"Oh I am really sorry, Ekansh. It happened by mistake." Gaurav said, showing his infamous puppy face.

Mistake? Like seriously?

"Ansh, take your shirt off. You are going to get burned. I will get you one of Aryamann's shirts," she said and Ekansh immediately took off his shirt and we all froze.

"Ansh," Bhumi whispered, looking at the tattoo on his chest, right above his heart.

She walked towards him with tears in her eyes.

"When? When did you get this tattoo?" She asked emotionally.

"The year after I left," he said.

The tattoo was 'Bhumi' within a heart which has two angel wings.

I glared at Gaurav.

If he hadn't poured the coffee, she wouldn't have seen the tattoo. And she wouldn't have gone all mushy mushy on him.

"What does this mean?" She asked.

"It means that you are in my heart and I am your guardian angel," he said, smiling fondly at Bhumi.

She hugged him tightly.

I pulled her out of the hug.

"Didn't you say that you were going to get him a shirt?" I asked coldly.

"Oh yeah, I will be back in a minute," she said and ran to our room.

"When did you get back to Mumbai?" I asked, glaring at Ekansh.

"Oh I just reached this morning. I came directly here to meet Bhumi. She has been complaining ever since we went to Bangalore, that I didn't spend any time with her." He said, shrugging his shoulders with a smirk on his face.

"I got the invite for the party tonight. Your father messaged me just now," he added.

Oh! What the ever loving f**k.

"Oh, and I bought the house next door. I will be staying there whenever I am in Mumbai," he said.

I cursed under my breath seeing his smirk.

What the hell is going on in his mind?

Didn't he get any other place to stay?

"If you don't mind, Mr Mittal, I would like some privacy at my home. It has been a long night yesterday and we are pretty tired." I said just before Bhumi came back to the living room.

"Oh sure. I am leaving," he said.

"You are leaving already. You just came here." Bhumi pouted at him and I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

"I am a little tired, Bhumi bear. I will see you in the evening," he said and hugged her briefly before walking out.

"I am also leaving. See you tonight, Bhumi." Gaurav said and waved at us.

"What's happening tonight?" Bhumi asked.

"There is a business party being held at Mehrotra mansion tonight." I said in an even tone.

"And when were you going to tell me?" She asked with her hands on her hips.

"Oh. I was just waiting for you to finish fussing over your Ansh " I said sarcastically and walked away.

Bhumi's pov!

I watched as Aryamann walked away with a scowl on his face.

What is his problem actually?

Is he still annoyed with my behaviour last night?

It is totally possible. Anybody would be annoyed. I had behaved like a child.

And an apology is due. So I decided to follow Aryamann into the bedroom.

As I entered, I saw a shirt less Aryamann, rummaging through the cupboard.

Anyone could be forgiven to think that I have gotten used to this by now. Come on, it's been six months since we got married and we share the bedroom, to keep up the show.

And Aryamann always sleeps shirtless.

The self control I have mastered in the last six months, to stop myself from pouncing on him and taking up on his offer of a casual fling.

"What?" I snapped out of my drooling when Aryamann looked at me, with that scowl still etched on his face.

"I want to apologise," I said quietly.

"For what?" He asked.

"For last night. I troubled you a lot, didn't I?" I asked.

The look that followed was intense and predatory, that I took a step back unknowingly.

Aryamann walked towards me, looking at me as if I am his next prey.

"Do you have any idea what trouble you caused me last night, Bhumi?" He whispered huskily, the scowl replaced by that intense look.

"I made you sing rhymes," I mumbled, taking a step back.

"Singing rhymes was the least of my troubles," he said, taking another step towards me.

"I don't remember," I said honestly, as I took another step and my back hit the wall.

"You don't remember asking me to kiss you?" He asked, caging me between him and the wall.

I gasped as he said that.

"No way. You are lying," I said, but a part of me was worried that my feelings would have come out when I was intoxicated.

Oh God!! Did I blurt out my feelings in that state?

"You wanted me to give you dimples by kissing your cheeks, Bhumi," he whispered and touched my cheeks with his index finger.

I gulped as I felt that touch.

He slowly ran his finger tip towards my lips and caressed them softly.

"And you wanted more kisses because you loved my kiss," he said, looking into my eyes.

I was drowning in his eyes. My feelings were overwhelming me. And I closed my eyes, when I saw his head bending forwards.

He placed his lips on mine and I shuddered feeling that after six long months.

The kiss was slow, soft and gentle. He nibbled on my lower lips and then swept his tongue into my mouth, exploring every corner.

How long will I be able to hide my love?

Do I even want to?

A/N

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