Astha woke up hearing her alarm ring. She was cocooned within the warm male hands and body. Knowing she had work, Astha opened her eyes with geat difficulty. She gently pulled out of Shlok's arms but was brought back by the same arms. Shlok nuzzled her hair and whispered a sleepy "Good morning."
Astha looked up at his face and gave a cute smile. "Good morning." Her voice was soft.
"You know I forgot to tell you something yesterday."
"What?"
"You were right about Sojal. She loves bhai."
"And how do you know that?" Astha's brows slightly raised.
"Judging by the way she ran to him for comfort, it can't be anything else. Bhai has to be blind to not notice her love."
"Really? You never told me this yesterday."
"It slipped my mind with uncle's health and seeing you I forget most of the things anyway." He teased her with a wolfish grin.
Astha blushed and hit him playfully on the chest. She rolled her eyes and said "As if!" Astha got out quickly before Shlok could start something. She went down after her shower and continued with the morning chores.
Breakfast happened during which Anjali was serving Shlok. Shlok noticed a deep red wound on Anjali's inner wrist. He immediately asked her what happened.
Anjali immediately retreated her hands in haste. Her face was almost funny to look with her trying to hide her obvious discomfort. "I just hit myself in the room. Nothing for you to bother about. And don't pretend as if you care about me suddenly." She finished with that harsh statement.
Varad and Astha looked at each other. They were both silently wondering if it was indeed only an accident.
Shlok too was suspicious of Anjali's behavior. He had only asked her out of curiosity but her reactions were very strong, as if she was hiding something. Could Astha be right? This was the second time the question popped in his mind in the last twenty four hours. But immediately looking at his father's serene face he felt ashamed for even thinking along those lines.
Shlok quickly finished the breakfast and got up. He was agitated and disturbed. Something was troubling him and his heart was not at peace. Damn Astha for putting these thoughts into his head. He almost banged his fist in the wall and climbed up the stairs to his room.
Astha followed him quickly to the room. She saw her husband's face and knew he was upset about something. "Are you okay Shlok?"
"Why should I not be?" His voice was flat and he was checking his emails in his blackberry without looking at her. Astha placed her hands on his shoulder and turned him around.
"What is it?" She asked him in a gentle voice.
Shlok heaved a huge sigh and pocketed his blackberry. He pulled Astha into a hug and placed his head above hers. "Don't know." He mumbled like a small child.
To distract him Astha spoke to him. "Shlok, before we..got carried away yesterday night I wanted to show you something. I meant to but we, I..other things got in." She finished with a red cheek.
"What is it?" Shlok looked into her eyes in bemusement.
"Not now. You're getting late for office. Let me do one thing. I will come to office taking your lunch with me. We both can discuss it there. Is that fine?"
"Okay. But is everything fine?" As usual his concern returned.
"Of course." She smiled.
"Come soon." He kissed her cheek and left downstairs.
Varad came in after Shlok went out. "Astha you won't believe what I found in Baba's room."
"What?"
"A broken piece of glass with blood stain. I had gone to get a file he had kept on his bed. And I found this by the bed side." He held the piece in his hand.
"Sasubhai must have been hurt by this. Maybe she tried picking it up with her hands."
"In that case why would her inner hand get hurt? Only her fingers must be hurt. This is deliberate Astha. I am almost sure. And did you see the way she reacted to Shlok this morning?"
"Yes bhai. I too noticed it. But how will we get enough proof to make Shlok believe in us?"
"It will happen soon Astha. We will make it happen."
Varad turned to leave when Astha stopped him "Bhai did you meet Sojal yesterday? How was she?" His face became a little flustered at Astha's question. "Yes. Yes I did. She is fine now. I called her today morning. Her father is still in the ICU but he is conscious."
Astha understood he was still refusing to ackowledge Sojal's love for him. She anyways wanted to go to the hospital to visit uncle. She would speak to Sojal then she decided. Baba had already left with Ayi to visit Sojal's father. Astha stopped her day dreaming and got on with lunch. She had to go to the office too.
Astha prepared the lunch, laid the table. It was almost time the elders came from the hospital. She informed Rani that she was going to office and asked her to inform Sasubhai. With her handbag and the lunch, Astha left to the office.
Shlok's secretary asked her to be seated in his cabin. This was the first time she was in his cabin. Earlier she had just come for a brief visit. His cabin was huge, well lit, and airy. There was a huge mahogany desk with a rotating chair behind it. The desk was neat with Shlok's laptop, some files and stationary. There was a comfortable couch by the side of the room along with a center table. Astha kept the lunch on the small table and went around to admire the paintings.
That's how Shlok found her when he came in. He already asked his secretary to not disturb him for another hour. Shlok was admiring his wife. He closed the blinds by the window. Astha turned around at the sound and found Shlok. The cabin had already become dimly lit dut to the blinds.
"Shlok. Why did you put on the blinds?"
He came to her and hugged her from behind. "For some privacy. With my wife." He kissed her neck as he finished. Astha's head went back automatically and she closed her eyes.
"It's been only a few hours and I already miss you." Shlok's voice was lazy and husky. Astha turned around and looked into his face. Her hands were on his chest. "Maybe you should get me lunch daily." Shlok brushed his cheeks against hers. His hands were trying to remove her dori and kiss her at the same time. Her face flamed at his words and his actions.
"Shlok. Leave me. Come and have your lunch first." Shlok picked her up and sat with her on the couch. He had the lunch she served and then remembered she wanted to discuss something with him.
"What did you want to see me for Astha?"
She simply took a pen drive from her handbag and gave it to Shlok. He got his laptop and put in the pen drive. She opened the presentation she had made. It was about their instituition, their legacy, current situation and what could be done in future. Shlok was astounded seeing this. He didn't know she had keen interest in business.
"Astha! When did you do all this?" Shlok was still absorbed in her presentation.
"While I was at home having nothing to do. I collected information from the website, your files and from bhai. Shlok, I am a commerce graduate and I want to study further. Maybe do an MBA." Her voice was clear and firm.
Shlok sat back and looked at his wife. She never failed to surprise him. He was constantly thrown by the various facets of her personality. "Hmm Okay. I am glad you told me instead of bottling up all this inside yourself. And this presentation is quite good. I will see what I can do Astha. Our instituition also offers MBA degrees and we are top notch. I hope you know that."
Astha nodded in the affirmative. Shlok took out the pen drive and held it with him. Let this be with me. I will take it up with Baba. And before you hop along to do more lets take a trip somewhere Astha. Do you want to visit any place?"
Astha shook her head "Nothing in particular."
"Okay then be ready. We will leave tomorrow. And I want you exclusively for myself for the next three days." He pulled her to him and gave a lingering kiss. "Got that?"
Astha nodded with pink cheeks. She quickly packed the lunch bag and left back home with a smile.
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