Chapter 53: chapter 53

The next morning, Imara woke up to find herself in a sticky situation. There they were, each on their own side of the bed, the pillow fortress still intact but hands intertwined, once again. Frustrated, she tried to disentangle her hand from his firm grip. But the more she struggled, the tighter his hold became. Even in his sleepy state, his resistance exuded a comforting warmth that was slowly seeping into her heart.Nevertheless, she persisted in freeing herself. However, almost unconsciously, she observed his sleeping form. He lay on his stomach, his face turned towards her, hand outstretched to hold hers. The blanket only covered him up to his waist, leaving his muscular upper body exposed in just a vest. With his strong physique and imposing presence, he seemed unapproachable, stern, and brooding. Yet, his serene expression while he slept, was as innocent as a baby’s.Imara gave herself a mental slap for staring at him so intently. She ripped her hand away, causing him to groan while she couldn’t help but miss the comforting warmth of his touch. Despite her heart fluttering, she brushed off the sensation and dashed towards the washroom in a hurry.A little while later, when she came out of the washroom, Adhiraj was nowhere to be found on the bed. She let out a sigh of relief, only to have her peace shattered as the man swanned into the room, clad in a bathrobe and smelling of freshly showered manliness.Before she could even process what was happening, he was by her side in a flash, his hands trailing over her forehead, cheeks, nose, neck, and arms. With each touch, she could feel the tingles spread through her belly, making her heart race as he softly asked, “How are you feeling?”Ignoring that sensation, Imara narrowed her eyes and swatted his hands away, hissing out, “Don’t touch me!”He grinned, teasing, “Looks like you’re doing just fine!”“You can’t just touch me whenever you please!” she shot back, heading into the wardrobe to grab her clothes.With a chuckle, Adhiraj followed Imara inside and opened his wardrobe to grab his clothes. “Remember, I’m just a call away if you suddenly come down with a fever!” he declared.Imara groaned in response, ignoring his offer as she picked out her own clothes. Adhiraj leaned against his wardrobe, watching her with amusement. “A simple ‘thank you’ would be nice, you know,” he teased.“I am not courteous…”“Just to me! Why?”Imara huffed, slammed her wardrobe shut, and stormed past him, declaring, “I hate you!”“So you’re all about observing the people you hate, especially when they’re sleeping,” he smirked, grabbing his clothes for the day.Imara stopped in her tracks, visibly irritated. “I was just figuring out where to kick you if you hadn’t let go of my hand when I clearly wanted you to,” she snapped, turning to face him.Adhiraj raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to her. “Oh, really? And where would that be?” he whispered, a mischievous glint in his eye.“You’ll find out when I kick you,” she hissed and walked away before they continued talking.Around thirty minutes later, Imara found herself once again with her annoying husband for breakfast. In a blatant display of disinterest, she averted her gaze and mindlessly devoured a bowl of tasteless Daliya.Adhiraj couldn’t help but smirk as he watched his wife’s antics. He longed to stay in that moment, teasing her endlessly, but the pressing emergency demanded his attention. He was determined to keep a close eye on his wife, to keep her safe, until he could find a solution to that troublesome and delegate situation.After finishing her breakfast, she returned her bowl to the table and grabbed her meds from the bedside, prompting Adhiraj to tease, “Good girl!”Imara was not amused. That man was really starting to grate on her nerves. She had the overwhelming urge to give him a piece of her mind, but all she could manage to say was, “I seriously want to kick you out of this room right now!”“Why? Are your hormones betraying you around me?” he quipped, finishing his breakfast and setting his plate down.“Of course, they are constantly pushing me to kick your ass!” she shot back, angrily swallowing the bitter pills with a gulp of water.In a sudden twist of fate, she spun around, only to collide with the unyielding hardness of his chest; the impact jarring her nose and threatening to send her sprawling. Acting on instinct, he swiftly grabbed hold of her, his firm grip steadying her by the waist. Imara barely had time to process what was happening when his other hand reached up and cradled her face. As his lips met her forehead in a tender kiss, her eyes fluttered shut with a visible sigh and a shudder. His lips lingered there for a moment longer, and she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin.“See you in the evening! Take care, Little Tyke!” he whispered softly.Imara’s eyes snapped open. She looked at him, her heart racing, her hand reaching out instinctively, as if to push him away and warn him. But as their eyes locked, the air seemed to still. His gaze, filled with a deep affection, penetrated her very soul, leaving her breathless, her chest tightening with emotion.Reluctantly, Adhiraj slowly pulled away from her. The soft rustle of his footsteps echoed in the room as he left, leaving Imara gasping for breath, her heart melting within the walls that had guarded it.—————In the afternoon, Imara found herself once again sitting with her sisters and Vandana, her thoughts fixated on Adhiraj’s morning gesture. Just then, Virender entered the room, breaking her train of thought.“Papa ji! Do you need anything?” Vandana asked, caught off guard by his sudden appearance.Virender waved off any need and turned to Imara, exclaiming, “The weather is lovely outside, Imara. The sun is shining bright. Want to go out for a walk?”His words caught everyone off guard, but Imara was particularly taken aback. Going outside meant going against Adhiraj’s wishes, but she wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away. With a determined nod, she silently agreed to Virender’s proposal.Vandana feared that if Imara caught the fever again, Adhiraj would blow his top. So, she wasted no time in grabbing gloves, coat and a woollen cap for Imara, instructing, “Put these on! The chilly air might trigger your cold once more!”Imara, giving a nod of approval, donned the winter gear and followed Virender’s lead to step outside. “I love getting your husband all worked up,” he teased. “The best part is, he can’t shout at me!”Imara couldn’t contain her laughter, finding his words incredibly amusing. She couldn’t help but wonder how angry Adhiraj would be when he found out she had braved the cold after he had gone to such lengths to ensure the room was warm enough for her.Inside the room, Vandana’s brows furrowed, her eyes filled with doubt. She could sense that something was brewing in Virender’s mind, her intuition sharpened over the years. But she also couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever he was planning would create an unspoken connection between Imara and everyone in the family. Her heart longed for the day when Imara would finally accept Adhiraj. Whenever she pictured them together, a warm sensation would wash over her, bringing to mind Devyani’s words. Imara, she believed, was the perfect match for Adhiraj, the ideal daughter-in-law who would effortlessly bind this family together, just as Devyani had done, just as Vandana herself had done.