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45. Support.

✨ CHAPTER FORTY FIVE ✨

"Mmm... Shubman, your phone," Mrunmayee murmured sleepily, her voice muffled against his chest as she snuggled closer to him, unwilling to let go of the warmth and comfort of his embrace.

With a soft groan, Shubman reluctantly reached for his phone, the shrill ringtone piercing through the tranquility of their morning cocoon. He glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was his sister, Shahneel, calling.

"Sat Sri Akaal, Shahneel Di," Shubman greeted her in a sleepy voice, his words still heavy with drowsiness.

"Oyee, Sat Sri Akaal ke bacche uth," Shahneel's voice boomed through the phone, her trademark energy cutting through the morning haze.

Shubman winced at the sudden loudness, rubbing his eyes to clear away the remnants of sleep. "Di, kya hua? Kyu chilla rahe ho subah subah?" he asked, trying to sound more awake than he felt.

As he began to sit up, Mrunmayee tightened her hold around him, unwilling to let him go. Shubman glanced down at her with a gentle smile, his fingers brushing softly against her cheek. "I need to take this call, babe," he whispered, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "You go back to sleep."

Shubman's heart skipped a beat as his sister's frantic voice echoed through the phone. "Kya hua, Di?!" he exclaimed, his brows furrowing in concern.

"Shubman, open the news! What are we seeing—a photo of you kissing someone?!" Shahneel's urgency cut through the line, her tone laced with disbelief and concern.

Shubman's hand trembled slightly as he unlocked his phone and hastily opened Instagram, his eyes scanning the feed until they landed on the incriminating photo.

There it was—a snapshot of him and Mrunmayee locked in a passionate embrace, their identities partially obscured but unmistakably recognizable.

"What?!" Shubman's voice rose in disbelief and frustration as he stared at the screen, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. His heart sank as he realized the implications of the photo being leaked to the public.

With a sinking feeling in his chest, Shubman turned his gaze to the woman still sleeping peacefully in their shared bed, her face softened in slumber.

How would she react when she found out that their private moment had been splashed across social media for the world to see?

His family didn't know about his relationship with Mrunmayee, and the thought of having to explain himself to them sent a wave of anxiety coursing through him.

How would they react? What would they think of him now that his private life had been laid bare for all to see?

Shubman stood there on the balcony, his phone pressed to his ear, he knew that he had to confront the situation head-on. But deep down, he couldn't shake the nagging fear of the fallout that awaited him.

Shubman's heart raced as he braced himself for the onslaught of questions and concerns from his family. With a deep breath, he pressed the phone closer to his ear, preparing to face the storm.

"Shubman, kya ho gaya? How could this happen?!" Shahneel's voice crackled with urgency and worry, her tone filled with disbelief.