The absence of any glass or bottle told her he was not there. Which meant he was in his room. She exhaled softly and turned back, deciding to return.
That was when she noticed a faint glow of light spilling from the kitchen. She frowned slightly. Had someone forgotten to turn it off? Or was Maria still awake?
Curiosity pulled her forward.
She walked slowly toward the kitchen, and the moment she crossed the threshold, she froze.
Karan was there.
Not just standing. He was eating.
He stood at the marble counter, shirtless, dressed only in grey joggers, his broad back facing her. A plate lay in front of him with the food she had cooked with her own hands. He had reheated it, served himself, and was eating quietly, not letting anyone know about his hunger.
For a moment, she simply stood there, unable to move. He looked different like this. So soft…So human.
The anger that usually clung to him was absent. He was just hungry. And he was clearly enjoying the meal.
Her eyes stung unexpectedly.
So, despite all those tantrums, he had eaten after all. Not to prove a point. But because his body had demanded it, and hopefully because somewhere inside him, he had wanted what she had made.
Karan did not know yet she was there. The dim kitchen light did not reveal her presence, and his attention was entirely on the plate as he relished the food. She folded her arms loosely across her chest, leaning against the doorway, watching him with a softness she did not try to hide anymore.
Karan then served himself a portion of the moong dal halwa next, scooping it carefully, tasting it with a spoon, separate fromthe rest of the meal. The way he paused for half a second after the first bite told her everything.
He loved it.
Her lips curved into a soft smile, one filled with relief. Whatever walls stood between them, whatever anger and pride still separated them, this moment felt strangely intimate. He was eating her food in the middle of the night, alone. She stayed where she was, silent, letting him have that moment.
Karan was almost eating too fast, driven by hunger and by how unexpectedly good it tasted, when he suddenly felt a presence beside him. A glass of water was placed quietly on the counter, close enough for his fingers to reach without effort. The simple sound of glass touching marble made him pause, and he turned only to find Mishti standing there.
For a fraction of a second, he was shocked. He had not expected her to find him like this, in the middle of the night, eating the food she had cooked. It was a moment he had meant to keep to himself.
Without a word, he picked up the glass she had brought and drank the water in long, steady gulps, his throat moving visibly as he swallowed. When he placed the glass back down, his expression had already hardened again.
Mishti did not comment on having caught him eating. Instead, she smiled softly, the kind of smile that carried care rather than triumph. “I kept the spice low,” she said gently. “I know you don’t like your food too spicy. I hope it was okay.”
His jaw tightened instantly. The question was too intimate, too domestic, for his liking, so he did not answer.
She read the tension immediately.
Not wanting to intrude further, she let out a quiet sigh and decided to leave. When she took a step away from the counter, his hand closed around her arm.
The contact startled her.
Mishti turned back in confusion. A flicker of nervousness passed through her eyes. But before she could speak, before she could pull away, Karan moved. He lifted her with such ease that it left her breathless, as if she weighed nothing at all, and placed her on the marble counter behind her.
The action was swift and undeniably intimate.
Her heart stuttered at the sudden proximity, especially when she felt the heat of his body as he stepped closer. He planted his hands on the counter on either side of her, effectively caging her in. The position was dominant.Charged.His bare torso was inches from her, the faint warmth of his skin seeping into her senses.
“Despite my refusal,” he said in a low, dangerous voice, “you went out for dinner.”
His tone quickened her pulse. She clutched the night gown robe around her instinctively, the fabric suddenly feeling far too thin.
“Why didn’t you want me to go with them?” she challenged, really wanting to know what his problem was.
“That’s not the answer, Mishti,” he replied sharply.
