08-06-2026, 01:43 PM
Chapter 16: The First Message
Nikitha was in the kitchen, preparing a glass of warm milk before bed, when her phone buzzed.
It was from Tharun.
Jay entered the kitchen a moment later, his mind still replaying the confrontation in Tharun’s cabin.
“Are you not married?” he had asked earlier that day.
Tharun had leaned back with a casual smile and replied, “I have a girlfriend. We’re planning to get married next year.”
The words kept echoing in Jay’s head. He wanted to warn Nikitha immediately — “Tharun has a girlfriend. You might end up as nothing more than a fling.” — but he wasn’t sure how she would take it. Would she think he was being jealous or possessive?
Before he could speak, Nikitha picked up her phone, surprised to see a message from Tharun at 10:00 PM. He had only messaged her before for official reasons, always before 6 PM.
She opened WhatsApp.
Tharun:
Hey Nikitha, sorry for messaging so late. Just wanted to personally thank you. The angel avatar we developed got approved by the client today. It turned out beautifully. Big thanks to you.
Nikitha raised an eyebrow, curious. She typed back.
Nikitha:
Thank you, but you should thank the Art team for that. I’m not from Art. I didn’t do anything.
Tharun:
[Image sent — A beautiful angelic character in a flowing peach-colored gown with delicate floral border patterns and subtle glittering effects]
Don’t remember?
Nikitha stared at the image. The gown’s color, the floral border pattern — it was strikingly similar to the peach saree she had worn a few days ago.
Nikitha:
Wait… I don’t get it what this has to do with me? //she wanted to know it from his mouth
Tharun:
[Image sent — A secretly taken photo of Nikitha from a few days ago, wearing the exact peach saree with floral border, captured from a slight side angle while she was presenting in a meeting]
Now tell me.
Nikitha’s eyes widened. She let out a soft, amused laugh and typed back playfully.
Nikitha:
Wait a minute… You took a photo of me secretly? A stalker, Tharun sir? ?
Tharun:
Haha, no no. I just really liked your dress that day. You looked like an angel. How would I explain the exact shade and pattern to the designers? So I took a quick photo. Next time I’ll ask for permission first.
Nikitha smiled, shaking her head as she replied.
Nikitha:
I was just pulling your leg. It’s perfectly fine. I’m glad it had a good purpose behind it. The avatar looks beautiful.
Tharun:
Yes. We were breaking our heads on the color palette. That day you wore this saree, you genuinely looked like an angel. So I secretly took a photo and sent it to the designers. Anjali helped refine it.
Nikitha:
You are flattering me.
Tharun:
You are being humble. That saree looked stunning on you. The character came out exactly how I imagined.
Nikitha couldn’t stop smiling as she read the messages. A soft, genuine smile played on her lips while she typed back.
Jay, who had been watching her, finally asked, “What are you smiling at?”
Without hiding anything, Nikitha turned the phone toward him. “Tharun started his game. Look. He’s smart — he knows exactly how to flatter someone in the very first personal conversation.”
Jay read the chat. His jaw tightened. The casual compliment, the photo reference, the way Tharun was already creating a personal connection — it was smooth. Too smooth.
He felt a sharp sting of jealousy.
“Nikitha,” he said seriously, “don’t trust him too much.
She asked why? she noticed his face was serious?!!
What? she asked..
He he have a girl friend! He finally revealed.
Nikitha was in the kitchen, preparing a glass of warm milk before bed, when her phone buzzed.
It was from Tharun.
Jay entered the kitchen a moment later, his mind still replaying the confrontation in Tharun’s cabin.
“Are you not married?” he had asked earlier that day.
Tharun had leaned back with a casual smile and replied, “I have a girlfriend. We’re planning to get married next year.”
The words kept echoing in Jay’s head. He wanted to warn Nikitha immediately — “Tharun has a girlfriend. You might end up as nothing more than a fling.” — but he wasn’t sure how she would take it. Would she think he was being jealous or possessive?
Before he could speak, Nikitha picked up her phone, surprised to see a message from Tharun at 10:00 PM. He had only messaged her before for official reasons, always before 6 PM.
She opened WhatsApp.
Tharun:
Hey Nikitha, sorry for messaging so late. Just wanted to personally thank you. The angel avatar we developed got approved by the client today. It turned out beautifully. Big thanks to you.
Nikitha raised an eyebrow, curious. She typed back.
Nikitha:
Thank you, but you should thank the Art team for that. I’m not from Art. I didn’t do anything.
Tharun:
[Image sent — A beautiful angelic character in a flowing peach-colored gown with delicate floral border patterns and subtle glittering effects]
Don’t remember?
Nikitha stared at the image. The gown’s color, the floral border pattern — it was strikingly similar to the peach saree she had worn a few days ago.
Nikitha:
Wait… I don’t get it what this has to do with me? //she wanted to know it from his mouth
Tharun:
[Image sent — A secretly taken photo of Nikitha from a few days ago, wearing the exact peach saree with floral border, captured from a slight side angle while she was presenting in a meeting]
Now tell me.
Nikitha’s eyes widened. She let out a soft, amused laugh and typed back playfully.
Nikitha:
Wait a minute… You took a photo of me secretly? A stalker, Tharun sir? ?
Tharun:
Haha, no no. I just really liked your dress that day. You looked like an angel. How would I explain the exact shade and pattern to the designers? So I took a quick photo. Next time I’ll ask for permission first.
Nikitha smiled, shaking her head as she replied.
Nikitha:
I was just pulling your leg. It’s perfectly fine. I’m glad it had a good purpose behind it. The avatar looks beautiful.
Tharun:
Yes. We were breaking our heads on the color palette. That day you wore this saree, you genuinely looked like an angel. So I secretly took a photo and sent it to the designers. Anjali helped refine it.
Nikitha:
You are flattering me.
Tharun:
You are being humble. That saree looked stunning on you. The character came out exactly how I imagined.
Nikitha couldn’t stop smiling as she read the messages. A soft, genuine smile played on her lips while she typed back.
Jay, who had been watching her, finally asked, “What are you smiling at?”
Without hiding anything, Nikitha turned the phone toward him. “Tharun started his game. Look. He’s smart — he knows exactly how to flatter someone in the very first personal conversation.”
Jay read the chat. His jaw tightened. The casual compliment, the photo reference, the way Tharun was already creating a personal connection — it was smooth. Too smooth.
He felt a sharp sting of jealousy.
“Nikitha,” he said seriously, “don’t trust him too much.
She asked why? she noticed his face was serious?!!
What? she asked..
He he have a girl friend! He finally revealed.
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