Shehnaaz climbed on the bed taking a seat in the centre while Sidharth walked up to the bed taking a seat beside her on one side of the bed.

"abhi theek hai. ab aap yahan baith kar apna kaam karlo" she gave him her big smile making his lips curl up into a smile of his own reflecting hers.

"theek hai, you also sleep" he responded making her nod at him as she slowly laid on the bed. Sidharth  glanced at her with a smile before taking out his mobile.

She turned towards him laying on her one side and looked at him with a pout forming on her lips. Sidharth could sense her gaze on himself which made him turn his face towards her only to find her looking at him with a sad pout.

"What happened?" he raised his eye brow at her making her sit up as she looked at him.

"ab neend nhi aa rahi hai" she whined with utmost cuteness making him chuckle as he looked at her expressions which were expressing her irritation.

"abhi toh aa rahi thi kuchh der pehle, itni jaldi neend chali bhi gyi?" he looked at her with his gaze soft while she made a pout looking at him.

"haanji, abhi nhi aa rahi hai" she nodded at him making him sigh as he looked at her with a slight smile adorning his lips.

"toh bahr ja kar baithna hai?" he questioned keeping his tone soft as he waited for her response.

"nhi neend nhi aa rahi hai par lazyness toh hai hi na, toh yahan hi theek hai" her words made him chuckle. She doesn't think even a bit before saying whatever comes in her mind.

"As you say" he nodded in understanding making her smile. Him dealing with her with such softness makes her heart warm. She feels like keep talking to him and telling him everything that comes in her mind, that she wants to say.

Something came in his mind making him get up as he put his hand in his pocket while shehnaaz looked at him with confusion reflecting on her face. Sidharth brought his hand out while shehnaaz looked at his hand narrowing her eyes but the next second her eyes widened as she realised what it was.

"bracelet?" she gasped looking at the diamond bracelet of her mother in his hand. She crawled on the bed towards him standing on her knees on the bed in front of him.

"Yes, your mother's bracelet" he forwarded the bracelet towards her while she slowly extended her hand holding it ever so softly while still looking at it in disbelief as if she couldn't believe it.

"ye aapko kahan se mila? mujhe lga tha ye kahin kho gya hai, aapki jeb mein se kahin gir gya hoga" she held the bracelet in her hand looking at it in daze before her lips curled up into a soft smile.

"I found it in my car last night" he responded gazing at her with softness. The smile playing on her lips made his heart feel the warmth of peace.

Tears started to brim in her eyes as she looked at the bracelet with longing in her eyes. This small piece of jewelry mattered the whole world to her mother and she couldn't live with the guilt of losing it forever. The realisation of finally having it back made her heart fill with the happiness.

Tears started to run down her eyes as she looked at him with a smile adorning her lips. Her hands wrapped around his waist as she pushed her face into his chest while standing on the bed on her knees. Sidharth was surprised with her sudden move but his arms slipped around her without thinking even for a second as he held her closer.

"thank you. thank you so much. aapko nhi pta hai ye bracelet kitna zroori hai mumma ke liye, mujhe lga tha maine isse kho diya hai par aapko mil gya wapis, thank you" she couldn't stop thanking him as she kept mumbling those words in his chest while tightening her hold around him.

Sidharth rubbed her back gently with his one hand while holding her closer with his other hand. He could feel her tears soaking in his shirt and that made him tighten his hold around her. He didn't want her to cry, he couldn't see tears in her eyes.

"Shhh..stop crying, ab toh tumhe ye bracelet mil gya na wapis. stop crying now" his voice was soft, his words were demanding wanting her to stop crying.

She nodded in his chest but he could feel that she was still crying silently. Bringing his one hand closer to her face he tilted her face up making her look at him. Her eyes were red, tear stains visible on her cheeks with fresh tears rolling down her eyes, her nose was red. She was looking adorable but her tears were messing with his heart. He couldn't tolerate tears in her eyes.

It made him want to hide her in his arms so that nothing could hurt her to make her cry. His cold heart has been melted by this adorable baby in his arms. He understood.

"Don't cry" his soft gaze was fixed on her as he brushed his thumb on her cheek with utmost softness wiping away the tears while she looked at him with innocence flashing in her doe eyes as she stood in his arms.

"thank you" she mumbled, a slight tremble in her voice feeling shivers under his touch. He bite his inner cheek to stop the smile threating to come on his lips seeing how her body reacts to his touch. He has observed I everytime she shivered in his hold.

"don't thank me" he brushed his thumb on her other cheek wiping her tears before moving his thumb closer to the corner of her eye. He gently pressed his thumb at the corner wiping the tear that was about to fall.

"I want to" she mumbled, her voice low, her doe eyes gazing into his.

"you don't have to" he responded looking into her eyes, his words were demanding, his tone held authority making her nod at him slowly.

His one hand rested on her cheek while his other hand slipped behind her neck as he tilted her face up bringing her face closer while leaning his face down.

Her heart thudded against her chest, her heart beats racing, her breathes started to become heavy as she closed her eyes in the anticipation of the moment.

Sidharth leaned his face closer to hers, his heart was beating fast as he slowly brushed his lips at the corner of her eyes. Her hands moving up to his chest holding onto his shirt as she parted her lips to take in a breath.

His lips curled into a smile as he felt her tugging at his shirt understand her move. Closing his eyes he pressed a feather light kiss on her eye making her breath hitch in her throat, her fingers curling tight on his shirt.

He brushed his thumbs on her cheeks before kissing at the corner of her other eye making her part her lips again, her chest heaving, a shiver running down her spine.

Her legs felt weak to stand making her slowly lean down while her hands gripping his shirt to support herself. Realising her unable to keep herself stable sidharth wrapped his one arm around her waist pulling her up again.

"easy, naaz" he muttered looking at her closed eyes while she just tightened her hold on his shirt breathing heavily in his hold.
His lips curled into a smile as he gazed at her observing her reaction.

She opened her eyes only to find him looking at her with his soft gaze. Her hold on his shirt loosened as she took a deep breath calming herself down.

"aise kyun hota hai humesha?" her voice came out low, her doe eyes looking at him with innocence, questions forming in her mind wanting him to answer.

"kaisa?" sidharth raised his eye brow at her questioning her as he looked at her surprised.

"jab bhi aap mere paas aate ho na, toh mera dil boht tez dhadkane lgta hai" she kept her feelings row in front of him, the honesty in her words, the innocence in her question, the vulnerability her words carried made his heart skip a beat.

His gaze turned intense as he looked into her eyes making her shiver in his hold. His thumb brushed against her cheek, his heart beating faster as her words kept sinking deeper in his heart.

"aisa kyun hota hai?" she whisper asked again looking into his eyes.

"I don't know aisa kyun hota hai. what I do know is that aisa mere sath bhi hota hai" he confessed locking eyes with hers, his voice was soft, his words were sincere as he chose to confess his feelings raw in front of her just like she did.

He hadn't expected that she would let her feelings raw in front of him just as she does with her every other thought. The honest confession of hers without any filters, without thinking about its impact, without molding her words made him realise that she was just too innocent with her heart full of honesty.

The realisation made him want to keep her protected in his embrace. She could get in trouble because of her honesty, her not having cleverness in her character, her thoughts.

She couldn't survive the cruelty of this world if she was alone out there. The thought made him swore to himself to never leave her alone ever.

Shehnaaz looked at him narrowing her eyes, a frown appeared on her face making him observe that she was confused about something. Before he could ask her eyes widened as she took a step back sitting on her knees on the bed while sidharth looked at her confused.

"kahin hum dono ko ek sath koi bimari toh nhi ho gyi hai?" she gasped, voicing out her thoughts as she looked at him with mouth forming an o shape.

Sidharth looked at her, suprise evident in his eyes before a chuckle left his mouth making her look at him in confusion as what made him laugh.  Looking at her he shook his head to himself realising that what else could he expect from her?

She was a cartoon, an interesting character that would keep him entertained all his life.

"ho sakta hai, we should get checked with a doctor" he played along hiding his smile as he made a serious face making her gasp.

"amma, phir hum London pohnch ke jaldi se doctor ko dikha lenge. aap jaante hain kisi doctor ko wahan?" she suggested while questioning him, worry evident in her tone making him sigh. Maybe he shouldn't have fed her innocent thoughts.

"Yes I know. Now you should take some sleep and I need to do some work" he changed the topic trying to get her mind off the current topic and it worked. She nodded at him before crawling back into the centre of the bed and laid down like an obedient child.

Sidharth gazed at her with a smile playing on his lips before taking a seat beside her. His one leg was folded on the bed while the other was hanging down the bed as he opened his mobile and texted something to Rana.

_______________________________

The long journey of eight hours finally ended as the plane landed in London. Shehnaaz was sleeping peacefully on the bed while sidharth was sitting beside her with his soft gaze fixed on her.

Her both hands were tucked in between her knees, her legs were curled up a little, her mouth was slightly open, she was sleeping carefree like a child.

He didn't feel like waking her up, disturbing her sleep so he chose to carefully hold her in his arms not wanting to break her sleep and walked out of the jet.

A row of cars were parked there as sidharth walked towards the cars holding her protectively in his arms. A bodyguard opened the car door for him while sidharth carefully made her sit inside before slipping beside her. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder while her head rested on his arm comfortably.

The cars moved out of the airport one by one in a row running closely. The journey from the airport to the Raichand Villa in London was about half an hour long while shehnaaz slept peacefully throughout their way to his home.

A while later the cars entered through a large gate slowing down on the driveway before coming to a stop one by one. Sidharth tried to move carefully not wanting to disturb her sleep but shehnaaz stirred in her sleep, a cute frown etched on her face. She slowly opened her eyes, her eyes meeting his who gave her a polite smile making her smile back at him. Her gaze moved out of the window making her narrow her eyes before she looked out from her side of the window.

"hum London pohnch bhi gye?" she asked, curiosity peeking out from her tone, turning her gaze back to him.

"haan" he nodded with a smile.

"aur aapke ghar bhi pohch gye?" she asked glancing out of the window before turning back to him again.

"haan" he nodded again, the smile not leaving his lips seeing her curious gaze wondering around and then stopping at him to confirm.

"Let's go" sidharth gestured as a guard opened the door for him. Sidharth moved out of the car while a guard opened the door for shehnaaz on the other side but she chose to slip out from his side only making him bite his inner cheek to stop himself from smiling when there were guards all around.

"Come" ke kept his hand on her back gently leading her with himself. Sidharth kept his steps slow this time making shehnaaz walk beside him with ease. The guards stopped at a distance from the main door.

Stopping in front of the main door sidharth pushed the door open and stepped inside while shehnaaz followed his step entering inside with him.

Sidharth led her through the hallway while they could hear some voices coming out from inside the living room. Moving further inside they stepped into the living room only to see a man in his fifties sitting on the couch in a comfortable t shirt and lower. In front of man sat a young man dressed up in a simple t shirt and shorts. In between them sat an elegant woman, dressed up in a loose kurta with leggings.

All three of them had their eyes glued to the screen in front of them where RCB v/s PBKS, the final match of IPL 2025 was playing on the screen and it was the last ball. The room was silent, the anticipation of the moment lingering in the air, the young man already getting up from the couch, excitement visible in his posture as if he was ready to jump around anytime.

Shehnaaz looked at the family innocently before turning her face towards Sidharth who was looking at his family with a sigh leaving his mouth. Turning his face towards her he saw her looking at him, her innocent gaze was questioning.

"They all are going to get mad in a few seconds. It's better we stay here" leaning down he whispered in her ear making her narrow her eyes in confusion but before she could ask something, his words came true.

"Yesssssss, I told you dad. I told you RCB is going to win today. Yess finally Oh God finally it happened. Their first ever trophy. They did it. I am so happyyyy" Aarav, the younger brother of Sidharth jumped around in excitement, dancing showcasing his amazing moves.

"Of course, they played really well this season" Dev Raichand, his father , threw a pillow towards him which landed directly on his face making him hold the pillow in his hand and now he started doing a couple dance with the pillow bringing chuckles from his parents.

"I am happy for RCB but punjab walon ne bhi boht achha khela iss baar. They deserve a trophy too" Neeru Raichand looked at the screen with both happiness and sadness. She was happy for the team that won and sad for the team that lost.

"The way they have emerged this year, they will surely win one next year" Aarav expressed his thoughts to which his father agreed.

Aarav turned around while dancing only to stop in his steps. There stood sidharth and shehnaaz looking at him with different expressions adorning their faces. Sidharth was looking at him with his face calm, a bored expression on his face while shehnaaz was looking at him and giggling slowly watching his dance steps.

"who is this sweetheart here?" Aarav looked at her, surprise and confusion evident on his face while his words took everyone's attention making the couple turn around and look at shehnaaz.

Standing beside her Sidharth had his jaw clenched as the word 'sweetheart' rang in his mind.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.