Ahana
I stirred from my beauty sleep, still wrapped in the warmth of dreams, but my lids were too heavy to lift.
With a languid sigh, I stretched my arms, a delicate yawn slipping past my lips, then instinctively curled back up, nestling into what I thought was my side pillow.
But… something wasn’t right.
My brows drew together as my hand wandered lazily over the ‘pillow’. It was firmer than usual. Hotter. And… was that a heartbeat?
I froze.
My fingers ran over the surface again. Steady. Solid. And that gentle thump under my palm, it wasn’t my imagination.
Wait. Didn’t I sleep in his room last night?
My heart skipped a beat.
Oh god.
It means this isn't a pillow. It's HIM.
I let my lashes part slowly, blinking into the golden haze of morning, only to be met by a pair of smoldering hazel eyes, gazing at me with tender intensity. A lazy, irresistible smile curved his lips.
Wait. Why is he so close? Didn’t we maintain a safe distance while sleeping last night?
"A...aap... itne paas q aye mere," I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep, as I quickly buried my flushed face into the pillow.
("W... why did you come so close to me?")
He let out a soft chuckle and brushed his fingers gently through my hair, "you sure... mey paas aya?"
(You sure... I came close?)
I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, still hazy, still confused… then slowly turned my head to take in the space around us.
Shit. Mey hi to khud apni jagah se hat kar inke paas aa gayi.
(Shit. I was the one who moved from my place and came closer to him.)
"Sorry..." I whispered under my breath, a touch of heat creeping up my cheeks. I tried to inch away, but his hand came to rest softly on my shoulder.
"I’m not gonna eat you, sweetheart... stay like this," he murmured, his voice low and velvety as he gently pulled me back into his arms, "it just feels right… like you’re meant to be here, in my arms."
A small smile tugged at my lips as I surrendered to his warmth, slipping my arms around him and burying my face into his chest.
I could hear his soothing heartbeat... calm, steady... almost like a lullaby.
"Sweetheart," he called softly.
"Hmm," I hummed lazily, still half-lying in his arms.
"Shift to this room," he urged, his voice low but clear.
I blinked, caught off guard. For a second, my heart stuttered. He meant it.
Then I slightly bit my lower lip, trying to stop the shy smile that crept in anyway, warmth blooming in my chest despite my best efforts to stay composed.
I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to bloom, forcing myself to keep a straight face.
I looked up at him and arched a brow, "Aapki demand din ba din badhti nhi ja rhi?"
("Isn't your list of demands increasing day by day?")
"Ha to?" he shot back effortlessly, burying his face in my hair, his breath warm against my neck as he inhaled deeply, "Apni biwi se hi to kar raha hu."
(So what) / (I'm making demands from my own wife, after all)
"Achaa ji," I said, rolling my eyes playfully.
"Haanji," he murmured, lips curling into a knowing smile, his arms still wrapped securely around me, refusing to let go.
He loosened the embrace just enough to tilt my chin, his gaze lingering on my face as he asked, "To fir kya sochna tumne?"
(So, what have you decided?)
"Hmmm..." I placed a finger on my lips, acting as if I was genuinely thinking hard.
Then with a cheeky grin, I said, "NO... Itni jaldi v kya hai Aastik ji... Manifest kijia... I heard manifest karne se wish jaldi puri hoti hai."
(No... what's the rush Aastik ji... Manifest it. I heard that when you manifest something, your wish comes true faster.)
I giggled under my breath, ready to pull away—
—but he didn’t let me.
Instead, his arms snaked around my waist with ease, pulling me flush against him, slowly, deliberately. My breath caught in my throat as he shifted, rolling gently until I was pinned above him, his hold firm but tender.
His hands settled on my shoulders, anchoring me in place, and his eyes—dark, unblinking searched mine with a heat that made my pulse stutter.
"Karlia maine manifest..." he whispered, voice low and magnetic, "ab poora bhi kar do."
(Done manifesting)/ (Now fulfill it)
His hands glided down to my waist with excruciating slowness, fingertips tracing feather-light patterns that sent shivers down my spine.
I tried. I really tried my best to keep my gaze fixed on his face, but it was useless. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, my breath came out uneven and my entire body responded to his touch like it had a will of its own.
It was simple… yet so intimidating. So sensual.
"Chhoriye na… kya kar rahe hain aap subha subha," I breathed out, voice barely a whisper, cheeks flushed and lips trembling with restrained tension.
(Leave me na… what are you doing so early in the morning?)
He leaned in and with a thick and husky voice as it caressed my skin, he replied, "Apni biwi ko mana raha hoon… taki woh apne pati ke sath ek hi room mein rahe."
(I'm persuading my wife… so that she stays in the same room with her husband.)
His warm breath fanned over my face, grazing my lips, making my eyes flutter shut, helpless under the heat that now curled low in my belly.
"Ufff... Fine," I gave up, breathlessly.
"Good girl," he smirked, finally letting me go.
"Mr. Devil kahike," I whispered under my breath before darting away, my heart hammering wildly in my chest.
Once inside my room, I slammed the door shut and pressed a trembling hand against my chest, trying to soothe the rapid, chaotic rhythm.
Taking a deep breath, I walked towards my dressing table. Standing in front of the mirror, I looked at my reflection—red face, messy hair, puffy eyes.
"Yrr… kitni gandi lag rhi hu mey," I said with a pout, rolling my eyes at myself and got freshened up.
(Bro... I'm looking so bad)
Just as I turned to head towards the washroom, my phone started ringing.
I picked it up and saw Bhaiya flashing on the screen.
I sighed and answered the call, "Haanji bhaiya?"
(Yes brother?)
"Kya kar rhi hai Ahu?" he asked, his voice gentle and filled with warmth.
(What are you doing ahu?)
"Kuch nahi bhaiya… abhi neend se uthi hu," I replied while sitting down on the edge of the bed, stretching my legs a bit.
(Nothing bro, just wake up from sleep)
"Achha… sunn. Mey tere room me aaya tha kuch kaam se. Tu apne kapde sab leke kyun nahi gayi?" he asked.
(Okay... listen, I came to your room for some work. Why didn't you take all your clothes?)
I exhaled slowly and said, "I… the clothes are given by Mumma and Papa, bhaiya. I don’t want them. I already told you that day what I’ve decided… the ones I brought are the ones I purchased with my own money."
There was a brief pause on the other end.
Then he softly spoke, "Fine... then what do you think about donating them to kids… in an NGO?"
A small smile appeared on my lips. "Good idea bhaiya... let’s do it."
"Hmm… I’ll share the date and time with you. Okay, now I’m hanging up, go get freshen up," he said and disconnected the call.
I threw the phone on the bed and sat there quietly, my mind slowly drifting back to the conversation we had in our home a few days ago.
[Past Conversation – at Home]
"Just one more chance to love my baby sister… to cherish her... to be there for her like I should have always been," he said, his voice thick with emotions, eyes finally pouring out the guilt and unspoken love he had buried for years.
I slowly withdrew my hands, turning away to hide the tremble in my chest.
"Bhaiya… it’s so hard for me…" I whispered, fighting back the flood of tears threatening to break free. "You know it’s not about forgiveness… I just… I can’t pretend everything’s okay, can’t force myself to act like nothing ever happened. It would suffocate us both."
"I know bachaa," he replied with a broken smile, one that almost cracked something inside me. He was trying so hard to hold himself together.
"I’m not asking you to erase the past… or to wear a mask like nothing ever happened," he continued softly, "We can take it slow. Step by step. I believe in you, in me… in the strength of our bond. Together, we can heal. I’ll give my best, Ahu."
That was all I needed to hear.
I stepped forward and hugged him tight, my fingers clutching his shirt as if letting go would take him away again. "I’ll give my best, bhaiya... I’ll try my best… I also want to feel the love I’ve yearned for so long. I want to get my brother back… Let’s give our best, together."
"I know, bachii... meri pyaari Ahu," he said, gently stroking my hair as if he was making up for all the years he wasn’t there.
We stayed like that, lost in a silence that didn’t demand words. No more apologies. No pretending.
Just two siblings... broken in different ways, yet slowly trying to stitch something whole again.
"Bhaiya…" I broke the silence, my voice low but laced with unshakable resolve. A heaviness hung in my chest, but my gaze didn’t waver as I looked him straight in the eyes.
"I… I’ve made a decision."
He blinked, surprised. "Hmm? What decision?"
"I’ll break my relationship with Mumma and Papa," I said slowly, letting every word settle between us, "I’ll never return to this house. I’ll never come back. Never contact them again."
My heart clenched a little. A tiny crack, I could feel it but I knew with time… I’d heal.
His eyes widened, the weight of my words settling deep within him. Yet there was no disbelief, only a quiet understanding as if some part of him had seen this coming. "Are you sure?"
I nodded, not a flicker of doubt in my voice. "Yes, bhaiya… I’m done. I’ll stay connected only to you. And I want you to convey this to your parents."
I paused, the lump in my throat thick and bitter. I swallowed it down, refusing to let it steal my strength.
"Because this house… this so-called home… this family? It has never given me peace. Not once."
"They never tried to understand me," I continued, voice laced with hurt that ran deeper than words, "Not once did they ask how I was doing. Not once did they wonder if I was okay. Whether I smiled… or cried."
"If I try to recall na…" my voice wavered, cracking just for a second,
"I don’t even remember the last happy memory this house gave me."
I looked away for a moment, trying to calm the storm building inside me.
"This house is nothing but a source of negative energy for me. A place that caged me, not loved me."
A lone tear slipped down my cheek, carving a warm path through the cold resolve on my face. But my eyes… they didn’t falter. They burned with clarity, with quiet defiance, with the fire of freedom I had long been denied.
"Fine. Go live your life with Aastik," he said, but then his eyes locked with mine, serious… searching. “But do you think you can live with him? You can spend your entire life with that man?"
That question came to me as a heavy weight with no answer. My heart clenched a little, I don't know why.
I looked down, let the silence sit between us for a second… then slowly lifted my gaze to his.
"I don’t know, Bhaiya," I whispered, the truth trembling on my tongue.
"But I do know one thing, that I'm more at peace in his house, with him… than I ever was in the place I was born."
A faint smile curved on my lips, a smile born from pain and peace mixed together.
"He respects me… respects my decisions. He makes me feel safe," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper. "And that’s all I ever wanted, Bhaiya. Someone who truly sees me. Hears me. Lets me be me. That’s what made me choose him… choose his world over this one. I don’t know what the future holds… but right now, at this moment, I just want to be happy. Truly happy. For as long as life allows me to be."
He didn’t reply for a moment. His eyes welled up, but he smiled, one of those rare, proud, brotherly smiles that melts your heart.
"Meri Ahu bohot badi ho gayi hai," he said, cupping my face gently in his palms. His touch was warm… protective.
"Go. Fly high. And never…" he paused and took a shaky breath, "never turn back and come back to this place."
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on my temple. "Always remember… your bhaiya is always with you."
And in that moment, I knew, maybe my childhood was lost… but my brother, I got him back.
Present
A sadistic smile crept on my face which I quickly wiped off.
What’s the point of being hurt over people who never cared in the first place?
With that final thought, I stepped into the washroom. The cold tiles grounded me as I freshened up, then slipped into the shower. The cascading water poured over me like liquid silence, washing away the remnants of anger, heartbreak, and exhaustion.
After drying off, I walked to my wardrobe and paused.
Ugh. Not many good clothes left. Great. I need to go shopping.
I changed into a pink saree, Lined my eyes with kohl, dabbed a soft rose tint on my lips, and applied sindoor
The last time I wore a saree was at our reception party maybe.
I stepped out of my room and made my way downstairs. He was sitting on the sofa, casually sipping his coffee, eyes glued to his phone.
But then my gaze landed on the maid girl nearby. She was sneaking furtive glances at him, her cheeks stained with a soft, shameful blush.
'What the hell? Why are you blushing?' I thought, vexation crawling under my skin like poison.
"Heyy!" I barked as I stepped down the stairs. She snapped her head toward me with wide eyes, trembling with guilt.
Anger simmered inside me, 'how dare she look at her employer, the one who pays her, and more importantly the man who's married, with those shy, lingering glances?'
"What do you think you’re doing? Stop acting all demure and casting those pathetic eyes at someone else’s husband, or you’ll find yourself unemployed before the day ends," I snarled.
She bowed swiftly, muttered a rushed apology, and fled like a coward from the room.
"Pagal larki," I muttered, looking away. But I instantly regretted it, the sight only made me angrier.
(Idiot girl)
The audacity of Mr. Devil.
He was smirking while pretending to look at his phone. I know very well he was enjoying this drama. His focus wasn’t on the phone it was on me, on my shouting.
"Apko pata tha na, wo apki taraf dekh rahi hai… Apne mana kyun nahi kiya usse?" I asked, walking towards him.
(You knew, right, she was looking at you… so why didn’t you stop her?)
"Aree… sweet…heart—" he began, but the words melted away on his tongue the moment his eyes met mine. His gaze didn’t just observe, it devoured. It trailed over every curve of my draped figure with a slow, dark hunger that sent a shiver down my spine.
I caught his heated gaze but deliberately looked away, masking the shiver it sent through me. With a calm but firm voice, I asked, "Bolia kya bol rahe thee?" I asked, pretending I hadn't caught the fire smoldering in his gaze.
(What were you saying?)
"Hot," he whispered.
"Kya?"
(What)
Before I could react, he yanked my wrist gently and pulled me onto his lap in one swift, possessive motion.
I crossed my arms, in a stubborn way. How could he? Idiot devil. Huh. I wasn’t going to talk.
"Naraz ho?" he asked softly, lifting my hand to his lips and placing a sensual kiss on my knuckles.
(Are you angry)
Ohhh Goddd… this man is lethal.
He doesn’t fight fair. Doesn’t give me a single chance to stay mad. But I was stubborn too. I wouldn’t surrender so easily.
"Yup... Hu mey naraz. Kya krlenge aap?" I asked, turning towards him, only to realise he was leaning close to my face. Too close. TOO CLOSE.
("Yup... I am upset. So, what are you going to do about it?")
I instinctively arched slightly backward when his arm snaked around my waist, dragging me flush against him as he murmured, "Abhi bhi naraz ho?"
(What about now? Still mad at me?)
I averted my gaze, feigning indifference, and gave a subtle nod.
His grip tightened, just enough to throw me off balance and the next thing I knew, I toppled forward, collapsing against his chest. My head came to rest on his shoulder, and a soft gasp escaped me as his body heat seeped through every layer of me, setting my skin ablaze.
Before I could recover, he leaned in, his breath teasing my jaw as his calloused fingers ghosted over the sensitive curve of my neck.
"Abhi bhi?" he whispered again, his voice low and dangerous, as his rough, big hands deliberately brushed the exact spot he knew would make me squirm.
(Now also?)
"Issshhh," I hissed the moment his fingers grazed a spot that stung a little.
I blinked and looked at him, confused. "Yaha dard kyun hua?"
(Why did it sting here?)
"Did you forget to check your neck while doing makeup, sweetheart?" he asked, that wicked smirk tugging at his lips. "Did you forget about last night? The purple mark is shining... maybe you missed it cause it’s a bit on the side—but for me? It’s a damn good view."
My eyes widened in realisation. I scrambled to pull out my phone, angling the camera toward my neck.
"Shit!"
IT'S A HICKEY.
"I... I need to hide it... Aap na... aap bare wo ho!" I cried, face heating up, trying to stand but his grip didn’t loosen.
"Choriye mujhe... Magnet kahike," I snapped, pushing at his chest with a sharp glare.
(Leave me... You magnet)
"Nahi chor raha main... Magnet toh tum khud ban ke aayi ho mere saamne. My sweetheart in a saree..." he paused, his gaze darkening with mischief, "...is the second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen."
(I'm not letting go... You yourself came towards me like a magnet. My sweetheart in a saree....)
I narrowed my eyes. "Then what’s the first one?"
He leaned in, so close that his warm breath was making my heart beat faster. "My sweetheart in my shirt… the one that's only meant for my eyes," he whispered, his voice thick, low, and possessive.
Then before I could even react his teeth grazed my ear, then bit down just enough to make me jolt.
"Ouchhh!" I gasped, recoiling. "Aap na! Hatiye ab!" I swatted his chest, my cheeks blazing like a damn tomato. "I need to cover it! I’m already getting late."
This man… had absolutely no filter. His mouth was far more dangerous than even his hands.
"Where are you going?" he asked, one brow raised.
"Aree... I need to go shopping. I need some clothes and accessories," I explained while adjusting the pallu of my saree.
"Okay fine. Go and get ready. I’ll be ready in 10 minutes," he said casually, pulling away.
I blinked at him, confused. "Wait… where are you going?"
He turned back, giving me a ‘seriously?’ look. "Obviously shopping with you?"
"What!"
"What?"
"Why are you coming? Don’t you have a whole empire to run? I’m perfectly capable of going alone," I tried reasoning, though I already knew the futility of it.
He smirked like the devil he is. "Sweetheart, you’re forgetting that I own the company. I can go whenever I wish."
Then he stepped closer, nudging me toward my room with a light yet loaded touch. "Now go," he murmured, eyes dropping deliberately to my neck. "Cover it up fast… or else..." His voice lowered, silk wrapped in danger. "...I’ll end up deepening that purple bruise until it stains your skin like my signature."
"Shameless man!" I muttered, cheeks heating like wildfire as I turned away in a rush.
"It’s not even one percent, darling!" he shouted back with a playful smile, clearly enjoying my embarrassment.
I didn’t bother replying. I ran straight to my room and stood in front of the mirror, my fingers gently tracing the dark mark on my neck. Memories of last night flashed vividly in my mind, making my heart skip a beat.
"Isshhh," I exhaled shakily, pressing my hands to my face as last night’s moments rushed back like a tidal wave—his lips, his teeth, his hands… exploring, claiming, devouring.
I shook my head to clear the haze clouding my thoughts and turned back to the mirror, reaching for my makeup. I needed to cover this disaster first.
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