chapter 28 - kiss?
The night was calm, the cool breeze carrying the faint scent of rain. Ira stood by the bed, folding a dupatta when Aarav’s voice—soft, almost boyish—broke the silence.
“Come sit with me on the balcony.”
She turned to find him already stepping outside, his sleeves rolled up, the night air playing with his hair.
“It’s late,” she mumbled.
“The wind is nice,” he said, leaning against the chair, looking at her expectantly. “Come, baby.”
Ira’s heart stuttered at the way he said it—so effortlessly, like he’d been calling her that forever.
Hesitantly, she walked onto the balcony, and the moment she did, Aarav reached for her hand, pulling her down beside him. He sat with his legs stretched out, and she half-laid against his chest, her back resting against his warmth.
Aarav’s arms wrapped around her, one of his hands finding hers. Slowly, he brought her fingers to his lips, placing soft kisses on each one, his breath warm against her skin.
Ira’s breath hitched.
She wasn’t used to this. Not his gentleness. Not the way he touched her like she was something precious.
“You’re blushing,” he murmured against her fingers, his lips curving into a knowing smirk.
She immediately tried to pull away, but Aarav tightened his hold, a silent command to stay.
“I should go to bed,” she whispered, attempting to sit up.
He caught her hand before she could move away, pulling her back—closer this time.
Now, they were standing, inches apart. The night breeze wrapped around them, but all Ira could feel was his warmth.
Aarav lifted his hand, cupping her face, his thumb grazing her cheekbone. Slowly, he leaned in, his cheek brushing against hers, his stubble rough against her soft skin.
Ira closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly as he trailed slow, lingering kisses along her temple, her cheek, the corner of her jaw…
Her hands clutched his shirt, her entire body burning with something unfamiliar, something intoxicating.
Aarav tilted her chin up, his lips hovering just above hers.
He was so close. So, so close.
But just as he was about to kiss her, reality crashed over her like a cold wave.
The contract.
This wasn’t real.
She stiffened, her hands pressing against his chest as she slightly pushed him away. “Aarav…” her voice was barely a whisper. “It’s late… we should sleep.”
For a second, his gaze darkened, as if he knew exactly why she stopped him.
But then, he let out a soft exhale, his fingers trailing down her cheek one last time before he nodded. “Okay.”
They walked inside in silence.
When Ira lay down, she expected him to sleep on his side, like always.
But instead, Aarav pulled her into his arms, his grip firm, unyielding.
His chin rested against the top of her head, his voice low and drowsy when he whispered, “Goodnight, baby.”
Ira’s heart pounded so loudly she was afraid he could hear it.
She didn’t respond.
Because she knew—if she did, her voice would give her away.
She was falling.
And that was dangerous.
Ira woke up feeling something heavy around her waist.
Warm. Secure. Unyielding.
Her lashes fluttered open, and it took her a moment to realize—Aarav was holding her. His arm was wrapped around her, his grip strong even in sleep.
Her heart skipped a beat.
He looked so different like this. Relaxed. Peaceful. The sharp edges of his face softened in slumber, his lips slightly parted.
She tried to move, but the moment she did, his hold tightened.
“Stay,” he mumbled, voice husky from sleep.
Ira stilled.
This wasn’t the first time he’d held her in his sleep, but it was the first time she was actually aware of it.
“Aarav…” she whispered hesitantly.
“Hm?”
“It’s morning…”
He groaned, burying his face into the crook of her neck, his breath warm against her skin. “Five more minutes.”
Ira’s breath hitched.
His lips were dangerously close to her shoulder, and she was very aware of how intimately they were tangled.
Before she could protest, the bedroom door suddenly burst open.
“Ira Bhabhi! Wake up, you’ll be—” kabir’s voice abruptly stopped.
Ira gasped, trying to push Aarav away, but he groaned in protest, still half-asleep.
A wicked grin spread across Kabir’s face. “Ohhh… am I disturbing something?”
Ira’s face burned. “Kabir!” she squeaked.
Aarav finally opened his eyes, his expression dark with irritation. “Get out.” His voice was still thick with sleep, but the threat in his tone was clear.
Kabir, completely unfazed, smirked. “Bhabhi, you should wake up fast. If you keep sleeping like this, Bhai might never let you out of bed.”
Ira grabbed the pillow and threw it at him. “Shut up!”
Kabir laughed, dodging it easily. “Anyway, breakfast in fifteen minutes. Don’t be late, or maa will come wake you up herself.” With that, he left, still chuckling.
Ira groaned, hiding her face in her hands. “This is so embarrassing…”
Aarav, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered. He stretched, the movement making his muscles flex under his t-shirt. “Ignore him. He’s an idiot.”
She glared at him. “You didn’t even move when he walked in!”
He smirked, leaning in slightly. “I was comfortable.”
Her breath hitched, but before she could respond, he got out of bed.
“Get ready, baby. You have your second day at work.” His eyes darkened slightly as he looked at her. “And I don’t like waiting.”
Ira’s heartbeat stuttered at the intensity in his gaze.
She had a feeling today was going to be just as overwhelming as yesterday.
When Ira stepped into the dining room, the teasing started immediately.
“Oh, look who’s finally here,” nandini teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Aarav, you let her out of bed?”
Ira choked on the air. “chachi!”
Aarav, sipping his coffee, simply raised an eyebrow. “She needed rest.”
Vihaan snickered. “Oh, I’m sure she did.”
Ira’s face turned bright red.
Sunita, her mother-in-law, gave her a soft smile. “Are you feeling okay, beta? First days at work can be exhausting.”
Ira nodded quickly, grateful for the change in topic. “Yes, Ma. I’m fine.”
“Bhabhi, what are you wearing today?” Anika asked, resting her chin on her hand.
“I… I don’t know,” Ira admitted. “Yesterday, I wore a saree, but—”
“You’ll wear another one,” Aarav interrupted, setting his cup down.
Ira blinked. “I—what?”
Aarav looked at her, his gaze firm. “I like you in sarees.”
Silence.
Then Vihaan whistled. “Damn, Bhai, possessive much?”
Aarav didn’t even blink. “Yes.”
Ira wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
Nandini chuckled. “Beti, wear whatever you want. But I have to admit, sarees do suit you.”
Sunita nodded in agreement. “She looks beautiful in them.”
Feeling flustered, Ira quickly finished her breakfast.
Aarav leaned in, his voice low so only she could hear. “I expect you in a saree before we leave.”
Ira swallowed hard, nodding slightly.
She didn’t know what was scarier—her growing attraction toward her husband, or the way he was making sure she never forgot who she belonged to.
After the teasing and the playful family moments, Aarav and Ira finally left for the office. As they entered, employees stood in respect, and Ira walked beside him with natural grace. The aura of the power couple remained unshaken, but something caught Ira’s attention.
Ritika wasn’t at her desk.
She scanned the office discreetly throughout the morning, waiting to see if Ritika would walk in late. But as hours passed and the afternoon approached, there was still no sign of her.
A thought settled in her mind—had Aarav fired her?
Not one to sit quietly with her curiosity, Ira made her way to his cabin. And this time, she didn’t bother knocking.
Aarav was seated at his desk, focused on his laptop, but the moment he saw her entering so boldly, a smirk crept onto his lips. He leaned back in his chair, watching her with amusement.
"Well, well," he drawled, folding his arms. "My gorgeous wife storming into my office without knocking? Are you here to confess that you missed me?"
Ira rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the slight warmth creeping up her cheeks. "No, I just—"
Before she could finish, Aarav cut her off, his voice dropping into that deep, teasing tone that always sent a shiver down her spine.
"You know, if you wanted to have a secret office romance, Mrs. Malhotra, all you had to do was ask," he murmured, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Ira's mouth fell open. "W-what?!"
Aarav chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "I wouldn’t mind some alone time with my beautiful wife in my office. You barging in like this... I can’t help but think you’re here to seduce me."
Her eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. "Aarav!" she scolded, but her voice lacked any real authority.
Chuckling at her flustered state, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Alright, alright. What brings you here, love?"
Ira straightened, regaining her composure. "Did you fire Ritika?" she asked, her voice firm, her eyes searching his face for any sign of guilt.
Aarav’s smirk didn’t falter. "No," he said smoothly.
It was a lie. A well-calculated one.
Because he hadn’t fired her—he had done something much worse.
But Ira didn’t know that. She studied his face, trying to read between the lines, but Aarav was too skilled at keeping his expressions unreadable. After a moment, she sighed in relief and nodded.
"Okay," she said, satisfied. "I was just wondering because she hasn’t come in today."
Aarav reached out, gently grabbing her hand and pulling her a step closer. "You’re so adorable when you worry," he murmured, his thumb caressing the back of her hand.
Ira’s heart skipped a beat. "Aarav…" she warned softly, trying to keep her composure.
He lifted her hand, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to her fingers. "My dear wife, you should worry about me more than some random employee," he whispered against her skin.
Ira quickly pulled her hand away, her face burning. "I-I should get back to work!" she stammered before turning and practically fleeing his cabin.
Aarav chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. If only she knew how far he had gone for her. If only she knew what kind of man she had married.
Because while Ira remained blissfully unaware, Ritika was learning the hard way just how dangerous it was to cross Aarav Malhotra.
While Ira left Aarav’s office, relieved and unsuspecting, somewhere across the city, Ritika was far from fine.
Her hands trembled as she sat in a dark, empty warehouse—cold, isolated, and terrifyingly silent. The air smelled of dust and damp concrete, and the only source of light was a single flickering bulb hanging above her.
She never expected this.
Never thought that one mistake—just a few words to Mrs. Malhotra—would land her here.
Her eyes darted to the man sitting across from her. Vihaan Malhotra.
Aarav Malhotra’s younger brother. The one known for handling things quietly.
He sat with an eerie calmness, legs crossed, a phone in his hand, scrolling through something as if he had all the time in the world. The way he looked so unbothered made the air feel even heavier.
Ritika swallowed hard. “W-what do you want from me?” she asked, her voice breaking.
Vihaan finally looked up. His dark eyes held zero emotions. “Do you know why you’re here?” he asked in a smooth, almost casual tone.
She hesitated before nodding. “B-because of what I said to Ira…”
“Smart girl.” Vihaan leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. “You see, my brother… he’s a patient man. Until it comes to his wife.”
Ritika’s heart pounded in her chest. “I—It was a mistake! I swear, I didn’t mean to—”
Vihaan tilted his head, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. “Mistake?” He chuckled darkly. “Ritika, we don’t forgive mistakes. We eliminate them.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “P-please… I won’t say anything again! I’ll quit the job! I’ll leave the city—”
Vihaan held up a hand, silencing her. “No need for all that drama. You won’t be working in the office anymore, that’s for sure. But leaving the city? That’s up to you.”
She blinked, confused. “W-what do you mean?”
Vihaan leaned back, smirking. “I mean, whether you run or you stay, you’ll always remember this night. You’ll always remember who you tried to mess with. And trust me, you won’t ever dare to cross Aarav Malhotra again.”
Ritika shivered.
“Now,” Vihaan said, standing up, his presence towering over her. “It’s time for you to leave. But before you do…” He bent down slightly, his voice lowering into something that made her skin crawl.
“Know this—the next time you even think about speaking my Bhabhi’s name, you won’t have the luxury of walking away.”
Ritika bolted out of the warehouse the moment she was released, her entire body trembling with fear. She knew one thing for certain—she would never dare to cross the Malhotra brothers again.
Back to Ira
Oblivious to what had transpired, Ira sat at her desk, still replaying her conversation with Aarav in her head.
"You should worry about me more than some random employee."
His words made her cheeks heat up again.
She sighed, shaking her head. What was this man doing to her?
Glancing at the clock, she realized the workday was almost over. And for some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Little did she know, the man she had just spoken to so casually… had just buried her enemy in shadows she would never see.
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