Chapter 16
Kashvi had never been the one to leave her office on time, let alone early. But today, after checking the clock all day, she was practically on the tips of her toes.
Then, finally, Swayam’s message came.
I’m downstairs.
She grabbed her purse and pulled open the office door. As she stepped out of the elevator, Kashvi checked for any new messages from the unknown number and let out a breath of relief when she didn’t find any.
She slipped the phone into her purse, refusing to let it unsettle the evening she had been looking forward to.
Kashvi stepped onto the curb, looking down the road for him.
A car pulled up in front of her with a smooth stop. Swayam leaned towards the passenger side, lowering the window. ‘Need a ride, sweetheart?’
She rested her elbow on the window edge as she bent down. ‘That depends. Do you always pick up random women off the street, or am I special?’
Swayam hummed, pretending to consider it. ‘Only if they’re the birthday girl.’
A startled laugh escaped her lips. ‘It’s my lucky day then.’
He opened the door for her, and she slid into the seat. ‘How come you brought the car?’ she asked, missing his Harley.
‘You’re a flight risk. I didn’t want you jumping off and running away because you hate my surprise,’ he chuckled.
Kashvi rolled her eyes.
He asked, ‘Did you deal with that guy who was bothering you?’
She froze for a moment, then settled back into the seat, keeping her gaze ahead. ‘Yeah, nothing to worry about. Um, about the evening… I’m not exactly feeling like myself and don’t know if I can handle a crowded, loud place.’
The idea of having another seizure in the middle of their first date didn’t appeal to her, but she hoped it didn’t sound like an excuse.
Swayam flashed her a grin. ‘Just trust me, Kash. I know what I’m doing.’
Her shoulders eased. ‘So, what exactly is this grand plan you’ve been acting so mysterious about?’
Swayam exhaled, a hint of nervousness slipping through. ‘Um, it didn’t go as smoothly as I thought it would, so I don’t really have a clean answer for you right now.’
She let out a soft chuckle. ‘What happened?’
‘I tried to do too much and lost track of what was supposed to happen when, and now it’s all just… a mess,’ he said, pulling into the parking lot of their complex.
‘It’s okay. You didn’t exactly have time to plan this months in advance, so I think you’re allowed a little leeway.’
Swayam cut off the engine. ‘That’s the worst part. I’ve been planning your birthday for the last couple of months, and it still fell apart.’
‘I’m sure it’s not that bad,’ Kashvi assured him as they made their way upstairs.
A sheepish smile tugged at his lips. ‘Before we go in, I just need you to promise you’ll have mercy on me if you don’t like what I’ve done.’
‘I think I can manage that,’ she said.
The door swung open.
Kashvi felt a quiet hum of anticipation beneath her skin. She took a deep breath, but it did little to steady the flutter in her chest as they walked in.
He flipped on the lights, and she recognised the faint tune of Abhi Naa Jao Chod Kar as it began to play softly.
When her gaze fell on the far end of the living room, Kashvi gasped.
The old empty space by the balcony had been transformed.
A low, inviting plush sofa now sat pushed up against the open balcony doors. It was layered with cushions in muted, warm tones that looked soft enough to sink into, framed by a pair of sheer curtains.
‘Oh my God,’ she breathed. On either side of the sofa stood two tall bookshelves, stacked full of books.
Strings of fairy lights were woven carefully around the shelves, making the hardcovers glint. Her steps slowed as she moved, drawn towards it.
Kashvi traced a finger along the shelf as she scanned the spines, taking in the familiar names.
There were the fantasy novels she had once ranted about over dinner, the thrillers she had said she missed reading, the poetry collections she had added to her wishlist. She had assumed no one paid attention to her literary rants, but Swayam had.
‘When did you…’ she whispered. ‘What have you done?’
Swayam scrubbed a hand behind his neck. ‘I know you’ve wanted a reading nook for a long time, so I made it happen.’
She could see that. Every book was one she had spoken about, classics she had grown up loving, genres she had wanted to explore. The swell of emotion raging inside her felt like too much.
It looked so much like a dream that all she could do was stare. ‘I can’t believe you did this.’
‘Anything to see you smile,’ he said, and the simplicity of it made a lump form in her throat.
Her vision blurred at the edges. She turned to find him holding a cake. The dim room was overtaken by the gentle, flickering glow of candles perched unevenly on top.
Swayam closed the distance, adjusting his hold on the cake so he could free one hand to wipe away a tear. ‘Hey, what’s wrong?’
She shook her head. ‘I’m just… speechless. Thank you for everything you’ve done.’
He caressed her cheek gently. ‘I might have overdone it, so if there’s anything you don’t like, just tell me and I’ll fix it.’
‘No. There’s nothing I would change. I love it,’ she said.
‘Good. At least I managed not to mess up one thing,’ he said, holding out the cake so she could see it. ‘Make a wish, birthday girl.’
Swayam beamed at her, gently covering her eyes with his hand. The wish formed quietly in her mind.
May he always be smiling like this.
Kashvi blew out the candles, and the tiny flames flickered out with faint curls of smoke.
He placed the cake down on the coffee table, then clapped softly, making her laugh.
They moved to the plush sofa, and she sank into it the moment she sat down. Her shoulders loosened, her back easing into the cushion behind her.
‘This is…’ she let out a breath. ‘I don’t think I’m moving anytime soon.’
Swayam lowered himself beside her. ‘How about you do it just long enough to cut the cake?’
He angled the cake towards her, and she eagerly sat up. A rush of warmth fluttered through her when she saw “Kash” written across the rainbow-frosted top in crooked red letters.
‘I tried my best to make it decent, but at this point I’m just hoping it’s edible,’ he said, pointing to the edge where the frosting melted over the side.
‘Don’t do that. It’s beautiful. I mean, look at these rocks,’ Kashvi said, pointing to the pink pebbles around the cake as she took the knife from him.
Swayam chortled. ‘Those were supposed to be roses. On the call, Mihu grilled me like a drill sergeant, shouting instructions. She said it would be easy to design if I piped it in circles, and now it looks like that. I’ll never forgive her for that lie.’
‘Just the fact that you did this is crazy,’ Kashvi chuckled.
‘I was going to make dinner too, but after that, I realised giving you food poisoning might not be the best way to celebrate.’
‘You’ve done more than enough,’ she whispered, slicing off a small portion.
Swayam pulled off a piece between his fingers and lifted it towards her. His dark gaze didn’t let her look away as she ate.
‘Good?’ he asked, though it didn’t sound innocent.
The sweet frosting melted on her tongue, and she hummed, ‘Really good.’
The words seemed to do something to him. His jaw tightened, and his eyes dropped to her lips.
‘Maybe I should check for myself,’ Swayam said, his voice rough, almost gravelly.
He leaned closer, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth to catch a smear of cream she had missed. Her breath escaped in a low gasp.
His tongue flicked briefly against her skin, and his groan made her shiver. He slipped an arm around her waist, his fingers pressing in just enough to remind her of the strength he was holding back.
With a slow breath, Swayam pulled back to look at her. ‘You know, I’m convinced the universe created your smile with the sole purpose of torturing me.’
He didn’t know the effect he had on her. That had to be the only reason he said things that made her heart skip a beat.
She laughed. ‘Only you would turn a compliment into a complaint.’
‘Oh no, don’t do that. Now you’re just killing me,’ he murmured.
Her eyes widened as the familiarity of his words hit her instantly. He had said that on their wedding day, and hearing it again now made her cheeks flush.
‘There’s no way you just found all of these by yourself,’ she said, pointing to her new books.
He winced. ‘I stole the list of books you’d given the group for your birthday.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘You planned a heist for this?’
‘Yeah, but Luv caught me, then joined in. He also got recommendations from everyone, so if you don’t like a book, you can blame him.’
‘All of this… you have no idea what it means to me.’
He shrugged. ‘I know books are your safe place, so I found a very, very special gift for you, but I couldn’t get it here in time. These are all my backup ideas.’
‘What was it?’ she asked, curious.
Swayam waved a hand. ‘I’m still holding out hope that it gets here in time, so no spoilers until then.’
Her eyes widened. ‘No, you’ve already done too much. You really don’t have to keep doing—’
‘I do,’ he cut in gently. ‘I will spoil you as much as I want. You don’t get to rob me of my proudest moments. I wish my original plan had worked, but I’m glad I finally did something right.’
‘You did everything right,’ Kashvi whispered.
‘You’re not just saying that?’ he asked carefully.
She covered his hand with hers. ‘I’m not. I’m always going to remember this day.’
His words lost their teasing edge. ‘I just hope that no matter what, you remember me too.’
‘There isn’t a world where I could forget you,’ she whispered, clutching his shirt.
Swayam wove his fingers through her hair, his gaze fixed on her.
Just then, his phone rang with jarring insistence. He cursed under his breath. ‘I swear, next time I’m switching it off.’
If it were up to Kashvi, she would throw it straight off the balcony and end the problem permanently.
When his phone rang again, he pulled away and glanced at the screen. He offered her an apologetic smile. ‘My maasi is video calling.’
‘Didn’t you put it on airplane mode?’
He hesitated, his thumb hovering over the green button. ‘I did, but I turned it off just in case you called.’
That made her smile. ‘You should take it. She’ll worry otherwise.’
He sighed and accepted the call.
As the screen lit up, Kashvi shifted away, but he stopped her by holding onto her hand.
‘Hello, Maasi.’
Curiosity piqued, she stole a quick glance.
The woman on the screen was in her fifties, glaring at her nephew. ‘Chalo, you finally decided to pick up.’
Swayam ran a hand through his hair. ‘I was a little caught up, Maasi.’
‘Caught up?’ Malini repeated, unimpressed. ‘You’re so busy that you forgot your cousin’s engagement party?’
He winced slightly. ‘I didn’t forget. Things have been hectic at work, and I couldn’t get away in time.’
It wasn’t work. It was her. Kashvi looked away, unsettled.
Malini scoffed. ‘There is always work, Swayam. But your brother doesn’t get engaged every day.’
‘He’s getting engaged tomorrow, Maasi. I don’t need to be there for a house party,’ he said.
Malini shook her head. ‘Is that what I’ve taught you? To be with your family only for big celebrations? Yes, tonight was just a house party with family and friends, but Viru is refusing to have it at all.’
‘Why?’
‘He says there is no point if you’re not coming. He wanted to celebrate tonight with you.’
Guilt flickered across his face, and he looked away. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know.’
‘Because you don’t care enough to try,’ Malini shot back.
Kashvi felt his grip tighten on her hand as he said, ‘I’m sorry, Maasi. I really am. I wish I could be there.’
‘Then come!’ Malini said sharply. ‘Or else I will never talk to you again.’
Swayam chuckled, though the conflict showed in his gaze. ‘You do know that this is emotional blackmail, right?’
‘If reminding you about your family feels like blackmail, then maybe you should think about why that is,’ Malini said bluntly.
He sighed. ‘I really can’t manage it.’
‘Do you know who else couldn’t manage to show up? Your mother.’
He went rigid. ‘What she does or doesn’t do is not my concern.’
‘Maybe it doesn’t matter to you, but it matters to me. Shalini is my sister, yet she’s not here. You’re all the family I have, and if you don’t come, then there will be no one from my side.’
He gritted his teeth, saying nothing. In his silence, Kashvi understood the cost of his choice.
She had been so wrapped up in this moment with him that she hadn’t stopped to think about what he was giving up to be here.
Kashvi waved her free hand to get his attention.
He noticed immediately. ‘Maasi, I’ll call you right back, okay?’ he said, ending the call after a brief goodbye.
‘What’s up?’ he asked, turning to her fully.
‘Let’s go.’
Swayam blinked, caught off guard. ‘Go where?’
She swallowed. ‘To your cousin’s house party.’
He shook his head.
‘Why not?’
‘Because you’re not ready.’
She frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
He caressed her knuckles. ‘If it were up to me, I’d go to the tallest building in the city and scream that I married the girl of my dreams.’
Her heart stumbled.
‘But I know you’re not ready for that,’ he added softly. ‘You have no idea how nosy my relatives are. The last thing I want is to throw you into another situation where you feel cornered.’
‘I won’t be. Honestly, I really want to meet your maasi,’ she said, determined not to make him miss out because of her.
When he still looked unconvinced, she squeezed his hand. ‘Remember, I’m the birthday girl, and I command you to follow me.’
‘Bossy,’ he teased, studying her closely. ‘Are you sure?’
After he had spent the day making her feel seen, celebrated, and cared for, this felt almost insignificant in comparison.
‘I’m sure.’
‘Okay,’ he said, flashing her a grin. ‘Let’s go.’
Her spirits lifted. She had wished for his happiness and vowed to do everything in her power to make sure he never lost that smile.