21. I'm a goner

Jai

After dropping Anika home, I went straight back to my place. With the engagement just a day away, excitement and nerves were mingling in me.

But today, when Anika confessed she liked me back, all those nerves evaporated. I'm glad she chose me out of everyone.

Tomorrow's engagement was set to be at our farmhouse—a cozy gathering with close friends and family. The wedding would be the grand celebration.

We opted for a low-key engagement away from the media frenzy. Being the CEO of Singhania Global Ventures, I'm quite known, but no one knows Anika and I are tying the knot. They assume we're dating since we've been seen together a lot in the past month.

Pulling up to my home, I realized this was my last week here. Next week, I'd be moving to the apartment with my wife. Calling her that when she wasn't around felt amazing.

As I parked and stepped inside, the house was a hive of activity. We were sprucing up not only for the engagement but also for the influx of guests.

In the living room, I found mom on the sofa rubbing her temple. "What's wrong, mom?" I asked.

"Just a headache," she replied.

"Should I get you a tablet?" I offered.

"Noo, it's fine," she said as Dad entered with a tray holding an oil bottle, a bowl, and a comb. "Your massage boy is here, rani sahiba," he joked, and she burst into laughter, eyes not leaving each others.

I smiled looking at them. Will I ever find someone who looks at me like mom looks at dad?

I marveled at how, after all these years, mom and dad's bond remained the same. They sacrificed a lot to maintain that connection. Now that I took over the position, Dad had even more time to spend with Mom.

I left the room to give them privacy, and on my way to my room, I overheard Aarav on the phone sighing and asking someone not to do something.

I snatched the phone from him, saying, "Hey, beautiful."

"Helloo."

"What's up?" I inquired.

"Just trying to set up Aarav with someone. He needs to dance at our sangeet, and if it's a girlfriend, even better," Anika explained, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Aarav won't budge. This time he can't dance with you, so he'll have to find a partner somehow," I added, earning a glare from Aarav.

He wasn't into relationships. Despite being good-looking and built, he never had a girlfriend. He doesn't commit to anyone.

"Bring your girlfriend, lil bro. Show her to the world," I teased, and Anika laughed.

"Only if she could come out of my books," Aarav replied. Like Anika, he was a bookworm, and I knew he always had girls falling for him.

"Oh, please!" Anika and I chimed simultaneously.

"Made for each other," Aarav muttered. I knew he was genuinely happy for us. Even after all these years, he didn't oppose the idea of our marriage.

"Going to find myself a new partner," Aarav declared, playfully snatching the phone and leaving with Anika, both laughing.

I received a message from Anika.

Anika – Will talk to you later <3

Jai – Sure, FaceTime me when you guys are done.

Anika – Okayy.

I called my team to check on our project's progress, feeling increasingly irritated at the lack of advancement. Changing into sweats and no shirt to beat the summer heat, I lay in bed.

Just as I settled in, Anika called. "H-heyy."

"Hii," I replied.

Both of us were in bed, and I could see her in an oversized tee that fell off one shoulder. Even in night clothes and no makeup, she looked beautiful.

She'd look even better in my clothes though. Just saying.

"Nice shirt," I complimented, smirking.

"Can't say the same to you," she shrugged, a playful smile on her lips.

"What? Don't you think this is better?" I asked.

"Fishing for compliments, Mr. Singhania?"

"Only if they're from your heart," I winked, realizing I was venturing into flirting territory for the first time.

This woman was unlocking so many of my firsts.

As she settled into a sleeping position, I asked, "When are you guys coming?"

"We'll start at 1 pm, maybe," she replied.

"Ahmm."

"Are all the arrangements ready?" she inquired.

"Yeah, almost," I replied.

"They didn't show me the décor," she complained.

"It won't be a surprise then," I replied.

"You saw???" she asked, looking adorable.

"Obviously! I was the one who selected," I said, and she rolled her eyes.

Lying on her pillow, facing sideways to talk to me, she warned, "If you make me cry, trust me, you'll regret it."

"I won't make you cry, love" I assured her, seeing her expression soften, and I guess mine did too.

"Cute, but I was talking about Khushi ke aansu," she clarified.

"Can't promise," I said, raising my hand in surrender.

"Unable to sleep?" I asked as she turned, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Nope. You?"

"Same condition. Though I have a solution," I replied.

"Cuddling can help," I suggested, chuckling at the irony of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company talking about cuddling. But then, she was my fiancée, so who was I to complain.

"Yeah, sure. I'll cuddle my pillow," she said, her eyes a little sad.

"I'll think of you while cuddling mine," I replied, making her smile.

"Who would have thought? The calm and grump CEO who has no thing for women thinking about cuddling," she teased.

"Hey! Who says I don't have a thing for women. I have a thing for you," I declared.

It was true. I really, really liked Anika, and it wasn't just platonic or physical.

"Should have told this to the group of girls who kept following you in college," she said.

"I didn't know you were paying me so much attention back then," I smirked.

"Keep dreaming," she rolled her eyes.

We spent the rest of the night talking and teasing each other until she gradually drifted into sleep. I watched her sleeping for a few minutes, my eyes closing little by little, a smile on my face.

The next day, I woke up, turned around to check the clock, and saw Anika sleeping peacefully. Neither of us had cut the call the previous night.

It was 5:45, and she wanted to wake up at 6, so I waited for 15 minutes, watching and contemplating how my life would be in the future. At 5:58, I tried waking her up to beat her alarm.

"Ani, wanna wake up?"

"Ahhmm."

"Wake up, beautiful."

"Noooo," she covered her face completely with her blanket.

"You said you have a lot of things to do today."

"Stop, you were better before a few minutes. Let me sleep." Better before a few minutes? Was she dreaming about me?

I chuckled and said, "Okay, I'll tell aunty you're late because you won't wake up." Anika was lowkey scared of her mom.

She opened her eyes instantly, looking surprised.

"Good morning," I told her.

"Good night," she closed her eyes and started snuggling again.

"Wake up, you have a lot to do!"

"LET.ME.SLEEP."

"You're going to panic last minute," I told her.

"Shut your sexy voice and let me sleep." Someone is not a morning person, noted.

"Sexy huh?"

"I said stupid," she opened her eyes wide.

"Ahm, I heard sexy," she rolled her eyes.

"Send me a picture when you get ready," I told her.

"No pictures, I prefer live reactions."

"You send them to me all the time," I countered.

"Not this time," she smiled.

"Okay, bye, gotta go. Lo-" She smiled and cut the call.

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❀₊˚⊹♡

L-??👀

Ngl, I was literally blushing while writing this chapter.

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