"Bhai, but it's good for me to work in your company!"
"No Siya. I was fine with the internship, but for the job, no."
"But bhai-"
"Siya, you have capability. Try working for other companies."
"I did an internship at your company. I am aware of many things about the company. It'll be better if I'll work there."
"No Siya. You are still not aware of my company. It's better you apply to another company for work."
"Fine!"
Saying this, Siya disconnected the call. She was still confused as to why Arav was not allowing her to work for his company because, according to her, the company was the best to start.
She sighed in defeat. Her body was still sore because of all the deeds they performed in the morning. She relaxed herself in bed and slept as soon as she shut her eyes.
"Bhabhi." Her eyes slowly opened upon hearing her name.
She sat up and looked to see where the voice was coming from.
"It's dinner time, bhabhi; you should eat." Uday was standing at the door.
"Vikram came?" She asked about setting her hair properly.
"No. I guess he'll be late."
"You'll eat. I'll wait for him," she said with dissatisfaction in her face. She was waiting for him to rant about what Arav said to her.
Uday nodded and was about to leave, but he turned and looked at her.
She saw him struggling and asked, "Do you want to say something?"
He was looking here and there.
"Umm. That. Did I do something wrong last night?"
At first, she was clueless about what he was talking about, but then it clicked in her mind what he was asking about. She smiled at him and folded her arms over her chest.
"Yes"
Uday came, rushing towards her, and sat beside her.
"What? What did I do? I said something that I was not supposed to say?"
Siya was controlling her laugh, and she shook her head, agreeing with what he said.
"Wh... what did I say?"
"You said something that made your brother hit you hard on your cheeks."
His eyes widened, and he kept his hand on the swell on his cheek.
"I thought it was painful and swollen because of my wisdom teeth."
Siya chuckled, seeing him tense up.
"I was drunk. I am sorry for behaving the way I did," he said, lowering his head out of shame.
"No. You did the right thing. By the way, why were you drunk last night? I have never seen you drink anything related to alcohol."
He scratched his head. "Umm. That. One of my closest friends is shifting abroad to study. So she made me drink for the first time and- , "
"She?" Siya interrupted.
He nodded. Suddenly, a memory of last night hit him, and his eyes widened. He was looking pale.
"Uday" Siya called out his name to break his trance.
"I think. It's late. I'll join mom and dad for dinner," he said, leaving the room.
"What's wrong with him?" Siya murmured.
As she was about to step out of bed, a pain in her back made her sit back on the bed.
"Vikrammmmm," she shouted out of frustration, throwing her head on the pillow.
🦋
Siya was sitting on the couch waiting for Vikram, as he was too late and she never ate dinner without him. She took pain relief cream in her palm and was trying to apply it to her bare back. She was wearing a backless Anarkali with strings on it, which she untied to apply ointment.
While doing this, there was a sudden power cut. The room was dark. Not a single ray of light was there. She got terrified and stood on the couch. She started walking here and there blindly, searching for her phone to switch on the flash light. Her breath hitched when her bare back clashed with someone. Tears started forming in her eyes.
"Please, no," she said, shaking her head and stepping away from the unknown figure.
But that person grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.
"Stay away. Don't touch me." She was groaning.
"The person moved his hands towards her face and cupped her cheeks.
"Siya. It's me," he said.
As soon as she realized who that person was, she hugged him.
"Vikram. I . I thought it was Aditya. Vikram, I was scared. Scared of his touch." She said while her breath was hitching while crying, keeping her face on his chest.
"It's okay, siya. It's me. Your husband. Don't cry," Vikram said, kissing her forehead.
She shook her head and tried looking at him in the dark, searching for his eyes.
"Let me go and check what's wrong with the generator and why the fuck they are not switching it on." He said this and was about to leave, but she held his hand tightly.
"Don't. Please stay with me," she requested.
He took her into his warm embrace. After a few minutes, the power came . He parted and looked at her.
She was still whimpering. Cupping her cheeks, he made her look at him.
"Why are you crying, baby? It's just me who can touch you. There's no one else, and about Aditya, I'll never let him come near you, so don't worry. I am here, always with you. Okay?"
He asked, raising his eyes, and she nodded, but suddenly she started hitting him in the chest.
"You...why are you so late? Is this the time to come?" She said she was looking at him with her red, puffy eyes.
He held her wrist and twisted it behind her, pulling her towards him.
"You missed me?"
She side-eyed him.
"You are my husband. You are supposed to spend time with your wife equally as you spend your time at work. I was waiting for you." She said. Hearing this, a smile crept on his face, thinking how beautiful it is that you have someone waiting for you at home who is there to welcome you every time you feel tired after working.
She walked towards the couch and sat there, taking the ointment again as the previous one was smudged on Vikram's clothes while she was trying to defend herself.
While gazing at her, his eyes went towards her bare back with untied strings.
"What are you doing?" He asked, walking towards her.
"Apki harkaton ka ke zkhm per marham lga rhi hu." Hearing her, he understood what she was talking about. He immediately took the ointment and sat facing her back.
"Vikram! What are yo-?"
"It's pain, which I have given to you. So it's my responsibility to heal it." Saying this, he removed his overcoat and unbuttoned the collar button of his shirt. He took some ointment on his finger and started applying it to her back.
She felt relaxed while he was doing it.
"Vikram, you know, I asked Arav Bhai about the job, and he said that he wouldn't allow me to work for his company." She sounded disappointed while someone was smiling in the back, knowing very well what the reason was.
"Oh, he said that? Why don't you try applying to other companies?" Vikram said while running his fingers on her back. Her body arched due to his touch.
"Um..ya but-"
He started lowering his finger down to her waist.
"Hmm but?"
"Vikram," his name from her mouth, sounded like a moan.
"Ji, Mrs. Vikram," he said, drawing patterns on her back.
"I think it's enough," she said, trying to get up, but he pulled her onto his lap.
"Kaha bhage ja rahi ho," he said, looking first at her eyes and then at her parted lips.
She snaked her hands around his neck and said, "Apko chordke mai jaungi bhi kaha."
"Mai jane dunga bhi nahi tumhe. Agar tum jana chaho to bhi nahi," he said, placing a peck on her lips. She smiled, looking at her husband's behavior, which was sweet and romantic.
"Oh, by the way. I forgot to tell you. We'll be shifting back to our apartment tomorrow." Hearing Vikram Siya's face glowed with the thought of meeting Maple after a long time, as she was there and Sunita was taking care of her.
"Finally, I will meet Maple after a long time. I missed her so much."
He smiled
"Me too. Pack your bags tonight," he said, and she nodded.
Turning her back towards him, she said.
"Ab pati bane ho to pati dharm nibhao. Tie the strings," she said in an authoritative way. He chuckled, seeing his brave wife using that tone towards him.
After having dinner together, they did their packing.
Next morning, they informed Uday that they were leaving as he was the only one Vikram cared about. Siya told him to meet his parents once, but he denied it. She was aware that he'd deny this, so she kept a note for them.Uday was a bit sad because, for him, his brother and now his bhabhi were the ones he truly cared for and loved in the mansion.
"I'll miss you, Bhabhi," he said, making a sad face, which made Siya feel guilty.
She took him in a hug and patted his back.
"I'll miss you too, Uday."
"Han yeh krlo phele," Vikram interrupted their sweet moment.
"Umm, but Uday, don't forget to introduce 'She' to me," she said, and Vikram looked at her with wide, open eyes.
"What she?" Vikram asked, being clueless.
She chuckled.
"It's a secret, Vikram," she said to tease Vikram, although she was going to tell him everything.
"Bhabhi yrr," Uday frowned.
They bided by him and left Pratap's mansion.
When Vidhut came back from the gym, he was searching for Siya, as she used to serve him tea every morning after his workout.
He looked at Uday, who was looking a bit disturbed, and asked about Siya.
"Uday, where is Siya Beti?"
"They left for their apartment. They will be living there from now on." As soon as he said that, Vidhut felt bad. He sat on the dinner table's chair and took a deep sigh.
"At least they could have informed me," she murmured. Suhani looked at Vidhut and walked to him.
"What happened. Why are you looking disappointed?" She enquired.
Vidhut looked at her and shook his head.
"Nothing. It's just that now this mansion feels like a house again; it's not home anymore."
"They left?" Suhani asked with a smile on her face. She was happy because Vikram always reminded her of her past, but she was getting attached to Siya. Her laugh used to echo in each and every corner of the house, as did the way she took care of every person in the mansion.
"You are happy that they left?" Vidhut frowned.
Uday shook her head out of disappointment while looking at her mother.
"Yes. I am happy that they left, but I'll miss Siya. Living with her made me realize why my son and Vikram were both in love with her."
A smile crept into Vidhut's face.
"I agree. The way Vikram was and the way he's now show how love can change a person.
Suhani rolled her eyes upon hearing about Vikram.
"Oh ya. Here. Take this. This was kept near your pillow. I woke up and saw this while folding the duvet. It's confidential, so I didn't open it." Suhani said she was forwarding the paper to Vidhut.
He saw on the top of the paper that it's written "CONFIDENTIAL (S)" and he laughed. Suhani looked at him shockingly, as he never laughs like this. Uday turned towards them and saw his dad laughing like a maniac.
"What happened? Why are you laughing?" She asked out of curiosity.
He wiped away the tears that had formed from laughing.
"It's not confidential. It's a note kept by Siya. She does it every time she leaves a note for me," he said, remembering the time when she kept a note for him reminding him to eat his medicine of high blood pressure after dinner when she left to meet Arohi, and on the top of the note she wrote "Highly confidential (S)".
"Bhabhi has different kind of brain cells; that's why she can handle Vikram bhai easily," Uday said with a smile on his face. Suhani, too, chuckled and agreed. She left the mansion, but the memories she created are still with them, which makes them happy. She made the people who used to be serious at every point of life feel what real happiness felt like.
Vidhut opened the note, and Suhani asked him to read it out loud.
Dear Papa and Mrs. Pratap,
I am sorry for leaving without meeting you. Thanks for treating me like your own daughter. When I first entered this mansion as a newlywed bride, I was too nervous to handle everything as a daughter-in-law but papa, you helped every time I needed you, and Mrs. Pratap, thanks for appreciating my efforts. Vikram also loves you both a lot; it's just the circumstances that made him like that, but believe me, he has a soft corner for both of you and can do anything for you. Mrs. Pratap, I hope you'll start loving him the way you love both of your sons. All the things that happened in the past were not his fault. He didn't deserve to be treated the way you do. Your 1% love and affection for him will make him feel all the happiness he deserves. I hope this house will feel like home one day.
There were tears in Vidhut's eyes.
"How'll this house feel like home when you leave us like this? It's you who made this house a home," he said in a soft tone.
Suhani was standing there, numb. She was thinking about those lines that Siya wrote regarding her behavior towards Vikram.
"Umm, I think we should have breakfast," she said, and left for the kitchen.
Uday walked toward Vidhut and hugged him.
"It's okay, papa, don't worry. I hope they'll come back once everything gets sorted out in their lives and in this mansion too.
🦋
Vikram and Siya reached their apartment, and Sunita was standing there with a plate in order to welcome them.
"Hello, Sunita Aunty. How are you?" Siya asked, hugging her while entering the house.
Sunita smiled, but there was nervousness in her face.
"I am fine, mam."
"Hello, Sunita Ji, I hope you were doing well without me. Where is Maple?" He asked, and Sunita's face turned pale.
"Aa sir, that-"
Maple barked, which caught their attention. Their faces turned toward the room where Maple's toys were kept.
Vikram walked toward the room and saw her. She was panting heavily.
"Vikram, don't you think she gained some weight?"
Vikram looked at Siya and then at Maple.
"Some! She has gained a lot of weight." Maple tried getting up and walked slowly towards them, shaking her tail. She was not looking active, but her face showed excitement.
"Suntia ji. What are you feeding her that she gained this much weight?" He asked.
"I was surprised too, sir, but I gave her the same thing I used too. So I took her to the doctor, and she said, ".
"She said?" He asked her to continue.
"She said that she's pregnant," Sunita said nervously.
Siya and Vikram's eyes were about to pop out of the socket.
"What!" Siya asked in a high tone, looking at Maple.
She walked towards her and hugged her huge belly out of happiness, but on the other hand, Vikram was unable to digest the fact.
"It's been more than a month, and she's ready to give birth to six babies," Sunita showed him the result of the ultrasound.
Vikram looked at the photos.
"How the fuck did she get pregnant?" He said while looking at Maple who looked more surprised than him.
"It's fine, Vikram. It happens. Let's just be happy." Siya kissed Maple's head, and in return, she liked her face.
"No. Her body is too weak to give birth, and the doctor has warned me before." He said he was scratching his head.
"Yes, sir, she said the same thing when she saw the result of her pregnancy. She said, We can't even abort because it's been more than 50 days."
Soya looked worried, and then she saw Maple's innocent face.
"Why didn't you inform me earlier?" Vikram asked Sunita.
"I thought you had just started your married life. I didn't want to give you more tension."
Vikram was boiling in anger because, for him, Maple was a part of his life.
"Dammit. She's the most precious in my life. How can you say things like this?"
"Sorry sir. I am really sorry."
"Su-"
"It's fine, Vikram. Let her be. First look at Maple. She's panting a lot. Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" Siya said, making Vikram worry.
🦋
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