Okay, this one’s a calm chapter 😅
No rush, no drama...just part of the journey.
Read it at ease, and let it flow.

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The morning didn’t rush them apart.
Reyansh woke up first, eyes opening slowly, the room still wrapped in early light. His phone lay beside him, screen dim but alive.

She was still there.
Ishani lay curled slightly on her side, hair spread across the pillow, breathing slow and even. The video call hadn’t disconnected. Neither of them had ended it.

For a few seconds, he just watched her.
Not in a way that crossed lines.

Not greedily.
Just attentively.

He shifted a little, careful not to make noise. The movement stirred her. Her brows furrowed faintly before her eyes fluttered open.

She blinked at the screen.
And smiled.
“You’re still here,” she said softly, voice husky with sleep.
He smiled back. “You too.”

She stretched slightly, then immediately stilled when she realised how close she was to the camera.
“Oh,” she murmured, embarrassed.
“You fell asleep like that,” he said gently. “I didn’t want to move.”
Her cheeks warmed. “Did you sleep at all?”
“A little,” he admitted. “Enough.”
She studied his face for a moment. “You look calmer.”
“I am,” he said honestly. “Than yesterday.”

She nodded, understanding more than he’d explained.

They stayed on call while getting ready. Not continuously talking. Just existing in each other’s presence. Brushing teeth. Tying hair. Him adjusting his watch. Her fixing her dupatta.
Normal things.
But softer.

Before leaving, she finally spoke, casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“By the way,” she said, “Mr. Malhotra messaged me late last night.”
Reyansh looked up. “Yeah?”
“He is visiting my office today,” she continued. “He wants to finalise some designs in person. I shortlisted a few concepts.”
His grip on the phone tightened slightly.
“Today?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes.”

Reyansh leaned back against the wall.
“I wish I could be there,” he said after a second.
She smiled, small and knowing. “I figured.”
He didn’t deny it.
“I’ll tell you how it goes,” she added softly.
“Please do,” he said.

Her office was already alive when she reached.

Calls overlapped. Assistants moved quickly. Fabric samples lay spread across the table. Mood boards leaned against the wall.

Mr. Malhotra arrived right on time.
“You’ve done excellent work,” he said, scanning the layouts she presented. “This feels… right.”

Ishani listened, responded, explained. Calm. Composed. Professional.
But Reyansh wasn’t there.

And Mr. Malhotra noticed.

“Reyansh isn’t joining us today?” he asked casually.
“He had prior commitments,” Ishani replied.
Mr. Malhotra smiled. “Busy man.”
Then, after a pause, “He speaks very highly of you.”

She looked up, slightly surprised.

“And rightly so,” he added warmly.
As they continued, his admiration didn’t feel uncomfortable. It felt respectful. Almost protective.

He spoke about his parents. Their journey. What this anniversary meant.

“I want this event to feel like gratitude,” he said. “Not grandeur.”
Ishani nodded. “Then we’ll keep it intimate,” she replied. “Warm. Personal.”

Mr. Malhotra leaned back, satisfied.
“Good,” he said. ”.He smiled. “That’s why I came to you.”

Across the city, Reyansh sat in his cabin, file open in front of him.
He wasn’t reading it.

His mind kept returning to that meeting. To the way Mr. Malhotra had looked at Ishani last time. The admiration hadn’t been subtle.

He remembered how, without thinking, he had said,
“She’s my fiancée.”
The room had gone still.
Not as an announcement.
As a claim.
He hadn’t even realised why he’d said it then.
Now he did..

That evening, when she finally called him, her voice sounded tired but steady.
“It went well,” she said. “He finalised the designs.”
“I knew he would,” Reyansh replied.
There was a pause.

“He talked about you,” she added quietly.
Reyansh smiled faintly. “Of course he did.”
She hesitated, then said, “You sounded very sure of yourself that day.”
“I was,” he admitted.
She didn’t tease him.
“I didn’t mind,” she said instead.
That stayed with him.

Later that night, they spoke again.
She lay back on her bed, phone resting near her shoulder. He sat against his headboard, tie discarded, sleeves rolled up.
“Today drained you,” he said, noticing the way her voice softened.
“A little,” she admitted. “But it was a good kind of tired.”
Then, after a pause, she added,
“Reyansh.”
He looked at the screen. “Hmm?”
“For the next three days,” she said gently, “I’ll be extremely busy.”
He didn’t interrupt.
“Two days are full preparation,” she continued. “He’s hosting the anniversary at his house. Everything needs to be set there. And the third day is the event.”
Reyansh nodded slowly.
“I know,” he said. “He invited me too.”
She smiled. “I thought so.”

They stayed quiet for a second.

“I won’t vanish,” she added softly, choosing her words carefully. “I’ll just be occupied.”
“I understand,” he replied just as softly.
And he did.
“I like watching you work,” he added. “Even when I’m not standing beside you.”
Her expression softened.
“You will be there,” she said. “Just not every minute.”
He nodded.
That was enough.

They stayed on call a little longer.
Not sleeping yet.
Not rushing the night.
Tomorrow would be busy.
The days after even more.
But tonight, they were still here.
Together.

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Quite boring, I know 😅 but when it’s a journey, I have to show all parts of it.
So please forgive the author for this one 🙈
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