Anguish & Affection

Part 17

Diya rushed through her words, wanting to use as few moments as possible to explain. "Hey! If you want to speak with me, call me using Shilpa's number next time! Atharv's tech team has set it up so that the call will end automatically after three minutes - yours is the only number with such a setting," she revealed.

Pranav sighed in annoyance, questioning if the man's possessiveness caused him to bother his friend in any other way.

Pranav anxiously questioned Diya, his voice filled with worry, "Is his controlling behavior only bound to limiting your talking time or does it extend into other realms? Are you certain that there's nothing else amiss?"

Diya replied, "I am. He's been absent for two days." She thought back to the surprise and devastation on his face when she told him he was her very first crush.

Pranav breathed a sigh of relief as he said, "That's comforting news. Keep yourself safe. I looked into it and found out that Atharv's parents passed away on October 25th in 2010. Anything stand out about that time?"

Diya paused for a moment before replying, "I think it was the cold of October 2010 when we moved to the U.S. I can't remember the exact date or month, but my old passport is in my bag so you can see the travel time on there."

It seemed far from coincidental that her family had abruptly left India and relocated to the US shortly after Atharv's parents passed away, given the animosity between her father and Atharv. She wondered if a corporate rival was behind their departure, and if that rivalry was the cause of their hasty exit.

"I will look into it and..."

Before Pranav could finish his words, the phone call ended abruptly. In her frustration, Diya angrily threw the phone onto her bed. Atharv had been avoiding her ever since she revealed her feelings towards him and it irritated her that even with his absence, he still managed to restrain her freedom.

Diya wandered around the house to clear her mind and move her body. Her wrinkled pajamas were dotted with evidence of the meals crafted carefully for her, but she couldn't make herself slip into the crisply pressed designer dresses that lay in wait in her closet.

She headed to the kitchen to ask for her beloved honey lemon green tea, as she was not allowed to enter it or prepare meals there. She laughed inwardly at the thought that Atharv had this rule because he was afraid she'd snatch a knife and chase him out of the house with it. She quickly pushed away this amusing idea with an amused shake of her head, labeling herself as befuddling.

"Hey, can I have..."

Diya's speech stopped abruptly as she noticed there were no staff members present in the kitchen, it was being run by Atharv Singh Chauhan. She halted her steps upon hearing him turn to face her; apprehension and hesitation were evident in his eyes.

Diya seemed surprised, her voice laced with amusement as she asked, "You cook now?"

Atharv cleared his throat and returned to brushing a marinade over the cubes of paneer that he was about to grill. "Yes," he answered, looking away for a moment before adding, "A lot has changed since we last saw each other. Me. You. Everything."

Diya stepped closer to him, her curiosity peaking with every second that passed. "I thought you despised paneer," she mentioned, bringing back a memory of him scolding her for liking something that stinks, according to him. He looked uncomfortable and fidgety, only fueling Diya's enthusiasm to find out what was wrong.

He fumbled through the sentence, "A lot has changed since then. My tastes have evolved. Why are you cross about it? Aren't you pleased that you'll get your favorite meal?" It had been two days since she'd revealed her secret, and he was perplexed why she was giving him her attention when he was attempting to distance himself from her.

Diya playfully remarked, "Let's just say I'm worried you'll ruin my favorite dish," barely containing her amusement as she leaned against the counter next to him and regarded his face with a bit of suspicion.

"I assumed you would find a way to make me pay for all the times I've wronged you recently, and yet this is what you decided on," Atharv commented as he lined up cubes of paneer and bell peppers onto the skewer.

"What do you care about me for? Is it just retribution that drives your actions? You tell me that you have accepted our marriage, yet your only goal seems to be revenge. Why are you even worried about atonement when you admit I'm a mere piece in your chess game? Are you still trying to get revenge or is this something else?"

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