Chapter 46

Mayank woke up feeling unusually warm inside, his thoughts immediately drifting back to the night before. The way Niharika had hesitantly asked if she could hug him and then just melted into his arms... It had left a mark on him, one he couldn't quite shake.

As he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he found himself smiling like an idiot. Her small, shy gestures had become something he cherished without realizing it. It felt like progress, no matter how small.

Eventually, he dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. The water cascaded over him as he replayed the moment again. Her soft voice, her warmth—it was addictive.

After getting dressed in a loose T-shirt and joggers, he stepped out of his room, rubbing his damp hair with a towel. The smell of freshly brewed chai wafted through the air, and he followed it into the kitchen.

There she was, standing by the counter, her back to him. She was wearing a pair of comfortable shorts and an oversized T-shirt, her hair tied up in a messy bun. She looked effortlessly at home, and something about that sight made him feel... grounded.

"Good morning," she said, turning to him with a smile, holding two cups of chai in her hands.

"Good morning," he replied, his voice softer than usual as he took the cup she offered.

She motioned toward the living room, and they settled on the couch. As they sipped their chai, Mayank pulled out his phone. "The pictures from the anniversary are so good," he said, scrolling through them.

"Let me see," she said, leaning closer.

He handed her the phone, and they began going through the photos together. Each picture brought a comment—compliments about how elegant their mothers looked, laughs at the kids pulling silly faces, and fond remarks about how the decorations turned out.

Then, they came across a photo of the two of them standing together. The pic reflected them: Niharika had a soft smile, and Mayank's hand was resting lightly on her back. As they saw it, for a moment, neither of them said anything.

"Hmm," Mayank finally said, his tone teasing. "I did curl your hair well, didn't I?"

Niharika laughed—a soft, genuine laugh that lit up her face. "Yes, you did," she said, shaking her head. "I'm still surprised you managed to pull that off."

Mayank didn't reply immediately. Instead, he just looked at her, realizing that was the first time he'd heard her laugh like that around him. It wasn't just polite or forced—it was real. And he couldn't stop the small smile that spread across his face.

As they continued chatting, he noticed her demeanor change. She had leaned forward slightly to grab her phone from the table, and her loose shirt had ridden up just a bit. Her hand immediately shot down to tug it back into place, her cheeks tinting with embarrassment.

"I'll just... I'll be back," she mumbled quickly, excusing herself and heading to her room.

Mayank's smile faded. He could tell she was uncomfortable, and it bothered him. Why did she think she needed to hide herself like that? Why didn't she see what he saw—that she was beautiful just as she was?

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He didn't know how to fix this, but one thing was clear—he wanted to.

A little while later, Niharika came out of her room, looking more composed. "I'm going to my parents' house today," she said casually.

"I'll take you," Mayank offered immediately.

"Oh, no, it's fine," she said, shaking her head. "I'll manage."

"I'm not asking," he replied, his tone firm but not harsh. "I'm taking you."

She blinked at him, surprised, before a small smile appeared on her lips. "Okay," she said softly.

~•~

The warmth of Abhijeet and Yangeeta's welcome immediately put Niharika at ease, though she still felt slightly awkward standing beside Mayank. He didn't seem fazed; in fact, his calm demeanor helped her settle.

"You both came together! That's such a pleasant surprise," Yangeeta said, smiling brightly as she led them into the living room. "Mayank, it's good to see you again."

"Thank you, Aunty," Mayank said politely, offering a small smile. "It's good to be here."

"Aunty nahi, Aai!" Yangeeta patted Mayank's back as he smiled and corrected himself, "Right. Aai."

Abhijeet gestured for them to sit. "How are you both doing? Settling in well, I hope?"

"Yes, Baba," Niharika said, sitting down while Mayank settled beside her. "Everything's fine. The house is nice."

"Mayank," Abhijeet started, leaning forward slightly, "we were just saying the other day how impressed we were with the anniversary function. It was so well-organized."

Mayank turned to Niharika briefly before replying, "That's all thanks to her. She handled most of it."

"Don't be modest," Yangeeta said, laughing. "Niharika told me you stayed up late with her, helping with the preparations. That's not a small thing."

"She's better at it than I am," Mayank said with a shrug, his lips curling into a small smile as he glanced at Niharika. "I just followed her lead."

Niharika looked away, pretending to fuss with the edge of her sleeve, but the faint blush on her cheeks didn't go unnoticed by Mayank.

"You two seem to be figuring it out," Yangeeta said warmly. "Marriage takes time, but you're both doing well."

Niharika's head shot up at her mother's words, and she opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. Mayank stepped in smoothly.

"Your support has made it easier," he said, meeting her parents' gaze. "We're taking it one step at a time."

Abhijeet smiled approvingly. "That's the way to do it. No rush, no pressure."

~•~

As they prepared to leave, Niharika busied herself in the kitchen, packing her favorite snacks to take home. Her mother followed her, leaning against the counter.

"Niharika," Yangeeta began, her tone gentle, "how are things with Mayank?"

Niharika paused, her hands stilling over the containers. "We're... fine, Aai," she said quietly.

Her mother watched her for a moment before saying, "You can trust him, you know."

Niharika turned slightly, meeting her mother's gaze. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I've seen the way he looks at you," Yangeeta said with a knowing smile. "He respects you. And I think he wants to understand you, not just as his wife but as a person."

Niharika thought back to the hug, the way he had reassured her without judgment. She bit her lip and nodded slowly.

~•~

The car ride was mostly quiet. Niharika seemed lost in thought, and Mayank didn't push her to talk. He occasionally glanced at her, wondering what was going through her mind, but he decided to let her process whatever it was.

When they got home, they both went to their rooms to change. Niharika emerged first, settling into the living room, her fingers tapping lightly against the edge of the couch.

Mayank joined her a few minutes later, now in a fresh pair of joggers and a loose T-shirt. He looked at her curiously as he walked in, sensing that she wanted to say something.

"I want to tell you something," she said softly, her gaze dropping to her hands.

"What happened?" he asked, his brows knitting together in concern as he approached her.

She hesitated, biting her lip before looking up. "It's about my ex."

Mayank blinked, caught off guard by the sudden confession. "Your ex?" he repeated, his voice calm but filled with curiosity.

"You never asked me about him," she said, her voice almost a whisper.

"That's because it's your story," he said gently, sitting down in a chair opposite her. "And if it's a past chapter, I'm not going to intervene unless you want me to."

She looked at him, her eyes searching his face for something. "Will you listen if I tell you?"

For a moment, he just stared at her, as if he misunderstood what he heard.

"Of course, I will," he replied immediately, his voice steady and sincere. Then, to his surprise, she got up from her spot and walked over to the couch he was seated on. She sat down beside him, close enough that their shoulders almost touched.

Mayank didn't say a word. He just sat there, surprised but quietly pleased, waiting for her to continue.

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