32.

Jiya's POV

"You'll stay here" I said softly, placing Zara in her cute little cozy basket. Her big, round eyes stared at me, filled with innocence. I smiled and gently ran my fingers over her tiny back, feeling her soft fur under my touch.

She blinked slowly, her eyes becoming heavier with each passing second and within moments, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

"Is she asleep?" Mira's voice broke the silence. I turned my head and saw her standing near the bed, looking at Zara with a gentle expression.

"Yes, she was really tired" I whispered, careful not to wake the little one. Mira sighed and lay down on the bed, stretching her arms above her head.

"Is Zar fine now?" I asked thinking about him.

Mira nodded with a small smile. "Yes, Abhi and I took him for a long drive. Now he's okay"

I let out a chuckle. "My baby really thought we wouldn't give him attention huh?" I said, remembering how much he had been sulking earlier.

Mira giggled, shaking her head. "He was acting so dramatic"

My eyes went back to Zara, her tiny body rising and falling with each breath. "What do you think? Where did she come from?" Mira suddenly asked her eyes fixed on Zara.

"I don’t know" I admitted, shrugging. "But I’m glad she came to us. You know, at first, she was scared of Zar. But then She tried to get close to him but he completely ignored her" I said, still amused at the memory.

Mira huffed, sinking deeper into the bed. "Tomorrow is Monday" she groaned, her mood instantly dropping.

My eyes widened. "Wait! Where will we leave Zara?" I asked, suddenly realizing the problem. Mira turned her head toward me a little confused at first then understanding dawned on her face.

"We’ll leave her in the care of the helpers" she said as if it was obvious.

I nodded relieved. "Yeah, that makes sense"

We were still talking when the door creaked open. Both of us turned our heads and saw Zar walking into the room. His dark, shiny eyes scanned the space before he made his way toward us.

"Baby!" Mira called out to him with a big smile.

Zar wasted no time. With one strong leap, he jumped onto the bed and settled himself comfortably between us. His warm body pressed against mine, his presence familiar and comforting.

"You want to sleep with us?" I asked running my fingers through his thick fur. His ears twitched slightly and he gave a small nod, his eyes shifting toward Zara’s basket.

Mira and I exchanged knowing looks. "We love you, Zar" we said together leaning in to press kisses on his head.

Zar flashed his sharp teeth in a wide grin, his tail swishing lightly against the bed. I wrapped my arms around him and so did Mira. He let out a satisfied huff, allowing us to hug him.

I smiled, rubbing his head. "He just wants to make sure Zara doesn’t take his place" I whispered to Mira.

She chuckled. "Our baby Zar will always be number one. No one can take his place"

I nodded in agreement, tightening my arms around him. No matter what, Zar would always be our spoiled little baby.

Mira’s POV

"Zar baby, eat fast" I said trying to make Zar eat his breakfast. But as expected, he was sulking again, purposely eating slowly while making sure Zara could see him. He wanted to show her that everyone cared about him the most.

This fierce mafia tiger? No. He is just a cute baby. My baby.

Zara, on the other hand, was staring at him without blinking. Her tiny eyes were fixed on him with pure curiosity. She wanted to play with him, to be friends with him. But Zar? He wasn’t interested at all. He completely ignored her, acting like she didn’t exist.

"Zar" Abhi suddenly called out in a strict voice.

Zar let out a small huff but finally started eating, though he is still slow and dramatic. I smiled and gently ran my fingers through his fur, scratching his head to calm him down.

"Zara, we are going to work and will come back by evening" Jiya said, bending down to stroke Zara’s tiny head.

Zara looked at Jiya for a second, then turned her head toward Zar again. It is clear she is more interested in him than us.

"When are you going to talk to the pandit about our marriage date?" Dev asked suddenly. His voice was filled with desperation as he continued eating his breakfast.

"Oh!" Jiya gasped. "I forgot to tell you! He said the last date of this week is the best for our marriage"

As soon as she said that, both Dev and Abhi’s faces lit up with excitement. They looked at each other, their enthusiasm obvious.

I, on the other hand, lowered my eyes staring at my plate.

We have no elders to handle this marriage, no one to take charge or guide us. Everything is on us. We have to decide everything on our own. Sometimes, life is cruel.

The four of us know nothing about how a marriage is actually done, yet we have to manage everything ourselves.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt a warm hold on my hand.

I turned my head and found Abhi looking at me, a small, reassuring smile on his face.

I smiled back and gently tightened my grip on his hand, feeling his warmth and support.

"Let’s go" Jiya said, standing up from her chair.

We all got up, leaving our plates behind and walked toward the main door. But just as we were about to step out, we stopped.

Zara is sitting there, looking at us with her big, round eyes.

I smiled at her. "We will come soon" I said softly, hoping she would understand.

We finally walked out of the mansion and headed toward our car. Just as I was about to get inside, I stopped again.

Zar is staring at me.

His eyes are fixed on me and then he tilted his head slightly, lowering it just enough to make his demand clear.

He want a kiss.

I chuckled. "My baby wants a kiss?" I cooed crouching down to his level.

I pressed a soft kiss on his forehead my hand stroking his fur. Zar turned his head toward Jiya next, giving her the same look.

Jiya laughed before bending down and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead too.

Our baby is spoiled. And we loved spoiling him.

"Goodbye, baby" I said softly, running my fingers over Zar’s face. His fur was warm under my touch and I smiled as I stroked him gently.

I was about to stand up when suddenly.....

Zara came running out of the mansion at full speed, her tiny legs moving as fast as they could. Before I could react, she jumped straight onto my lap, making herself comfortable.

Her big eyes looked up at Zar, studying him for a second. And then.....

She leaned forward and placed her tiny lips on Zar’s head, giving him the softest little kiss.

My mouth dropped open.

"Oh my godddd!" Dev and Abhi both shouted at the same time, their voices filled with laughter and surprise.

Jiya and I? We completely lost it. We burst out laughing.

But Zar?

Zar sat frozen, his entire body stiff, his blue eyes wide with pure shock. He looked like he have just witnessed something he was never supposed to see. His face is priceless.

"Zar, look! She kissed your head!" I said, shaking him a little, trying to snap him out of his daze.

But he is still in shock.

Zara, on the other hand, casually jumped off my lap, gave Zar one last look and then ran back inside the house like nothing had happened.

Zar’s eyes followed her retreating figure, his expression unreadable. And then, without a word, he turned around and sprinted straight into Abhi’s car.

And hid his face.

Abhi and Dev stared at him in disbelief.

"Is he really our Zar?" they said together, their voices filled with confusion.

Jiya laughed and smacked Dev’s back playfully. "Yes, he is" she confirmed before stepping inside the car.

As I stood up, I heard Abhi mumbling to Dev, his tone filled with frustration.

"He gets kissed like it’s nothing big and here we have to beg for one kiss" he grumbled before sliding into his car.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his words. The moment I sat inside the car, Jiya turned to me with a teasing smile.

"I think Zara likes our Zar" she said, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded immediately. "You think the same? I was thinking that too! Did you see how she was looking at him from the moment she woke up?" I said excitement in my voice.

Jiya nodded, her expression thoughtful.

But then, my mind shifted to something else, something that had been bothering me.

"I was thinking… how will we handle everything in our marriage?" I said my voice dropping slightly. "First of all, we are staying at their house. Second, they won’t let us spend a single penny. And third…" I hesitated my heart feeling heavy. "I’m scared… It feels like we are getting married too early."

Jiya turned her full attention to me, her playful expression fading.

She reached out, gently cupping my face in her hands. Her eyes were filled with warmth and reassurance.

And then, she started speaking.

"Everything will happen, don’t worry. First of all, bhai loves you and you are his partner. Of course, you will live with him. And he is my brother, so I will live with him in his house too. Second, they are men. That’s why they won’t let us spend a single penny. If they were boys, they might have let us but they are men And third…" she paused, looking straight into my eyes, "you are just nervous, nothing else. Trust yourself"

Like always, her words gave me peace.

"The main problem is you" I said suddenly, making her frown in confusion.

"Me?" she asked, pointing at herself.

"Yes, because I don’t want to live with you in the same house even after marriage" I teased.

But I forgot… she is Jiya.

She flipped her hair dramatically and leaned in. "Whether you have a problem or not, I am bound to live with you for the rest of my life. So accept it as soon as possible, Mrs. Rajvansh. It’s good for your health" she said, her voice full of mischief.

I burst out laughing. She joined me and for a moment, all my worries faded away.

We soon reached our company and stepped out of the car, making our way inside.

But just as I was walking, I accidentally bumped into someone.

"I’m sorry" the man said immediately, stepping back.

I nodded at him and continued walking but something felt… odd.

Why did he look so nervous?

I frowned slightly but then shrugged it off. It wasn’t my problem. As soon as we entered the office, a familiar voice greeted us.

"Good morning!"

I looked up to see Sahil standing there, his face practically glowing with excitement.

"Good morning," I replied smiling.

Sahil leaned toward us, lowering his voice. "I have something really spicy to tell you guys" he said, his eyes twinkling.

Jiya and I exchanged glances. We knew this look.

Sahil is the biggest gossip queen in the entire office according to us. In fact, he is even worse than us girls. He somehow always knows everything before anyone else and honestly? We weren’t complaining.

Because his news? Always spicy. And we girls lived for spicy news.

"What? What? Just spit it out fast!" Jiya said impatiently, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"You guys know about Ms. Alara?" Sahil asked, his eyes filled with excitement.

Jiya and I nodded.

"She is the youngest and most successful businesswoman in Asia" I said, remembering how she is always on the covers of magazines and in the news.

"Exactly!" Sahil exclaimed. "And do you know why she is coming back from London?"

We both shook our heads.

"Ahh, guys, you know nothing!" he said dramatically, rolling his eyes.

Jiya, already losing patience, smacked his arm. "Stop beating around the bush and just say it!" she demanded.

"Okay okay!" he said, holding his hands up. "She is coming to India because she is going to propose to our one and only ASR for marriage!"

My heart stopped.

What? She is coming for what?

Jiya, on the other hand, remained calm. She crossed her arms and asked casually, "Who told you this?"

Sahil looked at her like she is crazy. "You didn’t see her tweet? She posted a picture from the plane with the caption 'Coming to India to propose my long time crush"

He pulled out his phone and showed us the tweet.

And there it is.

A picture of Ms. Alara sitting on a private jet, smiling confidently. My fingers curled into a tight fist. Jealousy burned through me like fire.

I know my man is mine. Only mine. But I don’t trust women.

One thing about Alara....she always gets what she wants. And now, her eyes are on my man.

I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Jiya looking at me with an assuring smile. But right now I couldn't think straight.

Sahil, completely unaware of my raging emotions, sighed and sat at his desk. "Let’s start our work. We have nothing to do with all this" he said casually.

But my focus isn’t on work.

It is on Alara’s tweet.

I had to see him right now. I need to assure myself that he is mine. I get up from my chair and Jiya look  at me.

"I’m coming" I said, my voice firm, signaling that I am heading to Abhi’s office.

She nod understanding my emotions without words. I walked towards the elevator, my steps quick. As soon as I entered, I pressed the button for the 45th floor.

Waiting for the doors to open felt like forever. Impatience bubbled inside me. I needed to see him. Now.

The moment the doors slid open, I took fast steps towards his cabin. I didn’t bother knocking....I stormed inside.

Abhi look up from his desk, slightly surprised. He is in the middle of a call. But the second he saw me, he immediately cut the call.

"Baby?" he said confusion in his voice.

I stood in front of him, staring into his eyes, saying nothing. His brows furrowed as he studied my face.

Then, without hesitation, he reached for my hand and pulled me onto his lap.

His arms wrapped around me securely, his warmth immediately calming my restless heart.

His fingers gently caressed my back, trying to ease my tension. I placed my hands on his shoulders, gripping them tightly.

"Are you fine?" he asked, his voice soft and calm. I shake my head, looking at him.

My heart ached just thinking about Alara’s tweet. His eyes narrow with concern and he gently caressed my face.

"Tell me what happened" he asked again, even softer this time.

Instead of answering, I hugged him tightly, wrapping my arms around his neck like my life depended on it.

My grip on him tightened but he didn’t complain. He just kept stroking my back, his touch warm and reassuring.

"You are mine" I mumbled, pressing my face against his neck, inhaling his familiar scent.

"Only yours" he whispered back, his voice firm and full of love. "Every ounce of this body is yours. My soul is yours. My heart is yours. My everything is yours"

His words are like magic, easing the pain in my chest.

"Did someone say something to you?" he asked his hand still caressing my back. I pulled away from the hug and looked at him.

Reaching for his phone on the table, I quickly opened Alara’s tweet and showed it to him.

His brows furrowed as he looked at the screen, confusion evident on his face.

"I don’t get it, babe" he said looking up at me.

I scoffed before explaining, "Alara has a crush on you. Everyone knows it. And this tweet clearly shows she is coming here to propose to you....for marriage!"

He chuckled.

"There’s nothing like that, my queen. Maybe she loves or has a crush on someone else and is coming here to propose them" he said completely unbothered.

I shook my head.

"You are the person she is going to propose to! And trust me, if she dares to propose to you for marriage...." I leaned in closer my voice dropping to a warning tone, "I will kill you"

His eyes widened slightly and he pouted.

"Why would you kill me?" he whined. "I’m not the one who is going to propose to her!" I glared at him.

"Why do you have to be so famous and handsome that she has a crush on you?" I huffed crossing my arms. He smirked.

"Am I handsome, baby?" he asked pulling me closer. His fingers traced lazy circles on my waist, his touch warm and teasing.

He is trying to distract me.

"Shut up!" I snapped, swatting his arm. "And I don’t want that woman anywhere near you!"

He chuckled before nodding his head, but then he added "But she’s a businesswoman. What if we meet at a party… and then she proposes to me there?"

I knew he was teasing but still! Before I could stop myself, I leaned in and bit his neck....hard.

He hissed in surprise, his grip tightening on my waist. His breathing grew heavy but I didn’t stop. I dug my teeth in deeper, making sure he felt it.

When I pulled back, his darkened eyes locked onto mine. I smirked at his messy state.

"Don’t wake the beast up, my tigress" he warned, his voice deeper, rougher.

I loved this nickname.

"This mark shows that you’re mine.....only mine" I declared, feeling victorious. He tilted his head slightly, exposing his neck further.

"Then mark my entire neck" he challenged, his lips curving into a wicked smirk. "Let the whole world know that I belong to a tigress....my tigress"

I shoved him playfully and stood up from his lap, my cheeks burning.

That’s when my eyes landed on my baby....sitting on the couch, his small face hidden behind a cushion.

Or… more like he was peeking at his Mumma and Dadda from behind the cushion.

"Baby" I called softly. He peeked up, then ran towards me. I bent down to his level and kissed his head.

"You love Mumma, right?" I asked. He nodded his little head without hesitation.

"Will you ever accept someone else as your Mumma who isn’t me?" I asked, my voice firm. He shook his head furiously.

A proud smile spread across my lips as I looked at Abhi, who is watching us with pure love in his eyes.

"Then help your Mumma, okay?" I whispered to my baby. "If any girl tries to get close to your Dadda, scare her to death. So much that she doesn’t even think about him ever again"

My baby grinned wide, showing his teeth and nodded eagerly.

"Okay so Mumma and Baby are in one team to keep all the girls away from your Dadda" I said extending my hand toward my little one.

He immediately placed his big paw on my hand, sealing our deal.

Before I could react, someone suddenly pulled me up and pressed his body against mine.

Abhi.

He smirked down at me before leaning in and pressing a warm kiss on my cheek, making my heartbeat skyrocket.

"Abhiraj Singh Rajvansh belongs to Mira Abhiraj Singh Rajvansh" he declared in his deep voice, then kissed my other cheek.

His words sent a wave of peace through me.

A knock on the door broke our moment and I instantly stepped away from him.

Abhi sighed frustratedly. "Come in" he said coldly.

Varun walked inside, took one look at us and hesitated.

"I’ll come later" he muttered, turning to leave.

I stopped him. "I’m going. You stay. I have work to do"

I glanced at Abhi and my baby one last time before walking out.

As I reached my floor, I saw Jiya talking on the phone....her cheeks completely flushed.

She is blushing hard. She hasn't even noticed me yet. I quietly sat at my desk, listening.

"I love you too. Now cut the call, I have work" she said, trying to sound stern but her voice is too soft to be taken seriously.

I heard Dev’s voice from the other side.

"Don’t work. I’m here working for both of us. You just talk to me" he said smoothly. I smiled at his words.

Leaning in slightly, I spoke slowly into the call, "Mr. Malhotra, focus on your work"

Jiya gasped, startled. Her eyes snapped to me, wide with shock. I grinned, enjoying her embarrassment. She immediately cut the call and hid her face in her palms.

I chuckle at her shy reaction. "Aww look at you turning red!"

She groaned cutely. "Mira!" And i shake my head smiling.