50. THE DECISION
Vivan reached the office earlier than usual.
He didn’t even sit—just started giving instructions, calls, emails…
His face was calm, but anyone who truly looked could see the silent storm in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Aarvi sat in her cab, staring blankly out the window.
Her reflection looked tired… swollen eyes… pale lips.
How did everything change in one night?
She didn’t understand.
The cab stopped.
She snapped out of her thoughts and saw the tall glass building.
Office.
Her stomach twisted.
She stepped out hesitantly, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.
The moment she entered the building…
every pair of eyes turned to her.
Every single one.
Whispers faded.
People straightened.
And Tanvi rushed to her like she was meeting a celebrity.
“There she is! My friend!” Tanvi loudly declared, linking her arm with Aarvi’s like she was claiming territory.
The hall went silent.
And suddenly—
“Good morning, Aarvi ma’am.”
“Hello, ma’am.”
“Morning, ma’am!”
Ma’am.
Ma’am.
Ma’am?
The same people who didn’t bother offering her a seat in the cafeteria…
who never even looked up from their desks…
were now smiling at her like she was VVIP.
Aarvi swallowed.
“Good… morning,” she whispered, voice barely audible.
Everyone moved aside as she walked through the hallway with Tanvi—
giving her a wide, respectful space as if she was royalty.
Aarvi’s fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
Tanvi on the other hand was loving the attention—strutting beside her.
Why are they treating me like this? I’m not… anyone. I’m not special.
She walked faster, praying to reach her cabin.
But then—
Two employees talking loudly.
Loudly enough to make sure the entire floor heard.
As if Aarvi was invisible.
“I never thought she can do such thing.”
“Right? I’ve been here for five years. Vivan sir NEVER looked at any girl. She joins recently and suddenly she’s his girlfriend?”
Aarvi froze.
Tanvi too.
The girls continued without shame—
“I told you—something was weird. Vivan sir took her interview personally—who does that?”
“And Vinod sir calling her after the interview? Please. She definitely has something with Vinod sir als—”
That was it.
Aarvi turned sharply.
She barged into the small conference cabin they stood in.
Tanvi hurried behind her.
The two employees jumped, faces drained of color.
Aarvi’s voice was firm, steady, not shaking even once.
“What were you talking about?”
“W-we… nothing—”
“what were you talking,” Aarvi cut her sharply again asking the same question.
Both girls swallowed, unable to meet her eyes.
Other employees started gathering outside, pretending to work but clearly listening.
Vivan , While scanning documents, through his glass cabin he noticed a small crowd forming at the floor where aarvi's cabin is.
He ignored it.
But then he spotted her inside the crowd.
Her stiff posture. Her clenched fist. Her trembling breath even from afar.
His brows drew together instantly.
He stood up and walked straight toward the scene.
___
Meanwhile, the girls kept trying—one excuse after another, voices overlapping, desperation thinly veiled as justification.
But Aarvi wasn’t listening.
Not this time.
They went on anyway, scrambling to defend themselves, twisting words, reshaping the truth. Aarvi’s jaw tightened. Her patience snapped.
“Don’t lie,” she cut in sharply, her voice low but final.
Did they listen?
No.
They continued—talking over her now, pretending innocence, pushing their luck.
Aarvi drew a breath, ready to shut them down once and for all when—
A deep, calm, husky voice spoke from behind her. Unhurried. Unyielding.
“She said don’t lie.”
The room fell silent.
Dead silent.
Everyone stepped aside immediately as Vivan entered, his presence swallowing the entire cabin.
Aarvi’s eyes widened.
The girls looked like they might collapse.
“S-sir w-we’re sorry,” one whispered.
“We didn’t mean—”
“Mean what?” Vivan asked, raising one eyebrow.
He wasn’t shouting.
He didn’t need to.
The weight in his voice was enough.
The girls fidgeted, searching for excuses—
but Tanvi spoke up first, unable to control herself.
“Sir, They said Aarvi did something cheap to get this position and that she—”
“Tanvi!” Aarvi hissed softly, embarrassed.
But it was too late.
Vivan already turned to the two employees.
His voice was calm. Too calm.
“Write a resignation letter.”
The girls froze.
Everyone outside froze.
Even Aarvi’s breath hitched.
“Sir—p-please—”
“We didn’t mean to—”
“We were just talking—”
Vivan didn’t blink.
“After writing the resignation,” he said, tone like steel,
“meet me in my office.”
He didn’t wait for replies.
He just turned and walked out, the crowd silently parting for him like he was a force of nature.
Aarvi stood there, rooted to the floor, staring at the spot where he disappeared.
She didn’t know what shocked her more—
The insults she heard…
Or the way Vivan reacted.
___
The moment Vivan shut his cabin door behind him, reality hit him.
This is not a one-day thing.
Office gossip he could shut down.
People he could silence.
But social media?
The outside world?
The millions of posts that never die?
Aarvi was going to see everything eventually.
He couldn’t stand the thought.
Before the panic inside him could grow, he grabbed his phone and dialed his manager.
“Hello, sir?”
The manager’s voice came instantly alert.
Vivan didn’t waste a second.
“I need every single hate post against Aarvi taken down. Every troll account blocked. Every false article removed.”
The other side went silent for a beat.
“Sir… social media is too big,” the manager said cautiously. “We can’t erase everything completely. It’ll take time. The spread is already—”
“I don’t care how long it takes.”
His tone dropped — cold, sharp, dangerous.
“Just reduce the damage. Pull down what you can. Stop whatever is circulating. Handle the situation.”
“Understood, sir. We’ll start immediately. But… it might take time.”
Vivan exhaled harshly, pinching the bridge of his nose. His frustration wasn’t at the manager — it was at himself, at the world, at the situation spiraling beyond his control.
“Take as much time as you need,” he said, quieter this time.
“Just… do it right.”
“Yes, sir,” the manager replied sincerely. “We’ll fix it.”
Vivan ended the call but didn’t lower the phone.
He stood there, eyes closed, chest rising and falling with unspoken anger and guilt.
Only one thought echoed in his mind—
No matter what it costs…
she will not suffer because of me.
The day passed in a strange, heavy blur.
Vivan buried himself in work—meetings back to back, files stacking up, decisions made on autopilot. Yet no matter how busy he kept himself, the murmurs in the office never fully died down. Whispers followed where silence used to exist. Curious glances replaced indifference.
And Aarvi—
She sat at her desk, eyes on her screen, fingers typing mechanically.
She tried to focus—really tried—but the unease in her chest refused to settle.
Every laugh nearby felt directed at her.
Every pause in conversation sounded suspicious.
So she worked harder, drowned herself in numbers and emails, anything that would stop her mind from replaying the same thoughts again and again.
By evening, exhaustion weighed on both of them.
They returned home quietly.
Prisha and Vedant had also come back from their trip, the house carrying a little more noise, a little more warmth than usual.
Aarvi excused herself and went upstairs to freshen up, her steps slow, shoulders tired.
Downstairs, the kitchen smelled of freshly cut vegetables and spices.
Vivan sat casually on the slab, watching Pragya cook—except watching wasn’t exactly the right word. He kept popping cut vegetables into his mouth, earning himself annoyed glares.
“What do you need?” Pragya finally snapped, swatting his hand away. “Stop eating before it’s even cooked.”
“Already annoyed, Maa?” Vivan asked innocently, a teasing grin tugging at his lips.
Pragya shot him a look sharp enough to silence him.
“Okay, sorry,” he said quickly, raising his hands in surrender.
She continued chopping, then spoke without looking at him.
“Now tell me. Why have you been following me since you came back from office?”
The teasing faded slightly from his face.
He slid off the slab, stepped closer, and wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder.
“Maa,” he said calmly, seriously, “we need to distance Aarvi from all this.”
Pragya stilled.
Her hands stopped mid-motion.
She didn’t pull away.
Instead, she listened.
After a moment, she nodded, signaling him to continue.
“But how?” Vivan asked softly. “Office gossip I can handle. Media… not immediately. She shouldn’t be here when every reminder keeps hitting her.”
There was a brief silence.
Then Pragya said casually, almost like the answer was obvious,
“Then take her somewhere far for a few days. Until the news settles down.”
Vivan straightened instantly, looking at her.
After a beat, he nodded slowly.
“Hm… good idea,” he admitted. Then added quickly, “But we won’t go alone.”
Pragya turned, eyebrow raised.
“This will be a family trip.”
Her expression changed immediately—suspicious, displeased.
“What?” she asked sharply. “I asked you to take both of you. Why are you dragging us into it?”
Vivan opened his mouth to argue—then stopped.
This time, his voice came quieter. Thoughtful.
“She’s comfortable around you,” he said simply.
“Around family. She’ll have company… people to distract her. To forget everything.”
Pragya looked at him for a long moment.
Then she sighed—long and resigned.
“Fine,” she said. “You always know how to convince me.”
Relief flickered across his face.
He hugged her tightly, grateful.
“Thank you, Maa.”
As he stepped back, his smile faded into something more complicated.
Inside his mind, a thought lingered quietly—
This trip isn’t about us.
It’s about making her breathe again—without feeling awkward. Without pain.
And even if it meant keeping his distance—
He was willing to do that too.
The dining table was unusually lively that morning.
Everyone was settled in, plates clinking softly, the smell of hot parathas filling the space.
Vivan met Pragya’s eyes and gave a small, almost invisible nod.
She cleared her throat.
“Ah…,” she began lightly, “shall we go somewhere for a short trip?”
Every head snapped up at once.
For half a second, silence.
Then—
“Oh wow, what a great idea!” Vivan immediately chimed in.
A little too quickly.
“Right, Maa? We should definitely go for a trip.”
Now the shock wasn’t at Pragya’s question—
It was at him.
The ever-indifferent, work-obsessed Vivan… sounding excited?
Pragya shot him a sharp glare.
Don’t overdo it.
He caught it instantly.
Clearing his throat, he leaned back and continued eating, trying to sound casual.
“I mean… yeah. Just saying.”
Vinod lowered looked at pragya.
“But suddenly?” he asked. “Out of nowhere?”
Pragya shrugged calmly.
“Why not? Everything happening these days is too much. A break might do us good.”
Then her eyes turned pointedly toward Aarvi.
“Right, Aarvi?”
All eyes shifted to her.
Aarvi stiffened slightly, startled.
“Uh—what should I say…” she began hesitantly. “Now—”
“Yes, she agreed!” Prisha jumped in excitedly before Aarvi could finish.
“See? Now it’s decided. We’re going on a trip!”
Vivan raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
“Aren’t you two returning today from a trip?” he asked coolly.
“And again?”
His gaze flicked between Prisha and Vedant.
“No. You both aren’t coming.”
Two identical gasps.
“What?! Noooo!” Prisha protested.
“We also want to go!” Vedant added, offended.
Vivan didn’t even look at them—just continued eating as if nothing was said.
They squealed in frustration, whining in sync.
Eventually, laughter broke out.
Pragya stood up, clapping her hands once.
“Alright then. Go pack your bags.”
Excitement buzzed around the table.
As conversations overlapped—destinations, weather, food—Pragya gently asked,
“So Aarvi… where would you like to go?”
Aarvi looked up.
Her eyes met Vivan’s.
He was already watching her—quietly, carefully—pretending not to care, but waiting.
Hope, subtle but present, flickered in his gaze.
She hesitated for a second.
Then, in a soft voice, almost shy—
“Manali.”
Pragya smiled warmly.
Vivan leaned back in his chair, hiding a small smile behind his coffee cup.
Manali.
Cold. Quiet. Far.
Exactly what she needed.
Everyone was busy packing, the house filled with footsteps, half-zipped suitcases, and excited voices echoing through the corridors.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
Aarvi looked up.
“I’ll check,” she said and moved toward it.
She opened the door to find Prisha and Vedant standing there, identical mischievous grins plastered on their faces.
Before she could even speak, Prisha grabbed her wrist and dragged her out into the hallway.
“Prisha—what—” Aarvi started, startled.
Now standing outside, Vedant clasped his hands dramatically.
“Bhabhi, pleaseeee,” he pleaded. “Tell Bhai to take us with you on the trip.”
Aarvi blinked.
“But how will I?” she asked honestly.
“He’ll listen to you,” Prisha said confidently. “I know he will.”
Aarvi sighed in defeat.
“I’ll try,” she said softly. “But I’m not guaranteeing anything.”
“Okay! Deal!” both siblings chorused, grinning ear to ear.
Aarvi shook her head helplessly and walked back into the room.
Inside, Vivan was busy packing, neatly folding his clothes with practiced efficiency. Hearing her, he looked up, one eyebrow lifting slightly.
“Vivan…” she began.
“Yes?” he asked, already sensing something.
“Let’s also take Ved and Prisha with us,” she said carefully, trying not to stumble over her words. “It’ll be fun with them.”
He paused, then looked straight at her.
“They put you up to this, didn’t they?”
Aarvi’s eyes widened instantly.
“No—!” she shook her head vigorously. “N-no—”
Before she could finish defending herself, Vivan said calmly,
“Okay. Tell them they can come.”
Aarvi blinked.
Before she could even react—
“THANKS, BHABHI!”
The loud shout came from behind the door.
Aarvi flinched.
Vivan only shrugged his shoulders lazily.
“They were listening.”
A small smile tugged at Aarvi’s lips as she shook her head at their antics.
She turned back to Vivan, hesitating again.
“Ah… Vi—Vivan…” her voice softened.
“Can… can we take Yuvan also?”
The last few words sounded barely audible.
But Vivan heard them.
Because he was listening.
He turned toward her.
Aarvi instantly panicked, thinking she’d crossed a line.
“It—it’s okay,” she rushed. “I-I was just—”
“Okay,” he said simply, nodding once.
She froze.
Then her face lit up with a smile she didn’t hide this time.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
He replied with a quiet nod, his lips barely curving.
But something inside him shifted.
He didn’t like the way her eyes had brightened the moment she mentioned Yuvan.
Didn’t like the ease in her voice.
Didn’t like the warmth in her smile.
And this time—
He didn’t shrug the feeling away.
The house buzzed with an unusual kind of energy.
Bags were lined neatly near the door. Shoes were scattered. Prisha paced around checking things off an imaginary list while Vedant argued with her about who would sit where in the car. Pragya moved in and out of the kitchen, giving last-minute instructions.
Aarvi sat on the couch beside Vivan.
She was calm. Dressed simply. Hair loosely tied back.
Vivan leaned against the armrest, phone in hand, pretending to scroll—though he hadn’t absorbed a single word on the screen.
They were waiting for Yuvan.
The doorbell rang.
Before anyone else could respond, Prisha practically skipped toward the door.
“YUVAAAAN!” she announced dramatically.
The door opened, and Yuvan stepped in—easy smile, travel bag slung over his shoulder.
Every face in the room lit up.
“Finally,” Vedant muttered.
“Traffic?” Vinod asked.
“Always,” Yuvan replied casually.
Aarvi stood up.
The movement was small. Natural. Unthinking.
But Vivan noticed instantly.
She moved past him—just a step too fast, just a little too eager.
Yuvan’s eyes found her immediately.
“Hey,” he said warmly, stepping forward and pulling her into a brief side hug.
“You okay now?”
“Yes,” she replied, smiling.
“I am.”
It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t cautious. It was… free.
That was it.
That single smile.
Vivan’s jaw tightened before he even realised it.
He watched from where he stood—the way Aarvi’s shoulders relaxed around Yuvan, how easily she spoke, how the weight she carried seemed to lift for just a moment.
Something inside him shifted.
Unpleasant. Sharp. Unwanted.
He looked away.
Why does that bother me?
A side hug. A harmless question. A normal smile.
Yet his chest felt tight—like he’d been pushed slightly out of space he hadn’t known he’d claimed.
He told himself it was nothing.
Yuvan had always been like this—friendly, grounding, easy to talk to. Aarvi had known him longer than she’d known Vivan properly. Of course she’d be comfortable.
So why does it look wrong?
Aarvi laughed softly at something Yuvan said.
That sound—soft, unguarded—hit him harder than expected.
Vivan’s fingers curled unconsciously around his phone.
From across the room, Pragya noticed.
Not the reason—just the tension.
She looked at Vivan closely.
And for the first time since all of this had begun? she saw something new on her son’s face.
Not anger. Not annoyance.
Something closer to possessiveness.
Or maybe—
Discomfort.
“Acha,” Vinod said, clapping his hands together.
“Everyone ready? Let’s go.”
Aarvi stepped back from Yuvan.
Suitcases rolled over the driveway.
Voices overlapped.
Excitement filled the morning air.
Just as Aarvi stepped outside with the others, she suddenly halted.
Her phone.
Her eyelids fluttered in mild panic. She quickly patted her bag—empty.
“Oh no…” she murmured.
Before anyone could notice, she quietly turned around and headed back inside, her footsteps echoing lightly on the staircase as the front door closed behind her.
Outside, everyone was busy settling near the cars—adjusting bags, arguing over seats, laughing.
Vivan slid his suitcase into the boot, dusted his hands, and instinctively scanned the group.
Something felt… off.
His eyes searched again.
Aarvi wasn’t there.
A faint line appeared between his brows.
“Where’s Aarvi?” he asked, aiming for casual—but missing it by a mile. The worry in his voice slipped through.
Prisha looked around. “She was with us just now.”
Vedant shrugged. “Yeah, I saw her two minutes ago.”
Before anyone could speculate further, Pragya spoke—far too calmly.
“It’s okay,” she said with a small, knowing smile. “She must be inside.”
Then, as if it were the most natural idea in the world, she added, “Yuvan, go call her.”
The reaction was immediate.
“Why?” Vivan blurted out.
Every single head turned toward him.
Prisha paused mid-laugh.
Vedant froze with a bag in his hands.
Yuvan raised a brow, amused.
Even Vinod looked mildly curious.
Pragya turned toward her son slowly, lips twitching.
“Why not?” she asked sweetly.
Vivan realised—too late.
“I—” he coughed, straightening. “I mean… I also forgot something inside. So I’ll call her. Too.”
The explanation was terrible. Everyone knew it.
Before anyone could say another word, Vivan turned sharply and headed back inside the house, moving faster than necessary.
Behind him—
Prisha covered her mouth, giggling.
Vedant snorted.
Yuvan smirked knowingly.
Pragya simply shook her head, smiling to herself.
___
Upstairs, Aarvi grabbed her phone from the bedside table and let out a quiet breath of relief.
“Idiot,” she muttered under her breath, sliding it into her bag.
She turned toward the door, already half-thinking about hurrying back downstairs—
And walked straight into something or someone.
Thud.
“Oof—!”
She staggered back instinctively—but didn’t move.
Something held her in place.
A soft metallic tug.
Confused, Aarvi glanced down—
Her pendant.
Its chain was tangled with the button of Vivan’s shirt.
Her breath caught.
Slowly, she looked up.
He was close.
Too close.
Barely a breath apart.
Vivan was already looking at her, surprise flickering briefly across his face before settling into something deeper—something unreadable.
A rush of heat spread across Aarvi’s cheeks.
“I—” she began, panicking as she reached for the chain. “I’ll just—”
Her fingers trembled as she tried to pull it free.
Instead, the chain tangled further.
“Oh no…,” she whispered, nerves making her clumsy.
Vivan exhaled softly—more a sigh than a sound.
“Wait,” he said quietly.
Before she could react, he gently caught her wrist.
Her hand froze in his grip.
The touch wasn’t firm. It wasn’t rough.
It was careful.
Aarvi’s breath hitched as she looked up at him again.
“Let me try,” he said.
His voice was low. Calm.
And far too close.
His breath brushed against her skin, warm enough to send a strange flutter through her stomach.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
They just stood there— eyes locked, the world narrowing to the space between them.
Aarvi was the first to look away.
Her heartbeat felt loud in her ears as she lowered her gaze.
Only then did Vivan loosen his hold.
His fingers slid slowly away from hers, lingering just a fraction longer than necessary before he focused on the chain.
He leaned in slightly, carefully working at the tangled metal, his attention fully on the pendant—
Too focused.
Too unaware…
Of how close they still were.
Aarvi noticed.
She tried to step back, just a little—
At the same time, his hand came to her waist, steadying her, pulling her closer without realising it.
“Don’t move.”
The irritation in his voice was unconscious, instinctive
Aarvi stopped breathing.
His palm was warm against her side. Her eyes lifted to his face again.
He was still focused— until it hit him.
All at once.
The closeness. Her stillness. His hand on her waist.
His body stiffened.
He pulled away immediately, dropping his hand as if burned.
“S—sorry,” he muttered, so quietly it barely existed.
Barely.
But Aarvi heard it.
Her heart was still racing when he finally freed the chain.
“There,” he said, stepping back, suddenly all distance and formality again.
The pendant fell back against her chest.
Silence rushed in.
Loud. Heavy.
Neither of them spoke.
But both of them knew—
Something had shifted.
And neither was ready to name it.
~?~