"Vikram sir, why are you so close to me?"
"Tara, because I want to stay close to you."
"Vikram sir, please..."
"Don't you want me to kiss you? Then let me..."
Tara's eyes flew open.
In her head: What sort of dream was that? Tara, you've gone insane. First you think about Vikram sir all day, and now you're dreaming about him kissing you? Shame on you, girl.
She turned her head and froze. Vikram was sleeping right beside her.
Tara (thinking): He looks even more handsome this close. Not like a monster at all. He even helped me sleep last night... I should probably thank him. He did give me that yellow rose yesterday. Maybe it was just an apology. So I can thank him the same way.
She slowly turned toward Vikram, her eyes lingering on his peaceful face.
Tara (thinking): Why is his face glowing even more than usual?
Her index finger reached out gently and traced from his forehead downward, slowly... pausing right at the corner of his lips. She hesitated, then lightly touched them.
Suddenly, Tara pulled her hand back, sitting upright in panic.
Tara (in her head): Control yourself, Tara. Control your emotions... and your finger!
She jumped out of bed and rushed out.
Vikram slowly opened his eyes.
Vikram (touching his lips, smiling): "Did she just touch my lips? And then ran off? This girl... what do I even say about her."
---
Garden - Morning
Tara paced nervously.
Tara (thinking): You've lost your mind, Tara. If Vikram finds out, what will he think of you? Just go and return the yellow rose. Like he did yesterday. It's just a thank you.
She picked up the yellow rose and quietly made her way back to the room. Peeking inside...
Tara (thinking): He's not here. Good. I can just leave this next to his bed and go.
She placed the rose gently beside his pillow and turned to leave, when suddenly—
Vikram pulled her into a backhug.
Tara jumped. "You weren't in the room! Why are you hugging me?!"
"I was here. And I hugged you because you always run away."
"You can't hug me like that!"
"Why not? I did last night."
"That was for breathing exercises!"
"Then think of this the same way. Anyway... this rose, is it for me?"
"No... I mean, yes. Because you gave me one yesterday, and I don't keep anything that's not mine. So I'm returning it."
"So you always return things people give you, hmm?"
"Yes. I do."
Without warning, Vikram kissed her on the cheek.
Tara froze. "What was that?!"
"Return it," he smirked.
Tara's reflex kicked in—literally. She kicked him hard in the stomach.
"Ow! Tara! Who kicks that hard?!"
"You are my contracted husband, and this kind of behavior is not in the contract. I will only follow what's written."
"I may be your contracted husband, but I'm still your husband."
Tara ran out of the room.
Vikram (wincing): "This girl may look delicate, but her kicks are weapons. Anyway..."
He picked up the yellow rose, smiled, and placed it carefully in his cupboard.
---
Tara - Outside the Room
Panting, she stopped to catch her breath, hand brushing against the cheek Vikram kissed.
Tara (thinking): Did he really kiss me? Why... why does it feel so nice?
Smiling faintly, she shook her head. Control yourself, Tara. She headed downstairs to avoid him.
---
Sometime Later – Mansion Hallway
Vikram, fully dressed, came downstairs.
"Where is Tara?" he asked a staff member.
"Ma'am is in the backyard these days... she spends a lot of time there. Often talking to herself."
Just as Vikram was about to head there, Dadi appeared.
"Where are you going? Eat your breakfast first. And where is Tara? Still sleeping?"
"She's in the backyard."
"Backyard again? Yesterday she was even listening to sad songs! Can you believe it? Tara, listening to sad music?"
"Tara... listening to sad songs?"
"Wait, I'll call her."
---
Backyard
"Ma'am, Dadi is calling you."
"Okay, coming."
Tara walked in and saw Vikram already at the dining table. She sat on the couch, looking away.
"Tara, come have breakfast," Dadi said.
"No, Dadi. Just tea for me."
"Staff, make tea for her. Extra sugar. I'm low on glucose," Tara added.
"And make coffee for me too," Vikram said. "With sugar."
"But sir, you don't take sugar," the staff replied, surprised.
"Today I will. I think I'm low on glucose too."
Dadi watched all this with a knowing smile. Tara simply stared at Vikram.
After a while, Vikram finished and stood to leave.
---
At the Door
"Tara, wait."
Tara (thinking): Why is he calling me now?
"Go, dear," Dadi encouraged.
"Yes, Dadi."
She walked over.
"You didn't return it. I thought you returned everything? So? Return it. I'm waiting."
"Ours is a contract marriage. That kind of thing isn't in the contract."
"Then I'll call the lawyer today and add new clauses. The old ones are outdated."
"What clauses are you going to add?!"
"You'll see, Tara Bansal—oops, I mean, Tara Suryavanshi. You'll have to follow every clause. Okay, I'm leaving."
Tara stood frozen. What new clauses?!
Suddenly—
"Taraaaa! Watch out!"
Tara looked up and saw a wall right in front of her.
Vikram (shaking his head): "This girl..."
He got in the car.
"Sir," the driver chuckled, "Ma'am is a little... unusual."
"Drive silently or your life will become unusual."
"Sorry, sir."
---
Later – Living Room
Dadi smiled. "Seems like the fight between you two is over. Good."
Tara nodded and headed to her room.
---
Suryavanshi Group Office – Vikram's Cabin
Vikram sat, smiling at his own thoughts.
"Sir, may I come in?" the manager asked.
"How much further in will you come? You're already in."
"Sorry, sir. I knocked but you didn't answer."
"What do you want?"
"You look happy today. Are you going to be a father?"
"What?!"
"Being a father is the most beautiful feeling, sir."
Vikram (thinking): With the way Tara chants 'contract' all day, who knows when that day will come? This man just comes to make me jealous.
"Just tell me the work."
"Hydro project file is complete. Kindly review."
"Leave it. Go."
After he left, Vikram stared at the file, then made a call.
---
2 PM - Suryavanshi Mansion
A knock at Tara's door.
"Dadi is calling you downstairs," said a staff member.
Tara followed.
"Come to the garden with me," Dadi said.
"Now?"
"Yes, dear. Come."
In the garden, Tara gasped.
"Wow! Dadi, it looks magical! So many stars! And that big one at the top! This swing looks like a whole galaxy!"
"It was ordered for you," Dadi said, smiling.
"Thank you, Dadi! You ordered this for me?"
"No, dear. Vikram did."
Tara (thinking): Vikram sir ordered this? But why?
They both sat on the swing.
"Men don't always speak their love. Sometimes they show it through gestures," Dadi said. "This isn't just a swing, it's a starry swing."
Tara fell into thought.
---
Evening – Vikram's Cabin
"The swing is installed. She should at least say thank you. Nothing yet. No reaction. Might as well go see her face myself. Not like I have urgent work."
He left the office.
---
Tara's Room
Tara lay on her bed, thinking.
Tara (thinking): Does he really love me? But why would he? He has no shortage of beautiful women. In every party, he was surrounded by successful women. Why would he love someone like me? Stop overthinking, Tara.
The door opened.
Tara sat up, checking the time.
"No need to check," Vikram said. "I came home early."
"Why?"
"Where's my thank you?"
"For what?"
"The starry swing I installed for you. The old one broke, so I made sure this one is strong."
"Thank you."
"That's it? You didn't return this morning's thing either. And now this thank you?"
He walked closer.
"How else should I say thank you? Why are you coming closer?"
He stood inches away. Tara's heartbeat spiked.
"Why is your face turning pink?"
"Blood pressure."
"This morning you had low glucose, now high blood pressure? What's going on?"
"Nothing. Let me go."
"Say thank you again."
"I said it."
"Not like that."
He gently kissed her forehead. "You could say it like this."
Then her cheek. "Or this."
They locked eyes. Their heartbeats echoed in sync. Vikram leaned closer, lips nearing hers...
KNOCK KNOCK!
Vikram closed his eyes in frustration. "Whoever it is, they just lost their job."
Tara giggled.
He opened the door.
"Hello Vikram sir! Didi!" Suhani ran in and hugged Tara.
"Suhani! How did you get here?!"
"Prithvi bhaiya brought me. Come on, come downstairs!"
She dragged Tara away.
Vikram froze at the name Prithvi. His blood boiled.
He watched from upstairs as Tara and Suhani joined Dadi, Dada, and... Prithvi.
TO BE CONTINUED...