He knocked on the door once.
The sound echoed in the hallway, much louder than his own footsteps. He checked his watch for once, as if a second would make a huge difference.
Right after, the door was unlocked.
Vivaan stared at Rushaan for a moment. His expression was sheer calmness, that had the power to make anyone feel uneasy. His shirt's first button was unbuttoned, just like those times he did that thing when he felt too stressed. He stared at Rushaan, waiting for him to speak.
But it appeared that Rushaan's words were either lost in the corridors, or perhaps he swallowed them with his heavy gulp.
Vivaan raised his eyebrows, as a silent sign to Rushaan which meant only one thing- Speak fast, you are wasting my time.
Rushaan lowered his eyes and gestured for permission to enter. Vivaan's sharp eyes frowned for a moment. He looked back at Kruthi, opened the door completely for her to see the visitor, as if asking whether she was comfortable to let Rushaan in with them.
Kruthi, looked out of door in confusion. Her eyes travelled to Rushaan's form before she nodded, sensing something uneasy.
Finally, Vivaan took a step back to let Rushaan enter, but soon joined his wife, who was sitting on bed and held her hand comfortingly.
"Are you expecting me to read your mind?" Vivaan asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Rushaan suddenly looked up at him then Kruthi, and then back at him. Before the next moment, he was at the side of their nightstand, taking enormous gulps of water in one go.
"I am still not able to read your mind." Vivaan said again, in a sheer taunt which matched Rushaan's mother's tone.
"I am here to..." Rushaan paused for a moment. A long pause. His eyes travelled around the floor, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.
"I know you are here, Rushaan. Is that what you wanted to say?"
Rushaan shook his head quickly, and took out a handkerchief from his trouser, dabbing the sweat beads away from his face.
Rushaan unbuttoned his shirt's first button as if it would make the words flow from his mouth naturally. But the more he tried, the more he began to sweat. He folded his cuffs till his elbows and focused his eyes out of the window.
Meanwhile, Vivaan was looking at him with the same confusion. As soon as Rushaan unbuttoned his first shirt, Vivaan suddenly closed Kruthi's eyes with his one hand.
"He was my boyfriend before." Kruthi said suddenly and removed Vivaan's hand from her eyes.
"But I am your husband. Close your eyes."
Kruthi looked at the scary expression on Vivaan's face and obeyed him at once.
"Rushaan, I want to open my eyes, can you cover yourself up?"
Rushaan nodded and buttoned his shirt back.
"You are sweating, unbutton it." Vivaan said calmly before turning to address Kruthi. "And why do you want to open your eyes? Rest now."
Kruthi shook her head
"But I don't feel like resting."
Vivaan sighed and stood suddenly, to reduce the temperature of the air conditioner.
"Button yourself up."
Rushaan nodded and buttoned his first button back, finally making Vivaan permit Kruthi to open her eyes.
In another moment, Rushaan again took gulps of water looking around anywhere except Kruthi or Vivaan.
"You are here to bloat yourself? That's a bold move for someone like you, to make me remove you from the Svidevzalia."
Rushaan choked on the last gulp and coughed lightly.
With a sigh, Vivaan stood up and slapped his back gently.
"Cough properly until you feel better."
Rushaan nodded and within moments he was back to his usual self.
Then he looked at Kruthi and finally said.
...
...
"We only dated for two days. On one of the days, I didn't even come."
Vivaan looked at Kruthi with a teasing edge on his lips.
"One day boyfriend, is it? Your dating history is too nice."
Kruthi pursed her lips in a thin line and looked out of the window.
"Why are you here? I am sure it's not for drinking water or flaunting your chest in front of MY wife?"
Rushaan nodded and stared at Kruthi for a moment.
His eyes shifted to Vivaan, almost devoid of any games or drama. There was only one request in them—to keep her out of this, to give him some privacy.
"She's unwell, I cannot ask her to go out of the room."
Rushaan sighed and nodded.
He hesitated for a moment but the wrapped his arms around Vivaan.
No words.
No drama.
Just a... hug.
Vivaan stiffened for a moment. His initial reaction was to think what new drama was this? But that hug didn't feel manipulative. That didn't feel made up. It felt... sincere.
Vivaan exhaled lightly and kept his one arm on his back.
"I told you when we were young. Your parents brought you from the garbage bin which is near that 'La Atelier' hotel."
Rushaan let out a light chuckle, almost inaudible to Kruthi.
Without a word, Rushaan went out of the room and rushed to his room to wipe his tears.
Ayesha was already there, with a tray of meal.
"You are crying again? Rushaan ji, ab kya hua?"
Rushaan shook his head lightly with a small smile, almost to himself.
"Something what should've happened a long ago"
Rushaan sat at the edge of the bed before having the meal.
"You had?"
He hoped that perhaps Ayesha would refuse, that he would get a chance to... care for her.
"I had already."
His eyes dimmed for a moment, but he nodded lightly and focused on his meal.
Soon, Vivaan received an email on his phone.
At that time, he was feeding the vegetable soup to his tantrum throwing wife, who was telling him better recipes to serve to a patient.
His hand paused for a brief moment, and eyes softened.
Respected CEO of Svidevzalia,
I am highly ashamed of my past deeds.
Whatever happened today, downstairs was a shocking revelation to me. I remember the numerous times you used to tell me in our teenage years- to focus on inner growth, to work on my mind, instead of doing what I listened to.
I don't wish to write a formal email to you. This isn't an email to the CEO, but my cousin brother.
However, there's a file in the basement, that hidden room.
I kept it before leaving from there. Leaving it anywhere around the mansion would have caused trouble. It may not contain a lot of information, but enough as much as I know.
And lastly, sorry bhai...
I offer my deep apologies to Kruthi, my sister-in-law too...
Regards,
The child adopted from dumpster
To?
The child adopted from the roadside market.
Kruthi peeked over his phone, but Vivaan suddenly hid it back and held out another spoon of vegetable soup to her.
"How long do I have to consume this bland thing?"
"Until you recover." Vivaan said forwarding another spoon towards her mouth.
"Why did you hide the phone?"
"It was my personal email?"
Kruthi stared at him for a moment. Her eyebrows squinted that she forgot to consume the next spoonful of soup.
"Personal?"
Vivaan nodded calmly.
"That means I am public?"
Vivaan widened his eyes. That wasn't what he meant.
"It was a mail from Rushaan. He apologised and talked about a file. I have texted Mirhaan to retrieve that file."
"WOW, so out of a sudden Rushaan is personal to you?"
Vivaan's lips twitched at her dramatic antics before he asked her.
"You jealous?"
Kruthi furiously took the bowl from his hand and started having the soup herself.
Vivaan looked away to control his softened expression before rubbing the bridge of his nose and saying.
"He was asking about our honeymoon."
Suddenly Kruthi choked lightly on the soup.
"I was lying." Vivaan admitted while rubbing her back.
"Don't even t-think about that." Kruthi said finally, regaining her composure.
"How will you know what I am thinking?"
"Dekho." Kruthi pointed her finger at him. "You are getting too comfortable."
Vivaan chuckled inwardly, looking his eyes away, before fixing her under a dark stare, and closing their gap enough to invade her private space.
Gently, he wrapped his hand around her index finger which was pointed at him before admitting with that same, infamous smirk, the habit which Kruthi interrupted him at their second meet, in the car while they were finally entering a bond, which none of them hoped would lead till today.
"For the first time ever."
He spoke finally, his tone huskier than intended.