Chapter 11 Kiara
Why does my head feel like I’m carrying Mt. Everest on my shoulders? I groaned, shifting uncomfortably on the bed.
“Hey, dreamyhead. Good morning.” Myra’s chirpy voice cut through the fog in my brain like a sledgehammer.
I cracked one eye open, instantly regretting it. “Why do I feel so heavy?” I pressed my fingers to my temples in an attempt to keep my head from falling apart.
“Probably because you drank every last drop of alcohol at the party.” I could practically hear her grin. “Oh, and your hot and sweet chef sent over this hangover smoothie. By the way… Did something happen last night? He looked kind of… lost when he dropped you off.”
I sat up abruptly—bad idea—and winced. “He’s not my chef anymore… and why did he— Oh, God…” The groan escaped before I could stop it as snippets of last night began piecing themselves together in my head like a terrible, embarrassing jigsaw puzzle.
“UUGGGGHHHH,” I flopped back onto the bed, pulling the blanket over my head, wishing it could smother both the hangover and my growing humiliation.
Myra raised an eyebrow, her curiosity practically radiating off her. “Ahh… looks like someone just unlocked an important memory!” She leaned in like she was about to get the gossip of the century.
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Oh God, please tell me I didn’t embarrass myself beyond recovery,” I mumbled, frantically sifting through the fragments of last night’s chaos swirling in my head.
I shook my head. “I think I… oh God. I dared him to kiss me.”
Myra’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped for half a second before she exploded into laughter. “OH. MY. GOD! You what?!”
“Yeah… laugh it up,” I muttered, sinking further into the bed, wishing it would just swallow me whole. “I was drunk… and clearly, I’ve lost every last shred of dignity and sanity.”
“Wait, wait… hold on a second.” Her laughter subsided as her expression turned deadly serious. “Did he kiss you?”
I froze, biting my lip as I tried to remember the rest, but the haze in my mind wasn’t clearing fast enough. “I… I don’t know,” I admitted, groaning again. “If he did, I don’t remember it. And if he didn’t, I hope the universe swallows me for even asking.”
Shit… shit… shit. Holy shit! Last night—the dance, the wine, the game—Oh God, what have I done? I groaned, clutching my head, as memories played hopscotch in my brain.
Dear Earth, if you’ve ever cared about me, now’s the time to show it.
Open up, swallow me whole, and I swear, I won’t ask for another favor in, like, a million years.
Or, you know, if time machines could just hurry up and exist, that’d be great, too.
I could erase last night from existence.
Or maybe Manav will hit his head and forget everything about Drunk Kiara’s epic performance last night.
Note to self: He didn’t kiss me. Not even when I was basically begging like an utter fool.
Correction—Drunk Kiara was the fool, not me.
And I don’t even know what annoys me more—that he didn’t kiss me, even with all the drunken pleading, or the horrifying possibility that he might have and I don’t remember.
“Get up! Breakfast is ready!” Myra announced, yanking the quilt off me like some sort of human tornado.
“Go away. Let me die in peace…” I groaned, flailing an arm to grab the quilt back, fully intending to cocoon myself and hibernate until the embarrassment evaporated.
“Nope! Not happening anytime soon,” she said with a laugh, grabbing my arm and hauling me upright as I protested weakly.
“I hate you,” I muttered, rubbing my face and trying to fend off the combined assault of the hangover and the replay of last night’s peak cringe moments in my head.
She gave me another nudge. “Now get downstairs before I have to carry you.”
I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed and shuffled toward the bathroom like a zombie in search of caffeine.
As I splashed cold water on my face, fragments of last night’s horror movie played on repeat in my head: the way I’d swayed a little too close to Manav during the dance, the way I’d practically begged for the kiss, the stupid, reckless words that had slipped out of my mouth.
“Roy’s leaving again for a few days, and he’s waiting for you downstairs,” Myra announced, her eyes glued to her phone as she scrolled mindlessly.
“What? Where’s he off to now? Did I sleep through a decade or something?” I muttered, stepping out of the washroom, towel in hand, dragging myself through the painful process of getting ready.
“Oh, and guess what? Since I need to shoot some scenes for my upcoming movie, I’m going with him,” she squealed, practically vibrating with excitement. “Roy said I can film in his lab, and let me tell you, if I get even one good shot, this series is going to be a hit!”
I groaned, rubbing my temples. “Oh God… life was so much simpler when Roy was busy on another planet, mixing galaxies and trying to find water on Jupiter. And now he’s dragging you along for the ride… Great.”
____________
“Good morning, Sleepyhead.” Roy greeted me with a warm smile as soon as I shuffled down the stairs, still trying to convince my legs they were awake.
“Good morning…” I mumbled like more of a zombie than a human at this point.
I glanced around the table, relieved to see no sign of the enemy Oberoi. Small mercies. One less thing to deal with this morning.
“Kia… Did you enjoy last night?” Roy asked, stirring his coffee like he had all the time in the world. “Oh… and Mrs. Smith invited you to her next book launch.”
“Mmhmm…” I managed, my brain still in its booting-up phase.
I stood up, hoping to escape the conversation before my brain fully clocked in.
“Where are you going?” Roy asked.
“Kitchen…” I replied, waving him off with all the grace of a sleep-deprived sloth, disappearing toward the kitchen before he could ask more questions. My head felt like it was full of bricks, and coffee wasn’t even close to fixing it.
And that’s when I saw him. Manav Oberoi. Seriously, does this guy ever look tired? Meanwhile, I’m over here looking like an octopus. It’s offensive.
“How are you feeling?” He asked, his trademark frown settling across his face like he was inspecting me for damage.
Fantastic. Exactly what I needed to start my day.
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” I admitted, rubbing my temples, hoping that honesty might speed up the interaction.
“Need any help?” He flashed a cute frown that should’ve been illegal.
No, I do not need help from this creature of unfair perfection. What I need is a portal to a universe where I don’t have to face him first thing in the morning.
“I will manage,” I muttered, pretending to be very busy opening a random cabinet just to avoid looking at him. This day was already way too complicated, and it wasn’t even 9 a.m. yet.
“So,” he said, his voice laced with mockery, “How does it feel after drinking gallons of wine last night?”
I froze, gripping the bottle tighter. Don’t react. Don’t react.
“Did you take the medicine I sent?” He spoke again.
I turned to face him, a water bottle clenched tightly in my hand as I glared. “Yes, I did. Thanks,” I muttered, slamming the fridge door with a little too much force.
Manav silently poured the juice into a glass. “Good. You might want to eat something.”
I rolled my eyes, walking past him, “Don’t you have some continent to purchase today?”
He didn’t even look up. His focus was entirely on whatever masterpiece he was creating. “Give me your plate—your breakfast is ready.” He still wasn’t looking at me, which somehow made it worse.
“I am not hungry.”
“That was not a request…” he said, his tone deliberately casual as he returned to the chopping counter. “You should be thankful that you’re Roy’s sister.”
“Else what?”
He didn’t answer, just shook his head slightly, refusing to meet my gaze, and somehow, that irritated me even more.
“Not that it even mattered, but you could’ve at least pretended I wasn’t a complete fool last night.” I blurted, my voice rising slightly. “I mean… not that I wanted you to kiss me or anything. But it’s incredibly rude to reject a girl.” I crossed my arms, glaring at the back of his head.
Why am I even talking about this?
Did I want him to kiss me? No.
Did I want to kiss him? Absolutely not.
But drunk Kiara had a moment, and he just dismissed it like it was nothing!
He paused mid-chop, his shoulders tensing for a brief second before he turned to face me, leaning casually against the counter. “Noted,” he said, as he turned back to his chopping. “I’ll work on my manners.”
Manav Oberoi was officially the most infuriating man I’d ever met.
And Drunk Kiara… we need to talk.
Spotting a stool, I dragged it over and climbed up, reaching for the pack of noodles someone had oh-so-kindly stored on the highest shelf.
Who even designs kitchens like this? Giants?
“What are you doing?”
“None of your business,” I muttered under my breath, determined to ignore him. I stretched a little higher, my fingers brushing against the pack. Almost there…
And then—Wow!
I felt myself wobble, my balance slipping.
This is it. I’m done. I’m going to die surrounded by noodles in Manav Oberoi’s presence.
Boxes, cans—everything was falling around me in pure chaos. My hands flailed uselessly, grasping for anything to steady myself, but gravity had other plans. I was certain I was about to crash right onto the stove.
“Ouchhhhhhhhhh!” I yelped as the stool gave way beneath me.
I braced for the worst, expecting to hit the ground hard, but instead—I was suspended mid-air, caught in strong, steady arms. Before I could process what had happened, Manav’s body was shielding me, solid and unyielding, like a fortress against the mess I’d created.
And then, somehow, I was pinned, gently holding me firmly against a wall.
My first thought? Why is his chest so annoyingly comfortable?
My second? Please let me pass out now before I have to face this.