"A Night of Whispers and Laughter"

_______@UTHOR'S POV:~~

The office returned to its usual rhythm after lunch, the low hum of conversations and the clicking of keyboards filling the air. Anaya sat at her desk, trying to shake off the strange feeling that had settled over her after the cafeteria encounter. Kunal's quiet, observant nature always left her uneasy, but today felt different, as though he was on the verge of discovering something she'd rather keep hidden.

As she resumed her work, a sudden ping from her phone startled her. She quickly glanced at the screen: it was a message from Rudra.

Rudra: "How's the day going? Don't overwork yourself. We're still on for tonight?"

Anaya felt her heart flutter. Despite everything happening around them, Rudra never failed to check on her. Tonight, they had planned a secret dinner, away from prying eyes. It was a chance to breathe, to talk without the burden of the office or their complicated family life looming over them. She quickly typed back.

Anaya: "All good here. Can't wait for tonight."

She smiled to herself, feeling a sense of comfort in the thought of seeing Rudra later. But before she could sink too deeply into that feeling, Pranali approached her desk once more.

"Anaya, are you all set for the meeting with the marketing team later? We need to go over the proposal for the new campaign."

Anaya straightened up, pushing her personal thoughts aside. "Yes, I've got everything ready. Just need to review the final slides."

Pranali gave her a nod of approval. "Good. Let's make sure we're prepared, especially since Kunal will be sitting in."

At the mention of Kunal's name, Anaya's stomach tightened slightly. The thought of spending more time around him made her uneasy, especially after his behavior earlier. But she didn't have a choice. She had to remain professional and do her job.

The day wore on, and as the hours passed, Anaya noticed how the tension in the office seemed to grow. The new interns were all working overtime, the pressure of the new project weighing heavily on everyone. She could feel the exhaustion creeping in, but she couldn't stop—not now. She had to keep pushing through.

Later in the afternoon, the marketing meeting finally arrived. The conference room was filled with the usual team members, along with a few seniors, including Kunal. He sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable as always, but his eyes briefly flickered towards Anaya as she entered the room.

The presentation began, with each team member taking turns presenting their ideas for the new campaign. When it was Anaya's turn, she stood confidently and began walking the group through her proposal. She knew the material inside and out, having spent countless hours perfecting it. As she spoke, she could feel Kunal's gaze on her, but she forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

When she finished, there was a moment of silence before Kunal finally spoke. "Good work, Anaya. Your ideas are well thought out and align with our goals. However, I'd like to see a bit more creativity in the execution. We need something that stands out."

Anaya nodded, making a mental note of his feedback. "I'll revise the plan and come up with some new concepts."

Kunal gave her a small nod, his expression softening just a fraction. "I look forward to seeing them."

The meeting continued without much incident, and by the time it was over, Anaya felt drained. But she had survived another round of scrutiny from Kunal, and for now, that was enough.

As the day came to a close, most of the office began to pack up and head home, but Anaya remained at her desk, finishing up the last few tasks on her to-do list. She had to wrap things up before she could leave for her dinner with Rudra.

Just as she was about to shut down her computer, Kunal approached her desk. His sudden presence startled her, but she quickly composed herself.

"Anaya," he said, his voice low and calm. "Good work today. You handled the meeting well."

"Thank you," Anaya replied, trying to keep her tone professional.

Kunal didn't move, his eyes studying her closely. "You've been working hard lately. Don't push yourself too much."

Anaya was taken aback by the hint of concern in his voice, something she hadn't expected from him. "I'm fine," she said, managing a small smile. "Just trying to stay on top of things."

Kunal nodded slowly, but there was something in his gaze that made her feel like he wasn't entirely convinced. He lingered for a moment longer, as if he wanted to say something more, but instead, he simply said, "Have a good night."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Anaya feeling both relieved and unsettled. She quickly gathered her things and left the office, her mind already racing ahead to her dinner with Rudra.

---

Later that evening, Anaya found herself sitting across from Rudra at an intimate, dimly lit restaurant. The candlelight flickered between them, casting soft shadows on their faces. Rudra looked more relaxed than usual, his usual stoic expression softened as he reached across the table to take her hand.

Anaya paced around the bedroom, her feet lightly tapping against the cool floor as she made her way to her bag. She had left her laptop inside it earlier, intending to finish up some last-minute work. The evening had been long, but after a quiet dinner with Rudra, she felt calmer, like the stress of the day had temporarily lifted.

She retrieved her laptop, plopping down on the bed as she opened it. She pressed the power button, expecting the usual hum and flash of the screen, but instead—nothing. The screen stayed dark. Frowning, she pressed it again, harder this time, but still no response.

Anaya huffed, growing frustrated. The more she tried to revive her laptop, the more stubborn it seemed. She groaned in annoyance, her hands balling into small fists as she tapped the screen in vain. The sudden shift in her mood was palpable, filling the room with a quiet tension.

Rudra, sitting at his desk on the other side of the bedroom, noticed the change almost immediately. He was typing away on his own laptop, engrossed in some work, but when the air around them shifted, he paused. His fingers hovered above the keyboard as he glanced at his wife. Anaya's normally calm demeanor had vanished, replaced by a look of childlike frustration that tugged at his heart.

"What's wrong?" Rudra asked, his voice low and steady.

Anaya, still focused on her stubborn device, didn't respond immediately. She pressed the power button once more, her frustration evident in the sharp movements of her hands. Rudra stood up, closing the distance between them in a few strides. He sat down beside her on the bed, leaning over to glance at the laptop screen.

"It's not turning on," she muttered, still clicking at the button as if that would magically fix everything.

Rudra watched her for a moment, amusement dancing in his eyes. Anaya's small pout and the way her brows furrowed together made her look almost childlike, and despite the frustration she was feeling, Rudra found the whole situation endearing. She rarely allowed herself to show vulnerability, always trying to handle everything on her own.

Without saying a word, Rudra reached over and gently took the laptop from her. He examined it briefly, but it didn't take long to figure out that it wasn't something he could fix in the moment. He closed it and placed it aside.

"It's not going to work right now," he said softly.

Anaya's shoulders slumped as she let out an exasperated sigh. "But I need to finish my presentation for tomorrow. I've had the worst day, and now this…" She rubbed her temples, feeling the weight of a headache creeping in. "Ugh, I hate technology sometimes."

Rudra, sensing her growing frustration, gave her a teasing look. "Would you like to borrow mine?"

Anaya perked up immediately, her eyes lighting up as she turned to face him. "Really? Can I?"

Rudra crossed his arms, leaning back slightly as he pretended to consider her request. "Hmm, what do you need it for?"

Anaya pouted again, shifting closer to him like a child begging for candy. "Rudraaa, please! I just need to finish my work."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what else?"

Anaya rolled her eyes dramatically. "Nothing else, I promise! I'll just use it for my presentation."

Rudra chuckled softly, unable to resist her adorable antics. He pulled her closer, catching her off guard as he lifted her onto his lap. Anaya let out a surprised squeak, but before she could protest, Rudra gently started massaging her temples, his fingers moving in slow, circular motions.

Her initial surprise melted into comfort, and she relaxed against him, her head resting on his shoulder. "Rudra…" she mumbled, her voice soft and sleepy.

"What?" he asked, still massaging her head. "Are you going to keep complaining, or are you going to do your work?"

Anaya didn't reply at first, enjoying the soothing sensation of his hands in her hair. She felt the tension in her body slowly easing away, her headache already lessening. After a few moments, she tilted her head up to look at him.

"Can I have your laptop now?" she asked, her voice small and teasing as she batted her eyelashes at him.

Rudra smirked, clearly enjoying her playful mood. "Alright, alright," he said, reaching over to grab his laptop from the desk. "But don't break this one, okay?"

Anaya giggled, the sound light and musical, as she took the laptop from him and settled back into his lap. She quickly logged in and opened her files, ready to finish the presentation that had been stressing her out all day.

For the next two hours, she worked diligently, typing away while Rudra continued to massage her shoulders, occasionally brushing his fingers through her hair. Every now and then, she would murmur something about her project, and Rudra would offer a word of encouragement or a teasing remark to lighten the mood.

When she finally finished, she leaned back against him, closing the laptop with a satisfied sigh. "Done," she whispered, clearly relieved.

Rudra wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. "Good job, Velvet," he murmured, using the pet name he reserved for moments like these.

Anaya smiled at the nickname, feeling her heart swell with affection. She tilted her head slightly, glancing up at him. "You know," she started, her voice playful, "we never had our third date."

Rudra raised an eyebrow, his expression curious. "Is that so? Well, when would you like to have it?"

Anaya bit her lip, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "How about… right now?"

Rudra's eyes darkened with amusement as he met her gaze. "Right now?" he repeated, his voice low and smooth.

Anaya nodded, her cheeks flushing pink as she realized where she was sitting—still in his lap, her body pressed against his. She tried to move away, but Rudra tightened his hold on her waist, preventing her escape.

"Where do you think you're going?" he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.

Anaya's heart raced as she tried to look anywhere but at him. "I just… I didn't realize…"

Rudra smirked, clearly enjoying the effect he had on her. "Didn't realize what?"

"That I'm… still sitting here," she mumbled, her cheeks burning.

Rudra leaned in closer, his breath warm against her neck. "Well, I don't mind. Do you?"

Anaya bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile as her heart continued to race. "N-no…"

Rudra chuckled softly, his hands moving gently up and down her sides. "Good."

For a moment, they sat there in comfortable silence, the soft hum of the room surrounding them. Anaya, still feeling playful, glanced up at him again, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, about that date…"

Rudra's smirk widened as he met her gaze. "What about it?"

Anaya's blush deepened as she bit her lip. "I was thinking… maybe I could pick out the clothes this time?"

Rudra's eyes darkened with intrigue as he tilted his head slightly. "Oh? And what kind of clothes were you thinking, Velvet?"

Anaya giggled, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "Something fun."

Rudra's grip on her waist tightened slightly as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I think I like the sound of that."

Anaya smiled, feeling her heart flutter as she relaxed in his arms. This moment, this quiet, intimate connection between them, felt like a small escape from the world outside. For now, the only thing that mattered was the warmth of his embrace, the sound of his voice, and the soft hum of their shared laughter.

For tonight, they were just two people in love—no secrets, no stress, just the quiet comfort of being together.

##To be continue...