"𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬."

Avani's eyes blazed as she gritted her teeth, her voice low and venomous. "Bastard. How dare you send me flowers?!" She snatched the bouquet, intent on discarding it, but her fingers hesitated. The roses were exquisite, their delicate petals. She couldn't bring herself to toss them away.

"Damn him," she muttered, carefully plucking the note from the bouquet. The paper crumpled in her fist as she hurled it into the dustbin.

Just then, a knock at the door broke the tension. "Yes, come in," Avani called out, still fuming.

Rohan entered, his eyes scanning the room before settling on the bouquet on Avani's desk. "Oh, I thought you didn't like keeping flowers in your office?" He sank into one of the chairs opposite her desk.

Avani's fingers danced across her laptop keyboard as she replied, "I don't, but...I couldn't throw these away." Her gaze drifted to the roses, a fleeting softness in her eyes.

Rohan's brow furrowed. "If you brought them, then why throwing them away?" Avani's expression turned icy. " I didn't brought it, someone delivered them."

Rohan's interest piqued, he leaned forward. "Who?" Avani's voice was laced with disdain. "Siddharth."

Rohan's eyes widened, his face a picture of surprise. "Huh?" He paused, studying Avani's reaction. "That dude send you flowers, Avani? Why should he send you flowers?"

Avani's focus returned to her laptop, her tone curt. "I don't know, Rohan. Just drop it."

Rohan's gaze lingered on the bouquet before shifting back to Avani. His expression hinted at unspoken questions, but he chose not to press the issue.

Rohan carefully plucked a rose petal from the bouquet, his fingers gentle. " Okay, I came to tell you that I'll be heading to Delhi soon," he said, his gaze drifting to Avani's face.

Avani looked up from the file she was organizing, her expression curious. "Delhi? What's taking you there?"

"I'm accompanying Nitika to collect her certificate from law college," Rohan explained, his eyes returning to the rose petals.

Avani nodded, making a mental note. "The certificate finally done, then." She picked up her pen, which had fallen on the floor while grabbing a file. Rohan nodded.

"So now it's just Aditi and me for the next two days." Avani's gaze flicked to the calendar on her desk. "When are you leaving?"

"Today afternoon," Rohan replied, his voice casual. "I haven't told Nitika about it yet, so..." He trailed off, hinting at his desire to keep the trip private.

Avani nodded understandingly. "Alright, then. Let's go home now. I'll wrap up my work from home." She gathered her belongings, her movements efficient.

Rohan stood, pocketing the rose petal. "I'll drop you home, then." Avani smiled, tucking her phone and wallet into her bag. "Thanks, Rohan. Let's go."

As they walked out of the office together, the tension from earlier seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie.

----

It was a warm evening, and Aditi was busy in the kitchen, preparing a small snack for Avani and herself to enjoy with their evening tea. The clock on the wall in the hallway showed 4:39 pm, and the aroma of freshly brewed tea wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of roasting snacks.

Avani was in her room, taking a refreshing shower after a long day. Nitika and Rohan had left in the afternoon to collect Nitika's certificates, and the house was quiet, except for the occasional clinking of utensils in the kitchen.

Just as Aditi was placing the snacks on a plate, she heard a sudden voice behind her. "Oh, it smells so good, Aditi! What are you making?" Avani exclaimed, startling Aditi, who let out a little scream.

Avani rushed to her side, concern etched on her face. "Oops, sorry Aditi! I didn't mean to startle you!"

Aditi shook her head, a small smile spreading across her face. "Yes, you did, but it's okay, didi." Avani chuckled, pulling Aditi's cheeks gently. "Aww, you're so cute!"

Aditi playfully pushed Avani's hands away, rubbing her cheeks. "Aah, didi, it hurts!" Avani laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Again, sorry, but I couldn't help myself. You're so cute. You're going to get all the attention in college."

Aditi's eyes widened in confusion. "Huh? College? But I'm not attending any..." Avani's smile grew wider as she popped a snack into her mouth. "You're not now, but you're going to be. I got admission in one of the colleges here. You're in your second year, right?"

Aditi nodded, her face still etched with surprise. "We both are going to get admission for you tomorrow. You can complete your studies and become a doctor, just like you've always dreamed." Avani's eyes shone with excitement as she spoke.

Aditi's eyes welled up with tears, her voice barely above a whisper. "I...I'll be able to study..." She asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

Avani nodded, her smile warm and reassuring. "Yes, you will. Rohan was the one who got everything ready. He wanted to take you to the college, but Nitika's certificates were ready, and I'm not that free to travel that far with her."

Aditi flung her arms around Avani, holding her tightly. "Thank you, didi, thank you so much...I don't know how I'll repay you, you and Rohan bhaiya are doing this much for strangers like us."

Avani stroked Aditi's back, her voice soft and gentle. "We don't need anything, we've already told you. And you and Nitika are not strangers to us, okay? Now, wipe your tears." Avani pulled Aditi away from her and picked up the snack plates. "Come, let's watch some movies."

As they walked out of the kitchen, Aditi felt a sense of gratitude and wonder. She had never imagined that her life would take such a dramatic turn, thanks to the kindness of Avani and Rohan. She smiled, feeling a sense of hope and excitement for the future.

----

Avani and Aditi were engrossed in a Bollywood movie when Avani's phone rang, shrill in the silence. She glanced at the screen, her brow furrowing at the unknown number. "I'll be right back," she said, getting up from the couch.

Aditi nodded, her eyes never leaving the screen. Avani walked over to the balcony door, slid it open, and stepped outside. The gentle breeze rustled her hair as she answered the call.

"Hello, Lawyer Avani here. Who's this?" she asked, her voice crisp and professional.

A low chuckle resonated from the other end. "So professional, cherine... it's me,."

Avani's eyes widened in surprise. This wasn't the number Siddharth usually use to distrub her. If she knew it was him.

" You wouldn't have picked up," Siddharth said, his voice laced with amusement. "That's why I used a different number."

Avani rolled her eyes. "So you know. Bye. Never call me again to disturb me."

Siddharth's chuckle deepened. "Hey, cherine, don't hang up. I just wanted to know if my little gift reached you safely and if you liked it."

Avani's annoyance flared. She remembered the morning's incident, and her anger simmered just below the surface. With a swift motion, she cut the call and stepped back inside.

Aditi looked up, concern etched on her face. "You okay, di?"

Avani forced a smile, hiding her irritation. "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Let's continue watching the movie."

Aditi nodded, choosing not to pry further.

Siddharth chuckled  as he stared at the blank screen. "So, my gift reached safely," he murmured, his fingers stroking the soft fur of his dog, who lay sprawled across his lap.

---------------------------------------------------------

New chapter update<3!