Chapter 25: Chapter 25

*Prathap Pov*

“What is it?” I asked with my eyes closed after lifting the phone from the side table only to hear Deepak’s hurried tone.

“Are you okay? I am ringing the bell for the past ten minutes but you are not opening the door.” Deepak asked and I frowned opening my eyes.

I shifted my phone away from my ear to check the time only to feel the drowsiness leave completely.

“Why are you calling now?” I asked raising my voice as it is time for us to open the restaurant and I am supposed to be in the kitchen right now to cook breakfast.

I heard a groan from my side after I raised my voice and realized I am not alone right now on this bed.

“I already called you five times. Will you be able to do it?” He asked in a worried tone while I stared at the sleeping form beside me.

“Call Bharghav and ask him to handle breakfast for today. All the preparations are done, right?” I asked not wishing to leave from here right now after catching a glimpse of her face.

“What?” he asked in a shocked tone.

“Tell him I will give him extra holiday during this week.” Saying that I cut the call and continued to stare at her.

However, she groaned again hearing a ringtone but this time it’s her phone and before I could stop her phone from disturbing her, she already moved her hand to pick it up and connected the call.

“What is it?” she asked with a raspy voice.

“What do you mean I am not in my room?” she frowned opening her eyes and caught me staring at her without looking away.

“I am not in my room.” She mumbled and I smiled at her expression while she shook her head before pointing her finger to not make a sound.

“I am outside right now to have breakfast. I will return after some time. Is there any problem? Why are you not spending time with your family and disturbing me like this?” She asked frowning with an irritated expression while I smiled hearing that.

“Go back and enjoy your birthday. And my gift will reach your place today afternoon.” Saying that she cut the call and took a deep breath while I chuckled at her way of handling it.

She closed her eyes ignoring me and I lifted my hand to caress her cheek while asking, “Why did you hide it from her?”

“Hide what?” she asked shifting a bit so that her face is turned towards me but her eyes are still closed.

“That you are here at my place.” I replied and she sighed.

“I don’t know! Without thinking much, I lied to her. Maybe, I shouldn’t have lie to her like that.” She mumbled opening her eyes.

“Not because you regret it?” I asked and she shook her head.

“It was my choice to fall for you and my choice to kiss you and also my choice to sleep with you.” She replied placing her hand over mine.

“What about you?” She asked in a serious tone.

“Let me think about it.” I replied leaning over to kiss her while trying to stop myself from laughing after seeing her expression to my answer.

She pushed me away before leaning over with a glare asking, “What?”

“Think about it?” she added and I tightened my lips but burst out laughing when she continued to glare at me and was on a verge of beating me up.

“I was joking, Anitha.” I said circling my hands around making her fall on me completely while she still glared at me.

“I will never regret it but will always cherish it.” I promised and she finally calmed down but tried to shift away from my hold.

“Aren’t you late? You need to go downstairs, right?” She asked while trying to reach her mobile but I pulled her back.

“Bharghav will take over the breakfast part. So, I need not hurry and you don’t have anything today.” I replied and she stared at me for a second before relaxing her posture.

“What about our breakfast? I am hungry!” she mumbled frowning and I smiled lifting my head to kiss her.

“I will call Deepak to send something to us.” I whispered over her lips and this time she stopped me from reaching my phone.

“Later! I am not that hungry now.” Saying that she pressed her lips back and kissed me while I hugged her tightly before shifting us to lay her down.

“Will you be fine?” I asked tugging my shirt she is wearing and she removed it while she helped with mine.

“I think so!” saying that she threw my shirt away and trailed her lips to my neck before shifting her hands to my pants but I chuckled stopping her.

“I will do it.” I whispered and she nodded shifting her hands to my back.

However, her phone rang pausing her hands and she turned her head to stare at it with a frown while I kissed her cheek whispering, “Ignore it!”

“Just a second!” saying that she took her phone before lifted the call.

“What is it?” she asked frowning while her other hand covered my mouth when I continued to kiss her face.

“What did he comment? Why is it a big deal?” she asked sighing.

“I will check it later and you just enjoy your day.” Saying that she cut the call before staring at me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked removing her hand to kiss on it.

“It was some silly matter. She wanted me to just know about it and nothing else.” She replied smiling.

“Okay!” I mumbled kissing her and to our luck, no one disturbed us again after that.

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“I can ask Bharghav to take over the lunch section too.” I mumbled when I stared at her sitting on the bed while having her breakfast which is actually brunch right now.

“No! You shouldn’t cheat your customers like that. I will freshen up and leave after some time and there is no need for you to trouble him.” She said shaking her head.

“You can stay you know.” I said raising the topic but she shook her head.

“Are you still doubting me?” I asked and she stared at me smiling.

“No! I am doubting myself right now whether I will not be petty about a few things or not.” She replied.

“Means?” I asked frowning not understanding her words.

“You may get angry with what I am going to say but it is better if you know so that we can skip some misunderstandings and you can understand my reactions if they become weird for some situations.” I paused the task of buttoning my shirt as I need to go downstairs within a few minutes and felt more confused after hearing those words.

“Okay! I am fine with most of the things and will even try to understand you but if it relates to your friend Shrishti then my mind just snaps. No matter what that situation is or any kind of words attached but the moment I hear about her from you my mood drops and I feel jealous and anger and so many things. So, I think if I start living with you then these feelings may intensify and they will in turn suffocate both of us.” I stared at her speechless after hearing those words.

“So, give me some time to control such feelings and then I will just come here with my luggage and will not even intimate you before that.” She added staring at me with a worried look when I continued to stare at her without saying anything.

“Are you upset?” she asked and I slowly shook my head.

“Well, I shared too much about her before and can understand your reaction a bit. I will also try to not let you feel like that if possible but it is new for me too. No matter what she is my best friend.” I pointed out.

“And I am not asking you to not be best friends anymore. It is my problem actually.” She mumbled sighing before staring at the glass she is holding and took a sip.

I stared at her in silence before walked closer to her and she glanced up feeling my presence while I leaned over to hold her face.

“It’s fine! Let’s try to understand together and let’s work it out.” I mumbled and she smiled hearing those words before giving me a nod.

“Bye!” she waved when I walked away from the bedroom and the smile on my face didn’t slip even when I had to work while ignoring the looks from my staff.

Today was the first time I skipped cooking according to the usual schedule but I don’t feel a bit weird about it and if possible I want them to get used to it.

“Mr. Smiling! Do you need any help?” Bharghav asked from the door as he is ready to leave.

“No! Choose a day and I will give you leave during the weekdays too.” I replied and he nodded smiling.

“Okay! I have to ask Anny about the release date of her movie and that time I will take that leave.” Saying that he left while my sous chef snorted.

“If it is the release date then even you would be with her, right? Why would he get leave that day? He is losing the opportunity.” I gave him a look hearing those words.

Right! I need to watch it with her, right? I am her fake fiancé and real boyfriend too. I need to ask her the date and make sure to reject it when he asks for leave on that day.

*Anitha Pov*

“Thank you!” Kanika mumbled taking the bag and she immediately placed it down feeling the weight of it.

“Why did you buy these many? They will last for a year.” She added and paused when her maid placed water glass before me.

“I asked for some supplies but Prathap went overboard and bought all these.” I replied and she stared at me in silence.

“What? Fine! I am already over that incident and he confessed to me which I am slowly believing right now or I may even believe it completely.” I added and she nodded, unlike the reaction I expected.

“Even I felt he is a bit serious towards you when you left that day.” She commented but I didn’t probe her because I know I will go overboard with that small detail.

“Oh no! I forgot to pay him and even ask him about the price as I…” I trailed off realizing what I was about to spill.

“Don’t bother! I am going to meet him today and will pay for him.” We both got startled hearing Vikranth’s voice and turned to find him climbing down the stairs.

“It is my gift to her.” I mumbled but he ignored that before staring at Kanika who didn’t give out any expression.

He gave her a nod before walking out of the house and I calmly asked, “Why is he at home during this time? It’s just four in the evening, right?”

I checked the time once to make sure I am not wrong while she sighed replying, “He is not feeling well and had to take rest in the morning.”

“And you are letting him go?” I asked realizing why his face looked so pale.

“So, are you planning to shift to his place?” she asked while changing the topic while I just stared at her.

“No! I need to think about a few things before thinking about this matter.” I replied and she nodded but shifted her eyes to stare at the bag near her legs.

“You are not feeling well?” she asked taking out a medical shop cover from the bag and I immediately took it away from her hands while surprising both of us.

“I am fine!” I replied while scolding myself for being so stupid.

After reaching the hotel, I wore a dress completely simple and even disguised my face a bit before leaving the hotel room and removed my make up in the taxi to reach the medical shop.

Well, I rushed him yesterday night and none of us were prepared to have any kind of protection at his place and when he asked me today morning, I told him that I will buy a pill but I forgot I can’t let someone find it out about my identity for sure.

So, finally, I managed to buy it and forgot to take it in a rush to go away and directly reached her place.

“It’s a pill!” I mumbled and she slowly nodded understanding before gesturing the water glass.

I took out the pill before taking it in front of her eyes before saying, “For a second I thought of asking you as you could have them with you but then bought it thinking I may not be able to ask it directly.”

If there was a chance for her to find out then I wouldn’t have gone through all those hard work to buy this thing.

“It’s a good thing that you bought it. I don’t have any at this house.” She said shrugging while I sighed.

“I don’t expect to think that you both are trying for kids or something to not have these here for emergency times.” I mumbled and she frowned hearing those words.

“Do you want to eat anything?” she asked as usual changing the topic.

“No! I will go then.” I replied and she nodded standing up with me to reach the entrance.

After taking a few steps away from her, I turned around to reach her asking, “You don’t feel comfortable sharing your problems with me?”

“What?” she asked frowning.

“I mean, I tell you everything even too personal matters but you never share any such matters, and this time even when I am asking so many times, you are not saying anything. I feel like a failure friend for you.” I explained and she sighed stepping forward before hugging me.

“I will share everything soon but not now. It’s not because I don’t want to share it but I just can’t right now. How can you be a failure as a friend? I was sane all those years because of you and I need you in the future too.” She mumbled and I sighed hugging her back.

“And don’t think about anyone’s words for your decisions. Just do whatever you want to and I will be here when you need me.” She said her usual words making me smile.

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After entering the hotel, I continued to think about her words and sat down on the bed before falling back.

When an hour passed with me just lying like that, I sat up to check the script for tomorrow but somehow ended up falling asleep feeling tired.

I groaned hearing the bell ringing and sat up frowning. Why is Keerthi ringing the bell? I thought taking my phone to check the time and found it is nearly midnight.

If it is not Keerthi then they wouldn’t allow any other people to come here for sure. I sighed getting down from the bed before walking towards the door asking, “Who is it?”

“It’s me!” I frowned hearing that voice and immediately opened the door to find him standing near the door with a bag in his hands.

“Dinner?” I asked and he smiled nodding before stepping inside while I took it from his hands to walk back towards the couch and placed the bag on the table.

“It’s so late! Why did you come at this time?” I asked taking out the box.

“I never asked you that when you come to my place at different timings.” He mumbled sitting on the bed while looking around.

“Fine! Aren’t you tired?” I asked finding another box cover inside.

“What is this?” I asked opening it and laughed seeing the contents in it.

“I already bought it and even took it.” I said seeing the pill.

“I remembered later that you can’t buy it for yourself and bought one while coming here and some other things.” He mumbled and I smiled at the boxes with it.

“You had dinner?” I asked taking a bite from the box and he nodded staring at me.

“What were you doing until now? I brought it thinking you may eat it as a midnight snack.” He asked frowning.

“I was sleeping.” I replied shrugging and finished it within a few minutes while he sat there silently.

“Are you leaving?” I asked when he stood up.

“I never asked you to leave when you come to my place.” He replied and I laughed at his repeated reply.

“I am not asking you to leave but asking whether you are leaving now as you stood up.” I explained and he nodded reaching my side to sit down beside me.

“Who is lucky?” he suddenly asked and I just stared at him.

“Who?” I asked but then remembered the recent person I know as lucky.

“My co-actor but he will shoot with us after a month.” I replied and asked him why is he asking about that person.

“I just saw his comment when I was checking the news about you for a picture of yours.” He mumbled and I remember the phone call in the morning.

Somehow when the crew posted my picture of pouting, Lucky commented, ‘How cute!’ and that just caused a bit disturbance but a positive disturbance as a small teaser from the recent photoshoot with him also got released.

“Are you jealous?” I asked leaning closer to stare at his face while he shifted his face to look at the table.

I smiled shifting a bit to place my head on his lap and fold my legs to lay properly on the couch saying, “It doesn’t matter who uses such words to describe me as I describe only you with such words.”

“Didn’t I called you cute already? I even think you are so sexy and that was my first impression too. And you are handsome also along with...” I continued while counting my fingers and suddenly felt his lips covering mine.

I kissed him back and whispered, “You can describe me too. I will kiss you for every description but he or anyone will not have such a chance, right?”

“You are really a sweet talker. How do you manage to change my mood like this every time?” he asked caressing my face.

“Learn and return the favor.” I replied smiling and he smiled back pinching my cheek.