Chapter 47 The Morning After & Teasing Galore
The next morning, Ira woke up with a pounding headache.
She groaned, rubbing her temples, only to realize—she wasn’t in her room.
She was in Aarav’s room. In his bed.
Her eyes widened in horror. Why was she here? What happened last night?
She turned to the side—only to find Aarav standing near the window, arms crossed, watching her with a smug expression.
“Good morning, Mrs. Malhotra,” he drawled. “Did you sleep well after all your… adventures?”
Ira gulped. Adventures?
“W-what do you mean?” she stammered.
Aarav stalked towards her, his smirk deepening. He leaned down, his face inches from hers.
“Oh, you don’t remember?” he murmured, his fingers tracing a slow path along her wrist. “That’s disappointing… considering how wild you were last night.”
Ira’s heart nearly stopped.
W-Wild?!
Her brain was in overdrive. Did she… did she do something crazy?
Aarav chuckled darkly, enjoying her panic. “You threw yourself at me, Ira. Literally. Hugging me, kissing me, calling me cute names…”
Ira’s eyes widened in absolute horror.
“L-LIES! YOU’RE LYING!” she blurted out, grabbing a pillow and launching it at him.
Aarav effortlessly caught it. “Am I?” he teased, raising an eyebrow.
Before she could argue more, the door burst open.
Vihaan, Kabir, and Anika stood there, grinning like devils.
“Bhabhi! You were AMAZING last night!” Vihaan whistled.
“The way you kept pulling Bhai’s cheeks and calling him a baby?” Kabir laughed.
Anika clapped her hands. “And don’t forget the part where she kissed his nose and said, ‘Mera Aarav, sirf mera!’”
Ira let out a strangled scream.
“SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!”
Her face was as red as a tomato.
Meanwhile, Aarav just smirked, arms crossed, watching his wife’s adorable embarrassment.
He was never going to let her live this down.
Ira felt like dying. No, scratch that—she wanted the earth to swallow her whole.
She buried her face in her hands, groaning. “I DIDN’T DO ANY OF THAT! YOU’RE ALL LYING!”
Vihaan, Kabir, and Anika gasped dramatically.
“Arre wah, bhabhi!” Kabir smirked. “First, you confessed your deepest desires, and now you’re calling us liars?!”
Vihaan nodded solemnly. “Bhai, you should be heartbroken. She doesn’t even remember how passionately she was hugging you!”
Anika giggled. “And the way she kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his chin—”
Ira gasped, throwing a pillow at her. “ANIKA, STOP IT!”
Aarav, meanwhile, was enjoying every second of this. He leaned against the bedpost, arms crossed, his smirk unchallenged.
“Ira,” he drawled lazily, “I told you last night—you’d regret this in the morning.”
She peeked at him through her fingers, mortified.
“A-ap jhoot bol rahe ho… right?” she whispered.
Aarav tilted his head. “Am I?”
Before she could respond, Kabir pulled out his phone.
“Wanna see a video?”
Ira froze.
Aarav’s smirk widened.
Anika squealed. “Oh, show the one where she was sitting on Bhai’s lap, calling him her ‘pyaara sa cutie husband!’”
Ira: DEAD.
“I AM GOING TO MURDER ALL OF YOU!” she shrieked, lunging at Kabir to snatch the phone.
But Kabir ran out of the room laughing, Vihaan and Anika following behind.
Ira turned to Aarav in sheer panic.
“Aarav, please delete that video!” she begged.
Aarav, the devil himself, smirked down at her.
“Hmm… I might.” He ran a finger down her cheek, voice husky. “But at a price.”
Ira gulped. “K-kya price?”
Aarav leaned in, his breath warm against her ear.
“A proper kiss.”
Ira’s jaw dropped. “A-Aarav!”
Aarav chuckled, straightening. “Think about it, Mrs. Malhotra.”
He walked out, leaving Ira sitting on the bed, her heart hammering in her chest.
A proper kiss?!
Aarav was impossible!
She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. How could she have gotten so drunk? How could she have done all that?
And worst of all—why did her body still tingle at the memory of his touch?
She needed a distraction. Immediately.
Taking a deep breath, she marched downstairs, determined to act normal—as if last night had never happened.
But her hopes were crushed the second she entered the living room.
The entire family was waiting for her.
Sunita, Nandini, Virendra Dadaji, Rajesh, Hitesh—everyone.
And the moment they saw her, they burst out laughing.
Ira’s stomach dropped. “W-why is everyone laughing?” she asked cautiously.
Vihaan grinned. “Because, bhabhi…”
“…we ALL saw the video.” Kabir finished, smirking.
Ira’s soul left her body. “W-what?”
Even Sunita was giggling. “Ira beta, I must say… tum bhaang mein bahut pyaari lagti ho.”
OH GOD.
She spun to Aarav, horrified. “YOU SHOWED THEM?!”
Aarav shrugged casually. “Not me. Your dearest devar and nanad took care of that.”
Ira wanted to die.
Anika gasped dramatically. “Bhabhi, you don’t even remember calling Aarav Bhai ‘baby malhotra’?”
Kabir howled with laughter. “And then you told him his eyes were ‘like deep, dark chocolates’—”
Vihaan wiped a fake tear. “And let’s not forget when you sat on his lap and whispered—”
Ira clapped a hand over his mouth. “STOP. STOP RIGHT THERE.”
But the damage was done.
Aarav, who had been enjoying the teasing, suddenly went silent.
His intense gaze locked onto Ira.
“…You sat on my lap?” he asked, voice deceptively calm.
Ira turned beet red.
Kabir grinned. “Haan bhai! Aur bohot romantic baatein bhi ki thi!”
Aarav slowly smirked.
Ira whimpered.
She turned on Kabir and Vihaan. “You two are dead.”
She lunged at them.
The living room erupted into chaos as Kabir and Vihaan dodged her attacks, laughing hysterically.
Meanwhile, Aarav simply leaned against the wall, watching her with dark amusement.
His smirk was dangerous.
She had no idea what he was planning next.
But one thing was certain…
She was in BIG trouble.
After lunch, Ira made her way to their room, her heart feeling both light and heavy.
She was excited to see her family after so long, but… Aarav.
He had been sulking ever since the topic of her leaving came up, and she knew he wouldn’t let this go easily.
Still, she had to pack.
She opened the wardrobe and started placing her clothes in a suitcase.
Or at least, she tried to.
Because the next moment—her clothes were gone.
Ira blinked. “What the—”
She turned around, only to find Aarav standing near the closet, holding a pile of her clothes.
His expression? Innocent. Too innocent.
Ira narrowed her eyes. “Aarav. Give me my clothes.”
Aarav shook his head. “No.”
She sighed. “Aarav—”
“You’re not leaving,” he cut in, stepping closer. “I won’t allow it.”
Ira crossed her arms. “We already talked about this! I’m just going for a few days—”
“Too long.” His jaw clenched. “I can’t survive that long without you.”
Ira’s heart fluttered, but she stood her ground. “Don’t be dramatic.”
Aarav wasn’t listening.
Instead, he grabbed her suitcase and walked away with it.
Ira gasped. “AARAV!”
She ran after him, but he was too fast.
By the time she caught up, he had hid the suitcase in the top cupboard—completely out of her reach.
Ira gaped at him. “Are you serious?!”
Aarav smirked. “You can’t leave if you have nothing to wear.”
Ira glared. “Fine. I’ll pack new clothes.”
She turned to grab more—only to find her entire wardrobe empty.
“Aarav!” she shrieked. “Where are my clothes?!”
He leaned casually against the wall. “Somewhere you’ll never find them.”
Ira groaned, rubbing her temples. “You are impossible.”
Aarav wasn’t done yet.
He walked up to her, trapping her against the wardrobe. His dark eyes burned into hers.
“Stay,” he murmured, voice low and possessive. “I don’t want you to leave.”
Ira swallowed. Hard.
For a second, she almost forgot why she was arguing in the first place.
But then she remembered.
She put a hand on his chest and pushed him away. “Aarav, I’m not disappearing forever! I’ll be back in a few days.”
Aarav stayed silent.
Then, without warning—he snatched her phone.
“AARAV!”
He held it up, smirking. “No tickets, no calls, no plans.”
Ira almost lost her mind.
She lunged at him, but he easily dodged, laughing.
“Aarav Malhotra, GIVE ME MY PHONE!”
“Come and take it, wifey.”
And just like that, the chase began.
"Aarav Malhotra, GIVE ME MY PHONE!" Ira shouted, her patience snapping like a dry twig.
Aarav smirked, twirling her phone between his fingers. "Why so angry, love? I'm just helping you make better decisions."
"Give. It. Back." Her tone was deadly.
For a second, Aarav considered pushing her further, but one look at her burning eyes—he knew he had tested his limits.
With a dramatic sigh, he placed the phone in her palm. “There. But my point still stands—you’re not leaving.”
"Watch me."
Ira turned toward the cupboard, tilting her head back to glare at the top shelf where her suitcase was hidden.
Aarav crossed his arms. "Unless you magically grow taller, I don't think you'll be able to reach that."
Ira whipped around and gave him a death glare so sharp he almost felt it physically.
"Give. It. Back."
Aarav stayed silent.
Her glare intensified.
He sighed dramatically. "Fine."
Walking up to the cupboard, he pulled down the suitcase and placed it on the bed.
Ira grabbed it instantly and started packing aggressively. Clothes flew into the bag in rapid movements, zippers were yanked, and the suitcase bounced slightly with the force of her actions.
Meanwhile, Aarav… just sat on the bed. Quietly.
Like a pouting baby.
Not a word. Not a sound.
Just sitting there, watching her, his lips pressed into a thin, sad line.
Ira could feel his stare, but she refused to acknowledge him.
Even as she folded her dupatta with unnecessary force.
Even as she threw in her toiletries like she was throwing daggers.
Even as she zipped the bag with a final, victorious jerk.
Still, Aarav didn’t move.
Still, he stayed silent.
The room grew too quiet.
Ira finally glanced at him—and regretted it instantly.
Because Aarav Malhotra, the ruthless businessman, looked like a heartbroken, sulking puppy.
His shoulders slumped, his gaze locked on the floor, his lips slightly jutted out as if he had been personally wronged by the universe.
Ira’s heart twitched.
But she didn’t cave.
Not yet.
Ira exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. Aarav was sulking like a child, and she didn’t know whether to scold him or laugh.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his arms crossed, lips pressed in a tight pout, staring at the floor like she had just committed the biggest betrayal of his life.
"Aarav," she called softly.
No response.
She took a deep breath and walked toward him, sitting beside him. Her hand rested gently on his arm. "Come on, don’t be like this."
Still, he didn’t look at her.
Ira sighed. "I told you I’m only going for a few days. You’re acting like I’m leaving forever."
Aarav finally turned his head slightly, his voice low and stubborn. "It will feel like forever."
Her heart clenched, but she didn’t let it show.
"I’ll come back before you even realize it," she reassured him, squeezing his hand. "I promise."
Aarav’s grip tightened around hers. "What if I don’t let you go?" His voice was so soft, so vulnerable, that for a second, she felt the urge to cancel everything and stay.
But she had to go.
Ira smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Then I’ll still have to go… but I’ll come back to you, okay?"
Aarav didn’t respond, but his fingers intertwined with hers.
She sat with him for a few more minutes, just holding his hand, letting the silence speak. Finally, she kissed his cheek and stood up, pulling her suitcase from the bed.
Aarav watched her every movement, his jaw clenched, his emotions swirling in his eyes.
As she reached the door, she turned back and smiled at him. "Don’t miss me too much."
Aarav didn’t smile back. He just stared, his heart heavy.
And then, with one last glance, Ira walked out.