Chapter - 27
"Because I like your cheeks," he replied, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Only cheeks, not me?"
The moment I realized what I had said, my eyes widened. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and I quickly looked away. Why do I always end up saying the wrong things?
"I-I didn't mean it like that!" I blurted out, panicking.
Mr. Rathore raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh? So what did you mean, angel?"
My heart skipped a beat. He had never called me that before. My hands clenched the fabric of my dress as I tried to calm the sudden flutter in my stomach. But before I could even look away, his fingers gently tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his intense gaze.
"Tell me, Siya," his voice was softer now, deeper. "Do you want me to like more than just your cheeks?"
I froze. My mind went blank, my heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn't even think straight. Before I could say anything—or even process his words—I heard Bhai's voice from behind.
"Siya," Bhai called.
I immediately stepped back, creating some distance between us, my face still burning.
"Y-Yes, Bhai?" I answered, trying to sound normal.
"Tara is calling you," he said, glancing between me and Mr. Rathore.
"Oh! O-Okay, I'll go," I quickly said and practically ran toward the kitchen, grateful for the escape.
Once inside, I placed a hand over my racing heart, taking deep breaths. What just happened? Why does he always make me feel this way? And most importantly... why did I feel disappointed when Bhai interrupted?
I watched as my angel ran away, trying to escape from the situation. A small smirk played on my lips. Why is she so cute?
Lost in my thoughts, I heard Mr. Rajput's voice. "Thank you, Mr. Rathore, for bringing Siya here."
I turned to look at him, my expression turning cold. "I didn't bring her here for you. I brought her here for her." My voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
He nodded slightly. "Thank you for taking care of her," he added.
I clenched my jaw. I don't need anyone's gratitude for taking care of my queen. No one has the right to thank me for something that is my responsibility. But there was no need to say that to him. Instead, I simply said, "I want to talk to you alone."
Mr. Rajput seemed to understand what I meant and said, "We should talk in my study room."
I agreed, and we both walked inside. The room was small but well-organized. We sat across from each other. I leaned back in my chair, my sharp gaze fixed on him.
"I want to know something," I said in a calm yet threatening tone. "And I hate being lied to."
Mr. Rajput met my gaze. "I will tell you the truth," he said, his voice steady.
"Why do your parents not like Siya?" I asked directly.
For a moment, his face showed a flicker of surprise—like he hadn't expected me to ask this. Did he think I wouldn't find out anything? Foolish. My PA had already gathered information, but I knew there was more to the story, something even he hadn't uncovered.
Mr. Rajput sighed. "My parents didn't have a good relationship with Siya's parents in the past. After her parents' death, they didn't want to take responsibility for her. But my grandmother insisted on raising her."
I listened silently, my expression unreadable.
He continued, "Six months later, my grandmother passed away. Before she died, she made my father promise to take care of Siya. My mother didn't like this. She wanted my father to send Siya to an orphanage, but because of the promise, he was forced to take responsibility for her."
My blood boiled. How can someone be this heartless? She was his brother's daughter! Whatever problems they had, how could they drag an innocent child into it?
I clenched my fists under the table, controlling my anger. Not now. Not in front of him. I will deal with them later—my way.
"Why didn't they have a good relationship?" I asked.
Mr. Rajput shook his head. "I don't know. My father never told me."
A lie? Or was he truly kept in the dark? I made a mental note to investigate further.
"How did they treat her in the past?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.
He hesitated before answering. "They never loved her. They may have given her basic necessities, but the love she needed... they never gave her."
I felt rage simmering inside me. I wanted to destroy them for what they did to my Siya. But I controlled myself. Losing my temper now wouldn't help. More importantly, Siya wouldn't like it.
Before I could say anything else, there was a knock on the door.
Mr. Rajput opened the door, and there she was—my Siya.
She peeked inside, her curious eyes scanning the room. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.
Before Mr. Rajput could answer, I stepped forward. "We were talking about business," I said in a firm tone.
She frowned slightly and mumbled to herself, just loud enough for me to hear, "Why does Mr. Rathore always have to think about business only? And why does he drag my sweet bhai into it?"
A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. Did she really think I wouldn't hear that? My little innocent angel... I would deal with her complaint later.
I crossed my arms and asked, "Do you want something?"
She blinked, as if remembering why she was here. "Oh, yeah! I forgot—Bhabhi told me to inform you both that dinner is ready. Let's go."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.
Mr. Rajput and I followed her. I kept my eyes on her small figure ahead of us, watching the way she walked—unaware of the storm she had created inside me.
We were all eating dinner together. Bhai and I were talking and laughing, and Bhabhi joined in between our conversation. But Mr. Rathore... he didn't say anything. Not even once. He just ate quietly, his expression as unreadable as ever.
And worst of all—he didn't even laugh at my joke! Was my joke not good? I mean, maybe it wasn't that funny, but still! It was his fault for not getting it, not mine.
Bhai suddenly asked, "Siya, will you come with me on our ice cream date?"
Hearing that, I immediately remembered our old ice cream dates and smiled. "Yes! We'll go after dinner!" I said excitedly.
But before I could even blink, Mr. Rathore's deep voice interrupted, "I'll join you."
I turned slightly toward him and whispered, just so only he could hear "But... you don't like ice cream?"
"So?" he replied, completely unfazed.
I frowned. "So why are you coming then?"
Instead of answering, he looked straight at me and asked, "Why? You don't want me to come?"
I panicked. "No, no! That's not what I meant, I—"
Before I could finish, Bhai spoke up, "We'll all go together."
I nodded, feeling a little flustered, and quickly focused on finishing my dinner.
After dinner, we stepped outside. I was walking toward Bhai's car when suddenly, a strong hand wrapped around my wrist.
"Me and Siya will take our car, Mr. Rajput," Mr. Rathore said firmly, not even looking at me. Before I could protest, he started walking, holding my hand tightly as he led me to his car.
He opened the door for me, and I hesitated for a second before sitting inside. He got in, started the car, and began driving.
I looked at him and finally asked, "Why did you bring me in our car? We were supposed to go with Bhai, so we should have—"
Before I could finish, he suddenly stopped the car.
"I want to spend alone time with my wife. Do you have any problem with that?" His deep voice sent shivers down my spine.
I blinked rapidly, feeling my face heat up. Why does he always say things that make me speechless?
When I didn't answer, he tilted his head slightly, his intense gaze locked on mine. "You didn't answer, Angel. Do you have a problem?"
Angel? He called me that again!
I quickly shook my head. "No, no! Why would I have any problem?"
He smirked slightly, looking satisfied with my answer. "Good then," he said and started the car again.
I turned my head toward the window, hiding my face. My heart was beating so fast. How does he always manage to leave me completely speechless?
When we reached the ice cream parlor, I looked around in confusion. Why is no one here? Don't they serve good ice cream? But if that were true, then why would Bhai and Mr. Rathore bring us here?
Before I could think more, Mr. Rathore ordered for me. "Vanilla chocolate," he said.
I looked up at him in surprise. He remembered my favorite flavor? My heart felt warm, and a small smile appeared on my lips. He then asked Bhabhi and Bhai to order, and they did.
I leaned toward him slightly and whispered, "Why didn't you order for yourself? You should also eat."
He glanced at me and replied casually, "I'll share yours."
I gasped. "No! I'm not sharing my ice cream. You can order your own," I said firmly.
He didn't reply, just smirked a little, making my face heat up. Why does he always do that?!
Soon, our ice creams arrived. I happily started eating when Bhabhi suddenly took Bhai to another table, leaving just me and Mr. Rathore alone.
I glanced at Mr. Rathore. He was just sitting there, watching me, but he wasn't eating anything. He should eat too. Without thinking too much, I scooped some ice cream onto my spoon and held it out to him.
"Here," I offered hesitantly.
For a moment, he didn't move. Then, he leaned forward and ate from my spoon while keeping his eyes locked on mine.
A strange feeling filled my chest—something warm and fluttery. My stomach felt weird, like butterflies were dancing inside. What is this feeling? I didn't know, but it was making me nervous.
I quickly looked away and focused on my ice cream. But I still ended up giving him a few more spoons without thinking. He didn't ask, and I didn't refuse.
After we were done, we headed back home. As we stepped out of the car, I noticed him pulling out a suitcase. "What's this?" I asked, confused. "We didn't bring it."
He looked at me and said, "It's our clothes. I arranged it in the evening since we can't spend the night in what we're wearing now."
I blinked. "Oh..." How did I not think of that?
I mentally scolded myself. Idiot! I didn't even consider that! But he did. He always thought about my needs before I even realized them.
I looked at him quietly as he carried the suitcase inside. Why does he always do so much for me?
After changing into my clothes, I lay down on the bed, feeling the soft sheets against my skin.
A few moments later, Mr. Rathore came in, having changed too.
He lay on his side of the bed, and without thinking, I placed my head on his chest. It felt like the most comfortable place in the world, safe and warm.
He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt his fingers gently caressing my hair. I closed my eyes, enjoying the moment, but then he broke the silence.
"I didn't think anyone would have any complaints about me," he said softly.
I frowned, confused. "What complaints? About whom are you talking?"
He chuckled a little. "Someone said, 'Why do I always have to think about business only? And why do I drag someone's sweet bhai into it?'"
I bit my lip, realizing it was me he was talking about. Did I really say that out loud? "Did I speak that much loudly?"
He nodded. "Yes, and now you're accepting it too."
I didn't know how to respond. My mind raced, and I stammered, "I... Mr. Rathore..."
He interrupted me gently. "Aarav."
"What?" I asked, surprised.
"My name—say Aarav. Just call me that."
"But—"
"No buts, just call me Aarav. I don't like my wife calling me by formal names."
He made me look at him, his gaze intense yet soft. "Please, call me Aarav."
With that expression on his face, I couldn't ignore him. I took a deep breath and said, "A... Aarav."
He smiled, his eyes lighting up. "Again."
"Aarav," I repeated shyly.
He hugged me tightly and said, "Thank you, thank you so much, Siya! You don't know how much happiness you've given me."
How can he be so happy just by hearing his name from me? I thought, a warm feeling spreading in my chest.
Before I knew it, I felt my eyes growing heavy. The comfort of his embrace and the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat made me drift off to sleep, my last thought being how nice it felt to be so close to him.
I slowly woke up and realized I was alone in the bed.
Where did he go? I thought, feeling a little disappointed.
I got up, stretched, and decided to freshen up.
After a quick shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and looked at the suit that Mr. Rathore had arranged for me.
No, not Mr. Rathore; he's Aarav for me now.
I smiled, remembering how happy he had been when I called him by his namelast night.
After getting ready, I headed to the living room. I saw my bhai and bhabhi sitting together, but Aarav was nowhere to be found. Where could he be? I wondered, feeling a little uneasy.
Just then, bhabhi said, "Mr. Rathore went outside. He'll be back in some time."
"Oh," I replied, a bit relieved but still curious about where he had gone.
"Come, I'll bring you some tea," bhabhi said warmly.
I sat down with bhai, and a few moments later, bhabhi handed me a cup of steaming tea. We sipped our tea and talked, sharing light conversations. But I could see bhai's face was a little sad.
"Siya, I'm going to miss you," he said, and I felt a tear prick my eyes.
I hugged him tightly, my heart heavy. "I'll miss you too, bhai."
"We'll come to meet you soon, I promise," he said reassuringly, holding me close.
After a moment, I pulled away, trying to keep my tears at bay. I was grateful to have them in my life, but I also felt a mix of emotions, wondering how things would be without them nearby. As I took a sip of my tea, I thought about Aarav and how happy I felt around him.