She pictured how the night would end and if she would come to regret her decision of meeting him. But something kept her going, a silent force that wanted to know, satisfied with any answers she could get for his absence.
Dhruv considered her with a look. “Well, what are you waiting for? Come in.”
While on the outside she admired the mansion’s grand beauty, on the inside Shanaya couldn't stop thinking of how his return wasn't a quick decision. It was very well planned out if he had purchased a house for himself. The grandeur of the mansion did not surprise her. Dhruv was a billionaire now. He could buy fifty such houses without batting any eyelash. The front door opened and the lights turned on, one by one.As if reading her mind, Dhruv said, "I moved in a week ago. I told Mom about my plans a month ago and as you can guess she wasn't happy about it. Neither was Kirti.""About you returning or living separately?" Shanaya laughed and took long strides into the house, her heart thumping with every step. "As you get older, you tend to like being alone," he said in his defense, his voice small enough to go almost unheard. "Oh, Grandpa. Tell me are all your teeth still intact?" She turned to look at him and as their eyes met, he chortled. But from the look on his face, it seemed like he didn't enjoy the joke. "Where's my gift?" Shanaya asked with a raised brow and when a smirk appeared on his tanned face, she dramatically sighed. "Oh, I knew it! You were lying. And now I've walked right into a trap. My family is rich enough but they won't pay you any ransom. They don't love me. That much." She tilted her head. He gazed at her for a while in silence and she smiled to herself, impressed at how easily words flowed between them despite the years apart. The ache in her chest began, becoming unbearable with each second. She took steps towards him, small but steady and one at a time. He watched her silently walk until she was standing right in front of him. "Ready to see your gift?" he asked, his voice distant and oddly quiet. "If you make me wait any longer, I'll be convinced you're a liar.""Don't you get hungry with constantly trying but failing to be funny?" he mocked and she knew he was all right. Taking quick strides, he reached the end of the hallway before opening a wide door. There were things Shanaya expected but a candle-lit dinner wasn't one of them. She was disappointed and pleased at the same time. The sight and aroma caused her stomach to rumble and she instantly placed a hand on her stomach to somehow conceal it.Dhruv snickered at her reaction. He seemed to find a lot about her awfully funny. She rolled her eyes and entered the dining area before he spared any word. Only after a while did she notice that the only light in the room was the one emanating from scented candles placed around the room. Shanaya made sure he noticed her wavering gaze over the table and the contents placed over them. She said, "A candle-lit dinner. How..." "... romantic?" Dhruv said, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. He ran a hand through his hair, messing the perfectly slicked back dark brown-almost black strands. "I wanted to say boring," Shanaya mused, her lips tilted into a smirk. Nevertheless, she made her way to one of the chairs and Dhruv pulled it back to let her sit comfortably. It seemed as though he was waiting for a thank you but realizing soon enough he wasn't going to get one, sat on the opposite chair. "You've always been hard to impress." "And you've never given up," Shanaya answered solemnly, lowering her gaze. In the candlelight, his eyes glistened like warm melted chocolate. Her throat started to tighten, but she couldn't tell if it was because of the past memories that flooded her mind or the sight of food in front of her eyes. "Chinese food?" She raised her gaze and met his, despite wanting to avoid the very thing. "Your favorite," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone then his brows furrowed. "Oh, Shanaya. Don't tell me you've changed your food preference as well. From what I see, I think you have," His eyes ran from her head to toe and he tilted his head waiting for a response. "I do like Chinese food still but I would've preferred something lighter." He relaxed on the chair, loosening his shoulders but a frown graced his lips. "I spend two hours cooking the food myself. No help from any else. And this is what I hear?" "You didn't make this. You're bluffing," Shanaya said, her lips forming a tiny sardonic smile. Dhruv pointed at the kitchen sink at a distance. "I might lie. But what about those dishes?" Her eyes followed his and landed on the dishes piled up in the sink. Placing both her elbows on the table, Shanaya cupped her face. "All this for me. I can't help but feel suspicious. What are you up to, Mr. Kapoor?" She leaned forward, holding his gaze and he did the same. If she could lean any further, she would've done it. But the length of the table and the contents over it didn't allow her. Yet, from the distance over the scent of candles, she smelled his cologne."Is that synonymous to 'Why did I return, Miss Arora?' Because then I'll consider my mission successful," he said calmly, his gaze unwavering. "We're still on that? But, well to answer your question, no. You'll have to try harder." When she leaned back, a small sigh left her lips. "What I want to know is why you took the effort to cook dinner all by yourself. Surely, not just to showcase your new skill?" "The answer is simple and obvious. I did it for you. A special dinner for someone special. I never thought the flowers would work but my Mom told me the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach," he confessed in a single breath.Shanaya lowered her gaze to the food again. "That's true. The food looks good, I must admit, but looks can be deceiving."He picked up a fork and replied, "What are you waiting for then? Once you've eaten, I'll know if I have made it to your heart." Shanaya shook her head gently but all she could say was, "You talk too much."Half an hour later, she couldn't help but feel jealous of Dhruv. Thanks to his mad culinary skills, her diet was abolished and she ended up eating way more than she initially intended, earning several smirks from him. Not soon after they finished eating, Dhruv walked to her and slipped his hand into hers, taking her by surprise. "Hey? Thanks for dinner. But I should leave-" "Shhhh," he said in a low, barely audible whisper, covering her mouth with his finger and quieting her. "Dance with me."Thanks for reading! If you're liking the story, considering voting with gems or leaving a review!
A low hum began playing from a source Shanaya failed to locate in the scant lighting. In an instant, Dhruv’s arm slid around her waist and his palm pressed into her small back, pulling her closer. Despite the thickness of her dress's fabric, she felt his warm hand sending a shiver down her spine. As a reflex, her hands rose to his shoulders and settled there and soon they were lost in each other's eyes. "What song is that?" Shanaya asked in a whisper, swaying slowly in his arms along with the tune. Her eyes remained glued to his. Stupid as it seemed, she was unable to take them away from his face. Up this close, he looked even more handsome. And tall. She failed to realise it earlier but she only barely touched his shoulder. Craning her neck to not lose sight of his eyes, she held her breath, waiting for an answer. "I don't know. I don't care," he said in a husky tone. It may have been just a game her mind was playing on her, but she sensed him leaning closer as they moved their bodi
The sun rays passed through the window panes and kissed Shanaya's face, fuelling her annoyance. She barely slept the previous night. Dhruv wouldn't let her. The little time that he did allow her, she wasted away by thinking constantly of what had happened between them and what it meant.Her head ached from the lack of sleep, making her frown as she lifted herself from the bed, covering her naked body with the white sheets. On the other hand, Dhruv slept peacefully on his stomach, snoring lightly. The sheets concealed the lower half of his body, keeping the other half on display for her eyes and she smirked. The smirk vanished as soon as she recollected moments from the previous night. Dhruv provoked her and she reacted just as he wanted her to. With a groan, she closed her eyes, gathering her hair into a messy bun. Her eyes darted around the room in search of her clothes—the striped dress she wore the previous night, but all she found were the bits and pieces of what remained of her
It slipped Shanaya's mind that she was wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt. She slid the door wide open, allowing Shaheer who stood outside to take a good look at her. The calm over his face vanished in an instant. His cheeks blushed pink and he lifted his eyebrows in embarassment, clearing his throat at the same time. "Oh," Shanaya said to herself, realising what had happened and in a haste almost closed the door on his face. Luckily, he stepped behind on time. She sighed deeply and counted to three, letting her erratic heart go back to normal before slightly jerking the door open to peek out. "Did you get what I asked?" She said hurriedly and for a moment Shaheer's brows furrowed in confusion. "What? Oh, yes. Yes, here it is. Ms. Arora," He said and passed through the little gap a bag with her clothes. Shanaya grabbed it without another glance and turned around to find Dhruv looking at her with a smirk. "And who might that be?" He said, more to himself than to her and too
Kabir shrugged and the smile slipped away, getting replaced by a serious look. His gray eyes stared at her with curiosity. "But seriously, Shan, where were you last night? I called you like a hundred times." She ran her fingers through her wet hair strands as the light buzzing of the machine continued. Pretending to not hear his question, she said looking at herself in the full view mirror, "Do you think it's okay for you to be in my room while I'm not here? And even when I am. With me. Alone?" "Let's not pretend like I didn't spend half of my teen years here," He shook his head as his eyes went over the room, quickly examining it. Picking up a pillow, he flipped it and then stuffed it behind his head, relaxing even more. "You're not scared of what Dadi has to say?" His eyes flickered away from her but a small smile appeared on his clean shaven face. "She stopped doubting me a while ago. Precisely on the day I got married to Noor. Unless she considers me able enough to have an extr
Ahail, was a hero. Her saviour. Her protector. Or at least, he had been; once upon a time before the whole Arora family descended into the ruins. Shanaya had been a notorious teenager. With her heart on her sleeve and her mind in her mouth, trouble was always lurking around, and she attracted it like a magnet—picking fights with girls and boys all the same. But Ahail was there. He was always there to clean up her messes. He'd beat up guys and flirt with girls until they thought no more evil of his little sister. Ahail was the perfect guy—tall, handsome and smart. They were both blessed with a good combination of their parents' genes but while Shanaya struggled with Math, he excelled. With the ability to make friends at just the wave of his hand, he was a charmer. He sang sometimes and played music at pleas of girls. He was the life of every party he attended. Such was the Ahail she knew and loved and admired. The one she was about to meet, however, was a completely different person
"He'll be here in a minute," Shanaya said in an instant, earning a head tilt and a long gaze from her granny before the old woman settled on the seat as the head of the family. Her brother entered moments later, displaying a freshly shaved jaw and carried out the walk of shame with his head low before sitting down. "Now that everyone's here," Suhala began with a small but genuine smile, "I'd like to introduce everyone to Raunak Mehta." So the trouble's named Raunak this time, Shanaya thought as she examined his face carefully. He smiled at her grandmother's words but the moment his gaze met Shanaya's he blushed and looked away. The latter continued to glare. "Ms Chahal is here with her with daughter too," She added with a forced smile. "Mithila, right?""Mridula, Dadi." The girl corrected politely and lowered her head, smiling. "Yes, yes." Shanaya resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sighed instead, failing to maintain a fake smile. Times as such reminded her of why she prefer
When Monday morning dawned, Shanaya could not be more eager to leave her family house. She had always expected it to be a haven; a place to relax after a long week—to heal and recover from the burnout, but it had never felt that way. Going to her family house felt more like an obligation—a duty she was committed to doing. She did that every weekend. Sometimes, she felt guilty for perceiving like checking up on her grandmother and Ahail, were merely tasks on her to-do list. Shanaya sneaked out as always, tiptoeing to the front door. It was still dark outside, but the chirping of birds had replaced the quietness of the night. She needed some time to restore her sanity before reaching her workplace. She was about to turn the doorknob when someone cleared their throat behind her, causing her to freeze in her place. She sighed, feeling like a thief caught red-handed. "One day you'll regret not saying goodbye before leaving," Suhala's throaty voice fell on her ears. Her grandmother was
Despite its beauty, Shanaya frowned as she picked up the bracelet and examined its delicate design. To the touch, it was cool, sending tiny shivers through her fingers. Dhruv's smirking face flashed through her mind and she tried her best not to recall fragments of the night they spent together. What was all of this supposed to mean? What was he up to? Why did he suddenly choose to flood her with his attention after ghosting her for the last eight years? Dhruv was the last person she wanted on her mind that morning, but he was utterly unsettling like a wine stain on her conscience. Shanaya placed the ruby and gold bracelet back in the box with equal care and shut it close. “What an idiot,” she whispered to herself, remembering their conversation. Well, the next time I'll bring you roses carved out of gold. How about you never bring me any flowers? Of gold or otherwise. Dhruv had done just what she had told him not to. That was expected of him. It annoyed Shanaya but she found