"Uhh...what dream?" She was having trouble processing his words. Her brain had yet to wake up like her fatigued body.

Moreover, the current state of her boss wasn't helping the situation.

While he tried to recover from the remnants of his coughing fit, her eyes hesitantly went back to admire his form.

He was....extremely fit.

She couldn't help but stare how the water droplets caressed his toned body, which looked nothing less than art. Her mouth went dry as he closed his eyes and arched his neck backwards, trying to swallow, making his throat bob wildly by the impact. A sigh unknowingly escaped her lips as she observed the water droplets trickling down his masculine chin, towards his throat and down his chest.

She was left amazed by the sheer size of his biceps and the perfect abs he was sporting. A slight blush found its way on her face when her wandering eyes observed a slight patch and trail of hair over his otherwise shaved chest. Just like that, her eyes also caught on the lightest and slightest line of hair going down the waistband of his pants, below his navel.

She was helpless...she couldn't tear away her eyes from that sinful torso as much as she tried.

Her boss, Anuj...was one of the rarest species of men.

The only one to exist.

Like no other....

While 'the Anupama' for the first time, was unabashedly admiring a man's physique, she had failed to notice that Anuj had calmed down from his earlier coughing fit.

After a few deep swallows, Anuj finally recovered from his state and opened his eyes, only to find that his love was watching him with dazed eyes.

To be specific, her eyes weren't watching him, no, they were fixed somewhere below his face.

Curious, he looked down as well, only to find himself half-naked.

"Shit!" As the curse abruptly left his lips, Anupama too, came out of her stupor only to realise that she had been caught...!

Caught ogling at her handsome boss.

Yes, she might had a lot of doubts and confusions about her feelings, but one thing was sure.

She finds him handsome.

She wasn't afraid to admit it...that she finds him extremely handsome.

And as much as she was getting to know him with each passing day, she felt as if he was progressively getting more handsome.

She had started noticing even the slightliest bit of his features and details, that made him the most handsome man she had ever seen.

Like right now, how she was observing every curve and contour of his perfect torso and arms.

Apart from getting to know his perfect personality, she also got to that he had a perfect body as well. Not to mention that perfectly perfect face of his.

And she was caught.

"I-I was just thirsty." Her voice was scratchy, and her throat was parched. Sweeping her gaze to have a parting glance of his chest glistening with water droplets, she impulsively added, "..for water."

He nodded, not knowing how else to react.

When he had found himself in his study today morning, he had assumed that it was one of those times when he had ended up sleeping in his study while working late hours and had dreamed of his Anu.

Befuddled by how much 'realistic' that dream felt and assuming that he was alone like always, he had taken off his nightwear. Then he had trudged into the kitchen, in search of a chilled water bottle, to wipe out that dreamy image of Anu clad in his nightsuit out of his sleepy brain.

But as it turned out, she was actually there. In his nightsuit.

He had been so engrossed by his coughing fit that he was just able to caught that dazed look in her eyes before being distracted by his shirtless self.

He didn't know how to decipher that dazed look.

She looked extremely distracted, maybe she was thinking of something that didn't concerned him, because no way in hell she could be checking him out.

And she had immediately diverted her gaze when he had abruptly cursed after realising his current state.

But that reddish tint on her cheeks were proving all his assumptions wrong.

Is their any chance that she.....liked what she saw?

As that thought started to bloom in his his hopeless heart like a spring bud growing in between the cracks of a hard rock, he immediately ripped off the root like always.

'No no no idiot, whether she liked or not, you can't take any chances! Don't forget that you're her business partner, and you need to maintain the decorum. Besharam mat ban!'

With that thought, Anuj avoided Anu's gaze and headed towards the the living room, where his night shirt was lying haphazardly on the couch.

Though he was still that Anuj whose brain was conditioned to never hope, but one thing had changed...

After witnessing the reddish tint on Anupama's face and her dazed eyes on him, he hadn't dismissed that observation right away like always.

No, instead of that, now he had progressed to having uncertainties. Uncertainties that there's a slight chance that Anu might've been checking him out. But mostly, he believed, she wasn't.

But still not ready to take any chances and stick by his resolutions, he picked up his nightshirt and slid it into his arms, buttoning it up.

Anupama sneakily looked up at him through her lashes, thinking how that simple action looked like a heroic scene straight out of a movie.

Him casually flexing his biceps as he slid on the sleeves, then the way he leisurely buttoned up his sultry, satin nightshirt, covering that sinfully built torso.

She had to physical prohibit herself from emitting a sigh.

He could easily pass for the most attractive man she had ever seen in her life, hands down, no competition.

She immediately averted her gaze when he glanced up in her direction.

There was a brief moment of contemplative silence, both trying to fill up that awkwardness that had blossomed between the two professional partners since the circumstances had led them to share their personal space together. And reveal their private, intimate details to each other that came with it.

It wouldn't have been much of an issue if the said partners weren't in such a dilemma about their feelings when it came to each other.

"Uh, you were thirsty right?" Anuj asked in an attempt to clear that awkwardness as he moved towards the kitchen.

"Yes, yes." Anupama followed behind him, thankful for the diversion.

Without thinking much, Anuj picked up that waterbottle he drank from earlier, and offered it to her. Then it clicked that he was offering her a used one as he had already sipped from that bottle.

Before he could retract his hand back and offer her a fresh bottle, he was left immensely surprised when Anupama took that bottle without an ounce of hesitation, and drank straight from it.

Even placing her lips on the mouth of the bottle where his own lips had been earlier.

It was unbelievable to witness that she, albeit unaware, was reciprocating 'that thing' he had been doing since college.

Drinking her leftover from her used bottle.

Now she was the one doing it..

He gulped as he watched the way her throat moved while she drank.

His mind recalled that stupid belief from his childhood, how such thing meant that she had indirectly kissed his lips.

Immediately tearing his gaze, he looked at the ground and internally cursed himself, irritated by his thought process when it came to Anu.

By then, Anupama was already done and Anuj couldn't help but say, "Sorry, I was about to give you a fresh waterbottle, I hope you don't mind drinking from my used one."

Anupama just shook her head at that and smiled gently in response, making Anuj's heartbeat race.

Before they could talk further, Anuj's phone rang. Receiving that call, he exchanged a few brief words before ending it. Then turning towards Anu, he addressed her, "Anupama mujhe aaj office jaldi aana rahega. But tum aaj off le kar rest kar lo."

At that, she instantly shook her head in negative. "Nahi nahi, mai bhi office chalungi, mujhe-"

Her rest of the words were cut when she abruptly sneezed, not once, but twice.

Despite drinking water, she still felt that dryness in her throat, and mucous in her nose. She even felt a bit chilly in the warm weather.

Anuj eyebrows furrowed and unthinkingly, he placed the back of his hand over her forehead.

That slight brush of his hand made her feel warm till the toes, despite the chills.

"My god, you seem feverish." He informed, the worry lines appearing on his forehead.

"Anuj I'm fine-"

"No no Anupama, you're on a day off for today."

"But Anuj I-" She tried to protest

"As your boss and your friend, I had already granted you a sick leave Ms. Anupama Joshi." He stated firmly, raising his eyebrow challengingly.

For the first time, he had exercised his power over her, and it was because he worried for her. Anupama tried to suppress her smile at that.

Meekly nodding, she agreed on it.

Satisfied with her response, Anuj headed towards his study, informing her that he will be back with the medicine box.

Sighing to herself, Anupama returned back to the bedroom. The increasing fatigue she was beginning to feel made her glad that she could rest for day.

'Besides, all her clothes and stuff was in Shah house anyways, so it was obvious that she has to go there to retrieve it before going to the office.' She thought to herself, dreading by the thought of going back to that toxic place and facing those repulsive people.

At that instant, something happened. Whether it was because of the approaching viral fever or the recollection of those horrible people and their deeds; it made Anupama feel dizzy.

The room abruptly spun as she walked, making her trip on the fur carpet near the bed, and the next moment, she had crashed on the ground.

As her body slammed onto the hard tiled floor, she felt a sharp pain radiating from her left ankle.

She felt the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as the pain consumed her.

All of a sudden, she felt hurried footsteps approaching near her door, and a second later, she heard a loud, rapid knock.

"Anupama! Are you ok? I heard a sound." Anuj's voice from outside, sounded laced with worry and desperation.

Ignoring the sharp burning sensation in her ankle, she somhow lifted her upper body off the ground by her elbows, such that she was sitting near the edge of the bed. A wince escaped her lips as her left ankle moved a bit by all that commotion.

Hearing that, Anuj called again urgently. "Anupama can I come in?!

Sitting near the bed on the ground, Anupama winced. "Yess..!" She almost squeaked in pain.

The door flew open to reveal a tensed Anuj. His frantic eyes travelled around the room to settle over Anupama who was sitting on the ground with her facial features scrunched in agony.

Automatically, his body rushed towards her before he could even comprehend the situation.

Crouching down near her, he enquired, "What happened?! Are you hurt?!"

She pointed at her left foot. "No just I think I twisted my ankle a bit, don't worry it doesn't hurt much." A wince escaped her lips contradicting her statement, making Anuj's eyes land on her injured foot.

She hissed as his fingers lightly brushed over her ankle. Observing her suffering, his features too, got contoured in pain.

Calming himself, he immediately jumped into action.

"Ok, ok, first let's get you to the bed. Then we'll call a doctor."

Unlike everytime, this time he wrapped his hands around both of her arms without his usual seeking for permission, and tried to lift her up, so she could stand.

"No I'm good. There's no need for a doctor."

But Anuj wasn't listening. He outrightly ignored her request as his sole focus was on her injured foot while moving her to the bed.

As the bed was right near to her, it didn't served much of a hassle. Anuj loosened his grip around her arms the moment she slumped back on the bed.

"I'm fine I'm fine." Her eyes were scrunched shut as she let out.

That had been enough for Anuj..

He looked up and fixing her with a dark look, he finally said, "Anupama, can you please stop being brave for a moment. You don't have to pretend with me like you do with the rest of the world."

She stilled, and was left speechless by his words. For a split second, their eyes met, before he shifted them towards the pillows he was adjusting between her back and the headrest.

That eye contact; his stern, disapproving eyes expressing raw protectiveness and those words...she could almost cry.

Her throat blocked, the edges of her eyes were pooling with tears, and she desperately tried to hold them back.

She was drained, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Nothing was right. The people she was blinding loving as family gave her nothing but pain. She was homeless now. Nobody had even bothered to call and check up on her, to see if she had died or not, walking out in that raging storm. On top of that, her body and head ached, her nose was blocked and her throat pained. She had all the symptoms of the viral fever. Not to mention her injured ankel that hurt really bad.

And Anuj's sharp words had triggered her, they had brought up all her issues she was trying not to feel.

She bit her lips to hold that sob back, and kept her eyes downcast, lest he realises she's about to cry.

She had always been told the sacrifices a woman has to make, being a daughter, being a wife and a mother. How she should be the brave one and care for her family before everything. How it was her sole duty and foremost responsibility.

How she was guilt-tripped and called selfish whenever or wherever she was mentioned.

Anuj's words had stunned her into oblivion. Nobody had told her that it was alright to show your weakness. Nobody had told her that it was alright to remove that superhero cape she always wears.

The way he sternly disapproved her like he had all the rights over her, the way during that split-second his eyes reflected nothing but genuine care and raw protectiveness, and the way he was being the superhero of her life since the moment they had met until now, all that was making her cry.

Her vulnerabilities were seeping to the surface, the walls she had built to hide every sorrow and pain behind a brave facade, were breaking.

All because of this unreal man who was hell-bent to fix everything in her life.

She wanted nothing more than to hide her face in his broad chest, hear his reassuring heartbeats, feel protected in his strong arms while he whispers sweet nothings in that darn deep, soothing voice of his.

But she did nothing.

She just repressed her tears from breaking free from the confines of her eyes.

He was too busy inspecting her injured ankle, fretting about an icepack, and adjusting pillows behind her back and under her legs, to actually notice.

And she just nodded when he hurriedly assured her that he is going to call the doctor and will be back soon.

Patting her head a bit in comfort, he swiftly went out of the room with his phone.

Left alone, Anupama silently wiped her own tears like always, and wrapped her arms around her body, attempting to provide herself the strength like always. Trying her best to build up that walls that Anuj had unknowingly shattered.

For the first time, it felt harder than usual.

Maybe because now her mind knew that unlike before, now there was a person who wouldn't let her drown in case she falls.

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, horror-stricken by the fact that just one day with him, and he had made her let down her guard.

He was already getting to know the worst about her.

What will happen as the days will progress?

Will he finally get to know the real Anupama?

The one who's vulnerable, emotionally damaged, affection deprived.

Then it struck her...

While living together, just like she will get to know more about him, the same way, he too, would know more about her.

The real her.

And it scared her...

~~~~

Vanraj felt like a ticking bomb.

It was undoubtedly, his worst day.

He felt like as if his security blanket was snatched away. As if there was no one he could blindly rely on.

Since last night, since that woman had left...

Firstly, his day started on a terrible note. Well, not only him, his whole family's.

They all woke up to the dark household, with no trace of bright sunlight streaming in, no jingling of the pooja bell or melodies of aarti, and no aroma of heavenly breakfast urging them to freshen up and hurry to the breakfast table.

No, nothing at all.

Not even a cup of morning bed tea or coffee like always.

They had waited in their beds for a while, in hopes that all these activities will start soon. And then they'll reprimand that woman for being late today, selfishly oversleeping and leaving her family hungry.

But even when an hour passed, and the time stretched like that in depressing darkness and silence, they finally trudged out of their beds in hopes of giving an earful to the lady responsible for all of this.

But when they all four found themselves standing in the unusually dark living hall, then the last night's events finally passed through their slow minds.

An immense amount of rage filled them alongside surprise and slight fear.

Rage because of the fact that how could she leave them, surprise because of the fact that did she really left them, and fear that what if she really leaves them?

But mostly, they were reassured, because they knew Anupama. For her, they were everything. She couldn't leave them.

She could never leave them.

All they had to do was see when she'll come back rushing and apologising profusely for her mistake.

Overconfident as ever, they settled around the living room in their respective places to wait for her. Baa on her swing, Toshu and Kavya on the dining table, and Vanraj as always, right in front of the door, like a watchman.

But as hunger got the best of them, Baa had to move by herself and perform all the pooja rituals on her own, and Vanraj had to ultimately order the food from outside, thereby putting another dent in his bank account.

Due to shortage of money and people, he had to rush to the cafe for work, though reluctantly. Throughout his ride, he was worried about Baa's medicines, what will she have for lunch, and what not.

All the miniscule to major issues, which he had never bothered to even think about all his life, were now troubling him like anything.

It amazed him how the reins of his big family and household were in the hands of a single lady, Anupama.

His wif- no, ex-wife.

But the thing that amazed him to the core was how he couldn't depend on his actual family, which is: Baa, Kavya and Toshu, for literally anything.

Baa was old so it was understandable.

But his wife Kavya & his eldest son Toshu? He couldn't count on them for managing the cafe, he couldn't expect from them to cook, clean, perform the pooja or look after his parents.

Then it struck them that he couldn't expect that all from himself as well.

He could only count on Anupama...