Page 27 of Forged By Fate

“Remember this grin every time you even think of pissing me off over the next month, Mr C,” I replied.

“Bring it on…wifey,” he growled just as I was walking away, and I was sure it was just a weird coincidence, but I stumbledover my own feet. With a deep breath and a lot of restraint, I ignored his low laugh and stalked into the house.

Sufi had already arranged to move all my stuff into Viren’s room, so when I went upstairs, I had to dodge past the helpers who were moving the contents of my wardrobe into Viren’s massive walk-in closet.

“Sufi…listen,” I said, grabbing his sleeve as he supervised the move. “That walk-in closet is so massive. Just put a day bed in there and no one will know any better.”

“Babe, I don’t trust those women. What if they come snooping in here when you’re both out of the house and take pictures of your sleeping arrangements? Are you willing to risk Aisha’s future over such a small thing?”

“Look, Viren’s Chachi probably already knows we sleep separately.”

“She lives in her own wing on the other end of the mansion, sweetie. She knows nothing of what goes on here because she sticks to her side of the house. Maybe she’s heard something from the staff, but they can’t prove a thing. Not anymore,” he replied.

I sighed in defeat and went unwillingly to Viren’s room. I had never been in here, although he had entered my room on the few occasions when I fell asleep in the den during movie night, and he had carried me up to bed.

It was a huge room with the aforementioned walk-in closet and a bathroom that was bigger than my father’s flat in Borivali. It had high ceilings with stained glass fanlights over the large windows and a big balcony overlooking the garden. The furniture was old and made entirely of teakwood. It was very different from the modern furniture in the rest of the house. These were vintage pieces, lovingly restored and shipped from all over the country.

I pushed open the bathroom door and gasped at the sheer opulence of it. There was a huge enclosed shower area that was too big to be called a cubicle, with a large whirlpool spa tub in one corner. There were speakers built into the ceiling outside the shower area. I gaped at the complicated shower equipment that looked like you needed an engineering degree to operate it. There was a big rain shower head, along with multiple shower heads at various heights, ensuring the most decadent shower experience.

I had a feeling this was going to be my favourite spot in the room, I thought with delight. I loved taking long, boiling hot showers that left me looking like a boiled lobster.

I dragged myself out of the bathroom reluctantly and found the room empty, except for my husband, who was standing by the window looking out at the garden. Immediately, I felt like an intruder. This was Viren’s space and I didn’t know if I would ever fit in here.

“I can hear you overthinking,” he said, looking over his shoulder.

I smiled hesitantly.

“I was just wondering how I’d ever fit in here. This room is so…you.”

“What do you mean?”

I looked around the room once before I met his enquiring gaze.

“The first impression is stark, uninviting…hostile,” I began, and a muscle jumped in his jaw at this indictment. “But then…”

Viren moved suddenly, and I lost the thread of what I was saying. He walked up to me and stood looking down his long, aristocratic nose at me.

“But then?” he bit out.

“Then you start noticing the little things that bring in the warmth, from the gorgeous vintage furniture to the soft, thick bedding. Not to mention that mindblowing bathroom!”

“You’re comparing me to a bathroom?” he asked in disbelief.

“It is the Viren Chaudhry of bathrooms, trust me,” I said with a quick grin. “It’s very special.”

His eyes darkened as he stared at my lips, and again, I felt a gush of wetness at the intensity of his gaze. Oy, if he was going to look at me like that every time we were alone in our room, then I was in serious trouble.

“I’m going to change and go downstairs,” I said hastily, ducking past him to look for a change of clothes.

The rest of the day sped by, with Aisha being monopolised by Laxmi Aunty, who ignored me as if I were a member of the staff. Luckily, Sufi had managed to have a quick word with Aisha, warning her not to answer any questions about our sleeping arrangements. I was wondering if she would be weirded out by my moving into Viren’s bedroom, but she didn’t seem to care.

Viren’s aunt and Tahira kept him occupied after dinner, and I went upstairs silently, hoping he’d stay downstairs until I was asleep. Although I had no idea how I was going to fall asleep at all. I mean, I was going to sleep in Viren’s bed!

I changed into my Garfield pyjamas and got under the covers with my guided sleep meditation plugged into my ears. But I’d barely got to the deep breathing part when I felt the bed dip.

My eyes flew open, and I turned my head to see Viren staring at me in the dim light of his bedside lamp. My eyes skipped a beat at the look in his eyes.

“Hello,” I whispered.

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