SUNAINA'S POV

It’s been two days since I last saw Mr. Mehra—he’s been coming home really late.

But what truly surprised me was his quiet dedication toward me.

He never misses a day—every morning, without fail, a single white rose waits for me, accompanied by a handwritten note and I would respond to them through a whatsapp text.

I’ve received three so far... and something tells me this ritual isn’t stopping anytime soon.

And honestly, I never want it to stop because it feels so intimate and personal in its own way. Like it's our sweet little secret.

“Sunu beta, try this,” Chachi said, offering me a spoonful of daal.

Oh right, I’ve been helping her prepare dinner since I wrapped up work a little early today.

“It’s perfect, Chachi,” I said, smiling as I wiped down the dinner plates.

“Okay, I’ll just grab the salad we made from the fridge, and then we’re all set,” she said, walking over to the refrigerator. I nodded, still busy with the plates.

“This guy...” she muttered suddenly. I frowned. Huh? Who?

“Haanji?” I asked, clearly confused.

“Adhvait—he skipped dinner again,” she said, shaking her head. The disbelief on her face only added to my confusion, which must have been obvious.

“Whenever Adhvait comes home late, he doesn’t eat. Says he’s too lazy to reheat food, and he won’t touch it if it’s cold,” she explained with a sigh. I slowly nodded, now understanding the main problem.

“How about I pack his dinner in an insulated lunchbox?” I suggested. “That way, it stays warm—and maybe he won’t skip it.”

“That’ll be amazing, lekin woh sahab toh kitchen mei jhaak kar bhi nahi dekhte beta,” Chachi replied.

(That'll be amazing, but he won’t even spare a glance at the kitchen, beta.)

“I’ll keep it in his room and make sure he eats it. Don’t worry, Chachi,” I assured her. She nodded with a smile.

Later, we had a peaceful dinner with the family—well, except for Mr. Mehra. After dinner, I reheated the food once more, packed it in an insulated lunchbox, and took it to my room.

Taking a sticky note, I wrote:

“Have your dinner Mr Lazy Mehra, don't you dare skip your food.

And I hope you had an amazing day today?

~Sunu".

Reaching his room, I cracked the door open just a little and slipped in quietly.

I placed the lunchbox on the center table with the note and tiptoed out before I could change my mind- to peek a look at his room again.

Phew. Mission accomplished.

Later, after finishing my night routine, I turned off the lights and tucked myself into bed—but sleep felt miles away.

Because all I could think about... was how he’d react to the note.

To the food.

To me.

I’ve really lost it, haven’t I?

ADHVAIT'S POV

“Sir, it’s almost midnight. I think we should wrap this up and head home,” my secretary said, peeking in.

“Yes, I’m sorry—I didn’t even realise the time. Let’s call it a day,” I replied. He nodded and went back to finish his part.

It was well past midnight when I finally stepped into the house, exhausted and half-soaked from the unexpected rain.

The living room lights were off, the silence wrapping around the space like a thick blanket. Everyone was asleep, obviously. I removed my shoes at the entrance, loosened my tie, and made my way toward my room, my footsteps muted on the marble floor.

I was hungry, but honestly, too lazy to heat up the food.

Never mind. I’ll just have something heavy for breakfast.

As I stepped into my room, the aroma of food hit me.

Huh?

That’s when I saw it—a lunchbox kept on the center table, with a handwritten note resting beside it.

It said:

“Have your dinner, Mr. Lazy Mehra. Don’t you dare skip your food tonight.

Also... I hope you had a beautiful day?

~Sunu”

A slow smile tugged at the corner of my lips before I could stop it. She wrote it- for me.

In that moment, the exhaustion I’d been carrying all day melted away.

Without wasting another second, I washed my hands, shrugged off my coat onto the nearby chair, rolled up my sleeves, and sat down on the sofa to eat.

The moment I opened the lid and took a bite, it felt like I was having a proper meal after ages.

Warm. Comforting. Absolutely delicious.

I wasn’t sure if it was the spices or her thoughtfulness, but everything about it hit differently.

Setting aside all other thoughts, I finished the entire meal in no time. Then, I quietly washed the lunchbox and returned it to its original place in the kitchen.

The note? Well, I carefully folded it and placed it in the drawer of my bedside table—right where it belonged.

After a quick shower, I slipped into bed, pulling the blanket over myself, hoping for some rest.

But sleep?

Sleep refused to come.

Because all I could do was stare at the ceiling with a goofy smile plastered on my face—thinking about her.

She had no idea what that small gesture had done to me.

How deeply, quietly, irrevocably... it had touched me and how I fell for her- again.

The next morning came earlier than I wanted it to—but somehow, it felt different.

Why? Because all I could think about was her gesture from the night before.

That kind of care? I wasn’t used to it.

Maybe someone told her about this bad habit of mine. But the way she not only packed the food, but warmed it and left a note—It made something so simple feel special in more ways than I could explain.

With a goofy smile lingering on my face, I walked into the washroom, showered, shaved, and got ready for the day.

But not before handling my most important task.

I pulled out my sticky notepad from the study table, tore off a note, and wrote:

“Thank you for the dinner, Senorita. I truly enjoyed it!

Yesterday was hectic, but it felt worth it—because someone special cared enough to warm my food and leave it waiting for me.

How was your day? I’ll be waiting for your response.

Only yours,

Adhvait.”

I stepped out of my room quietly—it was still 5 a.m., and the house was wrapped in silence. Everyone must’ve been asleep.

I drove to the nearest flower shop and bought a white rose.

The florist gave me a teasing smile that made me flush just a little.

Reaching home, I went straight to her room.

Taking the note and the flower, I tucked them gently into the handle of her door.

And then left for the office.

I had back-to-back meetings lined up for the day—but honestly?

All I could think about… was going back home.