30. BEGINNING
Soft sunlight spilled through the half-drawn curtains. Aarvi stirred awake, blinking slowly before glancing toward the couch.
Empty.
For a second, she thought she’d imagined it all his calm voice, his quiet care, the warmth of his hand easing her pain. But then her gaze landed on the hot pack resting neatly on the nightstand still faintly warm, as if he’d reheated it before leaving.
She sat up slowly, pressing her palm to her stomach. The pain had faded. She smiled slowly at the memories.
The faint sound of movement came from the wardrobe area. Vivan stood there, already dressed in his shirt and dark tie, adjusting his cufflinks. The same man she’d once thought was cold, arrogant, and impossible to understand and now she is thinking "he is really not a bad person".
“Good morning,” she said quietly, embarassed.
He looked at her briefly through the mirror. “Morning,” he replied evenly. “Feeling better?”
She nodded. “Yes… much better.”
He only hummed in response, slipping on his watch. Aarvi hesitated, twisting her fingers in the bedsheet. “Um, about last night-”
“Forget it,” he interrupted, his tone controlled but not rude.
“I just wanted to say tha-”
“It wasn’t a big deal,” he said, turning toward her, his expression unreadable. “Anyone would’ve done it.”
She looked down, biting her lip. Not anyone, she thought silently.
As he moved toward the door, he paused. “You’re joining today, right?”
“Yes,” she said softly, surprised he remembered. “I’ll be on time.”
He gave a faint nod. “Good. Don’t be nervous.” And with that, he left.
Aarvi stared at the closed door for a long moment, her thoughts tangled.
Maybe he wasn’t heartless.
Maybe he was just hurt… in ways she didn’t yet understand.
The thought made her chest tighten. She shook her head quickly, brushing it off. “No,” she whispered to herself, “don’t start imagining things.”
Aarvi adjusted the sleeves of her soft beige blazer before stepping into the dining area. The house buzzed with the usual morning chaos.
“Everyone, breakfast! No one’s leaving this house empty stomached!” Pragya’s voice called, warm yet commanding as always.
Within minutes, everyone had gathered around the long dining table. Aarvi quietly took her seat, trying to look as invisible as possible. She’d gone for a simple, formal look today beige blazer, crisp white shirt, hair neatly tied professional.
Moments later, Vivan entered, sleeves rolled up, phone in hand.
Breakfast began as usual until Pragya suddenly turned toward her son.
“Vivan, it seems like you didn’t sleep well last night?”
The question dropped like a pin. Aarvi froze mid-bite.
Vivan didn’t even flinch. “Hmm? Oh… yes, Maa.”
Her heart jumped. He’s not actually going to-
“Why?” Pragya asked. “Work pressure again?”
He sighed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Because of Aarvi-”
Silence.
Aarvi coughed violently, nearly choking on her food. “W-what?” she stammered, her voice too high.
Pragya’s brows rose, amusement tugging at her lips. “Because of Aarvi?” she repeated, her tone playfully suspicious.
“I-uh-I mean-” Vivan’s composure faltered, eyes darting away.
Vedant leaned back with a grin that practically spelled disaster. “It’s okay, bhai. We understand. Happens.”
The entire table erupted. Pragya chuckled softly, even Vinod looked up from his newspaper, smiling faintly. Aarvi wanted to disappear under the table.
Vivan shot Vedant a glare, but that only earned him a smug wink. Aarvi risked a glance at him before quickly looking away.
Prisha’s teasing also joined. “You two should sleep early, hmm? A little rest isn't bad.”
That was it. Vivan abruptly pushed back his chair. “I’m getting late for the office,” he said, his tone firm but his stammering said something else.
Aarvi exhaled in relief, hoping the attention would shift. But of course, it didn’t. Teasing murmurs continued, all aimed at her now.
He’d barely made it past the main hallway when he heard it, the laughter of Vedant. The kind that meant one thing, they’d moved on to teasing her now.
He paused, jaw tightening. Aarvi wasn’t used to this kind of playful teasing, she’d always looked like someone trying to blend into the background. And now, she was probably sitting there being the centre of the attention.
He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. Unbelievable. Before he can stop himself, he was already turning back.
Aarvi was fiddling with her phone pretending to check a message that didn’t exist when a familiar shadow fell across her.
She looked up, startled. Vivan stood there again.
Before she could speak, his hand wrapped around hers. “Aren’t you getting late for the office too?” he said.
Her breath hitched. The words were casual, but his tone wasn’t. There was a quiet protectiveness there, subtle, but enough to make her heart skip a beat.
He didn’t wait for her reply. With that same effortless authority, he guided her toward the door. Behind them, laughter followed, a teasing whistle from Prisha, a low chuckle from Vedant, but Vivan ignored it all.
Aarvi, still flustered, barely registered anything except the heat of his hand around hers the way he didn’t let go until they stepped outside.
She looked down at their interwined hands, for a second and unknown feeling snapped inside her, she never felt before.
And somehow she liked that feeling.
As the front door closed behind the family, everyone laughed freely inside.
Vinod smiled faintly, setting down his newspaper. “I hope everything continues like this,” he murmured, voice gentle.
Pragya nodded, eyes glimmering with quiet affection. “It will,” she said.
And for the first time in a long while, the Singhania house felt lighter as if something had finally begun to change.