Chapter 6
By the time Swayam drove back towards their apartment, the city had fallen quiet and the roads were nearly empty. Kashvi sat curled in the passenger seat, her head resting against the window as she watched the streetlights blur past.
Dinner had been lively, and the board games had kept them entertained late into the night, but Siya’s words still echoed in her mind.
Swayam adjusted his grip on the wheel and glanced at Kashvi again. She looked close to drifting off. Reaching forward, he lowered the volume of the radio until the music faded into nothing.
The sudden silence stirred her. She blinked and straightened a little in her seat. ‘How much longer?’
He glanced at the navigation. ‘Five minutes. Less if the lights stay green.’
Kashvi groaned, rubbing her eyes. ‘I need coffee.’
‘Now? Why?’
‘Too sleepy. I need to wake up.’
Swayam quickly checked the rearview mirror before suddenly hitting the brakes.
She lurched forward, stopped by the seatbelt. ‘What the hell?’ she snapped, turning to find him grinning.
Kashvi smacked his arm until he caught both her hands, laughing. ‘You said you needed to wake up.’
Her heart was still racing. ‘That doesn’t mean you should scare me half to death.’
‘Yet you found it funny when I did this to Luv on our last trip,’ he reminded her.
Kashvi shook her head, a reluctant giggle slipping through. ‘I was just as horrified then as I am now.’
‘I’ve been dying to hear your laughter again,’ Swayam said softly.
Her pulse stumbled, but Kashvi tried not to show it. ‘You survived.’
‘Barely,’ he murmured, holding her gaze a second longer before releasing her hands and shifting the car back into drive.
They entered a long tunnel, yellow lights flickering across the windshield. Kashvi was grateful for the darkness because it hid the heat rising to her cheeks. ‘I wasn’t gone that long.’
‘It was long enough for Luv to discover your premium coffee stash.’
Kashvi turned to him sharply, already fearing the worst. ‘Oh no. Please tell me you’re joking.’
‘I wish I was.’
‘Don’t tell me he drank all of it.’
Swayam shook his head. ‘Luv took the packet home.’
Her shoulders slumped. ‘I’m not even surprised.’
‘Why do you need coffee so badly?’
Kashvi sighed. ‘I signed the final inheritance forms tonight. Tomorrow I have to go through all the asset consolidation paperwork. Too much to do.’
Swayam tapped the wheel thoughtfully. ‘I know a cafe that stays open late. In the mood for a detour?’
Her mind drifted back to what he had said earlier. In a few days, he might meet someone new, someone who would laugh at his dry humour, share little routines of his day, and go on late-night drives and coffee runs with him.
One day, this wouldn’t be hers anymore, so Kashvi chose to cherish whatever time she had with him.
‘Let’s do it,’ she said.
Swayam flashed her a grin as he took the next turn. A few minutes later, he parked at the end of a quiet street and switched off the engine.
Kashvi stepped out and tucked her hands into her pockets. A chill lingered in the air as they walked in silence. ‘It’s pretty late, and the forecast says it might rain. Are you sure it’s open?’
‘I’m sure. I’ve been here plenty of times at this hour.’ There was a twinkle in his eyes as he added, ‘Besides, you have nothing to worry about. I have officially assigned myself as your bodyguard.’
‘My bodyguard?’
‘You’re about to become a millionaire. Someone has to protect you from the evils of the world,’ he said with a wink.
Kashvi laughed softly. ‘It’ll all be gone in a few days.’
‘A few days?’
‘Maybe a week, if things move slowly.’
‘What do you mean?’
Before she could answer, they turned the corner, and she saw it.
The café glowed faintly through the glass door, warm light spilling onto the pavement. A small bell chimed softly as they stepped inside.
Only a few lamps were lit, their glow stretching across the long wooden tables. The place was nearly empty, the air rich with the scent of roasted coffee.
A sleepy barista glanced up from behind the counter.
Swayam ordered his coffee, then turned to her. ‘Mocha latte with hazelnut, right?’
Kashvi blinked. ‘You remember that?’
He raised a brow. ‘I’ve known you for a long time, Kash.’
‘Right. Of course,’ she murmured.
He added her order and carried the cups to a small table by the window overlooking the empty street. The steady hum of the coffee machine filled the silence as they settled across from each other.
She glanced around the spacious café once more before looking back at Swayam, who leaned back in his chair with easy comfort.
‘So, you never finished answering my question,’ he prompted.
Kashvi frowned, then nodded as the conversation came back to her. ‘About the money? I’ve made a list of organisations so I can expand and bring them under the foundation. With the money I get, I will be able to fund over sixty organisations. You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.’
The quiet conviction in her voice made Swayam smile. ‘How long have you been working with your family foundation?’
‘Maa ran it, and we used to spend summer vacations helping with community programmes when I was younger. After she passed away, Dad kept it active on paper because it funded a chunk of the business, but he didn’t care about her work. I went back as a volunteer and then joined full-time.’
‘So how long have you been planning to change the world?’ Swayam teased.
Kashvi took a sip of her coffee, avoiding his gaze. ‘Just trying to do some good.’
Swayam rested one arm against the backrest, watching her. ‘Your cheeks go pink when you talk about things you love. I find that very cute.’
She looked away, shaking her head. ‘Shut up.’
‘Are you sure? I have something to tell you that will make you very happy,’ he asked, dangling the bait.
Her eyes flicked up. ‘What?’
‘I’ve started liking the coffee you keep at home.’
Kashvi stared at him with open disbelief. ‘You’re kidding!’
‘Nope. I’ve been drinking it for the past few nights. The first cup was painful, but by the fourth or fifth, it grew on me.’
She leaned forward, curious. ‘Last time I offered you some, you said it tasted like poison.’
‘That was my first impression. Now I find it tolerable,’ he said with a shrug.
‘Damn it,’ Kashvi huffed. ‘I was on a mission to torture you with that coffee. Now that you like it, it’s no fun anymore.’
Swayam grinned. ‘Much like my personal mission to steal your pendant.’
Her hand flew to the ruby pendant around her neck. He had tried everything to steal it.
Once, he distracted her with a debate about pineapple on pizza until she smacked his hand away from her neck. Another time, he claimed there was an insect on her back and tried to unclasp her chain, only for her to turn suddenly and headbutt him.
‘You have to admit that you made that bet with no plan. You’ve been trying to steal it for weeks and it’s been an epic failure so far. I nearly broke your nose last time,’ she reminded him.
He chuckled. ‘Just temporary setbacks, but I’m more determined than ever. I learn from my mistakes, darling.’
‘I still don’t understand why you’re fixated on my pendant,’ she asked, tilting her head.
‘Like I told you, when I set my eyes on something, I always find a way to make it mine.’ Though he spoke of the ruby heart, his gaze remained fixed on her.
She held the pendant between her fingers, taunting him. ‘You’ll never get it, Swayam.’
His gaze stayed locked on the pendant, and then flickered briefly to her lips, making her breath hitch. ‘Don’t tempt me, Kash. It’s just you and me here. I might try to steal it right now.’
Her pulse kicked up. To hide it, she tossed a sugar packet at him. ‘Dream on. So what drove you to drink so much coffee? Editing manuscripts till sunrise again?’
Swayam held her gaze. ‘No. I was waiting for you to call.’
Kashvi tensed, the cup hovering near her lips before she lowered it carefully. His answer hit her with an unexpected force, dragging her thoughts back to the past few nights. She had wanted to call him more times than she could count.
And now, knowing he had stayed awake too, drinking coffee he hated while thinking of her, she had no idea what to do with that.
Kashvi cleared her throat. ‘Well, if that’s what it takes to make you listen to me, maybe I should disappear more often.’
The warmth in his gaze sharpened into a demanding look. ‘Don’t ever do that to me again, Kash.’
Even though he said it casually, the words left no room for debate.
‘I was just joking,’ she replied lightly.
Swayam shook it off. ‘Can I ask you something?’
‘Sure.’ She traced a finger along the rim of her cup, watching the steam curl upwards.
‘Did you mean what you said earlier tonight about never wanting to get married?’
‘Yes.’
‘Is that why you don’t date?’ he prompted, his gaze fixed on her.
The question caught her off guard. Kashvi looked up at the ceiling for a second, choosing her words carefully. ‘If there’s no chance of forever, what’s the point of building something just to watch it fall apart?’
‘But what if there is a chance?’ Swayam asked softly, hope threading through his voice.
‘I’m not as optimistic as you,’ Kashvi observed dryly.
‘Yes, I am, and for good reason. Just look at your sister and Abhay. Or Raghav and Mihu.’
It had taken Kashvi a long time to trust that someone would truly look after her sister, and watching Abhay do it with love had felt like an answer to her prayers. But she had never prayed the same for herself, not even once.
‘I’m really happy for them, but that’s not the life I see for myself.’
‘So what kind of future do you see?’
This answer came easily. ‘A cottage in the mountains. Quiet solitude. Just me… and maybe two or three dogs running around. And walls full of books!’
‘Why does that sound familiar?’ Swayam wondered.
Kashvi waved it off. ‘Because my favourite author, Ira, lives like that. I’ve told you about her. She’s basically my idol.’
He burst into laughter, making her blink in confusion.
‘What?’