CHAPTER 30
Negi House
“Reyansh?” Radhika jumped off the couch the moment her brother stepped inside with Aanya. She rushed into his arms, and he welcomed her with the same warmth.
“How are you doing, Di?” he asked softly.
“I’m good… but when did you arrive? And why didn’t anyone tell us?”
Before he could answer, Nani emerged from her room, visibly surprised. Her brows furrowed at the unexpected sight of Reyansh in California.
“Aanya… did you know about this?” Radhika asked, turning sharply.
“No, Di. He didn’t tell me either,” Aanya replied honestly.
“Rey!” Rishi called out from the kitchen, where he was busy making Nani’s daily dose of authentic masala chai.
“Jeeju,” Reyansh smiled, hugging him tightly as Rishi clapped him on the back.
“This is a wonderful surprise,” Rishi muttered. “We’ve all missed you. Why didn’t you come with Nani?”
“I wish I could have come with her,” Reyansh replied.
Aanya stood quietly, watching as everyone welcomed her husband with genuine affection. This family adored him. He shared an easy, natural bond with all of them.
“If you didn’t tell anyone about your visit, how did you end up arriving with Aanya?” Nani asked, curiously.
Reyansh and Aanya exchanged a look.
“I met her last night,” he said calmly. “So we decided to come here together this morning.”
The Negi couple nodded in quiet understanding, but Nani clearly struggled to process the idea that he had chosen to meet his wife before visiting the rest of the family.
“Nani,” Radhika intervened gently. “They’re missing each other since six months. Of course, Reyansh wanted to see Aanya first.”
Reyansh offered his sister a small, grateful smile.
A sudden cry echoed from the other room.
“Someone just realized her uncle is here,” Radhika grinned. “Come, Reyansh. Meet your niece.”
She led him toward the baby’s room, with Aanya close behind.
Ruhi lay in her cradle, still delicate for a three-month-old. Reyansh had seen her countless times over video calls, but seeing her in person was different.
“She’s beautiful,” he murmured as he stepped closer, his voice low and full of awe.
Radhika beamed as he gently touched Ruhi’s nose, brushing her cheek with soft fingers. Aanya watched from a distance, her heart swelling. For someone who claimed to dislike being around children, Reyansh was surprisingly tender with Ruhi.
The moment his hand touched her, Ruhi stopped crying and pouted adorably.
“Oh God, that’s exactly what she does when Aanya touches her,” Radhika remarked.
Reyansh glanced sideways at Aanya and smirked.
“Want to hold her?” Radhika asked.
“I hope she doesn’t cry,” he said, though his arms were already outstretched.
“She won’t.”
Radhika lifted Ruhi from the cradle and gently placed her in Reyansh’s arms. He held her close, kissing her forehead with love.
“She’s the sweetest baby I’ve ever seen,” he whispered.
“But she’s a menace at night…won’t sleep at all.”
“Is that so?” he asked, rocking her in his arms, eyes still on Ruhi.
She smiled up at him, calm and content.
“I think she already likes you, Rey,” Radhika said.
“I hope so,” he murmured, kissing her cheek this time. “Because I like her too.”
Aanya continued to watch from the side, unable to look away. She had often imagined his first meeting with Ruhi, and now that it was here, it felt perfect.
****************
It had been over an hour since they arrived.
Reyansh politely declined another cup of coffee.
He’d already had one at Aanya’s place. Radhika, however, couldn’t miss the undercurrent between the two.
Something about them was different today.
The way they sat across from each other, restless, their gazes colliding every few seconds.
It was obvious they were itching for some alone time.
This very tension between them was what Radhika had always hoped to see: the pull, the awareness, the growing hunger between a man and his wife.
“You’re leaving tomorrow? That’s so unfair, Rey,” Radhika complained, frowning. “C’mon, just extend your stay. Please?”
Reyansh glanced at Aanya, who pouted without realizing that she had been mirroring the same silent request.
“Di, I really wish I could,” he replied. “But it’s not in my hands this time. There are others already enroute to Cape Town. I have to be there by tomorrow evening.”
Rishi exhaled loudly in mock disappointment.
“Well then, Radhika,” he said to his wife, “maybe we shouldn’t be hogging their time today. Let them slip away for a bit. The couple clearly needs time alone to reconnect without the rest of us tagging along.”
Aanya’s cheeks flushed, though she quickly masked it with a composed expression. She didn’t want them to see just how badly she wanted that time with Reyansh. She had so much to say, so much she hadn’t shared yet.
“I’ll take Aanya out this evening,” Reyansh said, smiling slightly. “Until then, I’m all yours.”
“That’s a plan I can approve,” Radhika nodded.
“Rey,” Rishi chimed in again. “You mentioned Aanya’s father is here too?”
“Yes. He should be arriving in a few minutes,” Reyansh confirmed.
Aanya tensed. She needed to take her father home, show him where she lived, and more importantly, have the conversation they both had been avoiding for far too long.
Ruhi’s sudden cries interrupted the family conversation, and as always, Aanya sprang into action. Radhika, observing closely, saw Reyansh’s attention shift toward his wife instantly, his eyes following her, drawn to her maternal instinct.
“You can go check on them,” Radhika whispered to her brother, nudging him slightly.
With a crooked smile, Reyansh stood and followed Aanya into the room.
“Aww, what happened to my angel?” Aanya cooed, gently rocking Ruhi in the cradle. “Had a bad dream?”
Ruhi stretched her little arms toward her.
“Want me to carry you? Alright then, come here.” She lifted the baby into her arms.
Reyansh leaned against the doorframe, watching the two of them before walking inside.
“You’re really good with her,” he said.
“Learned a few tricks from Di,” she replied with a grin.
Without hesitation, he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around both Aanya and Ruhi, enveloping them in a quiet, intimate embrace.
“What are you doing, Ruhi’s Uncle?” Aanya asked, trying to suppress the blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Cuddling the two angels in my life,” he murmured into her ear.
She giggled, the term angel sending warmth to her chest.
“Angels don’t tempt devils into kissing them,” she teased.
“Oh? Did you just call me a devil, Ruhi’s Aunt?” he said with a mock frown as he gently turned her around. Ruhi was nestled safely between them, yawning, wide-eyed, as if watching their romantic scene unfold, she instinctively understood.
“I did. What will you do about it?” Aanya challenged.
Reyansh cupped her chin and leaned in.
“Ruhi’s watching,” she whispered breathlessly.
“I don’t care,” he said and before the words were fully out, his lips claimed hers in a soft, fleeting kiss. Ruhi was sandwiched between them but she cooed and stayed calm watching her uncle and aunt’s adorable moment.
A sharp doorbell chime shattered the moment.
“Your father’s here,” he said quietly, pulling away and took Ruhi from her arms, so she could go and welcome her father.
Anand Malhotra stepped into the living room, and Aanya rushed to hug him. He held her close, emotion tightening his features, though he quickly composed himself under the gaze of the Chopra family.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Sliding his arm around her waist, he turned to the others. “You’ve taken such good care of my daughter in every possible way. I can never thank you enough.”
“Uncle,” Radhika interrupted with a soft smile. “Aanya is family. And in this family, we always look out for each other.”
“That’s very kind of you, Radhika. Truly. Choosing this family for Aanya has been the best decision of my life,” he said, with genuine gratitude.
Nani didn’t harbour any ill will toward Anand, but she had little to say. Still, she stayed nearby, listening, participating just enough to not seem distant.
“It was Reyansh’s idea to bring me here,” Anand continued. “And I couldn’t say no to him. I wanted to meet Aanya, too. But we have to leave tomorrow.”
“Yes, Reyansh told us,” Radhika nodded. “But Uncle, why stay at a hotel? You both should stay with us.”
“No, Di,” Reyansh answered before Anand could speak. “The hotel is closer to the airport, and it’s just a matter of one night.”
Radhika frowned but didn’t argue further.
Later, Anand spent time with Ruhi, playing with her, laughing more than Aanya had seen him do in months.
He even shared a few stories from Aanya’s childhood, mischievous ones she had never heard before.
During lunch, Radhika once again couldn’t stop praising Aanya’s cooking.
Though Reyansh and Anand didn’t get a chance to try it that day, the compliments were enough to leave them curious.
“Di, I’ll take Dad to my place for a while,” Aanya said.
“Of course,” Radhika agreed. “And Reyansh?”
“I’ll stay here, Di,” he said, unwilling to intrude on their private conversation, for which Aanya was more than grateful.
****************
At her shared company accommodation, Aanya showed her father around. Once settled on the living room couch, Anand turned to her.
“You and Reyansh seem to be doing well. He told me how much you’ve changed… in ways he and I both never imagined.”
Aanya smiled. Her husband had been saying kind things about her. That meant more than he probably realized.
“Dad, I didn’t bring you here to talk about us. I want to talk about your divorce.”
Anand’s posture stiffened.
“What’s left to talk about, Aanya? We’ve already discussed this.”
“We have,” she replied firmly, “and I still think you’re making a mistake.”
He sighed. “I don’t see it that way.”
“Kyle isn’t entirely to blame. She was never at fault as your wife.”