chapter 11

Where's Di, Ishan? It's almost 9:00," Pragya fretted, her worry evident. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Pragya rushed to answer it.

Opening the door, she was relieved to see Anika and Advik standing there. Without hesitation, Pragya enveloped Anika in a tight hug. Ranya soon joined them, adding her embrace to the comforting circle.

"Are you okay, Di?" Pragya inquired anxiously, and Anika nodded in reassurance."Come inside. You must be famished," Ranya urged, leading them into the mansion."If someone remembers that I too left her behind?" Advik remarked.

"Come and eat. you are not a kid anymore. Who waits to be asked to eat?" Ranya scolded gently."Feminist," Advik muttered under his breath, earning him a playful ear twist from Ranya."Ouch, Mom, please let go," Advik protested, and Ranya released his ear with a smile.

"Okay, everybody, come, I'll serve dinner," Ranya's voice resonated through the hall, carrying a mixture of relief and warmth.Anika's eyes widened in shock as she scanned the table, noticing untouched plates and empty seats. "Nobody ate?" she questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Siddharth nodded solemnly, his expression reflecting the concern that had gripped the family in Anika's absence.

"Everybody was worried about you," he explained gently, his eyes conveying a mixture of relief and apprehension.Anika's heart sank as she realized the extent of the worry she had caused.

"i am sorry," she whispered, her voice laden with guilt as she met the worried gazes of her family members.

Ishan's brow furrowed in concern as he leaned forward, his eyes searching Anika's face.

"Where were you all this time?" he asked, his tone tinged with worry and curiosity.Anika's gaze wandered around the room, her eyes finally settling on the absence of Divya. She couldn't help but notice the absence of her presence

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Anika and Pragya were in the kitchen, talking to each other

"How was your day with your lovey-dovey husband?" Anika teased, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

"It was nice. He even bought clothes of my choice for him." Pragya replied with a content smile.

"Niceee, behna," Anika teased back, sharing in her sister's happiness.Their laughter was interrupted by the sound of footsteps, and they turned to see Divya entering the kitchen.

She took some food from the fridge and left without a word, leaving Anika and Pragya exchanging amused glances.

Pragya couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, and Anika grinned in response. Their amusement was short-lived as they heard voices coming from the hall.

Curious, they made their way to the hall, only to find Divya and Advik engaged in conversation. "It's all because of you, Divya," Advik's voice cut through the air, and Divya's expression shifted to one of shock.

"Me?" Divya questioned, her tone tinged with confusion."Yes, you. Would you have lost anything by clicking on the save button?" Advik's voice was firm, his frustration evident.

"But, Advik, it's just work. Why is she reacting so much? Work is for everyone. Now, if everyone starts doing like this, then how will the world run?" Divya countered, her tone defensive. Anika felt the urge to interject, but she held back, listening to Advik's response.

"Yeah, you are right," Advik conceded, his agreement surprising Anika."He is such a jerk," Anika thought to herself, feeling a pang of frustration at Advik's reaction.

"She is reacting too much. Thanks, Divya," said Advik, and Divya smiled in response."By the way, Divya, your next shoot is cancelled. They appointed a new model," Advik informed her.

"What? How can they do it, Advik? I was preparing for that shoot only. No way, please talk to them," pleaded Divya, her frustration evident.

"Exactly, Divya. That was her feeling. You get your job when people recommend you to the company," Advik explained, his words sinking in. Both Anika and Divya looked shocked at the realisation.

"But she gets work for her ability, of imagining, her story writing skills, and the way she connects to readers," Advik countered, his voice filled with conviction.

“Am I dreaming? Pragya, pinch me,” Anika exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief, and Pragya obliged, pinching her arm gently.

"You felt bad because you gave your project to someone else, for which you did not work hard, but you ruined that project for which she worked hard all night," Advik continued, his tone firm and accusing.

"And as you said that you thought the laptop was mine, still you have no right to erase my project," Advik concluded, his words piercing through the tense atmosphere. Tears began to well up in Divya's eyes. "Advik, you were not like this before. You never yelled at me because of someone else," Divya pleaded, her voice carrying a hint of innocence as she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"That someone else is my wife, and Divya, stop living in the past," Advik warned, his tone firm as he emphasised the boundaries between them.

"You are just my friend, nothing more," Advik reiterated, his words causing Divya's face to lose all colour as the reality of their relationship settled in.

Desperate to salvage the situation, Divya reached out and took Advik's hand in hers, her expression pleading for forgiveness. "Advik, i am sorry. I promise from now onwards, nothing like this will happen,"

she implored, her voice laced with desperation.Anika observed their interaction, her gaze intense as she watched Divya's hand intertwine with Advik's. It felt as if her very stare could set Divya's hand ablaze with the intensity of her emotions.

Advik withdrew his hand from Divya's grasp, his action speaking volumes as he asserted his loyalty to Anika.

"You have no right, Divya, to touch something that belongs to her," he stated firmly, his gaze unwavering.Was it just for a laptop, or was it for himself too? Anika couldn't help but wonder as she observed the tension between the trio.

Divya's eyes flashed with anger as she turned to Anika, but Anika simply waved her hand dismissively and whispered.  "Good night," before turning away and flipping her hair.

Anika and Pragya strolled into the garden, their laughter echoing through the serene surroundings. "Have you seen her face?" Anika said between giggles, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Yes, Di!" Pragya chimed in, her laughter mirroring Anika's."You know, today when we were in a heated argument, she gave thousands of cringe expressions," Anika recounted, a smile playing on her lips as she recalled the scene.

"Surely she's a pick trying to be picked by Advik Jiju," Pragya remarked, her tone filled with amusement.

"Yes!" Anika agreed, her cheeks flushing slightly as she remembered Divya's attempts to gain Advik's attention. "By the way, tea?" Anika asked, changing the subject and blushing a bit.

"Since when did you start drinking tea?" Pragya questioned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Our kind of TEA," Anika said with a secretive smile, hinting at their private code."Ohhhh," Pragya replied, her eyes lighting up with understanding as she realized the implication.

"He picked me up in bridal style," Anika revealed, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and bashfulness.

"OMGGGG, really?" Pragya exclaimed, her excitement mirroring Anika's. Anika nodded, her cheeks flushing with a rosy hue as she recalled the intimate moment.

"I said he is steel, and he said I am the fire who melted him," Anika confessed, her blush deepening at the memory of their conversation.

"OMGGGG, was that a confession?" Pragya asked eagerly, her eyes wide with anticipation.

Anika hesitated for a moment, her heart racing with uncertainty. "No, I don't know. What was that, but it was sweet," she replied softly, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she relived the sweet exchange

.After Anika went to her room, she found Advik already asleep, his peaceful expression a stark contrast to the day's events.

She couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt knowing he had spent the entire day searching for her. With a sigh, she slipped under the covers beside him, the warmth of their shared bed enveloping her tired body.

As she lay there, she couldn't shake off the events of the day, replaying them in her mind like scenes from a movie. Despite the tension and misunderstandings, she found solace in the fact that they had resolved their differences, even if only temporarily.

With a sense of relief washing over her, Anika closed her eyes and allowed herself to succumb to the embrace of sleep.