108.
Yug and Aarya sat in his cabin, the television flickering with the live broadcast of Aarav's press conference outside the palace. The campaign had just wrapped up, and reporters crowded around him, voices overlapping in a chaotic blur.
Aarya leaned against the chair, her small hands cupping her cheeks as she stared at the screen for a few seconds longer—before losing interest completely.
"Yug Uncle?" she called, tilting her head up at him.
"Yes, princess?" he replied, glancing down.
"I'm bored."
Yug raised an eyebrow, amused. "That's new. You never get tired of watching your Papa."
"I don't understand anything right now," she muttered, lips pushing into a pout.
A soft chuckle escaped him as he reached for the remote and turned the television off. The room fell quiet, the noise of the outside world fading with it.
"Alright," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Tell me what you want to do."
"We can talk," Aarya said after a moment. Then, more hesitantly, "Can I ask you something?"
Yug nodded, his expression softening. "Of course."
She hesitated only briefly before asking, "Why doesn't Papa live here anymore? Why don't you and Papa stay together now?"
The question landed heavier than her small voice suggested. Yug smiled, but there was something restrained in it.
"That's because your Papa and your Dad are together," he said gently. "They love each other, so Aarav stays with Shaurya."
Aarya frowned, clearly unsatisfied. "Then why doesn't Daddy live here with us?"
Yug reached out, ruffling her hair lightly. "Why are you asking me that?" he teased softly. "Don't you like staying in Amritnagar with your Dad?"
She nodded quickly. "I do. I love staying with him. And with Vayu, Chachu, and Miss Beautiful too."
Yug smiled at that, noticing what she didn't say but choosing not to point it out.
"But..." Aarya added, her voice dropping as she looked at him again, "...you don't stay there."
Something in his chest tightened.
Even if Shaurya was her father, Yug had been there from the very beginning—every first word, every scraped knee, every quiet night. Letting go wasn't something you learned overnight.
"Well..." he exhaled softly, patting his lap. "Come here."
Aarya slid off her chair and walked over. He lifted her onto his lap, wrapping an arm around her as if that alone could make the moment steadier.
"Why don't you just live with Daddy and Papa too?" she suggested, as if it were the simplest solution in the world.
Yug let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "It doesn't work like that, princess. That's not my home."
Aarya folded her arms stubbornly, clearly unconvinced.
Yug studied her for a moment before his tone softened, turning serious—but still warm.
"Listen to me," he said gently. "There might be a time when we won't be able to meet as often... especially when you move to Amritnagar permanently."
Aarya's expression fell.
"I know it's a big change," he continued, brushing her hair back. "But you'll have to adjust. For Aarav. For Shaurya. Okay?"
"But I want to live with you too," she said, her voice small but firm. Then, with a childish attempt at protest, she added, "I won't talk to you."
Yug huffed out a soft laugh, pulling her a little closer. "Hey, hey... alright." He tapped her nose lightly. "How about this—I'll come see you once every two weeks. Deal?"
Aarya didn't answer immediately. Her little face remained scrunched in quiet resistance.
"You should stay with Ravi Uncle. Then we can all live together," Aarya mumbled, her words slightly distorted as Yug stretched her cheeks.
His hands stilled. He let go immediately.
"What do you mean?" Yug asked, his tone shifting.
Aarya blinked up at him. "Ravi Uncle wants you to stay with him too—" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she realized what she had just said.
Yug's gaze sharpened. "Who told you that?"
"Ravi Uncle," she admitted, her voice dropping. "But he said not to tell you... or anyone."
Yug exhaled slowly, trying to keep his expression neutral. "What else did he say? And when?"
"When he dropped me here with Papa," she replied. Then, after a tiny pause, she added with complete innocence, "He also said you look cute."
Yug looked away, scratching the back of his neck as warmth crept up to his ears. He cleared his throat, trying to recover.
"Anything else?"
Aarya shook her head.
Then she leaned forward slightly, studying his face with a knowing little smile. "You're smiling, Uncle."
Yug immediately wiped it off, though it was already too late.
"You like Ravi Uncle, don't you?" she pressed.
"Oye—just be a kid, alright?" Yug shot back, flicking her forehead lightly before tickling her sides. "You've started understanding way too much these days."
Aarya burst into giggles, squirming in his hold.
"Don't grow up so fast," Yug murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her head once she settled.
They slipped into easier conversation after that—Aarya rambling about school, her friends, little stories that made no sense and yet meant everything.
She eventually climbed onto his lap again, tapping away at his laptop while he half-listened, half-watched her, a quiet softness lingering in his eyes.
A knock sounded against the glass door.
Yug looked up to see Jaspreet standing outside with Gurleen beside him. He smiled faintly and gestured for them to come in.
"Hey," he said to Aarya, nudging her gently. "Go play in the other room, okay? You're staying at my place today."
"Yay!" she chirped, hopping off his lap instantly.
The bodyguard stationed outside stepped in and followed her out, as always. Yug's gaze lingered for a moment. He trusted very few people when it came to her—hence the CCTV setup in the next room, and even at Aarav's apartment. It wasn't paranoia. It was necessity.
Only after she disappeared did Yug stand up.
He stepped forward and pulled Jaspreet into a quick hug, then greeted Gurleen just as warmly.
"Kya yaar, Yug—tu mar gaya tha kya?" Jaspreet groaned the moment he stepped in, half-annoyed, half-relieved.
Yug let out a small laugh. "Sorry yaar. I went to Amritnagar."
"Ohh... haan," Gurleen nodded, settling into the chair. "Did you stay at the palace?"
"Yeah," Yug replied easily, the lie slipping out without much thought.
"Hm." Jaspreet leaned back. "Aarav did good. You'd have felt worse staying alone."
Yug didn't respond, just gave a faint, non-committal smile.
"By the way," Gurleen added, crossing her arms, "why don't you settle down too?"
Yug's smile thinned. "I haven't really thought about that yet."
"C'mon, Yug," she pressed. "Tum ladko ko jab tak force na karo, tum log kuch karte hi nahi ho. You think you can manage everything alone, but one day—you'll be exhausted. Trust me."
Yug leaned back in his chair, exhaling. "I think I already have enough people in my life. Shaadi-vaadi... mujhse nahi hoga, honestly."
"Yaar, soniye, Yug sahi keh raha hai," Jaspreet chimed in, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Yeh shaadi-vyah thoda soch samajh ke hi karna chahiye."
Gurleen shot him a sharp look. Yug couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Yug, seriously," she continued, turning back to him. "At least think about it. If you want, I can find someone for you."
"Nahi, bhabhiji," Yug said, scratching his jaw lightly. "I'm... already kind of seeing someone."
That caught both their attention instantly. Jaspreet and Gurleen exchanged a quick glance.
"Oh ho!" Jaspreet grinned. "Abhi bol raha tha shaadi nahi karni, aur idhar dating shuru. Chal, bata—mera bhabhi ka naam kya hai?"
Yug huffed out a quiet laugh. "First of all, woh teri bhabhi nahi hai. And secondly..." He paused, then said it plainly, "It's a guy."
For a moment, both of them went still. Not because it was entirely unexpected—they knew—but because this was the first time Yug had actually said it out loud like this.
"Oh," Gurleen blinked, recovering first. "Kaun hai?"
"Ravi," Yug replied. "Shaurya Shekhawat's bodyguard. Jaspreet, you saw him once—at my bar."
"Ohhh, haan haan!" Jaspreet nodded immediately. "Terrific muscles."
Yug rolled his eyes, but a faint smile still lingered.
Gurleen, however, didn't look amused.
"What?" Yug asked, noticing her expression.
"You're dating a bodyguard," she said slowly, "who works for Shaurya Shekhawat."
"Yeah," Yug shrugged.
"Yug..." she exhaled, shaking her head. "He's just a bodyguard. What are you doing?"
"Calm down," Jaspreet muttered under his breath, though his gaze had turned more serious too.
Yug looked between them, confusion flickering across his face. "What?"
"Trust me," Gurleen said, softer now but no less firm, "this isn't going anywhere. You don't have time for something casual like this."
"It's not just a hookup," Yug replied, his tone tightening slightly.
Jaspreet tilted his head, studying him. "So... you've fallen in love with him?"
Yug shook his head almost immediately. "No. Definitely not."
Not yet, his mind added quietly.
"Then what is it, Yug?" Gurleen pressed, her tone sharpening. "Seriously, don't mind me—but your standards were always so high. You liked being around elites, businessmen... people from your own circle. What happened all of a sudden?"
Yug held her gaze for a moment before replying quietly, "I don't think I care about someone's background when it comes to dating."
Gurleen let out a soft, unconvinced sigh.
"Alright," she said, leaning forward slightly. "Let's say everything goes perfectly between you two. One day you're at a big party, and people ask what your partner does. What are you going to say? That he's a bodyguard?"
Yug didn't answer this time.
"Maybe you'll think I'm being narrow-minded," she continued, her voice softer now but still firm, "but these days, relationships only work when both people are... on equal footing."
Jaspreet nodded slowly. "Yug, I think she's right. Maybe he's a good guy, maybe he treats you well—but professionally..." He trailed off, searching for the right words. "It's a bit... off, you know?"
Yug's expression hardened slightly, but he stayed silent.
"Why don't you ask him to leave that job and join your company?" Jaspreet suggested. "I'm sure you can offer him something better. More stable. More... fitting."
Yug shook his head almost immediately. "I don't think he'd like that." He cleared his throat, cutting the conversation short. "Anyway... where are your kids?"
Jaspreet blinked at the sudden shift but answered, "At home. Nani aayi hui hai."
"Oh." Yug nodded. "Do you guys want something to drink?"
"No, no," Gurleen said, standing up. "We're already getting late. Just came to check on you." She paused, looking at him one last time. "But Yug... seriously. Think about your life. For once."
Jaspreet gave Yug's shoulder a light pat before following her out.
The door clicked shut behind them, and the room fell into a heavy silence.
Yug leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly as he rubbed his forehead.
Why would I have a problem with what he does?
The question lingered, unanswered.
But... is that what keeps us apart?
His jaw tightened slightly.
Marriage. The very thought felt distant, almost absurd. As if Ravi would ever see things that way. As if he didn't already look at Yug like he was doing something wrong half the time.
Yug let out a quiet, humorless breath.
And I can't ask him to leave his work...
He already knew how that would go.
He'd be furious.