Chapter-29

Shraddha Kumar Malhotra

I woke up with bright sun rays falling on my face. I smiled looking out of the windows. 

I was about to get up from the bed but I couldn't move. My movements were held back by hand and leg. I was unable to get up so I looked to my side to freeze. Aaron was sleeping beside me. His right hand was clutching me tightly in his embrace. His right leg was on both legs to avoid any movements of my legs.

His breaths were fanning on my face. I looked at his face. There was a smile on his face. His natural smile. His hair was messy. I ran my fingers in his hair. I moved back a few hair strands which were falling on his forehead. I kissed his forehead. 

As soon as my lips touched his skin, he felt it. He stirred in his sleep so I immediately closed my eyes. After a minute or two, his hold on me loosened. He removed his hand and legs and moved to his original place on the bed. There was no sound for five to ten minutes so I opened my eyes and looked at him to see that he was sleeping.

I took this chance and got up from bed without making any noise and went to the washroom. I was brushing my teeth but as I looked at myself in the mirror I blushed remembering the way we both slept. 

‘Idiot, why are you being so happy? He is not in love with you. He might have done it unconsciously’ my mind taunted me.

‘But he said that he will give all the rights of the wife….. But then he never said that he will love me.’ I thought.
When I came from the washroom, I saw that he was nowhere.

I remember mom told me about his habits. So at this time he goes jogging and exercising. I was not ready to meet him so before he would come I started getting ready. I took my formal wear in a bag and wore casual clothes. I quickly got ready and went downstairs.

I saw mom in the living room so went near her, kissed her cheeks. I wished her good morning.

"Shraddha, where are you going so early in the morning?” Mom asked.

"Mom I’m going to meet Divi and from there directly I will go to the office," I said to her.

"Is your husband giving you more work?" she asked me with a glint of mischief.

"No Mom. He is not troubling me." I said.

Yes, he is not troubling me but torturing me with his proximity. I want to go before he comes home from his morning jogging.

"Ok sweetie, but have some breakfast," she said.

“No mom, I'll be late to reach the cafe. I’ll have something in the canteen.” I said.

“No... At least drink the milk,” she said.

“I usually don’t like plain milk but I didn't want to hurt Mom so I took a glass. I looked at its content to see it in a cream ish orange colour. 

"Your Mumma told me that you don't like plain milk so I have made this BadamKesar powder (Almond-Saffron powder). I boiled the milk and added a tablespoon of this powder." Mom said.

I felt very happy. I hugged her tightly and kissed her cheeks. 

"Thank you so much, mom," I said and drank the milk.

I said bye to mom and went to the studio. I've already informed the Divi about this. So I went to the studio first. I had some minor work over there after which I went to the cafe. I met with Divi. I told her that if Aaron asks then inform him that I was here from the morning. 

After I was done with my work here in the cafe I went to Malhotra Office. I directly went inside my cabin. I was sorting and categorising the files. I heard a knock.

"Come in," I said. My back was toward the door so I didn't see who it was. So I
turned and saw it was Riya.

"Riya, why did you knock on the door? You don't need permission to enter my cabin." I told her.

"You both are the same." She said. I was confused about who both are the same.

"You and Brother… He also said the same thing to me many times." She continued.

"Good Morning Brother" she wished me.

"Good morning to you too but here you should call me as Shraddha or at least Ms. Kumar to avoid any suspicions," I told her.

"Ok, but why did you come so early to the work?" She asked me.

"Nothing special just like that," I said avoiding looking at her.

"Ohh I thought something happened so you came here early." She said, raising her eyebrow.

"Naah….. Nothing... like... that…" I said stammering.

"Ok, Ms. Kumar you should cover the hickey, sorry love marks properly." She said teasing me.

I covered the hickey with my hand and shyly looked down.

'That's why from yesterday everyone was smiling, looking at me and teasing.' I thought. 

Yesterday after dinner, Mumma and Shreya were teasing me but I didn't have much thought to it. In the morning Divi also raised an eyebrow looking at me and smiled. She also didn't say anything to me. Thank God no one in the office saw it because of my hair which I kept down today.

"Thank you Riya for telling me otherwise I would have embarrassed myself. Do you have a concealer?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I have to wait, I'll bring it." Saying that she went to her cabin which was also adjacent to me.
She gave me so I went to the washroom and covered the mark with a concealer.

"Sister in law, I want to tell you something." She said in a serious tone.

"Yeah...Tell me, dear," I said.

"You know, yesterday one girl was arguing and taunting you." She said.

"Yeah…. I think her name is… Tanya... Yeah Tanya Singh." I Said to her.

"Yes. Do you know Sonia Mittal?" She asked me. 

"Yeah. Rich spoilt brat. Daughter of diamond merchant Mr. Akshay Mittal." I said slightly remembering both father and daughter.

They're good for nothing people.

“Yeah, she is the one. She was always behind Brother. He never has any signals or words to her. But she wanted to achieve Brother as he rejected her when she asked him. She kept Tanya as her spy in the company. She gives all information about Aaron to her. Like what he does, where he goes, whom he meets, which all girls work with him like all the details she passed to Sonia. 
Tanya is a money-hungry bitch. She threatens all the girls who work on this floor or near him. She tells them to stay away from Aaron as Aaron is Sonia's. If they don't listen to her then she does something which makes them fired from the job.
I want you to be careful of her." She said. I gave her a glass of water to drink.

"Does Aaron know all these things?" I asked her after a minute.

"Yes. I told him so he said that he will take care of this matter." She said.

"Ok, you don't worry. I will take care of this Tanya." I said with a smirk. I have already decided yesterday that I'll teach her a lesson.

"Looking at you, I feel that you have planned something for her. And it will not be good for Tanya." She said looking at me.

"Well….. Not properly planned everything but I have few ideas… but you have to help me. Will you?" I asked her.

"Of course sister in law I also want to teach her a lesson." She said smiling at me mischievously making my smirk grew wide.

"Ok. Will meet you at lunchtime to decide the plan," I said to her.

After that, she went to her cabin to do her work. I was busy with my work when I received a call from Kary (Kartik).

"Hello my little brother," I said.

"Hey elder sis, how are you? After your marriage you completely forgot about me," he complained. 

"How can I forget you? You know na I'm working with your Brother in law so I don't get time to talk with you." I said.

"Yeah, but you get time to call Mumma-Papa but for me you are busy... Huh I'm angry." He said.

"Well, it's just that when I called Mumma-Papa was also there so we talked but you were in the office so I didn't disturb you," I said.

"Ok but you know you can call me anytime be it at night or morning. I miss you Sister." He said in an emotional tone.

"I also miss you …. Miss you a lot…" I said suppressing my sob.

I'm missing everything. I'm used to having my weekends with Divu and Kary. I'm missing both of them. Even though I met Divi in the Cafe but Kary…. I have not met him after my marriage. With this office work, I also don't get time for Karate classes. 

"Sis, I think he gave you good punishment," he said laughing.

"How mean you are. You are happy that your sister got punishment. I will also get my revenge from you. Be ready for that moment." I said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Anyway bye, take care. I have a meeting now. Miss you. Love you." he said.

"I miss you too… I love you too. Bye, take care." I said and hung up the call.

----------