Ch-12 "Don't go too soft with my boy!"

Hello dear readers enjoy the chapter 🫶

Roop entered the gym area and paused, her gaze landing on Kabir, who was in the middle of doing push-ups shirtless, his muscles taut with each movement. Her eyes lingered for a moment too long before she muttered under her breath, "He's too hot to handle."

Trying to act casual, she spoke up with a smirk, "Mr. Too Much, could you please put on a shirt?"

Kabir immediately grabbed a towel and threw it over his shoulders, standing up. "Tumhe sharam nahi aati?"

(Translation - Don't you have any shame?)

She shrugged, smiling. "Matlab aap khud shirtless hokar pushups kar rahe hain aur mujhe kah rahe hain sharam nahi aati ye kaisa nyaya hai bhagwan."

He exhaled sharply, losing patience. "Roop, please. That’s enough."

She tilted her head playfully, "Kabir ji, for once can't you talk to me nicely? You're always so angry."

His voice was colder now. "Roop, just go. Leave me alone."

She turned away, a trace of hurt flickering in her eyes. Whispering to herself, "Bholenath, if you really put a heart in this man, he hides it damn well."

Meanwhile in their room,

She lay quietly on his chest, breathing softly, afraid that even her breath might give something away. His fingers moved slowly on her arm before he finally asked, "Did you meet anyone?"

She froze. A few seconds passed before she replied in a soft, shaky voice, "No… I didn’t meet anyone."

He didn't speak right away. He just looked at her carefully, as if trying to read her mind. Her eyes were lowered, and she didn't dare look at him. Her hands were tightly holding his shirt, like she was scared to let go.

Then suddenly, without warning, he moved quickly and came on top of her. She gasped, got scared and shut her eyes, thinking he might hurt her. But instead, gently kissed her hand, kissed her hand softly, and whispered, "I trust you, jaan."

Then he moved to the side and said, "You can go now."

She sat up quickly, trying to fix her dupatta, clearly nervous and panicked. As she turned to leave, he asked, "Why did you come to the room?"

She paused and mumbled to herself, "Dadi’s medicine…"

She looked at the table and saw the medicine box. She quickly picked it up and rushed out of the room.

He got up and went to the gym to work out, trying to clear his mind.

While he was working out, she walked past the gym area. Without turning to look at her, he said in a serious tone, "Kabir, you’ve started lying these days?"

She heard it and got scared. She quickly walked away without looking back.

"Boss, what happened?" Kabir asked.

"Nothing," he replied. "What about that sponsor?"

"It’s done, boss. You should see the newspaper."

"No need," he said calmly. "This morning was so beautiful. I don’t want to ruin it. Tell the staff to make Dadi and baccha’s favorite breakfast. I’m going for a shower."

Later that morning, Kabir walked down the hallway towards the library, his usual stoic expression in place, hands in pockets, mind clearly somewhere else.

That was until... "Mr. Too Much!" Roop's voice rang through the corridor like a cheerful alarm bell.

Kabir groaned inwardly without even turning. "Roop, please..."

But she was already beside him, strutting in step with a bright smile and mock admiration in her eyes. "Look at you, walking like some mafia man. Where’s the background music, haan?"

He stopped walking. "Do you ever stop talking?"

Roop placed a hand over her heart. "Only when you finally say something nice to me. Which is… never. So no, I won’t."

He gave her a hard look. "Roop, I’m not in the mood."

She leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, "You’re never in the mood, Kabir ji. You either look like someone just betrayed you, or like you’re plotting someone’s murder."

"I am," he muttered under his breath.

She giggled. "See! Knew it. You’ve got that secret villain vibe."

He started walking again. She followed, still full of mischief. "By the way, the shirtless look in the gym? Iconic. Should I book a calendar shoot for you? I know a guy very tasteful photography."

Kabir stopped and turned sharply. "Roop. Enough."

But Roop wasn’t fazed. She folded her arms, tilted her head and said, "You know, you act all scary and serious… but I think somewhere inside, you’re soft. Like a barfi."

He blinked. "A… barfi?"

She nodded seriously. "Hard on the outside, but all sugar on the inside."

He stared at her, stunned for a second, then shook his head and walked away, muttering, "Pagal ladki…"

Roop called again, "You didn’t deny it! I knew it! Kabir Malhotra is a barfi!"

From a distance, Dara was watching the whole exchange and chuckled softly, folding the newspaper. "That girl’s going to drive him crazy."

He walked into the study.

After showering, he came to the table, drying his hair with a towel. He started spreading butter on toast. Dara, his bodyguard, was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper.

She came in slowly and asked, "Can I see the newspaper, please?"

Dara quickly stood up and said, "Of course, bhabhi. Here you go."

She looked at the headline and her face changed. She whispered to herself, "Hey Kanha, ye duniya mein kya ho raha hai? Mere college sponsor ka career rato raat barbad ho gaya."

(Translation - Hey Kanha, what is happening in this world? The sponsor from my college… his career is finished overnight.)

She rushed into the dining area. "Dadi, look at this news!"

Before Dadi could respond, he said, "Baccha, we don’t read news early in the morning. Don’t waste this beautiful morning with bad news. Sit. Eat."

Then he looked at Dara and said, "Why were you even reading that during breakfast?"

"Eat first," he said, holding her hand gently toward the chair. "Come, sit down. Sit. Eat first. Then we’ll discuss the world’s tragedies."

She sat, still thinking about the news. "Whoever did this to that poor man..."

He looked at her with a soft smile and gently fed her a piece of bread. "No bad words, baccha. Not today."

Just then, Kabir, who was drinking juice, suddenly choked and spilled it.

She crossed her arms, frustration clear in her eyes. "Kyon Mr. Singhania wo kya aapke sage wale the?"

(Translation - Why, Mr. Singhania? Was he even related to you by blood?)

Aditya shook his head and took a deep breath, muttered under his breath. "Not mine… but yours."

He looked back at her with a mocking smile. "Baccha, if only you had shown this much concern for our married life… maybe things between us would’ve been better."

She stepped back, hurt flickering in her eyes, then turned towards Dadi. "Dadi, he was a very good man. He didn’t deserve this, He helped a lot of people."

Aditya raised his brows mockingly. "Oh really? You know what kind of person he is? And what do you mean by was? Let him die first, baccha. He’s still breathing, unfortunately."

Dadi frowned, clearly upset. "Adi, what are you saying? These are such heavy words so early in the morning."

He turned to her, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly irritated but trying to stay composed. "Dadi, maybe it’s time you teach your bahu something can you please explain a few basic things to your beloved Adi ki biwi? She’s so concerned about the rest of the world, but when it comes to her own husband. doesn’t care even a little about her husband."

Then he stood up, adjusted his watch, and said coldly, "I have to go to the showroom."

Before leaving, he leaned down and gently kissed Dadi’s forehead, showing his usual respect. Then he moved towards her, paused, and softly kissed her forehead too. But she didn’t smile. She only stared back at him angry, confused, and quietly hurt.

He turned to Kabir. "Kabir, take your bhabhi to university. And make sure she's safe. She's so busy worrying about others I don't want her getting hurt while being the world’s savior."

Placing a hand on her cheek softly, he said, "In her concern for others, I hope she doesn’t end up creating problems for herself. Bye, jaan, bye dadi."

After finishing her breakfast in silence, she went upstairs. A few moments later, she descended the staircase.

Her bag was slung over her shoulder, and determination reflected in every step.

"I'm not going with security," she said, standing firmly in the middle of the living room.

Kabir looked up, startled by her sudden declaration. "But… bhabhi," he began hesitantly.

She didn’t wait for him to finish. "I'll call Mr. Singhania. At least he might listen, because clearly no one else in this house does."

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was laced with something colder hurt mixed with quiet defiance.

Kabir stepped forward, lowering his voice. "Bhabhi, boss gave me this responsibility himself. If anything happens to you, I won't be able to face him."

She didn’t reply. Instead, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number. The call rang once… twice… then went straight to voicemail. Her eyes narrowed as she lowered the phone. "Switched off."

She bit her lip, the feeling of being unheard sinking in deeper. Without wasting time, she scrolled through her contacts and called Vansh.

Vansh was just stepping out of a café when he felt the vibration in his pocket. He looked at the screen. "Meera?" he muttered, concern rising instantly. He answered the call without hesitation.

"What happened?" he asked immediately.

She exhaled. "Where’s Mr. Singhania? His phone’s off."

Vansh frowned. "Try his other number. I’m not with him right now, I stepped out."

There was a pause on her end, and then she admitted, her voice lower now, "I don’t want to go to university with security."

He didn’t respond right away, but his tone softened. "Alright. Where’s Kabir?"

"Right here," she replied.

"Pass the phone to him."

She handed it over wordlessly, avoiding Kabir's eyes.

"Kabir," Vansh's voice was calm but commanding, "Take her yourself, but don’t take the security detail."

Kabir hesitated. “But bhai… boss..."

"I'll talk to him," Vansh cut in firmly. "If she's not comfortable, just go alone. I know you you're as good as a full team of security. Nothing will happen."

Kabir couldn’t argue with that. "Okay, bhai," he said and handed the phone back to her.

The line went dead. Kabir turned to her and said, "Let’s go, bhabhi. This way."

She didn’t say anything, just walked ahead, her silence speaking louder than words.

Meanwhile, at the showroom, Vansh arrived and walked straight toward the boardroom where Aditya was in a meeting. His expression was tight, eyes serious.

Without knocking, he entered and said only one line, "Adi, come to your cabin. Now."

He didn’t ask questions. The urgency in Vansh’s voice told him everything. He immediately closed his notebook and stood up. "Adi, where are you going?" Isha, one of his associates, asked, surprised.

"There’s something more important I need to handle," he said calmly, then turned and walked out.

He entered his cabin to find Vansh waiting with crossed arms and a look that meant business.

"What’s going on?" He asked.

"Where’s your phone?" Vansh asked flatly.

Aditya checked his pockets, one by one. His forehead creased. "I… I don't know. Maybe I left it at home or in the car."

Vansh leaned forward. "Adi, you're not alone anymore. There’s someone in your life now someone who counts on you."

Aditya’s heart skipped a beat. "Baccha… Is she okay? What happened?" His voice cracked slightly.

"That's what I want to ask you," Vansh replied. "She's been trying to call you. You didn’t even realize your phone was missing."

His face darkened with guilt. He didn't say a word, just turned on his heel and headed toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Vansh asked.

"Home. I’m going home."

"She's already left for college," Vansh said. "Why don’t you drop her off yourself? What’s more important than your wife right now?"

He stopped, his hand on the door. "Vansh, I wanted to go. But then I thought she’s already upset with me. If I suddenly show up at her university, she might get even more irritated. I don’t want to push her further away."

Vansh's voice softened. "I know you care. You always have. But she needs to feel that too. From tomorrow, you’re going to be the one dropping her to university. No security. Just you and her."

He stood there in silence for a second, then gave a small nod. "Okay. I will."

Vansh smiled faintly. "Good. Start showing her what she means to you not just when things break, but before they even crack."

Back in his showroom cabin, Vansh folded his arms and looked at him intently, a knowing smirk dancing in his eyes.

"So," he asked, voice casual but curious, "what did you do about Mehta?"

He leaned back slightly in his chair, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smile. "Your wedding gift," he said, his tone cool and collected.

Vansh let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "Of course it is. I should’ve known. You really can’t buy a better gift in the market, can you?"

Aditya’s smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with a spark of mischief that hadn’t been there in days. "Some things need to be handled quietly... and permanently."

Meanwhile, across the city, she sat beside Kabir in the passenger seat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The car moved steadily through the morning traffic, but her mind wasn’t at peace. Her thoughts were clouded, replaying the news again and again.

She broke the silence.

"Kabir…" she said softly, her voice uncertain, "What do you think? Who could’ve been behind all this?"

Kabir tightened his grip on the steering wheel. For a moment, he didn’t respond. Then he glanced at her sideways, lips twitching into a short, restrained smile.

He cleared his throat, trying to suppress a chuckle. "Bhabhi, honestly… why should we concern ourselves with all that? What does it matter who did it?"

His playful tone faded into seriousness. "Let’s just stay away from trouble. We're almost at the college. Please, just focus on your classes."

He pulled up to the college gate and quickly stepped out to open the door for her. His respectful gesture was automatic, but his eyes followed her with a hint of worry.

"Take care," he murmured as she stepped out.

She gave a faint nod and turned toward the campus building. She wasn’t even halfway through the corridor when suddenly out of nowhere someone grabbed her wrist.

Her breath caught in her throat. Before she could react, she was pulled into a nearby empty classroom and the door clicked shut behind them.

Her eyes shut instinctively in fear, heart racing in her chest. For a second, all she heard was silence. Then she opened her eyes slowly.

"Rohan?" she said, stunned.

He stood there, too close, his eyes wild with urgency.

"Why are you here again?" Her voice rose, sharp and defensive. "I told you yesterday, Rohan. Stay away from me."

"I didn’t come to argue," Rohan said, his voice calm in a way that made it worse. "I came to take you away from all this."

"Take me?" she repeated, her brows shooting up. "Are you insane?"

She yanked her wrist free, backing a few steps. "Yesterday, I still thought you might’ve had good intentions. But today… this?" Her voice cracked with anger. "Today I see exactly what you are."

Rohan’s face contorted with frustration. "I just want to save you from this life, Meera. You deserve better. Not this prison you’re living in."

"A prison?" she laughed bitterly. "My life is perfectly fine. And if someone ruins it, it'll be because of you, not anyone else. I don’t need saving, Rohan. I need you to stop showing up in my life uninvited."

He pulled something from his pocket a bar of chocolate, her favorite brand. He held it out to her, like a peace offering.

"At least take this."

She froze for a moment. Then, slowly, her expression turned icy.

"You've lost it completely," she said coldly. "I don’t want your chocolate. If I ever want something sweet in life, my husband will get it for me. Do you understand?"

Her words hit like a slap, and she saw it in his face.

Without waiting for a response, she stormed out of the room, her steps sharp, her pride intact, leaving behind the awkward silence of a man who’d crossed a line too far.

That evening, the house was wrapped in a quiet warmth. She stepped inside, placing her bag down and removing her dupatta with tired fingers. Just as she began walking toward the staircase, Dadi’s voice called out gently behind her.

"Meera beta, come here for a moment."

She turned, curious, and walked toward the living room where Dadi sat on the couch, folding a woolen shawl into a travel bag.

"I'll be going to Adi's Nani's house for a few days," Dadi said without looking up, her voice casual yet full of meaning. "So… you'll shift into Adi's room."

She blinked, taken aback. "Dadi… you’re going?"

Dadi finally looked at her with a knowing smile. "Yes, beta. And anyway, it’s been quite some time since your marriage, hasn’t it? I believe by now, you must’ve started understanding Adi a little… or at least trying to."

She stayed quiet, not sure what to say.

"And," Dadi continued, pulling the zip shut, "Adi told me this morning that I should speak to you… ask you to live with him like a proper wife. So from now on, you both will stay in the same room. Like husband and wife."

Her eyes widened in shock, her breath catching slightly. "I don't think I can keep up with your(her husband) fire, Dadi. Wait a minute... You. Mean. That. Way."

Dadi's eyes widening, then slapping her forehead dramatically, "Shameless girl! Play your cards right. Don't go too soft with my boy!"

Then smirking, "Anyways, I'll pretended I didn't hear anything."

Her cheeks flushed with heat as she stumbled over her words. "No, Dadi, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant… you want me to stay in Mr. Singhania’s room?"

Dadi nodded firmly, her voice calm but certain. "Yes. Because I know my grandson. He’s difficult, yes, but he would never cross a line. He won’t touch you without your consent. You’re safe with him, even if he burns half the world in anger."

She looked away for a moment, biting her lip. Her heart fluttered with conflicting thoughts. "Yes… even I trust him that much. He’s never made me feel unsafe, not even once."

But still, the idea of sharing that space his space felt daunting.

Dadi narrowed her eyes. "Did you say something?"

Meera quickly shook her head. "No… nothing, Dadi."

There was a beat of silence, and then she said softly, hesitantly, "It's just… I don't want to go into Mr. Singhania’s room."

Her voice cracked slightly at the end, and she didn’t even know why. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was confusion. Or maybe, just maybe… it was something deeper she wasn’t ready to admit.

Dadi didn't force her. She just placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Beta, love doesn't always come with firecrackers and violins. Sometimes, it starts in silence… in the same room, under the same roof. Give it a chance."

Thank you for reading!