Morning came—but it didn't feel normal.
Aakrati woke up slowly, her eyes blinking open as if her mind was still somewhere else.
And it was.
The moment she fully woke up—
It hit her.
That kiss.
Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at the ceiling, completely still for a second.
"...oh god."
She turned to her side, pulling the blanket closer to her face, hiding in it like that would somehow hide the memory too.
But it didn't.
If anything—
It came back clearer.
The way he had pulled her closer.
The way she had just… stayed.
The way she didn't stop him.
A soft groan escaped her as she buried her face into the pillow.
"Why did I do that…"
But there was no regret in her voice.
Only embarrassment.
And something else.
Something softer.
She rolled onto her back again, staring at the ceiling, her fingers unconsciously brushing against her lips.
And that was enough to make her sit up instantly.
"No."
She shook her head, trying to snap out of it.
"Focus. Work."
Getting out of bed felt harder than usual.
Not because she was tired—
But because her mind refused to stay in one place.
She kept drifting back.
Again and again.
Even while brushing her teeth, she caught herself zoning out, staring into the mirror like she was replaying everything in her head.
At one point, she just stopped mid-action and blinked at her own reflection.
"This is not happening."
But it was.
When she finally got dressed, she took longer than usual.
Not because she couldn't decide what to wear—
But because she kept checking herself for no reason.
Fixing her hair.
Adjusting things.
Pausing.
Thinking.
And every time—
That same thought came back.
What if he sees me today?
Her heart skipped at that.
Then immediately—
"No, no… why am I thinking like this?"
She grabbed her bag quickly, trying to act normal again.
Trying to move on.
Trying to ignore the way her chest felt a little lighter.
And heavier at the same time.
But as she stepped out—
One thing was clear.
No matter how much she tried to act normal—
Nothing felt the same anymore.
Not after that.
Aakrati stepped out of her apartment, still half lost in her thoughts—
And stopped.
Arsh was there.
Leaning casually against his car, like he had been waiting… like he knew she would come out at that exact moment.
Her breath caught for a second.
Of course he would be this confident.
Of course he would show up like nothing happened.
Her fingers tightened around her phone as she quickly looked away, pretending she hadn't seen him yet.
But she had.
Too clearly.
Too consciously.
Without wasting another second, she unlocked her phone and typed fast—
She texted Krish that she would meet him directly at the hotel site today.
The reply came quickly.
A simple okay.
She put her phone back, adjusting her bag, still avoiding looking in Arsh's direction.
But she could feel it.
His gaze.
Steady.
Unmoving.
On her.
"Aakrati."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
She froze for a second before slowly turning toward him.
"Hmm?" she responded, trying to sound normal.
Failing.
He straightened up, taking a step closer, his expression unreadable but his eyes… far too aware.
"You're avoiding me."
It wasn't a question.
"I'm not," she replied quickly, looking anywhere but at him.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Really?"
He moved a little closer, enough to make her take a small step back without realizing it.
That didn't go unnoticed.
"Relax," he said softly.
There was no teasing in his voice this time.
Just something steady.
Grounding.
Her eyes finally met his, unsure, still slightly flustered.
And that's when he said it—
"You don't have to be embarrassed."
Her breath hitched.
He stepped closer, not too much, just enough for his presence to feel real again.
"I meant it," he continued, voice low but clear. "You're mine."
Aakrati's eyes widened slightly at that.
Not because it sounded wrong—
But because of the way he said it.
Like a fact.
Like something he had already decided.
"And I'm yours," he added, softer this time.
That made her still.
Completely.
"So stop overthinking," he said, a faint smile returning now. "And look at me properly."
Aakrati hesitated.
Then slowly—
She did.
And for a second, neither of them said anything.
Because everything that needed to be said—
Had already happened.
Yesterday.
Aakrati looked at him for a moment longer… and then, slowly, a small smile formed on her lips.
Not shy this time.
Not avoiding.
Just… real.
Something in Arsh's expression softened at that.
"Good," he murmured, almost to himself.
And just like that, the tension eased.
They got into the car together.
The drive didn't feel heavy anymore.
It wasn't about what happened yesterday—
Not directly.
Instead, it was random.
Light.
Comfortable in its own way.
They talked about anything and everything—her work, his sudden appearance, small sarcastic comments, little arguments that didn't mean anything but still made them smile.
At one point, she complained about her schedule, and he just listened, nodding like it mattered.
At another, he teased her for overthinking, and she rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.
It felt… normal.
But underneath it—
There was something new.
Something unspoken.
Something both of them were aware of.
When they reached the site, Arsh stopped the car.
Aakrati unbuckled her seatbelt, pausing for a second before opening the door.
"Pick me up?" she asked casually, like it wasn't a big deal.
Arsh smirked slightly.
"I was going to anyway."
She rolled her eyes, smiling, and stepped out.
But before she could walk away—
"Don't fall today," he added lightly.
She turned back instantly.
"I won't."
Hours passed.
Work took over.
Measurements, designs, discussions—Aakrati got completely involved, moving around the site, explaining things, noting changes.
Krish was there too, working alongside her, calm and focused as always.
They made a good team.
Efficient.
Comfortable.
But the site wasn't exactly safe.
Loose materials.
Uneven flooring.
Distractions everywhere.
It happened quickly.
Too quickly.
Aakrati stepped back while explaining something—
And her foot slipped.
The next second, she lost her balance completely.
A sharp gasp escaped her as she felt herself fall—
But she never hit the ground.
Krish caught her.
One arm around her, steady, immediate, pulling her up before she could even process it.
"Careful," he said, his voice calm but firm.
Aakrati blinked, still trying to register what just happened.
"I—I'm fine," she said quickly, though her heart was racing.
But when she tried to stand properly—
A slight pain shot through her ankle.
She winced.
Krish noticed instantly.
"Don't move."
Before she could argue—
He lifted her.
Aakrati's eyes widened. "Krish—what are you doing? I can walk—"
"Not like that," he said simply.
There was no hesitation in him.
No awkwardness.
Just concern.
And at that exact moment—
A car pulled up outside the site.
Arsh stepped out.
His eyes scanned the area automatically—
Looking for her.
And then he saw it.
Aakrati.
In Krish's arms.
For a second—
Everything stilled.
The sound around him faded.
The movement stopped.
His jaw tightened.
Not dramatically.
Not loudly.
But enough.
Because in that one moment—
The calm from earlier—
The comfort—
The control—
All of it shifted.
And this time—
The anger didn't stay hidden.
Arsh didn't say much.
He walked straight toward them—his steps calm, but something in his eyes had already changed.
Krish had barely adjusted his hold on Aakrati when Arsh reached them.
Without asking.
Without waiting.
He took her from him.
Firm. Certain. Like there was no question about it.
"I'll take care of her," he said, his voice low, controlled.
Not rude.
Not loud.
But final.
Aakrati blinked, caught off guard by how suddenly everything shifted.
"Arsh—" she started, confused, but he didn't respond.
He was already walking.
Holding her like she belonged there.
Like there was no space for hesitation.
He reached the car, opened the door, and gently—but quickly—sat her inside.
Then came around and got in himself.
The door shut.
Silence.
Heavy.
Aakrati turned toward him, still trying to understand what had just happened.
"Arsh, what—"
She didn't get to finish.
Because the next second—
He pulled her toward him.
And kissed her.