Vihaan POV:
After the small trip we had, she has been busy lately as this was the wedding season, so she has a lot of customers. Every time, I don't know why she, being the CEO, still talks to all the customers and does the design herself. I mean, how can she be so down to earth? I haven't heard from her for the last two hours, and I haven't seen her for the last two days.
Shiv and Anandh knocked on my cabin door. I said, "Come in," as they both came in with their laptops. Anandh said, "Bhai, there is some problem." I rubbed my temples, sighing. I am launching a new game in the next few months, so there have been lots of problems with this.
As Anandh is still learning from me, I have to make sure everything is going well. After one hour, I solved everything. I called Anvi to check on her, and as she picked up, I asked, "What is my baby doing?"
I heard some other voice as she cleared her throat and said, "Your baby is busy, locked herself in the studio; she is working on a new design." So I asked, "Vaishnavi?" She said, "Yes."
I said, "Okay, then, tell her to call me once she is done." She said, "Well, Mr. Vihaan, how about you come to the cafe in front of our office? We have to talk." I asked, "About?"
She said, "About your baby," she said with sarcasm in her tone. I am damn sure I am going to get killed by Anvi if Vaish teases her about this. I said, "Give me 10 mins."
After we hung up the call, I made sure everything is fine and then went out to the cafe. It's already 4 in the evening, and the cafe is busy as usual. I entered the cafe, looking around as Vaish raised her hand.
I went towards her; she was sitting in the same place Anvi sat last time we met here. She smiled a little, and I gave her a nod and sat down.
She asked, "Would you like something? It's on me." I said, "No, thanks." She nodded, saying, "Coming straight to the point, I know you love anvi and she loves you, and she also trusts you a lot. So, as her best friend, before you proceed further, I must have to say you some things."
I nodded as she continued, "I have known her since kindergarten, Vihaan. She was an introvert back then. She is very reserved and talks to only a few people. Later on, there were many problems we faced, and she is still healing from those past wounds. After seeing her for the last 22 years, she has always been a fireball to everyone. She is a badass to the enemies, but she is not like that on the inside. She is total sunshine, goofy, happy-going, and also a vulnerable person. She has been like that with very few people, and I noticed she is like that with you. I am more than happy that she is herself around you. All these years, her brother has been her life, and now I am happy that she has included you in that. I am still not comfortable around you because you are a bit scary, but I will come around." I smiled a little, nodding, as I asked, "What exactly happened?"
She said, "I cannot tell you that, but I hope she will open up to you one day. Please be patient with her, and also please don't judge her."
I said, "I will never do that, Vaish. I know you're still not ready to accept me, but I promise you that I will take care of her like she deserves, and I will prove it to you by actions."
She nodded, saying, "I trust you, Vihaan. If I have to tell you something about her, then it's that she is strong, not because she chose to be but because the world demanded her to be. She walked through hell, faced battles most will not comprehend, and yet, despite it all, she still chooses to be kind, to be soft at the hands of the world that tried to break her. Also, she laughs a lot but never stays happy; she talks a lot but never talks about what's in her heart. So, I hope you break the wall she built around her heart."
I nodded, saying, "Thank you, Vaish, for your trust in me. I promise I will stand by her, and also thank you for staying by her through all these years while I am not there. But I promise you that from now on, she is not going to face anything alone."
She smiled as she got a call. She said, "Look, your baby is calling me." I sighed, saying, "Please don't tease her; she will kill me."
She laughed, asking, "Aren't you the devil, Vihaan Singhania? What happened to that devil now?" I looked at her, saying, "Well, to the world, I may be a devil, but to her, I am just her Aan."
She said, "You really are something." I nodded as she picked up the call, saying, "Babe, what's wrong?" She hung up the call, saying she is free now. I nodded, getting up; we shook hands and parted ways.
After some time, I went into her company as everyone stared at me, most of them with fear and some of them surprised. The receptionist asked, "Sir, how can I help you?" She was clearly shaking with fear.
I mentally hushed myself because people generally have this effect around me; even I don't know why. I asked, "Where is your CEO's cabin?" She pointed to the lift, saying, "She will be on the 9th floor, sir." I nodded, taking the lift.
As I went in, I saw many people roaming here and there. As soon as I entered, everyone stopped their work and looked at me. I made a mental note to myself that next time I should just stay in the car and call her to come down; I hate this attention.
But again, it is worth it for seeing her, isn't it? I thought. As I made my way to her cabin, I went inside without knocking. I saw her sitting there and drawing something on a sheet.
She didn't look up as she said, "Vaish, is your meeting done? I kept some files on your tables. Please check that and get it done by tomorrow." I cleared my throat as she looked up.
Her smile widened, and her eyes sparkled as she came running to me, hugging me. I laughed, catching her with one hand as I inhaled her scent. Ahh, her scent will never fail to make me feel like home because she is my home.
She pulled back, asking, "Aan, what are you doing here?" I shrugged and handed her the rose I brought. She took that, giggling, as she said, "Aww, is this for me?" I nodded as she went to her table and removed the flowers from that and added this to it.
I looked at her cabin, it was beautiful, just like her penthouse. It is also very organized and simple yet elegant.
I asked, "Are you done here, Vie? Shall we go home?" She nodded, saying, "I am done for today, Aan, but how about we go out for shopping? It's been many months since I went out shopping." I forwarded my hand to her, saying, "Anything you wish, Vie." She smiled, taking my hand as we went out.
Everyone again stared at us. I pulled her fast as she just laughed. I bet she is enjoying this, but she tripped a little, falling on me. I looked at her and down at her shoes where the lace was untied.
So I bent down, tying it; I heard some awws from the background. So I just picked her up and went down to the car. She gasped, but she didn't fight with me like last time. I guess she is habituated to me carrying her always.
After we went to the mall, she dragged me to the max. She said, "Aan, tell me if you're bored." I shook my head, saying, "I can look at you all my life, Vie, and trust me, you will not get rid of me." She laughed, pulling me around. She bought some t-shirts and shorts.
As she was paying for that, the person standing there said, "No need to pay, ma'am. It is already done." She turned to me, glaring. I asked, "What?" She gave me the bags and walked ahead of me.
I matched her pace, asking, "Vie, what's wrong?" She said, "Aan, I can pay for my things myself." I stopped her, caging her on both sides.
I said, "I know you can pay, Vie, and trust me, I didn't pay for this." She glared at me, asking, "Then who did, Aan? Is there some ghost here?"
I smiled, saying, "Vie, nobody will pay in their own mall, will they?" Her eyes widened as she asked, "Is this mall yours?" I nodded.
She punched me, saying, "You didn't tell me, Aan." I said, "You never asked me, Vie." She pouted as I laughed, kissing her pout.
I said, "Vie, just get yourself whatever you want. Don't worry about paying for all those things. I know you have been independent all your life, so you're not habituated to all this. But, Vie, now that I am here, please let me pamper you, treat you like my queen, okay?" She blushed, nodding. We roamed around, and she bought many things.
As we stopped in front of a jewelry store, she asked, "Wow, even my store is in your mall, Aan?" I asked, "Didn't you know?" She said, "All these things are taken care of by Vaish. I don't know anything about all these, Aan. I am just a designer, and I love that job." I nodded as she pulled me inside.
Everyone stood up, recognizing me, I thought, but they recognized her, saying, "Good evening, ma'am. How come you stopped by here?" She smiled, saying, "It's nothing, Chachu. I just wanted to do some shopping, and while passing by, I saw this, so I stopped by."
He nodded as she asked, "So, how is it going?" He smiled, saying, "It is going very smoothly, Saanvi. We got more sales than we expected." She smiled, asking, "So, did you all have your lunch?" He smiled, saying, "Yes, we did, Saanvi." She nodded, saying, "Okay, then we will take leave, Chachu."
He turned to me and then to her, asking, "Who is he, Saanvi?" She said, circling her hand in my arms, "He is my boyfriend, Chachu." He smiled, patting her head, and said to me, "Please take care of our little princess."
I nodded and came out, asking, "Didn't you say that you don't know about this?" She said, "Aan, I really don't know about this store being here, but there will be monthly meetings and yearly celebrations in the company where I will meet all my staff. So, I know everyone in my staff. You know, I don't have a family, so all of them are my family."
I nodded, cupping her face. I said, "Never say that you don't have a family, Vie. You have me, your brother, your best friend, and all your employees, isn't it?" She smiled, nodding at me.
I added, "And soon, you will have a big family." She looked at me with those doe eyes as I said, "My family is quite big, Vie." She punched me, saying, "Aan, stop it." I smiled, taking her hand in mine as she asked, "Aan, you know what home is?"
I hummed as she said, "It is not just four walls and some partitions with some rooms. The persons in that home matter." I looked at her as she said, "I have been alone all my life, and Rishi has been my only family. I love being around him; he is like my first kid, but somehow, my home didn't feel complete. There was always a missing piece, but I am glad that you came in that gap, making my house a home Aan." I was happy, no more than happy.
I cupped her cheeks, asking, "What do you mean, Vie?"
She said, pointing to my chest, "Your heart is my home, Aan, and your heartbeat is my destiny."
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