After a long and tiring day, Drishti finally entered into her and Divya's room, free from all the work.

She first and foremost went inside the bathroom, filling the bathtub. She was all set to take a bubble bath.

"What a tiring day." She sighed and stretched her arms. She removed the rubber band from her hair, letting it fall lose and gently massaged her scalp, easing her mind.

Divya entered the room, yelling in excitement and full of energy.

"God why do you have to shout so much?! Give your mouth some rest."
Drishti spoke, irritated by her presence.

Divya glared at her, but soon it changed into a victory smile that reached her eyes.

"So, miss PA! As I said, I won the challenge!" She said, sitting on the bed as she gave her a smirk.

"Engagement didn't took place today, it'll happen tomorrow. Calm your horses down, girl." She spoke calmly.

"Do you have amnesia? The challenge was I won't let the engagement take place today, so I won! My prince charming will be mine soon."

She said smiling, as a group of butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought of being with Rakshit.

"Bro, at this point I'm convinced you do live in delusion. He's getting engaged tomorrow, get your hungry eyes off him. You aren't even his type."

"Oh? Did he personally told you that? And why're you arguing with me over him?"

"Actually, yes. He did told me to keep you away from him."

"Shut up and go take a bath Ms PA. Kitni gandi lag rhi ho!
[U look so bad]

"Oh hello! Khud ki shakal dekhi hai? Khud kitni gandi lag rhi ho!"
[Have u looked at your face? You look so bad yourself!] She said, keeping her towel on her shoulders.

Divya held the towel from one side and Drishti from the other side. They started pulling the towel towards themselves and at last, divya won.

"Give my towel back!"

"Didn't you said I look bad? See how seriously I took your words. So I'll bath first!"

Divya entered the bathroom, her eyes widening in delight at the sight of the bathtub filled with bubbles and lather. She gasped, mesmerized by the whimsical scene before her. Unable to resist, she dipped her hands into the bubbly water, scooping up some lather and playing with it. The bubbles floated around her, shimmering in the light, and she gazed at them with childlike wonder.

Despite being a doctor, Divya often found joy in the simplest of things, her playful nature emerging in moments like these. She was like a child, captivated by the magic of the bubbles, her eyes twinkling with happiness.

Drishti followed her into the bathroom, a weary sigh escaping her lips as she took in the scene. Divya's joyful antics were endearing but also exasperating, especially after a long day.

"Yah look! I filled this bathtub for myself, so I'll bathe first!" Drishti declared, her voice a mix of irritation and fondness.

"If I have to look, I'll look at some handsome man, a celebrity or my prince charming, why will I look at you?" She spoke, still gazing at the bubbles with hearty eyes.

"I prepared the bathtub for MYSELF because I wanted to take a bubble bath!"

Divya turned and, with a mischievous grin, hugged Drishti tightly. "Oh my gosh, you know me so well!" she exclaimed, clearly enjoying the opportunity to annoy her enemy.

"Don't try to act smart, okay? I filled it for myself. Get out and let me bathe in peace, for humanity's sake!" Drishti retorted, her frustration evident. She was already tired from a day's work and now had to deal with this grown-up 21-year-old acting like a child.

"Smart act karne ki kya zarurat hai? Mai already hu!" [Why should I act smart? I already am!] Divya responded, shrugging her shoulders proudly.

"I'm going to bathe first because I FILLED IT BEFORE YOU CAME INTO THE ROOM!" Drishti insisted, her patience wearing thin.

"Is that so?" Divya said, a naughty smile spreading across her lips. She grabbed a jug full of water, looking at Drishti with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Y-you better don't! I-I'll kill you, I swear!" Drishti stammered, trying to back away, but Divya, being Divya, poured the whole jug of water over her head. Drishti closed her eyes, the cold water soaking her at 12:15 AM.

"DIVYA, YOU BETTER DON'T-" Drishti's protest was cut off as she felt the icy water drench her, her lips sealing shut, and her eyes squeezed tight against the cold.

Divya laughed loudly, mocking her with a singsong, "Na na na na na! Na na na na na!"

Drishti marched toward her, intent on snatching the jug away, but Divya was too quick. She filled it with water again, ready for another round.

"Miss PA, run outside, or else you know..." Divya teased, smiling mischievously. Drishti, her hair and dress soaked, ran out of the bathroom, bubbles and lather clinging to her.

"God, this girl is literally crazy! Can I please kill her? One murder shouldn't hurt! UGHHH!" Drishti muttered to herself, looking down at her drenched dress with annoyance.

The floor was slippery with water, and as she tried to steady herself, a knock came at the door. She rolled her eyes. "Who's here at this time?"

She opened the door, only to find Rakshit standing there, staring at her as if she were from another planet.

She made a crying face, looking up at him. "Kanha ji, why do you hate me so much?" she thought, before saying aloud, "S-sorry, Rakshit sir. This is because of that... stupid Divya..."

Rakshit raised an eyebrow, taking in her appearance. "Exactly, Ms. Sud. You're soaked in cold water at freaking 12:20 AM with all this lather on your head like icing on a cake. What is this?"

"Sir, that... ouch! Jal rha hai!" [It's burning!] she cried, rubbing her eyes as some lather got into them.

Rakshit sighed, pulling out his handkerchief. "Here, take this and clean your eyes."

"No no no, jal rha hai! Mummy mummy mummy aah!" [Mummy, my eyes are burning!] she jumped up and down in pain.

"Stop jumping, or it'll burn more"

Rakshit advised, his tone softer than usual. He extended his hand, offering the handkerchief, but Drishti was too busy jumping and rubbing her eyes.

Annoyed, he grabbed her right hand and pulled her towards him. "Stand still, you fool!" he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. She closed her eyes, her lips trembling from the cold.

He began cleaning her eyes with his handkerchief, wiping the lather away. His movements slowed as he studied her face-her thin eyebrows, hazel eyes, long eyelashes, and pinkish lips, quivering from the cold. She opened one eye, their gazes locking, and his heart did a strange flip. He quickly looked away, letting go of her hand.

"Ms. Sud, I hope you're okay" he said, stepping back.

"Yes, I am. Why did you come here, by the way?" she asked, taking a step back but slipping on the wet floor. She reached out, grabbing his collar for support, but he lost his balance and fell on top of her.

Her eyes widened as they found themselves lying on the wet ground, her head between his hands, their bodies inches apart. The air thickened with tension, a strange feeling settling in his heart as he stared at her.

Frustration and embarrassment surged through Rakshit at the awkward position, made worse by their mutual animosity. But something deeper stirred within him, a connection he couldn't ignore.

Drishti, beneath him, felt a rush of surprise. Despite their mutual hatred, a flicker of something unfamiliar danced in her heart, a glimpse of a connection beyond their professional roles. The unexpected closeness with Rakshit ignited a spark of confusion and something more profound, leaving her grappling with the swirl of emotions within her.

She gulped, looking into his eyes. "Sir..." she murmured, her voice a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability.

"My jhumki..."

Rakshit furrowed his brow, momentarily disoriented.

"Jhumki? What jhumki?"

Drishti managed a small smile despite the situation. "My jhumki is stuck in your coat's pocket..." She reached up slowly, her fingers brushing against his chest as she delicately extracted the earring from his pocket.

Their faces remained close, the world narrowing to just the two of them. The water around them became a mere backdrop to their unexpected closeness.

"Y-you can get up now..." she said, her heart racing.

Rakshit snapped out of his thoughts. He stood up straightening his coat and glaring at her. "Thank you..."

"I'd advise you to be stable and not fall here and there. Or you'll go around complaining your CEO makes you overwork" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Drishti frowned but held her tongue.

"Anyways, take this file and complete it by tomorrow afternoon."

He walked away, leaving her standing there in a mix of rage and confusion, her heart still pounding from the incident that happened just minutes ago. There was this thing between them she couldn't quite name and couldn't quite ignore. And it's better if she never discovers what that is.