ch 53 Sunshine to Stormcloud
After few days
Ashiana was walking towards Aarav's cabin.
files in her hand and little smile to see him again.
as she entered in cabin and saw Aarav was not on his desk
he was sitting on the couch wine glass in his hand and its not what made her life her brow
beside him a woman in her formal expensive jumsuit, wine in her hand.
they both laughing as they are old friends.
Ashiana froze on the scene.
she thought
whos this... woman and that too sitting beside and biggg thing he laughing with her... few days back he was saying you are mine.. you are mine when i talked to vivaan and see now..
matlab sada kutta .. kutta.. thwada kutta tommy...
she thought and huffed.
Aarav looked up, glass poised halfway to his lips.
For a second, the easy laughter in his eyes froze gone as quickly as it came.
The woman beside him turned, her lipstick a deep wine shade that matched the color in her glass.
"Oh, and who's this?" she asked smoothly, her accent lilting, eyes flicking over Ashiana with polite curiosity.
Ashiana shifted, clutching the file tighter to her chest. "I—I'm sorry, sir. You seemed busy. I can come back later."
Aarav set his glass down with measured calm, but the vein ticking in his jaw betrayed the sharp turn of his thoughts.
"That won't be necessary, Ms. Sharma," he said evenly. "Come in."
Ashiana stepped forward slowly, staring that woman longer then looked with narrowed eyes at Aarav.
She placed the file on the table before him, her voice quieter now. "These are the reports you asked for... sir."
"Thank you," he said, his tone clipped, formal.
The woman smiled, swirling her wine lazily. "Always so focused, Aarav. You do surround yourself with capable people."
Ashiana forced a faint smile, murmured a quick "excuse me,"
and turned to leaves her heart heavier than she expected it to be.
Behind her, she heard the low murmur of Aarav's voice again, softer now, but not soft enough to ignore completely.
'' vivvee.. viveeeee... '' ashiana made faces mocking.
''see... how they talking ... ''she huffs and adds '' let him come home fir btati hu inhee''
later at night
Malhotra Mansion
dinning table was set all sitting together and eating.
Ashiana stabbed her fork into the noodles, glaring daggers at the laughing duo across the table.
"Chipkali kahiki..." she muttered under her breath, twisting the noodles viciously. "Kaise mere Aarav se chipki hui hai..."
(such a chipkali (lizard), see how she sticking to my Aarav)
Meghna, sitting beside me, glanced over and smirked. "Kya kaha, Ashi?"
ahiana froze, blinking innocently. "Kuch nahi! Bas... noodles bahut spicy hain." she said quickly, gulping water to hide her expression.
Across the table, Arushi leaned a little closer to Aarav, whispering something that made him chuckle softly.
(Arushi is Aarav's old friend who returned from London after many years to meet him)
ashiana's jaw nearly dropped.
He chuckled. At her.
she stabbed another bite, muttering, "Man to kar raha h ki iske us designer dress ko sauce se baptize kar du..."
(i will surely baptize her with this sauce only)
Kabir, noticing her death stare, raised an eyebrow, amused. "Someone's not enjoying dinner?"
ashiana forced a smile that could probably curdle milk. "Oh no, Kabir bhaiya, I'm loving it. Specially the spicy company."
Raghav coughed to hide his grin, exchanging a knowing look with Aditya.
Aarav's gaze flicked to me for a moment sharp, aware but he said nothing, just sipped his wine, that faint smirk tugging his lips.
ashiana looked down at her plate, stabbing one last helpless noodle, whispering, "Bas Arushi ji... jitna khush hona h ho jao, warna main hi London bhej dungi tumhe iss hi plate mein parcel karke."
(Arushi... laugh as much you want ... because i m going to parcel you to London in this plate only)
Next morning,
Ashiana came running out of the mansion, a wide smile on her face, clutching her bag tightly.
Aarav was just about to leave, standing beside his car.
"Wait, Aarav!" she called, her voice bright, almost bubbling.
He glanced at her through the car window, expression unreadable as always.
she hurried to the car, opened the back seat door only for her smile to vanish instantly.
There she was.
Arushi.
Sitting beside him, sunglasses on, her perfect little smile in place.
For a moment, Ashiana just froze, staring between them.
Aarav turned slightly, eyes meeting her through the reflection.
Calm. Composed.
Not even an ounce of guilt.
her chest tightened.
she forced a small, bitter smile and said, "Oh... so you've now given my place to someone else?"
He opened his mouth, maybe to say something but she didn't wait.
she slammed the car door with a sharp thud, the sound echoing through the driveway.
Without another glance, she turned and walked back toward the mansion, anger burning in every step.
Ashiana's heart was pounding, throat tight as she muttered under her breath,
"Fine, Mr. Malhotra... enjoy your little London return chipkali. Let's see how long it takes before she bites."
Aarav's POV
She froze at the car door.
For a second, her face went from sunshine to stormcloud eyes widening,
lips parting, and then tightening into that stubborn little pout I knew too well.
I didn't say a word.
Neither did she.
She just stood there, staring at Arushi... then at me.
And before I could even open my mouth, she dropped that line sharp, sweet, jealous.
"Oh... so you've now given my place to someone else?"
The way she said my placeit hit harder than I expected.
I could've told her it wasn't what it looked like.
That Arushi just needed a ride.
But when have explanations ever worked with her?
The door slammed.
She turned, storming back toward the mansion her hair flying behind her, steps quick, angry.
I leaned back in my seat, fingers tightening around the steering wheel.
Arushi said something beside me, I didn't even hear.
My eyes were still on the rearview mirror, watching Ashiana disappear into the doorway.
That fire in her God, it drove me insane.
She could make me lose control with a look, a word, a slammed car door.
A slow smirk tugged at my lips.
"Temper suits you, sweetheart," I murmured under my breath. "Let's see how long you stay angry."
And with that, I started the car.
I caught up to her before she reached the gates.
The engine purred low as I rolled the car beside her, keeping pace with every furious step she took.
Her heels clicked hard against the marble path, hair bouncing with every stride she didn't even glance at me once.
Not even when the car shadowed her, or when I rolled the window down.
"Ashiana," I called, voice calm too calm.
No response.
She just picked up her pace, now half jogging, clutching her dupatta so it wouldn't fly away.
I pressed my tongue against my cheek, suppressing a laugh.
Stubborn woman.
"Ashiana, get in the car," I said again, this time lower. Command, not request.
Still nothing.
She turned her face away deliberately, pretending to fix her hair, pretending I wasn't there.
God, she was doing it on purpose.
Her silence was louder than any argument we'd ever had.
I matched her speed, car inching forward, my patience slipping by the second.
I leaned slightly out of the window, eyes locked on her flushed face.
"You can ignore me all you want, sweetheart," I said, voice dipping dark, "but you're not running away from me."
She kept walking faster now.
And I couldn't help it a small, helpless smile broke out.
Because no matter how far she ran, she knew I'd always be right there, matching every step.