Anita's POV

I kept crying in the car throughout the ride because I was confused about what to do.

On one hand, I don't want to return home to my father because I'm not ready yet to face him, and on the other, he warned me that if I don't go and he finds me, I'll regret still being alive.

The car stopped, and I opened the door, thinking we'd reached home.

However, my eyes were scrutinised in surprise when I saw an ice cream parlour.

"What are we doing here?" I whispered, wiping away the tears on my cheeks.

Akash turned to me with a gentle smile. "We need a break, don't you think? Let's take a few minutes to calm down and think, okay? Ice cream provides relief."

I nodded hesitantly, still sniffling.

I know he is trying to help as much as he can, but I can't shake off the feeling of dread that has settled in my stomach.

Father's words keep echoing in my mind: "If I don't go and he finds me, I'll regret still being alive."

We dashed inside the ice cream parlour, and the sweet aroma and colourful decorations momentarily distracted me from my worries.

"My lady," Akash said while he pulled out the chair for me with a warm smile, and for a moment, I forgot about my troubles.

"Thank you!" I sat down.

He responded, "You're welcome. I'll go and order. What flavour should I bring for you?"

"Back in our village, it was always the mango flavor. I'd like to try something else, but I don't know their names." I whispered, feeling a little embarrassed.

He nodded understandingly, his gaze lingering on mine for a moment. "Don't worry, I'll take care of that immediately. Give me a few seconds; I'll return in a jiffy." He said and headed towards the counter, but his eyes drifted back to me as he walked away from time to time.

I closed my eyes, exhaling a long sigh, and made up my mind. "I will not go back to my father. I've made it this far already; I'll not go back to square one." I thought, and my eyes wandered over to the colourful decorations and the happy chatter of people around me.

I took another deep breath when he returned, holding two ice cream cones while smiling broadly. "I got you a surprise flavor. Try it!" He said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

I collected it from him and took a hesitant lick, and my eyes widened in amazement.

It was a flavour I had never tasted before, but it was delicious!

It was a sweet treat.

He sat down, licking his ice cream cone, and I shifted my gaze away, though I could still feel his eyes on me.

"How much do you earn?" I asked, looking up at him.

The question just popped into my mind.

"I know it's a personal question, but I'm curious. Of course, people in Mumbai earn more than those in other states, given the high cost of living here. But the way you..."

"I don't want you to find out from someone else, so I think it's time I confessed," he interrupted, his tone suddenly serious.

My eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Confess what?" I asked.

He ate everything, including the cone, which was made of biscuits.

Then he let out a satisfied sigh, his eyes staring back into mine with a serious gaze.

But suddenly, he burst into laughter. "I know it's funny, to me too, and I hope you'll find it funny as well. But I also hope you'll not be angry because I lied to you."

I just watched him, wondering if he had suddenly lost his mind.

"I don't know how to say this," he said, still chuckling.

"I'm not a driver." He finally revealed his words, leaving me stunned.

"So?" I asked, unsure if I should be angry that he had lied to me, especially since I consider him my best friend.

"There is no boss," he added, "it's my house."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise again.

"I know what you're thinking," he said, his grin fading into a serious expression.

"You're wondering why I didn't give you a job when you asked for it, right?" He paused, and I nodded, even though I already suspected the answer.

"Because I don't have a certificate," I whispered.

"No, never!" he exclaimed.

"I would have made an exception, especially since you tried to kill yourself. I'm not a heartless man." He started, and I completed his sentence.

"But you didn't,"

"Please listen to me," he urged, so I nodded for him to continue.

"I was unsure," he began.

"And I didn't want you to work under me, which is why I brought my friends."

"Am I unfit, or do you think I'm also darkness that will bring doom to your life?" I asked, my face turning stern while my eyes searched his for any reaction.

His expression softened, his eyes filling with an unreadable emotion. "What are you saying, Anita? Do I look like someone who would think that?"

He reached out, his hand brushing against mine, sending a spark of electricity through my body.

"I've travelled to many countries, but I swear, I swear, I've never met anyone as unique as you. If you saw yourself from my perspective, you'd realise that no one else matters but you." His voice was low, husky, and full of something I couldn't quite understand.

"I don't understand," I whispered, needing more clarification in the hope that it is not what I am thinking of.

His eyes locked with mine, his gaze becoming more intense. "What I mean is, don't listen to your father's threats. They're baseless. He can't harm you as long as I'm with you. I'll hire bodyguards to keep you safe from them." His voice carried a fierce protectiveness, and his eyes burned with a passion that made my heart skip a beat.

"Is this a movie? Why would you do that for me? I already owe you so much; please don't add to my debts. God will protect me." I started, but he interrupted.

"I want you to remember that we're best friends, and best friends protect each other in all situations. I don't want any payment from you. It's not a debt; it's care."

"No way! I have to pay you for everything—the house, the food, the restaurant... I must."

"I honestly don't want to argue with you, so fine. But keep the bodyguards too."

"I said no..."

"If you still value our friendship," he said, his eyes turning serious.

****

We entered the house, and he was about to head upstairs when I spoke.

"You mentioned I was living in your room in the past. This is your house, so please don't compromise because of me. I don't mind sleeping anywhere until I move out. Even the carpet in the living room is fine with me."

But before I could finish, he strode over to me, his eyes latching intensely on mine, and gently pressed his finger to my lips, shushing me.

The touch sent a shiver down my spine, rushing adrenaline and surprise into my blood at the sudden gesture.

My heart pounded rapidly as he stared at my lips for a long moment in silence.

I had never felt this way before, because it felt like my body was awakening to a new sensation.

If he can feel the rapid beating of my heart, then I think I'll be embarrassed for the rest of my life.

His dark gaze bore deeply into my lips, the weight of his gaze like a physical touch.

I was melting under them, and my thought system was crumbling slowly.

After what felt like an eternity, his eyes finally moved from my lips to my eyes.

He trapped me in them because, despite being very nervous, I couldn't look away.

He licked his lips nervously while shaking his head slightly.

"Consider the room yours too," he said, his voice trembling slightly.

"You're my best friend, after all. I mean, we're still friends, so." He cleared his throat, his gaze still fixed on mine.

"I have some work to do, so you should get some rest. You can continue living there; I don't mind. I'll see you in the morning."

****

It was morning.

I woke up and prepared breakfast.

While carrying the food to the dining table, I stumbled upon a note.

"Good morning," it read. "I have to leave for work early today, but don't worry, the bodyguards I mentioned will be waiting outside for you. They'll escort you to work. Although I haven't seen you yet, I know you'll look great in whatever you wear, and I'm sure the breakfast you cooked is delicious. Have a wonderful day."

I pulled out the sticky note from the table, perplexed. "What is this, Akash?" I muttered to myself.

****

I approached the front door, my curiosity getting the better of me.

I wondered what kind of people he had hired to protect me.

I slowly turned the handle and pulled the door open, and my heart stopped for a moment.

Standing before me were two towering figures, their imposing physiques and stern expressions making them look like they belonged in a special forces unit.

Oh my god, they look scary!

A shiver ran down my spine as they gazed at me with an unnerving gaze.

But then, they surprised me with warm, gentle smiles. "Good morning, ma'am," they chimed in unison, their deep voices a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves.

I hesitantly returned the smile, trying to hide my fear behind a mask of confidence, and replied, "Good morning, my brothers."

*****

I arrived at the restaurant few minutes ago.

I was there to supervise.

That's when I saw him—Rajiv.

Our eyes met, but he didn't utter a word, and I was relieved.

I am grateful for his silence.

His staff sprang into action, while I positioned myself in a corner, observing and only interjecting when the interior designer called for my attention.

Suddenly, one of his employees approached me with a bright and friendly smile. "You haven't given us your contact information yet, ma'am!" she said, her voice cheerful.

I returned her smile. "It's Anita," I replied, taking the paper she offered and jotting down my mobile number, then handing it back to her.

"Thank you!' she said before turning on her heel and walking away.

I watched her go, having relief because we completed the day successfully.

"Well, I should also call it a day, I guess," I thought, exhaling a long, slow breath that released all the tension I'd been holding onto.

I glanced back, seeing the bodyguards staring at me like I was some hawk on high alert.

I released another sigh, this one filled with frustration, but happy that I would finally be rid of them.

My eyes flicked back to the exit.

****

I went into the house, the soft creak of the door echoing through the silent hallway.

Akash was leaning against the doorframe, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a broad smile that spread across his face when he saw me.

The fading light of day danced across his features, lobbing a golden glow onto his skin.

My heart skipped a beat after he pushed off from the door and started to stride towards me, his long strides devouring the distance between us.

Before I could react, he enclosed me in a tight embrace, his arms wrapping around me like a cocoon.

My body melted away as his chest pressed against mine, our hearts beating in tandem.

His breath whispered against my ear, sending shivers down my neck. "I almost went crazy today," he murmured, his voice husky.

"I wanted to see if I could survive a day without seeing you, but every minute felt like an eternity without your smile."

As he spoke, his lips grazed my earlobe, sending more shivers down my spine.

I relaxed, and I also wrapped my arms around him, deepening the embrace, while his warmth seeped into my bones.

The world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us.

I was torn in two though.

Part of me screamed that this was wrong and that I was betraying everything I believed in.

But another part, a part that grew louder by the second, whispered that this felt right.

His arms were where I was meant to be.

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, but then he suddenly pulled away, his eyes searching mine.

"Sorry for stopping you," he said, his voice low and husky and his breath dancing across my skin.

"Please go and freshen up. I've ordered dinner already."

I nodded, my eyes avoiding his, and I fled to the bedroom quickly.

The soft click of the door behind me was like a sigh of relief.

I went into the bathroom.

But as I splashed water on my face, trying to calm my racing thoughts, I couldn't ignore the still sensation of his arms around me.

It is a vibration that I can still feel that makes me feel alive, like every cell in my body is buzzing with electricity.

While I changed for dinner, my hands trembled slightly when my mind wandered back to the hug we shared.

****

"Let me serve you!" he exclaimed, his eyes glistening with enthusiasm as he got up and walked over to my side.

He placed a steaming plate before me, the aroma of roasted vegetables wafting up into my senses.

He leaned in, and his arm brushed against mine, sending another shiver down my spine.

While he was serving me, I found myself smiling foolishly, my gaze drifting over his features like I was tracing the lines of my favourite map, which is the world map.

His strong jawline, his brown eyes, his mischievous grin...

I was so lost in the contemplation of his face that I didn't even notice when he finished and returned to his seat.

"Let's start!" he said, his voice breaking into my trance.

I blinked, and it was like I was surfacing from a dream.

"Were you running away from me earlier?" I asked him.

He only smiled, and that melted my energy away.

"I felt embarrassed about what happened yesterday. I thought you would misunderstand me and think I was crossing the line or something."

I smiled, cutting him off before he could continue. "Akash, you make me feel human," I replied, my voice filled with sincerity.

"Why would I misunderstand you? I know we're best friends, and I know it's all about friendship between us."

His smile faded for a moment, and he looked away, his eyes clouding over.

But then his face cleared, and he nodded, a small smile returning to his lips. "You must be tired. Let's eat and rest since it is weekend. We can talk more later," he said in a gentle voice.