Anisha had been waiting for Arvik for almost an hour now.
But he still hadn't come.
Talking to herself, she murmured,"Where has Arvik gone? I've been waiting for so long…"
She hadn't eaten anything since noon. Hunger clawed at her stomach, yet she ignored it. What worried her more was him.
Did he even eat anything?Because of my discharge, he hasn't eaten since morning…
Lost in these thoughts, Anisha didn't realize when sleep slowly took over her on the sofa.
3:00 A.M.
Arvik finally entered the house.
He had received an urgent call from the office. His secretary, Abhay Singh, had informed him about a critical meeting related to an extremely important project and deal for the company.
Initially, Arvik had planned to postpone it.
But the deal was too crucial.
Without informing anyone, he left for the office and held the meeting late at night.
By the time it ended, it was already 2:30 a.m.And when he reached home—it was 3.
As Arvik walked through the hall toward his bedroom, his eyes fell on Anisha sleeping on the sofa.
His eyebrows knitted together instantly.
"Why is this girl sleeping here?" he muttered."Why didn't she sleep in the bedroom?"
I'll ask her in the morning.
With that thought, he gently lifted Anisha into his arms and carried her upstairs to the bedroom, laying her carefully on the bed.
After that, Arvik went into the wardrobe to change his clothes.
A few minutes later, he lay down on the sofa in his room.
The sofa was far too small for his tall frame.
No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get comfortable.
Sleep refused to come.
Annoyed, he finally sat up.
His gaze drifted to the large, luxurious bed—where Anisha was sleeping peacefully, sprawled comfortably across it.
Seeing her sleep so freely, Arvik made a face.
He stood up and adjusted her position.
Within seconds, she sprawled again.
He tried once more.
Same result.
Again.
And again.
It turned into a silent battle—Arvik fixing her posture, Anisha returning to her original position.
Finally, his patience snapped.
He grabbed the water jug placed nearby and poured the entire jug over Anisha.
Anisha woke up with a scream.
"Which mad person is pouring water on me?!"
"How dare you call me mad?" Arvik snapped angrily.
Hearing his sharp voice, Anisha froze.
She looked at him, her voice instantly softening.
"Why did you pour water on me?"
Arvik crossed his arms.
"You sleep like you own the entire bed. No other person can sleep beside you."
"You're lying," Anisha said flatly."I sleep very properly. You must've seen some dream."
Her blatant lie made Arvik stare at her as if she were an alien.
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Anisha asked,"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"I'm just checking," Arvik said coldly,"that along with deceiving people, you also know how to lie."
The word deceiving hit Anisha hard.
Her face fell.
Without even looking at her, Arvik continued,"I don't understand how you girls lie so effortlessly."
Suddenly, he stopped speaking.
Because Anisha had started crying.
Seeing her tears, he frowned.
"Now what? You're crying over such a small thing? I only scolded you for lying."
"Honestly, all girls have the same problem. First you make mistakes, and when someone says anything—tears start flowing like rivers."
Anisha was burning with anger.
But she swallowed it somehow.
Suddenly, she stood up from the bed, grabbed her pillow, and went to sleep on the sofa.
Seeing her reaction, Arvik muttered to himself,"How dare she show me attitude?"
He was too sleepy to argue further.
He glared at her once and said,"I'll deal with you later."
And lay down on the bed.
Sleep claimed him instantly.
After Arvik fell asleep, Anisha slowly opened her eyes.
She sat up on the sofa, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
Looking at his sleeping figure, she whispered in her heart—
"Arvik… I know you're tied to this relationship only because you understand responsibilities. You know how to honor relationships."
"But I know my reality."
"I'm just a substitute. Nothing more."
"The day Aditi returns, I'll leave this house… and your life."
"And I will leave willingly."
"Because my purpose is something else."
"I didn't come to Mumbai to bind myself in relationships."
What do you think?
What is Anisha's real purpose?
Will Aditi return to Arvik's life?
How long can this forced distance hide the growing emotions?
✨ All answers await you in the coming chapters.
Till then—bye, guys.