EPILOGUE
---
“Aarvi, wake up. How long will you sleep?”
Vivan shook her gently. It was already 10 a.m., and she hadn’t even stirred.
“Please… just five minutes,” Aarvi mumbled, burying her face deeper into the pillow.
Vivan sighed, folding his arms. “Then take a leave today.”
That did it.
Aarvi sat up slowly, her hair a complete mess, eyes half-closed as she frowned at him. “I’m not that late.”
Vivan stood in front of her, fully dressed, looking painfully put together—as if waking her up every morning had become part of his daily routine. He exhaled slowly.
“Just because you’re the CEO’s wife doesn’t mean you can come late every day.”
Her eyes widened instantly. “When was I late, huh?”
Vivan chuckled, one eyebrow lifting. “Oh? So you want me to tell you?”
She immediately looked down, fidgeting with her fingers. “So what if I come late?” she muttered. “Can’t you change the office timings for your wife?”
Vivan rolled his eyes, but there was a smile tugging at his lips.
“You wake up at ten,” he started, counting seriously on his fingers.
“Then you shower, get ready, have breakfast that takes at least an hour…”
He looked back at her. “So basically, you want me to change office timing from nine to twelve?”
The sarcasm was obvious.
Aarvi made a face, got off the bed, and intentionally bumped her shoulder into his before marching toward the bathroom.
Vivan watched her disappear, shaking his head with a soft smile.
---
One Year after their wedding, Vivan officially reclaimed his position as CEO.
The rumors died down, the truth surfaced, and his PR team made sure the damage was undone.
As for Kiara—Vivan kept his word.
He didn’t touch her.
But her father?
That was a different story.
The truth behind his manipulation, pressure tactics, and unethical practices came to light and his company fell on its own. Not revenge. Just consequences.
---
Aarvi came downstairs a while later, all dressed.
Vivan looked up and smiled.
She didn’t.
Instead, she walked straight past him and sat beside Pragya.
Vivan sighed.
So that’s how it was.
He stood up and walked toward them.
Aarvi said nothing, but her heart raced. She silently prayed he wouldn’t do anything embarrassing in front of everyone.
“Maa,” Vivan said casually, “can you sit on my seat today?”
Pragya raised an eyebrow.
He glanced at Aarvi, who was stubbornly looking down. “Actually… mujhe kisi ko manana hai.”
Pragya smirked. “Why not?” she said, standing up.
Aarvi closed her eyes, already embarrassed.
“Oho, bhabhi,” Prisha nudged her teasingly.
Aarvi shot her a glare. Prisha immediately zipped her lips.
Vivan sat beside Aarvi, and despite herself, a small smile appeared on her face.
Vivan noticed it instantly.
“That’s it?” he said, brow creasing. “Bas itne mein maan gayi?”
“Come on, Aaru throw tantrums for at least one day. Give me an excuse to take a leave.”
Aarvi’s cheeks burned.
Vedant laughed loudly. “Bhai, points noted.”
Vivan’s smirk widened.
And just like that, the dining table filled with laughter—
with teasing, warmth, and the quiet comfort of a love that had finally found its place.
After a while, Pragya suddenly spoke, her voice hesitant but loud enough to catch everyone’s attention.
“Umm… it’s been five years since your marriage,” she said carefully. “Have you thought about family planning?”
Aarvi instinctively looked at Vivan.
So did he.
Vivan turned to her first, offering a soft, reassuring smile—one that silently told her don’t worry. Then he looked back at his mother.
“Maa, we don’t want any children.”
The words fell heavily.
Not only Pragya, but everyone at the table froze in shock.
“What are you saying?” Pragya asked, disbelief clear in her tone.
Vivan sighed, calm yet firm. “We haven’t done any family planning… and we’re not going to.”
Vinod leaned forward slightly. “But beta, at least tell us the reason.”
Vivan looked down for a moment, then lifted his head with a polite smile.
“I think this is our personal matter,” he said gently. “I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but I don’t want anyone to invade that space.”
He stood up. “I’m waiting,” he said simply, looking at Aarvi, before walking away.
Aarvi rose slowly and followed him out.
___
Outside, she found him standing beside the car, arms folded, gaze lowered.
She smiled.
And suddenly, her mind drifted back to that day.
---
“You treated Oberoi’s kids like they were your own,” Aarvi said, slipping out of her heels as they entered the room.
They had just returned from a birthday party—twins, balloons, laughter still echoing in her ears.
Vivan smiled faintly. “You know I love kids.”
Then his face lit up. “You know what?” he said excitedly. “When I have kids, I’ll throw grand birthday parties too.”
His eyes sparkled.
Her smile faltered.
“And also—” he stopped when he noticed her silence.
She sat down, fingers twisting together.
“Aaru,” he called gently.
She didn’t answer.
He walked over, knelt in front of her. “What happened?”
She shook her head.
He cupped her face, lifting her gaze. “You don’t want a baby?”
She swallowed—and shook her head again.
“Don’t lie,” he said softly.
“Maa—” she started.
“No,” he interrupted. “Don’t think about anyone. Tell me what you want.”
Her voice trembled. “Vivan—”
“Do you want a baby?” he asked again, firm now. “Or not?”
Slowly, she shook her head.
His heart sank but he smiled anyway.
“Then we’re not having any kids,” he said casually, patting her cheeks before standing up and removing his coat as if nothing had happened.
Aarvi looked up, confused. “But you said you like children.”
He turned to her and replied calmly, “But I love you. And I don’t think anyone can go against their love.”
She shook her head. “If you want, we can have one. I’m just scared of… you know… nine months and all.”
“That’s exactly why we’re not having kids,” he said, slipping into a T-shirt.
“But I said I can,” she insisted. “Every woman is scared at first. After one delivery, the fear fades.”
He adjusted the bedsheet, completely unbothered. “But my girl won’t.”
Aarvi stared at him in shock.
He met her gaze, unwavering. “You’re not just any girl to me.”
---
Her smile widened at the memory.
As she moved towards him. The moment she stepped infront of him, vivan looked up with a soft smile as he opened the car door for her.
They both sat.
The car moved smoothly through the familiar road, the morning traffic light, the city already awake.
Vivan drove in silence, one hand steady on the steering wheel, the other resting near the gear.
Aarvi sat beside him, her head turned toward the window, watching buildings pass by.
Nothing about the moment felt unusual. It was just another day — work waiting, routines set, life moving at its own pace.
After a few minutes, Aarvi spoke, her voice casual.
“Can I drive today?”
Vivan glanced at her, surprised for half a second. Then he nodded without asking why. He slowed the car and switched seats with her.
She adjusted the seat, fastened the belt, and drove.
For a while, everything remained normal.
Until she took a turn.
Vivan noticed it instantly.
“This isn’t—” he started, then paused.
She didn’t look at him. Her eyes stayed on the road.
“Let me drive,” she said quietly.
It wasn’t sharp. It wasn’t defensive. Just firm.
Vivan leaned back into his seat, lips pressing into a thin line. He didn’t argue. He didn’t correct her again. The city outside changed slowly —familiar streets fading into quieter lanes.
The car eventually slowed.
Aarvi parked.
The engine turned off.
For a few seconds, neither of them moved.
Vivan looked up.
The first thing he saw was the gate.
Old, painted white, slightly chipped at the edges.
Then the board.
“Shanti Children’s Home.”
His breath stalled.
He didn’t look at Aarvi. Not yet. His eyes stayed fixed on the building, the small garden visible beyond the gate, tiny shoes scattered near the steps, faint laughter drifting in the air.
Something tight formed in his chest.
He swallowed.
Slowly, he turned toward her.
Aarvi was already watching him.
Not nervous. Not emotional. Just calm as if she had been waiting for this moment, for him to see it, to understand without being told.
“You didn’t ask me where we were going,” she said softly.
Vivan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
“I thought… you had something in mind.”
She nodded.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t heavy. It was full.
“I’ve noticed things,” Aarvi said after a while. “Over the years.”
Vivan’s jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t interrupt.
“The way you stop when you see kids playing. The way you remember birthdays that aren’t ours. The way you kneel down when you talk to them, like you don’t want to tower over anyone smaller.”
Her voice didn’t accuse. It didn’t assume.
It observed.
Vivan looked away, his gaze returning to the orphanage gate.
“I also noticed,” she continued, “how you never once brought it up again. Not even indirectly. Not even as a joke after I said I don't want to have kids.”
She turned fully toward him now.
“And I realized… you weren’t letting go of anything for me. You were choosing me. Every day.”
His fingers curled against his thigh.
Aarvi reached out and placed her hand over his.
“I don’t want you to lose a part of yourself,” she said. “And I don’t want to be forced into something I’m not ready for.”
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
“But there are other ways to build a family.”
Vivan’s eyes finally met hers.
“You don’t have to decide today,” she added quickly. “Or tomorrow. Or even this year. I just wanted you to know that… we have options. Together.”
The sound of a child laughing floated through the open window.
Vivan closed his eyes.
Just for a second.
When he opened them, something had softened — not broken, not overwhelmed, just… eased.
“You planned this,” he said quietly.
She smiled.
“For us.”
He exhaled, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“You always do this,” he murmured. “Think ten steps ahead… and still act like it’s nothing.”
Aarvi squeezed his hand.
“It’s everything.”
Vivan leaned back, looking at the orphanage once more. This time, the tightness in his chest wasn’t pain. It was possibility.
After a moment, he said, “Let’s go inside.”
Aarvi blinked.
“Now?”
He nodded.
“We don’t have to promise anything. We can just… look.”
Her smile widened, slow and genuine.
She stepped out of the car first.
Vivan followed.
As they walked toward the gate, Aarvi’s hand slipped into his naturally, like it had always belonged there.
They stepped inside.
The space was simple—painted walls, scattered toys, faint echoes of laughter and running feet. Before either of them could take another step—
Thud.
Something small collided into Vivan’s leg.
A little girl, barely four or five, lost her balance and stumbled. The next second, her face crumpled, and she burst into tears—loud, startled sobs echoing through the hall.
“Oh—” Vivan reacted instantly.
He bent down, lifting her into his arms without thinking twice. She clutched his shirt tightly, crying harder as if the world had suddenly become too much.
“Hey… hey,” he said softly, his voice automatically gentle. “It’s okay. You’re alright.”
He wiped her tears with his thumb, brushing her cheeks carefully, as if afraid he might hurt her.
But she didn’t stop crying.
Vivan frowned slightly, thinking.
“Do you want to play with me?” he asked, his tone hopeful, almost shy.
The crying paused.
She pulled back just enough to look at him, wide eyes still wet.
“You will play with me?” she asked in a tiny, unsure voice.
He nodded immediately.
That did it.
Her sobs faded into sniffles, and soon she was tugging his hand, dragging him toward a corner filled with toys. Vivan followed without hesitation, sitting on the floor as she handed him blocks, a broken doll, and something that vaguely resembled a toy car.
They played—stacking blocks, knocking them down, laughing when things didn’t go as planned.
That’s when Vivan felt it.
He looked up.
Aarvi stood a few steps away, watching them. She hadn’t realized she stopped walking. Her expression wasn’t loud just stunned, softened, and full.
Vivan smiled at her.
“Come here,” he said gently. Then he looked at the little girl.
“Can she play with us?”
The girl nodded eagerly.
Vivan turned back to Aarvi, amused.
“You got permission.”
Aarvi smiled and walked toward them, lowering herself beside him. As she leaned closer, she whispered near his ear, her voice barely audible.
“I think you found the one.”
Vivan froze.
He turned to look at her. Aarvi was smiling, but her eyes held something deeper—certainty mixed with wonder, like even she hadn’t expected this moment to feel so… right.
He swallowed and looked back at the little girl.
“Hey,” he asked softly, “what’s your name?”
She giggled.
“Vani.”
Something settled in his chest.
“Vani,” he repeated, smiling. “Do you want to be on my team?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
He hesitated for just a second, then asked, his voice quieter now,
“But… permanently?”
Vani looked between him and Aarvi, confused at first. Then she smiled again and nodded slowly.
Vivan let out a breath, half laugh, half disbelief.
Later—
The three of them sat inside the car.
Vani sat on Aarvi's lap, humming to herself, holding one of Aarvi’s fingers with both hands. Vivan glanced at her, then at Aarvi.
Their eyes met.
No words were needed.
The car moved forward, carrying not just a couple but a family finding its shape.
THE END
~?~