Aasha's Pov

Its been fifteen minutes till he left the room. I am trying to sleep. But this big room is not letting me to sleep.  And also i am not feeling sleepy at all. I looked around the room. Staying in this big room is really scary. So i got up from the bed and went outside. He is working in this time. So i planned to prepare some black coffee for him. I went to the kitchen to prepare his coffee. After preparing his coffee, i went to his study room. I knocked on the door for three time. I heard his voice 'come in'. Then i went inside. His study is very big with a lot of bookshelves and big desk, couch large window even 40 inch TV. 

"Do you need anything, Aashu?" he asked me while pressing his shoulder. He looks very tired but still working at late night. Can't he take some rest? I placed his coffee on his desk

"I didn't feel like sleeping so i brought you a hot coffee, sir" i said looking at pile of files on his desk.

"Thankyou, Aashu" he said while sipping the coffee. He sighed after sipping the coffee. 

"I was about to go to kitchen to make coffee for myself but you came" he said with a smile. I too smiled at him. 

"I think you should take rest, sir" i said.

"Just few works. It will take only 30 minutes. You go and sleep" he said and resumed his work. I went his behind and placed my hands on his shoulder to massage. At first his body went stiff and he realxed. Even my throat went dry when i touched his hard shoulder. Though he is wearing a t-shirt but it didn't hide his hard muscles. I massaged his shoulder hesitantly.

"It feels good, Aashu" he said with his closed eyes. I smiled hearing his words. Then only i noticed two photo frames on his desk. One is his family photo with Ananya, Varun and other family members. I remembered Neha's words. She said about Mr. Malhotra's step mother. She said that the relationship between Mr. Malhotra and Varun's mom is not good and she also said that Mr. Malhotra stopped talking to Varun for what he did to Neha. And another photo of a lady who had similar features of Mr. Mallhotra. Is she Mr. Malhotra's mother? She looks so beautiful. I smiled looking at the picture. 

"She is my mother" he said with a Smile. 

"She is very beautiful" i said taking the picture in my hand. 

"She is" he said. Then i took his family picture.

"This is my family. This is my uncle and aunty. And this is my sister Ananya. You already know her. This is my brother, Ananya's elder brother Aakash" he said while hugging me from behind. 

"And you already know him, Varun" he said pointing on Varun. 

"Mmmm" i hummed.

"And this is my father and the woman beside him is his wife, Varun's mother" he said. His voice coated with a slight irritation. 

"I heard from Neha that you're not in talking terms with Varun. Its the reason why you're in your penthouse, right?" i asked him, turning to him. He nodded at me. 

"I know what he did is wrong. When i went to meet him in the hospital, i saw a different Varun. He became  mature man now. And he realised his mistakes. I saw sincerity and love for Neha in his eyes which i never saw before. But i won't say that i trust him thoroughly. But he want to prove himself as a right man for Neha. And i respect his efforts. So you should talk to him and support him in his efforts as his brother. You should forgive him" i said with a smile. He sighed at me. 

"Did you forgive him?" he asked me. 

"Yes. I forgave him" i said. 

"Do you know i love him so much, Aashu. When i found out what he did to Neha, i was really shocked. He introduced her to me and Ananya and also to my family when he was in the University. We all liked Neha and we saw a different Varun when he is with Neha. I thought that Neha is bringing a good change in Varun. But that stupid….Thats why i couldn't able to forgive him. Do you know even i don't like his mother but i never treat him like a step brother. Actually everyon in our family loved him so much, but he misused our love" he said.

"He also missed your all's love. He lived a whole year without anyone's love. He realised the value of everyone's love. He missed you all. He is also your family, right? Show him some mercy" i said with a smile. 

"I will talk to him" he said turning his face away from me. I nodded at him. 

"Its late. Come sleep now" saying this he brought me to his bedroom. I stopped him. 

"Whats the matter?" he asked me with a frown. 

"Do you have any small bedroom? This bedroom is very big" i said awkwardly.

"You don't like this bedroom?" he asked me. 

"No i didn't mean that. I never used to sleep in a spacious big room. But this bedroom is very big for me. So i couldn't able to sleep" i said, biting my lips. I looked at him. His face turned gloomy. Soon he smiled at me. Don't worry. I will be here in this room. I will sleep on the couch. Is that okay?" he asked me. 

"Okay" i said hesitantly then i laid on the bed. He tucked me inside the sheet then kissed me on my forehead and cheeks then went to the couch. He laid down on the couch, placing his one hand on his forehead and another one on his abdomen. This is his room. But still he is sleeping on the couch. His sleeping posture is somewhat uncomfortable. Suddenly he looked at me. I blinked rapidly and looked somewhere. 

"If you keep looking at me like this, then you have to bear the consequences" he said. I turned away from him. 

"Good night" i said. I heard him chuckled then sleep took over me.

"Aashu, wake up" i heard someone's husky voice. I felt someone stroking my hair. It felt so good. I snuggled more into my pillow. 

"Aashu, if you keep hugging me like this, then i am afraid i can't control myself" i heard a voice near my ears which tickled me. Then i opened my eyes to only to meet Mr. Malhotre's face. He is sitting bedside me, leaning on the bedrest. Then only i noticed that i am hugging his waist. 

"Ahhhh" i got up from the bed startled. He chuckled looking at me. 

"Breakfast is ready. Come down after freshening up. After breakfast i will drop you at your place" he said and left the room. I sighed in relief. After freshening up, i went downstairs. He was already waiting for me in the dinning table while looking something on the phone with a frown. When i saw him i recalled morning incident. How i was hugging him on the bed. My cheeks turned hot. 

"Aashu, come have breakfast" he said with a bright smile when he saw me coming. I smiled at him and sat beside him. He prepared pancakes and hot milk coffee. 

"Have you slept well?" he asked me while tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. I bite my lips. 

"Yes. I slept well" i said while eating the pancakes. After that we didn't speak anything. We both finished our breakfast.

"Shall we go" he asked me. I nodded at him and left the house to the elevator. When we reached the ground floor he asked me to wait. Then he soon came with his car. I sat inside the car. Soon he started the car. Today's climate was quiet nice. Not raining but the sky covered with grey clouds. The wind is chilling. Soon the car came to a halt. 

"Be ready at 10 am" he said. I looked at him with a frown. 

"Few days before we planned to visit the Orphanage together, remember?" he asked me. 

"Oh! Yes. But i was totally forgot about that" i said absent mindedly.  A lot of things happened in these days. Athul's death, Neha and Varun's relationship and i realized my own feelings for Mr. Malhotra. To avoid my feelings from him, i engrossed myself in my work that visiting Orphanage slipped from my mind. I sighed mentally.

"How can you remember this when you were busy in ignoring me?" he said in a taunting tone. I looked outside the window, feeling embarrassed.

"Okay i will be ready at sharply 10 am" i said not looking at his face. He took my hand in his gently. I looked at him. He smiled at me then kissed my knuckles. I looked down feeling shy. I took my hands from him and unfastened the seat belt. Once i got off from the car i ran towards my apartment. When i entered the apartment, i saw Neha sitting in the living room.