Page 34 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

Ten minutes later, Mahika dialled HR, her jaw tight, the phone vibrating against her ear as she waited for the call to connect.

“Good morning, Mahika ma’am. How are you this morning?”

“I’m furious, Hina. Care to explain why no one thought to check with me when a leave request went out from my email?”

There was a nervous pause. “Ma’am... I... you—”

Mahika ran out of patience. “What?”

“Vikram sir said you wanted to apply for leave and that you were busy, so—”

“Who emailed it?” Mahika cut in, her voice icy, though she already knew the answer.

“It was… Vikram sir.”

Of course. No doubt about it. Who else would be brazen enough to hijack her professional life like it was just another task on his to-do list?

“If he ever does this again,” she said through clenched teeth, “come find me. I won’t let it happen a second time.”

“I-I’m really sorry, ma’am,” Hina stammered, her voice trembling.

Hearing the fear in her voice, Mahika’s anger softened. It was not Hina’s fault. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke softly. “I didn’t mean to yell, okay? But this is wrong, and it can’t happen again. Understood?”

“Certainly, ma’am. I truly am sorry.”

“It’s alright. We’ll talk later.”

She ended the call with a curt goodbye and set the phone on the table. Ugh! He was such an arrogant jerk. Her hands balled into fists, and Mahika felt a strong urge to slap his smug face.

Before she could give it much thought, another notification beeped on her phone.

[Personal email: Solstice Spa, Dehradun]

Mrs. Khurana, we have scheduled your premium day retreat package for two. We eagerly await your presence at 3 p.m. today. Your private rejuvenation suite is now ready for your use.

—Warm regards,

Pooja (Spa Concierge)

She read it again, disbelief written all over her face. The sheer gall of that man! He didn’t just meddle with her calendar; he’d gone ahead and booked her a fucking spa day too.

She was mentally cursing him. He was a control freak with a god complex, wrapped in Tom Ford. Of course, he would think a spa day counted as payback. What irked her even more was that he’d noticed she was tired. He simply wanted her to relax. And the worst part was that he was freaking right.

But that wasn’t the point. Noticing wasn’t the same as asking, and playing the overbearing hero in her life didn’t count as caring. It was just another form of control, and she’d experienced enough of that control growing up with her dad.

Grabbing her bag from the cabin, Mahika marched out of the office with purposeful strides. Her thoughts spun as the elevator took her to the ground floor. Every nerve in her body was buzzing with agitation. She still couldn’t digest that he had the nerve to apply for leave on her behalf.

As she stepped into the entrance lobby, her eyes landed on the familiar black sedan idling near the curb.

Outside, Max was already beside the car, holding the door open like the seasoned professional he was.

“Good afternoon, ma’am,” he said with his customary smile. “Heading home?”

Sliding into the backseat, she gave him a tight smile. “Yes. Straight home, Max. No detours.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Mahika leaned back and exhaled audibly as the car pulled away from the office building. Her phone buzzed. She glanced down, figuring it would be yet another work email, but it was the spa again.

Time for your relaxing spa day. See you soon for a moment of calm.

Pooja - Spa Concierge

She rolled her eyes and snorted. “A moment of calm, my foot.”

This was ridiculous. She had zero interest in spending her afternoon being pampered with lavender oil massages just because her bossy, temporary husband thought she needed it.

Even though her shoulders were killing her.

Even though the idea of a quiet, dimly lit room, sipping a cup of herbal tea, and letting the soothing warmth of hot stones melt the knots in her back sounded like utter bliss.

Nope. She would not go to the spa because he had said so. All she wanted was to go home, order way too many Momos, and binge on ice cream while watching terrible dating shows. That was her idea of relaxation. Not some forced spa day she never asked for.

The car turned onto the tree-lined drive of the Khurana Estate. Max pulled up to the porch and almost immediately stepped out to open the door for her.

“Max,” Mahika said, sounding amused. “I have two perfectly good hands. There’s no need to give me the royal treatment.”

Regardless, a smile appeared on his face as he held the door open. “It’s just a habit, ma’am.”

She stepped out with her bag slung over her shoulder. “Can you stop calling me ma’am? It makes me feel like a school principal.”

With a respectful nod, he said, “I’ll do my best, Mahika.”

Mahika walked in and felt the quiet of her new home. She wasn’t sure when it happened, but it finally felt like she belonged here. It felt like home.

She paused at the edge of the living area, inhaling the faint scent of sandalwood and flowers that swirled in the air.

Her gaze fell on Sandhya Ma, who was carefully dusting the brass Ganesha idol and the other antique pieces lining the carved wooden console.

The older woman perked up when she noticed her. “Back so soon, sweetie?”

Mahika smiled faintly as she slipped off her heels. “Yeah… I’ve got a slight headache,” she lied.

“Go lie down, beta. I’ll get you some chai. The headache will quickly disappear.”

Relief flickered across Mahika’s tired features. “Thanks. You’re the best.” She hugged the older woman.

This too was a part of her life now. With Sandhya Ma, she found both comfort and maternal love. Mahika had always been fond of her, but now their bond had deepened even more. Sandhya Ma loved her like a daughter.

She went into the bedroom and quietly closed the door. The silence immediately soothed her nerves. She went straight to Bungee’s cage by the window in the sunny corner. The moment he saw her, his tiny nose twitched, and his ears perked up in recognition.

“There you are,” she whispered, unlatching the cage door. “Hey, Bun… how are you doing, my sweet dumpling?”

She picked him up and buried her face in his soft, warm fur. He wiggled happily in her arms, letting out a squeak as he nestled against her chest. She held him close, letting his steady heartbeat wash away the tension of the day.

“I missed you,” she murmured, settling on the couch with Bungee curled up in her lap, feeling the calm wash over her.

Her fingers stroked his fur, each touch soothing her further.

The tension eased from her shoulders, and a sense of peace enveloped her.

Mahika was enjoying Bungee’s comforting company when a familiar voice, loud and dramatic as usual, rang through the house.

“MAHIKAAAAA!”

Mahika chuckled, scratching Bungee gently behind the ears. “Look who’s here, Bun. Aunty Ishi.”

Gathering him into her arms, she kissed the top of his head as his tiny paws curled into her hoodie. Just as she reached for the door, it flew open and almost hit her.

“Oof! Watch it!” came Ishika’s breathless voice.

Mahika took a step back, looking up into her best friend’s wide, amused eyes. Ishika stood there, radiant as sunlight, dressed in a bright yellow sweater that clashed happily with her black leggings. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she held a takeaway coffee in one hand like a peace offering.

Mahika smirked. “You look like you’ve come straight out of a lifestyle ad.”

Ishika narrowed her eyes. “And you look super stressed.”

She spotted the bunny in Mahika’s hand, and her face brightened. “There he is! Bungee! My baby!” she squealed, reaching out to pet his fur. “Get over here, you little fluff! I haven’t seen you in forever.”

Mahika laughed and stepped aside to let her in. “Drama queen. He missed you too.”

Without wasting time, she grabbed Ishika’s wrist and pulled her to the bed. “You’re a lifesaver! I need coffee, and I need to yell. Maybe even cry, or maybe both.”

Ishika grinned and passed her the cup. “Good thing I came prepared. Seriously though, why are you still wearing work clothes? Get ready, girl,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling.

Mahika’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Ready for what?”

Ishika’s lips curved into a sly smirk. “Vikram called me earlier. He booked a spa day for two and invited me to join you.”

“H-he what?” Mahika blurted, taken aback.

“I know, right? I was shocked too. But he said—”

Mahika was no longer listening. She grabbed her phone, already fuming, and called Vikram, putting him on speaker so Ishika could hear.

“Khurana,” Vikram drawled, his tone smooth and smug. He knew perfectly well it was her. Her name, or something similar, would have appeared on his screen. Why act like such a pretentious jerk, then?

“What exactly is your game?” she snapped.

“I’m not sure what you mean. Momo. Have you reached home yet?” he asked, the concern in his voice clearly rubbing her the wrong way.

Of course he knew she was home. Max would have told him the second she walked in. And if he thought acting like the caring husband would fool Ishika, he was sorely mistaken. Ishika wasn’t gullible, even with the fancy spa offer.

“Obviously. Didn’t think you needed a play-by-play of my whereabouts,” Mahika replied tightly. “So why is my best friend standing here in athleisure, ready for a full day of pampering?”

“That’s because I’ve booked one of our finest spa experiences for you both. The whole works. I told you that you needed a little relaxation.”

She rolled her eyes as Ishika sighed dreamily. What was the matter with her bestie? Mahika wondered. Ishika was usually smarter than this.

“Why, Grizzly?”

“Why not? You’re there. The spa’s there. Did you have any other plans?”

Yes. No. “Maybe.”

“Well, cancel them.”

“Like hell I will,” Mahika muttered under her breath.

“Make sure you enjoy it. You’re booked at the salon too. And just so you know, our wedding reception is day after tomorrow.”