One evening, Rishi came home early from the office and found Lakshmi sitting on the living room sofa, engrossed in a drama series. Their work hours were different, so she usually returned home before him. He was surprised to see her so relaxed, as he didn’t know she spent her free time this way. Lakshmi, equally surprised by his early return, quickly composed herself.

"You're home early," she said, smiling nervously.

"Yeah, thought I'd finish up early today. Mind if I join you?" he asked, setting his briefcase down.

"Sure," she replied, a bit flustered.

After freshening up, Rishi returned and sat beside her, curious about what she was watching. But as he settled in, Lakshmi quickly changed the channel to the news and hurried to the kitchen to prepare his usual post-work coffee.

When she came back with the coffee, the breaking news caught her attention: a writer named Malishka had been arrested for attempting to kill her husband. Along with this news, details of her previous crimes began to resurface.

Lakshmi immediately sat down next to Rishi, concern etched on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Rishi gave her a weak smile. "Maybe this time, the truth will win."

Lakshmi hesitated for a moment, then moved closer to Rishi. She wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug, her warmth offering silent support. The gesture, though comforting, suddenly made them both feel awkward. Trying to lighten the mood, Rishi asked, "What were you watching before I came in?"

"Oh, it's just a series. Today is the last episode," she said, trying to sound casual.

"Then let's watch it," Rishi suggested.

"It's okay, I can watch it online later. If you want, you can watch the news, or sports, or a movie, or..." Lakshmi rambled, trying to divert his attention.

Rishi chuckled at her rant and tapped the back button on the remote. "No, let's watch it together."

The screen switched back to the series, just in time for a wedding scene. The leads were getting married, and Lakshmi’s face lit up with joy as she focused on the screen.

Rishi watched her, smiling at her beaming expression. "And now you may kiss each other," the character on the screen declared.

The awkwardness returned as they both became aware of the moment. Lakshmi glanced at Rishi, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Rishi, trying to ease the tension, said softly, "Looks like a happy ending."

"Yeah," Lakshmi replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"White wedding looks beautiful," she said with a shy smile.

They continued to watch the show in comfortable silence, the earlier tension fading away. This simple, ordinary moment that they spent together felt truly special.

....................................................................

A/N

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for reading my story. If you enjoyed this chapter, please click the vote button and share your thoughts in the comments.

A special thank you to everyone who voted and commented on the previous chapter. Your support and engagement mean a lot to me and keep me motivated.