"Wake up, Anita!" A tap on her shoulder dented through the haze of her sleep.

The tapping turned into a persistent nudge, and the continous rustle of bangles jingling close to her ear made her groan.

She mumbled, "I couldn't sleep all night. Please, let me rest for a bit."

She heard a sigh, then the lady replied, "Is it my fault you couldn't sleep? It's your haldi ceremony for God's sake! Get up. You can sleep as much as you want after the wedding, but not now."

She reluctantly opened one eye, her lashes sticking together as she squinted and saw it was Divya who was now adjusting the white dupatta loosely draped over her shoulder.

"What time is it?" Anita muttered groggily, searching for her phone on the side table.

She tapped the screen and a loud gasp escaped her lips.

"It's past nine!" she exclaimed, bolting upright instantly.

"How did I sleep so late?" she mumbled to herself, running a hand through her tangled hair.

"Why couldn't you sleep last night?" Divya asked, and then a smirk appeared at her lips. "Did something happen at the dinner between you two?"

Anita froze for a second, her fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.

Her cheeks became flushed when she thought of the memory that had kept her awake throughout the night, that was the kiss.

She could still feel the press of his lips against hers.

"You're now daydreaming." Divya's voice snapped her from her thoughts.

"What are you talking about?" she muttered defensively.

"Don't play innocent with me. What happened between you two? You returned late." she asked, her eyebrow arched like she already knew the answer.

Her gaze darted to the floor while she mumbled. "We came back late because of traffic." she replied, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, please!" Divya scoffed, waving a hand dramatically. "I knew you'd be late, which is why I didn't bother staying back. As you know, I don't share a connection with the family. It would've been weird if I had stayed when you were not here."

Anita's lips pressed into a thin line as she gazed at her with disbelief. "What are you saying? You've bonded with Priya Di."

She shrugged, "Not a good enough reason to stay. Forget it," she said, dismissing the topic. "Now, get up! Freshen up, have breakfast, and get ready. Your mother-in-law told me there will be a lot of guests today. Their entire clan is coming over, so you need to be ready before they arrive. I'm here to help."

She sighed and nodded slowly. Setting her phone aside, she swung her legs off the bed and stood up while stretching as a yawn escaped her lips.

****

"This one looks better. Let her wear this," Priya suggested, holding up a cream-colored lehenga embroidered with golden patterns. The fabric sifted through the pile of dresses they'd bought during their shopping trip.

"No," Divya interjected, shaking her head. "It's a haldi ceremony. She has to wear yellow."

Priya frowned while her fingers brushed over the embroidery of the cream dress. "What's wrong with cream? It's elegant."

Divya crossed her arms and gave her a pointed look. "It's tradition. Yellow is symbolic for haldi. It's auspicious. Cream won't look appropriate."

After a moment of them arguing, Priya relented with a small sigh. "Fine. Yellow it is," she said, holding up the yellow saree.

Whereas, Anita was at the dressing table.

The comb she held gently glided through her silky hair.

She barely glanced up from the mirror when Priya asked her. "Anita, have you spoken to Akash yet today?"

She then met her gaze in the mirror.

Her expression was calm, but there was a sudden appearance of curiosity in her eyes. She shook her head lightly. "No, I haven't left the room yet."

"He came looking for you earlier," she shared.

Anita's hand stilled, while she mumbled. "He did?"

"Yes," Priya continued, placing the lehenga aside and walking over to her. "He asked if you were awake, but I told him you were still sleeping. He said you shouldn't be disturbed. But," she paused to take a breath, "he did ask me to tell you that he wishes to see you as soon as you're up."

A blush crept up on her cheeks, and she averted her gaze immediately.

Divya smirked when her eyes caught her blush. She spoke, "Aah. I really wonder what happened between you two last night."

"For the umpteenth time, nothing happened." she murmured while a shy smile twitched on her lips.

She set the comb down and stood, "I'll go ask why he wanted to see me." she added.

Both nodded.

After she went out of the room and her footsteps faded down the hallway, Priya turned nattily toward Divya, "Where were you last night? I looked for you after the engagement, but you vanished. Your phone was off too."

Divya chuckled lightly. "I was with Raghav," she admitted with a casual shrug. "He insisted I go with him to his place because, well, I was drunk."

"Raghav?" her voice rose slightly, her surprise apparent. "Raghav? The same one you were arguing with two days ago?"

She nodded, her lips curving into a small smile.

Priya's expression turned serious, and she exclaimed. "Look, as a friend, let me give you some advice," she began, folding her arms as she leaned closer. "Stay away from Akash's friends. All of them."

Divya's brow arched. "Why?"

"They're not relationship material," Priya said bluntly. "None of them are loyal. I know all of them personally. I used to hang out with most of them before I got married, and trust me, they're the same now as they were then. Selfish and commitment-phobic."

"Well, then Akash is like them too, I guess." she muttered.

"Akash is different now," Priya replied immediately. "But only because he changed. Five years ago, he was no better than the rest of them. He only became serious when he threw himself fully into his business."

"Well," she said after a sigh, "I wasn't taking him seriously. He was the one that proposed that we be friends. Said he'd invest ten million in my business in exchange for a few shares. It's not like I'm falling for him or going to. For my business, I was considering his offer."

Priya's lips thinned, "That's an excuse, Divya. Don't let him fool you. It is their tactic," she said firmly. "They spend lavishly on you, act like they're helping you build your dreams, and shower you with all attention. But it's all temporary. Once you give in—once you sleep with them—they ghost you. They move on to the next thing without a second thought."

Divya's smirk returned, "I'm not stupid, Priya. I know how these games work. I'm not living under a rock."

"I'm not saying you're stupid, but they're manipulative. And Raghav isn't an exception—he's exactly like the rest of Akash's friends. They're all cut from the same cloth."

****

"I hope he doesn't mention last night's kiss," Anita mumbled under her breath, her eyes closed tightly. "I hope, I hope," she repeated, exhaling a shaky breath before lifting her hand to knock on the door, which opened almost immediately, startling her slightly.

Akash stood there, his phone pressed to his ear.

His lips curved into a warm smile when he saw her, and she forced one in return, though her heart was racing.

Without a word, he stepped aside, allowing her in, and she hesitantly walked past him.

The sound of the door closing behind her made her flinch.

She hugged herself instinctively and stood awkwardly near the edge of the room as she waited for him to finish his call.

Her gaze darted around the room, and suddenly stopped.

On the side table, next to a half-empty glass of water, was the bouquet. The same bouquet she had given him at dinner last night.

The yellow roses inside were still fresh.

Her brow furrowed because she clearly remembered them leaving it behind at the restaurant.

They hadn't brought it along when they left. She was certain of it.

How then did it reach his room?

Her thoughts spiraled.

She glanced at him, who was continuously pacing as he spoke on the phone.

She looked away instantly when he turned in her direction, her cheeks flushing in shyness.

"I have to go now, but keep me updated on all progress," he said, then ended the call.

Sliding the phone into his pocket, he turned to face her fully.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting," he began, his expression softening. "I haven't been to work in a while, and we're in the middle of an important project."

She nodded silently, her hands still clasped tightly in front of her.

Her gaze flickered back to the bouquet before she whispered, "That bouquet... how did it get here?"

He smiled, "It was your first gift to me. There was no way I'd leave it behind just like that,"

She blinked, surprised, and he continued while stepping closer to the bed. "I forgot it at the venue when we left, but I went back afterward to get it." His said casually.

Halting by the bed, he picked up a file that lay on the comforter, then turned back towards her, his smile deepening. "I'm going to frame it," he said matter-of-factly, gesturing toward the bouquet. "Someday, when our kids come, I want them to see how much we loved each other from the very beginning."

Her breath seized at the mention of their future children.

He walked to her, holding the file in one hand while she replied in a whisper, "How much do you love me, Akash?"

His lips curved into a gentle smile, his eyes meeting with hers. "Limitless," he said.

He extended the file in his hand, clearing his throat as he took a deep breath. "I know your values would never let you ask me for this, even though it's your right," he began. "So, I had them set."

Her brows furrowed, her gaze shifting from his face to the file, and then back to his eyes, searching for more clarity.

"I've been in relationships before," he continued. "I've been intimate with others in the past. In case there's any possibility of diseases..." He paused, his hand still holding out the file.

She stared at him, stunned, "Who told you I care about these?" she asked. "I love you. That's all that matters. You accepted me the way I am, with all my flaws. I've done the same for you. You said the past is the past, and that it doesn't matter...."

"It doesn't," he replied quickly, interrupting her. "But I still insist you check them. For my peace of mind."

She shook her head, "I don't want to. I don't care about it,"

He smiled, but regardless, held the file out a little further. "For my sake, check it, please!"

She sighed quietly before taking the file from his hands.

She flipped through the pages and her eyes widened slightly at the many tests he had taken—which she thought were completely unnecessary. Every single test came out negative.

"You really didn't have to do all this," she murmured.

He continued staring at her reaction which remained neutral as he spoke, "I had to. My blood group is A positive, and my genotype is AA. I already knew yours...."

Her head shot up in surprise. "You did?" she chipped in between his sentence.

He nodded, his smile deepening. "During our first meeting, at the hospital when you fainted. They ran a blood test on you, and I checked the report. Your blood group is B positive, and your genotype is AA too. We're perfectly compatible."

She blinked at him, momentarily speechless, her lips parting slightly before she shook her head again. "But it wasn't necessary for you to do all these tests. No one even bothers with this sort of thing back in my hometown. It's not something we know."

His expression changed and he pushed off the table and stepped closer to her. "That's exactly why I did it," he said gently. "If I hadn't, I would have felt guilty. I know a lot of women in your position would be curious if they were exposed to it, maybe even worried about a man with my past. I wanted you to have certainty. No questions, no doubts."

"And," he continued, his voice dropping, "after yesterday, You gave me the best night of my life."

Her cheeks warmed, and she looked away.

"I wanted to do something for you in return," he said, his tone earnest. "I kept thinking all night about what I could do to make you happy. And then, I remembered..." He paused, his eyes lighting up as he smiled. "Your love for gardens."

Her gaze snapped back to his, "I don't want anything from you anymore, Akash," she mumbled.

Her eyes glistened as she looked down at their intertwined hands which he held.

His thumb gently caressed her skin before he brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss onto her knuckles.

"I haven't given you everything yet," he murmured, "Allow me to express my love for you. I need to do so to feel good."

Before she could respond to reject, he continued with a small smile. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes. I remembered your love for gardens," he exclaimed.

Her eyes shone with curiousity while he continued,

"The garden at my house isn't well-maintained because I barely even go there," he admitted, "So, I bought us another home. A new one. Somewhere we'll move into after our wedding."

Her heart skipped a beat as she slowly understood him. "Akash, why did you..." she began, her voice faltering with awe and disbelief.

He interrupted her, then leaned closer. "Because everything you love is precious to me," he said earnestly. "The house I bought has a massive garden. I made sure it was in perfect condition before I even considered buying it. And the best part?" His eyes softened and he continued, "The window from our bedroom looks directly out onto it. I've given your number to my interior designer," he continued, his tone shifting to something almost apologetic. "You'll tell her the paint colors you want, the kind of furniture you'd like—everything. I know it's a lot to ask, and I hate burdening you with it. I'm sorry. Really, I am."

He paused, lifting her hand again and pressing another kiss to it, his lips lingering for a moment, then he muffled against her knuckles. "But I want us to move in immediately after our wedding. She only has tomorrow to finish everything, so I need you to finalize the details with her today, okay?"

She nodded slowly.

He smiled and his gaze remained on her face as he tried to memorize every detail of it. "I'll let you go now. We'll meet during the haldi ceremony, I guess—or maybe tonight. There will be so many guests today, and since you're the bride, they probably won't let us see each other much. You'll be busy."

She blushed and she looked down, unable to meet his eyes.

"I love you. Take care of yourself for me, okay?" he added.

Her hand, still in his, trembled slightly while she withdrew it, her fingers slipping away slowly. She glanced at him shyly, then whispered, "I love you too."

She turned abruptly, her blush deepening, and hurried out of the room.

On the other side, he stood there, watching her retreating figure with a wide grin while his laughter broke the silence in the room.

He chuckled, amused and utterly charmed because she rarely said those words back to him, and now that she had, he didn't want to let her go just like that.

But her shyness, the way she ran off only made him love her more.

••••

Divya stood at the center of the design studio, surrounded by mood boards, furniture catalogs, and fabric swatches spread across a large table.

The interior designer was enthusiastically discussing themes, flipping through options for every room of the house.

But Divya was struggling to stay focused, confused by the sheer number of decisions to be made within just few hours.

She sighed, muttering under her breath, "Why am I even doing this? Anita's the one moving into this house, not me. I should've said no."

Her phone buzzed in her bag, interrupting her thoughts.

She glanced at the screen after taking it and saw Raghav's name.

Priya's words from earlier played in her mind, but she shook her head and swiped to answer.

"Hello?" she said, stepping away from the designer's curious gaze.

"The haldi ceremony started hours ago. Where are you? Or are you still jealous?"

She rolled her eyes, "Jealous? Of what? Of who?" she shot back, her voice sharp.

"Of Anita, obviously."

"Why would I be jealous?" she retorted, leaning against the table. "Anita's my friend and sister. She asked me to help her with the house interiors, and I'm busy doing exactly that."

"Oh, so you're singlehandedly designing her house," he quipped, his amusement evident. "Should I be impressed or worried?"

Her jaw tightened and she glanced back at the designer, who was holding up options for the living room. "I don't have time for your nonsense, Raghav," she said firmly, lowering her voice.

"I was joking. Where are you? I'll join you and keep you company,"

Her gaze moved to the designer again who was still flipping through the catalog. She sighed inwardly;

"I'll share the location with you," she said. Without waiting for his response, she hung up.

She leaned against the table tiredly wondering how she will finalize the color palettes, picking furniture for each room, and coordinating every detail for the entire house—all in a single day.

Pulling herself upright, she muttered, "At least he'll keep me sane," She quickly typed out the location and sent it.

Moments later, the designer interrupted her thoughts. "Miss Divya, for the dining area, do you think Mrs Anita would prefer a glass-top table or a wooden one?"

She glanced at the options splayed before her and then sighed again. "Let's go with the wooden one." she said absently.

It took Raghav less than ten minutes to arrive.

The sound of his approaching footsteps echoed lightly in the quiet studio, and Divya glanced up, breaking into a laugh when she saw him.

He laughed too, shaking his head slightly as he made his way over to her.

"Am I permitted to compliment?" he asked, his gaze swooshing briefly on her yellow outfit.

Her lips curved into a sly smile. "Every compliment that doesn't include money is empty, according to me."

He chuckled, conceding her point. "Fair enough," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "We haven't even gotten a chance to discuss the contract, though."

"Some other time," she replied with a shrug, gesturing toward the interior designer, who was patiently arranging another set of material swatches. "As you can see, I'm drowning in Anita's work right now."

He hummed, glancing at the array of choices spread out before them. "Akash is very weird, honestly. Did you know he called me past midnight last night to ask for my agent's number."

She looked up from the catalog she'd been pretending to choose from, "I need a break! I wish I could just go, but I guess I can't."

"Why not? Let's go out for some fresh air. I'll send my assistant in to finish up with the interior designer. She has good taste, trust me."

"Wouldn't Anita be upset if I do? She trusted me with this, not any of her sisters."

"Why would she be? You've already done the hard part. Let someone else handle the rest for a while. Come on."

She tapped her fingers against the table, biting her lip in thought.

He was right; she had done most of it. She had already chosen how every bedroom should be, at least to her, that's the most important.

With a small nod, she said, "Fine,"

•••••

They walked side by side and the silence between them stretched, up until Raghab decided to break it.

"Do you know," he began casually, "if Mrs. Kapoor were to find out Anita broke up with Akash because she didn't trust him enough, she would halt the wedding?"

Divya stopped in her tracks, turning to face him with a frown. "What?"

He shrugged, sliding his hands into his pockets as he continued walking slowly, and she caught up with him.

"Mrs. Kapoor believes that trust is the foundation of any relationship. To her, it's non-negotiable. She's always said a relationship must survive the test of time by trusting your partner implicitly. If she were to find out Anita didn't trust Akash enough to the point of breaking up with him, she wouldn't let this marriage happen."

She let out a dry chuckle while she glanced at him briefly. "Well then, let's tell her. Shouldn't we be honest with her? We shouldn't hide anything, don't you think?"

He stopped walking and turned to her, studying her expression. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, his tone serious.

"Completely. She also trusts you not to hide anything from her. So, fulfill your duty and call her up immediately,"

He hummed and pulled out his phone. "If it will make you happy," he began while unlocking the phone.

Before he could dial, she lunged forward and snatched it from his hand, "Are you okay, Raghav?" she exclaimed, staring at him like he'd just confessed to some unforgivable crime. "Were you actually going to call her?"

"Didn't you want me to?" he replied nonchalantly, his tone so casual it only irritated her.

She stared at him, wide-eyed, the disbelief written all over her face. "Fear men who are ready to snitch on their friends," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. Then, louder, she added, "But fear them even more when they live all alone."

His shoulders lifted in a half-hearted shrug. "I was only going to do it because you asked me to," he said.

She gazed at him with full seriousness, "Tell me, Raghav, would you jump into a river if I were to ask you to?"

He nodded with a smirk. "Without hesitation."

Her laughter was soft, and she hummed. "You're playing with fire," she warned. "Because, let me tell you, there's nothing you'll ever get from me. In fact, instead of a reward, you'll end up getting burnt. I've already told you—I exploit my relationships. Once I see you're of no use to me, I discard you without a second thought."

"And I remember clearly giving you the go-ahead to do just that."

"You're either underestimating my capabilities or incredibly stupid,"

"I'm just brave enough to keep standing in the fire,"

"Well then," she mused after a sigh, "let's see how long you can handle the heat."