Amara's POV:
It's the day I will finally be back in my hometown. Eric and I have planned to surprise him, so I told Vihaan I'm coming back in two days. In reality, I'll land tonight, and tomorrow we'll set everything up.
The airport hums around me—rolling suitcases, distant announcements, the faint scent of roasted coffee. My boarding pass feels warm from my grip, like it knows the secret I'm carrying.
As I buckle in, the cabin lights dim to a soft glow. Outside the window, the runway lights stretch like tiny constellations. My heart beats a little faster: every mile in the air is a mile closer to Vihaan.
Halfway through the flight, my phone buzzes with a message that sneaks through before airplane mode fully takes over.
Vihaan: "Long day. Just finished another hearing. Miss you. Two more days, right?"Me: "Yup. Two days. You sound tired."Vihaan: "Exhausted. Immediately need of one kiss, "
I press a hand to my chest, guilt and excitement tangling together. Hold on, just one more night, I think.
The captain announces our descent. City lights sparkle below, a quiet promise of what's waiting. I close my eyes and smile, imagining his expression when the door opens tomorrow and I'm already there—no screens, no countdown, just us.
The plane touched down, and the cabin hummed with passengers gathering their things. I slipped my backpack over my shoulder, heart racing. Tonight, I wasn't just coming home—I was coming back to him.
At baggage claim, Eric was already waiting, leaning casually against the carousel with a mischievous grin. "You're on time," he said, winking.
"Of course," I whispered, trying to contain my excitement. "We've got a lot to do tonight."
He chuckled. "You've been sneaky. Two days later, huh? Vihaan won't know what hit him."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Shh! That's the plan."
We drove through the familiar streets, my stomach fluttering with anticipation. Every turn reminded me of how long it had been since I'd been near him, and how badly I'd missed it.
When we arrived, Jia and Adrian were waiting. Jia practically ran toward me, her face lighting up. Our hug lingered longer than it should have, filled with the joy of reunion.
"You're finally here! We have to go shopping together—it's been ages!" she said, holding both my hands tightly.
"Yes, be ready," I laughed, squeezing her hands back.
After a few minutes of catching up, I took a deep breath, my pulse quickening with a mix of nerves and excitement. It was time. Eric gave me a conspiratorial look. "Ready to go?"
I nodded, heart pounding. Soon, it would just be the two of us. No crowds, no distractions, no video calls—just him and me.
Jia and I went home for the night, planning to rest before tomorrow. Tomorrow, Mr. Vihaan Mickelson, you'd better be ready to see me standing right in front of you.
While unpacking, Jia started filling me in on everything that had happened in my absence.
"You know what? His parents are finally okay with our relationship," she said, grinning like she had just won the lottery.
"Really? Congratulations! So… when can I attend the wedding?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Soon, baby. But before that, he'd better propose to me properly," she said, switching through a series of exaggerated expressions, as if acting out every possible reaction he might have.
"Properly? But he already proposed that night at dinner," I said, genuinely surprised.
"That was just a confession, Ama. Not an official proposal," she said, giving me a look that implied I was dangerously naive.
I laughed. "Okay… fine. Then tell me—when did Vihaan first confess his feelings for you?"
She leaned back, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Umm… it was after that whole misunderstanding got cleared up. But even then, he never actually said 'I love you' or 'I like you.' It was more… subtle, like I just understood what he felt," I replied, thinking back.
She gasped dramatically. "Wait, so he never proposed?"
I shrugged, smiling at the memory. "Apparently not. Guess I'll have to see if he steps up this time."
Jia laughed, grabbing my hand. "Well, you better be ready too, Ama. Tomorrow, when you walk in, he's going to lose it."
"I hope so," I whispered, a grin tugging at my lips. "After two long years, he deserves a little shock."
"Shock? Oh, you mean the 'finally realizing I'm right here' kind?" Jia teased.
"Exactly," I said, rolling my eyes playfully. "And maybe a little reminder that I can be sneaky when I want to be."
She giggled. "This is going to be fun. I can already picture him—totally caught off guard, probably speechless for the first time ever."
I leaned back, thinking about the moment, heart fluttering uncontrollably. Tomorrow, no screens, no calls, just him and me. Finally.
"Alright," I said, standing up, determination settling in. "Let's make sure everything's ready. Candles, decorations, little touches… Eric and I have it all planned. He won't know what hit him."
Jia clapped her hands, eyes sparkling. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, you and Vihaan have your private little world. And trust me, it's going to be perfect."
I smiled, imagining his reaction, the warmth in his eyes, the laugh I've missed for weeks. The thought made me squeeze my hands into fists of excitement. Just a few more hours…
And with that, we started going over the final details, laughter and whispered plans filling the room—our little prelude to the reunion I'd been waiting for all these years.
Only a few hours, I should take a little bit of rest, but because of excitement, I am not able to even close my eyes.
It's the awaited morning, Jia and I have already got ready, and within a few minutes, Eric came to take us. When we reached his house, it was quite early in the morning, so it was easy to sneak in. When we entered, he was coming downstairs, looking effortlessly handsome and fresh.
"Stop admiring him, you have the whole day for it," Jia whispered to me as we needed to hide somewhere before he noticed us.
After fixing everything, it was time to start the drama.
"Come on, Ama, let us get there." Eric gestured for me to come with him.
Eric and I then entered the library, where he usually sits before going to the office. Eric told me to wait for a few minutes. After a while, we heard footsteps coming towards the room.
The door swung open, and there he was—Vihaan, holding a mug of coffee, his eyes still heavy with sleep, hair a little tousled, the morning sunlight catching just enough to make him glow.
"Vihaan?" I whispered, heart hammering so loudly I was sure he'd hear it even over his own thoughts.
He was smiling... But not the smile, he always has whenever he looks at me. It was cold, looked like just a formal fake smile.
"You are here, good, I wanted to show you someone," he said while gesturing someone to enter.