chapter 14

The soft rays of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room as Anika stirred awake. Her gaze naturally gravitated towards Advik, who lay beside her, his features softened in sleep, his hair tousled in gentle disarray.

A tender smile graced her lips as she admired the peaceful expression on his face,

Lost in her reverie, Anika felt Advik's hand gently rest on her waist, a silent yet comforting gesture of their connection.

Feeling a sense of contentment wash over her at the sight of their growing intimacy within their arranged relationship. With a gentle touch, she removed his hand from her waist, savoring the warmth it left behind. After freshening up with a soothing bath.

Anika descended the stairs, her spirits lifted by the prospect of a new day. Her eyes lit up upon seeing Pragya, who greeted her with genuine warmth.

"Good morning, di!" Pragya's cheerful voice filled the room, spreading a sense of joy

Anika couldn't resist teasing her younger sister, Pragya, about her upcoming honeymoon, knowing full well the excitement that bubbled within her.

Pragya's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, a telltale sign of her bashfulness.

"Come on, di, don't start your teasing session so early in the morning," Pragya retorted, her tone playful yet affectionate. Anika chuckled at her sister's response, enjoying their light-hearted banter.

However, the atmosphere quickly shifted when Pragya delivered unexpected news, her expression turning serious.

"I have some bad news for you," Pragya began, causing Anika to furrow her brows in concern.

"What is it?" Anika's voice held a note of apprehension as she awaited Pragya's revelation. "Actually, tomorrow, you and Divya will be alone in the house,"  Pragya disclosed, her words sending a ripple of shock through Anika.

The thought of being alone with Divya caught her off guard, stirring a mix of emotions within her.

"Why?" Anika's voice betrayed her surprise as she processed the information, her mind racing to understand the sudden change in plans.

"Ishan and I are going on our honeymoon, Jiju will be at the office, Anaya and Siddharth are in Canada, the Sehgal family is attending their father's relative's marriage, and Mom and Dad are leaving today to visit our kuldevi," Pragya explained, outlining the detailed schedule that would leave Anika and Divya alone in the house.

Pragya couldn't resist adding a touch of dramatic flair to her delivery, referring to Divya as a “ "Careful, dii, you'll be alone with a very powerful black magician queen of witches," Pragya exaggerated with a playful grin, her tone filled with melodrama.

Anika couldn't help but chuckle at her sister's over-the-top description, appreciating the light-heartedness that helped ease the tension of the situation.

"Don't worry, pragya I'll take care of myself," Anika reassured Pragya with a soft smile

"And don't forget to send me pictures, okay?" Anika reminded Pragya, seeking to maintain a sense of connection despite the physical distance between them.

Pragya nodded in agreement, a smile tugging at her lips. Ishan's sudden appearance added a new dynamic to the morning scene, his cheerful demeanor bringing a sense of energy to the room.

"Good morning, bhabhi," Ishan greeted Anika with a warm smile, his eyes bright with enthusiasm."Good morning, Ishan," Anika returned the greeting, her own smile reflecting his infectious positivity.

"Pragya, are you done with packing? We need to leave early due to the traffic," Ishan informed his wife, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.

"Yeah, just a few things left," Pragya replied, her focus already shifting to the tasks at hand.

"Pragya, why don't you go and get ready? I'll take care of preparing breakfast and everything else," Anika offered, eager to assist her pragya with the morning preparations. Pragya nodded in agreement, grateful for Anika's help.

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Ishan and Pragya settled into their seats on the plane, the anticipation of their journey ahead palpable in the air.

"Ishan, I want the window seat," Pragya demanded, her voice tinged with determination."No, sit there. i am in the middle of making a presentation," Ishan replied, his focus already on his laptop screen."Why are you working here?" Pragya asked, shooting him an incredulous look.

"Just one last thing, and then I'll focus on you only," Ishan reassured her, his eyes briefly meeting hers before returning to his work.After some time, Ishan closed his laptop and enveloped Pragya in a warm hug.

"Ishan, we're on a plane. Everyone is watching us," Pragya whispered, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks at the public display of affection.

"So what? i am just romancing with my wife," Ishan replied unabashedly, his love for Pragya evident in his actions.

"Yeah, yeah," Pragya chuckled softly, her heart swelling with affection for her husband."By the way, I organised a book signing event at Singapore's library," Ishan announced, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Oh, for which author?" Pragya inquired, curiosity piqued.

"For Pragya Saxena, the poetess," Ishan revealed, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Pragya's face lit up with delight, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Really, Ishan? You organized a book signing event for me? I love you so much, Ishan," she exclaimed, her words overflowing with gratitude and affection. Yet, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder about the implications of such declarations. Were they truly in love, or were they merely giving each other a chance?

"Love you too, Mrs. Ishan Malhotra," Ishan whispered tenderly, his words washing over Pragya like a warm embrace.

She smiled, feeling a sense of contentment settle over her as she nestled closer to him. As Ishan drifted off to sleep, Pragya couldn't help but admire his peaceful expression. Pulling out her phone, she captured a few pictures of them together, cherishing the moment of tranquillity  and love that enveloped them.

"This handsome hunk looks like a cute innocent child while sleeping," Pragya muttered to herself, her heart full of affection for her husband as she gazed at him lovingly

"Oh, so my wife called me a handsome hunk plus cute and innocent. Thank you, sweetheart," Ishan chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he glanced at Pragya.

"You were pretending to sleep?" Pragya asked, raising an eyebrow in mock suspicion."No, I was just being silent," Ishan replied with a grin, enjoying the playful banter with his wife.

Pragya looked away, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she tried to suppress her laughter.

"Come on, let's sleep for some more time," Ishan suggested, pulling her closer into his embrace. Contentment washed over Pragya as she nestled against Ishan, the rhythmic hum of the plane lulling them both into a peaceful slumber, wrapped in each other's warmth.

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Advik returned home late at night, joining his family at the dining table where they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Advik, let's go for ice cream," Divya suggested, breaking the quietude with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Yes, bhaiya, please," Avni chimed in, her eyes sparkling with anticipation."Yeah, let's go, Adarsh?" Ishani turned to her husband, seeking his agreement.

"Well then, only two of us will go and bring ice cream home. What do you say?" Divya proposed, looking around the table.

"Okay, then I and Avni are going," Advik decided, already starting to rise from his seat."But, Advik, I want to take a walk," Divya interjected.

"Okay, then Divya will go with Avni," Advik concluded, cutting off any further objections.

"But—" Divya began to protest."Divya, now what? You want ice cream, you want to walk, so what's the problem?" Advik's tone was firm, leaving no room for further argument.

"Nothing, I and Avni will go," Divya acquiesced reluctantly.

Anika, sensing the tension, intervened. "All of us should go. The ice cream will melt by the time they come back," she suggested, her voice calm and reasonable.

Advik nodded in agreement. "Let's go," he said, leading the way as they set off for their ice cream outing.

As they walked, Advik turned to Anika, breaking the silence between them. "Were you bored today?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Kind of. I missed Pragya so much. I don't know how I'll manage without her," Anika confessed, her voice tinged with longing.

"Let's go for a movie tomorrow evening?" Advik suggested, his attempt to lift her spirits palpable in his words.

"Can I join too?" Divya piped in, her desire to be included evident."Divya, don't you think you should give the couple some privacy?" Advik said sternly. After enjoying their ice cream together, they returned home, the warmth of family bonding lingering in the air as they settled back into the comfort of home