Bonded by Fate *Completed*

48. Finally One

As Akshat nursed his throbbing nose back to health, he found himself neck deep in work, surrounded by proposals he had delayed for far too long in pursuit of Guddan.

The chase was still on but squabbling with her on a daily basis was more than enough to keep his sanity intact.

But for the past few days, circumstances haven't been all that generous for him. He worked all the way till dawn only to come home to her sleeping face. And as soon as the day would break, he will find himself back in his office room, instructing around his staff and the new interns he had left unsupervised.

But his spirits hadn't been dampened in the least. Every morning, Guddan would wake up to see her room decorated with new shades of colors and flowers, poems and quotes singing love and apologies all the way through. Some days steaming espresso would await her drowsy self while on the other sweets that tempted her palette to bliss greeted her.

She was just as stubborn though. Religiously, she would rip off all the decorations, pinprick all the goddamned balloons in the hope that he'll get the gist of her feelings. But no sir!

He persisted.

And that drew her attention to his absence in the house. Shooting left her drained far too much too care but when the changing decor of her room on a daily basis left her pissed, she waited to talk sense into Akshat once he came back.

He never did. She would fall asleep halfway through the night. And the next morning, her room had positively morphed into a barbie house.

"Good grief" Guddan groaned groggily as she left her bed, stepped out of her room and knocked on Akshat's door, just across hers.

"I know you're in there. It's Sunday!" Guddan shouted followed by a flurry of fist hitting at his door owing to which the door caved in and she stepped inside.

Empty.

The bed made up.

Concerned, Guddan touched his side of bed. Untouched.

She checked the wall clock. Hardly 6. But Akshat made it a point to sleep past 7 on holidays...something like rejuvenation.

She enterred the hallway, positively worried. The hall below was empty. Sundays in jindal bhawan were chill days. She had been the initiator of that.

Where is he?

She pondered, a frown making way on her nose but as realization dawned, she swatted his thoughts away. They were unnecessary. His business was not hers to meddle with. Never was. Never will be.

With her mind made up, Guddan was about to retire to her room when the landline came to life and seeing as everyone was fast asleep, somehow she dragged herself all the way down the stairs and picked up the receiver.

"Hello~ Guddan yawned, clamping her mouth to suppress another.

But every ounce of sleep disappeared as her eyes squinted in disbelief, her back straightened taut and she nodded, "I'll be right there".

And with that, she was racing out of the foyer in her night wear.

20 minutes later

"How is he?!"

As the faces turned in response to her question, Guddan waded her way through a crowd of 10 that had Akshat surrounded.

Lying on the sofa with his huge frame barely fitting, Akshat continued breathing quickly, his eyes barely open.

The circles under his eyes pained Guddan as she quickly felt his forehead to see him burning up.