AUTHOR

The soft glow of sunlight peeked through the glass balcony window and fell on Noor, who was fast asleep.

The golden light kissed her skin, making her look ethereal.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as the warmth touched her face. She stirred slightly and turned to the other side, cocooning herself deeper into the blanket.

Ashrit, just out of the bathroom, paused at the sight. A faint smile played on his lips—small, but real. Quietly, he walked to the window and drew the curtains, letting the room return to its gentle dimness so she could sleep undisturbed.

He made his way to the bed, seating himself carefully at the corner near the headboard. His gaze rested on the way she’d hidden her face beneath the covers. Leaning in, he gently pulled the blanket down—just enough to reveal her face.

“Gorgeous,” he whispered, the word barely audible.

He tucked away the stray strands of hair that fell across her face, his fingers rough against the soft, buttery texture of her skin. His thumb lingered on her cheek as he looked closely, noticing the freckles—those tiny constellations that had first drawn him in.

They weren’t easily visible unless one came this close. And he did. He always did.

With the softest touch, he traced them. Not enough to wake her, but enough to feel them—enough to remember.

Her face, in that moment, looked so serene. Free from yesterday’s storm, free from worry. Just peaceful.

After what had happened the night before, he hadn't left her side. He couldn't. He knew how shattered she must have been. So he stayed—with her, beside her. Until the tears stopped, until her voice gave out, until her heart ached just a little less.

And not once did he curse Piyush. Not once did he tell her she deserved better or that her ex had been cruel.

He just listened. Because that’s what she needed—not advice, not judgment. Just someone to sit there… and be there.

Noor stirred in her sleep, making Ashrit instinctively pull away and he stood up. Noor stirred, turning to the other side as she stretched out her arms. Then she started to search for her mobile, her eyes still closed.

Her hand roamed all over the bed and finally reached the night stand where her mobile was — which Ashrit kept there after she threw it on the bed.

Noor slowly opened her eyes and glanced at her phone.

Her eyes widened like saucers as soon as her eyes fell on the time.

“Oh god! I’m late! Ashrit sir will kill me!” she exclaimed, sitting up with a jerk. In a flurry, she folded her blanket with surprising speed and bolted towards the bathroom like a marathon runner on the final lap.

Ashrit, who had been silently watching her every move from the corner of the room, shook his head and let out a low chuckle.

God, how much he had longed for this.

To witness her mornings. To see her wake up in a panic, to hear her curse his name first thing in the morning. It was chaotic, but it was her—and he finally got to see it, live it.

Though they had shared the same room for the past two weeks, he’d never seen her like this before. He was either gone before she woke up or stayed away entirely.

But today—today was different. Today, he had witnessed a glimpse of what it would be like to share mornings with her. And he knew one thing for sure.

He never wanted this to end.

Then he slowly walked to the bed and sat on it—waiting, knowing very well what was about to happen. Arms crossed, legs slightly stretched, he leaned back, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.

Right on cue, the bathroom door flung open with a loud thud, and Noor stepped out, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. She clutched her towel tighter around her and stared at him like she’d seen a ghost.

“What are you doing here?!” she demanded, her voice laced with disbelief, eyes wide as she gawked at him.

Ashrit raised an eyebrow, calm as ever..

“ Hhn, Don't you know, why I'm here?” He asked her

Noor approached him, her steps fast, making Ashrit lean back, slightly. “ Why didn't you left?” she questioned, leaning in, completely forgotten that she was just in a towel.

Ashrit looked at her, his green eyes meeting her honey brown ones, making his heart skip a beat and at the same time she felt something foreign which she hadn't felt before.

“ Cause you didn't let me,” he answered, Gazing into her eyes.

“ What?” Noor blinked, momentarily taken back. Her heart raced when she saw his green eyes darkening.

He didn't say anything. Instead, Ashrit leaned in, still maintaining eye contact, he reached her and swiftly pulled her onto the bed, and nd before she could react, he was on top of her, hovering her, his both hands on the either side of her

Noor gasped, her heart thudding wildly against her ribs. The movement had been so sudden, so unexpected, that her brain barely caught up.

“ What are you—?” She was cut off, when she felt him touching her tattoo on her shoulder. Noor froze, her breath hitched as a Shiver ran down her spine and then she realised she was in towel and her tattoo was on display.

Her tattoo — it was just some flowers and leaves which were doing a good job in covering the scar beneath it.

Noor froze. Her entire body stiffened as a shiver ran down her spine.

Ashrit’s eyes remained fixed on the ink, not saying a word. His fingers, though rough from years of hard work, moved with incredible gentleness, tracing the outline like he was memorising every curve, every detail.

“It’s beautiful,” he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

Noor’s throat tightened.

She was expecting questions. Pity. Maybe even shock.

But not this.

That day when Ashrit saw the Tattoo on their first day of marriage, Noor thought maybe he would question her about it or even something else but she didn't expected him to be this calm and call it beautiful.

“ It's not beautiful,it's ugly” she mumbled, turning her face away to compose herself.

Ashrit shook his head, as he leaned in and placed a small kiss on her shoulder — on her tattoo. Noor's breath caught in throat at the softness of the kiss — of his lips.

He pulled back and glanced at her as he said,

“ Just because there is a Scar beneath it, you can't say it ugly”

“ It's really beautiful”

Noor stilled, her body went stiff. She slowly turned to face him. She was caught off guard, she swallowed hard.

“ How do you know? That there was a scar beneath the tattoo?”

Ashrit smiled — A real one but filled with his own unshown pain. “ It's pretty easy, you know. I have a body full of scars, so I can easily recognise one”

“ You have a scar too ?”

Ashrit chuckled softly, as he rose from the top of her and sat on the bed.

“ Too many. Some visible and some hidden. Each one carries a story just like yours,”

Noor parted her lips, as if she wanted to say something but closed her lips again. Her gaze dropped to his chest, as if she could see through the layers of fabric.

For a moment silence hang between them.

Still laid on bed only in towel, Noor looked at Ashrit

“ Can…I see…one?”

Ashrit didn’t hesitate. He made her sit and took her hand, guided it to the buttons of his shirt, and with steady hands, helped her open it. On his chest, just over his heart, was a faded scar—jagged, old, and deep. It wasn’t ugly. It looked like survival.

Noor’s eyes welled up. “What happened?”

Ashrit clenched his jaw, his shoulder tensed.

“ It's something I usually don't Talk about. No one knows about this except my family and……. now you,”

Noor hesitated but nevertheless looked into his eyes.

“ If you don't mind, can I know what happened?”

Ashrit's lips parted and he was about to say something. A sharp knock on the door startled them.

“ Di, Breakfast is ready. Everyone is calling you both down!!” They heard Luv’s voice from the other side of the door. And that's when Noor realised she was in her home — her parents home.

Noor’s face turned bright red when she realized she was only wearing a towel and was sitting right in front of Ashrit. Her heart started beating fast, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her.

Oh no… how could I be so careless? she thought, biting her lip in embarrassment. Without saying a word, she quickly stood up and rushed back into the bathroom, her hands clutching the towel tightly.

Ashrit blinked, momentarily stunned at the sudden shift from vulnerability to chaos. He stared at the now-closed bathroom door, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Nice timing, Luv,” he muttered under his breath, as he ran a hand through his hair.

Inside the bathroom, Noor leaned against the door, her heart racing. What was that? Her cheeks were burning. Why does this always happen to me? And why does it have to be in front of him? she thought, covering her face with her hands. She couldn’t tell if it was embarrassment or something else that made her heart race like that.

One moment they were sharing something deep—raw—and the next, she was sprinting away like a teenager caught sneaking out.

She shut her eyes tight. Towel. You were in a towel, Noor. What were you thinking sitting like that? Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Ashrit stood up and walked to the window, trying to calm his own heartbeat. That conversation—her curiosity, her concern—it touched something inside him he’d long buried. And her vulnerability, her scar… it mirrored too much of his own past.

He turned toward the bathroom door and spoke gently, “You don’t have to be embarrassed. It's not the first time I saw you in a towel.”

Noor, still flustered, couldn’t help but smile a little.

“ I know” she mumbled to herself, nibbling on her lip.

“Maybe next time, tell your secrets before someone yells through the door.”

He chuckled. “Deal.”

And just like that, the morning held more than just the warmth of tea and toast downstairs—it held the quiet beginning of trust.

NOOR

I looked at myself in the mirror.

Red cheeks, red ears and smiling face.

What just happened?

Shouldn't I be crying because I had an argument with someone — not just someone but someone I loved?

Then why am I smiling like a teenager?

It shouldn't be like this.

Then why is it like this?

Why was he still here?

He should have left after I slept. He should have gone before I woke up. Then why did he stayed?

Because he was my husband or because of something else.

At this moment, i couldn't name why.

But it felt good.

him staying with me all night, his words, his presence it all felt gooood.

What is this?

Why is my grumpy boss being soooo good to me?

Did something change because I cried?

Or did he change?

Did he fell for me?

I gasped.

No, how can someone so grumpy, heartless, ruthless, cold, emotionless person fall for me?

It's absurd.

But again, I felt like something really did change after last night — after that conversation.

If not then, why am I not crying and on the top of it I'm blushing? and smiling?

Perhaps it's for good.

As I looked into the mirror my gaze fell on my shoulder, at my tattoo.

It's true.

The tattoo was something which I get to cover the scar that I got while saving someone. It wasn't big but was enough to cover half of my shoulder. It was ugly.

“Just because there is a Scar beneath it, you can't say it ugly”

“ It's really beautiful”

I remembered his words from earlier and blushed instantly.

What the hell man?

Noor get a grip woman.

You can't fall for him, not until at least you get your revenge from those who made you cry.

But again I don't know if I can fall in love again or not.

Love is beautiful — or so I believed until I tasted the bitterness of its betrayal.

And now I am scared what if it happened again?

What if Ashrit left me too, just like piyush?

And what if he does not.

A voice from inside said and for a moment I felt like I could believe it.

I think I should believe it.

Because not everyone is piyush, Right.

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