AUTHOR'S POV

Akanksha’s morning had been a beautiful blur of laughter and tiny handprints. Her time with Kaira at the playgroup felt more like play than work; they had spent the morning painting butterflies and sharing stories.

The classroom was filled with the soft sound of children playing, but in the corner, Akanksha was sitting on a tiny chair next to Kaira, who was busy trying to dress a teddy bear in a doll's sweater.

By the time the final bell rang , giving a warm hug to Kaira. Akanksha headed home, her heart felt full.

After a quick routine of tidying up her apartment and finishing her chores, she looked at the clock. It was nearly 5:00 PM. "Time to get ready for the wedding shopping," she whispered to herself.

The city air was thick with dust and evening traffic, so Akanksha grabbed her Activa keys and tucked a silk mask over her face for protection. She navigated the busy streets with ease, her mind already hovering over the long list of accessories and outfits she needed for her cousin’s four-day wedding celebration.

When she finally parked at the mall and stepped into the cool, air-conditioned lobby, she felt a sense of relief. She pulled her hair back and adjusted her bag, heading straight toward the high-end ethnic wear section.

Suddenly, her eyes caught something—a stunning, deep-maroon gown displayed in a showroom window. It was exactly the kind of elegant style she had been looking for. Captivated by the intricate beadwork, Akanksha started walking toward the entrance of the boutique, her gaze fixed on the dress, her mind already imagining how it would look with the jewelry she had at home.

She was so distracted by the beautiful display that she didn't see the tall, dark figure stepping out from the side corridor, a phone pressed to his ear.

THUD.

The world tilted. Akanksha gasped as she lost her balance, her heart leaping into her throat. She expected to hit the hard marble floor, but instead, she felt a strong, steady arm wrap firmly around her waist.

She instinctively reached out to steady herself, her palm landing flat against a firm, warm chest. Through the fine fabric of his suit, she could feel the steady, powerful thrum of his heartbeat.

Akanksha looked up, her breath hitching. Because of her mask, only her eyes were visible—her wide, honey-brown eyes locked onto the intense, dark gaze of the man holding her. It was none other than Abhimanyu.

But the reality of the situation rushed back. Panicked by the closeness and the intensity of his gaze, Akanksha quickly found her footing.

"I... I'm so sorry," she stammered, her voice low and muffled behind her silk mask.

She gently pushed against his chest to create distance. Abhimanyu immediately let go, his fingers lingering for a fraction of a second before his arm dropped to his side. He opened his mouth to say something—perhaps to ask if she was hurt—but Akanksha didn't wait.

Flustered and her heart hammering against her ribs, she gave a quick, polite nod and hurried past him. She didn't look back, she didn't heard the sentance said by him. She ducked into the nearest aisle of a large department store, her hands trembling slightly as she pretended to look at a rack of scarves.

"Who was that?" she wondered, leaning against a pillar to catch her breath. She had seen many parents at the school gate from a distance, but since the watchman always collected the toddlers from the cars, she had never really looked at the faces of the fathers. She had no idea that the man she just collided with was the father of her favorite student, Kaira.

On the other side of the corridor, Abhimanyu stood exactly where she had left him. The call on his phone had gone silent, the client likely wondering why the CEO had stopped speaking. He tucked the phone away, his eyes scanning the crowd for a glimpse of those honey-brown eyes, but she was gone.

"Bhai? Are you okay? Who was that?"

Abhimanyu turned to see his brother, Reyansh, walking toward him with a curious smirk.

"Just a collision, Reyansh. Nothing important," Abhimanyu replied, his voice returning to its cold, professional tone. But as he adjusted his blazer, he couldn't shake the feeling of her hand on his chest.

"Let's go," Abhimanyu commanded, heading back toward his family. "We have shopping to finish."

After the heart-pounding encounter in the mall, Akanksha finally managed to finish her shopping. She picked out a stunning set of jewels that shimmered under the store lights and the perfect outfits for each wedding ceremony. But her favorite purchase was a small, beautifully wrapped gift for Kaira—a little something to keep her promise.

By the time she reached home, the moon was high. She parked her Activa, carried her heavy shopping bags upstairs, and finally felt the exhaustion hit her.

She quickly changed into her comfortable cotton pajamas and sat down to call her parents. They talked for a while about the travel plans for the wedding—the car was booked, the bags were almost packed, and everyone was excited. After hanging up, she double-checked her own suitcase, making sure every safety pin and matching bangle was in its place.

Finally, she switched off the bedside lamp and lay down. The room was dark and quiet, but her mind was wide awake.

She stared at the ceiling, replaying the entire day like a movie. She thought about Kaira’s innocent laughter and the way the little girl had hugged her goodbye. But then, her thoughts drifted back to the mall.

She could still feel the phantom sensation of that man’s hand on her waist and the solid strength of his chest. Those dark, intense eyes seemed to haunt her even in the darkness of her room. She didn't even know his name, he was just a mysterious stranger who had caught her before she fell.

"Four days," she whispered to herself, pulling the blanket up. "I'll be away for four days. Maybe by the time I come back, I’ll have forgotten those eyes."

But as she closed her eyes to sleep, she had a feeling that forgetting him wouldn't be quite that easy.

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