Chapter 26: chapter 26

Three months had passed since that evening when Amey had finally broken down his walls and let Anushri in. In that time, their relationship had grown—slowly, steadily, beautifully.Mornings were no longer filled with awkward silences but with shared laughter over breakfast. Amey had started remembering the little things—how Anushri loved her coffee slightly bitter, how she preferred old Bollywood songs while working, and how she had a habit of talking to herself when lost in thought.Anushri, too, was learning new things about him. She found that Amey liked his shirts folded a certain way, that he could spend hours reading crime thrillers, and that he had an unexpected soft spot for street food.They were not just living together anymore—they were building a life together.---One evening, as Anushri scrolled through her phone, she came across a picture from Amey’s office event. A group photo, everyone smiling, but what caught her attention was the woman standing beside him—Riya.Riya was someone Anushri had heard of often. Amey spoke about her casually—his work friend, his lunch buddy. But what unsettled her was how comfortable they seemed in the picture. The way Riya was laughing, leaning slightly towards Amey, and the way he looked at ease beside her.Anushri tried to shake it off, but an uncomfortable feeling settled in her chest. That night at dinner, she couldn't hold it in any longer."How was your office party?" she asked, keeping her tone light.Amey, busy scrolling through his phone, looked up. "It was nice. Just the usual team bonding stuff.""Looks like you had fun," she said, passing him her phone with the picture.He glanced at it and chuckled. "Oh, yeah. That’s just Riya. She’s always the life of the party."Anushri’s stomach twisted at how effortlessly he said it. "You seem close," she commented, trying to sound indifferent.Amey frowned, sensing something in her tone. "I mean, we work together, we get along. That’s all.""That’s all?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow."Yes, Anushri. That’s all," he said, now putting his phone down.She looked away, poking at her food. "It just... doesn’t seem like that in the picture."Amey sighed, now understanding where this was going. "Are you jealous?"Anushri’s head snapped up. "No! I mean... I don’t know. I just don’t like seeing you so comfortable with someone else."He leaned forward, his voice softer. "Anushri, you have nothing to worry about. Riya is a friend. Nothing more.""But she gets to see a part of you that I don’t," she blurted out. "She gets to have lunch with you, share jokes, spend time with you at work. And I just... I feel left out sometimes."Amey's face softened. He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. "I never meant to make you feel that way. I promise you, no one—not Riya, not anyone—means to me what you do."She looked down, her heart still heavy. "I just... I love you, Amey. And sometimes, it scares me how much."He gently lifted her chin, making her meet his eyes. "I love you too, Anushri. More than I ever thought I could."She searched his face, looking for reassurance, and found nothing but sincerity."Come here," he murmured, pulling her into his arms. "I’ll be more mindful, okay? If something ever bothers you, just tell me. I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re not enough, because you are. You’re everything."Her eyes welled up, and she hugged him tighter. "I’m sorry for overreacting.""You’re not overreacting," he said, kissing the top of her head. "You’re just showing me that you care. And I love that about you."She smiled against his chest, the jealousy slowly fading, replaced by warmth.That night, as they lay in bed, Amey pulled her closer, whispering, "You're the only woman I want by my side, Anushri. Always."And with that, she let go of her doubts, holding onto the love that was growing between them, stronger with each passing day.