11:00 AM
Aditya was driving the car. Beside him, Anamika had fallen asleep—the cool breeze from the window, after eating so many sweet treats, had lulled her into slumber.
Aditya glanced at her and smiled.
As if, until now, there had never been a dawn in his life that didn’t start with her.
The car entered the building of his company. After parking, Aditya stepped out and walked around to the other side. He opened the door and paused, just to look at her.
She looked so innocent while sleeping that Aditya didn’t feel like waking her up at all. So instead, he gently scooped her up into his arms.
Today, he decided to use his private elevator—just so that no one would see him carrying her like this. Not that he cared what people said, but he didn’t want anyone—even by mistake—to say something hurtful about Anamika because of him.
After all... in Aditya’s past, there were memories where others had suffered because of him.
Aditya stepped out directly onto Anamika’s floor. Her room, as always, was peaceful—but today, there was a soft, sweet fragrance lingering in the air. He tried to ignore the scent and walked toward her cabin. But the closer he got, the stronger it became.
And then, as soon as the cabin door opened...
He saw the reason behind it.
Ruhi.
Ruhi had decorated the entire cabin with fresh flowers. A few lovely, scented candles glowed gently in the corners.
When Ruhi saw Aditya and Anamika, she smiled. But almost immediately, yesterday’s image of Anamika flashed in her mind—and concern took over. Because right now, Anamika was sleeping in Aditya’s arms.
She rushed toward them, anxious. “What happened to Lady Boss?! Is she okay?!”
Aditya gave her a slightly puzzled look. “You’re asking about Anamika?”
Ruhi nodded quickly. “Of course, sir! Who else would I ask about? She’s the only ‘lady’ in my boss's life!”
That line hit Aditya like an arrow—
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But instead of pain, it stirred a wave of love inside him.
He walked into the room and gently laid Anamika on the couch—like placing a delicate bud on soft petals. After admiring her for a moment, he turned toward Ruhi and whispered, “Let’s talk in my cabin.”
Saying that, he walked out. Ruhi took one last glance at Anamika and followed.
The moment she stepped into Aditya’s cabin, he was standing there with his arms crossed. His stance may have looked cool, but the blush on his face gave him away.
His ears were red.
Still trying to play it cool, he asked, “Why were you calling her Lady Boss? Don’t you usually call her Anu?”
Ruhi smirked internally, sensing a chance to tease him. “I used to call her Anu. But now I don’t! Actually, Saaniya didn’t like it when I called her that. So I was trying to come up with a new nickname. And then… my hero-like sir came in, carrying her in his arms. I thought—what better title than Lady Boss!
And you know… just the other day, Lady Boss was telling me about a novel where the hero’s secretary calls the heroine Lady Boss!
Though to be honest, you're nothing like that hero… he was a dangerous demon king. But you… your enemies would probably offer you flowers instead of fighting you!”
That comment hit Aditya again—another arrow straight to the heart.
Was she complimenting him… or calling him soft?
He looked into Ruhi’s sparkling eyes, full of curiosity, as if they were glowing with mischief. He quickly looked away and said, “Don’t look at me like that! I’m not that innocent, okay? I can be dangerous too!”
Ruhi burst into laughter. “Yeah, right! You’re like an orange-colored dangerous cat!”
That joke struck again. Aditya frowned internally. “Do I really seem that harmless to her?! I’m not a kid!”
Pouting like one, he changed the topic.
“Okay fine, let’s drop it. I’ll prove how dangerous I am later. For now, tell me—why did you decorate Anamika’s room? Something special today?”
Ruhi smiled. “Before that, you tell me—have you two sorted things out?
And… she’s just sleeping from exhaustion, right? I mean… she hasn’t taken any medicine or injection or…”
Before she could finish, Aditya cut in, “No! She’s just… sleepy. She had too many sweets, and then dozed off in the car.”
Ruhi let out a relieved sigh. “That’s good.
Well, you may not be as cool as a demon king, but the way you carried Lady Boss today—you looked like a total rom-com hero. Charming and cute!
Anyway… I decorated her room hoping it would cheer her up. But it looks like my effort was wasted. The hero already used sweets to fix the heroine’s mood!”
Now, Aditya couldn’t hide his feelings anymore. Turning toward her, he playfully pushed her toward the door like a child and said,
“Thank you so much for everything. But now go… go do your work!
And hey! In front of your Lady Boss—don’t say a word about any of this!”
He shut the door. Ruhi smiled.
To herself, she whispered,
“Maybe I won’t even have to say anything. The universe made you both for each other. I’m glad I never let my feelings go too far—because there’s no turning back from that. But now… now that I’ve stepped back, I realize… what I felt wasn’t love. It was just… affection. When someone appreciated even my smallest efforts, I mistook that for love.
But now I understand.
Actually… even Anamika and Saaniya make me feel the same way now.
Like… finally, someone sees me. Someone appreciates me.”
Here, Ruhi finally found clarity in her emotions.
And Aditya? He learned how to love Anamika without making it about his own stubbornness.
Meanwhile…
After a successful surgery, she sat quietly in her cabin. But her mind was still tangled in the morning’s memories… especially Aniket’s strange wish.
As she thought of him, she imagined his smiling face and was about to whisper “Thank you” to the air—
but shook her head hard to shatter the illusion.
Taking a deep breath, she muttered to herself, “No, damn it! I didn’t help Aditya just to fulfill that idiot’s wish… so that he could become Anamika’s friend and love her safely from a distance!
I did it because… because I know we’re free now!
That shadow— that won’t haunt us anymore now.
So neither I nor Anamika have to run from love now.
Yes! That’s the truth!
And… (thinking of Aniket) that idiot will never know about today.
I won’t let him think I did this just for him.”
Here, Saaniya was doing her best to convince herself…
That she wasn’t fulfilling Aniket’s wish at all.
But is that really the truth?
Sure, she wanted to erase that shadow of fear.
But deep down… wasn’t it also Aniket’s wish that gave her the courage?
Will she ever admit it?
Or will she keep rejecting the truth—
That it was his wish that gave her the strength to fight that shadow?
