Do you... want something?" She asked him, avoiding looking into his eyes.

"Yes…" He replied, eyeing her soft, pink lips.

And everything went silent.

No one said anything: she was waiting for him to say something. The silence was making her more uncomfortable. She looked down and mentally scolded herself for her messy state.

"What will he think about me, now?"

"What..." She asked again, almost in a whisper.

Suddenly he came out of his trance, running his fingers through his hair. He looked away briefly.

"Behave Abhi!!"

"Where is Mrs Annie? Tell her to cook something for me." He said and was to turn around when her sweet voice stopped him.

"This voice!!"

"She is not here." She said.

"What do you mean she is not here??"

"Her shift is not over yet!" He said checking his wristwatch.

"Umm...There was no work... So...." She stammered again. She gulped and looked directly into his eyes to look confident.

He was standing there quietly, waiting for her to complete.

"I asked her to leave early, I didn't know that you were coming. I'm sorry." She said in one go. She took a long sharp breath. 

"Yes! In one sentence!"

"Good job, Samaira!"

"What? Who gave you the right to rule over my staff?" He roared, marching towards her.

She immediately took a few steps back.

"Please don't get angry! Please!"

"Wow!!"

"Came home after 10 days, and now I won't even get a proper meal. All thanks to you!" He said in irritation.

He was already tired of eating meals from restaurants. He didn't want that tonight either!

"I'm surely going to fall sick now."

"I'm sorry..." She mumbled gently. She felt bad for him. She could see his pale face, his eyes - all tired due to the lack of sleep.

He shook his head and started to walk out. Again, she stopped him.

"Now what?" He replied irritatedly.

"I was making food for myself... It will be enough for both of us. If you don't mind... You can..." She said feeling guilty but she also remembered how he didn't like it when she made breakfast for him.

He looked at her and then on the kitchen shelf. He thought something and then nodded.

"It was your fault! So obviously you have to make up to it!" saying this he left the kitchen.

Her mouth was wide-opened! She blinked, looking at his retreating figure.

"He agreed!"

Abhimaan left the kitchen thinking about what he just did!

"How can I behave like that?"

He scolded himself and went to his room to take a shower. Her messy hair, her flushed face when they were very close, were flashing again and again in front of his eyes.

"God, my brain has gone crazy now!"

Samaira didn't waste any time coming out of her zoned-out state. She instantly started preparing the dinner. She had just made rice for herself but she doesn't know if he likes it or not.

She thought of cooking a mix-veg dish and some rotis also. She hurried to wash her hands and walked out to call him after double-checking everything.

She looked around the hall, he was not there. 

'Maybe he is in his room."

She hesitantly knocked on his door, he didn't answer. She didn't know what to do?

"Should I enter?"

"No, I can't. 

He will explode again."

She twisted her lips in annoyance. She took a deep breath and knocked again.

And there he was!

Wearing a T-shirt and loose track pants with his hair still wet and a little messed up. He was looking a bit fresh now.

He upped his brows seeing her at his door. She completely forgot -why was she there?

She broke their eye contact and gulped down.

"Food is ready." 

She ran away, leaving him all puzzled! He shrugged it off and followed her trail.

"What the hell is my problem?

 He will definitely think that I'm a lost case!"

He sat on the dining chair while scrolling at his phone, very attentively. She set the table, peeking at him in between.

She served some rice and he put his phone down inhaling the flavourful smell.

"You don't need to do this, I can serve myself." He said to her. She didn't know what to say or what to do? She just kept on standing there.

He filled his plate with food and was about to eat but found her still standing beside him.

"Why are you standing here?"

"Eat your food." He simply said. She nodded and sat on the chair far away from him.

He mixed some Rajma with rice and put it in his mouth. He stopped for a second and looked up to her, who was too watching him. She averted her eyes immediately on getting caught. He didn't say anything and resumed eating.

She served for herself too. She slowly looked towards him one more time and found him all engrossed in eating.

She could see the layer of satisfaction on his face.

Maybe he liked it.

She felt content. 

She smiled.

It was the first time her husband was eating something made by her. For the first time, they were eating together.

In silence.

But, still, she liked this change.

No one said anything the whole time. He got up after finishing his food. He took his plate and walked towards the kitchen.

She too was done by now, and collecting everything from the table entered the kitchen. She found him washing his dirty dishes.

"Wait, let it be. I'll do that." She said.

"You are not my servant. Moreover, I prefer to do my work myself." He said while cleaning his plates.

She was a little touched. He is a famous billionaire with so many servants around him all the time. But he has not forgotten his manners.

"Also, thank you for the food." He said to her and walked out leaving her dumbfounded.

He is not an ungrateful person. He knows to appreciate someone's hard work. Especially, when someone is giving you food, which is a great deed. And he knew that he should be thankful for that.

That's his parents' upbringing.

"He thanked me!” 

“Thanked... ME!!"

She smiled. A real and vibrant one.

"He is not that bad."

She talked within herself. She is going to mark this date! 

She too cleaned her dishes and wiped the table. She found him sitting on the couch and watching something on the television. He kept pressing his head with his knuckles.

She felt bad for him. He works a lot!

She went inside the kitchen and came out with a cup of hot, steamy coffee. 

"He would feel nice."

She took slow steps towards him. He looked at her, making her heart skip a beat.

"He is so handsome!"

"Coffee..." She said keeping the cup on the table. He looked at the cup then at her. He didn't ask for it. She stood quietly but he took it.

He didn't have the energy today to yell and shout. And he needs coffee or his head is going to burst.

"It's one of my lucky days."

"I wanted to say something." She said, biting her lower lip.

He looked towards her, confused.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did for my admission. You have no idea how much it mattered to me." She said. She wanted to say this since the day of her admission.

"Wait there! No need to get flattered! I didn't do it on my own."

"My parents forced me. Again," he said in his cold voice. He remembered how his Dad called him and forced him to take care of this or he would himself come to do everything.

He didn't want to trouble them, so he called his secretary.

"Again!"

She understands the meaning behind this word. Her heart shattered into pieces. But she didn't want to show him.

"Whether it is them or you... Still, I'm thankful. Thank you." She said and walked out, jutting her chin upwards.

He was a little taken aback hearing her. It was the first time she had answered back. Abhimaan watched her going upstairs to her room. 

 ....