Aditya leaned his head back, his fingers tracing the smooth handle of his cane. He couldn't see her, but his mind was busy sketching a portrait. Based on the way her sneakers squeaked, she was light on her feet, probably petite.

From the way her voice bounced around the room, he imagined her hands moving constantly, gesturing wildly as she spoke. He could almost see the way she must have looked when she said all those things, eyes wide, cheeks probably red, and that filter less mouth half-open in shock at her own words.

A small, genuine tug appeared at the corner of his lips. 

"Namuni."

(Sample.)

He whispered to himself again. He thought about the way she had described his jawline and his hero vibe. It was ridiculous. He was a man who lived in shadows, a man people avoided.

Yet, she had walked right into his den and treated him like a college crush. And strangely, he didn't hate it.

Meanwhile, at the Rose & Petals flower shop, the atmosphere was different.

"Mehak! Tu paagal ho gayi hai kya?!"

(Are you mad?)

Her maasi yelled, her hands on her hips as she stared at her niece in absolute horror. Mehak was casually leaning against the counter, munching on a samosa, looking completely unbothered.

"Arrey maasi, chill karo na! Maine bas thodi tareef hi toh ki. Bechare sir itne bored lag rahe the, maine socha thoda mood light kar doon."

(Arrey maasi, chill! I just complimented him a little. He looked so bored, I thought to lighten his mood up.)

Mehak said with her mouth half-full. Her maasi looked like she was about to have a heart attack. She grabbed Mehak's arm and pulled her closer, whispering as if the walls had ears.

"Tujhe pata bhi hai wo kaun hai? He is Aditya Vardhan! Log unka naam lene se pehle do baar sochte hain. He handles the city's underground. He has power that can make people disappear overnight! Aur tu...tu unhe Hot Sir bol ke aa gayi?"

(Do you even know who he is? He is Aditya Vardhan! People think twice before taking his name. He handles the city’s underground. He has power that can make people disappear overnight! And you…you called him Hot Sir?)

Mehak swallowed her samosa and wiped her hands on her jeans. She looked at her aunt with a tilted head, her expression turning unusually thoughtful for a second.

"Maasi, log na bohot baatein banate hain. Maine unhe dekha par unke unme koi gunde waali vibe nahi thi. He just looked...lonely. Like, seriously lonely. Itni badi kothi, itne saare guards, par kamre mein ek dum sannata. Aisa lag raha tha jaise unhone barson se kisi se dhang se baat nahi kri."

(Maasi, people talk a lot. I saw him but there was no criminal vibe in him. He just looked…lonely. Like, seriously lonely. Such a big house, so many guards, the room was absolutely silent. It felt like he hadn’t talk to someone properly in ages.)

Her maasi sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Mehak, listen to me. Next time, agar delivery wahan jaati hai, toh tu van se utregi bhi nahi. Driver phool de dega. Tu bas chup chap baithi rahegi. No talking, no complimenting, no muhfatt-giri. Samjhi?"

(Next time, if the delivery goes there, you will not get off the van. Driver will give the flowers. You just sit quietly. No talking, no complimenting, no outspokenness. Got it?)

"Haan, haan, samajh gayi. Bilkul silent mode."

(Yes, yes, got it. Complete silent mode.)

Mehak promised, crossing her fingers behind her back. But as her maasi went back to the cold storage to check the roses, Mehak leaned her chin on her hand and stared out the shop window.

She thought about Aditya's face when he blushed. It was such a human reaction from someone who was supposed to be a monster.

"Dangerous? Bilkul nahi."

(Not at all.)

She muttered to herself.

"He's just a grumpy lion who needs someone to poke him once in a while. Bechara, sara din us andhere kamre mein rehta hai. Aankhein nahi hain toh kya hua, kaan toh hain na? Meri bak-bak sunke kam se kam uska dimaag toh chalta rahega."

(Poor him, keeps sitting in that dark room all day. So what if he doesn’t have eyes, he has ears? Atleast his brain will remain active listening to my nonsense.)

She wasn't interested in his world or his money. But she felt a strange, stubborn urge to bring a little bit of her chaotic sunshine into his dark mansion. Not because she wanted to be a mafia queen, God, no, she was too messy for that, but because she couldn't stand the thought of someone being that lonely.

"Ek-do jokes suna dungi toh unka khoon thodi na jal jayega."

(His blood will not boil from one or two jokes.)

She giggled, imagining his irritated face. She spent the next hour cleaning the shop, but her mind kept drifting back to the way he had stammered.

It was the most satisfying thing she had ever achieved. Making a powerful man lose his words was way better than any movie she had watched recently.

The evening was winding down, and the streetlights outside were beginning to flicker on. Mehak was about to close the shutter when the shop's old landline phone started ringing loudly.

"Maasi! Phone uthao!"

(Pick up the phone!)

Mehak shouted. Her maasi came running out, wiping her hands on her apron. She picked up the receiver.

"Hello? Rose & Petals flower shop, how can I help you?"

Mehak watched her aunt's face. Slowly, the blood drained from her cheeks again. Her eyes darted toward Mehak, wide and full of panic.

"Ji...ji sir. Bilkul. Kal subah? Haan, ho jayega. White lilies aur...tulips? Okay, note kar liya. Same address? Vardhan Estate. Ji, bilkul."

(Yes…yes sir. Absolutely. Tomorrow morning? Yes, it will be done. White lilies and…tulips? Okay, I have noted it. Same address? Vardhan Estate. Yes, absolutely.)

She hung up the phone and stood there, frozen.

"Kya hua maasi? Bhoot dekh liya kya?"

(What happened maasi? Did you see a ghost?)

Mehak asked, already knowing the answer.

"Wahan se call tha. Vardhan Estate."

(They called. Vardhan Estate.)

Maasi whispered, looking at the order book.

"Unke personal secretary ne kaha ki sir ko kal subah fresh flowers chahiye. Aur specifically bola ki wahi ladki bhejiyega jo aaj aayi thi...kyunki usey pata hai ki vases kahan rakhne hain."

(His personal secretary said that sir needs fresh flowers tomorrow. And specifically asked for the girl who came today…because she knows where the vases are kept.)

Mehak's heart did a little somersault. She tried to hide her excitement, but a huge, mischievous grin broke across her face.

"Dekha maasi? My service is excellent! Customer satisfy ho gaya!"

(See maasi? My service is excellent! The customer is satisfied!)

Maasi groaned, leaning against the counter.

"Nahi Mehak, ye service nahi hai. Ye teri maut ka bulawa hai. Please, kal jaana toh thoda dhang se pesh aana. No Hot Sir, okay?"

(No Mehak, this is not service. This is the invitation of your death. Please, behave properly tomorrow. No Hot Sir, okay?)

Mehak grabbed her bag and headed for the door, waving her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry maasi! Kal toh main unhe Cute Sir bolne ka soch rahi hoon. Goodnight!"

(Don’t worry maasi! I was thinking of calling him Cute Sir tomorrow.)

She ran out of the shop before her aunt could throw a flower pot at her. As she walked home, the cool night air felt amazing. She couldn't wait for tomorrow. She had a whole list of things she wanted to say, and she was pretty sure Aditya Vardhan had no idea what was about to hit him.

Back at the mansion, Aditya sat in his study. He knew the order had been placed. He told himself it was because the lilies were fresh, but deep down, in a place he wouldn't admit to anyone, he was waiting to hear the sound of squeaky sneakers and a voice that didn't know how to be afraid.