The next day, Ashirit and Reyansh were in Ashirit's office, discussing  about their upcoming project.

Meanwhile, Ishani arrived at the office, carrying a box of cookies for the employees who couldn't attend the party. She had bought them from the bakery where she helped an old lady .She  was in a hurry, so she asked an employee to take some for Ashirit.

The employee knocked on the door and Ashirit called him in. When Ashirit asked about his visit, the employee explained, "Ishani Mam had brought cookies for everyone." With that, he left.

After finishing their discussion, Ashirit handed a cookie to Reyansh, who took a bite. The rich, familiar taste surprised him and he glanced at the bakery's name on the box.

"These are really good," Reyansh murmured, making a mental note to buy more on his way home.

After that Reyansh went to his office. After winding up his office work , Reyansh drove straight to the bakery , eager to buy the cookies that had impressed him earlier. As he stepped inside, the warm, sweet aroma filled the air, but what truly caught his attention was the sight of Ishani, carefully arranging a tray of cookies behind the counter.

He stopped for a moment, watching her tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, completely unaware of his presence. A slow, pleasant smile curved on his lips.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here" he finally said, stepping closer.

Ishani looked up, eyes widening in surprise. "R-Reyansh?" She blinked a few times, clearly flustered. "What are you doing here?"

He smirked, leaning slightly against the counter. "I could ask you the same thing. Are you following me, Miss Kapoor?"

Her cheeks turned pink. "W-What? No! I-I help  here sometimes."

His smirk deepened. "Help? As in... baking?"

She nodded, tucking her hands behind her back. "Yes, this bakery belongs to an old lady, and I offer her help whenever I can."

Reyansh raised an eyebrow. "So, you're not just good at being nervous but also at baking?"

Ishani's lips parted slightly. "I-I don't get nervous!"

He leaned in a fraction, his voice teasing yet low. "Are you sure? Because I  remember you stuttering last night."

Ishani quickly looked away, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her apron. "That was... different."

Reyansh chuckled. "Different how?"

She huffed, clearly at a loss for words, and tried to change the topic "Anyway, what brings you here?"

He tilted his head slightly. "I came to buy some of those cookies that Ashirit made me try today. Turns out, they're from here." His gaze flickered toward the tray she was handling. "Did you make them?"

Ishani hesitated for a second before nodding. "y-yeah.."

Reyansh picked up one of the cookies, turning it between his fingers before taking a slow bite. Ishani watched anxiously as he chewed, waiting for his reaction.

He swallowed and looked at her thoughtfully. "Hmm..."

She shifted nervously. "Well? H-How is it?"

A teasing smile tugged at his lips. "Delicious."

Ishani let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. But before she could say anything, he added smoothly, "I wonder... are they this sweet because of the recipe? Or because of the person who made them?"

Her eyes widened, and she quickly dropped her gaze, her fingers tightening around the edge of the counter. "I- I don't know what you're talking about..."

Reyansh chuckled softly. "So innocent," he murmured, shaking his head. Then, stepping even closer, he whispered, "I should visit this bakery more often."

Ishani's breath hitched. "Y-You're always welcome."

He smirked. "Careful, Miss Kapoor. I might actually accept your offer."

And with that, he picked up another cookie, his fingers brushing hers for a fleeting second before he walked  towards the counter , leaving Ishani completely flustered, her heart racing like never before.

Reyansh leaned against the counter, watching Ishani carefully picking out the best cookies .

"Pack twenty cookies for me,"his tone was light , but his gaze stayed locked on her.

Ishani nodded quickly, reaching for a box. As she started placing the cookies inside, she could feel his gaze on her, making her fingers fumble slightly.

"You seem very dedicated to this," Reyansh conveyed. "Do you always put this much care into everything you do?"

Ishani glanced up briefly before looking away, her cheeks already warming. "I just... like things to be done properly."

Reyansh smirked. "That's a nice quality. But tell me-" he leaned in slightly "Why do you always get this shy when I talk to you?"

Ishani's hands froze for a second before she shook her head quickly. "N-No! I'm just... focused on my work."

He chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Hmm. And here I thought you were avoiding looking at me on purpose."

She swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady. "Why would I do that?"

Reyansh tilted his head, his smirk deepening. "I don't know... maybe because you're nervous?"

Ishani's lips parted as if to protest, but instead, she hesitated and then, after gathering some courage, she  looked up at him. "You know..." she started, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "you don't have to tease me so much. You're just my brother's business partner, after all."

Reyansh raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? Just a business partner?"

She nodded confidently , though the way her fingers trembled slightly while packing the last cookie gave away her nervousness. "Yes. That's all."

Reyansh chuckled, tapping his fingers on the counter. "Then why do you look so flustered every time I talk to you, Miss Kapoor?"

Ishani's breath hitched, and she quickly sealed the box, pushing it towards him as if to end the conversation as soon as possible. "Here. Your cookies."

Reyansh took the box, his fingers deliberately brushing against hers. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice softer now, almost lingering.

Just as he turned to leave, he looked at her again, his smirk playful. "By the way, Ishani... I'm a  good partner- in business and otherwise."

Ishani's eyes widened, and before she could respond, he had already walked out , leaving her standing there, completely flustered and her heart pounding.

Reyansh chuckled to himself as he drove home, still thinking about Ishani's flustered reactions.

When he arrived, everyone was gathered in the hall except his dadi .He pulled out the cookies and handed them to everyone. The moment they took a bite, praises filled the air.

"These are amazing! Where did you get them from?" his mother asked.

Reyansh simply smiled, but before he could respond, Yuvan spoke up. "By the way, next week is Dadi's birthday. We should start planning something special."

Reyansh nodded, listening as Yuvan continued, "You should find a good event manager for it."

After chatting for a while, the elders retired to their rooms, leaving the younger ones behind. After a while, they too, headed off to bed.

Reyansh went to his room, finishing some work before finally lying down. As he rested, his mind drifted back to Ishani - the way she got nervous, the way she tried to maintain her composure. A soft smile played on his lips as he thought, Why do I talk to her like that? Why does she bring out this side of me?Why do I behave like a flirt with her?

On the other hand, Ishani lay in bed, her cheeks still warm as she recalled their interaction. The way he looked at her, the way his voice dropped just enough to make her heart race - it all replayed in her mind. She bit her lip, shaking her head at herself, but the shy smile never faded.

Lost in their thoughts of each other, both eventually drifted off to sleep, unaware that this was only the beginning of something magical.

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