SOLACE, SERENITY, SOULMATE

Chapter 36: Predilection of Riddhima

     

    It was 3 a.m. Riddhima knocked on the door of the other room but received no reply. She pushed the door and found it unlocked. She hesitantly moved into the room and saw Vansh lying on the bed. Seeing him dozing off, she turned around and started walking away. 

    "Do you want something?" Riddhima heard him inquire. 

    "Were you not asleep?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. 

    "How can I sleep when my wife is awake?" he asked. 

    "Oh! Sorry, I disturbed you.", she started walking back toward the door. 

     Vansh stood on his foot and said, "You are becoming a silly woman." 

     Riddhima stopped on her way and responded, "I know, it's just like using and through things." 

     Vansh caught her wrist and forcefully turned her towards him. 

    His breath was fanning over her head. 

    He asked in a stern low voice, "What did you just say? Who used you, Riddhima? What is making you so restless?" 

    Riddhima tried to get away from his hold and facing failure, she said, "Move away." 

    Vansh didn't go further but released her from his grip. 

    She hurriedly ran towards her room and closed the door. 

    Vansh sat on the edge of the bed and muttered to himself, "I know you are developing feelings for me. Whenever you go through any news of my link ups you get restless. I'll help you to understand the foreign feelings you are going through. Riddhima, I'm your man and you are my wife. I'm yours and you are mine, only mine."

    "How come all the photos of Riddhima got deleted from my system?", Kabir shouted at his men. 

    One of his men replied, "Up to this point, we have not been able to find out about it." 

    "Where is Shakib? Ask him to retrieve those photos from the system.", Kabir ordered. 

    "Sahab, may be he left because he hasn't joined our manufacturing and exporting office for iron scrap since 2 weeks ago", his men informed. 

    "Why didn't you all inform me before?", Kabir shouted screaming his lungs out. 

    "I want all his details in 24hrs. How dare he?", Kabir threatened. 

    His men could manage a nod only.

    Next morning, Vansh and Riddhima were having their respective breakfasts before leaving to go to their respective work. 

    "Why don't you rest at home today, you didn't sleep last night?", Vansh suggested. 

    "I will be heading to college and it's very important," Riddhima replied sternly without looking at him at all. 

    Vansh finished his breakfast and kept his spoon and fork on the plate. 

    He looked at Riddhima and tried to understand her body language. 

    "Will you go for dinner with me?", Vansh asked. 

    She stared at him while her mouth remained open, as if thinking he had his own wife and was attempting to approach another woman. 

    "Don't give me that look. I am asking you for a dinner and not a date.", Vansh stated. 

    Riddhima realised her mind was getting diverted in some other direction but shrugging off all her thoughts, she asked, "Where will you take me?"