Arjun's POV
The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. Arjun lay on one side of the bed, his thoughts a tangled mess. Sia was on the other side, her back to him. Between them, Candy was sprawled out comfortably, acting as a barrier.
Candy hadn't been himself lately. The dog that once adored Arjun now seemed to see him as competition. Even now, Candy lay pressed against Sia, protective and possessive.
Arjun sighed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep was elusive, his mind swirling with the pressures of work and the weight of his unresolved feelings for Sia.
Somewhere in the night, exhaustion finally claimed him. In his sleep, his hand drifted across the bed, resting on Sia's arm.
A low growl snapped him awake.
Candy was nudging his hand off Sia with his nose, his eyes glaring at Arjun as if he'd crossed a line.
"Candy," Arjun muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "What's your problem, huh? That's my wife you're cuddling with and pushing me away from."
Candy tilted his head, his tail wagging as if he understood every word.
Arjun sat up, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You're impossible," he muttered, watching as Candy nestled closer to Sia, his tail still wagging.
Despite himself, a small smile tugged at Arjun's lips. He leaned back against the headboard, his gaze softening as he watched Sia and Candy. Even in the chaos of his emotions, this quiet moment held a strange comfort.
Sia's POV
The next morning, Sia's phone buzzed with an incoming call. Seeing her mother's name, she quickly stepped away from the breakfast table to answer.
"Mom?"
"Sia," her mother's voice was warm but laced with concern. "It's Snowy. She's been sulking ever since you left. She's not eating properly and keeps sitting by the door, waiting for you."
Sia's heart clenched. Snowy, her beloved female husky and childhood companion, was like family to her. The thought of her being unhappy because of her absence was unbearable.
"I'll fix it, Mom. Don't worry," she assured.
After hanging up, she called Neha. "Neha, can you do me a favor?"
That afternoon, Neha arrived at the Rathor mansion with Snowy in tow. As soon as the car pulled up, Snowy began whining softly, her icy blue eyes scanning the area eagerly.
When Sia stepped out to greet her, Snowy leaped out of the car and bounded toward her, tail wagging furiously.
"Snowy!" Sia laughed, her heart lifting as she knelt down to hug the fluffy husky. Snowy licked her cheek, whining happily as if scolding her for staying away too long.
Snowy's excitement didn't stop there. She turned her attention to Arjun, who stood nearby, watching the reunion with a faint smile.
To everyone's surprise, Snowy trotted over to Arjun and began sniffing him curiously before licking his hand, her fluffy tail wagging gently.
"Well, this is unexpected," Arjun remarked, crouching down to pet the husky. Snowy responded by nuzzling his leg, clearly warming up to him.
Sia watched the scene with a soft smile. For a moment, the tension between them felt less oppressive.
Later in the day, Ishika burst through the door, her face lighting up when she saw Snowy and Candy playing together in the living room.
"Candy! Snowy!" she exclaimed, dropping her bag and rushing over to them.
The two dogs barked excitedly, wagging their tails as Ishika joined their game.
"I missed you two so much!" Ishika said, laughing as Snowy jumped up to lick her cheek while Candy wagged his tail furiously.
Arjun stood in the doorway, his arms crossed but a rare smile on his face as he watched his sister. Sia joined him, their shoulders almost touching as they observed the playful chaos.
"They're happy," Sia said softly, her gaze on the dogs.
"They're family," Arjun replied, glancing at her. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them.
But before either could say more, Ishika called out, "You two should join us! Candy and Snowy are having the time of their lives!"
Arjun chuckled, and for the first time in days, the weight on his shoulders felt a little lighter.