Page 49 of Protect my Heart
"Okay," I whisper, swallowing the lump growing in my throat.
"And Aarav," I add quickly, my voice breaking slightly, "please take care of yourself, okay? Don’t work too much... don’t forget to eat... and get enough sleep... it’s really important to sleep properly..."
He interrupts me with a laugh. "Anu, I’m going for a day," he says, his voice soft. "I’ll be fine, I promise."
I cover my mouth as a sob escapes me, praying he doesn’t hear it. My heart is breaking, and he has no idea. "And," he adds warmly, "you can scold me all you want when I get back."
I let out a broken laugh. "Good night, Aarav," I whisper, my voice shaking.
I wait for a reply, but there’s only silence. My hand trembles as I mutter, "Bye, Aarav."
The call ends. I sit there for a second, staring at the blank screen, and then it hits me all at once. I collapse onto the bed, hugging the pillow to my chest as the tears I’ve been holding back come pouring out. Ugly, gut-wrenching sobs that shake my entire body. Why now? Why?
The room feels colder now, empty. I curl up under the blanket, but nothing makes the ache go away. I cry until my eyes are swollen and my throat is raw. I cry until sleep drags me under like a heavy, unrelenting wave. And the last thing I think before everything goes dark... is him.
CHAPTER 30
ANIKA
"Aanikaa!" Aditi's voice jerks me awake. I rub my eyes, blinking rapidly to shake off the sleep. My hand fumbles for the digital clock on the bedside table. 9:00 AM. What the hell. I was supposed to sneak out before anyone woke up. I groan and facepalm myself. Sometimes, I swear, this habit of oversleeping is going to get me into real trouble. Throwing the blanket off, I rush toward the door and yank it open. Aditi stands there, flashing me a huge grin.
"Thank God! I thought something happened to you. I've been knocking for five minutes! Looks like you slept real good now that Aarav wasn’t here," she teases, winking dramatically.
My eyes widen, heat crawling up my neck. I swat her arm. "You’re mad," I mutter, shaking my head as she laughs.
"Anyway, your husband called me last night," she says, making my eyebrows knit together. "He said you sounded a little off, so he ordered me to take you out today."
My heart flutters. Of course he didn't believe me when I said I was fine. Why does he have to be so thoughtful? It's honestly unfair how easy he makes it for me to fall even harder for him. I let out a small sigh, trying not to smile like an idiot.
Aditi loops her arm through mine. "So, I was thinking we could watch a movie. Or honestly, anything you want. I’m up for anything."
I force a small smile. "You don’t have to worry, Aditi. I’m fine, really. I don’t—"
She cuts me off immediately. "Nope. Even if you’re fine, I still want to have a girls' day. Plus, Aarav promised to buy me fifty books. Fifty! You think I’m going to cheat my own brother?" she adds with an evil chuckle.
I can't help but laugh at her antics. God, even with everything going on, she somehow makes me feel lighter. Like maybe things aren't so bad after all. Overwhelmed, I pull her into a hug. She stiffens at first—probably shocked—but then hugs me back just as tightly. "You get ready. I’ll wait for you in the car," she says as we pull away. Her smile is infectious.
"Did you ask Bhabhi?" She would love going out.
Aditi rolls her eyes. "Oh please, I will never go into her room again," she smirks. "I walked into Bhai kissing Bhabhi, and you won't believe it," she laughs out loud. "Bhabhi pushed Bhai so hard, he fell on his ass." My eyes widen, and I try to imagine the scene. Bhabhi probably won't be comfortable facing Aditi today considering this woman is too mischievous and won't stop teasing her. I giggle.
"Okay, I’ll be real quick," I promise. She nods and disappears down the hallway.
I rush to the bathroom and take the quickest shower of my life. Standing in front of my wardrobe, I pick out a pink shirt and pair it with off-white pants. After accessorizing a little and leaving my hair open, I check my phone instinctively—half-expecting a message from that stalker.
Nothing.
Relief washes over me, but I know better than to believe it’s over. No way they’re backing off this easily. I have to stay alert. And more importantly, I have to find a permanent solution. I can’t live my life looking over my shoulder like some scaredy-cat. And there's no chance in hell I'm leaving Aarav because of this. Six months. I’m staying with him for six months... and then we’ll figure things out.
I give myself a small nod in the mirror, grab my purse, and walk to Maa's room. The door’s open, so I knock lightly and step inside.
"Maa, I'm going out with Aditi," I tell her.
She gives me a warm smile and nods. "I know, beta. Aditi told me. You two have fun, okay?"
"Will do," I say, smiling back at her before hurrying outside.
Aditi’s already in the car, waving at me like an excited kid. I jog toward the passenger side, hop in, and fasten my seatbelt. She grins at me as she starts the engine.
