Chapter 89 - Mystery girl

"The cake was delicious, Aunt" peeking over the kitchen slab to look what Chaya Rathore was preparing, Shanaya was talking with her for an hour. It was the Sunday evening, the cold breeze of air providing a little bit of relaxation in August.

"Really?" stirring the content of her dish, Chaya Rathore smiled pleased.

"Ofcourse Aunt. I forgot to thank you on my birthday, you know with all the things going on." swaying her hands in the air between her talks, Shanaya continued" But I knew the moment I taste it, it's you."

"Are you buŧŧering me, Shanaya?" looking at her attempts to seek forgiveness, Chaya could not stop laughing.

Chaya had known Shanaya for the last three years when Vansh had introduced her as his best friend and, the boding between two of them was quite good.

Not to mention, Chaya was a teaser and Shanaya, a charmer. .

"Come on, Mrs Chaya!" faking shocks, Shanaya opened her eyes wide and continued," You know me. I never compliment someone I do not want to."

"Oh! yes, I know," responding to her, Chaya smelled the food and turning toward Shanaya, spoke while forwarding the stirrer to her"You want to do it?"

"Oh, no, no, Aunt! I am bad at cooking and, when I say bad, it means bad!." Shanaya smiled innocently.

Shanaya never had, any particular interest in cooking but, she knew how to make the daily meal and, she was confident all things she could make tasted good.

"No issues, we will make you marry someone who will be a great cook." winking at her, Chaya gets back to her dish.

"Haha, that would be great, Aunt!" hugging her from the backside, Shanaya beamed.

"Who is getting married?" entering in the Kitchen, glancing at Chaya's dish, Shakti Rathore took her place next to her younger sister-in-law, Chaya Rathore.

"Shana was telling me how she does not know much about cooking. I told her not to worry as we will look for a chef as her husband."

Shakti Rathore burst into laughter, and giving a high five to Chaya, she patted Shana's head with love and spoke:" That would be great."

The bonding between them had deepened after Avni's wedding when Shanya had started coming to Rathore's Mansion every weekend.

"What's great?" Saaransh's voice filled the Kitchen when he saw three of them discussing.

Wearing his office dress, black coat and white shirt, he was going toward Vihaan's room when he heard them talking and, curiosity made him ask.

"oh great!" clapping her hands in excitement, Chaya looked at Shanaya and than at Shakti, and glancing her hands toward Saaransh, spoke," He is a great cook."

"Oh, yes! And, we will love you as our daughter" already daydreaming, Shakti Rathore smiled teasingly at Shanaya.

"Great, great, great!" quoting it in the air, Saaransh continued when he had their attention" I am feeling alien standing with three of you. Can anyone tell me, what's this about?".

Walking toward Saaransh, Shanaya interrupts all of them by speaking " It's nothing, they are teasing me." and looked at Mrs Rathores with the pleading eyes to spare her from more teasing.

The look worked and, both of the Mrs Rathore let her go.

"Thank you so much Saaransh for helping me. Riya told me she had forwarded the files to you and I could not be more grateful to you for accepting those files." walking together with him away from the Kitchen, Shanaya spoke, meaning every word.

Stopping at the first steps of the second floor that lead to Vihaan's room, Saaransh answered: " My work has not finished, yet."

"Still, you have helped me a lot."

"Yes, because I wanted to." completing the sentence with a flirtatious tone, Saaransh gave his 'killing' smile.

"For free." adding, Shanaya spoke.

"Oh yes!" faking it, Saaransh continued with his mind calculating something inside it " It would have cost you a lot considering my fees, wouldn't it?" and completed it with a teasing look "I am regretting it, now."

Arching her left brow and narrowing her eyes, Shanaya placed her hands on either side of her waist and spoke with a tone of challenge" Oh really?"

Laughing, Saaransh took a step forward to ascend when he stopped and turning his attention to Shanya, spoke " Why don't you join us? I came here to talk to Vihaan and Vansh about Aniket's case."

"Oh!" was all Shanaya could say.

After returning from Vihaan's room, Shanaya had thought hard to solve the problem and, she had come to one conclusion.

She knew her case could be made less awkward under two conditions.

The first was, she ignores him completely and second, was, she continues pretending she knows nothing.

She chooses the latter.

But, now the idea of going to Vihaan's room was shaking her trust on herself. She had no idea how she was going to behave after seeing him.

They had not seen each other since the night.

She came out of her world when she heard Saaransh asking " Are you coming?"

One part of her wanted to go to hear everything Saaransh had to say, but another part of her was scared, scared of facing Vihaan.

That too, after knowing everything she had done with him.

Talking casually, they were outside Vihaan's room within two minutes.

Knocking on the door, Saaransh opened it wide, wide enough for Shanaya to enter along with him but he regretted it the moment he saw Vihaan standing in front of the mirror shirtless.

Shanaya had no idea how to hide the heat on her cheeks in the form of blush.

Not to forget her pounding heart.

Not looking at any of the two, she shifted her attention to Vansh and saw him busy on his phone, unaware of all of it.

For the last month or more, she had been noticing Vansh being busy in his world and, she knew the reason behind it.

Walking toward him, she sat down beside him on the sofa and asked softly" Who is the girl?"

"What? No!, nothing like it" hiding his phone in his pocket, Vansh tried best to cover the lie.

"Spill it up, man. I know there is some girl in your life for the last month.' shifting closer to him, Shanaya spoke softly, audible only to both of them" Always remember one thing, I am always happy for you and, I always will be with you. I know you must be scared or you must be insecure for not telling me, but, trust me, I won't let the past haunt you, again."

Running his right hand on his hair, Vansh looked at her and, his facial expression changed from 'hiding something' to 'opening up' and he spoke" We are only friends, but," playing with his hair continuously, he spoke the last part shyly" I like her."

Shanaya could not believe the handsome, smart but tough man sitting in front of her was blushing while confessing his feelings!

"I am so happy for you!!!" hugging him tightly, Shanaya squealed, ignoring everyone else present in the room.

She could not believe her best friend was finally happy. She had always dreamed of such a moment for the last two years, since the tragic incident in Vansh's life.

"Shana, we are only friends. Calm down" watching Vihaan and Saaransh's questioning looks, Vansh spoke in her ear.

"Yes, yes, yes" breaking the hug, Shanaya took her position, but the smile never leaves her face.

Not when Saaransh told her the plans.

Not when she heard them talking casually.

But, the smile faded and, her heart stopped pumping when she heard Saaransh" Tell us the name of the mystery girl who marked you."

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Love to all ❤