“How was work?” Maya asked as she saw Priyank enter.
“It was fine,” he replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“That’s good. Want to eat something? Or maybe go freshen up? You’re looking like a zombie,” Maya commented, noting Priyank’s slightly dirty clothes with concern.
How did his clothes get so dirty? Maya wondered. He’s rich, so his clothes shouldn’t look like that. Her mind bombarded with questions she chose not to ask.
“I’ll freshen up and rest. I’m not hungry for now,” he answered as he walked into the room.
While Priya slept soundly on the bed, Priyank approached her quietly and sat beside her, gazing at her peaceful face. His heart felt at ease.
‘Angel, you are fine, right?’ he thought tenderly, gently touching her forehead, not wanting to disturb her rest.
His heart raced faster than before, a second time in his life gripped by fear.
Previously, he had been afraid due to an attack, but now his heart trembled, haunted by Aman’s words. He didn’t want to process it, for the more he tried, the more anxious he became.
Priya slowly opened her eyes, feeling the touch on her forehead.
“Priyank…” she yawned, noticing him sitting beside her, lost in thought.
Priyank snapped back to reality. “Sleep some more. I just came. Sorry for disturbing your sleep.”
“Huh?” Priya’s face filled with confusion at his apology for such a minor thing.
Usually, he wouldn’t even apologize for significant matters, so this small gesture was concerning.
“Yes, sleep some more. You look exhausted.”
Narrowing her eyes, Priya thought, ‘It’s you who looks exhausted. I’m perfectly fine.’
“Don’t look at me like that. How can you look like a ghost even after staying at home?” Priyank remarked, unhappy with the dark circles under her eyes, which made her appear more exhausted than he felt.
“Oh, it’s just that I had less sleep,” Priya replied nonchalantly.
“And why?”
“Levi was ill, so Rish and I were taking care of her. Maya said Levi might be getting her wolf, and due to everything, it’s been hard on her health.”
“Why did you have to take care of her? Couldn’t Rish handle it alone? It’s not good for your health,” Priyank said, disliking the fact that Priya was caring for others, especially spending time with Rish. “Even Levi is old enough to take care of herself. She’s a grown adult.”
Despite knowing Rish was Priya’s cousin, his heart could never be at peace when he thought about their closeness.
“You just got back from work, and you’re already nagging,” Priya replied. “It’s fine, Priyank. She’s my cousin, my family. How could Rish handle everything alone? She’s a girl, and for certain things, a girl needs to be there. You’re not making any sense.”
Priyank sighed, feeling a mix of irritation and helplessness. “I know, I know. I just worry about you. You need to take care of yourself first.”
“I am taking care of myself. You’re the one who looks like you haven’t slept in days,” Priya countered, her voice softening. “You need to rest too, Priyank. You’re no good to anyone if you burn yourself out.”
Priyank’s shoulders slumped as he let out a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m just… It’s been a rough day without you.”
Priya shifted on the bed, making space for him. “Come here. Lay down with me for a while. Maybe you’ll feel better.”
He hesitated for a moment before lying down beside her, his head resting on the pillow next to hers. She reached out, gently brushing his hair back from his forehead. “How did the work go? You don’t have to be so hard on yourself.”
“I feel like I do,” Priyank admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Priya’s hand continued its soothing motion, and for a moment, the weight on Priyank’s shoulders seemed to lighten. “Rest is important too.”
He looked into her eyes, finding comfort in their familiar warmth. “Thank you, Priya. I am happy that at least I have you to care.”
“Anytime,” she replied with a gentle smile. “Now, go take a bath, and I’ll get some food for you.”
“I don’t want to eat anything. I’m not hungry,” Priyank answered. Though he felt a bit calmer, his stomach still churned with nausea. The events of the day, the truth about Priya’s parents’ death, his father’s involvement, and the key weighed heavily on him. The thought of eating made him feel like he might puke his guts out.
“You have to eat a little. I’ll make some soup. How about that?”
“You’re going to make it?” Priyank asked softly.
“Yes, I am. I know a few things I can cook. How about this: you take a bath, and I’ll make some soup so you can rest after eating.”
Priyank managed a small smile. “Alright. A bath sounds good.”
“Great,” Priya said, patting his shoulder gently. “Go on, then. I’ll get started on the soup.”
As Priyank headed to the bathroom, Priya moved to the kitchen. She quickly gathered the ingredients, her mind racing. She knew something was troubling Priyank deeply, something beyond the usual work stress.
Meanwhile, Priyank stood under the hot shower, letting the water wash away the grime and exhaustion of the day. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. The revelations about Priya’s parents’ deaths and his father’s involvement were too much to bear. He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and fear. How could he ever tell Priya the truth?
He finished his shower and dressed in comfortable clothes, feeling slightly better. The scent of soup filled the air as he walked back into the kitchen.
“Smells good,” he said, trying to sound more cheerful than he felt.
Priya turned and smiled at him. “It’s almost ready. Sit down, and I’ll bring it over.”
He sat at the table, watching as she ladled the steaming soup into a bowl and set it in front of him. “Here you go. Eat slowly, okay?”
Priyank nodded and took a tentative sip. The warmth of the soup was comforting, even though his stomach still felt uneasy. “It’s way tasty, Angel you are really a fabulous cook, have to say this is the best soup I ever had.”
“You’re exaggerating. It’s just a normal soup, nothing special. Stop flattering me and eat slowly.”