Page 105 of Entangled Vows

Mahika rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched. “Both. It’s like... when he touches me, I forget what day it is.”

“I knew it. That glow after the wedding reception? That was not highlighter, babe.”

Mahika let out a soft chuckle. “It’s terrifying how much he affects me. It’s overwhelming, but in the best way. He makes me feel like I’m the only thing that exists when he looks at me.”

“That kind of connection is rare. And scary.”

“Yeah,” Mahika whispered. “It feels dangerously real.”

Ishika wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Then it’s worth feeling all of this.”

They stayed like that for a long time with Bungee curled between them. This silence was heavy yet comfortable, holding them together without words.

And for now, that was enough.

34

It had been ten days since Vikram landed in London.

Ten days since he left Mahika standing in the foyer of their home.

Since then, each day had been excruciatingly busy, packed with meetings, deal negotiations, media appearances, and boardroom discussions. But none of it held his attention. On paper, everything looked perfect, but in reality, he was on the brink of breaking down.

He hadn’t been okay since the moment he drove away in that car.

He’d sent her a message saying he’d landed, but he hadn’t called her. And now, all of a sudden, he wasn’t even sure how he was supposed to behave. They had crossed several lines in the past few days, but none of it had prepared him for how to act when they were apart. He never thought he’d have to think about missing her. Ever.

And that was the core problem.

He missed her. Plain and simple. And what made it worse was the gnawing feeling that maybe she didn’t miss him at all. She hadn’t called him. She’d simply replied to his message, and that was it. It was as if her life was going on fine without him, and he wasnotokay with that.

These alien feelings, or whatever the fuck they were, shocked the hell out of him. He didn’t do feelings. At least, notlike this. This had to be temporary, he told himself over and over again.

Fuck. He needed to get a grip. He was supposed to be stronger than this.

Except he wasn’t.

This strange longing for her was dismantling the calm order of his life, like dominoes falling one after another. Ever since Vikram had landed in London, every single day had been pure agony. Being without her felt like moving through life without a limb. Her voice played on a loop in his head, and he could still feel her scent lingering faintly in his thoughts.

Even now, Vikram leaned forward, elbows on his knees, clutching a red scarf tightly in his hands. He couldn’t believe that, like a lovesick fool, he had snuck her scarf into his luggage. His throat tightened as he lifted it to his face, and like a man chasing his next hit, inhaled deeply. The scent hit him like a shot of ecstasy straight to his soul.

He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, wondering how the hell he had come to this stage. His sleeves were rolled up, jaw set hard, and hair a dishevelled mess from raking his fingers through it.

Without thinking, he picked up his phone and dialled Gaurav.

“Sir?” came his assistant’s crisp voice.

“Gaurav, prep the jet,” Vikram said. “I’m leaving for Dehradun tonight.”

There was a short pause before Gaurav replied, “Understood, sir. I’ll have the car ready for you downstairs and alert the crew.”

Vikram ended the call and began to pack his bags. A few minutes later, Mohit stepped into the suite from the adjoining room, coffee in hand.

He glanced around, his gaze landing on the luggage. “What’s going on?”

“I’m heading back,” Vikram said, rising to his feet.

Mohit narrowed his eyes. “Back where?”