chapter 65

YOU ARE THE RHYTHM OF MY HEART!GChapter 65 :Aadhya gave a silent nod and excused herself to the washroom to wash her face. Akhil stood still, overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him.Just then, a knock came at the door.“Come in!”, Akhil called out.To his surprise, it was Nandu. He stepped into the room, freshly changed and looking calmer, as if he'd taken Aadhya’s advice to clean up and gather himself.Akhil quickly approached him, his eyes searching.“Brother! Are you okay?”, he asked, concern etched into every word.Nandu gave a faint smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.“I’m fine. Where’s Aadu? How’s she doing after all this? Is she still mad at me?”, he asked, his eyes scanning the room.Akhil noticed Nandu’s efforts to look composed and couldn’t help but smile slightly at the thought of how deeply they loved each other.“You both love each other beyond limits”, Akhil said softly. “And that love is built on trust. But sometimes, time will test it… and test you both. Don’t let the circumstances take control of your story, brother! Just…”, he paused, his voice firm yet gentle,“Just be careful with that fox, Laila”.Narrowing his eyebrows, Nandu asked suspiciously,“What do you mean by that? Is she doing something behind our backs?”. His body stiffened, suddenly alert.“No... No, brother!”, Akhil rushed to respond, urgency lacing his voice. “Nothing like that. I was just cautioning you after what happened earlier. You know how obsessed she is with you”, he added, trying to keep his tone controlled.Nandu gave a slow nod, acknowledging his brother’s concern. At that moment, the sound of the door creaking caught his attention, and he turned sharply toward the washroom, locking eyes with Aadhya as she stepped out.After a brief moment of silence, Nandu averted his gaze, feeling awkward. Rubbing the back of his neck, he softly murmured,“Akki! I think we should leave. Can you handle the rest?”.Smiling at his brother’s nervousness, Akhil nodded. “Yes, brother! You both head home. I’ll take care of the rest and leave soon. We’ll meet tomorrow at the event”.Then turning toward Aadhya, he approached her with a warm smile and gave her a light hug. “Aadu! Just take care of yourself, okay? Don’t let anything ruin your mood”, he gently said, trying to reassure her.She nodded, walked to her desk, picked up her handbag, and slid it over her shoulder. Then she paused, uncertain whether to walk out first or wait for Nandu.Sensing her hesitation, Nandu waved to Akhil and turned toward the door. “Aadu! come on. Let’s go”, he called, his voice soft and tender.With a small wave to Akhil, Aadhya followed Nandu. They took the elevator down in silence and made their way to the car. The journey home was equally quiet, the air heavy with awkward tension.Once home, Aadhya freshened up and changed into her home clothes before heading to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Nandu also changed into night pants and a t-shirt, then sat in the living room, sneaking glances at her.He hoped she would confront him, argue with him—anything. But her silence was unbearable. Unable to stand it any longer, he began pacing restlessly, glancing into the kitchen as if searching for courage in her presence.Though Aadhya was deeply engrossed in her cooking, she could sense him pacing, catching his fleeting glances as he silently struggled to speak.After preparing dinner, she set everything on the table and leaned forward on it, her palms resting flat against the surface.Nandu halted his pacing, his eyes drawn to her back. He found himself tracing the curves of her silhouette, mesmerized and unsure.Feeling his gaze, Aadhya took a deep breath and spun around abruptly, catching him off guard. Their eyes met. Startled, Nandu looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.“I’ll go get some cool drinks”, he said nervously, walking toward the door.But before he could turn the knob, two gentle arms wrapped around his torso from behind. Aadhya’s embrace was tight, desperate.-  *KRISH*