The next morning, Ishani woke up early, knowing she had a lot of work to do. She got ready quickly, tied her hair in a ponytail, and wore a simple but neat outfit. Picking up her bag, she left for the office. She wanted to check everything before the decorations were sent to Agarwal Mansion.

When she reached the office, her assistant, Meera, was already waiting for her.

"Good morning, Ma'am. The decorators have prepared everything. Should we check once?" Meera asked.

Ishani nodded and took the checklist from her. Together, they checked the flowers, lights and seating arrangements. She made a few small changes and gave instructions to ensure everything was perfect.

Meanwhile, at Agarwal Mansion, Reyansh started his day as usual. He exercised, had breakfast with his family, and checked his schedule. But today, he felt different. He was in a happy mood but didn't know why.

Then he remembered - Ishani is coming to his house today.

He shook his head and smiled. "Why am I even thinking about this?" he muttered to himself.

His day was not too busy , He had only one meeting, and after that, he was free. Tomorrow will be Sunday, and he never went to the office on Sundays. His mother always told him to spend at least one day with family and take some rest.

And then,on  Monday is Dadi's birthday.

Thinking about it made him even happier. For the next three days, he would get to spend time with Ishani.

"This will be interesting," he thought with a smile.

At 10 a.m., Reyansh left for his office for a meeting. It wasn't very important, so he finished quickly and returned home by 1 p.m. When he entered the house, he saw his family sitting in the hall, chatting and laughing.

Before joining them, he went to his room to change. He freshened up, put on a comfortable outfit, and looked at the mirror. For some reason, he wanted to look good today.

Just as he stepped downstairs, the doorbell rang.

A servant opened the door, and Ishani walked in. She was looking simple yet elegant. She greeted the elders by touching their feet and smiled at the younger ones. But she didn't look at Reyansh even once.

Reyansh frowned slightly. He didn't like being ignored.

Clearing his throat, he finally spoke, "Miss Kapoor , you came early. Everything okay?"

Ishani, who was busy talking to Reyansh's mother about the decorations, turned toward him. His gaze made her nervous, and she quickly looked away.

"Yes... I just wanted to make sure everything is placed properly. The decorative items have arrived, and I need to know where to keep them," she said softly.

Reyansh smirked. "You could've just asked me. I would've shown you."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay... Can you show me the storage room?"

"Of course," he said, leading the way.

As they walked through the mansion, Ishani felt a little awkward. It was her first time here, and on top of that Reyansh being around her didn't help the situation either.

When they reached the storage room, Reyansh opened the door. "You can keep everything here. I'll ask the staff to help with the things."

Ishani stepped inside and started organizing the decorations. She gave instructions to the workers, making sure everything was in place.

Reyansh didn't leave. Instead, he leaned against the door, watching her with a curious smile.

After a few minutes, Ishani finally noticed. She turned to him with a questioning look. "Why are you standing here? Don't you have something else to do?"

He shrugged. "Not really, besides, watching you work so seriously is quite entertaining."

Ishani rolled her eyes. "If you're not going to help, then please don't disturb me."

He smirked. "I can help... but on one condition."

She sighed, already expecting something annoying. "What condition?"

He crossed his arms. "You have to talk to me properly. You ignored me when you came here."

Ishani looked away, feeling a little guilty. "I wasn't ignoring you."

"Oh really?" He raised an eyebrow. "Then why didn't you say hello?"

She hesitated. "I was just... busy."

He took a step closer. "Busy or shy?"

Her cheeks turned slightly pink, and she quickly turned back to the decorations. "I don't have time for this, Mr.Agarwal ."

He chuckled. "You look adorable when you're shy."

Ishani sighed. "A-Are you going to help or not?"

Reyansh smiled. "Fine, fine. Tell me where to put these." He picked up a box and placed it where she directed.

For the next few minutes, they worked in silence. But Reyansh couldn't resist teasing her. "You know, you're the only one who dares to ignore me like this."

She looked up at him. "Maybe because you're too used to attention."

He grinned. "And maybe I just want attention from you."

Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the decorations.

Reyansh watched her reaction and smiled to himself. He wasn't sure why, but making Ishani shy was quickly becoming his favorite thing to do.

After organizing everything in the storage room, Ishani dusted her hands and turned to Reyansh.

"Everything is set now. I should leave," she said.

Reyansh raised an eyebrow. "So soon? You just got here."

"I have other work too," she replied politely.

As she stepped out of the storage room, she found herself face-to-face with the rest of the family. Everyone was gathered in the hall, chatting and laughing.

Reyansh's mother smiled warmly. "Beta, you're not leaving already, are you?"

Ishani hesitated. "Actually, I was just...."

Before she could finish, Dadi spoke up. "Arre, baitho na thodi der. Humse bhi toh baat karo."

Ishani looked around. Everyone was looking at her, expecting her to stay. She couldn't say no now.

"Ji... theek hai," she said softly, giving a small smile.

She glanced at the seating arrangement. The sofa was full, and the only empty seat was next to Reyansh.

Her heart skipped a beat. Sitting beside him felt... strange. Not because she didn't like it, but because it make her nervous.

Reyansh noticed her hesitation and smirked. "Looks like there's only two seat left. You don't mind sitting next to me, do you?"

Ishani gave him a quick look but didn't say anything. She couldn't refuse in front of everyone. So, without another word, she slowly walked over and sat beside him, keeping a small gap between them.

Reyansh chuckled and whispered. "Relax, Ishani. I don't bite."

She sighed, looking away. "I'm perfectly fine."

Dadi smiled at them. "You both look nice sitting together. Reminds me of old times."

Ishani's cheeks turned slightly pink, and she quickly looked down at her hands. Reyansh, on the other hand, found the situation amusing.

His mother spoke up. "Ishani,sb shi se ready ho jyega na?"

Grateful for the change of topic, Ishani answered, "Everything is on track, Aunty. The arrangements will be done by tomorrow evening."

They continued talking about the birthday preparations, but Ishani couldn't help but feel aware of Reyansh sitting so close. Every time he shifted slightly, her heart raced.

At one point, his hand brushed lightly against hers as he adjusted his watch. Ishani immediately pulled her hand away and looked straight ahead, pretending nothing happened.

Reyansh noticed and smirked. Leaning slightly towards her, he whispered, "Are you always this shy, or is it just around me?"

She looked at him, flustered. "You're imagining things."

"Hmm... maybe. Or maybe I just like making you nervous," he teased.

Ishani sighed. "Aap aise kyu krte hai hamesha?"

"kyuki mujhe accha lgta hai," he replied, smiling.

Before she could respond, Dadi spoke again. "Reyansh,Ishani ko guest list bhi dikha do usey bhi pta hona chahiye kon-kon aarha hai"

Reyansh nodded. "Ji, Dadi." Then, turning to Ishani, he said, "Looks like you're stuck with me for a little longer."

Ishani shook her head slightly, but deep down, she knew he wasn't wrong.

After some more discussion in the hall, Reyansh got up and said. "Alright, come Miss.Kapoor, Let's go to my study. I'll show you the guest list."

Ishani hesitated but nodded. She followed him as he led the way upstairs. The study was a quiet space, filled with books, a sleek desk, and a comfortable seating area. It was neat, yet had a warmth to it.

Reyansh walked to his desk, pulled out a file, and handed it to her. "Here. This has all the names of the guests invited for Dadi's birthday."

Ishani took the file, flipping through the pages. "Hmm... everything looks fine. Most of them are family and close friends."

Reyansh leaned against the desk, watching her as she focused on the list. The soft glow of the study lamp made her look even more delicate and beautiful.

After a moment of silence, he smirked. "You know, you look very serious when you work."

She looked up, slightly surprised. "I just want everything to be perfect."

"I know," he said softly, his tone more genuine this time. "You  take responsibilities seriously."

Ishani looked down, feeling a little flustered by his words. She wasn't used to compliments from him that weren't teasing.

She turned the page, trying to focus, but then she noticed Reyansh moving closer. He leaned in slightly, pointing at a name on the list. "Oh, and don't forget, Mrs. Khanna and her family need to be seated near Dadi. They're very close friends of hers."

Ishani nodded, but she could feel the warmth of his presence right beside her. She wasn't used to being this close to him.

She shifted slightly, but in doing so, her hand accidentally brushed against his. She immediately pulled it back.

Reyansh noticed and chuckled. "Still so shy?"

Ishani cleared her throat. "I am not shy. I just.."

"Just?" he raised an eyebrow playfully.

"Just focusing on work," she said, trying to sound confident.

Reyansh grinned. "Of course. Work is important." He paused and then added, "But sometimes, a little distraction isn't  bad."

Ishani glanced at him, not knowing what to say. Reyansh just smiled, enjoying the moment.

Just then, the door opened slightly, and Dadi walked in with a warm smile.

"Ishani beta, I was just asking about you!" she said cheerfully. "Will you and your family join us for the celebration?"

Ishani looked surprised. "Dadi, that's really kind of you, but"

"No buts, beta," Dadi interrupted. "Tum bhot mehnat kar rahi ho iss party ke liye or tum or tumhari family bhi to hammare family jaise ho ."

Reyansh crossed his arms and smirked. "See? Even Dadi wants you here. You can't say no now."

Ishani felt warmth spread in her chest. She nodded softly. "Okay, I'll come."

Dadi patted her cheek fondly. "That's like a good girl. Ab tum dono aapna kaam kro."

As Dadi left, an awkward silence filled the room. Ishani focused on the file in her hands, flipping through the pages to avoid looking at Reyansh. She could feel his gaze on her, making her more nervous.

Reyansh leaned back against the desk, crossing his arms. "So, you're coming to the party. That's good."

Ishani nodded, still not meeting his eyes. "Yes... Dadi insisted."

"You could have refused," he teased.

She finally looked up, frowning slightly. "How?  D-Dadi was saying so sweetly. I couldn't say no."

Reyansh chuckled. "Exactly. No one says no to Dadi."

Ishani sighed, closing the file. "Everything looks perfect. The arrangements will be done smoothly."

"I should leave now," she said, standing up.

Reyansh walked her to the door but stopped just before opening it. "Miss Kapoor."

She turned, looking at him questioningly.

"Since you're coming to the party, don't work that day. Just enjoy."

She hesitated. "But...."

"No buts," he smirked, repeating Dadi's words. "Be there as a guest, not as the event planner."

Ishani sighed but nodded. "Fine. I'll try."

"Good." He finally opened the door for her. "See you on Monday."

As she walked out of his house, she realized her heart was beating a little faster than before.