"Can we go out on a long drive?" Avni asked all of a sudden at 11 pm in the night.

"Sure," Siddharth agreed in surprise.

"Bike?" Avni mumbled in hesitation. It's been really long since she enjoyed a bike ride, and watching a movie in the morning only added to her craving.

"Alright," Siddharth chuckled in amusement and ordered a bike online.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked, starting the engine.

"Eiffel tower," She said the first thing that came to her mind. She really enjoyed watching the tower at night.

Siddharth brought the engine to life and gestured Avni to climb after tying the helmet. Though Avni sulked about the discomfort of wearing a helmet, his glare silenced her. Her safety is his priority.

Avni adjusted behind him and blushed furiously as her chest touched his back. The back seat had a slope that automatically pushed them closer.

Avni hesitated before the bike started but hugged him tight by his waist as soon as the vehicle picked up speed.

Siddharth always dreamed of taking his wife on a bike ride before marriage. He was a champion in a bike race, but the fantasy of having his girl behind always remained. When Avni suggested the idea, his heart skipped a beat. It's been a long since he used a bike and almost forgot his fantasy.

The way she hugged him tight and hid her face, leaning against his back, fulfilled his desire.

After taking a long ride, they finally stopped at the Eiffel tower as Avni wished. They sat on a bench nearby, watching the lights reflected by the lake in front. Siddharth lay on the bench, resting his face on her lap, taking her by surprise.

Avni ruffled his hair, admiring his face that shone brightly under the golden light. Those chocolate brown eyes sparkled in love for her. Running her fingers across his cheeks, she felt something strange.

"Did you clean shave in the morning?"

"Yeah," He whispered, still closing his eyes and feeling her touch. He knew how much she desired to run her fingers along his cheeks and how his stubble troubled her.

"So soft," Avni smiled, pinching his cheeks, and Siddharth frowned. He loved her naughty act, though.

Avni's attention diverted to a little kid pulling her mother's dress. She raised her hands, gesturing her mother to pick her up.

Avni giggled, recalling her childhood. "Nothing. I just remembered something."

"Tell me." The way Siddharth asked with so much curiosity to know her brought out unknown happiness in her.

"Amma and Papa love kids. Like a lot! Whenever cousins' kids or some neighbors' kids come home, they always stick with Amma. Being the only child, I always got all of their love. And when someone else came close, I used to burn with jealousy. I used to glare at them with so much intensity whenever they kissed the kids or took care of them." Avni laughed, explaining.

"You were a very possessive kid," Siddharth laughed, pinching her nose.

"Not were! I still am. All my parents' love is for me," and murmured in mere whispers, "And yours too is all mine."

"What did you say?" Siddharth frowned, unable to decipher her words.

"Nothing. Tell me about you. You have Nikhil na... How was it different?" Avni diverted the topic.

"I'm the elder one, so he got to do all naughty acts. But, we were there for each other during tough times. He's very exuberant and outgoing, while I'm a little different. I always maintained a low profile other than with friends, and it still hasn't changed. The only difference is media gives me attention even when I do nothing, and I got used to it slowly."

"You love him very much, na!"

"He's my little brother I grew up sharing my everything with." That one line told her how important Nikhil was in his life.

"You're the only one I can call mine entirely. I hope it remains this way," Siddharth thought in his mind.

"I am angry with him, though. He disappeared after our marriage and never visited us," Avni pouted. Being the only child, she always desired to make her husband's family hers.

"He will come soon. He's just busy with graduation at Sandford. You know how things are," Siddharth explained, and Avni agreed.

"Let him come. I'll twist his ear and spoil him with all good things," Avni giggled.

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Avni twisted in bed, and her hand automatically searched for a certain warmth. She tossed the pillow blocking her path and moved further, searching for her dear husband.

"Ahhhh!" Avni screamed in horror, finding herself in flight mode. What happened! Is this all a dream? The surface she hit seems smooth and warm but shouldn't she hit the ground upon falling from bed?

Avni partially opened her eyes and observed her surroundings. She smiled, finding a set of fluffy pillows beneath her.

"Brilliant, hubby! So sweet," Avni typed and added a few smiling emojis.

Siddharth placed a few pillows on the ground next to the bed, fully aware of his wife's craziness. It was a massive task in itself to detangle himself from her hold and get ready for office without waking her up.

Avni bit her non-existent nails, reading the reply from Siddharth after ten minutes. "Good morning!" How can her morning be good without her personal teddy! A warm, hard yet smooth-toned chest, intoxicating fragrance, and a heart beating only for her are what she needed for a peaceful sleep. How could he visit the office during their vacation! Workaholic hubby!

She groaned in frustration and continued to read further, "Have your breakfast, baby girl. I made your favorite potato sandwich and put it in the oven. Heat it before you eat. Don't forget to brush your teeth in excitement :p."

Avni giggled, entertaining the idea of relishing the sandwich, but the last sentence was even more fun. She will definitely brush her teeth! She smiled with a wicked grin. She felt like a kid left on their own for a day without parents' scrutiny.

Avni enthusiastically ran into the bathroom and spotted their toothbrushes. Her peach-colored baby lying next to his white one. She giggled, extending her arm towards the peach one. She pushed it aside and took the white one.

Avni giggled, putting toothpaste on her hubby's brush and bringing it to her mouth. She felt like a teenage girl crushing after the handsome hunk of school. Her sane mind was trying to pull her back, but who cares!

He's her husband. He should've carefully considered possibilities before passing the statement 'I like it when you use my stuff' What others think doesn't matter! Not that anyone would know.

Avni felt a strange thrill, doing something that intimate. She later discarded the brush into a dustbin and came out after a long shower.

Getting dressed in denim shorts and a pink T-shirt, Avni proceeded towards the kitchen and devoured the potato sandwich.

"Not bad, Mr. Malhotra! You're becoming a good chef in my company," She texted him, but there was no reply. She finished the breakfast and spent time researching her project.

"Good morning, Ms. Kashyap. You're shortlisted for the interview. Please be there by 11 am sharp," The PA informed in a go over the call.

Avni was transfixed for a moment before her sane mind took over. "Huh... Thank you, Miss. Could you ping me the address, please?"

The PA let out a sarcastic "Sure" before cutting the call. It's a joke in itself that someone doesn't know the address to... Before she could laugh over Avni, her boss's shrill voice pierced through her silent cabin through the intercom. She jumped out of her seat and rushed to his cabin.

The time was already 9 am, and only two more hours were left. Avni quickly rang Caro to suggest a dress.

"I have an interview in two hours, and the location is an hour away," Avni panicked over the phone.

Caro and Noah came over in twenty minutes, taking her by surprise. Caro chose a white top and a skirt that ended below her knees. The dress fitted her perfectly well, and Caro helped her with accessories and tied her hair into a ponytail. All in all, Avni appeared fresh yet formal.

"Noah will drive you to the company. I have some photoshoot," Caro said and hugged Avni, wishing her the best of luck.

"It's okay. I'll book a cab," Avni tried, but Noah cut her off. "We're your friends too, cupcake! Let me drive you." Avni couldn't say anything after that.

"Which company?" Noah asked, opening the passenger door for her.

"SM Automation," Avni mumbled, astonishing him, and Noah gasped, exclaiming, "What position?"

"Secretary..."

Noah's jaw dropped in shock. "Why are you willingly entering Lion's den? Siddharth will eat you up when it comes to work."

Avni nervously giggled, still contemplating the idea. Noah continued driving while Avni played random songs to ease her tension.

"Good luck, cupcake. Ring any one of us if you need something," Noah side hugged her and left after dropping her off at Lion's Den as he named it.

Noah offered to leave her at the exact location in the fifteen floors building, knowing the office entirely. Still, Avni denied it as everyone might recognize him.

One thing she could clearly feel from every one of them was their caring and protective nature towards her. They treated her like a little sister, and it felt nice. It explains the strength of the bond they share with Siddharth.

"Hello, Ms. Evans. I'm here for an interview." Avni greeted the receptionist, noticing her name on the desk.

"Hello, Ms. ..."

"Kashyap," Avni replied, and the receptionist guided her towards the elevator after crosschecking the name on her system.

"Ninth floor, Ms. Kashyap."

Avni gaped at her surroundings. The office was vast and organized. It had the best interior design and was well furnished. The tension in the atmosphere could be cut with a knife as everyone was engrossed in their work. The office was pin-drop silent even when no less than four hundred employees were on the floor.

Avni settled on a sofa along with several other interviewees. Many female candidates looked super hot and were no less than models. Until then, she was nervous, but a tinge of jealousy added to her confidence. She will never allow these bimbos to stick to her hubby!

Fifteen minutes passed, and Avni started feeling bored. She suddenly heard people gossiping, and they silenced immediately with their gazes fixed towards the entrance. She could clearly hear the Gucci shoes clicking against the white marble that seemed familiar. Her heart skipped a beat inhaling his fragrance.

Siddharth exited the cabin, followed by a middle-aged man and a very stylish lady in her youth. Avni's eyes widened, and her heart beat erratically at sight.

Is he her husband? Is he really the one who called her baby girl? Did he prepare her breakfast in the morning? Was he the one whom she cuddled every night? He walked off with an aura and so much power.

Avni dropped the file in her hands, standing robotically along with everyone. Siddharth just then crossed her and halted in his steps. He could feel her presence.

"Sid," Jake, the head of the human resources team, called. "Is anything wrong?" Siddharth nodded negatively and exited the hall after instructing Scarlett, his personal assistant, to assist Jake in conducting interviews.

Scarlett was rushing behind Jake in her ten centimeters heels before hitting Avni's file, losing her balance, and she fell down, spraining her ankle. None dared to laugh.

Avni immediately helped her, mumbling a 'Sorry,' and she stood up like nothing happened. She glanced at Avni with disgust and sped off from there.

After Siddharth's entry, the day has already taken a toll on her, and now Scarlett!

Avni took a deep breath before entering Jake's cabin and greeted, "Good Morning, Mr. Marshall."

"Hello, Ms. Kashyap. How are you today?" Jake greeted in a soft tone, relaxing Avni.

"I'm fine, Mr. Marshall. Thank you." Avni fidgeted with her dress as he examined her resume and cover letter.

"Why Secretary? You are more than eligible to apply for a technical job," Jake questioned in surprise.

"To be close to my hubby," Avni's inner self immediately suggested. Working under Siddharth's guidance might be a great learning experience before her project started.

When Siddharth expressed his desire to live in Paris for a few months, the idea popped up in her head. But, she doesn't exactly remember applying for his company. She applied for too many to remember, anyways!

"I wish to explore something new, and this job intrigued me. My skills match the job criteria well, and it's a wonderful opportunity for me to start," Avni answered. The interview proceeded with a few more questions, and Avni walked out of the cabin in satisfaction.

"You did your part. Leave the rest!" Avni smiled, recalled Siddharth's words, and peacefully sat playing Candy Crush in a corner.

It was already evening by the time Avni got a call for the second round of interviews. She patiently answered every question but had absolutely no hope of receiving the job. Well-experienced people were competing for the role, and there were only two vacancies.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Scarlett began and continued after gaining their attention. "Thank you for attending the interviews. The final shortlist includes Ms. Avni Kashyap and Mr. Santosh Kiran!"

Avni turned behind to find him in person. Why him out of all the people on earth! He was pretty peaceful even after noticing her, and she was confused for a moment if he really recognized her.

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Thank you for reading,

AishuPurple

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*Don't forget to vote, comment, and share the book with your friends*

Please don't throw tomatoes at me after reading this chapter. I promise to make it good, unlike the many other stories you might've read with lots of drama.🙈

Gear up for a totally unexpected, exciting second half of the book!😜

You can now look forward to office romance!! Sounds good?🤩🤩

Santosh... Let's see if his presence even matters after Avni and Siddharth's relationship progresses to this level‼️

What do you think of his PA, Scarlett❓