I waited for him to say something. The look in his eyes made my skin hot, and I felt a strange electricity in the air.

"If you and Arvika aren't ready in an hour, you'll both be late."

I looked at my phone and saw it was 6 a.m.

"But it's too early."

"School starts at eight forty-five, and it takes forty-five minutes to get there." We stood there, neither of us moving.

"I need to get ready," I told him.

He gave me a look, scanning me from head to toe before leaving the room.

I rushed into my bathroom. After brushing my teeth and splashing some water on my face, I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

The weird thing was that Atharv was staying here. He'd intended to leave after Arvika's school admission process had been completed, but no... He'd decided to live where his daughter was.

Meera had been surprised, but she hadn't let on. She kept her facial expressions completely neutral.

After I was done in the kitchen, I took a bath and put on my white blouse and black pants. I tucked in the blouse and did my makeup before walking into Arvika's room to wake her up.

"You're up, baby?" I said in astonishment, seeing that Arvika was already brushing her teeth.

I pulled her uniform out and laid it on the bed.

"Yes! I'm so excited about school that I barely slept last night."

I chuckled—it was impossible not to, seeing how happy she was.

"Come on, take a shower and be quick so we have time for breakfast."

After she showered, dried off and put on her uniform, which was a school shirt with a skirt and matching blazer. She even had a color-coordinated sweater and vest for winter.

I braided her hair, giving her two pigtails.

"Don't mess with your hair—I want to take a picture of you," I said. I grabbed my phone and took pictures as she smiled and made goofy faces.

"You look so pretty." I kissed her cheek, and then we walked to the dining room hand in hand.

Atharv was already seated. He looked at Arvika first before shifting his gaze to me.

"Good morning, Papa." Arvika hugged him, and he hugged her back, patting her head.

I took a few more pictures.

As we ate, I hoped Gia or Dev would come in so they could take pictures of me with Arvika. I couldn't ask her dad. He'd glared at me for taking the ones I'd taken earlier.

"Here are the car keys. I expect you both to behave and not do anything stupid. Don't think I won't know...I know everything," he warned, handing me a set of keys.

"Mr. Kapoor, will you please take pictures of me and Arvika?"

He nodded and I handed him my phone.

Arvika stood beside me with her bag, while I smiled for the camera. I was having a good hair day, for a change, and I was pretty happy with how I looked.

We hit pose after pose, which irritated Atharv for sure, but at least he didn't complain. Once he hit the limits of his patience, he shoved my phone back into my hand.

I had packed our lunch boxes the night before, so I went to the kitchen to grab them and to get myself a glass of water.

I had only been in the kitchen for a minute when I sensed Atharv coming up behind me. My body went rigid, my breath became uneven, and my hands started shaking. He pressed himself against me, and my stomach flipped—in a good way.

"I trust you with Arvika. I'm not sending anyone else on my staff with you because of that. Don't do anything stupid without asking my permission," he whispered as I felt his crotch pressing against my ass.

That feels good...

"Am I clear?"

I nodded my head, putting the glass down. He pressed into me harder— a reminder that I hadn't spoken.

"Words."

I feared that I would moan because of the feeling.

"Yes."

"Good."

He stayed in that position, and I didn't turn around to see his face. He stepped away when we heard Arvika's voice. I took my bag and Arvika's and walked out of the mansion with Atharv beside us.

"Careful and text me when you reach the school," he said as he helped Arvika with her seat belt.

"Okay."

Our conversions had turned less formal as the days passed. There was this tension between the two of us, and I couldn't help but think about how good I felt when his body touched mine.

Dev and Gia were standing outside, talking with other staff members. Arvika waved at them, and they waved back. I turned on the radio and started humming along to Lana Del Rey.

"I don't know this song, but it sounds good," Arvika said.

I chuckled as she concentrated on the lyrics.

We reached the school campus and, if I was being honest, I felt like I was the newly transferred student here. I was nervous and excited for Arvika.

"There are so many kids, Flower." Arvika held my hand as we looked at the students, who were walking toward their classes.

We started walking toward the administration block, where I needed to register my attendance with the biometric check-in. Atharv had already given me my schedule and all the details about my class.

I smiled at the secretary seated at the front desk.

"Arvika, why don't you go to your classroom and meet your new friends?" she said.

I'd met Priya  a few times in the past couple of weeks, when I'd had to visit the school to get my paperwork squared away.

Arvika looked at me in alarm.

"Priya, is it okay if I walk her to class?"

Priya looked unsure because I had a class of my own to teach. I wouldn't be teaching Arvika's class until the next hour.

"It's okay, but only this time. Your students are waiting for you."

"Thank you, Priya." I smiled before pulling Arvika out into the hallway

"Okay, baby. Do well and make friends." I kissed Arvika's head, and she walked into her classroom as all the kids looked up at her.

Every seat was occupied except for one next to a gloomy-looking kid who was staring straight ahead at the board.

Arvika walked over and took the empty seat beside the boy, who didn't glance at her, even when she politely said hello to him. Her shoulders slumped when he ignored her.

Her eyes met mine, and I shrugged and gestured to the other kids in the class. Plenty of other new friends to be made. She smiled, nodding her head, and I went to meet my first-grade class.