Chapter 47: Chapter 47

*Anitha Pov*

When I reached downstairs thinking the reporters must have left already but in turn, found them surrounding Prathap again and his Dad is standing with him.

He didn’t give up yet? I thought taking a step forward but stopped immediately hearing Prathap’s words.

“We want to continue to be engaged but my Father is against our relationship like from the beginning and we decided to wait until he accepts us before getting engaged again.” I covered my mouth hearing his words while he calmly walked away after saying that and the reporters let him as their attention now turned to his father.

That is definitely the third strike for sure. I shook my head before messaging Vikranth about what happened so that he will not be in any trouble.

The next problem is I need to get out of here passing these reporters and I don’t have anyone with me right now who can kind of protect me from them.

“Are you okay?” I turned to find Shalini reaching me from the elevator.

“Right!” I mumbled staring at her and her manager who is none other than Gaurav.

I was not expecting to see these both as I didn’t come across them much except for the time when we had to meet for the success meet on a premier day.

“Are you both going out?” I asked glancing at the reporters.

“Just going out and not a date.” Shalini rushed out the words and I frowned at her before smiling.

“Oh! You both are dating?” I asked as I didn’t expect that at all.

“Just started as she finally accepted that I had just a crush on you at that time and actually like her right now.” Gaurav replied while she glared at him.

“Okay! Good to know. Now, can you guys help me out of this place without letting me get blocked by them?” I asked staring at them.

“Sure! We can go together and he will stop them.” Saying that she reached my side and I immediately held her hand before pulling her with me while Gaurav kind of shielded us until we sat inside her car.

“Thanks for today!” I said calling my driver to reach the gate.

“Is something wrong?” She asked in a concerned tone and I glanced at her frowning.

“I know you hate me but you can talk to me. It could be hard to trust but I will not hurt you.” She whispered looking down.

Did I hate her? No! I was just hurt by her actions and decided to forget her completely. But didn’t I learn that people make mistakes and if they regret it then we need to let it go?

I placed my hand over hers saying, “Sure! I will meet you soon and let’s catch up with everything. And right now I am just hurrying to soothe my boyfriend’s anger and also to soothe his hurt.”

“Oh! Okay! Let’s catch up soon.” She said smiling and then leaned closer to whisper in my ear.

“Tell him that you love him and hug him. He will no longer be mad at you. I always do that and Gaurav always calms down.” I smiled at her suggestion.

“Don’t worry! I will do more than that. Now, what I hope is that you are not just hugging that person over there. You were crazy about him and show the same craziness with your actions.” Her eyes widened at my words and I shook my head before getting down from the car seeing the driver reaching the gate.

I rushed inside and asked him to drive to the restaurant before leaning back with a sigh. I just confidently talked to her but I don’t know how to solve this at all.

Wait! Is he really going to the restaurant or somewhere else? I thought about reaching the restaurant and called Deepak to check it.

“Ms. Anny!” he called my name before the call can connect and I glanced up from the entrance to see him rushing out.

“Is he here?” I asked and he nodded before gesturing me to move away from the entrance.

“He reached the kitchen immediately and ordered Bharghav to let him cook. Somehow Bharghav didn’t object and right now it feels everyone is getting cooked with his attitude instead of the food.” He rushed the words while I rubbed my forehead.

“Okay! I will handle it.” I assured him and he nodded eagerly before we both walked into the restaurant.

I took a deep breath while going closer to the kitchen and I am glad that the customers are not here yet otherwise it would have been a trouble to reach here.

When I took a step inside the kitchen, Bharghav walked over asking, “You both break up?”

“No! Just the engagement is canceled. We are still together.” I replied and he smiled nodding.

“Then will you take your boyfriend with you so that I can take my kitchen back?” he asked and I sighed looking at Prathap completely ignoring everyone and even just glaring at anyone who is making any kind of mistake.

“Let him stay for some time. He is kind of angry at me.” I replied and he nodded sighing before walking out of the kitchen while I took the chair I used to sit in the beginning when I stayed here for some cooking sessions before sitting down away from everyone’s way.

I put a smile on my face and just stared at him even though he is not looking at my side. However, I caught his eye after a few minutes and he ignored it immediately but I continued to smile and just showed my admiration.

I covered my mouth from coughing due to smoke but removed it immediately to show my smile when I saw him glancing at my side.

“Go!” he mumbled looking away.

“What are you looking at?” he asked turning around to stare at me when I didn’t move.

“I am just admiring my boyfriend.” I replied leaning forward and supported my head with my hand while smiling wide.

He shook his head and ignored me completely after that and even finished with the lunch preparations and started getting the dishes served with the orders coming in.

I shifted my legs with them going numb after sitting at a place for more than two hours and finally stood up not able to bear it before walking along the path of the kitchen bench without getting into anyone’s way.

I am hungry! Why didn’t I had breakfast? Right! Because Vikranth called me over and I thought of having lunch with my boyfriend.

Even he didn’t have breakfast with me saying he will have it here. What if he hadn’t? But at least he is eating something to taste these dishes.

I rubbed my stomach but I don’t think it is right to ask him for anything when he is angry at me. Maybe I deserved this! No! I don’t deserve this as I did it for his sake. Yeah! I should have told him and decide on it together. I am wrong! But I know he will not sit quietly like he didn’t earlier and ended up having the third strike after everything I did.

Ugh! Who cares whether I am right or wrong? He is hurt and that’s all that matters. I sighed turning around and found him walking towards me.

“Have it!” he said forwarding a plate of fried rice.

“No! I am not hungry!” I replied to which he glanced at my stomach where I placed my hand rubbing it.

“I am not!” I added taking my hand away and he sighed stepping closer to hold my hand.

“Have some lunch first.” He mumbled.

“We will have it together. Go and finish your work.” I said shaking my head and he frowned letting my hand go before going back to the kitchen bench to continue his work.

Maybe I should have taken a bite from it! I thought clearing my throat before sitting back on the chair to wait for him.

“I am done! Let’s have lunch in the cabin.” He said walking closer.

“No! Let’s have lunch at our home. There are people here and the news is still hot right now.” I said getting up.

“She is right! The number of customers increased today and that could be because of the news. I also found a few reporters outside.” Deepak said reaching our side.

“Come on! What will happen if we go to our place? I will not do anything to you.” I assured him and Deepak chuckled before clearing his throat while Prathap completely ignored my words.

“Fine! Get my car to the back entrance.” He said passing the key from his pocket to Deepak and returned back to Bharghav who is standing near the kitchen door with his hands folded.

“Deepak! Go and ask my driver to park the car at the back and then leave after keeping the keys inside the car. Don’t get his car and keep the keys with you.” I whispered to which Deepak slowly nodded before going.

****

“I said to get my car.” He said frowning before turning around to go back but I held his hand and started walking closer to the car.

“Get inside! Otherwise, the reporters will catch up with us. You know it will huge trouble if they catch us and ask so many questions.” I rushed him.

“And whose fault is that?” he asked shaking his head and I immediately dropped his hand hearing those words.

I controlled my words that were about to come out before getting inside the car and started the engine with my hands holding the steering wheel tightly.

I don’t know whether he will sit inside or not and if he doesn’t then I will come back again after some time because right now I am at the last thread to accept his anger.

I don’t feel guilty completely about what I did. I was not going to hide it from him and I even called him to make sure he understands if he accidentally finds out before I tell him.

Damn it! I thought and shifted my hands to slam on the steering but paused when he opened the door to sit inside.

I sighed in relief because with his action I actually let go of his earlier words. I started driving in silence without glancing at him even when we stopped at a few traffic signs.

“Where is the packed lunch?” He asked when we nearly reached the house.

“You had it!” I replied glancing at him.

“You had it, right?” he asked back and I realized we both forgot our lunch.

“I am hungry!” I mumbled stopping the car inside the gate and we both got out of the car to walk inside the house.

“I will cook something for us.” He said directly walking towards the kitchen.

“Okay!” I mumbled following him and paused in the middle to search for my servant.

She nodded to leave when I asked her to take leave for today. Maybe I unnecessarily hired a servant when I am giving her holidays anytime I want to be alone with him.

I am still not used to be close to him with some third person present in the house. I don’t want to fire her at the same time. Let her be! Why am I thinking about this right now?

I reached the kitchen and pulled the dining chair closer to the entrance before sitting down and leaned over the wall to rest my head.

I smiled staring at him and he didn’t glance at me one time and finished cooking lunch for us very soon.

I am glad he did it soon as I was hungry but I was also disappointed as I can’t watch him cook for a longer time. I think I can watch him cooking for as long as I can.

“Finally!” I mumbled taking the first bite and rushed to finish it before leaning back while he is still eating.

“I am sorry, Prathap! I should have talked to you first but I was worried about you. I didn’t want you to hear anything from anyone to say that you don’t have the right to run a restaurant. You are amazing to follow your dream and I didn’t want any obstacle to distract you.” I added and he glanced up to stare at me.

“Will you do it again if you were given a chance to redo it?” he asked with a blank face.

“Yes! Maybe this time I will tell you everything on phone but I will do it again and I will stop you from having this third strike. I wish you were not bound by this contract but then again if not for that you wouldn’t have looked at me for a second. So, I can’t say anything to the point as I have different feelings for all the situations. Like I wish we met normally and fall in love normally instead of this stupid scheme but then I am not sure if it would have been possible without it. We had a lot of help because of this scheme and the same way I don’t regret the announcement.” I explained being honest.

I know if I had just said I wouldn’t do it again then everything would have been fine but I don’t want to lie to him and how long can I lie to him. One will add up to another and then it will be just a mess.

“I will remove these.” I said standing up when he sat there in silence and started walking into the kitchen holding the empty plates in my hand

“I will give you some time to calm down and maybe some space if you want. Anyway, I am going to go for outdoor shooting tomorrow morning for a month mostly. So, I will not disturb you.” I added standing near the kitchen station after placing the plates on it before closing my eyes.

In the next second, I felt his hands surrounding me with him whispering, “Who the hell wants space from you?”

The relief I felt with this hug and those words are not something I can describe. I turned around to hug him back tightly.

“You are not mad anymore?” I asked closing my eyes.

“I was not mad at you, Anitha. I was upset for sure and was even hurt that you decided that without discussing it with me and also sad that my Dad made you do that. I was feeling everything but not mad at you for sure. I can’t get mad at you no matter what I guess.” He replied and I smiled before shifting my head to stare at him.

“I love you!” pressed my lips to his over that whisper and kissed him to pour the feelings I don’t know whether I can express them someday properly with not just these words.

“I got used to you being my fiancé and now I need to go back to you being my girlfriend.” He sighed after releasing me.

“I think this incident happened to give you a chance.” I mumbled and he frowned hearing that.

“Chance?” he asked and I nodded caressing his face.

“A chance to propose properly this time. I don’t remember you proposing to me in the first place and not when I think about it, I don’t understand how could you be upset about our engagement canceling when you never even proposed.” I said frowning.

“Okay! I will propose right now.” He said getting ready but I shook my head before covering his mouth.

“I am the Anny, Prathap. I don’t accept on the spot proposals. Plan it and you better plan it properly.” I warned him and he chuckled nodding and I smiled taking away my hand.

“You really need to go tomorrow morning for the outdoor shoot?” he asked remembering my words.

“Yeah!” I replied sighing and he sighed back.

“I will tell them that I have some work and will join them in the evening? I don’t my shooting for tomorrow anyway.” I mumbled and he immediately nodded.

I laughed nodding back and hugged him tightly while thanking this fake scheme more than anything for giving me a chance to be with him and make him fall for me and also make me fall for him more.