••

Vikram narrowed his eyes at Suhana waiting for her to continue, as her creamy face turned pale.

"What's wrong?"he asked considering that she was taking some time.

"Rohit is drowning in his own guilt" Suhana said in a low voice as his tear stricken face crossed her mind.

"Guilt? For which mistake?" Vikram popped his question as Suhana narrowed her eyes, confused.

"Considering that he made a lot of cranky mistakes in the past few months..I am not sure which one you are referring to" Vikram said in a relaxed tone as he opened his laptop that was lying beside.

"As if you were born perfect " Suhana mumbled under her breath and continued, "Come on, I am here for a serious talk"

"Fine! What's wrong with Rohit?" He withdrew his eyes from his laptop and averted to Suhana who chose to sit on the couch next to him rather than the opposite one.

"Megha resigned! And he--he is scared that he wouldn't be able to gain her forgiveness... like ever!" Suhana said with a sullen face.

"Well-" Vikram dragged, as he continued,"He kinda deserved that--for siding with mom's 'THE BLACKMAIL plan' " he emphasized.

"Come on Vikram, he--feels bad for it now. He even apologized. Infact he had another plan, if it all aunty wasn't planning to get him married to Megha. Don't do that to him--because...at the end of the day he is still your brother." Suhana defended.

"Yeah, my stupid brother" Vikram murmured under his breath as he continued, "Fine let's find a way out of this" he said as Suhana's smile gleamed.

She hadn't expected him to help her, at least not without shutting her out with his sarcasm.

"You've got some plans?" Vikram asked, considering her whole face, glowing like a yellow ceiling light.

"Well, I am planning to talk to Megha regarding this and was--just hoping that she would take my advice and then...forgive Rohit maybe?" Suhana said with confusion dripping down her words.

"Well...Considering that Megha is smarter than you are...I don't think she would agree with you" Vikram said casually while opening some documents in his laptop.

"Well thanks for being pessimistic, you are really being helpful right now" Suhana said with a sarcastic smile on her face.

"I said we will help him out of this. So for now, just go and sleep now. We'll think about it tomorrow. " he said remotely with his eyes still fixed on his laptop.

"Fine" Suhana said dramatically as she dragged herself towards the stairs, as she no longer had to sleep on the living room couch considering she didn't have to hide from him anymore.

"I've got some really important work" Vikram called out as Suhana turned back, "Okay.." She dragged not knowing what else to reply.

"So you can sleep on the bed" He said as his eyes met hers for a second and then returned back to his laptop.

With her jaws touching the ground, Suhana stood there, staring at him extremely confused.

Realizing that standing there and staring at him won't help her in any way, she paced towards him.

"Are you sick?" She placed forward and placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Do you have fever? Something's wrong! That's why you have been acting strangely today. Tell me what is it?" Suhana asked sarcastically yet with a serious tone.

"I am fine!" He rolled his eyes as Suhana suppressed a chuckle.

"Well if you are really sick...then I think it would be really good if you just remain this sick..Always!" Suhana beamed with deep red blush and a faint smile seeping through her face, as she turned and left to his room.

And then without any delay, she sank into the bed and before she knew anything, she was fast asleep.

• • • •

The Black BMW halted down in front of the Malhotra mansion.

The car door opens wide, as a woman with a pointed heel steps out of it and removes her sunglasses.

With the heels, making a rhythmic clicking sound, she takes her step inside the house.

Her eyes meet as that of Varsha's ,"Anika?!" she exclaims in a shock as Anika moves forward for a hug.

"Hi aunty!"

"How are you doing? It's been like ages since you came home and met Vikram. Where were you all this while?" Varsha decided to pour questions on her head.

"I was off trying to console my mom and dad" Anika said in a faint voice.

"How are they? Are they fine with everything, atleast now?" Varsha hoped for nothing but of a positive reply.

"Well, you know them. It's still a NO" Anika sighed sadly.

"I am so sorry dear" Varsha hugged her as Anika springed up trying to change the topic, "So where is that idiot? It's been a hella long time" Anika looked around, her eyes hunting for Vikram.

"He must be in his room, I guess. Wait did you inform him already that you were coming?" Varsha asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, I had informed him last week. He didn't tell you?" Anika's words trailed off at the end.

"No, he didn't. " Varsha looked away as Anika gazed at her waiting for her to explain.

"Well, he isn't sharing much with me lately. Well, forget that, now go and meet him " Varsha walked away as her eyes slowly started to brim with tears.

Anika flipped away her brown streaked hair and paced upstairs, then took the right turn to his room.

She didn't need directions. This wasn't the first time she was here. She's been coming here for years, and this has been her home, since forever

On reaching Vikram's room, and on no more delay she pushed the door open widely as her eyes fell on the same old stupid guy she knew all her life, sitting on his couch.

But his eyes were fixed somewhere else.

She moved along the direction of his eyes as it landed on his bed.

And there was a girl on top of his bed, sleeping peacefully!!

"Holy crap" Anika screamed in utter shock as Vikram turned towards her, while Suhana who was sleeping, stirred on the bed still immersed in her dreamworld.

"Anika!" Vikram said in a low voice as he smiled genuinely after ages at her while she was still in shock with her mouth wide open.

"Who the--" Anika yelled in a loud voice as Vikram shushed her with a finger on his lips, asking her to reduce her volume.

"Who on earth is she??" Anika mouthed at him, as he directed her to leave the room as he closed the door behind him and joined her outside.

• • • •

"Care to explain who she is? Wait--are you bringing random girls to your--"She stopped midway and closed her mouth dramatically and stared at him wide.

"You are such a bad guy" She said dramatically yet again.

"It's not what it looks like" He hit her lightly on her head.

"I literally saw a girl, lying on YOUR bed and you say that it's not what it looks like?" She mocked him.

"Well point one, she's not a random girl and--" he started as she interrupted, "Okay so you have been bringing this girl to your home a lot lately? Wait does aunty know about this??" She hit him several times on his arms though it didn't hurt him a bit.

"Oh come on Anika, it's not what you think, so cut off that suspicious look on your face.

"Fine, who is she?" She narrowed her eyes at him and continued, "Girlfriend?" She grinned widely waiting for him to answer.

"Nope"

"Come now you better tell me who she is before I slice that throat of yours. " Anika stomped her foot, drowning in suspense.

"Well, there is this thing...where law says that we are...Husband and Wife" He paused, waiting to get hit by his best friend again.

"You what??!!" She exclaimed in shock as she started hitting him with more force this time, as he had expected.

"You got married to a girl and you didn't even have a courtesy to invite your stupid old friend, whom you have know since kindergarten??" Extremely upset, Anika yelled down the corridor.

"Invite you to a marriage, that was decided just the day before?" Vikram said sarcastically as he continued, "Or invite you to the marriage that was forced and took place by being blackmailed?"

"What? Are you serious? Forced? Blackmailed? Tell me everything NOW!"

"Anika, I will, but not now.

I've got a meeting arranged in a few minutes. Will come back and explain everything to you" Vikram said vaguely as he was reminded of the meeting which he had agreed to attend from his home as he didn't leave for his office considering he wanted to spend some time with Anika.

Anika on the other hand, who was half happy and half sad for him went to give Rohit a visit.

After spending almost an hour with Rohit and another half an hour with Varsha and Arnav.

Meanwhile with curiosity peeking out of her head constantly, she wanted to meet Suhana and talk to her.

She had seen Suhana walking here and there, and had breakfast along with her.

She had expected Suhana to be rude,hateful or mean, as she felt that it could've been the reason why Vikram didn't want to get married to her and felt it to be forced.

But Suhana was completely different to what she had she had assumed, even though Rohit had told her how sweet and natural Suhana is.

Though Suhana hadn't known her personally, she had greeted her gently and had volunteered to serve her breakfast despite telling her that it wasn't needed.

And she managed to do everything with a smile on her face, but it didn't take her another minute to guess she was clumsy too.

And at that moment Anika knew that Suhana was the imperfectly perfect girl she had ever met. Someone who happily embraces her flaws and channels her power through that gentle smile on her face.

But she wanted to know her, deeply.

Talk to her.

Listen to her

Just to make sure that she was perfect for her best friend in all means. She didn't want her friend to undergo anything worse, considering all that he has been through worse.

After breakfast Anika's eyes followed Suhana, as she saw her leave for her room.

With no longer able to control the urge, she decided to confront Suhana and talk to her.

"Hey!" Anika's legs came to a stop abruptly.

"Hi!" Suhana turned back and gave her a smile.

The last thing Suhana wanted to do was talk to Vikram's best friend.

Though at first, she had thought that Anika wasn't informed about her marriage as Mrs.Malhotra had told strictly not to tell anyone. But then she came to know that Vikram's friend knows about her marriage.

She felt gush of insecurities pass through her.

It was a good day and she didn't want to get herself upset, if she was about to be judged for her background and for who she was.

"Can we talk?" Anika asked with a smile, as her eyebrows shot up waiting for an answer.

• • • •

Hey guys!

So how was the update?

Well I had wanted to post this yesterday, but unfortunately couldn't!

Anyways, Happy Women's day to all the strongest women out there!! Rock the world ❤