Zeeshan's POV

Don't fall in love. You are better off without it. And you know why?

Because you wouldn't be able to stay away from them.

You'd want to talk to them and only them for the whole day.

You'd want to spend time with them.

And guess what?

you will not be able to do any of these things if one day they'd have to go to a different state altogether for work.

The result? You'll be miserable. You'd not get any work done.

You'll be constantly worried about their safety and you'll always wonder if they've been taking care of themselves or have they been eating well.

This is exactly what I've been going through.

Life sucks especially when she's in Mumbai working on a case I'd not been assigned this time.

It's been a month and every day kept getting worse. Looking at her through a screen wasn't enough. I wanted to be there for her, especially when she looked tired, overworked and sleep deprived.

One look at her through the screen and it would take every inch of control in my body to not book the next available flight and just steal her away from all the stress.

Alas! Some things aren't just possible. Because I want her to win every battle she goes through and I could put my desires and wants aside for the rest of my life, if needed.

Like right now, it's 10:30 p.m., time for our usual video calls. Usually it's 10:00 p.m. but she must've been stuck somewhere so I am just waiting for her call or text.

And exactly after five minutes, my laptop screen lit up with a video call from her.

"I'm so sorry I was stuck in a meeting." The first thing she says, as soon as I pick up. She was still in her work clothes which means she was working overtime..again for the third time this week.

"Zeeshan?" She called out, bringing me back from my chain of thoughts.

"yess.. Did you eat, Aayat?" I asked.

"I-" she stuttered, making me sigh.

"Grab some food or I'm not talking." I warned, that was the only way to get her to eat without any excuse from her side.

"Okay okay." She muttered, as she walked, probably towards the canteen.

"Kaise hai sab?" She added.
(How's everyone?)

"All good. How's everything there?" I asked, leaning towards my laptop screen.

"Hectic. Naman sir.." and there she goes telling me even the slightest details about her day and the work she did. I didn't interrupt her, I just patiently listened to what she was saying, and gave valuable insights whenever she asked.

In between she got herself an unappetising sandwich and a cup of strong coffee.

Her dinner these days and I hate it. The fact that she's not getting proper nutritious meals instead she's surviving on these dry ass sandwiches.

"Kuch bolo bhi. Can you not hear me?" she asked from the other side, pulling me out of my thoughts.
(Say something. Can you not hear me?)

"Bas aapko aise hi nihaarne ka dil kar raha hai." I said. If it was up to me, I would've admired her at every chance I got.
(I just feel like admiring you a bit more today.)

"Shut up." She said, I know her face was adorned with that soft flush of red and I hate the fact that I cannot see it through the screen.

"I miss you, Aayat...so much." These words rolled out of me without my permission.

"I miss you too, Zeeshan." She replied, smiling softly at the screen, too softly that my heart ached with the familiar fluttering that she managed to cause from miles away.

"Go to sleep. You look tired." She said, after a few minutes of silence and our eyes finding solace in each other through the screen at least.

"I hate this depressing food combo you are having these days." I admitted glaring at that half eaten depressing sandwich.

"You hate everything." She rolled her eyes.

"And you are an exception to that." I grinned, mischievously raising my left eyebrow.

She looked anywhere but at me and like the feisty little queen of mine, replied, "Not my fault you couldn't stop yourself from falling head over heels for my charms."

And I laughed, she was right. I did fall head over heels for her charms and this pride of hers was the second one, first one was her resilience for something she'd made up her mind for.

And I'd do it again.

"Cat caught your tongue or something, Mr CBI officer?" She asked when I didn't reply.

"Aapke saamne kuch bol paya hu mai, Mrs CBI officer." I replied, come on, I couldn't have let her win this teasing game, it was my forte.
(As if I can say something in front of you.)

"You-" she was cut off by someone calling her and telling her about a meeting they were called for.

"I'll call you later?" She asked, her face morphing into a guilty expression, I nodded with a reassuring smile even though I wanted to talk to her for a bit longer but work should be her priority, I can wait.

I would never be like those prick assholes trying to make their girls feel guilty about focusing on their work even though they never forget giving equal attention to them too.

That being said, I bid her bye not before giving her my biggest and the most genuine smile that I probably looked weird but at least it brought a smile to her face, so it's fine.

The moment she ended the call, I received Vidit's fifth call.

Sighing, I picked up his call only to pull my phone away, because that prick screamed like his ass was on fire, "SAALE PHONE TOD DE TU."
(Just break your goddam phone.)

"Tu dilaega toh tod dunga, what do you think?" I replied, calmly because the person from the side has chaos written as his middle name since the day he's born.
(I'll break if you are going to buy me one. What do you think?)

"Chup kar saale. Mudde ki baat pe aa." He spat.
(Shup up and focus on the main reason.)

"Bhok."
(Speak.)

"Kuch plan kare kya? Mumbai jaane k liye?" he said and for the first time in my life, I was glad I befriended him.
(Should we plan something? To go to Munbai.)

"I'm in. Do you have anything in mind?" I asked, suddenly excitement overflowed through my veins.

"Yeah so, we can dig..." he explained and again, for the second time, I was glad I befriended him.

"Sounds like a plan. See you tomorrow." I said and ended the call after his affirmation.

Ayesha's POV

"Eshu, are you coming?" Ritika asked, waiting for me at the door along with the others. They were heading out for lunch.

"You guys go ahead, I've got some research to do." I replied, burying my head again in the file I'd been checking. It had the list of children who went missing in the last month.

"Alright, she won't take a break before 10 p.m. I'll get some lunch for her. Let's go." I heard Ritika telling the others. She didn't have to tell on me like that.

I mean, it's not like she was lying, but still. It's just that if I take breaks throughout the day, I'd have to cut my mandatory half an hour call with Zeeshan short, and I hate doing that. Specially when we both wait for these two video calls, one in the morning and the second at night.

It's been three months, and these mandatory video calls with him are the only thing that's been keeping me sane amidst all these investigations we have to do on a regular basis.

And I know how much he hates my dinner options, but it doesn't really matter. Not when my whole attention is on him and I'm merely eating to keep my body from fainting.

Besides, it's only a matter of six months. I could do this for as long as required just to talk to Zeeshan for a minute longer.

"Here." Ritika said, pulling me out of my thoughts. She had bought me lunch, two bowls of Dal and Rice.

"You didn't eat with them?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Choosing their company over yours would be the last thing I'd do. Shut up and eat or I'll snitch on you to Zeeshan bhai." She narrowed her eyes at me.

"I am eating," I muttered, taking a bite. That one bite of this watered down Dal Rice made me realise that I was actually hungry and grateful to have her by my side.

Even though I hate it when she blackmails me with Zeeshan's name.

Both of us quickly ate our lunch while doing our respective work side by side, and soon got so engrossed that I didn't even realise when the clock shifted to 9:55 p.m., making my phone's alarm echo through the unusually quiet room.

"Is it 9:55 p.m. already?" Bharat asked without looking up from the evidence he was investigating. I even heard a few chuckles around the room and felt teasing glances boring into my head from every side.

Ignoring them, I stepped out of the door and immediately video called Zeeshan, who picked up on the first ring as if he was sitting in front of his laptop, waiting for me.

"Hey," came his deep yet soothing voice.

"Hey, are you still at the CBI office?" I asked, not finding his usual beige curtains behind him.

"I am." He replied with a tired smile, too tired for my liking. "You are working too."

"Yeah, as usual." I shrugged, and before he could threaten me about my dinner, I was already walking towards the canteen.

"Tell me about your day." I said as I ordered my usual, a strong coffee and a sandwich.

"It was usual, but we are leaving to investigate a case." And then he went on telling me little to no details about that case, which was confusing since this was the first time he'd done that. However, I patiently listened to him while I ate my dinner.

"You look exhausted." I muttered, my eyes tracing those tired and puffy eyes.

"I just miss you so much that I might come there." He smiled cheekily.

"I'll kill you if you do something reckless like this. Go home and sleep." I glared at him. Chuckling, he nodded his head.

Soon after a few minutes, we had to end our call as he had to get back to work, just like me.

"And the lover girl is back with new energy." Ritika exclaimed with a teasing smile.

"Shut up," I muttered and actually got back to work with a fresh mind and a newfound motivation, courtesy of the beautiful face of my fiancée.

It was around 1 a.m. when we wrapped up our work and returned to our dorms to get some much needed sleep, only to wake up at 6 a.m. because we were supposed to reach the office before 8 a.m. for an important meeting.

"I am starting to hate Naman sir for his diabolical meeting timings." Ritika mumbled, dropping herself onto the passenger seat.

Chuckling, I drove us to the CBI office. Even though it was early, the traffic was crazy, but thankfully we arrived on time, half an hour early, to be very precise.

"We've arrived, sleepyhead." I said, shaking her. Muttering an inaudible thanks, she stepped out of the car, almost falling flat on her face due to sleepiness.

"Careful." I said as I grabbed my stuff and got down myself, only to witness something I wasn't expecting.

There stood Zeeshan Kapoor in all his glory with a few other senior officers and Vidit bhai, of course.

Before I could say something to him, he stepped forward and said, "It was an order from the higher authorities, we should not say no to our seniors."

His calm face infuriated me. Taking a deep breath, I muttered, "You shouldn't be here, Zeeshan. I don't want you to act like-"

He cut me off. "Like what, Aayat?" Yeah, you asshole, I was saying it before your nosy ass cut me off.

"Like I am being a hindrance to you and your duty." And there I presented my biggest fear in front of everyone, which I shouldn't have, considering we had an audience, or to be precise, a nosy audience who, was pretending to be busy, but definitely had their ears and eyes on us.

Zeeshan, as always, ignored every curious eye on us and took a step forward. Gently holding my hand in his, he softly said, "I am a man in love, Aayat, and it's been three months since I last saw you. I would've gone crazy if I hadn't looked at you standing in front of me. And about my duty? I swear on my life, you've only strengthened my determination and my urge to work harder for someone...for you."

It wasn't hard for my heart to believe him, especially with that sincere and genuine look in his soft eyes.

"Besides, I informed you yesterday, didn't I?" He raised his eyebrows comically with a mischievous smile.

"Asshole." I rolled my eyes, though I was aware of the smile that found its way onto my face.

"Sir, it's time." An officer called out. All of us followed them. Apparently, Zeeshan was going to present something he had found about the case we were investigating, along with Naman Sir and Vidit Bhai. Of course, the Alpha three, you know.

"It's fine, I'll connect my laptop to the projector." Zeeshan said, connecting his own laptop when the conference room's laptop failed to connect.

I looked away from the screen and scribbled some random flowers when, all of a sudden, the whole conference room awed at something. Confused, I looked up only to find my picture as the wallpaper and, even more confusingly, it was a picture I don't remember clicking.

But wait, that's Zeeshan's laptop, and the whole conference room is looking at me with teasing smiles.

Fuck my life.

Oops, we missed cliffhangers, didn't we?🥸