"I kept telling myself and everyone that I hate you but still my eyes couldn't stop wandering towards you. And something happened in Paris."

He said and she gulped looking at him. He held her hands and caressed her knuckles with his thumb. The gesture, the simple gesture sent shivers down her spine.

"Something changed between us. Please tell me I wasn't the only one who felt it. Because I just can't get you out of my mind Tamanna. I think-"

Her breath hitched. Was he going to say what she was thinking he was going to say? The drizzling increased and it started raining. But none of them made any move.

"I think I'm falling in love with you Tamanna."

And there! He had said it! Tamanna was frozen to her spot. Het clothes were sticking to her body but she couldn't get herself to look away from his face. His eyes. They were so sincere and genuine.

He moved one of his hands to her face and cupped her cheek.

He kept gazing into her eyed with his love filled ones and slowly leaned in. When she didn't move away or object, he swiftly pecked her lips.

He pulled back to see her reaction but she looked into his eyes and her hand went behind his nape. Taking it as an encouragement, he snaked his other arm around her waist and brought his lips back to hers.

He kissed her softly. Not applying any pressure as if he feared she would break if he did. They didn't know for how long they kissed. The door of the terrace was shut due to wind and that's what broke them apart.

Tamanna seemed to have gained her senses back because she realised what had happened and looked at him wide eyed. Getting out of his arms, she ran to her apartment leaving him standing at his place.

Tamanna didn't come to office the next day and Anubhav felt that it was because of him. She was not answering to his messages and he felt like the biggest asshole to have kissed her when she was shocked and confused about his sudden confession.

"Hey Kritika? Tamanna ne kuch bataya kya ki wo kyu nhi aayi aaj?"

He asked Sinha sir's secretary who nodded and said.

"She had to go to her hometown. Uske papa ki tabiyat thik nhi hai. She'll be back in a few days."

He sighed in relief. It wasn't because of him. When he reached back home, he called her the first thing.

She picked up at the fourth ring.

"Tamanna? Why didn't you tell me you were going to your hometown?"

"Umm-"

"Achha leave it! How's uncle? Kritika ne bataya ki unki tabiyat thik nhi hai and that's why you went."

"He'll be fine."

Her reply was short and he knew something was amiss.

"Tamanna...I'm sorry about yesterday... I shouldn't have done that atleast not without your permission."

"Can we talk about this later? Mai thoda occupied thi."

She sounded distracted.

"Umm-okay-sab thik hai na Tamanna?"

"Haan."

"You know you can tell me if there's some problem or something, right?"

"Anubhav I'll talk to you later. Mai khud call kr lungi free hokar."

She cut the call in urgency. He frowned but didn't press on.

It had been 15 days since Tamanna had not returned and she had now stopped attending his calls and replying to any of his messages.

He didn't know how to contact her. Something was wrong and he had a strong gut feeling.

"Hey Kritika? Do we have any update from Tamanna? Kab se rejoin kregi wo?"

He asked trying to act as nonchalant as he can. She looked at him with a sad smile and said.

"She's going to stay at her hometown for a few more days."

"Oh! Umm-did you hear from her? I mean why is she-"

"You don't know?"

Kritika asked and he looked surprised. What did he not know?

"Umm -sorry? What?"

"You guys are neighbours. Mujhe laga tumhe pata hoga. She lost her father about two weeks back."

Anubhav felt someone punch his gut. He knew it! He knew something wasn't right. The shock must be showing on his face because Kritika said.

"She'll be back this week."

"Right! Umm- about the project! Don't bother her for some time. Mai manage kr lunga and don't tell sir about it."

Her expression got serious again and she said.

"Yes! About that! I just received her mail a few minutes back. She's resigned from her post as the Co-Head. So tumhe hi manage krna hai."

Okay? He did not expect that. She resigned? Why? Because of her father? Oh hell no! He wasn't letting her miss on the promotion which would never come again because she was vulnerable at the moment.

"You want me to delete it from sir's system? Wo abhi aaye nhi hai office?"

Kritika asked and he looked at her gratefully.

"Yes please! Aur also if he comes-"

"I'll tell him you had some emergency. Go get our Co-Head."

Anubhav patted her hand gratefully and rushed back to his apartment. He packed his bag as quickly as he could and immediately started off to her hometown.

Kritika sent him her complete address as per the office records. He didn't know how he would ever repay her for her kindness.

It was a four hour nonstop drive and he was finally at her doorstep. It was an ancestral house. The old kothi type houses. He parked his car and took out his bag.

After confirming the house, he rang the doorbell. He heard some shuffling and the door was opened a minute later.

Tamanna was surprised to see Anubhav standing at her doorstep. She looked so broken. Her eyes puffy and red. Her face devoid of any glow.

"T-tum yaha?"

She asked making way for him to enter inside. They stood at the entry passage.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-every-everything happened so suddenly. Mujhe-mujhe khud samajh nhi aaya."

Although her voice broke but she didn't let the tears fall. She was trying to be strong before him.

He didn't want that. He wanted to be the person she could trust herself to be vulnerable with.

"Ek message hi kr deti Tamanna. Bhagta hua aa jaata mai."

She looked down and gulped her tears back. She gave him a teary smile and said.

"Andar aao na. I'm so stupid. Tum itni dur se aaye ho and I didn't even call you inside-"

She rambled on and took him inside the house. They entered the living room and Anubhav held her hand to stop her.

"Tum thik ho na?"

And that did it. It reminded her of how her father used to ask her 'Tu thik hai na Manno?' and she teared up. She looked at him and burst out in tears.

He immediately pulled her into his arms giving her a safe space to vent out her emotions.

He held her in his arms and walked inside. She hid her face in his neck and cried. Her body shook with violent sobs. He kept caressing her head and back.

He sat on the sofa with her beside him still crying while clutching his shirt.

"He never told me he was unwell...mai...mai...I wasn't there for her when he needed me...I failed as his daughter Anubhav...I-"

"Shh! You didn't fail Tamanna. You were an excellent daughter and I'm sure he also would have thought the same."

"Nhi! Agar aisa hota toh...wo mujhe batate na...ki unki tabiyat thik nhi hai...he would have-"

"Tamanna! Look at me! It's not your fault. It's not anybody's fault. Death is an inevitable truth. Everybody has to go today or tomorrow."

"But-"

"Tell me one thing. Unhone kabhi ye jataya ya tumhe kabhi ye laga ki wo tumse khush nhi hai?"

She shook her head and he smiled sadly.

"Then why do you think you're not a good daughter?"

She didn't say anything but tightened her hold on his tshirt. He caressed her back and kissed her forehead.

"Tamanna?"

They heard a soft voice and looked up to see her mother standing in front of her room. Tamanna got out of his arms and sniffed wiping her tears.

"Mumma? Uth gye aap? Chalo mai khaana banane hi jaa rhi thi. Kya khaaoge?"

"Kya farak padta hai? Kuch bhi bana le."

Anubhav couldn't even imagine the pain the two women were going through. Losing the most important man of their lives.

Anubhav joined his hands in a namaste and touched her feet. She blessed him and then looked at Tamanna silently asking who he was.

"Mera friend hai office se."

She answered but she knew that her mother would question later because she definitely saw the way she was wrapped in his arms.

"He's going to stay a few days."

She added eyeing the bag in his hands and he blinked his eyes in affirmation when she looked at him in confirmation.

She showed him the guest room and left him to freshen up while she went to prepare the dinner for the day. Her mother had a habit of eating early and since her father's death she liked to eat alone. In front of his picture.

Anubhav came out after freshening up and helped her a little. She couldn't express how grateful she was that he showed up.

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