28.
Aarav turned sharply toward the door, ready to leave.
But Shaurya's hand shot out and caught his wrist—tight, unrelenting.
In the next second, Aarav was yanked backward, slammed against the wall with a thud.
Shaurya's palm pressed hard against his chest, holding him there, breath hitching between them.
"If I hadn't come back," Shaurya growled, his voice edged with fury, "you'd be fine, wouldn't you? You would've moved on. Don't act like you waited."
"Shaurya—"
"You wanted this to fall apart. You got us the annulment" Shaurya's eyes were burning. "You always saw me as your dog didn't you? "
The words landed like knives.
Aarav's eyes flashed. And then—he slapped him. Hard.
Shaurya froze. The sting on his cheek barely registered over the silence that followed.
"How dare you," Aarav shouted, his voice cracking. "How could you even think that?"
He stepped forward, breathing heavily.
"I came to you, Shaurya. Twice. Do you even remember?"
Shaurya's hand fell away from his chest.
"I fucking begged you to talk to me. I fell on my knees asking you to tell me what went wrong," Aarav's voice trembled with rage. "I held on. Even when you left me in silence."
Shaurya's expression wavered, confusion rising.
"And the second time?" Aarav's voice broke. "I came with your child. Our daughter."
The room dropped into stunned stillness.
"I stood outside that fucking door with her in my arms, hoping—praying—you'd just look at her. But you didn't even come out."
Shaurya stared at him. Silent. Eyes wide.
"What are you talking about?" he said quietly. "Aarav—I never saw you."
Aarav's face crumpled. "Don't you dare act clueless now."
"Aarav what-"
But Aarav had already turned. Already walking away.
The door slammed.
Shaurya stood frozen, his world spinning. His chest heaving. Words echoing in his ears:
"Our daughter."
He gripped his hair with both hands, fingers tangling in his strands as a sickening feeling churned in his stomach.
If he didn't remember... what else had he forgotten?
------------------------------------------------------------------
Yug sighed as he watched Roy rolling on the floor, giggling alongside little Aarya. The sound of her laughter echoed warmly through the room. He shifted his gaze to Ravi—who, to his surprise, was smiling softly at her, his usual hardened features unusually gentle.
It was strange. The Ravi Yug remembered from years ago was all sharp edges—Shaurya's ruthless shadow, quick to violence and even quicker to scowl. Not this quiet man watching a five-year-old with a look of protectiveness. He always witnessed Ravi beating people up for Shaurya.
"When are you guys planning to leave?" Yug asked, breaking the silence.
Ravi didn't look away from Aarya. "When Aarav sir gets here."
Yug nodded but studied him with quiet suspicion. There was something different about all of them now—older, quieter... but it was Aarya who seemed to pull out the softness in everyone.
He looked at her too.
It felt like time had fast-forwarded. It seemed like just yesterday he was holding her for the first time, this tiny miracle in his arms. And now—five years old, wild curls bouncing as she shrieked with joy.
She had always been special.
To him, Aarya was more than a child. She was his reason. His anchor.
Aarav and Aarya were all he had. He knew he was losing his mother—her sickness a slow goodbye he wasn't ready for. That hollow ache was something he carried quietly every day. But watching Aarav smile, hearing Aarya's laughter—that's what kept him going.
He knew he was always chasing something he might never have—Aarav's love. But even if he couldn't have that, he wouldn't let anyone take Aarya from him. Biological ties be damned. He would fight the world to stay close to her.
"You're smiling like a creep," Ravi muttered, glancing at him.
Yug rolled his eyes. "At least I don't stare like a stalker."
Ravi shrugged without guilt, his smile still lingering.
And the room, for a fleeting moment, felt like home.
Aarya suddenly popped her head up from behind the sofa, cheeks flushed, her curls bouncing wildly as she grinned.
"Ravi uncle! Yug uncle! Come play with me!"
Ravi blinked. "Me?"
He pointed to himself as if she had made some mistake.
"Yes! You too, both of you!" Aarya clapped her hands. "Roy is tired now." She pouted, looking at the man sprawled dramatically on the floor, pretending to snore.
Ravi glanced sideways at Yug with uncertainty, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of "play." Yug smirked.
"You scared?" Yug teased. "Scared of a five-year-old?"
Ravi scoffed. "I've fought men twice my size. This is nothing."
But even as he said that, his body language betrayed him—a man trained to fight, not to sit cross-legged and pretend to be a unicorn.
Still, Aarya was waiting. Her eyes bright, expectant. Hopeful.
With a dramatic sigh, Ravi stood up, towering over her with his large frame. "Fine. But only one game."
"Yay!" Aarya squealed, grabbing his hand.
Yug joined her on the other side, ruffling her hair. "What are we playing, princess?"
She paused thoughtfully, then her eyes lit up. "We're going to play superheroes! I'm the leader. Roy is the villain. You two are my protectors."
"Of course she made herself the leader," Yug muttered under his breath, amused.
"Shh," Aarya said with authority. "You both follow me now. And no breaking character!"
Ravi looked bewildered but followed her lead. The next ten minutes were pure chaos—Aarya climbing furniture, yelling orders, declaring imaginary kingdoms under attack. She handed Ravi a stuffed bear and told him it was his "magic weapon."
"You want me to fight someone with... this?" Ravi asked, holding up the floppy toy.
"Yes! It's magical!" Aarya insisted.
Yug chuckled. "Just go with it. You're already in too deep."
Eventually, Aarya jumped on the sofa and raised a hand. "Victory!" she shouted. "We saved the world again!"
Roy gave a dramatic death groan from the floor.
Ravi sat down heavily beside Yug, the stuffed bear now tucked under his arm like a real weapon. His face was flushed from crawling on the floor.
"I've taken down trained assassins," he muttered, catching his breath. "This is harder."
Yug laughed. "She has more power over people than anyone I've ever seen."
"Scary," Ravi admitted. "But... kinda amazing."
Aarya skipped over to them and plopped herself between them, resting her head on Yug's arm.
Yug's heart softened.
"She loves you". Ravi said looking up at Yug.
"I love her as well", Yug kissed Aarya's forehead who giggled in return. Ravi just stayed silent.
Only if Shaurya didn't fuck it all up.....