Chapter 58

Niharika stepped out of the bathroom, her damp hair falling loosely over her shoulders. She had changed into a pair of soft pajama pants and an oversized T-shirt, perfect for a relaxing day. With a quick glance at her phone, she dialed her mom, Yangeeta, while settling onto the bed.

"Aai, hi!" Niharika began cheerfully. "Sorry, my phone wasn't working earlier, no idea why. What's up? Mayank mentioned you called."

"Arre, beta, finally! I thought you were ignoring me," Yangeeta replied, a teasing lilt in her voice. "You know the Dubai gang, right? Everyone's planning a staycation this weekend, and I want you two to come with us. I asked Mayank's parents too, but they're caught up this weekend, so they won't be able to join."

Niharika frowned slightly. "Aai, is it necessary? I mean... it's just a staycation, right?"

Before her mother could respond, she heard footsteps approaching. Turning her head, she saw Mayank walking toward her with a casual, knowing smirk. He leaned slightly over her shoulder and greeted her mother with an enthusiastic, "Hi, Aai!"

Niharika's eyes widened in shock. She pulled the phone away slightly and whispered, "Since when do you call her Aai?"

Mayank just gave her a small smirk and motioned for her to keep talking.

Yangeeta, meanwhile, seemed thrilled. "Oh, Mayank! Good, good, you're there. I was just telling Niharika about the plan for the weekend. We'll leave Friday morning, so meet us at the breakfast spot, and then we'll all head together."

"Done, Aai. We'll be there," Mayank said with an air of finality.

"Acha, perfect. I'll see you both on Friday, then," Yangeeta concluded happily.

Niharika quickly cut in, "Aai, I'll call you in a bit, okay? Bye!" She hung up the phone and turned to Mayank, still in disbelief.

"Why did you say yes?" she demanded.

"Because I want to go for a staycation," he replied, completely unfazed as he leaned casually against the doorframe.

"You don't get it, Mayank. These Dubai gang people are great, but they pry way too much. And they don't even know we're married yet! I mean, half of them don't even—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Mayank stepped forward and gently clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Shhh. Relax," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

She glared at him, her words muffled under his palm.

"Yappacino," he teased, pulling his hand away.

Her brows furrowed. "Excuse me? What did you just call me?"

"You heard me," he said, backing away with a mischievous grin.

"I do NOT yap!" she protested, chasing after him as he walked toward the living room.

"You kind of do," he teased, turning back to smirk at her.

"Take that back, Mayank Datta!" she demanded, picking up a cushion and hurling it at him.

He ducked, laughing, and sprinted to the other side of the couch. "Catch me if you can, Niharika Datta!"

Niharika narrowed her eyes and charged after him, but as she lunged, she tripped on the edge of the rug. With a surprised yelp, she toppled into Mayank, who instinctively caught her. The momentum sent them both tumbling onto the couch, with her landing squarely in his lap.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Mayank's arms were securely wrapped around her waist, and she was too stunned to speak. Her cheeks flushed as she tried to push herself off him, but his hands gently held her in place.

"Careful," he murmured, his voice softer now.

Her gaze dropped in embarrassment, and he took the opportunity to study her face. His eyes flickered to her lips for a split second before he caught himself. Control, Mayank. He thought to himself. Slowly, he leaned forward and pressed a feather-light kiss to her forehead.

Niharika froze, her breath hitching.

Mayank's hands moved to cup her face gently. "Relax, Niharika," he said, his tone laced with warmth and teasing. "Don't act like some 80's Bollywood heroine."

She nodded slightly, still flustered, and stood up quickly, brushing imaginary dust off her clothes. Mayank chuckled, watching her fumble.

"You're impossible," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.

"And you're adorable when you're embarrassed," he countered with a grin.

She shot him a glare, but the corners of her lips twitched upward despite herself. "I'm going to my room," she declared, turning on her heel.

"Great idea," he called after her. "I'll join you."

She stopped mid-step and turned back to glare at him. "What?"

"To work, Niharika. Don't get any ideas," he teased, walking past her into her room.

She rolled her eyes but didn't protest as he sat on the bed and opened his laptop. She joined him, setting up her workspace beside his.

After a while, Mayank noticed how intently she was watching his screen. Her brows were furrowed in concentration as she tried to make sense of his data.

He chuckled, turning the laptop toward her. "Here, madam. Aap hi karlo mera kaam."

She blinked and looked up, caught off guard. Then, a small smile spread across her face. "No, no. I'm just curious. What exactly are you working on?"

He leaned back, arms crossed, and began explaining his project in detail. She listened carefully, asking questions every now and then. Her fascination was genuine, and Mayank couldn't help but admire how invested she seemed.

As she bent closer to the screen to read something, he found himself smiling again. Seeing her like this—curious, engaged, and so naturally herself—filled him with a sense of warmth he couldn't quite describe.

"You're staring," she said suddenly, catching him off guard.

"Maybe I am," he replied with a playful shrug.

She shook her head, laughing softly, and turned back to his laptop.

Mayank leaned back against the headboard, his heart feeling inexplicably light. Niharika raised an eyebrow when she noticed Mayank still looking at her. "What?" she asked, a mix of curiosity and nervousness in her tone.

"Nothing," he replied, his voice low and casual, though the faint smile playing on his lips betrayed him.

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't 'nothing' me. Why are you staring like that?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "It's just... you look different when you're like this."

"Like what?"

"Comfortable," he said simply, and for a moment, his words hung in the air.

She blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity. "Well... this is how I always am at home."

"I know," he said, tilting his head slightly. "And I like it. It suits you."

A flush crept up her cheeks, and she quickly looked down at the laptop, pretending to be engrossed in the data on the screen. "You're impossible," she muttered, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Mayank chuckled. "You've said that already."

"Well, it's true," she shot back, trying to hide the shy smile tugging at her lips.

They worked in companionable silence for a while longer, with Mayank occasionally explaining parts of his project and Niharika chiming in with her thoughts. He found it surprisingly enjoyable—having her there, her soft voice cutting through the quiet, her occasional laughter filling the room.

At one point, Niharika leaned back and stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Your work is so fascinating, Mayank. I don't know how you manage all this, but it's impressive."

He smiled, leaning back beside her. "Thanks. Coming from you, that means something."

She glanced at him, a small frown creasing her forehead. "What do you mean, 'coming from me'?"

"I mean, you're not the type to hand out compliments lightly. So if you think it's impressive, it must be," he said, his tone playful but sincere.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. "You're impossible," she repeated, shaking her head.

"And you're repeating yourself," he teased, nudging her shoulder lightly, "Find other adjectives now, Niharika. Please."

Their laughter filled the room again, light and easy.

After a while, Niharika stood up to grab some water, and as she walked back, she noticed Mayank's gaze trailing after her. "What now?" she asked, exasperation and amusement mixing in her voice.

He shrugged. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"About how nice this is," he said, gesturing vaguely around the room.

She paused, her expression softening. "Yeah... it is, isn't it?"

For a moment, they both stood there, the quiet between them comfortable and warm.

Finally, Mayank broke the silence with a teasing grin. "Now, let's see how long it takes before you ruin it with your yapping."

"Mayank!" she exclaimed, throwing a pillow at him, which he easily caught.

"I'm kidding!" he said, laughing as he dodged her next attack.

Despite her mock glare, there was a glimmer of something softer in her eyes. Something that told him she was letting her walls down, little by little.

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