Epilogue
Two years later
Dubai
Mihir moved quietly through the house, heading straight to the one place he knew Anna would be at this hour.
“Once upon a time, there was a prince who had a sunshine smile. His smile was so beautiful that it could light up a room.”
Mihir stood at the door, listening to his wife narrate her favorite bedtime story to their twins, Arjun and Mahie. Arjun asked for water, and Anna handed him a sipper-cup.
Mihir looked at his precious little family. Two years ago, Anna had married him again in a loud wedding celebration. It was exactly as she’d wanted. His sister, Sabrina—he’d finally gotten used to calling her that and not Karina—had done a great job organizing it. All their family and friends, including the Rajpoots and the Luthras, had attended.
Armaan and Vedant had also gotten married soon after. They’d held three grand receptions in different cities. Mihir and Anna had held their reception in Dubai, Vedant and Reina had theirs in London, and finally, Armaan and Navya had their reception in Moscow. The entire board of O-Corp, along with all their business associates and partners, had been invited to all three.
With the threat of Ivan no longer on their heads, the brothers had been able to focus fully on their work. O-Corp continued to grow by leaps and bounds.
Noir, and Anna, were thriving too. Miss Butterfly had finally been hushed, and Anna had stopped that gossip column she had started because of him. It seemed preordained that the first wedding Noir covered was theirs, followed by Armaan’s and Vedant’s. Noir was now fast becoming the most coveted platform for covering elite weddings. The who’s who of the world were approaching Anna to feature their weddings in Noir. It was amazing, how successful Anna continued to be, despite being a mother to their twins.
Anna and he were more in love than ever. They had both worked to fix their relationship to become this beautiful family they now were.
He focused on Anna as she continued to tell her story to their children.
“This prince was in love with a princess from a faraway land. “Then one day, some very bad people hurt him,” Anna said softly. “The princess thought he’d died. She was sad for many years. But the prince had lived. He thought the princess had hurt him. That because of her, bad people had hurt him. He thought that because of her he had a bad scar on his face. Then one day, the princess learned her prince was alive. She finally saw the prince again. The princess loved him despite that scar. She had always loved him.”
Mihir rubbed his cheek. The scar was no longer something he hated. It was a part of who he was, and he’d finally accepted it. He listened in as Anna continued her tale.
“But the prince was very angry with her. It took time, but the princess convinced the prince that she loved him. The prince fought the bad men who had actually hurt him, and they lived happily ever after.”
“Again,” Arjun said.
“Anna, Anna,” Mahie pleaded, “One more story.”
Mihir stepped into the room. “She’s Mom, sweetheart. Not Anna.”
“You call her Anna!” His baby girl pouted.
“Yes, she’s my Anna,” he said. “She’s your mom.”
“Mom, story,” Mahie repeated.
“Mom, please,” Arjun said.
Anna kissed their foreheads. “I’ll tell you the story again tomorrow. Now, it’s time for bed. Come on, close your eyes.”
Anna waited a few minutes till the kids fell asleep. A wistful look crossed her face before she caressed each of their cheeks. He watched his babies for a long moment before he and Anna left the room.
Once outside, she grinned at him. “Hello, husband.”
“Hello, wife. I love listening to you tell the same story that you once told Nia to our kids.”
She smiled. “It was a made-up story then. Now it’s real.”
And then, as if she remembered something, she put a hand on her hip. “It was one thing for you to make Nia and Shiven stop calling me Anna. But our own kids? Seriously?”
He frowned. “But you are their mom. They can call you that. Anna is only for me.”
Her mouth opened and closed, and then she shook her head. “I love you too much for my own good.”
Wrapping his arms around her waist, he yanked her to his chest. “And I love you more.”
“Debatable!” She kissed his lips.
His heart filled with love for her. When they’d first met, all he had wanted was to be with her and to raise a family with her. Today, they were finally there. It had taken them time, but they had reached this special place.
“Looks like it’s finally you and me time,” he said, kissing her again.
She kissed him for a long moment before she shifted. He tried to put his mouth back on hers, but she shook her head.
“All the girls are coming over tonight,” Anna said. “We are going to be drinking, eating, and chatting.”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” he grumbled. “I just got back from Moscow.”
She laughed. “You returned two days ago, Mihir.”
“Still, I haven’t spent enough time with you.”
She flicked his nose. “I know, but with everyone having kids now or on the way to having kids, it’s harder to find time together. Tonight worked out for all the girls. I have to go change.”
With one more kiss on his mouth, she went in the direction of their bedroom.
He made a face, pulling out his phone. He opened the Dubai Boys group chat. That night, after they had rescued Anna, Rajiv had added the Oshnov brothers to this group chat that already had Rajiv, Dev, Aaryan, Vihaan, and Shaurya. These men were now his closest friends. They were his strength and his support system, and he liked to think he was theirs too.
He typed a message.
Mihir
There’s a girls’ night happening at my place. I have nothing to do. All of you come over too. We’ll sit in the lawns and let the girls have the house to themselves
Dev
I’m in
Aaryan
Armaan
Already coming to you
Vedant
Same
Shaurya
Works
Rajiv
I’ll be there soon. It’s my turn to put the kids to bed because Sheena is already enroute to your place
Vihaan
I was out with Tiya and had to drop her to Mihir’s. Now she’s mad at me because I’m also coming there
Aaryan
Kiss her and fix it
Vihaan
I will. She’s in the last stages of her pregnancy. She’s always mad at me
Dev
I’m sure it’s more, and you did something stupid to annoy her
Vedant
ROFL
Aaryan
I believe he’s been an overbearing ass ever since he learned he’s going to be a dad
Vihaan
You keep quiet. You were worse when Sanjana was pregnant
Aaryan
Thankfully, that’s done. I’m not having another kid. I couldn’t bear to see Sanjana in pain the first time around. I’m happy with my boy
Dev
Have you asked my sister that? She’s already making plans for baby no. 2. She thinks Rishabh needs a sister
Aaryan
Fuck my life. Now I really need a drink.
Vihaan
Now I’m laughing my ass off
Rajiv
Me too
Vedant
Guys, have you forgotten how Mihir was? He kept barking his head off at Armaan and me when his Anna was in labor
Mihir
Careful, Vedant
Armaan
It still works like magic, every single time
Shaurya
What works like magic?
Vedant
Call her Anna instead of Ananya and see what happens
Mihir
Do you want me to hit you?
Shaurya
Not calling Ananya Anna ever
Mihir
Shaurya
Shaurya
Sorry, not sorry
Dev
So, what about the boys’ night? Shall we meet somewhere else?
Rajiv
Poseidon?
Mihir
I hate nightclubs
Aaryan
Ditto. Come home all of you. I’ll host
Vihaan
If we’re staying at home, then I’d rather be near Tiya. Mihir’s house is better. I’m anyway right there
Rajiv
Vihaan can’t be separated for too long from Tiya
Vihaan
Fucker, speak for yourself. You hate being away from Sheena even when you’re traveling for work
Dev
I bet you 500 AED that this boys’ night won’t end up the way you all planned
Shaurya
What does that mean?
Dev
Bet and you will see
Vedant
I’m in
Aaryan
In
Armaan
You’re on. It’s just a regular boys’ night
Dev
Watch me win
Rajiv
Prepare to lose, asshole. What different can happen on a boys’ night? We’re too much in love with our wives for it to go any differently
Dev
I never lose
Mihir
Not betting against Dev. Now stop flooding my phone and come here soon
He put his phone away and went to tell Dmitri the plan. A few minutes later, the doorbell started ringing nonstop. Sheena arrived first with Avantika, Sanjana, and Myra. Rajiv and Sheena had moved into their new house in Arabian Greens a year back, and hence they all were neighbors now.
Avantika wheeled in a stroller, where her tiny baby girl, Noor, slept. Dev and she had welcomed Noor almost a year back. Mihir met the girls one by one, checking on them and their kids.
Sheena had left her kids at home. They were the oldest in their group. Shaurya and Myra had a two-year old baby girl, Maisha, who she’d left at home with her dad, Om Gupta, who was visiting from Shimla. Aaryan and Sanjana’s almost two-year-old son, Rishabh, was also with Myra’s dad. Mihir knew that Aaryan had named his son after his late father.
Navya and Reina came down the stairs, both of them also in different stages of pregnancy. Mihir waved at them all. A heavily pregnant Tiya entered next, followed by a very agitated looking Vihaan.
She came straight at Mihir. “One night. I ask for one night with the girls, and you have to ruin it? This twat wanker won’t leave my side even for a second, and now you’re having a boys’ night here?”
He chuckled. Tiya was very cute and she used these funny cuss words all the time.
“He’s what?” Anna yelled from behind him.
“How could you?” Sheena asked.
“Not fair, Mihir,” Navya said.
“I don’t like you anymore,” Reina said.
Mihir raised his hands. “Hey, relax. I had nothing to do tonight, and all the guys were free too. So, I invited them all over.”
All the girls glared at him. Armaan and Vedant came down the stairs, and now their angry gazes turned on them.
“Oh, oh,” Armaan muttered.
Vedant raised his hands in the air. “Not our plan. Talk to Mihir.”
“Hey, we have a big house,” Mihir attempted to explain to the agitated women. “We’ll be outside on the lawns. You won’t even know we’re here.”
He quickly went outside with his brothers and Vihaan. Soon, the rest of the men arrived. They’d just about prepared their drinks when all the girls marched outside, followed by Avi wheeling her baby’s stroller.
“This is stupid,” Anna said, taking a seat beside Mihir. “We all are in the same house—let’s just hang out together.”
“Really?” Mihir chuckled. “You all just bit my head off when I announced the rest of the guys are joining in.”
“But now that we know our men are here,” Sheena began, “we’d rather all chill together. It’s more fun this way.”
“I agree,” Tiya said tiredly. She dropped down on Vihaan’s lap, resting her head on his chest.
All the guys looked delighted to have their women with them.
Dev winked at Mihir.
“Pay up, guys,” Dev said. “I told you this boys’ night would end differently.”
Armaan groaned. “Fuck. He knew the girls wouldn’t be able to resist joining us.”
Avi, who’d been fussing over Noor, punched Dev’s shoulder. “You bet them that we wouldn’t be able to resist spending time with you?”
“Actually, sweetheart,” Dev began, “I only told them this night would end differently. I can’t help it they fell for it.”
Sanjana looked at Aaryan handing over the money to Dev. “You bet against my brother? Dev never loses.”
Aaryan made a face. “I never learn.”
“Looks like Mihir was the only smart one,” Myra, Shaurya’s wife said.
Anna arched a brow at Mihir. “You expected this to happen?”
“Why do you think I invited them all over?” he whispered. “You refused to spend time with me. I did what I could to ensure that you’re seated right next to me where you belong.”
She laughed. “You’re just too much.”
“I know.”
He kissed her lips.
“Enough,” Rajiv said, looking disgusted. “Haven’t I banned you Oshnovs from kissing my sisters in front of me?”
Mihir kissed her harder.
“Fuck,” Rajiv cursed. “I really don’t need to see this.”
“And we really don’t need to see you making out with Sheena,” Navya said. “But we never get our wish. So, either stop doing that or get on board with this, Rajiv.”
When Mihir finally released Anna, the group had now gone to discussing something else.
Mihir smiled at his wife. “I’m all yours, Mrs. Oshnov.”
“And you’re mine forever, Mr. Oshnov,” she replied.
Taking her hand in his, she faced their family and friends.
This was his life now, surrounded by people who loved and cared for them. Only their sister was missing here. But she had her own life elsewhere, and her own story to tell.
Armaan and Vihaan said something, and the whole group burst into laughter. Mihir smiled, his heart full. He treasured all these people around them.
All of them had children or were on their way to having them. He hoped the next generation became as close as they all were. That they learned to depend on one another and be there for each other through thick and thin. If they did, then they’d all win at life, like he had.
His life was perfect, as it ought to be.
THE END