"I missed you like crazy," Nikhil said, latching his lips onto his wife's. He sucked her lower lip hungrily as if he was seeing after a long time. Anvi nibbled Nikhil's lip and when got the chance, she explored his mouth with equal passion.
Nikhil hurriedly took the tucked-in shirt out of her high waist jeans and touched her bareback. Anvi shivered and pressed her body more to Nikhil's who was supporting his back on the worktable of his office cabin.
They pulled back after they were out of breath. Nikhil conjoined their foreheads and Anvi confessed, "I missed you too."
Anvi rested her head on her husband's chest who took out his hand out of her shirt and held her tightly.
"Tell me how your brother fell into her trap?" Anvi questioned.
Ahana had made things difficult for the Arora couple such that they hadn't been able to spend time together for the past week. She would always mess up such that Anvi and Nikhil couldn't spend time with each other. The only time they would get time for each other was during the night when they used to be exhausted and would sleep after a minimal amount of talking.
After being deprived of her husband's time Anvi had finally taken out time out of her work and had surprised Nikhil in his office. She knew at home Ahana would not let her spend time with Nikhil.
"I have no idea, angry bird. But she is damn annoying." Nikhil confessed before asking, "How did you handle her before?"
"Don't ask me, please." Anvi shook her head, not ready to remember the tough days Ahana had given her.
"Hmmm. My poor brother." Both of them felt bad for Adhiraj. They had no idea how Adhiraj was putting up with such an evil woman.
"Let's have lunch. It would get cold." Anvi pulled back and Nikhil plated the hot food. Anvi had just like before had brought Nikhil's favourite. She had taken off for two-three hours by lying to her senior.
"Nick," Anvi called when they were having lunch.
"Yes, sweetheart."
"I feel guilty for last night. If I would have paid a little more attention I would have been fine and we wouldn't have to bail on Dhruv's dinner."
Nikhil's friends had finally got to know about his marriage but were oblivious of the whole truth. When Dhruv got to know he invited him and Anvi for dinner at his home. He was ecstatic that by that way Nikhil would also meet Saavi, Dhruv's wife, and Nikhil's old friend. Saavi and Nikhil were close friends back in school but she had gone out of their lives suddenly.
When Ahana got to know that Nikhil and Anvi would be out for dinner she spiked Anvi's lunch. As a result, Anvi got ill and couldn't make it to the dinner. She asked Nikhil to go but he couldn't leave his wife alone.
"Don't be. It wasn't because of you, okay? Let's not bother about that. Moreover, we would meet Dhruv and my other friends at the reception party."
Anvi got stressed as she had heard Nikhil had a lot of friends. She was being nervous as she didn't know whether she would be able to gel with Nikhil's friends or not. She was done eating and was rubbing her palms feeling agitated. Nikhil noticed her act and held her hands, gesturing to her to speak.
"I am anxious." she voiced out.
"Why?"
"I would be meeting so many new people that day. I don't even know any of them. Would I be able to interact? Will they like me?"
"You would feel as if you know them for ages. That's how my friends are." Nikhil pacified his wife. To make her more comfortable he added, "Besides, you already know Jai and Niharika."
"Only two. You have a lot of friends." Anvi pouted.
"Would you like to know about them all?" Anvi nodded as she wanted to be aware of what kind of people she would be encountering on the reception night.
"Okay, so Jai is my childhood best friend. He wanted to be a cop and his father wanted him to do his studies in London. So he became the cop here."
"Next is Dhruv, he is sweet, caring, he would always lend a shoulder whenever someone's needed and the best thing about him is his potential to never give up."
Nikhil smiled remembering old struggling days of his and continued further, "You know when I was struggling with life and had no goals and ambitions he helped me. He knew my potential and advised me to open a cafe and the rest is history."
Anvi grinned at her husband feeling proud of him.
"Next is Namit Khanna."
Anvi's eyes widened and she confirmed, "CEO of Khanna Industries?"
"Yes." Anvi did not know much about businessmen but Namit Khanna was the name known by everyone for he was the youngest businessman who aced everything. There was no one in London who wouldn't know him.
"He and I were on the same basketball team back in school. Though we didn't talk much, we were famous as beasts of the team for our unbeatable bond in the group."
"My beast," Anvi commented before kissing Nikhil's right cheek.
"Then comes Arjun Malhotra, the criminal lawyer. He is the foodie of our group. He holds the capacity to eat the food of more than one person at once. That man is something you can never be pissed off at. He is the charmer of our group and..."
Cutting Nikhil off in mid Anvi said, "And the heartthrob of girls?"
Nikhil passed a curious glance to which Anvi replied, "I have read that in a magazine."
"Yeah, that's right."
"Then comes Kiaan Chauhan. He is Dhruv's cousin and a famous racer. He is a beast when is left on the tracks along with his vehicles."
"The name seems familiar to me."
"You might have read about him somewhere." Nikhil guessed. Anvi shrugged but deep down she knew she had heard it somewhere else or maybe even had met him.
"You know Hredhaan Rajvansh?" Nikhil asked.
"The serious businessman?" Anvi was startled at the diversity of Nikhil's friend group.
"Yes, that only. He is a very kind friend. He just has a look that scares others. If you would know him personally you would love to spend time with him."
"I have known Dhruv, Namit, Arjun, Jai, and Niharika from our school days," Nikhil added further.
Anvi thought Nikhil would stop but his group was large unlike Anvi's with limited numbers.
"Now comes the girls of our group." Anvi was curious to know more about the girls.
"You know Niharika" Anvi nodded.
"But what you don't know is I didn't like her before."
"Why?" She was astounded as she had witnessed a great bond between Nikhil and Niharika.
"She was a queen bee of our school and I disliked people like her." That was a piece of news that was new for Anvi.
"Dhriti is the sweetest. She is Dhruv's twin sister and Namit's wife. She is just like my little sister. I am worried about how I would ask for her forgiveness. She was planning so much to do in my marriage." Nikhil got upset for a moment. Anvi didn't like how things turned out to be for him but she vowed she would try to make things up between him and his friends.
"No one can be furious at you for long," Anvi assured, squeezing his hand a little. Nikhil smiled before nodding.
"Next is Shruti."
"Shruti Saxena. Heiress of Saxena Enterprises?" Anvi got thrilled when got to know Shruti was also Nikhil's friend.
"Yes, how do you know her?" Nikhil asked his curious wife who was more than excited when she heard Shruti's name.
"I admire her a lot. I had gone to an event organized by our company where she came on the occasion of women's day. I had heard her speech and since then I am her crazy fangirl."
"I can't believe I am gonna meet her." Anvi squealed.
"Calm down, Angry Bird."
"I can't," she said, wrapping her hands around Nikhil's neck. Nikhil chuckled seeing her reaction. He just couldn't control his laugh at that moment.
"I hope she doesn't find me weird." Anvi feared after she pulled back.
"She would love you. Trust me."
He sighed before saying, "And I am yet to meet the last one," Nikhil mentioned about the one who brought him on the right path of life.
"Who?"
"Dhruv's wife."
"She is someone new?"
"No, of course not. I have known her for seven years. In fact, she was the one who changed me."
"Changed you?" Anvi couldn't get what Nikhil meant until she heard him saying, "I was a bully back in school. I bullied Saavi the most"
Anvi's eyes widened. "No way," she commented.
"Yes. I thought what I was doing was fun but couldn't realize the pain I used to inflict upon her." Every word of Nikhil's was guilt-ridden. No one could have imagined the guy sitting right in front of Anvi was a bully at some point in his life. Anvi had witnessed so many kind gestures of his that it was getting difficult for her to believe.
"You used to bully Saavi?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. Jai, Niharika, and I, and many others used to bully her. Jai realized his mistake earlier and then me and in the last Niharika." That was extremely shocking for Anvi. She was out of words. Her inquisitive nature made her ask more questions from Nikhil.
"What happened then?"
"We became good friends, all because of Saavi. That's how Dhruv, Namit, Arjun became friends with Jai and me. The three of them were always good. Jai, Niharika, and I were changed by Saavi. After school, she just left, without telling any of us about her whereabouts. She left a letter and asked us not to search for her."
"Then how did Dhruv find her?"
"That's what I am curious about as well. Maybe we would get to know that at the reception party." Anvi nodded. Nikhil had passed on a lot of information to her. She still was a little anxious, maybe less than before, and was extremely thrilled as well.
"I need to leave, now," Anvi said. She was lying on the couch in Nikhil's cabin. Nikhil had cuddled her and didn't want her to leave. They were lying in silence but Anvi's time was about to get over and she had to leave.
"Don't" Nikhil strengthened his hold on her abdomen.
"I Would be fired, husband."
"I will hire you then."
Anvi swiftly turned towards Nikhil and asked, "What post would you offer me?"
"CEO of my heart," Nikhil said dramatically.
Anvi frowned. She found his words cringy and was about to reprimand him playfully for the words he used. "Damn! That's so ...." Nikhil completed her sentence by saying, "Chessy."
"Yes, I hate such pickup lines." Nikhil was aware of her likes and dislikes. That was just to bother her for a bit.
"I know." He said chuckling.
"I love you." Nikhil kissed her lips softly. When he pulled back he received the reply that made him grin.
"I love you too."
"Let me see you off," Nikhil said and they both had to get up. After they straightened their clothes and made themselves presentable they went out.
Nikhil went out with Anvi where he was to see her off inside her cab. Nikhil was being stubborn as he wanted to leave her to her office himself but Anvi knew he had a tremendous amount of workload. Anvi convinced him to let her leave by cab. Reluctantly, Nikhil agreed and had to let go of his wife.
'Did you mix that pill in the lemonade?' Anvi asked Nikhil via text while she, Nikhil, Ahana, and Adhiraj were watching a movie.
Anvi had planned to make Ahana ill so that she and Nikhil could make it to Dhruv's reception.
Ahana was sitting beside Nikhil and Anvi beside Adhiraj. Ahana had volunteered to sit beside Nikhil. She made things difficult for anyone there to oppose. Neither of them was pleased with the settings except for Ahana. Adhiraj was feeling culpable for what his wife was putting everyone through. Anvi had realized that Adhiraj was not liking how Ahana was behaving but she was puzzled about why he wasn't saying anything.
'Yes.' Anvi's train of thoughts broke as she received a reply from her husband.
Anvi got up, excused herself. She said she would bring drinks for everyone.
Anvi, when came back, kept the tray of a variety of drinks on the table. Nikhil took the lemonade and was about to drink when Anvi stopped him, "I would drink that lemonade."
"No." Nikhil denied. That was just an act to fool Ahana. They knew if Anvi would say she wanted the lemonade it would never reach her and Ahana would drink that.
"Please." Anvi made puppy eyes. Nikhil wanted to laugh but he anyhow composed himself and continued with his act.
"Okay, cool." Nikhil agreed and kept back the glass. Anvi acted as if she had a call to attend and went outside.
Just like Anvi had anticipated when she came back the lemonade bottle was half empty and the perpetrator was Ahana. Adhiraj was left embarrassed at his wife's actions and apologized. Even though Anvi acted as if she was hurt a little bit but deep down her insides were dancing in excitement.
The pill mixed in the lemonade made Ahana ill. Anvi was relieved that she would have at least three days to live peacefully oblivious to that the upcoming days were Anything But Peaceful.
I know I wasn't supposed to update this month. But I somehow managed to write a few chapters in my spare time.😇
If I would get time I would update more this month otherwise in 2021 then.🤗