Rahul turned his head to see a completely transformed Samina standing in front of him, looking surprisingly shy.
She was wearing a stunning, fitted cream-white skirt and top that highlighted her sharp sense of style. Her flat stomach and toned figure were perfectly accentuated.
A pair of clear, open-toed stilettos gave her a significant height boost, making her look just as tall and imposing as Anisha. If the usual Samina gave off the vibe of a pampered, energetic college girl, she now looked like a glamorous Bollywood starlet stepping out for a premiere.
"Looks great. It really suits you," Rahul said, giving a calm, approving nod.
Even though Rahul kept it brief and casual, the compliment sent Samina over the moon.
"Really? Then I'm going to go pick out a few more!"
Riding the high of his praise, Samina happily dragged Anisha back into the racks to grab several more outfits.
From pleated skirts and floral dresses to sleek sleeveless tops, she tried on a bit of everything.
But when she excitedly ran over to him holding up a pair of neon sky-blue yoga pants, Rahul couldn't hide his grimace.
"Okay, absolutely not! You can buy literally anything else, but leave those behind. Why are you purposely picking out the weirdest trends?"
Samina playfully pouted but obediently tossed the yoga pants back onto the rack.
Waiting for a girl to shop was a universally painful experience for guys, but Rahul kept himself entertained by chatting with Anika on the sofa, effortlessly trading witty banter.
Samina ended up buying practically everything she had tried on. When it was finally time to check out, she subtly slipped two pairs of black sheer stockings onto the counter, her face turning a bright shade of pink.
Looking at the mountain of heavy designer shopping bags, Samina cast a pleading, puppy-dog look at Rahul.
"Rahul, it's way too heavy. Can you help me carry these?"
Hearing her act so spoiled, Rahul chuckled helplessly. His grand plan to farm Charm Points as an aloof player was completely failing against his own decent nature. Besides, Samina had bought him meals, defended him, and even gave him cash that morning. The least he could do as a decent guy was carry some bags.
"Alright, hand them over."
"Yay! Rahul, you're the absolute best!" Samina cheered, looking as happy as a kid in a candy store.
As Rahul gathered the bags, Anisha walked over and quietly said, "Thank you, Rahul."
As a sharp businesswoman, she knew perfectly well that if Rahul hadn't been sitting on that sofa, Samina wouldn't have bought a fraction of these clothes. Today's revenue was already triple their usual daily sales.
Rahul just smiled and nodded. As he turned toward the door, he caught Anika winking at him and subtly miming a phone call gesture with her hand.
Once Rahul and Samina were out of the boutique, Anisha finally pulled her gaze away from the glass doors.
"Sister, you look awfully sad to see our Indian guest leave," Anika teased with a snicker.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Anisha scolded playfully. "I'm just grateful. Did you notice? She was buying all those clothes specifically to impress him!"
"Obviously," Anika laughed. "But I also know a guy like him isn't going to settle for a demanding little princess. We were chatting earlier, and he told me he's completely single. If you like him, sister, I guess I can share."
Anisha lightly slapped her sister's arm, looking flustered. "Stop making those kinds of jokes! And don't think I didn't see you sliding your foot over to him earlier. Have some restraint!"
Anika scoffed, completely unbothered. "Restraint for what? We're twenty-seven! If we don't live a little crazy now, we'll just be old and boring. Don't act like you don't think about taking risks when you're sitting alone at home! A guy this gorgeous is a once-in-a-lifetime catch. I'm not leaving myself with any regrets."
Anika's words struck a nerve, plunging Anisha into a thoughtful silence. Her bold sister was right; if they just played it safe forever, life would pass them by. In a conservative society, stepping out of line took massive courage. Anisha didn't know if she had it in her.
"I already locked down a date to get drinks with him tonight," Anika added casually. "I'm going. If you don't want to come, that just means less competition for me."
Anika's teasing was a heavy temptation. Having focused entirely on business for so long, Anisha couldn't deny she missed the thrill of romance. Rahul's effortless, confident smile flashed in her mind.
Unconsciously, Anisha's eyes drifted toward a stunning, backless wine-red evening gown displayed on a mannequin in the corner of their shop.
Meanwhile, Rahul was essentially a walking coat rack, carrying a dozen heavy designer bags. He was mentally and physically exhausted.
Samina was carrying two small bags, but she wasn't tired at all. She was happily chatting away, practically skipping down the mall corridor.
"Rahul, are you tired? Do you want to go to a cafe and sit down?" Samina suddenly stopped, noticing him sweating. Her expression quickly turned apologetic. "I'll call my driver to come up and take these to the car. Let's go get some coffee and rest, okay?"
Seeing that the usually bossy Samina was actively checking on him and asking for his opinion, Rahul felt a sense of relief.
"Sounds like a plan."
They walked into a chic mall cafe and ordered two iced coffees. Once they sat down, Samina rested her chin on her hands, her eyes completely locked onto Rahul's face.
Suddenly, she leaned forward and asked shyly, "Rahul... do you like black stockings?"
Rahul, who had just taken a large sip of his iced coffee, nearly choked and coughed into his napkin.
What kind of weird internet rabbit hole did this girl fall down last night?!
"I mean, sure," Rahul said, recovering quickly with a grin. "Look, men will argue about literally everything. We will fight over politics, we will fight over whether cricket or football is the better sport. But when it comes to a girl in black stockings, world peace is instantly achieved."
"Then I'm going to wear them for you tomorrow!"
When Samina declared this, her face was bright red, but her eyes were as fiercely determined as a soldier going into battle!
Now Rahul was absolutely certain she had been binge-watching some questionable dating advice videos. He immediately set his coffee down and looked at her seriously.
"Samina, listen to me. I want you to understand something very important," Rahul said in a straightforward, jovial tone. "The best thing you can possibly be is yourself. You don't need to put on an act or dress a certain way just to impress people. Just be Samina."
Samina stared at Rahul, completely stunned.
It was the very first time in her life someone had spoken to her with such simple, grounded honesty, not caring about her wealth or status.
At that moment, Samina couldn't suppress the overwhelming feelings bubbling up inside her chest anymore.
Without overthinking it, she suddenly reached across the small cafe table and grabbed Rahul's wrist.
She looked right into his eyes, her expression dead serious.
"Rahul, I really like you. Can I be your girlfriend?"