Everyone gathered around the table, and Samyuktika served the breakfast with a calm expression, though her eyes subtly glanced at Ekansh, eager for his reaction. Ekansh took a bite of the sandwich first, and his face lit up with approval. "These are great, Naira!" he said, making her smile triumphantly.
Rihaan, sitting next to him, took a bite of the poha and barely reacted. He loved spicy food, so he didnât notice anything unusual. "The pohaâs good too," he said casually.
Then, Ekansh reached for the poha, completely unaware of the added chili. As soon as he took a bite, his eyes widened in shock. The heat hit him instantly, and he struggled to keep his composure. Naira, trying to suppress her smirk, dramatically took a bite herself and gasped. "Oh my god, itâs way too spicy!" she exclaimed, pretending to be surprised.
Samyuktikaâs eyes widened with concern, instantly realizing something was wrong. "What? Spicy?" She took a bite herself and immediately noticed the extreme heat. Her face flushed in embarrassment. How did this happen? she wondered, completely unaware of Nairaâs sabotage.
Ekansh reached for a glass of water, trying to cool his burning mouth. "Yeah... it's a bit too much for me," he admitted, trying to smile but clearly struggling with the heat. Samyuktika, feeling guilty, could only watch in frustration, unaware of Nairaâs scheming smile behind her back.
Samyuktika, seeing Ekansh's face and ears turning red from the heat, felt deeply concerned. "I took good care of the spices... I don't understand how it became this spicy," she murmured, truly baffled. Watching him gulp down water wasnât helping either. His discomfort was obvious as he kept drinking, but it only made the situation worse.
"Ekansh, drinking water wonât help," she said softly, a hint of worry in her voice. Determined to fix the problem, she quickly rushed to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of honey. Without a second thought, she opened the bottle and dipped her finger into the honey.
With all her focus on easing his discomfort, she gently brought her honey-dipped finger to his lips. "This will calm the spice down," she said softly, holding her breath as he slowly took the honey from her finger. Their eyes met for a brief moment, the tension between them palpable. Ekansh, caught off guard by the intimacy of the moment, felt the heat of the spice ease up, but something else stirred within him.
Naira, watching from the other side of the table, felt a surge of jealousy as she witnessed their close interaction, but Samyuktikaâs sole focus remained on Ekansh, her worry melting into quiet tenderness.
As Samyuktika gently fed him the honey, their fingers brushed, and time seemed to slow down. Ekansh stopped drinking water and instead focused on her. Their eyes locked, and an unspoken connection passed between them, deeper than words could express.
For a moment, everything else faded awayâthe breakfast, the others at the table, even Nairaâs presence. It was just the two of them, caught in a moment of tenderness that neither had expected. Samyuktikaâs breath hitched as she realized how close they were, her heart racing as she stared into his eyes. Ekansh, too, felt something shift inside him as he looked back at her, the concern in her eyes stirring emotions he hadnât acknowledged before.
Neither of them said a word, but the intensity between them spoke volumes. The warmth of the honey lingered, but what lingered more was the undeniable pull between them, as if the world had conspired to bring them closer in this unexpected moment.
Rihaan, who had been quietly observing the charged moment, couldnât resist breaking the silence. "Ahem, should I give you two some privacy?" he teased with a smirk, his voice cutting through the tension.
Both Ekansh and Samyuktika snapped out of their trance, realizing they had been staring at each other for far too long. Their faces instantly turned crimson, and they quickly broke eye contact, looking away in embarrassment. Ekansh cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure, while Samyuktika tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her heart still racing.
Naira, sitting at the table, watched the whole scene unfold with a frown. Since when does Ekansh blush? she thought, her jealousy boiling over. What kind of magic has Samyuktika cast on him? The fact that Ekansh, normally so composed, was flustered by his wife only deepened Nairaâs frustration. The connection between them was becoming more obvious with each passing moment, and it made Nairaâs heart sink.
Meanwhile, Rihaan continued to chuckle, clearly enjoying the awkwardness heâd caused. "Well, I think someone owes me a good breakfast after all this entertainment," he joked, trying to lighten the mood even further.
Samyuktika, still feeling a bit flustered from their earlier moment, quickly regained her composure and turned to Ekansh with genuine concern. "How are you feeling now?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his for any hint of discomfort.
Ekansh took a moment before replying, finally managing a smile. "Iâm okay now, thanks to you," he admitted, his tone sincere. "That honey really helped."
Relief washed over Samyuktika, and she felt a small smile creep onto her face. "Iâm glad," she replied, her heart swelling with a mix of happiness and affection. Just then, Naira's voice interrupted their moment again, cutting through the air like a knife.
"Okay, Mr. Cool, itâs time to show us if the sandwiches can hold a candle to the poha," Naira chimed in, eager to steer the attention away from the awkwardness that had settled around the table.
Ekansh chuckled, appreciating Naira's effort to lighten the mood. "Alright, letâs see how they compare," he said, grabbing a piece of poha and taking another bite, this time prepared for the spice. As he chewed, Samyuktika watched him intently, hopeful that he would enjoy her cooking as much as he had enjoyed Nairaâs sandwiches.