His Weakness, Her Strength! ✨

Chapter: 57 Pearls

"Viraj!"

The clever smirk on his face made me want to puke. I regretted my decision. I regretted this moment. He walked nearer to me still there was a safe distance between us.

Smugly, he asked, "yes Roshni?" Arrogance and pride swam in his light grey eyes.

I just boasted his ego by talking to him. Shouldn't have done this. "Can you-" please tell me if your brother is single? Spiders crawled up to my back... this was disgusting. "-give me Sunaina's number."

"Sure-"

"I need to send her pictures to her," I muttered quickly. I had embarrassed myself enough. My heart halted, breaths deepened. From the mirror in front of me, I saw my brother coming towards me.

My fingers rubbed my nape, while the other hand typed on the number Sunaina's half brother recited, "thanks," I walked to the opposite direction. Forced a smile at my brother, "bhai, you're back?"

Dark onyx eyes sharply gazed at the retreating back of Viraj, "yeh kya keh raha tha?" He asked, completely ignoring my question.

("What was he saying?")

"Nothing." I shifted a strand of hair behind my shoulder, "I was asking for Sunaina's number... I had to send pictures to her."

He nodded, "keep a distance from him." His voice laced with a tint of warn.

"Sure," he gently held my back, guiding me towards the elevator. We reached our suite.

Niharika smiled on seeing her husband, her followed him as he entered inside. "Would you like some coffee- black coffee, Mr Singhania?"

Head shook, eyes clenched shut.

His wife and I looked at each other with concern apparent on our faces, "Bhai, is something wrong?"

"No," His eyes held an unsaid fury, "That fucking piece of trash," he muttered, pouring out a glass of water.

"Who?" Niharika asked.

Somewhere, I knew whom he was talking about. Somewhere, I agreed with him.

"That fucktard, Viraj."

I closed my eyes, inhaled a large chunk of air.

I was correct.

"Why did you invite them for dinner, then?"

Hand ran through his thick tresses, "It an act done out of courtesy, Niharika, their favour needs to be returned." He stood from the chair, "Uss ladke ko main samjhata hoon, Roshni se dur rehne ke liye,"

("I will fix that guy. Then he will learn to stay away from Roshni.")

"Bhai no!" My eyes lowered down, when his fiery onyx ones met mine, tucking a strand behind my ear, "I mean- I approached him bhai, he didn't." For once, I didn't want him to know what had he done earlier.

His unwavering gaze studied me, he nodded. "If he troubles you, please let me know, beta." He bent down to my level, patted my cheek and went inside the bedroom.

My thudding heart, settled.

Bhai was so furious when he found half of what Viraj was doing. What would he do when he will learn that I like Vikram.

....

Pale blue button down shirt, black denims, a hand dipped in pocket, the other on phone stuck on his ear. I couldn't shift my focus away from him. He turned his face towards us, our eyes met. Heat rushed to my cheeks, I pulled back my gaze to the risotto on my plate. I raised my head up to see if anyone caught me hawking at a man older than me. I sighed, no one did apparently.

Unfortunately Viraj did, or so the smug smile on his face did imply.

For the rest of the dinner I kept my eyes on my food. Viraj was fine, I couldn't afford bhai knowing this.

My ear hurt from the weighted earring, I took it off. Massaging my ear lobe.

"You are okay?" Niharika asked making bhai look at me. I gave him a reassuring smile.

"Yeah," I nodded at my sister in law.

My brother along with Mr Oberoi left the table to the bar. The other women went to restrooms, I was going with them while my heels on a foot came undone. I bent down to fix it. Viraj was no where to be found when I sat back. Vikram and I were alone. Butterflies invaded my stomach, my heart wanted to stay a bit longer with him so he and I could talk. Or maybe just him saying something.

He looked at me, opened his mouth to say something, before he could, the annoying sound of his phone echoed.

"My lady love, how are you?"

For the second time by this man, my heart hurt. It sank down. He smiled on the phone, I got up before the pesky tears could embarrass me further. From my friends I had heard how much break-ups hurt, why this hurt me. Specially when it came from a man whom I never talked much to nor did I was in any sort of relation in with him.

"Maa aap jaanti hain aapke aur Viraj ke alawa main kisi se apne secrets nahi share karta hoon!"

("Mother, you know, other Viraj and you I do not share secrets with anyone else.")

Maa? Grin so big it hurt my cheeks, he was talking to his mother. My heart began to thud.

I might have a chance with him. My hands curled, nails pierced in to my palm. This was wrong. This was so wrong. Vikram is older to me. I am a teenager, this sounds messed up. No one should know about this. And before all this, he must be dating someone. Him conversing with his mother does not justifies he is single.

"Roshni, we were waiting for you." Sunaina whispered amongst the crowd of people. I saw rest of women of table coming back.

"I was on my way," I smiled her.

The dinner was done. Desserts were served. Soon we were all resorting to our rooms. "Roshni, you left this on table," Vikram handed a pearl earring to me, intensively my hand reached my ear. Finding it empty, I clasped the white earring from him. Our hands touched sending a current through my body.

"Thank- Thank you." I rushed from there.

I pressed on the elevators, Viraj stood next to me. I gave him a dirty look. He shrugged his shoulders, "Mujhe bhi upar jaana hai yaar," with a ping the doors opened, he entered inside the golden metal box.

("I also want to go upstairs")

I entered after him. The elevator announced the floor's number as the doors opened. I exited while he called me, "Roshni," I raised a questioning brow at him, "Vikram bhai is single."

A gasp escaped my lips.

The hell just happened?