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Veer's pov

I was just relaxing at home when a message popped up from Bhabhi - she was downstairs! I practically flew down the stairs to pick her up. It felt like ages since I'd last seen her and my little nephew, Kunnu.

"Veel chachu!" Kunnu squealed, his voice a burst of sunshine, as soon as he spotted me. I scooped him up into my arms, the familiar weight of him bringing an instant smile to my face, and then greeted Bhabhi. Her presence alone made the penthouse feel warmer, more alive.

We headed inside, and I was secretly proud of how clean the place was. I'd been so bored earlier that I'd actually done some cleaning myself, even before the maid arrived. Bhabhi's eyes swept across the living area, taking everything in, observing every detail.

"At least you're living in a good place," she finally said, a hint of relief in her voice.

"I'll worry less about you now." Her words, simple as they were, touched me. It was nice to know she cared so much.

"Chachu, chachu!" Kunnu giggled, squirming happily in my arms, his tiny fingers tugging at my shirt.

"He really missed you, Veer," Bhabhi added, and an overwhelming wave of emotion washed over me. My little baby, my nephew, missed me. It was a comforting, heartwarming feeling.

"How's your new boss?" Bhabhi asked.

"He's good," I replied, a slight pause as I considered my words. "And a workaholic, just like Bhai."

"You said he irritates you," she reminded me, a playful glint in her eye. She always remembers everything!

"He still does that," I conceded, a small smile playing on my lips as I recalled Omkar Sir's stubbornness just last night, his absurd need to show off his muscles.

"And Bhabhi, he's really competitive, especially towards the Yaduvanshis."

I smiled again, remembering the whole silly incident.

"Bhabhi, what do you want to drink?" I asked, trying to shift the focus.

"Oh, so now Veer knows how to host a guest?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"It's nothing," I defended, feeling a slight flush creep up my neck.

"I just learned how to make coffee, so wanna try?"

She agreed, her enthusiasm infectious. I carefully handed Kunnu over to her, his little arms instinctively wrapping around her neck, and then headed into the kitchen. I put all my effort into making that coffee, carefully placing the mug on the table before Bhabhi.

"Taste it," I urged, my voice laced with anticipation.

She gently placed Kunnu on the living room floor, surrounded by the toys she'd brought. I'd even bought a few myself when I heard he was coming. She took a sip of the coffee, and I watched her expression intently. She gulped.

"How is it?" I asked, my impatience growing with each passing second.

"Full marks for effort," she said, her voice hesitant, a slight wince on her face. "But honestly, it's not something you can really drink."

My heart sank a little. But then her face brightened.

"But don't worry," she added with genuine enthusiasm, "I'll teach you!"

Her words were kind, but my mind immediately drifted to Omkar Sir. He'd said it was good. He'd even drunk the whole mug without a single hesitation. What was he trying to do? Was he just trying to make me happy? He lied, and he drank that awful coffee just for me. I felt a pang of guilt and something akin to a strange warmth in my chest. I felt bad now. He could have just told me the truth; I wouldn't have minded.

"What are you thinking about?" Bhabhi's voice pulled me back to the present.

"Nothing," I mumbled, shaking my head slightly to clear my thoughts.

"Veer," Bhabhi began, her tone suddenly serious, "do you know there's going to be a feast at our ancestral temple? And you have to come. I don't want to hear any of your excuses. I want my whole family to be gathered there." She rattled it all off in one breath, leaving no room for argument.

"Bhabhi," I said, trying to tease her, a small smirk forming on my face, "Bhai will confiscate all my pocket money if I dare to upset you. Anyway, Bhai doesn't listen to anyone but you." I watched, amused, as a delightful blush crept up her cheeks. It was working.

"Veer..." she warned, feigning anger, but I could see the smile playing on her lips.

I went to get the balloons I'd bought for Kunnu and brought them into the living room.

"Where's your room?" she asked, her eyes following me as I emerged from the master bedroom.

"Omkar Sir doesn't have a guest room, so we both share a room," I replied, and for some reason, I felt a flicker of embarrassment, or maybe even shyness, as I said it. It was an odd feeling.

"Do you want to shift somewhere else?" she asked, her tone gentle.

"I know you don't like it when someone enters your personal space." She was right; it was something I'd always valued. But did I want to leave this place now? Omkar Sir wanted me to feel at home here; I didn't want to waste his efforts. Besides, knowing him, I don't think he'd even let me live somewhere else, judging from his previous actions when I refused to put my clothes in the wardrobe.

"No, Bhabhi," I said.

"It's nice here, and I won't be lonely." She simply nodded, acknowledging my feelings, and I felt a sense of relief.

"It's good to have a roommate," she replied, her smile reassuring.

We continued talking, catching up on everything that had happened at home in my absence. She told me everything with such excitement. Aadhya, my chatterbox Bhabhi, but I loved her. She could make any place lively. Omkar Sir was also a chatterbox, but only at home. At the office, he only knew how to irritate me or work with profound seriousness.

I couldn't help but compare them. Yesterday, when I was alone in this penthouse, it felt so empty. I watched TV, but he still didn't come. I didn't want to wait for him, but I couldn't bring myself to go and sleep in the room. I ended up falling asleep in the living room without even realizing it. I had a faint memory of him picking me up and settling me on the bed. Waking up in my bed confirmed that faint memory; he must have picked me up and brought me there. The thought brought a strange, soft feeling to my chest.

Kunnu suddenly jumped into my arms, pulling my attention back to him. In no time, the whole living area was filled with balloons. Kunnu and I were playing, laughing, and chasing balloons when my eyes unexpectedly fell on Omkar Sir. He was talking to Bhabhi, and just then, his eyes met mine. I quickly averted my gaze, a warmth spreading through me that I couldn't quite explain.

I approached him as Bhabhi took Kunnu in her arms because he was getting a little restless.

"You came early today," I commented, surprised. He replied that he'd finished his work ahead of schedule. I took the ice cream from his hand and put it in the fridge.

Bhabhi decided to cook for us because I'd requested it; it had been so long since I'd eaten homemade food. Omkar Sir offered to help, which Bhabhi readily accepted, and she teased me, saying I should learn from him.

"Bhabhi, why is the baby so restless?" I asked, seeing Kunnu crying softly.

"He must be hungry," she replied, taking a milk bottle from her bag. She sat on the sofa, baby in her arms, and Kunnu began to drink his milk contentedly.

Meanwhile, Omkar Sir had already gone to his room to freshen up.

"Veer!" he shouted from the room. I tried to pretend I didn't hear him.

"Veer!" he called again, louder this time. I couldn't help but follow his voice into the room.

"Why are you shouting?" I asked, reaching the room where he was sitting, half-naked.

"Oh, I can't find my charger," he said, rubbing the back of his head.

"And how would I know where your charger is?" I retorted, but then my eyes fell on the switchboard. The charger was already plugged in, right there.

"Are you kidding me, Mr. Ranawat, or have you lost your eyesight?" I snapped, genuinely irritated by his ridiculous behavior.

"Here's your charger," I said, pointing directly at it.

"Oh," he replied, scratching his head, a sheepish look on his face. "I really couldn't find it."

I was about to say something else when his phone rang. He raised a finger, signaling me to keep quiet, but as I turned to leave, he caught my wrist. He answered the call, still holding my wrist. I raised an eyebrow, questioning him, but he just continued talking on the phone, his grip firm on my wrist. I tried to pull away, but to my surprise, he pulled me closer to him. I felt suddenly hot, a strange heat spreading through me.

"Keep him there, and you know what to do," he commanded into the phone, his voice for the first time sounding dangerous, utterly unlike his usual tone with me. He then cut the call.

"Do you want something?" I asked, looking at him, still feeling the lingering heat from his touch.

"There will be some other assigned work from the departments of the company for you," he informed me, his voice back to its usual calm.

"About which matters?" I asked.

"You just have to upgrade their working sites and improve their smoothness," he replied. Finally, something related to my subject, my actual interest!

"Okay," I said, feeling a surge of enthusiasm.

"I'll talk to your secretary on Monday and get all the details."

"How did you get yourself injured?" he said suddenly, his eyes fixed on my hand, which had gotten a bit burnt when I was making coffee for Bhabhi.

"It was nothing," I replied, quickly trying to hide the slight burn. He always noticed everything.

Sit here," he said, pulling me onto the bed before reaching for a first-aid box.

"Harkate tumhari saari bachho jaisi h," he remarked, his voice soft as he applied cream to the burnt area.

(Your antics are so childish)

I hissed, a sharp intake of breath, as his finger pressed down. The burning sensation flared, causing a fresh wave of irritation.

"Aap dheere se kriye na, it's burning now," I murmured, looking up at him.

(Please be gentler)

"Aur aap chup kr ke baithiye," he replied, then leaned in to blow on the tender skin, his lips barely a whisper away from my arm.

(And you, just sit still.)

"Beta, stay out of the kitchen," he said, his tone firm but gentle. "You're not allowed in there."

"But Bhabhi will teach me how to make coffee!" I protested, a hint of childish hope in my voice.

"Only in her presence," he conceded, a small smile playing on his lips.

He moved closer then, and my breath hitched. What was he doing? I instinctively tried to back away, a wave of confusion washing over me. But then, I felt the soft press of his lips on my forehead. He kissed me. He fucking kissed me.

"Get well soon, baby," he whispered, and then, as if nothing extraordinary had happened, he turned and walked towards the wardrobe, leaving me utterly bewildered. My fingers tentatively touched my forehead, tracing the spot where his lips had lingered just seconds ago. A strange feeling, a mix of nervousness and a curious tickle, erupted within me.

"Hey, how could you kiss me?" The words escaped my lips as a barely audible whisper. It wasn't right to feel this way towards a man, especially him. I needed to shake off this unfamiliar emotion, this feeling I couldn't quite name, before it took root.

Perhaps it was simply because I had never been this close to anyone before, a closeness that now stirred something unsettling and profoundly new deep inside me.

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Keya 💛