Chapter - 78
I don't know when I fell asleep while crying, but when I woke up, I was not alone. Avi was sleeping beside me, my head resting on his chest.
When did he come? I thought. Should I wake him up? No... no. For the past few days, he hadn't slept much because of me. I should let him rest.
I tried to get up quietly, but he pulled me closer, his arms tightening around me. In a sleepy voice, he murmured,
"Where are you going?"
"I... I... you sleep a little more, Avi," I whispered. "I'm just going outside."
He shook his head slightly, burying his face into my neck, his lips brushing my bare skin.
"I can't sleep without you," he murmured. "Let me have some sleep, jaan."
My breath hitched. Butterflies fluttered wildly in my stomach, and my heart raced, but I took a deep breath and slowly ran my hand through his hair, trying to calm myself. I don't know when, but I drifted back into sleep, comforted by his warmth.
When I woke up again, I was alone. I was about to get up when Avi came into the room, carrying our evening coffee and some snacks.
"You go freshen up," he said with a small smile. "Our coffee will get cold otherwise."
I nodded silently and went to the bathroom. After freshening up, I returned to the living room and sat beside him on the sofa. I took the cup in my hands and sipped quietly.
Today, even this silence felt comforting. He was here. Beside me. And that was enough.
Then he finally broke the silence. His voice was soft, almost a request, "Angel... can you make brown rice and dal tadka for dinner, please?"
My heart skipped a beat. He actually asked me himself... for the first time. Normally, he never wanted me to do anything for him. I felt a small warmth inside. A shy smile spread on my face, and I said,
"Yes, yes, I will."
I was about to get up when he held my hand. I looked back, and he came close, pressing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Now go," he whispered.
My cheeks warmed, and I hurried toward the kitchen.
Maa and Chachi were there, and they looked happy to see me.
I started preparing the dinner carefully, speaking softly to Maa and Chachi, trying not to let my words slip in ways I might regret.
But for Avi, I prepared everything myself, putting my love and care into every little thing.
When dinner was ready, the three of us carried the food to the table and arranged it. Everyone joined, and we ate in silence.
Just as we were about to finish, Avi said, "I'm going to Udaipur tomorrow for two days for a business meeting."
My smile dropped instantly. I didn't know why, but my chest felt tight.
I held the spoon tight and bit my lips, trying to stop the tears from falling.
I knew it was just two days... and only for business.
.. but still... I couldn't help it. Without thinking, I got up and ran to our room, closing the door behind me.
I felt childish. I shouldn't cry over this. I'm the Rani of Rajasthan... if I can't handle this, how will I handle bigger things in the future? I tried to convince myself. I took deep breaths, but my heart refused to listen. My tears kept falling.
I ran to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. My eyes were red from crying. I took a long, shaky breath, trying to calm myself. Slowly, I changed into comfortable clothes and returned to the room. I lay down on the bed, covering myself completely.
Avi hadn't come yet. Maybe he was busy... and good. It was better he didn't come, otherwise he would give me a lecture on not crying. I hugged myself tighter, trying to sleep before he came... because I knew if he saw me like this, I would start crying all over again.
I didn't even notice when Avi quietly lay down beside me, pulling me close to his side. My heart started beating faster. I hugged myself tighter, trying not to show how flustered I was.
"So... tell me, Jaan," he murmured, his lips brushing my ear, "which punishment do you deserve for not listening to me, hmm?"
I swallowed hard, my cheeks warming. "W...when did I not listen to you?" I asked softly, my voice small.
"Is that so?" he teased, nudging me slightly.
I nodded.
"Then... why are your eyes red?" he asked, his voice low and teasing.
I bit my lip, trying to think fast. "T...that...because of facewash... yes, I washed my face and some went into my eyes." My heart thumped.
He stared at me, and I felt my cheeks burn. Did he believe me?
"So... you start lying to me now? Very bad, Siya," he whispered, his lips brushing my neck. "And now, my bad girl... you need a punishment."
"I...b-but I'm not a bad girl," I stammered, my hands clutching his shirt.
"But you lied," he said softly, almost teasing, "and that counts. Now... ready for your punishment?"
"M...what punishment?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
Before I could even understand, he kissed my neck, biting gently. I gasped in surprise, feeling a little pain.
Then he teased me, licking the same spot, making me shiver all over. I was so lost in him, in his closeness, that I barely noticed when he pulled me fully onto him.
He cupped my face with his hands. "Kiss me, Jaan," he whispered.
My heart pounded in my chest. I leaned close, pressing my lips to his, kissing him like I needed him more than air.
I let my hands roam gently over his chest, my lips moving along his jawline down to his collarbone.
I bit softly there, leaving a dark love mark, and his soft hiss made me giggle nervously.
"What... was that for?" he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and amusement.
"For... not telling me you were leaving," I whispered against his lips, my cheeks hot, my heart racing.
He pulled me into his chest, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "That was a last-moment decision," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Jaan... I know I should have told you first, but I couldn't meet anyone this morning."
I didn't say anything, just hugged him tightly, feeling safe and loved. After a few seconds, I whispered, "Don't go without meeting me in the morning... and no lame excuses about not wanting to disturb your sleep."
"But Siya..." he began.
"I don't want to hear anything now," I said firmly, nuzzling into him, wrapping my arms around him tighter. "I'm sleeping," I added softly, letting him rub my hair as I finally felt my heart calm against his chest.
Being this close to him, feeling his warmth... it was all I wanted. And for a moment, nothing else mattered in the world.
"Siya... baby, wake up," Avi's soft voice brushed against my ear. His hand ran gently through my hair.
"Mmm... Avi... let me sleep a little more," I mumbled, still half in dreamland.
But then his next words made me bolt upright. "We don't have time, Angel. Udaipur is..."
My eyes flew open, and panic bubbled in my chest. Udaipur... he's going there. But when I looked around, I realized I wasn't in our room. I was... somewhere private. Carefully, I took in my surroundings. I was in a bed, in a private plane. My heart skipped a beat.
"I... what... when...?" I stammered, looking at him.
He cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing gently against my cheeks. "I'll tell you everything, but first... go freshen up and change your clothes. The plane is about to land."
I nodded, my heart still racing. I slipped into the attached bathroom, washing my face to wake myself up. My clothes were already neatly laid out, and there was a small pouch with my essentials and even my brush. I couldn't help but blush at how thoughtful he was.
After changing, I stepped out. Avi was already waiting. We walked hand in hand to our seats. My fingers tingled from the warmth of his touch. I tried to calm my racing heart, but it wasn't working.
Five minutes later, the plane landed. He held my hand tightly as we exited. A car was waiting for us. We slid inside, and I quickly closed the partition between the front seat and ours, making sure no one could overhear us.
I looked at him, my voice trembling. "Avi... tell me... why didn't you tell me? How... how did I even come here?"
Before I could ask anything more, he gently put his finger on my lips, stopping me.
"I brought you here with me," he said softly, his eyes locked on mine.
"Because... first, I can't live without you.
And second, I promised you last time that whenever I go on a business trip, I won't go without you.
And not telling you... that was a surprise, Jaan.
Tell me—if I had told you before, the look on your face when you woke up. .. would I have got it? No, right?"
I blinked, trying to process everything. "So... what?" I whispered, feeling a little embarrassed but happy. "I had college... and I have to..."
Before I could finish, he interrupted gently. "Don't worry, Angel. I already spoke to your director. You don't have to take extra stress where it's not needed."
I hesitated. "But... what about my packing?"
He cupped my face, his eyes soft. "I already packed everything you need. Anything missing, we can buy from there."
I bit my lip, still thinking. "That's not the point..."
He tilted his head, curious. "Then tell me, Angel. What is the point?"
I took a deep breath. "It's... our first trip as a couple. You're understanding, right?"
He nodded slowly, and I continued, a little nervous. "So... you didn't give me the excitement. The first-time feeling..."
He nodded slowly, understanding. "Hmm. I will do that next time."
"But next time... it won't be the first time," I said softly, pouting a little.
He smiled and said, "Okay... then I think we should go home first. I'll tell you everything about the trip there, and then you can feel all the excitement you want."
He was about to tell the driver to start when I gently held his hand. "I was just teasing you. I'm very happy... just being with you is enough."
He leaned closer and kissed my nose lightly. "I know you're teasing me, Jaan. You can do anything with me—I'm all yours."
I hugged him tightly, my cheeks burning. I couldn't meet his eyes, but he chuckled softly and teased, "I like the color on your face... and I love it even more that I'm the reason for it."
I hid my face a little more into his chest, heart racing, feeling shy but completely happy.
We reached the hotel and entered our royal suite. My eyes widened as Avi gave me a tour. Two bedrooms, a spacious living room, an open kitchen, and a balcony with a view of the blue water sparkling under the sunlight—it was breathtaking. I felt like I was dreaming.
Avi ordered breakfast, then disappeared to take a bath. When he came back, fully ready, our food had arrived. We sat together, laughing, talking, and even feeding each other little bites. I couldn't stop smiling. Seeing him like this, carefree and happy, made my heart swell.
After a while, he told me, "I have a meeting now. I'll be back in 2–3 hours. After that... all the time is ours."
I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "Okay... I'm sleepy. I'll rest a bit."
He leaned down, kissed my forehead softly, and whispered, "Sleep well, Jaan. I'll be back soon." Then he left, giving me a quick wave before closing the door.
I sat on the bed, staring at the room, the balcony, the view... everything perfect. And yet, a little knot of guilt stayed in my chest.
He's doing everything for me... for us... and here I am, thinking only about myself. I should have asked him questions before. If I had, we could have talked, cleared everything, and things would have been in the right place.
Now... I can't change the past, but I can do something for him. I have to. I need to talk to him, share everything that's on my heart, and... maybe a little surprise too, just to show him how much he means to me.
I took a deep breath and whispered to myself, "I'll make it right, Avi. I'll make it right... because he deserves it, and I... I want to."