Page 60 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

Three Months Later

Six months into the marriage, the clause in the will tying the company’s future to Vikram and Mahika’s union had officially come into effect.

On paper, everything seemed to be running smoothly.

But even with the legalities in place and the merger successfully executed, unease still lingered among the employees.

Whispers filled the corners of the office.

Eyes watched them with wary curiosity. And no one knew for certain who would still have a job in the coming weeks.

Thankfully, Mahika had managed to retreat into the sanctuary of her own office, steering clear of the drama outside.

Her team respected her space. In the beginning itself, she had made it clear that being born a Jaykar and now a Khurana didn’t make her the keeper of corporate secrets.

She had no insight into who was staying, who was being let go, or what changes lay ahead.

To their credit, her team had accepted that and poured themselves into their work.

Still, the atmosphere in the building remained tense, as if everyone was collectively holding their breath, waiting for the ground to shift beneath them.

Mahika had always taken pride in her work. She had never been the kind to count hours or wish for the day to end, not even when she had deadlines or ideas waiting to be written into her book.

Writing had always been her joy and passion, and after sharing her secret with Vikram, she had started writing again. And for a while, balancing both worlds had felt fulfilling.

But the last few months at the office felt different. Every tick of the clock moved slowly, stretching each day into something she just wanted to escape from.

What unsettled her most was the strange longing to go home. Even if home came with its own kind of chaos, it was where she wanted to be.

Something had shifted in Vikram after he met his mother again. Whatever it was, it was hard to name. At work, he was still the same—cold and commanding, and working closely with Mohit to restructure everything the Jaykar name had built. But at home, he was different.

He had become softer. With her, he was quieter, gentler, almost careful.

Every night, no matter how late he returned, he came to her first. He held her like she was the only thing anchoring him to the present.

He would bury his face in the crook of her neck and exhale as though he had been holding his breath all day.

When he came home late, Mahika often found herself in the kitchen, cooking dinner for the two of them. She’d even started doing little tasks at home like folding his laundry and tidying their room… little habits that were never hers before. And yet, they came so naturally to her now.

And no matter how bitter and busy the day had been, one thing never changed between them. They always ended the night wrapped in each other. And every single night, Vikram fell asleep with his arms around her.

But Mahika stayed awake.

Long after midnight, her mind spun in restless circles. The emotional closeness, the physical comfort, the quiet understanding between them... it all felt too fragile.

Six months had flown by faster than she’d expected, and somewhere along the way, she had stopped wanting it to end. That thought alone filled her with fear. This marriage had never been meant to last beyond its purpose.

Vikram had never brought up whatever he was about to say that night in the bathtub.

She didn’t know what those words were, but in a strange way, she was strangely grateful that it remained a mystery.

Maybe it was nothing. But the intensity in his eyes that night told her otherwise.

And if he ever voiced them, if he ever gave those feelings a name, everything between them would change.

And she was no different. She felt like a walking contradiction. She wanted this life, this connection with him, but she wasn’t ready for what it truly meant. Her feelings were already complicated, and giving them words would only make them real.

So, this was what they had now. A shared space with quiet conversations, fleeting touches, and unspoken fears. And the thought of losing it all terrified her more than she wanted to admit.

∞∞∞

A shrill alarm cut through the quiet, and Mahika stirred, her eyes still heavy with sleep. Beside her, Vikram groaned and reached out to silence it. Monday morning had arrived.

He had worked through the entire weekend, barely stopping to eat or rest. The exhaustion clung to him, pressing him deeper into the mattress.

Mahika lay still beside him, staring at the faint light seeping through the curtains.

She wasn’t ready to face the day, and she knew neither was he.

Before she could move, Vikram shifted and pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her.

She let herself sink into him, enjoying the quiet warmth of that moment just a little longer.

“Can’t we just sleep in today?” he murmured, his voice unbearably sexy and husky with sleep.

Despite her exhaustion, her body reacted instantly to the sound of it.

“If only,” Mahika whispered. “Just think. We could have still been on our honeymoon if you hadn’t cancelled last week.”

“Don’t,” he said with a quiet warning. “I promise, when we do go, it’ll be fucking epic.”

“It better be,” she teased.

They had planned a honeymoon to Tokyo, but a work emergency forced them to cancel.

Vikram had apologised more than once, not just with words but with little gestures that spoke even louder.

He had shown up with her favourite flowers, and had bought Bungee a new sleeping bed, organic rabbit food, and a pile of toys.

He even took her to the little Italian place she always mentioned in passing, and arranged a cosy movie night with all her comfort snacks.

What began as watching, The Holiday, somehow ended with her bent over the back of the couch, his hands gripping her waist, his mouth whispering promises along her shoulder.

Mahika had always understood that sometimes work was important and personal plans had to take a backseat.

And if she was honest, there had been a strange sense of relief in that.

She was already addicted to him, to the life they were living.

She didn’t need a honeymoon to get hooked on to anything beyond his soul.

It was already happening, quietly, and completely.

Silence settled between them, and she thought he had drifted back to sleep… until her own alarm went off.

“Okay, okay, I’m getting up,” Vikram groaned before finally releasing her and climbing out of bed.

Mahika rolled onto her side and shamelessly watched as he stretched his arms above his head, muscles rippling down his back. Her gaze dropped lower and landed on his perfectly shaped ass.

Delicious.

And then he turned, giving her an eyeful of the front view.

“Morning, Mr. Khurana,” she teased with a smirk.

“Shower with me, Mrs. Khurana? Give me something to think about all day.”

She could’ve refused. Told him they were running late. She could’ve brushed aside his plea. But all it took was one look into those dark eyes quietly asking, and her resolve melted. He took his time with her, as if the world outside could wait. And somehow, it did.

An hour later, they stepped out of the car and walked towards the building, hand in hand, just as they had for weeks. Mahika’s body still hummed with the afterglow of that morning, like a secret only she could feel.

The crowd of reporters were back at the main gate, throwing out questions, wild speculations, and stories dripping with doubt.

Mahika couldn’t help but wonder who was feeding them such bizarre rumours about the company.

It felt intrusive. If they were in Delhi, the frenzy might have made more sense.

But this was Dehradun, and such things rarely happened on a daily basis.

Vikram didn’t say a word, but his grip on her hand tightened.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered as they stepped into the elevator, finally alone.

“I don’t know, but I feel like someone might be leaking these rumours on purpose.” Mahika’s brows furrowed.

Without hesitation, Vikram tugged her closer, one arm wrapped around her waist with a possessiveness that made her pulse skip.

“Why do you feel that way? Is someone bothering you? Are you getting those blank calls again?” His eyes were wild and searching.

She shook her head quickly. “No. Nothing like that. It was just a thought.”

Still, he didn’t loosen his hold. Not until she reached up to cup his jaw, still rough from his morning stubble. Stretching up on her toes, she brushed her lips over his in a fleeting kiss as the elevator climbed towards her floor, the one where they usually parted ways.

“You know where I am if you need me,” she murmured, her eyes locked with his.

A devilish glint lit his features. “Is that your way of inviting me to fuck you in your office?”

Mahika let out a soft laugh and stepped back just as the doors opened. “Be good. I’ll see you later, yeah?”

But before she could slip away, Vikram caught her by the wrist and yanked her back against his chest. The intensity in his gaze made her heart thud wildly.

“Have I told you how fucking incredible you look today?” he murmured, his voice rough with heat.

“Not in words,” she replied with a smirk. “But your body did a pretty good job of telling me.”

He growled low in his throat. “Don’t send me into your brother’s office with a hard-on.”

She grinned as she retreated. “Fine. Go easy on your minions today, sir.”

This time, he let her go with a wink that sent warmth rushing through her chest.

The moment she stepped out of the elevator, Ishan looked up from his desk with a laugh. “We thought he was never going to let you out.”

Mahika’s cheeks burned when she realised every pair of eyes in the room was fixed on her. “Twenty minutes,” she snapped, brushing off their grins.

“You got it, boss,” Ishan replied, throwing her a mock salute.

She marched into her office, shut the door, and leaned against it. Suddenly her eyes stung with exhaustion and her muscles ached, but none of it dulled the fire still humming in her veins from the way Vikram had looked at her.

Shucks! He was sweeping her into his world completely. And though she was finally beginning to admit it to herself, it didn’t make the intensity of it any less terrifying.

Sighing, Mahika walked over to her desk and placed her bag on the side table before heading towards the coffee machine.

Her mornings didn’t begin until she had her second cup of coffee.

Once the coffee was ready, she picked up the mug and returned to her desk.

She switched on her laptop, lifted the cup to her nose, and breathed in the familiar aroma.

But the comfort she usually felt didn’t come.

Her stomach gave a strange lurch. The scent that usually calmed her now felt overpowering.

She took one careful sip, but the moment the hot liquid slid down her throat, a wave of queasiness rose in her chest. Her nose scrunched, and she placed the cup down quickly, swallowing hard as a sour taste filled her mouth.

Her brows drew together in confusion. She loved coffee. It was never a problem. Maybe it was acidity, she thought. She hadn’t eaten properly last night.

Just then, her phone buzzed on the desk. It was a notification from the FLO app.

Has your period started? Track your cycle now.

She froze, the words on the screen blurring for a second. Her thoughts came to a screeching halt. Only one question raced through her mind. Where the hell were her periods?

Panic prickled at the edge of her skin as a chill ran down her spine.

“Shit,” she whispered.

Her fingers trembled as she tapped open the tracker app and flipped through the dates. And there it was… the small red heart she always marked on her expected day. Her stomach dropped. It had already passed. Ten days ago.

She blinked, hoping she had counted wrong. Hoping the dates were off. But the app was precise just as her body cycle. Her heart thudded in her chest, each beat louder than the last.

Ten days.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out. A strange buzzing filled her ears, growing louder by the second, until it drowned out everything else. Her mouth had gone dry, yet the bitter aftertaste of coffee lingered like a warning. She just stared blankly at the screen.

This can’t be happening.

Her stomach churned violently. A sudden wave of nausea hit her without warning.

Her hands shot to the edge of the desk as she steadied herself.

She barely had time to push back her chair.

Slapping a hand over her mouth, Mahika bolted from her seat.

The bathroom attached to her cabin blurred around her as she stumbled towards it in her heels.

She reached the sink just in time. Her body convulsed as she lost her breakfast, the sour burn stinging her throat.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, a mix of sickness and panic.

When it finally stopped, she gripped the edge of the counter, her hands shaking, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

Her face was pale, damp, and when she dared to look up, the girl in the mirror looked back at her with wide eyes rimmed with fear.

Mahika didn’t know what was happening. She didn’t even want to guess. But her heart was already pounding with one possibility she was too scared to say out loud. And that terrified her.