Chapter 30
The Malhotra Mansion was filled with the guests, people were enjoying each other's company.
The Hall was bustling with the sophisticated crowd.
Each and every thing in the room was screaming luxury.
Everyone was gathered to celebrate the 24th birthday anniversary of one of the richest businessmen of the country.
A big glowing chandelier was hanging on the ceiling in the middle of the room casting its lightning all over the hall.
The soft music was playing in the background.
Advait was attending the guest with his usual stoic demeanor greeting everyone with professional handshakes and formal hugs.
Now he was standing at the side. He was dressed in a crisp black tuxedo pairing with the black pants. The cloth fitted him perfectly, pressed firmly to his chest. His biceps were on display in his perfectly fitted suit. His one hand was in his pocket while the other was holding a glass.
Tia came up to him smiling politely, "Happy birthday, sir!" She wished in her professional tone.
"We aren't in the office, Tia." Advait said briefly glancing at her.
"Oh then listen me out, if today's not your birthday I would have smashed your face." She replied gritting her teeth.
"What did I do to get this honor?" He asked raising his brow amusingly.
"You told your stupid jerk friend to ask me for help." She said accusingly.
"It was absolutely professional, trust me." He said making a straight face.
"Then go and tell your asshole best friend not to follow me around." She said shoving a wrapped box in his arms.
"You also have a mouth and indeed a very dirty one, bring it to the use." He said and took a sip from his glass.
She grimaced at him, "You know what, you're no better than him."
"Thanks for the compliment." He replied with a blank face.
He smiled at Reyansh who was grinning at his way from across the hall talking with a random couple, she followed his gaze and her glare hardened looking at him.
Advait looked at her and chuckled, "Why are you drilling holes in his poor soul?"
She turned to glare at him.
"I was just teasing you, babe." He said snaking his arm around her neck. She playfully punched him in the gut.
"Happy birthday, Mr. Malhotra." A voice came from the behind, they both turned around and Shreya was standing there with a beautiful flower bouquet in her hands. But her face was devoid of her usual charm like always, her eyes were....sad.
"Thanks, Miss Shreya." He replied.
Tia passed her a beautiful smile, "Hey! Shreya."
But Shreya only returned the gesture with a small smile.
Advait noticed her facial expressions, "You don't look fine. Are you okay?" He asked, concern was evident in his voice.
She barely nodded her head when Reyansh came from the behind, "Oh hey shreya, how are you?"
"I'm good, bhai." She replied in a low voice.
Reyansh studied her, "What happened to you? Where's your usual charming smile ha?" He said nudging her to lighten her mood.
She kept quietly and shook her head meekly.
"Let's lift up your mood." Tia said holding her hand.
She dragged her away with herself. Advait and Reyansh exchanged confused glances at Shreya's odd behavior.
"Bhaiyaaa!" Vanya came running to Advait followed by Aditya.
"Happy birthday, bhaiya!" She wished him.
Advait crouched down on his one knee and poked her cheeks, "Thank you, Princess!" She giggled.
"Bhaiya, Adi mujhe pareshan kar raha hai." She complained with a pouted face.
"Adi kya pareshan kar raha hai meri princess ko?" He asked matching her tone.
"Maine waha par ek ladke se friendship ki thi par isne usko bhaga diya aur mujhe bhi usse baat karne se mana kar diya." She said cutely jutting out her lower lip.
"Kuch to accha kiya." Reyansh mumbled under his breath but Aditya heard him and winked at him.
"Adi, what is this behavior? It's her choice, she could be friends with anyone." Advait made him understand.
But Aditya was in his own possessive zone, "I didn't stop her from making friends, she can make girl friends." He replied.
"Oh and why not boys?" Advait asked glaring at him.
"She have me for that." He replied with the equal intensity.
"You..." Advait was about to say when Reyansh interrupted him, "Chor na tu bhi kya in dono ke chakkar me pad raha hai." He said but he also knew that Aditya was up for a long session from Advait.
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The host announced that it was the time for the dance. Everyone clapped and started swaying themselves on the floor. Some were doing couple dance while some were enjoying their own companies.
Tia was standing there with Advait on the side. Shreya was standing a few steps away from them. Reyansh came and forwarded his hand in front of Tia.
"Would you like to have a dance with me?" He hopefully asked.
"I would prefer to die instead." She replied with a mocking smile.
Abhishek let out a laugh earning a glare from Reyansh, "Jyada hasi aa rahi hai, teri wo Rupali ke baare me batau Advait ko?" He threatened him.
"Bhaiiii." Abhishek pleaded through his eyes.
"Who is Rupali?" Advait asked in a serious tone making him gulp.
"I-i don't know, bhaiya." Abhishek shrugged.
Advait glared at Reyansh asking for an answer, "Relax, I was just teasing him." He replied and Advait looked at him still unconvinced but didn't push further.
Tia whispered in Advait's ear, "Tum khud to single maroge agar bechare bacche ki girlfriend banti hai usse bhi tumhe problem hai."
"Shut up." He replied.
Shreya was looking at the exchange with sadness, she misunderstood the situation.
When she entered she heard Advait was calling Tia 'babe' and she thought that maybe something was going on between them.
They were more than boss and assistant. It was the only reason behind her unusual behavior.
She fights with him every time but despite that she had feelings for him that was more than liking and him being with someone else broke something in her heart.
Reyansh dragged Shreya with himself to the dance floor and started swaying with her. Aditya and Vanya also had their little dance. Abhishek and Arush found no one so they paired up with each other.
Reyansh's father, Raj khurana was dancing with his wife, Simran khurana. It's been a long time since their marriage but their love for each other was still the same, vibrant and young.
And there comes the eldest couple, Amrinder Malhotra and Kalyani Devi dancing with each other, swaying with the rhythms of the music.
He was the authoritative man but always let his guard down in front of his wife.
He knew about her wife's frivolous thinking but his love for her always won over everything.
She was not bad or evil but whenever she looked at the kids it reminds her of his son and she blamed them because she thinks that they were the reason behind everything.
The dance floor was crowded with the couples. Everyone was lost in the soft rhythms of the music. But Advait and Tia were quietly standing at the side. His eyes were fixed on Shreya who was mindlessly swaying her waist with the music beats.
"Go, dance with everyone." Advait persuaded Tia still looking in her direction.
"Not interested and also there should be someone to accompany the birthday boy." She said playfully.
Advait nodded and continued staring at Shreya, "She's a nice girl." Tia said teasingly yet genuinely.
He turned to look at her, "Then do something about it." He said without hesitation.
She got the hint and stepped on the dance floor not before winking at him. She jumped between Shreya and Reyansh.
"If you don't mind, i would like to steal your dance partner." She said to Shreya while seductively looking at Reyansh.
Shreya nodded politely as she was also not interested in the dance, she just wanted to get out of the place as soon as possible.
Shreya stepped aside and Tia held his hand who grinned widely in response.
She kept her hand on his shoulder and took his other hand and rested on her waist. His breath hitched in his throat at the sensation.
She started moving her legs and gestured him to follow her lead.
They started dancing together and she winked at the Advait who was watching all this from the distance.
He heartily chuckled at his friend's antics and headed to Shreya's side. He stood just beside her and she stiffened at the closeness. He cleared his throat before asking, "Will you dance with me?"
She looked between his forwarding hand and him, "Uhm I-i didn't feel like dancing anymore." She hesitated but denied as she didn't want to escalated her feelings for him.
"C'mon a small dance wouldn't hurt." He encouraged.
She looked at him and studied him for a moment before agreeing as his tone was very different from the other days.
Advait held her hand and guided her to the dance floor, he hovered her hand over her waist but didn't touch her.
He held her other hand and started moving.
She placed her hand on his shoulder to steadied herself.
They started moving with the beats lost in each other's eyes.
Gradually the crowd slipped away and the music started fading in the background and they could only see each other, drowned in each other's worlds.
But Advait broke the silence, "What happened to you today? Why are you so...silent?" He asked, his voice was soft.
She avoided eye contact, "Nothing, just a headache."
"Don't lie to me, Miss Shreya." He said narrowing his eyes.
"I-i'm telling the truth only." She said while looking down and moving her legs.
"Look into my eyes and repeat it again." He said and twirled her.
She took a round and stopped pressing her hand against his chest, she slowly looked into his eyes and asked, "Why do you care?" She asked searching for answer in his eyes.
"Because I like when you keep around blabbering and annoy me to an extent that I feel like banging my head against the wall." He said straight looking into her eyes.
Her soft eyes turned into a glare, "Did you just called me annoying?"
"I didn't say that." He said pressing his lips into a thin line.
"But you meant that." She said jerking her hands away from him.
He was enjoying her reaction, "Maybe." He shrugged.
"Maybe? It means you accepted that you just told me annoying." She asked flaring her nostrils.
He was just silently looking at her without saying anything.
"Ab boliye na ab kyu bolti band ho gayi aapki, dar gaye?" She pointed her finger at him.
He bent forward and whispered in her ear, "Bohot jyada."
She shivered when his warm breath touched her earlobe. She froze on her place and Advait smirked seeing his effect on her.
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