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Shivanya ~

What did I just do?

Did I just scold my boss in front of everyone while he kept calling me Sunshine? In front of everyone?

Shit.

"Di, woah I am so so impressed with you. Scolding your own boss and that too in front of everyone. But why am I impressed with him more and why does he call you Sunshine? Is there something I don't know?" Radhika, who had made her way next to me and entwined her arm with mine, asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Yes Shivi. He is Vihaan Raichand, the man jab uski satakti hai toh acche acche uske saamne bol nahi paate and tune toh use kya sunaya hai aur woh chup chaap sun raha tha, infact khud ko hansne se rok raha tha tumhare saamne? Kya chal raha hai yeh, bol?" Taran made his way to my other side, looking at me, waiting for an answer.

(Translation - Yes, Shivi. He is Vihaan Raichand, the guy who can make even the toughest people speechless when he stands his ground. And you, what did you say to him that made him just sit there quietly, trying not to laugh in front of you? What's happening here? Tell me!)

"Because he is delusional and thinks that I am stupid. Now, let's change the topic, shall we?" Was all I said and left it at that.

"Ummm...no. We are sticking to this particular topic for now." Radhika wasn't going to give in, why would I think this was going to be easy for me? I sighed before turning my head to look towards Taran who was of no help because he wore the same mask of curiosity as her.

"Later tonight, just face time." I said and they agreed, thankfully not pushing me to spill immediately.

The day had already been long, and now, with Radhika and Taran giving me those looks, it felt even longer. I couldn't shake off the embarrassment of what had just happened. Vihaan Raichand, the man known for his cold bloodedness and ruthlessness towards people who dare raise voice their voice in front of him, had stood there calmly, letting me scold him in front of everyone. And worse? He had called me Sunshine, this time in front of everyone!

The rest of the time I spent with them, I could feel Mr. Birdbrain's eyes on me but I dared not look at him, that was how embarrassed I was!

As I stood at the next stall from everyone else, my eyes trailed over the oxidised jewellery pieces on display, trying to focus on something, anything other than the fact that I had just scolded Vihaan Raichand in front of a crowd. My heart was still racing from the embarrassment when I felt a familiar presence beside me.

"Sunshine," Vihaan's voice was soft but unmistakable. I turned slightly, catching his smirk as he stood just inches away. He wasn't buying anything, nor was he looking at anything . His gaze was fixed entirely on me.

"Sir, do you even realize what you have done? You called me that in front of everyone! Now what am I supposed to tell them when they ask me why on earth were you calling me that?" I almost whispered yelled at him, my frustration bubbling over as I tried to turn away from him.

But in my flustered state, I miscalculated my step. My ankle twisted awkwardly, and I felt the world tilt beneath me. Just as panic surged through me, I felt his hands wrap around my waist, pulling me back from the brink of falling flat on my face.

"Easy there," Vihaan said, his voice a mix of concern and amusement. He steadied me and I could feel my heart racing, not just from the embarrassment but from the way his touch sent warmth flooding through me.

I straightened, refusing to show any signs of discomfort. "I'm fine," I muttered, trying to shift my weight off my injured foot. But the moment I did, another wave of pain surged through me.

"No, you are not," He said curtly.

"I don't need to—" I began, but before I could protest further, he scooped me up in his arms, lifting me effortlessly off the ground.

"Sir! Put me down!" I squeaked, but he simply ignored my protest, carrying me over to a nearby bench and gently setting me down.

"Sir, seriously, I can handle—"

He then crouched down in front of me, his hands already reaching for my ankle."Stop being difficult for once."

Without waiting for permission, he carefully took my sandals off, his fingers brushing against my skin. The sensation of his touch sent a jolt through me. Pain, because of pain and nothing else.

He kept my injured foot steady in his hands, his brow furrowed in concentration as he gently rotated my ankle, checking for any serious damage as if he was a doctor and as much as I wanted to tell him that he was a lawyer and not a doctor, I decided to keep my mouth shut, biting my lip to stifle a wince, my fingers gripping the edge of the bench tighter than I intended.

I tried to stay still, but the pain flared up again when he adjusted my foot, and before I could stop myself, my hand shot out, clutching the shoulder of his coat tightly.

He didn't say anything. Instead, I felt him shift closer to me, his thigh now beneath my leg as he rested my foot gently on his lap and I felt a rush of warmth flood my cheeks.

He paused, noticing my reaction. His eyes flickered briefly to where my hand gripped his coat, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he returned his attention to my ankle, his touch becoming even more delicate as he worked to ease the discomfort.

"You're stubborn, you know that?" he muttered under his breath, his voice carrying a hint of amusement now.

My grip on his coat tightened unconsciously as another flicker of pain shot through me, and I could feel the tension in his shoulders, the faint rise and fall of his breath. I wasn't sure what had changed in that moment. Maybe it was the way he was so focused on me, or the way I suddenly felt vulnerable in a way I hadn't expected.

"There," he said after a moment, adjusting my ankle one last time. He looked up, his eyes meeting mine with that same intensity I had come to associate with him. "You are going need to stay off it for a few hours."

I nodded, my throat dry, still clutching his coat like it was my lifeline. His gaze shifted to where my hand was gripping him, and for a moment, we just stared at each other in silence.

"Sunshine," he began, his voice smooth and almost teasing, "if you plan on continuing to hold my shoulder like your life depends on it, I don't mind in the least. In fact, " He paused, leaning in slightly, his tone dropping to a slow, dangerously arrogant drawl. "If you want, you can hold on tighter. I wouldn't mind that either."

I could feel my pulse quicken and my eyes widened at his brashness but he wasn't done.

"Though, if you are going to keep holding onto me," he continued, eyes glinting with mischief as he glanced at my hand still gripping his coat, "you might want to consider holding my hand. After all," he added, his lips curving into a cocky grin, extending his hand towards me to take it. "I am not exactly going anywhere."

I stared at him, utterly mortified by his words, and my brain scrambled to come up with something sharp to say. But no matter how hard I tried, nothing came out. My face felt like it was on fire, and I could feel the heat spreading from my cheeks down to my neck.

Vihaan's cocky grin only grew as he noticed my flustered state. His arrogance radiated through every pore as if he knew exactly how his words were affecting me.

I immediately let go of his shoulder and looked away but had to option but to take his hand into mine to stand up.

His smirk softened into something more, something almost soft, as he gently held onto my hand. His thumb brushed lightly over my knuckles, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Careful," he murmured, his voice dipping lower, making my stomach flutter. "Hold on like that, and I might start to think you don't want me to leave."

My breath hitched again, and I bit my lip, fighting the urge to yank my hand away. But it was too late.

"I... I didn't—" I began, but the words got caught in my throat.

"Didn't what?" he asked, leaning in just slightly, his face dangerously close to mine. His voice was so soft now, the teasing edge still there, but mixed with something more serious. "Didn't mean to hold on? Or did not mean to like it?"

Thank god the everyone else were busy shopping because this time, there was no way I could have escaped the questions.

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Later, as I stood in front of my vanity mirror, brushing my hair, my phone buzzed again. It was 10 o'clock sharp—Radhika was nothing if not punctual when she was motivated to hear gossip. Sighing, I grabbed the phone and hit the FaceTime button.

Her face popped up instantly, followed closely by Taran's as he leaned into the frame.

"Okay, spill," Radhika said, not wasting any time.

I gave them both a look. "Really? No hello? No, 'how was your day, Shivi Di?' Just straight to the interrogation?"

Taran shrugged, grinning. "We've been waiting for this all day."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling a little. "There's nothing to tell, guys. He says that he loves me." I told them, quoting-unquoting the love part.

Radhika's eyes widened instantly, her jaw dropping. "He what?"

Taran blinked rapidly, his grin faltering as confusion and surprise washed over his face. "Wait, he said he loves you? Vihaan Raichand?" He turned his head towards Radhika before looking at me again, as if trying to process the words. "Are we talking about the same person here, Shivi?

I groaned inwardly, already regretting the dramatic delivery. "No, no, not like that! Ugh, I should've explained it better." I rubbed my forehead, already feeling the migraine creeping in.

Radhika's expression didn't budge, though, her mouth still half-open in disbelief. "Di, you're telling me that the most terrifying, no-nonsense man in your world is going around calling you Sunshine and now... this? Love?" She gestured wildly with her hands. "That's more than teasing!"

"I think he has lost his mind." I shrugged, trying desperately to get rid of this conversation already.

"He loves you. I mean I know that he has been your boss for three years but you have had no interaction with him until two months back but bro, he had a look dreamier than a love sick puppy on his face when you were scolding him. I have known this man for the better half of my life and I have seen him smile exactly three times, including today."  Taran deadpanned and Radhika was the one this time to turn and all towards him.

"Wait, are you serious? You have only seen him smile twice before today?" She looked appalled and he nodded at her, forgetting that I was still here.

"What rubbish Taran? He smiles every time I make a fool out of myself in front of him, he smiles when he stupidly teases me and he smiles every time when he sees me!" I started mentally counting but lost track pretty soon.

What was this conversation even turning into? They were both staring at me now, one with utter disbelief and the other with barely suppressed amusement.

"Wait, you just said he smiles every time he sees you?" Radhika's voice was a mix of curiosity and wonder, like she'd just uncovered the world's biggest scandal.

I blinked, realizing the trap I had just walked into. "No! I mean—ugh, I don't know! He does that... thing. You know, that smirk. It's not even a real smile. Just a weird, annoying—" I stopped, realizing I was digging my own grave.

Taran had to jump in, obviously. "Shivi, I hate to break it to you, but that smirk? Yeah, that's his version of smiling. And you're telling me he does that every time he sees you? That's not exactly a nothing situation, y'know."

Radhika leaned in closer to the camera, her eyes practically sparkling. "Oh my god, Di, you're his Sunshine! That's so cute!"

My face flushed instantly, and I groaned, wanting to crawl into a hole and never come out. "Radhika, for the last time, there's nothing cute about it! He's infuriating. He just... he knows how to get under my skin."

"And apparently into your heart, too," she added cheekily, waggling her eyebrows at me.

"That's not true and this conversation is over." I say, drawing the line.

"Sure, it is." They both said the same thing at the same time.

"Ohh, you both are in sync with each other's minds already?" I attempted to change the conversation, which didn't work but for the first time today, even that little pinch of hurt I used to feel seeing them together had gone away and I was so thankful and grateful for that!

"You know what, we are coming over tomorrow after Taran gets back from office and you are home. We'll order pizza and have a background movie night while you tell us all about it." Radhika announced with no room for any arguments left.

"Sounds like a plan." Taran agreed and then they both bid me bye before hanging up.

"Dono hi paagal hain." I muttered to myself before hitting the bed.

(Translation - Both of the are absolutely crazy.)

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The next three days passed without much happening, thankfully. He was extremely busy with a very high profile case and I was closing on the merger paperwork.

But even in these three days, Vihaan Raichand kept making sure that I remember about the wager with his notes and gestures.

Today, I was treated with my favourite lunch, Chole Bhature and had the most amazing cheesecake waiting for me on my desk with I returned from court.

"Mr. Birdbrain, you're not winning the wager but that doesn't mean I cannot enjoy your attempts at it." I chuckled, sitting back at my chair once I was done eating.

For the rest of the remaining day, I wasn't that burdened.

But that didn't last long because as it was almost seven and I was just leaving when Rohan Desai, one of India's top most businessman walked into the office and Vihaan's PA summoned me to his office.

As soon as I entered his office, I knew the situation was tense and urgent.

My stomach tightened at the sight of him, knowing that when someone like Desai shows up, it's never for something minor.

Vihaan, like always, appeared calm, but there was a sharpness in his gaze that told me something serious was going down. He gestured for me to sit, his eyes locking with mine briefly. I could feel the weight of whatever this was before either of them even spoke.

"Shivanya," Vihaan said in that composed, low voice of his, "we have a situation."

Rohan stepped forward, his face grim. "One of our key projects has hit a major roadblock. A government audit is coming in tomorrow morning, and we've just realized there's a missing piece in our compliance paperwork. If this isn't fixed immediately, we could be looking at a hefty fine, or worse—a project shutdown."

My heart skipped a beat. A shutdown? That could mean the loss of millions, not to mention the blow to Desai's reputation.

"We need to go through all the documents tonight," Vihaan said, turning his gaze to me, "and find the missing compliance records or prepare an airtight explanation for the audit team. We don't have time."

I nodded, already opening my laptop. "Okay, let's start by reviewing what's missing. We need to focus on the most urgent sections first."

Desai handed me a thick folder of papers. "Here's everything we have on the project so far. The compliance documents are buried somewhere in here. We need to find out where the gap is."

Desai's phone buzzed, he glanced down at the screen, his face still tight with worry. Vihaan, standing tall behind his desk, exuded his usual calm authority. With a quiet nod, Vihaan looked at Rohan and assured him, "We will take care of it. I'll personally ensure everything is at its place before the morning."

Rohan seemed to hesitate for a second, but something in Vihaan's steady gaze must have reassured him. He gave a tense smile and left the office, muttering a quick, "I'll leave it in your hands." The door clicked shut behind him, leaving just the two of us in the room.

"We need to go through each document according to the date it was made," he said, picking up a file. As he handed it to me, our fingers brushed lightly. I quickly pulled my hand back, heat rising in my cheeks.

"Sorry," I muttered, pretending to focus on the papers. But the warmth of his touch lingered longer than it should have.

"What for, Sunshine?" he said softly, his eyes meeting mine for a brief second before he turned back to the pile of files, a small smile on his face.

See, he does smile! Stupid Taran knows nothing.

I took a seat next to him on the couch where he already had made himself comfortable because this was going to be a long night and as I reached for another stack, in my rush, knocked over a coffee mug placed on the edge of the desk. I gasped, but Vihaan's hand shot out, catching it just before it hit the floor.

"Careful," his fingers still held the mug, and as he handed it back to me, his thumb brushed lightly against mine.

"Thank you." I mumbled, feeling the blush creep up my neck. I set the mug down, making sure it was out of harm's way this time.

I lost the track of time eventually but after what seemed like hours of reading, I could feel his gaze on me, burning a hole through my concentration as I tried, in vain, to focus on the document in front of me. Sitting on the couch together like this, it was impossible to ignore how close we were. His presence was consuming, and no matter how hard I tried to appear unfazed, my stupid heart wouldn't stop racing.

"Did you enjoy your lunch today?" His voice broke through my thoughts, casual but with a hint of amusement.

I looked up briefly, trying to maintain my composure, though the question caught me off guard. Why was he so interested? "It was fine," I mumbled, setting my mug down as if it suddenly required my full attention.

"Just fine?" His eyebrow quirked up, clearly not buying my forced indifference.

I shifted slightly, feeling his gaze intensify. Of course, it wasn't just fine. It was amazing, but admitting that to him would be like giving him some strange victory. So instead, I shrugged, forcing a nonchalant tone. "Yeah, it was fine."

He didn't respond immediately, just looked at me for a moment. Then, without a word, he shifted a little closer, the space between us shrinking. His hand brushed against mine, not fully holding it, just enough to make me aware of the warmth between us.

His fingers lingered, barely touching, as if he was giving me the choice—whether to pull away or let the moment hang in the air.

I couldn't move, couldn't speak. Neither could I pull away.

"You don't always have to pretend," he said quietly, his voice gentle, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

I smiled a little, letting my fingers lace with his. "Maybe it was more than fine, Sir."

Then, I looked away.

Shivanya's Look ~