Akshita's POV

The place was beautiful as always. The open terrace, and the red-clothed table with candlelights set the perfect tone for an amazing date.

[Something like the picture attached but a bit more fancy and red, you know 😉]

I handled my dress, keeping the purse on the table. "So? Miss Rai?" He asked.

'Shit Akshita, you're dead now.'

"I mean, my Bua and Fufa did adopt me so I am Miss Rai," I answered diplomatically.

"Well... They're not gonna check your Aadhar or something, you could've just said Miss Hegade, but I am more interested in why you didn't." He asked, not leaving the topic. I mean, I won't either but this is not helping me right now.

"Wouldn't you want to... I don't know, honour your parents?" He asked.

I felt all the muscles in my mouth as I used all the strength I had to bite back the sarcastic laugh threatening to leave my lips.

I could feel the end of my lips twitching, "Look, I don't want to lie to you, so I would appreciate it if you just- forget about it." I say truthfully, schooling my expression.

I don't want to lie to him, nor do I want to tell the truth.

"If that's what you want." He said, his voice unsatisfied.

I see Arpita coming towards the table. I take the menu on my side, looking over the items even though I have been here a thousand times before.

"Hello, Miss Akshita, how are you doing?" She asked as usual.

"Cholo ideni, neenu?" (I am fine, you?) I asked in Kannada.

The look on Ekansh's face was worth framing.

Ekansh's POV

Did she just talk in Kannada? Seriously.

I look at both of them in surprise.

How did she find a Kannada girl here? In the outskirts of town? In BHOPAL?

Akshita snorted looking at me. She said something back in Kannada and the waitress nodded and left.

"Shocker, ain't it?" She said, in an Australian accent, dramatically.

"Being with you is like exploring a whole new world," I stated truthfully.

"... Don't you dare close your eyes..." She muttered, "What?" I asked as she looked at me like I was a ghost.

"Seriously? You don't know the song? Bro, which rock have you been living under?" She asked, literally coming closer and hushing as if I did the most embarrassing thing in the world.

"Bro? I am your Boyfriend." I say, sounding very dominant.

"Chill dude, I was just- you know, talking casually. I don't call everyone around my boyfriend." She made a face in the end.

"What are you ordering?" I asked, changing the topic, and looking down at my menu. "Dragon chilli chicken! They cut the chicken pieces into thin slices and it's just- muah." She says giving a chef's kiss. Her hand movements could have a language of their own.

"You need to try it, it's just too good, I swear you'll be addicted." She started blabbering in excitement.

"Okay, okay, damn, I'll try it," I say chuckling at her excitement.

We ordered and talked a lot, we talked a lot while eating the food and after eating the food, you guessed it, we talked a lot.

The whole date was very humorous and interesting as I learned new and weird things about Akshita.

She once broke her knee running, to off the whistle of a cooker!

"And guess what? It's the same doorframe that I dashed into that day of the party!" She stated, taking a sip of her lemon soda as I recalled the memory.

"Really?" I asked, genuinely surprised, "Umhm" she replied, taking another sip. We went on talking and talking. I have to say, it's the most I talked to someone genuinely interested in a while now.

We walked out of the restaurant and made our way to her car. "There is this ice cream parlour just down this road. Would you mind?" She asked, pointing in the opposite direction, "You did plan everything, didn't you?" I asked, shaking my head. "Sure did!" She replied excitedly.

She opened the passenger door for me and my heart melted. I loved this.

Then it clicked.

'Shit Ekansh! You didn't propose did you?'

My heart stopped but my feet made their way and sat in her car.

'What the fuck Ekansh? When are you gonna propose?!'

Then it clicked again.

'Wait, you're already her boyfriend, so you don't have to propose? Just give her the ring!'

'Yeah, and you plan on doing that in her car?'

My inner consciousness mocked.

She started her car and drove back to the highway and started driving at a steady pace while my heartbeat wasn't at a steady pace.

"You and me belong together
Like cold iced tea and warmer weather..." She sang as my heart hammered in my chest, my brain racking to find ways to give her the ring.

"What's bothering you?" She asked. I sat still as a brick. "I-I just um..." I tried to explain but my phone interrupted me.

It was Dad.

"Hello?" I received the call, "Hello beta, um... Where are you right now?" He asked nervously. "On a date with Akshita, Papa, the outskirts of town..." I inform the specific location. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Beta... I need you to come to the office right now..." He said nervously, he was hiding something.

Akshita quickly took the car to the left edge and took a U-Turn from the middle of the road.

Not sure if that's against the traffic rules but there wasn't much traffic.

"What happened Dad? Did you find something about the breach?" I asked in the hope of answers.

"Beta... There has been a murder at our office." He said gravely as my mind crashed. "What?!" I ask in utter disbelief.

Akshita speeds up, "Yes beta- just came here as soon as possible." Dad said over the phone as I heard carefully.

"Did you call the police?"
"No."

"Did you call Ashwin?"
"Yes, he's on his way."

"Great, I'll be there ASAP," I say and end the call.

"A murder huh?" Akshita asks her eyes on the road. "I am not taking you there," I concluded, knowing about her fascination with crime scenes.

"I have seen murder and sorta, almost know how to solve murders, why wouldn't you take me there?" She asked, her eyes still on the road.

"Seen murder?" I ask confused by her words.

"Think about it." She said raising her eyebrows and giving me a quick look.

'Her parents were murdered? Good god! Why do I mess everything up?'

"Sorry-"
"You don't have to be. Just let me-"

"You don't have to come there," I said turning my head to her

"I know, I want to!" She said a bit louder.

"Fine." I huffed.

"Tell me everything. Everything I should know and shouldn't." She said, her eyes laser-focused on the road as she now drove on 120.

"Okay, so about 2 weeks ago there was a breach at our HQ in Mumbai. We went there right after the party. We couldn't find anything. The CCTV footage was also deleted. No one was murdered. Just some Intel was stolen. But with the person's hacking and breaching skills they could have done much more destruction but they didn't... Ashwin predicts that they are just trying to assert dominance-" I started explaining.

"Ashwin?"

"Our private detective." She nodded.

"He said that the guilty did not intend to steal anything, they're just doing these shenanigans to catch our attention and assert dominance over us. I went through all our rivals, potential rivals, some people I did dirty in the past, nothing. Literally nothing. All of them have their alibi... The files are now in Abhimaan's hands, dad said that some fresh eyes could perhaps dig something up." I said as she nodded.

Her eyes were on the road, but her mind was somewhere else.

Soon we reached my office. She parked her car in the parking lot and let out a heavy sigh. "First time seeing a dead body?" She asked as I nodded. "You could stop the bile by humming... You know so you don't vomi-" "Yup got it." I say quickly before my mind can picture it.

I step out with her and call my dad. "Hello?"

"You're here?" He asked eagerly.

"Yeah and so is Akshita-"
"WHAT?! Why did you bring her to a murder scene Ekansh, have you lost your mind?! What will I answer to Jashith-" he started panicking.

Akshita gestured for me to pass her the phone, "Aree Uncle ji, mene hi zid kar rahi thi, Ekansh ne na bhola but mai gadi chala rahi thi..." (Uncle, I came here on my own will and Ekansh tried to stop me but I was driving...) She talked as I walked in.

My heart beat fast.

Who could have died? How many? Was Ashwin here yet?

I put my hands in my pocket.

Shit.

I felt the ring box as I closed my eyes cursing myself.

'How can a day head south so easily?'

~ 1,535 Words

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Hello, my lovelies <3

How's life?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter ☺️

Soo. What do you think will happen?

Why do you think Akshita booked a reservation on the name Miss Rai instead of Miss Hegade?

Is it something big or me just messing with you to think it is? 😏

What about Ekansh not knowing Aladin? 😂

What about Ekansh's failed proposal?

And most importantly the MuRdEr?

Who do you think did it? The same security breach person? Who do you think was murdered?

Do you think Ekansh, Akshita and Ashwin will find out the guilty?

Let me know your thoughts! <3

Hope you enjoyed it, as always, don't forget to vote, and add this book to your lists so you don't miss any updates! The next update will be on 13th June.

Until Next Time
Lots of love. <333

~ 1,613 Words.