She swung back and forth, back and forth, smiling endlessly at the thought he remembered today. It was a cool night for a August night and sitting under the gleaming full moon, Sonakshi couldn't think of anything but Dev Dixit.

But, although, she was smiling, she couldn't stop thinking about his behavior earlier. He seemed more distant than he had ever been. Moreover his words haunted her: he loved someone else. Who was this someone else?

Dev walked into Sonakshi's room to find her, but she wasn't there. He looked out her window into the backyard and saw her swinging on the swing, with that same pleasant smile on her face. He let out a slow sigh and folded his arms and leaned against the window just to watch her. She was the most beautiful creature God had possibly made, figuratively. But to his eyes she was and she was his wife. The thought gave him peace. At least they were married, now he just had to make her fall in love with him and forget Jatin, her past. He turned around and decided to go sit with her.

Sonakshi didn't hear him open the sliding door from the kitchen that lead into the backyard. When he sat down beside her, startled almost, she looked at him. Purposely he sat on the other side of the swing, leaving a large gap between them. He would simply have to stay away from her and let her come to him.

"Need something?" She asked him annoyed at the fact he was sitting miles away from her.

"What makes you think that I need something whenever I see you?" She was hiding the look of annoyance again, luckily he read it in her eyes. "Well I do actually need something."

"I knew it," she mumbled under her breath and smiled at him. His head was slightly tiled and his look was killer. "Coffee?"

She was so uncomfortable, Dev had to smile and straighten his look. And, he didn't want coffee. Something else, what could he possibly need at eleven o'clock at night?

"No. I don't need coffee."

Now it was her turn to tilt her head slightly, "then?"

You, he thought with a grin that played in his eyes instead on his lips. Instead he cleared his throat and deleted the thought from his mind for the moment. Ok, he found the topic. "Viola Love." He said and read suspicion in her eyes, grinned and moved beside her. It was fine, he told himself. Sitting together wouldn't harm a thing.

When Sonakshi expected him to put his arm around her, he didn't.

He folded them-on purpose- they both knew that. Sitting beside her was fine, touching her wasn't. The game had rules and he would play by them.

"Viola Love?" Sonakshi finally said shifting in her seat and moving her knees, that were almost jamming into his chest, to the other side. Because she shifted her weight they weren't exactly sitting close anymore.

"Isn't she that Italian fashion designer, daughter of a Indian mother and Italian father." That lady had quite a reputation, and she had dated Dev Dixit before they were married. The last thing Sonakshi needed was her husband's ex-girlfriend hovering around her office.

Her office? Sonakshi thought annoyed. Since when did Dev's office become hers?

"Ah! Her father isn't actually Italian. He claims to be since he was born there but his parents are actually English, from England. Bloody!" He mimicked the British accent.

Sonakshi rolled her eyes, she didn't want to enjoy this conversation with him. "Didn't you date her for a few years?"

"Up to the day we got married Sonakshi." He tucked his tongue at his cheek to hide that smirk coming his way, "why?"

She gave him a sharp look when she heard that glint of proud and importance in his why. When that twinkle in his eyes was gone she spoke. "You are not that important, Mr. Dixit."

"Is it?" He chuckled.

"No, you aren't. Anyways, why are we talking about Miss. Viola Love."

"Pretty name, isn't it?"

"I agree," she nodded. She did agree. She had a lovely name, but it contradicted her personality. Love, wasn't her way. "But you didn't answer my question, why are we talking about her?"

"She will be working for us for the next few months." While he informed, his eyes didn't leave her face. "From tomorrow." He said that carefully.

"Right!" She nodded her head up and down.

"And, how come I wasn't informed about this?"

"Ah!"

"Ah! She mimicked annoyed. "Look Dev I'm making this very clear. You've never worked with me before and if you want to continue, I'm not going to take any over ruling and keeping things hidden from me. I've never worked for anyone but myself and although I haven't worked for sometime, I still can't handle anyone bossing me around. Because I did practice law for one year before quitting, as lawyer, I expect that I know everything about what I'm doing. She is your personal matter outside of the office, in the office she's working under me. You." She quickly corrected.

"Us." He corrected.

"Okay, us." Sounded pleasant, she thought, us! So she had a dominating power at the office since Dev made that clear. "But it's going to be you again, if I don't know what's going on. If you don't like the idea I'll be happier at home alone or practice law again." She paused and then mumbled under her breath, "and I rather stay at the office to keep an eye on Ms. Love."

So she was treating him some authority, just indirectly. Good start. "Why don't I hand you the power of attorney and work for you. Then you can make the decisions yourself, like it?"

"Hate it." She stood up and started walking into the house, Dev followed.

"Then?"

"I never liked the idea of working with you Dev." She poured herself a glass of water, drank, looked at him.

"And I've always wanted you to join. You're my wife, which means you own the office just as much as I do."

"Does that make a difference?" She leaned on the counter and looked at him. "And that's emotional not legal. For the world you're the soul owner and if I order around the office no one will want to listen to the boss's wife."

"It does. Because the fact, that Viola and I have dated bothers you. But if you realize, you are my wife even at the office it might not."

"I told you Dev," she turned to wash the glass, "you're not really that important. You have your own life, and although I'm your wife, I've never really treated you as my husband."

When she began to turn he stopped her by locking her between the sink and him. "And, I've been treating you as my wife for sometime now."

She was anything but uncomfortable with the closeness, Dev concluded.

"Have you been?" She took his hand in hers when he pressed a kiss to her neck. "I guess you have been." He left her then and caught her frowning. "Are you sure?" she asked still facing the sink.

"I'm trying. Good night, Sonakshi."

"Good night," she whispered back.

**********

"I will so not sign these!" Sonakshi tossed the file back at Dev stubbornly for the tenth time.

"This is insane."

"It isn't. I want you to hold fifty percent of the shares for my office."

"Forty-nine." She said raising an eyebrow.

"Fifty," he replied looking into space.

"You're mad."

"For you." It came so quick he couldn't stop it.

"Is it?" she grinned at him.

"No." he shook his head and made himself mental note that said to punch himself in the face once he was alone, without giving himself a bruise. "I meant, because of you." He rounded his desk and gave her the file again. "And unless you want me to really go to the mental asylum permanently sign these."

"Change it to forty-nine percent and I'll sign them."

"Just sign them!" He begged jumping in front of her in impatience. "I'll give you anything if you do."

Fire Viola Love, she thought. "No."

"Sonakshi!" He sounded strict but enjoyed the fact she was arguing. "Would you rather sign divorce papers?"

Of course he wasn't serious, she knew that too well. "More than happily."

He growled in frustration, "Okay you'll get them tomorrow."

"Should I ask for alimony?" She asked in humor and a grin.

"You won't have to if you just sign these damn papers." He said handing her the pen now.

"These papers or divorce papers?"

"Divorce papers." She said putting the pen back in his pocket, then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, shocking him half to death. He took the file from her hand and set it aside while her lips were still against his, and pulled her into his arms. Moments later she tilted her head back and looked at him without a doubt about the kiss. "I just thought I could damage that complaint you once registered about your wife not kissing you before you went to your lawyer today."

"Yeah, well, just make sure next time you warn me before stopping my heart for entire second." She was still close and he could smell whatever lotion or perfume she'd used this morning.

"Then I'm telling you now." She kissed him again, quickly this time. "I'll see you later."

She brushed past him, her scent was still in his head. And, damn her, he knew he wasn't going to concentrate after this all day. And, hell she knew better than him that she was going to pay for this. Then he realized she'd slipped away without signing the papers.

"Morning Mr. Dixit." Shanaya walked in and closed the door behind her. When he didn't reply she looked at his dazed face carefully.

"Dev?" She shook him and he looked at her annoyed.

"Yes Shanaya, what can I do for you?" He walked away and sat down on his chair.

"Viola Love will be here any moment and if you don't want her to pick this entire office up on her head you better be there to greet her."

"There are a million people here who will be doing that, I'm not responsible for a designer alone."

"Alright Dev, what happened?" Shanaya asked sitting down in front of him.

"Nothing happened. Do I have to be happy forever?"

"Let me guess, Sonakshi said something?"

"No she did something," he mumbled.

"Okay!" She grinned.

Sonakshi rushed back in, Dev scowled at her, Shanaya noticed. "I'll sign the papers."

"Sweetheart, the divorce papers aren't here yet."

Shanaya looked at Sonakshi in confusion as she sat down on the chair beside her and signed whatever file she needed to. "And they never will." She signed as Sonakshi Dixit and placed two dots under her name, closed the file and gave it to him. "Happy?"

"Well I was happier with the divorce idea." He looked at her signature, she'd signed as Sonakshi Dixit for the first time, and her signature was damn stylish with all sorts of curves and artsy things going on. Well at least no one could copy it, unlike his.

"After this Viola Love leaves, you can have that too." She mumbled under her breath, Dev looked at her with a risen eyebrow.

"Hey Dev," Shanaya looked at him again, "didn't you date Viola?"

Sonakshi rolled her eyes and Dev smiled. "I did. I thought she was it. I was so convinced she was the one that I almost proposed to her. But then Sonakshi dropped in from sky nine. God hated me enough that he got me stuck with her forever."

"Oh you deviled thing." Sonakshi said with humor in her eyes.

Shanaya chuckled at their little argument, typical.

"And mind you, I'm stuck with you, not you with me. And Shanaya," she looked at her, "why are you sitting here chatting with us?"

"Ah!" she opened her mouth and then stood. "I'll see you guys later, you guys just be out in time to great Miss. Viola Love."

"Oh I'll great her, alright!" Sonakshi said grinding her teeth together.

"Okay." Laughing Shanaya walked out.

**********************

The pretty Viola Love walked into the fashion house, pushing her glasses to her head, which pushed her light brown, glossy hair off her face. Her deep, dark, green eyes glanced the beautiful office looking for her love interest Dev Dixit, hoping he would be the once to great her. Instead she saw a tall lady, around five seven, walk towards her with a bouquet of mixed flowers. Viola liked the way she was dressed, simple yet classy. She wore a elegant gold chain around her neck, looked somewhat familiar.

"Welcome Miss. Love." She smiled and handed the flowers to her, Viola happily took them.

"Thank you." Her answer was sweet and her voice was pretty and elegant. "Is Dev Dixit too busy to great his designer? He is the boss after all."

"So am I." She smiled and held out her hand. "Mrs. Sonakshi Dev Dixit, welcome to Envy in Passion, Viola."

"Thank you." She took her hand and shook it. Although, Mrs. Dev Dixit, was tall she was slim and looked tiny. But the hand that shook Viola's was strong and held authority of a wife and of a boss. Although Viola admired the authority she didn't admire who it was coming from. The wife of the man who she is in love with and was hoping to get back with.

"Viola!" Dev walked to her with his arms wide open, Viola left Sonakshi's hand, shoved the flowers to her, destroying half of them, and walked into his embrace as Sonakshi turned.

"It's so nice to see you." He pressed a kiss to both her cheeks and tiled back. "You still look wonderful."

"Plastic." Sonakshi mumbled looking at the flowers.

"Thank you Dev, you're still very handsome yourself. It's been nearly a year."

Sonakshi came in and stood beside Dev, smiling like she didn't care. And, she was good at pretending.

"Yes. By the way meet my wife Sonakshi." His arm, almost automatically, possessively, when around her. The automatically Sonakshi felt and Dev knew, but the possessive Viola saw.

"You've broken my heart Dev," she sighed and brought both her hands to her chest. "Good choice but I don't think you could have done better than me."

He laughed, "I beg to differ." He turned to Sonakshi and both his arms were around her shoulders. His lips pressed against her temple. "I don't think anyone can do better than her."

It annoyed Viola more than she'd wanted it to effect her. Sonakshi was his wife, but she loved him.

Sonakshi wanted to know why he was saying what he was. Only because he knew Sonakshi was uncomfortable around Viola or because he meant it?

Viola stayed shut while Sonakshi simply smiled at Dev. "Thank you." It was appropriate enough to say.

"Well we aren't here to compare your wife and your ex-girlfriend, Dev." Viola snapped right away.

"Alright!" Dev took his arms away and smiled. "Don't be angry, Viola."

"Whatever." She looked at Sonakshi and then realized the chain she was wearing was Dev's not hers. She remembered telling her he would give it to the one he marries and loves. Then it might have been her, but today it was Sonakshi.

"Why don't you relax for today and we'll start the designs from tomorrow and you can start coordinating the show's that will be held in Florida from then. We've been practicing your instructions and I believe we're quite good. You can come and judge tomorrow."

"Oh that I will. And if it's done under your supervision its ought to be perfect. See you tomorrow." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Bye Sonakshi."

Sonakshi smiled and Viola left. Before Sonakshi had a chance to walk away in sadness and anger, Shanaya called.

"Sonakshi."

She turned, "Yes Shanaya."

"As you know we're opening our show with the piano playing."

"Yes."

"Do you think, just for the rehearsals, you can play?" She smiled, she'd heard Sonakshi play last week and liked it very much. "Please."

"I'll review the notes today and practice if I can do a job good enough I'll help you guys."

"Cool!" She jumped in excitement and went away.

Sonakshi sat in the rehearsal hall reviewing the notes after everyone was gone that night. Dev was still busy and she had nothing to do. After reading the notes once she started playing the music. It was elegant and written by an old, old pianist. The music was elegant and soothing. It had been picked considering the cool colors of the outfits for the collection.

Sonakshi played the piano, started slow and soft. Just the way the song was originally composed. Then Dev's words rung in her ears. He loved someone else, she remembered him tell her, and she had been foolish enough to kiss him. So what if they'd shared a night, it was nothing more than a stupid mistake.

Her fingers moved faster and she altogether played a different tune, something with a mixture of sadness and anger, the Requiem by Mozart.

Dev slowed down upon hearing the angry piano and walked towards the rehearsal hall recognizing Mozart's music. If he remembered right from his AP Music class this was the last song he wrote. He stopped at the entrance and watched Sonakshi play. Her eyes were closed and she played carelessly, yet so excellently. Besides the recordings he's heard of this music, Sonakshi was the only person he now knew who played it so well.

After a while she stopped playing and her eyes opened, she took a deep breath and looked back at the music sheets, crumbled the copy in anger and tossed it aside.

Confused Dev simply walked away.

Dev closed the lights of his room and laid down, then sat up when there was a knock on the door. It had to be Sonakshi, no one else lived in the house. With a sigh he turned the light on and opened the door. Sonakshi was looking towards the floor dressed in her night suit.

"Hello, Sonakshi. Do you need something?"

She looked at him and took a step into the room. Simply embraced him lightly, then increased the power by tightening the hug. She felt comfortable there, in his arms.

"You okay?" He asked resting his chin on her head.

"Can I stay here?"

"Um, I guess." He was confused, she'd never just came to him, embraced him, and then asked him if she could stay. "Alright Sonakshi," he pulled her away and sat her down on the bed beside him, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She nodded her head without looking at him. "What would you do if you found out someone loved you?"

"Well it depends who that someone is. Why did someone proposed to you? And, now you're thinking that you are begin unfair with me, right?"

"No."

"Oh! So someone proposed to you and you aren't even feeling bad for me?"

"Dev I'm serious. Forget it." She stood up when he took her hand.

"Hey, hey. I'm joking, sit down." He pulled her down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Why don't you tell me what you mean?"

"Do you think we were unfair to each other by getting married only because Mom and Dad asked us to?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. "Maybe after Jatin there was someone else who could have loved you, who you would have loved back, and you guys might have kept each other happier than we are right now. But then maybe Jatin was the only one you will every love."

"What about you?" She looked at him now.

"What about me?" He tilted her head and searched her eyes.

She pressed her lips together, "Viola Love."

"Oh Sonakshi." With a heartfelt sigh he kissed her and embraced her tightly. "I never loved her, silly. Have you been worrying about that all day?" She kept quite. "I was joking about marrying her Sonakshi. We were serious about each other, yes. I was getting ready to marry, but never thought about it. Then you came along-"

"You only married me because of both our parents. Because you didn't want to just let me go to live in poverty."