Ishaan got ready for office when his mobile buzzed with a message. He opened it and saw that it was from his PA—photos of Varun from the previous night, after he had dropped Pari at the office. Ishaan clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.
“Fucking bastard,” he muttered under his breath.
He walked into the dining hall and found his family gathered, except for his mother who had left for a meeting with a political head. Ayaan was sulking, absentmindedly stirring his coffee, while Reyansh was smiling at his antics. Ishaan patted Reyansh’s back and sat beside him.
“You’re too dramatic for staying away from her just a day. It’s not like you won’t disturb her during work anyway. So stop sulking and get back to business,” Ishaan teased, earning a scoff from Ayaan.
“Why don’t you all get married soon, so I don’t have to wait too long to marry my Zara?” Ayaan shot back, propping his elbow on the dining table and cocking his brows at Ishaan and Ishika.
“He’s totally smitten. I think we should marry him off first,” Ishaan said, ruffling Ayaan’s hair before leaving. Ayaan only smiled, staring at Zara’s photo on his mobile.
Meanwhile, Pari arrived at the office and received a call from Varun. She replied curtly that she would talk later, then switched her phone to silent mode. Inside the conference room with Ayaan, Reyansh, and Mithun, she was in the middle of discussing the transition when her phone buzzed again, one message after another.
Reyansh paused mid-sentence, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Sorry, I’ll be back in a minute,” Pari said quickly before stepping out of the room. Frustration was evident on her face as she dialed Varun’s number.
“What happened, Varun? I told you I would call you back. I was in the middle of an important meeting, and you wouldn’t stop buzzing me with your messages. Rey uncle would never say anything against me, but that doesn’t mean I can behave unprofessionally in the office.” Pari finally lost her cool, all her pent-up frustration spilling out.
“I’m sorry, Pari. I didn’t mean to disturb you. You’ve seemed lost and upset these days, so I thought we should go out to relax. How about trekking this weekend? Rey uncle’s sons and daughters could join us too. It would be refreshing for you to spend some time with all of us. We could get to know each other better,” Varun said earnestly.
Pari listened quietly, and for sure she believed Meghna would be there too.
“Maybe I can find out what Varun is hiding from me. And if he does have some intentions, this could be the right chance to understand him better,” Pari thought before agreeing to his plan.
“Thank you, Pari. I’ll arrange everything and text you the details. I’ll meet you on Friday evening. I love you.”
Pari ended the call, composed herself, and returned to the conference room. Ayaan and Reyansh had already gone back to work, and only Mithun remained.
“I was waiting for you, Pari. Are you okay? You looked beyond frustrated. Who called you?” Mithun asked, handing her a glass of water as she sat down beside him.
“I’m fine, Papa. Varun called me. He’s made plans for this weekend, and I agreed. He also wanted Ishika, Adhvika, and Ayaan to join us. I believe his cousin will be coming too,” Pari replied.
Mithun thought for a moment, then stood up and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
“What about Ishaan?”
Pari froze, shocked at his question. But Mithun only smiled faintly at her before walking out, leaving her in her thoughts.
“Should I call Ishaan? Would it be okay to have him around with all the confusions running in my mind? May be he would help me but would it be right to seek help from him ? ” she wondered.
Shaking her head, Pari forced herself to focus back on work.
Ishaan received a message and smiled, stretching his arms.
“This weekend is your doom, Mr. Varun. You’ve played too much—now it’s my turn to play the game against you.”
He smirked, setting his trap in motion. Now, all he needed was Pari’s call or message, inviting him to join, and the weekend would be his.
Two days later, Ishaan sat in his room, absently rubbing his beard. Ever since he’d learned of Varun’s plan, he had been checking his phone a million times, desperate for a message from Pari. Frustrated, he dropped the phone onto the bed just as there was a knock on the door.
“Tomorrow is Friday and still she hasn’t called me or texted me. Does she really not want me to come along? God, I’m going insane,” he muttered.
Opening the door, he found Ayaan barging in and heading straight to his closet.
“There’s something called permission, you know. It’s rude to barge into someone’s room—now you’re invading my privacy and plundering my outfits,” Ishaan said, leaning on the closet door.
“You’re very much single, so don’t complain about privacy being ruined. I’ll stop plundering your outfits the moment you win your love and get married. Now, I need your jacket for tomorrow,” Ayaan replied, about to leave when Ishaan grabbed his collar.
“Where are you going?” Ishaan asked, feigning ignorance about the plans.
Ayaan smirked and jumped onto Ishaan’s side, wrapping an arm around his neck. “Bro, we’ve got trekking plans this weekend—with Pari, her fiancé, and his cousin.”
Before Ayaan could continue, Ishaan’s phone buzzed with a notification. He shoved Ayaan to the floor and rushed to check it.
“Join us for trekking tomorrow if you aren’t busy with your business.”
It was Pari. Ishaan raised his fist in the air, grinning widely. He turned to Ayaan, smirking, and yanked the jacket from his hands.
“Oh, my little brother, I need my jacket because I’m going trekking—with my love.”
Ayaan made a face, crossing his arms in mock annoyance. Ishaan chuckled, tossed the jacket over his shoulder, and went back to the closet.
“Now get out. I’ve got packing to do for tomorrow. And close the door—I don’t want any disturbance tonight. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Ayaan left, grumbling, while Ishaan started packing his bag with a determined smile.
The next evening, Pari arrived at Rey’s manor dressed in a sleek jumpsuit, her hair tied in a high ponytail. Everyone was ready—except Ishaan.
” Maybe he’s busy,“ Pari thought, just as Ishaan descended the stairs.
He was dressed in a casual shirt and pants, looking effortlessly like a model. The dark glasses and the small hoop in his left ear only added to his charm, making him look undeniably hot.
Ishaan felt her gaze on him and allowed her a long look, pretending to be busy on a call while subtly flaunting his presence.
Ayaan cleared his throat, breaking Pari’s trance, and she quickly looked away from Ishaan.
“We should leave. Varun must be waiting for us,” she said.
Everyone walked out at her words, Ishaan the last to follow. At the airport, they saw Varun and Meghna waiting for them. Mithun had arranged a private jet for the trip, and they soon boarded.
Varun gently pulled Pari to sit beside him. Meghna was about to sit next to Ishaan, but he stopped her.
“I need some privacy, so please take another seat.”
Meghna rolled her eyes, but since everyone else had already taken their places, she was forced to sit alone. Ishaan pulled out his tablet and started working, deliberately ignoring the conversation between Pari and Varun, in which Pari was hardly speaking or replying in mono syllables.
After landing, a car was waiting to pick them up. They drove to Mithun’s bungalow, where they decided to rest, knowing they’d leave early the next morning for the trek. Ishaan instructed the maid to show Varun and Meghna to their guest rooms before retreating to his own.
Pari shared a room with Ishika, while Adhvika and Zara shared another.
By early morning, Pari and Ishika came downstairs and found everyone ready—except Ishaan and Varun. Varun joined them first, and a few minutes later Ishaan appeared, carrying a huge bag.
“Bro, are you carrying a tent in there? Why is it so big?” Ayaan teased.
Ishaan only looked at Pari, gave her a small nod, and walked out. The group followed him to the cars.
Pari ended up with Varun, Meghna, and Adhvika in one car, while Ishaan, Ishika, Ayaan, and Zara rode in the other. Ishaan, behind the wheel, gritted his teeth at the sight of Pari traveling with Varun.
They arrived at the trekking zone, where Varun greeted the local guide and introduced him to everyone. The trek began, Varun walking alongside Pari, speaking about the environment.
“Forget everything, Pari. Let’s just enjoy this day and make memories together—as a couple,” he said.
Pari nodded faintly, walking with him, while the others followed. Ayaan and Zara trailed behind Ishaan.
After about an hour of climbing, the group rested on some rocks, opening their energy drinks. Pari frowned when she saw Meghna drinking from Varun’s bottle. Shaking her head, she stood up and started climbing again, muttering curses under her breath at her own thoughts—and at Meghna. The sound of Varun and Meghna’s laughter drifted to her ears, confirming her suspicions.
Two more hours passed, and exhaustion finally caught up to Pari. She slapped her forehead, realizing she had left her backpack at their earlier resting spot.
“Shit. I forgot my backpack. I’m thirsty—I need at least some water,” she said, sitting heavily on a rock as sweat rolled down her face.
“You were walking without your backpack and none of us noticed. I’m sorry, Pari. I know you hate sharing bottles, so wait here—I’ll go get it,” Varun offered.
Before he could move, Ishaan stepped forward, placing Pari’s backpack in front of her. He uncapped her water bottle and handed it to her.
“Let’s rest a while. The girls look exhausted—we don’t need to rush,” Ishaan said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Everyone agreed. Ishaan opened his bag and distributed chocolate bars. Adhvika leaned against him, closing her eyes. He pulled out a towel, wiped the sweat from her face, and crouched to massage her legs. Pari’s lips curved into a smile looking at them.
” Its nothing new, he has always been caring, its only you who wouldn’t agree that he cares for you too ” her mind mocked her.
For a moment she froze realizing her thoughts before they set off again.
Just then, Ishaan’s phone rang. He gestured for the group to continue without him, promising to catch up soon.
Pari walked between Varun and Meghna, who were engrossed in conversation. Her head pounded with irritation.
“This is my third trek with Varun,” Meghna suddenly said, smiling.
Pari stumbled, startled, and turned to look at Varun. He only smiled faintly.
“We used to go trekking and visit amusement parks back when she was in college. It’s been a long while,” Varun explained.
Pari narrowed her eyes slightly. “Meghna, I haven’t met your parents. Why weren’t they at our engagement?”
Meghna exchanged a quick look with Varun before pretending to admire the scenery.
“My parents wanted me to marry Varun, but he’s in love with you. They don’t understand that he’s just a friend to me. You two are perfect for each other, and one day my parents will realize it. They’ll definitely be at your wedding,” she said with a smile.
Pari hummed in response, unconvinced. After a pause, she asked again, “Why do you want to quit your own business? I’m sure your parents expect you to take over, especially since you have a master’s degree in business management.”
Meghna’s face lit up, almost as though she had been waiting for that question.
“I want to build something on my own. I love challenging roles,” she said brightly.
Pari nodded thoughtfully, her attention drifting to where Ayaan carried Zara in a bridal style up the path. A faint smile tugged at her lips—until Meghna’s next words made her freeze.
“What about Ishaan?”
Pari stopped abruptly, stunned to hear his name, and turned to Meghna.
“Can you recommend me to Ishaan? He barely talks to me. If you introduce us properly, maybe he’ll offer me a challenging role. I’d love to work for him.”
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A/N:
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