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Author's POV
"Hehehehehehe..."
"Khi khi khi khi..."
"Bwahahahaha!"
Laughter erupted like fireworks across the private dock.
The entire Raghuvanshi family was in tears-not from fear, not from nerves, but from the sheer joy of discovering something absolutely hilarious.
Avyansh Raghuvanshi, the man everyone feared, the ruthless businessman, was afraid of scuba diving.
Correction. He was terrified of sea creatures.
Ruhaan was practically rolling on the deck, gasping for air. "Bro, you act like the whole world is scared of you, but here you are-afraid of tiny fish!"
Dev, wiping his tears, added, "The same man who doesn't even flinch while making billion-dollar deals is scared of... the ocean?!"
Devika dramatically placed a hand over her chest. "I feel betrayed. My whole life was a lie. I thought Bhai was fearless! But no... he's scared of cute little fishes!"
"Cute little fishes?!" Avyansh scoffed, arms crossed. "Do you people even know what's in the ocean?!"
Ruhaan wiggled his eyebrows. "Oh yes, adorable colorful fish, friendly dolphins... oh, and maybe a shark or two."
Avyansh shot Ruhaan a death glare. "Shut. Up."
Meanwhile, Avantika completely amused. She had never seen this side of him-flustered, annoyed, and utterly exposed in front of his family.
And for once, she wasn't the one being teased.
This was gold.
Avyansh rubbed his forehead, his jaw tightening as he watched his wife-his wife-getting ready to go into the ocean with his wildly mischievous cousins.
Oh no. Not happening.
He could handle board meetings, billion-dollar deals, and ruthless negotiations.
But the idea of letting Avantika disappear into the deep sea with these lunatics? Absolutely not.
His parents had opted for the peaceful sea walking, a slow stroll on the ocean floor surrounded by coral reefs. Safe. Controlled. Civilized.
But his cousins? Scuba diving.
The same cousins who pushed each other off boats, made bets on who could hold their breath the longest, and had a track record of causing chaos wherever they went.
And Avantika? His introverted, mischievous when provoked, but otherwise calm wife was going with them?
No. Absolutely not.
His hands clenched into fists. He hated the ocean. He hated how unpredictable it was, how those tiny little creatures could go anywhere-his worst nightmare.
But letting his wife go alone? An even worse nightmare.
Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode toward the changing area.
If she was going, he was going too.
Avantika's POV
I stared at him, my face blank, my patience running thin.
This man. This overprotective, dramatic man.
Not only was he not going inside, but now he had also decided that none of us were going either.
I folded my arms across my chest, watching as he spoke to one of the instructors with his signature "I own this place" expression.
And then-he did the unthinkable.
He called for extra security.
Doctors.
Instructors.
Extra safety divers.
For what?
"It's just scuba diving, not a war zone!" I muttered under my breath.
Meanwhile, Dev and Ruhaan stood beside me, looking equally done.
"Are we under attack?" Dev whispered dramatically.
"Maybe Bhai thinks sharks have a personal vendetta against us," Devika replied, shaking his head.
I sighed. At this rate, we were never getting into the water.
"Hatiye," I muttered, pushing him slightly before turning around and jumping straight into the water.
I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me, followed by muffled voices, but by then, the cool water had already engulfed me.
The instructors were already inside, guiding us carefully, their gestures smooth and reassuring.
One by one, everyone followed.
Devika jumped in right after me.
Ruhaan and Dev exchanged glances before shrugging.
"Well, if Bhabhi can do it-" Dev began.
"Then we can't back out," Ruhaan finished.
And just like that, they jumped too.
The water was clear, blue, and endless. Tiny bubbles surrounded me as I adjusted to the weightlessness, the slow-motion feeling of being submerged in another world.
I turned slightly, waiting for the one person who hadn't jumped yet.
Avyansh.
The water was surreal. A whole different world, silent yet alive in its own way. The deeper we moved, the more vibrant it became. The colors, the life, the rhythm of the ocean-it was mesmerizing.
The guide in front of me motioned for me to come closer. I hesitated for a second, but I moved forward anyway. He held out his hand, and in it was a tiny silver fish, its body shimmering like liquid metal under the water.
I looked at him, and he made a sign with his hand-"Touch."
I gulped slightly. It wasn't like I was afraid, but something about actually reaching out to a creature this delicate made me nervous.
Still, I slowly extended my hand.
The little fish wriggled slightly in the guide's palm, and then, as soon as my fingertips barely grazed its scales, it darted away.
I gasped slightly. It was so... smooth. Soft yet firm. I looked at the guide, and he gave me a thumbs-up.
That's when I felt it.
A light, barely-there touch on my shoulder.
I turned slightly and found Avyansh Ji right beside me.
He wasn't gripping my shoulder, just letting his hand rest there. His body language was casual, but I knew him better.
He wasn't comfortable.
I could tell by the way his other hand kept flexing and how he was slightly tense despite floating weightlessly in the water.
I smirked behind my oxygen mask. Mr. Raghuvanshi, the great businessman, the man who commands attention in every room he steps into, was scared of little fish.
I wanted to tease him. Badly.
But before I could, a loud bubble noise echoed in the water-followed by chaos.
I turned just in time to see Dev poking at something near the seabed.
And then it happened.
The octopus he had been annoying suddenly released a massive cloud of black ink.
Right in Ruhaan's face.
I saw his whole body jerk in shock, his hands flailing wildly as he backed away. The ink surrounded him like a dark fog, and his expression-though partly hidden by his mask-was pure panic.
A muffled sound came from him, something along the lines of "D-E-V!!" but, of course, underwater, it was mostly just garbled noise.
Dev was dying of laughter. I could see him clutching his stomach, bubbles escaping as he laughed uncontrollably.
Ruhaan, on the other hand, looked like he was reconsidering every life choice he ever made.
The octopus, completely unfazed, casually swam away, as if it hadn't just started an underwater war.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Devika had her own problems.
She had been feeding some small fish when, out of nowhere, one of them started circling her like a little tornado.
She tilted her head in confusion, probably wondering why it was so interested in her.
Then came another.
And another.
And another.
Within seconds, she was completely surrounded.
Her eyes widened, and she started swatting gently at the water, as if telling them to leave, but instead, more gathered.
Now, instead of her feeding them, they were following her like she was their leader.
Devika and her underwater army of fish.
I had to bite my lip to stop from laughing.
The guide swam toward her and motioned for her to stay still. After a moment, he slowly waved his hand, dispersing the little swarm.
She turned toward Ruhaan, probably hoping he hadn't seen.
But he had.
And despite still being covered in octopus ink, he pointed at her and started laughing hysterically.
Devika narrowed her eyes at him and then-splash!
She swam over and shoved him slightly, making him stumble in the water.
I shook my head at them. Even underwater, they couldn't behave.
That's when I felt it again-the light touch on my shoulder.
I turned back to Avyansh Ji.
His face was unreadable, but his hand... it was still there. Still resting on me.
I should've teased him. I should've said something witty.
I sighed, adjusting my oxygen mask as I settled onto a large rock beneath the water.
The underwater world around me was breathtaking, but I needed a moment to just sit and take it all in.
The guide swam beside me, his movements fluid and practiced. He held out something in his palm-a small piece of fish food, I assumed. He gestured toward me, encouraging me to take it.
I hesitated for a second, then reached out.
That's when I felt it.
A hand-not the guide's-but Avyansh
Before I could even process it, my hand was yanked away.
I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing behind the diving mask. What now?
Avyansh didn't even look at me. Instead, he raised his other hand and made a very clear gesture toward the guide.
I blinked.
Was he... showing off an invisible ring?
The guide tilted his head in confusion.
And then, as if suddenly understanding, he shook his head and let out a few amused bubbles.
I turned back to my overly possessive husband and gave him a done face.
Really?
Avyansh met my gaze, his expression unreadable.
Slowly, I reached up... and removed his hand from my wrist.
I ignored him and turned back to the guide, who was still grinning behind his diving mask. I gestured for the fish food again. This time, without any interruption.
As soon as I sprinkled it into the water, a swarm of tiny fish darted toward me. My eyes widened as they surrounded my hands, nibbling lightly at my fingers. It tickled, making me giggle silently.
Just then, a blur shot past me.
I turned my head to see Dev flailing his arms, trying to grab an octopus again that was peacefully minding its own business.
Of course, he couldn't leave marine life alone.
The octopus, clearly done with Dev's nonsense, shot out a cloud of black ink-but missed Dev entirely.
Instead, Ruhaan, who had been peacefully floating nearby, got hit right in the face again.
I clutched my stomach, laughing underwater as Ruhaan panicked, blindly waving his arms. Bubbles of frustration escaped his mask as he struggled to clear the ink.
Dev, the actual culprit? Nowhere to be seen. He had already swum away, pretending like he didn't exist
Meanwhile, I noticed Devika was now under attack-but in a much cuter way.
She had started feeding the fish, but instead of swimming away after eating, they were circling her nonstop. One little fish even tried to sit on her shoulder like a pet bird.
I watched as she slowly turned toward me, her eyes wide.
"Help?" she motioned in sign language.
I shrugged.
A sudden weight on my shoulder made me freeze.
I turned my head slightly-only to come face-to-face with Avyansh Ji.
He was too close.
For a second, everything else faded. The playful fish, Ruhaan still rubbing ink off his face, Dev sneaking away like a criminal-none of it mattered.
Then, just as I started to relax, a huge fish swam right between us.
I jerked back in shock-and ended up kneeing Avyansh in the stomach.
He doubled over slightly, making a small "Oof" sound into his mask.
Oops.
I tried to signal an apology, but he just gave me a look.
I quickly turned away, pretending to admire the seaweed.
I shifted slightly on the large stone, adjusting to the strange but oddly calming sensation of the water around me. The guide, still amused by my overly possessive husband, handed me another handful of fish food.
As soon as I dropped the food, a school of tiny, colorful fish rushed forward, nibbling gently at my fingers. I bit my lip to hold back a laugh-it tickled, but it was... nice.
A little peaceful moment under the ocean.
Just as I was getting used to it, a sudden burst of movement near my feet made me flinch.
I turned to see Dev-floating upside down.
Yes. Upside down.
He was trying to show off by doing some weird underwater stunt, but instead of looking cool, he resembled a lost, struggling starfish.
I rolled my eyes. What was my devar even trying to do?
A few feet away, Ruhaan had discovered a sea cucumber.
But instead of admiring it like a normal person, he picked it up and shoved it toward Devika's face.
Her reaction?
A full-body underwater flinch, followed by her foot accidentally kicking Ruhaan in the stomach.
Ruhaan, caught off guard, lost his balance and flipped backward, his arms flailing dramatically.
I swear I could hear his muffled underwater "Areeey!"
Devika gave him a look, then swam away gracefully like nothing had happened.
I grinned.
But before I could enjoy the moment, something slimy brushed past my ankle.
I froze.
Slowly, I looked down.
An eel. A long, sneaky eel slithering past my foot.
My brain stopped functioning.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
I screamed. Well, I tried to. But underwater, it just came out as a rush of bubbles.
A strong arm grabbed my waist.
I turned, wide-eyed, to see Avyansh Ji pulling me against him. His eyes searched mine through the diving mask, filled with concern.
I pointed downward in panic, still processing the betrayal of that slimy creature touching me.
He followed my gaze-and his whole body stiffened.
I swear to God, if we weren't underwater, he would have cursed.
Without wasting a second, he turned me around and started pushing me away.
Not gently. Pushing.
Like I was some fragile princess who needed to escape a life-threatening situation.
I tried to resist, signaling "It's fine, I'm okay!" but he ignored me.
Instead, he glanced over his shoulder one last time, as if making sure the eel wasn't chasing us.
Was he... scared?
Of an eel?
I barely managed to hold back my laughter as Avyansh Ji practically swam into me, his grip tightening around my waist like I was his last hope for survival.
His usually composed face? Gone.
His jaw was clenched, his eyes wide behind the mask, and I swear if he could speak underwater, he would've been yelling.
I turned to the guide, who was still calmly floating beside us.
He signaled again: It's just a normal eel. No danger. Don't be afraid.
I nodded, amused, but my dear husband was not convinced.
I looked down, trying to find the eel-only to see it had stopped moving and was just chilling near Avyansh Ji's leg.
He still hadn't noticed.
I bit my lip, barely containing my laughter.
A second later, the eel lightly brushed against his ankle.
Avyansh shot upward so fast, you'd think someone had just electrocuted him.
And then-
BAM!
His head collided with Dev's oxygen tank.
Dev, who had been dramatically posing for the underwater camera, got thrown forward, his arms flailing as he crashed straight into Ruhaan.
Ruhaan, startled, accidentally released a bunch of fish food from his hand.
And what happens when you throw fish food in the ocean?
A whole damn army of fish swarmed toward him.
Ruhaan's muffled "HHMPH!" came out in bubbles as he tried to push them away.
Dev, instead of helping, grabbed Ruhaan's arm and used him as a human shield.
Meanwhile, Avyansh was gripping my wrist tightly, pulling me away from the cursed eel zone like his life depended on it.
I let him. Because watching him freak out over an eel was way too entertaining.
The moment we reached a safer area, he finally looked at me, breath heavy, clearly done with life.
I removed my diving mask slightly, trying to appear serious, and signed: Are you okay?
His glare told me he knew I was enjoying this too much.
I shrugged innocently, pretending to adjust my mask.
As soon as we came out of the water and removed our masks, I couldn't hold it in anymore.
I burst into laughter.
Loud. Unfiltered. Hysterical.
Everyone turned to look at me, confused, but I just couldn't stop.
Between fits of laughter, I managed to say, "Your brother... was scared of an eel. He jumped to protect me, but in reality, I was the one protecting him!"
I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, still shaking with laughter.
Ruhaan immediately seized the opportunity.
"Avy, you embarrassed us in front of Bhabhi!" he fake-whined, dramatically clutching his chest. "How could you let this happen?"
Avyansh who had been silent until now, just tilted his head at Ruhaan.
"Embarrassed, huh?" he muttered, rolling up his sleeves.
Ruhaan blinked. "Uh-wait, what are you doing?"
"I'm helping you experience real embarrassment," Avyansh Ji said with a smirk.
Before Ruhaan could react, Avyansh charged at him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and-PUSH!
Ruhaan flailed mid-air before splashing straight back into the water.
"AVY! Kutte!" Ruhaan's muffled yell came from below.
While they were all busy laughing and splashing, my eyes wandered toward the instructor standing nearby.
"Come out of the water, guys," the guide said, his voice surprisingly softer than before.
And then...
As he removed his mask-
Wait. Hold on.
That's not a 'he'-
That's a SHE.
Oh. My. Gawd.
I turned to look at Avyansh Ji.
His eyes were wide with shock.
The so-called 'male' guide he had been jealous of... was actually a woman.
I bit my lip, trying so hard not to laugh again.
"Just come out, guys," another instructor called out, clearly unfazed by the chaos we had caused.
But before we could move, the 'guide'-or rather, the female guide-smirked and looked directly at Avyansh .
"And Mr. Avyansh," she said, crossing her arms, "I'm a woman. You don't need to be jealous of me."
And then she laughed.
I lost it.
The look on Avyansh Ji's face was priceless.
Ruhaan, still half-drenched in water,
wheezed from where he stood. "Oh my god-Bhai, did you seriously-?"
"Shut. Up." Avyansh Ji gritted out, his jaw tightening.
I couldn't breathe. I was laughing too hard.
"Bhabhi, control yourself," Devika teased, nudging me. "Poor Bhai is already humiliated enough today."
"I- I can't," I gasped between laughs, clutching my stomach. "He was- he was actually jealous-"
Avyansh rubbed his face, clearly regretting his life choices.
"I'm never coming back here," he muttered under his breath.
As soon as we stepped into our room, I was still laughing, replaying the entire scene in my head.
I moved forward, shaking my head. "I should've recorded that."
Then a thought hit me.
"Wait," I turned around, grinning, "the guide must have recorded it!"
I laughed again, already imagining showing it to everyone later.
But when I finally looked at Avyansh Ji, my laughter slowly died down.
He wasn't smiling.
He wasn't smirking or even rolling his eyes.
He was just... staring at me.
His face was unreadable.
Instead, he took slow steps toward me, his eyes never leaving mine.
A sudden wave of tension filled the air.
I took a step back, my laughter now completely forgotten. "Avyansh Ji-"
"Mishti," he finally spoke, his voice low and deep.
I gulped.
Why do I feel like I just walked into a trap?
My eyes widened as I saw his pace quicken.
"Wait, let me show you!" he said, his voice full of mischief. "Bohot hasi aa rahi hai na apko?"
Oh no.
I ran.
I ran laughing, dodging past the bed as he lunged toward me.
"Avantika!" he called again, his tone half-amused, half-warning.
I bolted toward the couch, grabbing a cushion and throwing it at him. He dodged it effortlessly, smirking.
Not good.
I sprinted towards the walk-in closet, but he was faster.
Just as I reached for the door, his hand grazed my wrist-but I twisted away, slipping past him toward the dressing table.
I used the chair as a shield, gripping it with both hands.
"Stay there!" I warned, breathless but laughing.
He tilted his head, his eyes glinting. "Aapko lagta hai yeh rok lega?"
Before I could respond, he faked a step to the left, making me move-
Wrong move.
The moment I shifted, he darted right, closing the gap in an instant.
"Got you," he murmured, gripping my waist from behind.
I let out a gasp, struggling playfully. "That's cheating!"
He chuckled, his breath warm against my ear.
"You laughed too much," he whispered. "Ab kya karein?"
I froze.
Uh-oh.
His grip on my waist tightened, pulling me flush against his chest.
"You laughed too much," he murmured, his voice sending shivers down my spine. "Ab kya karein apka hmm?"
I swallowed, my breath hitching. "Ch-Chodiye hume..."
He didn't.
Instead, he turned me around, his eyes locked onto mine-deep, unreadable, but filled with something that made my heart skip a beat.
"You made fun of me?" he whispered, tilting his head slightly. "Ab toh saza milegi."
His hand slid up, tracing my jawline, his thumb gently brushing against my lower lip.
I tried to step back, but his grip was firm.
His gaze flickered to my lips, and before I could say anything, his head dipped down.
And then he kissed me.
Soft at first, like he was waiting for me to push him away.
I didn't.
His lips were warm, moving against mine with a tenderness that made my stomach flip. My hands, which had been gripping his shirt, loosened, fingers hesitantly resting on his shoulders.
The kiss deepened.
His hand slipped to my lower back, pulling me impossibly close, the heat of his body overwhelming.
I felt lightheaded, breathless, my fingers curling into his shirt for support.
He tilted his head, his lips parting mine, his tongue brushing lightly against my lower lip, teasing, testing-
I gasped, my cheeks burning.
He smirked against my lips, but didn't pull away.
Instead, his other hand cupped the back of my neck, holding me there, savoring the kiss like he had all the time in the world.
Gathering whatever was left of my sanity, I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to push him away.
He let go-but only slightly.
His lips hovered just above mine, his breath fanning against my skin.
"You're blushing," he murmured, his voice deep, amused.
I quickly turned my face away, mortified.
"I-I wasn't!" I huffed, trying to step back, but he didn't let me.
He chuckled, his fingers brushing my flushed cheeks.
"Liar," he whispered.
And before I could react, he pecked my lips once more-quick, teasing, enough to leave me completely breathless.
Then, just like that, he stepped back, smirking.
"Ab hassiye," he said smugly. "Let's see if you can even speak properly now."
I gaped at him, my face burning.
"I hate you," I muttered.
He laughed.
"I am allowing you doesn't mean you kiss me too much," I blurted out, my breath still uneven.
His smirk widened, and he tilted his head slightly. "Oh? Too much, huh?"
I crossed my arms, trying to ignore the way my lips still tingled from his kiss. "Yes. Too much."
He took a slow step toward me, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You sure?"
I took a step back. "Yes."
Another step. "Absolutely sure?"
Another step back. My heart pounded. "A hundred percent sure."
I gasped as my back hit the wall.
His hands landed on either side of me, caging me in. His face was just inches from mine now, his breath warm against my skin.
"So... no more kissing?" he asked, his voice low, teasing.
I swallowed hard. "N-No."
His fingers lightly traced the side of my face, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Not even... just a little?"
I opened my mouth to protest, but he suddenly leaned in and brushed his lips against my cheek.
Soft. Barely there
"Not even here?" he whispered, his lips grazing my jaw.
I clenched my fists. "Avyansh-"
Another kiss. This time, right below my ear.
My breath hitched.
"Or here?" he murmured, his voice sending a shiver down my spine.
I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to push him away, but he was unfazed.
He leaned in even more, his lips hovering just over mine, his eyes dark with amusement.
"Say it," he challenged, his voice barely above a whisper. "Say you don't want me to kiss you again."
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
He smirked. "Exactly what I thought."
And before I could react, he placed a quick, lingering kiss on my lips.
Just enough to leave me breathless all over again.
Then, with a satisfied grin, he stepped back and walked away.
"Too much, huh?" he teased over his shoulder.
I stared after him, my face burning.
What just happened?!
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4,000 words in this chapter!
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