After Sagar's sudden departure, Samaira started preparing for dinner. Mrs Annie also came back from her grocery shopping and they made food together. All the time, Abhimaan was not there to be seen. He was in his study working, much to her relaxation.

She had observed it before also - he locked himself in the room for hours while working. Not caring about his food or health. He was just like his mother had described -a typical workaholic.

She started thinking about their last encounter, how he was behaving on and off simultaneously. He was coming close to her, touching her as well. Well, it was not even a proper touch but still the way her heart was beating like it was going to explode anytime soon.

"Do you want me to set the table now?" Mrs Annie asked her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked around the dishes and saw everything was ready.

"No, it's still time for dinner. I'll do it myself. You also should leave now." Samaira said checking her wristwatch, Mrs Annie's shift was over. She also needed to reach her home to her family. Mrs Annie nodded and left. Samaira too went to her room to freshen up.

She came down when the clock struck 9 - it's his time for dinner. First, she thought to call him but dropped the idea. She put all the dishes on the table and went inside the kitchen to get some water.

She took the jar of water and came to the dining table, she stopped seeing him coming towards her. She instantly felt her heart going all nervous and awry again. She looked down before looking back at him. He had changed into his trousers and t-shirt. And he was looking - so fresh and charming. She gulped down.

She put the water on the table and stood there. He was amazed noticing all the dishes on the table. The hall was filled with the aroma of delicious food. And being a big foody, he could never avoid homemade food.

He immediately got settled on his seat, she started serving him first then took a plate for herself. Today, he didn't stop her - he liked this feeling. He chuckled at himself.

He took a morsel of butter chicken with chapati. She didn't eat till then. She was feeling very conscious all the time. The last time when they had dinner together, that was unexpected but this time she knows it. And that was making her very nervous.

"God! I hope he finds the food tasty!".

"Samaira..." He said unexpectedly, making her look up to him. She felt something magical in her body hearing her name from him.

"There is magic in your food... it's delicious." He appreciated her genuinely. Her face brimmed with happiness. She hid her smile by biting her inner cheeks.

"Why are you not eating??"

"Let me serve you butter chicken, it's so tasty." He had noticed that she didn't serve the chicken for herself.

"No... I don't like non-veg dishes. I have made this mutter paneer also for myself." She said keeping her hands over the plate to stop him. He got a little stunned with the newfound information and made a mental note to remember it. He nodded to her and resumed his eating.

Abhimaan was looking at her from time to time. He was racking his brain to come up with a subject to talk to or to initiate a normal conversation between them. He was thinking when she said something, making him smile in his mind.

"I wanted... to... to ask you something." She said, looking down while fidgeting with her fingers.

"Hmm... I'm listening!" He replied encouraging her.

"I... I wanted to know... about... my professor... I mean... San..." She felt her palm turning sweaty as memories of that incident flashed in front of her eyes. Although Abhimaan had taken care of that matter, she still wanted to know what had happened to that man.

He cut in on her in the middle by not letting her say his name with her mouth. He felt his anger rising at the mention of that bastard's name.

"He is at his deserving place... jail!!" His eyes turned dark. She got a little scared seeing his angry face.

"I don't want you to think about him even for a second, you will never see him again... I have taken care of that personally." He said to her, directly looking into her eyes. Reminding her that he was here for her. She nodded softly.

She could sense that his mood was a bit harsh now. She felt stupid for bringing this topic at this moment. Her face fell. He noticed it.

"How's everything in your college? I have heard that medical science is not everyone's cup of tea! I hope you are taking it seriously." He said changing the topic of their conversation.

"Everything is good. It's very interesting learning about something that I always wanted to." She replied to him. He noticed how her face lit up on the mere mention of her studies.

"So, she is studious."

He said in mind.

"If you ever...." His words were cut off by the ringtone of her phone. He stopped and peeked at her mobile. She saw the caller - it was Ritika. So she immediately disconnected it and looked back to Abhimaan.

Before he could talk again, her phone again beeped - this time beeping with incoming message alerts. And it didn't stop after one - she was receiving a chain of messages, it seemed. He stopped eating, keeping his spoon down.

"I think someone is dying for your attention, take it." He said roughly. She felt the anger in his voice.

"Sorry... It's my friend..." She apologised. He gestured to her to go and pick it up.

"Friend... Male or female?"

He didn't like being ignored. He wanted to spend some time with her. He wanted to give her attention and wanted to receive the same from her also. But, it seemed someone else was more important to her.

Samaira got up and received the call and asked Ritika the reason for calling her in a low voice.

"Why weren't you answering my calls and messages?" Ritika asked her immediately.

"I was busy with something, that's why. What happened to you all of a sudden?" Samaira asked, stealing a glance at Abhimaan.

"You forgot to take my laptop Samaira!! How will you complete your assignment now? Tomorrow is the last day for submission." Ritika's information brought a sense of realization into her. She closed her eyes - annoyed at her own carelessness.

How could she forget it?

"God!! I forgot!! What will I do now?? It's already very late, I can't even go out to any cyber cafe." Samaira said feeling scared for tomorrow. How was she going to face her teacher now? This would surely affect her final grades.

She didn't own a laptop. So, she usually borrowed Ritika's laptop or sometimes visited cyber cafes. She had one back at her uncle's place but she didn't get that along with her belongings when she came to her in-laws. It was as usual one of the tactics of her aunt again.

Now she didn't have enough money and she didn't want to use his money either.

"Don't worry... Meet me a little early in the morning then complete it. You have almost covered the main topic. Just a little part is left and then just the printout will be left for tomorrow." Ritika suggested her. She knew how nervous Samaira became when it was about her classes and grades.

"Okay... I don't have any other option left either! I'll go early in the morning." Saying this, she disconnected the call. She turned towards the table with a sad face. She came back and found him already getting up from his chair leaving his unfinished food.

"Wait!!" She screamed, which made him turn to her. She noticed his angry face.

"God!! Why do I always mess things up?"

She took more than her usual time talking over the phone, and he didn't like it. He returned early just to spend some time with her. But it looked like she didn't even care. So... He left his food and got up - ready to leave. But her anxious voice rooted him to the spot.

"Please, don't leave your food like this. It's not good." She said in her soft voice. She was pleading with her eyes. He didn't have the heart to deny her affectionate request. He sat back again.

She was relieved. She too settled down next to him. But now her mind was stressed about tomorrow's project submission.

"Who was on the call?" He couldn't stop himself from asking her. 

"Let her think whatever she wants to about me but I want to know who was calling her at this time of the night."

"My friend..." She replied in her dull voice. He frowned in confusion. What happened suddenly?

"What happened?" He asked her again - surprising her with so many questions. Is this the same person who ordered her to stay away from him?

"Nothing important... I forgot to finish my work, and the submission date is tomorrow." She found herself informing him everything. She couldn't lie or hide when he asked her something. 

She couldn't understand why but his strong voice always hypnotised her.

"What is the issue then? You still have time to finish it." He said casually - unaware of her problem. Also, the constant struggles she made to achieve her dreams.

"I... don't have a laptop... and I forget to get hers also." She felt ashamed informing this

"Her!! That means the caller was a girl!! Good!!" He smiled but frowned again.

"What is the need to ask someone else, when she can get one for herself anytime she wants with my cards?"

Then it struck him - she had never used the card he gave her. He never got any information about any transaction made.

He ran his fingers into his hair to control his temper. He felt angry at her stubbornness.

Why didn't she stop being so adamant when he had asked her to use it?

But he closed his eyes to control himself before bursting out on her. He didn't want to go back to their earlier state by being rude to her. He didn't want to scare her again.

"Samaira... You can use mine... In my study... Anytime you want." He said in his deep voice. Only he knows how much he was trying to be gentle to her.

She felt her eyes widened and her face turned pale! Maybe she also remembered something just as he did!! 

She didn't want any tags or accusations on her.

Her honesty and self-respect mattered a lot to her.

"It's okay... I'll do it tomorrow." She replied, looking away.

"Look, I know why are you saying all this. But remember one thing, never let our problems come between our professional lives."

"Always be dedicated and be respectful to your work and only then you will be respected for your work in the future." He spoke his words of wisdom to her.

"He is right. I should not let anything affect my work."

This time she didn't feel the rudeness in his voice like before. It was not his scary voice, it was his gentle voice. As if he was requesting her.

She didn't want him to request her or anyone.

She nodded to him, making him satisfied. At first, he thought about buying a laptop for her but knowing her, he changed his mind. Maybe she won't like it. He needed to be careful with everything.

.

.

.

She knocked on the door of his study room after completing her work in the kitchen. She went to her room to grab her books and other stuff.

"Come..." she opened the door gently, hearing his loud and strong voice.

She walked inside taking small steps. She found him sitting on his chair proudly, typing on his laptop. His dark blue t-shirt was clinging to his body, displaying his well-toned muscles. The sleeves were rolled up a little near his elbow revealing the movement of his forearm muscles while he was typing. His perfectly combed hair was now a little messy. He might have run his fingers through it several times - she concluded in her mind.

Her mouth went dry seeing him like that. He looked extraordinary - so regal and so handsome. She couldn't help but stare at him. She jumped up hearing someone clear their throat. She blinked several times to calm her heartbeat.

Here he was sitting so confidently and smirking at her.

"I can sit here the whole night if you want but I think your work needs a little more attention than me right now." He chuckled at her, making her want to hide behind the curtains!!

"Behave yourself, Samaira!!"

She mentally berated herself.