Chapter - 25
As Buaji looked at me and said, "Maa, you chose a beautiful wife for our Aarav," I couldn't help but feel a little happy. It was rare for someone to praise me, and Buaji's words brought a soft smile to my face.
But then her next words left me frozen.
"Kis khandan se ho? " she asked, her tone curious but sharp.
("Which family are you from?")
My smile faltered, and my heart sank. What could I say? The word "family" only brought memories of pain and fear—the tauji and taiji who used to scold me, beat me, and lock me away. And now, the only family I have is Bhai and Bhabhi, but they feel more like strangers these days.
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I felt frozen, unsure of how to respond. Before I could think of something, the sound of his voice saved me.
"Buaji," Mr. Rathore called out as he entered the room.
Her attention immediately shifted to him, and I let out a silent breath of relief. She stood up to greet him with a warm smile, and he returned the gesture, also greeting Fufaji politely.
Maa spoke up then, her voice cutting through the tension I was feeling. "We should eat. It's time for lunch."
Everyone moved to the dining table, and I busied myself serving food to everyone. It gave me something to focus on, something to do with my hands so they wouldn't shake.
As I was serving, Dadi Maa looked at me and said, "Siya beta, you also sit and have food. We'll take care of ourselves."
I was about to sit when Buaji's sharp voice rang out. "Maa, what are you saying? How can she eat with us?"
Her words stung. I froze on the spot, unsure of what to do. Dadi Maa looked like she was about to say something, but before she could, Mr. Rathore's voice came, firm and unyielding.
"Siya, sit and have your food," he said, leaving no room for argument.
Buaji opened her mouth to protest, but the look he gave her silenced her. She didn't say another word, and I quietly took my seat. The lump in my throat made it hard to eat, but I managed to swallow a few bites.
After lunch, everyone went to their rooms. Only Maa, Chachi, and I stayed behind in the living room. I started to help them clean up, but Chachi suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with frustration.
"Didi, this is why I wanted to go to my parents' house. I don't know what Jiji will do next," she said, shaking her head.
Maa looked worried but didn't say anything. I stood there, feeling a mix of emotions—grateful for Mr. Rathore's support, hurt by Buaji's words, and anxious about what might come next.
In the evening, I prepared tea and coffee for everyone.
The family was sitting on the lawn, enjoying the cool breeze, but he wasn't there.
I wondered how much work he had to do—he always seemed so busy.
I asked someone to take tea and coffee to the lawn and then took a tray with coffee for both of us to his study.
Without knocking, I opened the door and stepped inside. He was sitting at his desk, focused on his work. I placed the tray on the table and said softly, "Come and have coffee, or it will get cold."
He immediately stopped what he was doing and came to sit beside me on the sofa. My heart felt lighter seeing how quickly he left his work for me. But instead of picking up his coffee, he held my hand.
Even though I could talk freely with him now, I still felt nervous when he held my hands. My cheeks warmed as he said, "Look at me."
I raised my eyes to meet his, and he held both my hands gently, his touch reassuring.
'From today onward, if anyone asks about your family,' he said firmly, "you will say, 'Aarav Singh Rathore.
' You don't need to look back or think twice—your family starts and ends with me.
I am your family, Siya, and you are mine. No one else matters. Understood?"
Tears filled my eyes. How does he always know what's troubling me before I even tell him? Shivji, thank you for giving him to me. I nodded silently, my throat too tight with emotion to speak.
He smiled softly, took a coffee cup from the tray, and handed it to me. Then he picked up his own cup, and we started drinking in comfortable silence.
As I sipped my coffee, I thought this might be the right time to tell him about the dance performance. I wanted to share everything with him. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, his phone rang.
He answered, and as he listened, his expression changed. He looked serious, even a little worried. After a moment, he said, "I'm coming."
I watched him anxiously as he ended the call. He turned to me, cupped my face gently, and said, "I have an important matter to handle. I'll come back early, but if I get late, promise me you'll eat and not wait for me. Take care of yourself, alright?"
I nodded, unable to say much as he quickly stood up and left. The warmth of his touch lingered, and though I was worried about whatever had caused his sudden departure, I felt comforted by his words.
As I sat there alone with my coffee, I couldn't help but feel grateful for him—his care, his understanding, and the way he always made me feel like I belonged.
The moment I reached the office, I headed straight to the server room. My steps were quick, and my jaw tightened with every passing second. Arjun was already there, standing with Mr. Sharma, our CTO, who looked nervous, as he should be.
"Who did it?" I asked sharply, my voice echoing in the room.
Mr. Sharma stuttered, "Sir... we haven't found out yet. The team is working on it."
"Haven't found out yet?" I snapped, my fist slamming onto the nearest desk, making everyone jump. "What the hell are you all doing? Am I paying you to waste my time?"
Mr. Sharma swallowed hard. "S-Sorry, sir. We will have answers by evening—"
"You have two hours," I interrupted, my voice cold and sharp. "Two hours to find out who tried this, or don't bother showing up tomorrow."
The room went silent, and no one dared to meet my eyes. I turned to Arjun. "In my cabin. Now." Without waiting for a response, I walked out, my hands clenched into fists.
Once in my cabin, I sat down, my mind racing. This wasn't just a breach attempt—it was a direct challenge to me and my company, and I wouldn't tolerate it. Moments later, Arjun walked in behind me, closing the door.
"You have the best tech team in the country, and this still happened?" I asked, my voice sharp and cold.
Arjun stayed calm, as he always did. "Bhai, the one who tried to hack us couldn't get through.
Our system stopped the attack at the first layer of security.
The moment they tried, our system sent out a fake file that was loaded with malware.
Their computer got infected, and their own data was destroyed. None of our information was touched."
I leaned back slightly, my eyes narrowing. "So, they failed and ended up ruining their own system?"
"Yes, Bhai," Arjun said confidently. "But we're still trying to find out who they are. I'll also make sure to upgrade our security even more so this doesn't happen again."
I nodded, but my anger wasn't gone. "I don't care if this was a random person or someone who has a problem with us. Find out who it was. And when you do, make sure they regret even thinking about coming near Rathore Industries."
Arjun nodded firmly. "I'll handle it, Bhai. I'll update you as soon as we have something."
"Good," I said, my tone serious. "No mistakes. Get it done."
Arjun left the room, and I leaned back in my chair, my hands running through my hair. Whoever thought they could mess with me and my company had made the biggest mistake of their life. They would learn soon enough that no one crosses Aarav Singh Rathore.
The knock on the door came right on time, almost exactly two hours later. I didn't even look up from the file in my hand. "Come in," I said coldly.
Arjun stepped in, his face calm and composed as always. "Bhai, we found out who tried it," he said.
I leaned back in my chair, narrowing my eyes. "And?"
"He's a hacker. Someone who does these jobs for money. He doesn't seem to have any personal motive," Arjun replied.
I slammed the file shut, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "You know what to do, then?"
"Yes, Bhai," Arjun said without hesitation.
"Good," I said, my tone turning darker. "Now find out who hired him. I want a name. If he talks, fine. If not..." I looked straight into Arjun's eyes, my voice dropping an octave. "You know what to do."
"Yes, Bhai. I'll handle it."Arjun said firmly and left without another word.
I leaned back in my chair, my fingers drumming against the desk. People think they can mess with me and walk away. They couldn't be more wrong.
Moments later, my phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. The name flashing on the screen was one of my men I'd assigned to keep an eye on Dev Rajput. I picked up the call, my tone sharp. "Speak."
"Sir, Mr. Dev Rajput has fully recovered now. Should I bring him to Jaipur?" the man asked.
I paused for a moment, my mind already working on the next steps. A sly smirk appeared on my face as a different plan began to take shape.
"No," I said, my voice calm but firm. "There's no need for that right now."
"Understood, sir," he replied before I hung up the call.
I ended the call without another word, leaning back in my chair.
After spending time in the kitchen with Chachi and Maa, I finished making dinner and started to arrange the dining table.
I could feel my heart racing a little as I set everything up, hoping everyone would like the food.
When everyone came in, I served them with a smile, trying to ignore my nervousness.
"Siya, come sit and eat with us," Dadi Maa said kindly, but I shook my head softly. "I will eat later, Dadi Maa."
She didn't push me, which made me feel a bit relieved. After everyone finished dinner, Buaji asked, "Who made the kheer?"
I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. Did I make a mistake? "I made it, Buaji," I replied, my voice trembling slightly.
"Come here," she said, and I took baby steps toward her, unsure of what was going to happen. "Give me your hands."
Confused, I extended my hands to her. Buaji smiled and took out some bangles from her own hand and made me wear them. "Buaji..." I started, but she interrupted me.
"This is your first rasoi gift," she said proudly, "and your wedding gift is still pending. I'll give you that soon."
I felt a mix of emotions. "Buaji, that's not necessary..."
"It is necessary," she insisted. "Every ritual has its own value, and I want you to understand that."
She leaned in closer, lowering her voice so no one else could hear. "You made the best kheer. Don't tell anyone I said this."
My heart swelled with happiness at her words, and I nodded, feeling a warm glow inside.
After that, everyone started to head to their rooms, leaving me with Chachi and Maa. Chachi looked at me with wide eyes. "I can't believe what I just saw! Did Jiji change, or did something happen to her?"
Maa shot her a look, and Chachi quickly added, "Okay, okay! I won't say anything." She smiled and went to her room.
Maa turned to me, her expression softening. "Be happy, Siya," she said gently before heading to her own room.
I sat in the living room, glancing at the clock every few minutes. Mr. Rathore had told me not to wait for him, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to see him when he got back. After a little while, the door opened, and I felt a rush of happiness when I saw him and Arjun Bhaiya walk in.
Arjun Bhaiya greeted me quickly and headed straight to his room, leaving me with Mr. Rathore. He looked at me and said, "I told you not to wait."
Before he could finish, I excitedly interrupted, "I was waiting to show you this!" I held out my hands, showing him the bangles Buaji had given me. "Buaji gifted them to me, and she made me wear them herself."
For a moment, Mr. Rathore just looked at me, and I felt a little nervous under his gaze. "What?" I asked, my cheeks warming.
He smiled and gently pulled my cheek, saying, "Nothing. I'm going to freshen up."
I felt a flutter in my stomach as he walked away. I took a deep breath and started arranging the food on the table, hoping they would like it. When they came back, I served them and finally sat down to eat my own food.
As I took a bite, Mr. Rathore glanced at me and said, "I told you to eat and not wait for me."
I felt a bit shy as I replied, "I... I wasn't hungry before."
"Is that so?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, and I nodded, not really knowing what else to say.
We ate in silence, the only sounds being the clinking of utensils and the soft rustle of fabric. Even though I was nervous, I felt happy to be sharing this moment with him. I couldn't help but steal glances at him, wondering if he was pleased with my cooking.