first night

The First Night: A Pillow Wall Between Them

Veer stepped into the room, loosening the buttons of his sherwani, his sharp gaze falling on Ridhima, who was sitting stiffly on the bed. The flickering candlelight made her look even more breathtaking, but he quickly shook off the thought.

"Tomorrow is our reception," he informed her, his voice calm yet firm. "Big businessmen, investors, and my business partners will be attending. I hope you're not tired."

Ridhima, who was already overwhelmed by the day's events, let out a small sigh. "I'll be fine," she said, her tone neutral.

A moment of silence stretched between them before Ridhima finally broke it. "So... who is sleeping where?"

Veer smirked, already sensing the argument before it even started.

"Obviously, you'll take the bed, and I'll take the couch, right?" He said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

Ridhima raised an eyebrow. "Of course."

Veer scoffed, shaking his head. "No way. For four straight months? I'm not sleeping on a couch."

Ridhima folded her arms. "Then you expect me to sleep there?" She pointed at the couch.

Veer leaned forward slightly. "Well, we don't have a third option, do we?"

She huffed, tapping her fingers on the mattress, thinking. "Fine. We'll share the bed."

Veer's smirk widened. "Oh? That easy?"

Ridhima rolled her eyes. "With a barrier of pillows."

Veer groaned. "Seriously? What are we, kids?"

But when he saw her determined expression, he knew there was no point in arguing. "Fine. Build your Great Wall of China."

Ridhima grabbed all the pillows she could find and carefully arranged them in the center of the bed, forming a thick wall.

Veer, amused by her dedication, shook his head. "Wow. You're really committed to this, huh?"

She ignored him and slid under the blanket on her side, facing away from him.

Veer lay down on his side, staring up at the ceiling. The soft scent of jasmine from Ridhima's hair filled the air, making him more restless than comfortable.

A long silence stretched between them.

Just as Veer was about to drift off, he heard her whisper. "Good night."

A small smile played on his lips.

"Good night, Mrs. Arora."

Ridhima's eyes snapped open, but she didn't say anything. She just clutched the blanket tighter, pretending that hearing him say that didn't affect her.

The Morning After: A Close Encounter

The soft morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. The once carefully built pillow wall was nowhere to be found. Instead, Ridhima and Veer lay tangled in each other's arms.

Veer's eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he felt was warmth.

Ridhima's head rested against his chest, her fingers slightly curled against his sherwani, as if she had been holding onto him all night. Her soft breaths tickled his skin.

For a moment, Veer just stared at her, taking in the peaceful expression on her face. A loose strand of hair covered her cheek. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and tucked it behind her ear.

Then, realizing what he was doing, he immediately shut his eyes, pretending to sleep.

A few seconds later, Ridhima stirred. Her long lashes fluttered before her eyes slowly opened. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the light—and then she froze.

She was hugging Veer.

Her heart skipped a beat.

For a brief second, she stayed still, trying to process what happened. Then, carefully, she pulled away from him.

She glanced at Veer—his eyes were closed, his breathing even.

"Is he still sleeping?" she wondered, watching him for a moment longer.

Not wanting to overthink, she quietly slipped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

As she splashed cold water on her face, her mind raced.

"I have a habit of holding a pillow in my sleep... I must have mistaken him for one and—OH GOD."

Her cheeks turned red.

"What if he wakes up and thinks I was purposely cuddling him?"

She groaned, covering her face. "No. No way. He was sleeping. He didn't notice anything. It was just an accident. That's all."

Meanwhile, outside, Veer smirked with his eyes still closed.

He had noticed.

please follow and vote and tell me your reviews...

thanku for reading....