I was still mad.
No, actually, I was furious.
Kruti sat beside me in the car, calm as ever, completely unaffected while I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly I thought it might break.
I clenched the steering wheel, gritting my teeth. "I cannot believe you did that to me."
Kruti hummed, not even looking up. "Hmm? Oh, you mean the snake thing? That was hours ago, Dev."
"The snake thing?" I repeated, voice rising. "You mean the part where you nearly gave me a heart attack in front of the entire university? That 'snake thing'?"
She turned her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "You're still on that?"
I gawked at her.
Still on that? STILL ON THAT?!
"Kruti, I had to physically remove myself from the situation before I passed out."
She snorted. "You ran away."
"I did not run away," I snapped. "I made a tactical retreat."
Her shoulders shook with silent laughter.
I scowled, jabbing a finger toward her. "Do you have any idea what you've done? The students are probably making memes about me as we speak!"
She waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, come on. No one noticed."
I blinked at her in disbelief. "Kruti, you chased me through the hall with a freaking snake. I was hiding under my desk. There were witnesses."
She bit her lip, clearly trying not to burst out laughing. "Okay, fine. Maybe a few people noticed."
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temples. "I swear to God, Kruti, one day you're going to be the reason I end up in a hospital."
She shrugged. "You're already overreacting, so we're halfway there."
I glared. "I am not overreacting!"
She gave me a look. "You are yelling in the car. Over a snake. That isn't here. You're scolding me for something I did five hours ago. Yeah, you're totally not overreacting."
I sucked in a sharp breath. "You are soâ"
"Awesome? Adorable? The best wife ever?"
I groaned. "Infuriating. Absolutely, mind-numbingly infuriating."
She shrugged. "You looked curious."
"I WAS NOT CURIOUS!"
She stifled a laugh, her lips twitching. I could see it. I could feel it. The mockery in her silence.
Oh, she was enjoying this.
I exhaled sharply, focusing on the road.
She didn't say anything for a moment.
Then, softly, "It was kinda cute, though."
I nearly slammed the brakes.
"Excuse me?" I hissed, turning to her in disbelief.
She rested her chin on her hand, grinning. "You. Running away. The great Professor Devansh Singhania, resident grump of the university... hiding under his desk."
I gripped the steering wheel harder. "Kruti, I swear to Godâ"
She laughed, completely ignoring my suffering.
I huffed. "I should've just left you on campus."
She gasped, dramatically placing a hand over her chest. "You'd abandon your beloved wife?"
I scoffed. "Beloved myâ" I cut myself off, tightening my jaw. Not in public, Devansh.
Kruti smirked. She knew.
She knew.
That smug look on her face... she knew I wasn't actually mad.
She knew I was just scared.
And I hated that she knew.
The second we got home, she plopped face-first onto the bed, completely ignoring me.
I stood at the doorway, still fuming.
"Kruti, don't ignore me."
No response.
"I'm serious."
Still nothing.
I walked over, standing beside the bed, looming over her. "Kruti, I could've had a heart attack today."
She lazily turned her head to the side, blinking at me. "But you didn't."
I threw my hands up. "That's not the point!"
She yawned. "Then what is the point?"
I scoffed. "The point is that youâ" I stopped, narrowing my eyes. "Are you falling asleep while I'm yelling at you?"
She blinked again, then nodded. "Mhm."
I stared at her, absolutely dumbfounded.
I was losing my mind.
"Kruti," I started, my tone dangerously calm, "I swear on my entire career that I will leave this house and stay away from you if you ever do that again."
That got her attention.
She lifted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Oh?"
I crossed my arms, doubling down. "Yes. I'll leave. I'll pack my bags and find another place to stay."
She stared at me.
Thenâ
"Okay."
I blinked. "Huh?"
She shrugged. "Okay. Leave."
Something inside me short-circuited.
I frowned. "Kruti, I don't think you understand. I'm saying I'll actually leave."
She hummed, rolling onto her back. "Yeah, yeah. Got it."
My hands curled into fists. "I don't think you do. Because I'm saying that if you do something like this again, I will leave the house."
"Okay, okay," she said, waving me off, clearly unfazed.
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
Something wasn't right.
I pointed at her, voice firm. "Kruti. I mean it. I'll leave."
She nodded. "Mhm."
I exhaled sharply. "I'm really going to leave, Kruti. I'll pack my bagsâ"
"Sure, Dev."
"I WILL WALK OUT THAT DOORâ"
"Yeah, yeah."
"KRUTI, I AM SERIOUS."
She covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
I stared at her, utterly betrayed.
She wasn't taking me seriously at all.
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "You know what? Fine. I'm leaving."
I took one step toward the door.
Then I froze.
No movement.
No sound.
Just me, standing there like an idiot.
I scowled.
I took another step.
Nothing.
My hands clenched.
I spun around. "You think this is funny, don't you?"
I huffed. "I'm really leaving. I'll open that door andâ"
She stretched, burying her face back into the pillow. "Mhm. Sure. See you in five minutes."
What. The. Hell.
I clenched my jaw. "IâI swear, I will."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Okay, sweetheart. Have fun out there. Try not to cry without me."
I gawked at her. Was she really okay with this?!
I stepped toward the door, pausing...She wasn't stopping me.
I stared at her motionless figure.
No reaction.
No "don't go."
No "I'm sorry for the snake."
Nothing.
I took another step, eyes narrowing. "Kruti, I'm serious."
She snored. Fake. Clearly fake.
Oh, hell no. I panicked.
"You know what?" I blurted, spinning around, marching toward the bed. "I won't just leave! I'llâI'll disappear! That's right! You'll wake up and I'll be gone!"
Still nothing.
My chest tightened.
"Fine," I tried again, my voice weaker now. "I'll leave... forever."
...Silence.
I lost it.
I stormed to the bed, grabbed her, and crushed her in a hug.
"I'M NEVER LEAVING YOU, DAMN IT!"
Kruti burst out laughing. I realized too late that I had walked straight into her trap.
She tilted her head, a huge smirk on her face. "Oh? And here I thought you were leaving forever?"
I scowled, burying my face in her shoulder. "Shut up."
She giggled, wrapping her arms around me, fingers running through my hair. "Aww, my poor grumpy professor was scared, wasn't he?"
I grumbled, hugging her tighter. "I was not scared."
She sighed dramatically. "So, you're saying you did not just have a full meltdown over the thought of leaving me?"
I groaned.
"Say it," she teased, poking my cheek. "Say 'Kruti, I will never leave you because I love you too much and I am hopelessly attached to you.'"
"Not happening."
She pouted. "But it's true."
I clenched my jaw. "No, it's not."
She grinned. "Fine. Then I guess I'll just go find anotherâ"
I grabbed her face.
"You. Are. Mine."
She blinked, lips parting slightly. "Oh?"
I glared. "You heard me."
She chuckled, shaking her head. "Dev, you are so easy to mess with."
I sighed heavily, pulling the blanket over both of us.