CHAPTER 28（ARYAN）
My fingers moved across the keyboard as I worked through the last few documents on my laptop.
But my mind wasn't on the screen.
Be there before twelve, Aryan.
Her words echoed in my head.
I glanced at the clock.
11:00 AM.
A knock sounded on my office door.
"Come in."
My assistant stepped inside carrying a file.
"Sir, you have an important meeting today."
I looked at her.
Then at the clock.
11:01.
Under normal circumstances, I would have attended.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have thought twice about it.
Unfortunately for the meeting...
Mahi had made me a promise-keeping man.
I closed my laptop.
My assistant blinked.
"Sir?"
"Postpone it."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Postpone it?"
"To tomorrow."
She stared at me as if I had suddenly announced I was retiring.
"Sir, this meeting took weeks to arrange."
"I know."
"And the clients are already here."
"I know."
A pause.
Then she asked carefully,
"Is something wrong?"
I stood up and grabbed my car keys.
"No."
"Then why are you leaving?"
For a second, I considered giving a professional answer.
Instead, I glanced at the clock again.
11:02.
Then said,
"I have somewhere more important to be."
Her confusion only deepened.
I almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
A few moments later, I was already walking toward the elevator.
Because if I was late...
Mahi would never let me hear the end of it.
And strangely enough...
That wasn't the reason I was hurrying.
The real reason was much simpler.
I had made her a promise.
And when it came to her...
I didn't break them.
I adjusted my coat as I stepped into the car.
The engine started immediately.
Good.
Very good.
I glanced at the clock.
11:05.
Plenty of time.
Or so I thought.
The moment I reached the main road, traffic came to a complete stop.
I stared at the endless line of vehicles ahead.
Then slowly closed my eyes.
Of course.
Of course this would happen today.
I leaned back against the seat and checked the time again.
11:12.
The cars barely moved.
11:18.
Still nothing.
11:24.
I was beginning to understand why people hated traffic.
11:30.
The road finally started moving.
I released a breath.
Then pressed my foot harder against the accelerator.
The city blurred past the windows.
Normally I would have driven calmly.
Today was different.
Because every few minutes the same words repeated in my head.
Be there before twelve, Aryan.
A smile appeared on my face despite myself.
Only Mahi could make me abandon an important meeting and then somehow make me nervous about arriving on time.
I checked the clock again.
11:42.
Good.
Still possible.
The venue wasn't far now.
I took a final turn.
Then another.
And finally—
The riverside venue came into view.
I parked the car and stepped out immediately.
The sound of laughter drifted through the air.
Guests had already started arriving.
Flowers lined the pathway.
The decorations swayed gently in the breeze.
For a second, I simply looked around.
Then my eyes found her.
Of course they did.
Mahi stood near the entrance.
A clipboard in one hand.
A flower in the other.
Apparently instructing three different people at the same time.
The sight made me laugh quietly.
Three months ago she had struggled against a pan.
Now she was commanding an entire event.
And somehow...
Both versions suited her perfectly.
I stepped out of the car and adjusted my coat.
My phone buzzed.
A smile immediately appeared on my face.
Mahi.
Of course.
I opened the message.
Where are you?
I shook my head.
Then typed a quick reply.
I am here, Snowflake.
Before sending it, my eyes lifted automatically.
Searching for her.
Finding her immediately.
As always.
She stood near the entrance talking to a few workers.
A clipboard rested against her arm.
Apparently she had already taken complete control of the event.
Nothing new there.
I was about to put my phone away when movement caught my attention.
A man approached her.
My grip tightened around the phone instantly.
Not enough for anyone else to notice.
Enough for me to notice.
The man stopped beside her.
Said something.
Mahi barely looked at him.
I couldn't hear the entire conversation from this distance.
Then I heard—
"Boyfriend?"
My jaw clenched.
The man smiled politely.
Interested.
Hopeful.
I took a step forward.
Slow.
Measured.
My eyes never left him.
Then Mahi answered.
Without hesitation.
Without even looking at him.
"Husband."
The word hit differently than it should have.
A strange warmth settled in my chest.
The man visibly faltered.
"Oh."
Mahi finally looked up.
"Yes."
A second later, the man nodded awkwardly.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
And just like that, it was over.
The entire interaction lasted less than a minute.
The man walked away.
I should have relaxed.
Instead, my eyes followed him until he disappeared into the crowd.
Just to be sure.
I stepped closer to her.
"Mahi."
She turned immediately.
The moment her eyes landed on me, she released a breath.
"Aryan."
Her hand moved to her chest.
"You scared the soul out of me."
My jaw clenched.
Hard.
She frowned.
I knew she noticed.
Of course she noticed.
She always noticed.
"What happened?"
My eyes moved toward the man.
"What was he asking?"
Her brows pulled together.
"Who?"
I tilted my head slightly toward him.
The man immediately pretended to be fascinated by a flower arrangement.
Coward.
Mahi followed my gaze.
Then looked back at me.
"It's nothing important."
My fist clenched.
The answer only made me more suspicious.
"Mahi."
She sighed.
"He was flirting."
There it was.
Finally.
I kept my expression neutral.
Somehow.
Though a small sense of satisfaction settled in my chest when she added,
"I told him I have a husband."
For some reason...
Hearing her say that did something to me.
Something I wasn't interested in analyzing.
My eyes moved back to the man.
He visibly flinched when our gazes met.
Weak.
I took a step forward.
Immediately, a small hand pressed against my chest.
I stopped.
My gaze dropped to her.
"Don't."
My eyes moved back to him.
"He was bothering you."
"He asked my name."
My jaw tightened.
"And?"
"My number."
A pause.
"Then I said no."
How dare he?
The thought appeared before I could stop it.
And somehow that only made my jaw clench harder.
Mahi pressed her hand more firmly against my chest.
"Aryan."
Something inside me softened.
Immediately.
Every single time she said my name like that.
I looked down at her.
Her green eyes held mine.
Patient.
Stubborn.
Determined.
"Don't do anything stupid."
A smirk appeared on my face.
"Stupid?"
She crossed her arms.
"Yes."
I wasn't going to do anything.
Probably.
She stared at me.
Long enough to make it clear she knew I was lying.
"Aryan."
A sigh escaped me.
"Not today."
Her voice softened.
"Today is Alina's baby shower."
I remained silent.
"You can do whatever dramatic thing you're planning after it's over."
A pause.
Then she immediately shook her head.
"Actually no."
The corner of my mouth twitched.
Her eyes narrowed.
"After today."
That earned a laugh from me.
A small one.
But enough to make her relax.
Victory.
For her.
Not for me.
I intertwined my fingers with hers and gently squeezed her hand.
"You're very demanding."
A smile appeared on her face.
"I learned from the best."
I stared at her for a second.
Then laughed again.
Unfortunately...
She wasn't wrong.t5
I followed her through the venue as she continued giving instructions to everyone around us.
The strange thing was...
People actually listened.
Immediately.
Without question.
One moment she was talking to the decorators.
The next she was directing the catering staff.
Then the gift section.
Then the cake.
Then the games.
It was impressive.
And slightly terrifying.
"Mahi."
She looked over her shoulder.
"What?"
"How many people have you bossed around today?"
She gasped.
"I wasn't bossing anyone around."
I raised an eyebrow.
She pointed toward the flower arch.
"I was helping."
"Of course."
"I was."
I nodded seriously.
"Naturally."
She narrowed her eyes.
Then immediately pointed toward a worker.
"Move that ribbon slightly to the left."
The worker obeyed instantly.
I looked at her.
She looked away.
The traitor knew I was right.
A smile appeared on my face.
"So."
I shoved my hands into my pockets.
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"What exactly have you been doing all morning?"
That seemed to make her happy.
Immediately.
Because the next ten minutes were spent listening to her explain every single detail.
The decorations.
The seating arrangement.
The cake.
The gifts.
The games.
The flowers.
The backup flowers.
Apparently there were backup flowers.
Then she explained why the banner was important.
Then why the cake placement was important.
Then why the gift table was important.
At some point I stopped pretending to understand.
And simply listened.
Because she looked happy.
Really happy.
And for some reason...
That was enough.
"...and then Advik almost forgot the banner."
I nodded.
A terrible crime.
"Then I had to reorganize everything."
Naturally.
"Then I checked the flowers."
Again.
Naturally.
She finally stopped.
A breath escaped her.
Then she looked at me suspiciously.
"You weren't listening."
"I was."
"You weren't."
Unfortunately...
She knew me too well.
I smiled.
She rolled her eyes.
Then her attention shifted toward the flower arrangements.
For a moment neither of us spoke.
Then I asked casually,
"What's your favorite flower?"
The question seemed to surprise her.
She looked at me.
Then toward the flowers.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Pink Peonies."
I nodded.
"Why?"
Her gaze softened slightly.
"I don't know."
A pause.
"They look soft."
Another pause.
"And beautiful."
The smile on her face grew.
"As if they belong in a fairytale."
I watched her for a second.
The way she spoke.
The way her eyes brightened.
The way she smiled.
Then I looked away before she noticed.
"Peonies."
I repeated quietly.
She nodded.
"Peonies."
I committed it to memory immediately.
Just like everything else about her.
"What about yours?" she asked.
I looked at her.
"My what?"
"Your favorite flower."
I released a breath.
"I don't have one."
She immediately frowned.
"That's impossible."
"It isn't."
"It is."
I stared at her.
She stared right back.
Stubborn.
As usual.
A smile threatened to appear on my face.
"Mahi."
"What?"
"You're arguing with me about flowers."
"Because everyone has a favorite flower."
I shook my head.
"Not everyone."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
I sighed.
This conversation was clearly not ending.
"Fine."
The victory on her face appeared immediately.
Far too quickly.
Far too confidently.
I took a step closer.
Then leaned in slightly.
Just enough to see the curiosity in her eyes.
"Peonies."
She blinked.
"Really?"
A small smile appeared on my face.
"White peonies."
For a second she simply stared at me.
Then realization slowly appeared on her face.
Because she knew.
Her favorite flower was pink peonies.
The same flower.
Just a different color.
Her lips parted slightly.
As if she wanted to say something.
But no words came out.
Good.
For once, she was speechless.
A rare event.
A very rare event.
The corner of my mouth lifted.
"What?"
Her eyes narrowed immediately.
Nothing wrong.
Clearly she had recovered.
Unfortunately.
"You're impossible."
I laughed.
And somehow...
The smile on her face stayed anyway.
She suddenly looked down at her wristwatch.
A second later, her eyes widened.
"Oh no."
I immediately looked at her.
"What happened?"
"Alina."
The answer came instantly.
I waited.
"Alina is coming."
I waited again.
Then the panic started.
"What if she doesn't like it?"
There it was.
"What if she thinks it's too much?"
And there it was.
"What if the flowers are wrong?"
I closed my eyes briefly.
Typical Mahi.
Absolutely typical.
She could spend weeks planning something.
Perfect every single detail.
And then convince herself it was a disaster five minutes before it started.
"Mahi."
She didn't hear me.
"What if the cake—"
"Mahi."
"What if—"
"Snowflake."
That finally got her attention.
Her green eyes immediately found mine.
Worried.
Uncertain.
Nervous.
I stepped closer.
Then placed both hands on her shoulders.
The movement made her stop talking.
A miracle.
A very rare miracle.
"Relax."
She released a breath.
I reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Her eyes never left mine.
"Listen to me."
For once, she actually did.
I glanced around the venue.
The flowers.
The lights.
The river.
The decorations.
The guests.
Everything.
Then looked back at her.
"Everything is beautiful."
A small shake of her head.
"Aryan—"
"No."
I squeezed her shoulders gently.
"Everything is beautiful."
She fell silent.
"Anyone would love this."
A pause.
"Alina will love this."
The uncertainty in her eyes slowly began to fade.
Good.
Because she deserved to see what everyone else saw.
Not the tiny imperfections.
The result.
The effort.
The love behind it.
Finally, she released a long breath.
"Okay."
I smiled.
"There she is."
A small smile appeared on her face.
Then another.
And just like that...
The panic disappeared.
At least until the next thing gave her a reason to panic.
I watched as Mahi hurried toward the end of the pathway.
Immediately entering organizer mode again.
The blindfolded figure standing there could only be one person.
Alina.
Even from a distance, I could see the excitement on her face.
Mahi moved quietly behind her.
A few family members gathered nearby.
Everyone waiting.
Everyone smiling.
Then Mahi carefully untied the blindfold.
For a moment—
Nothing.
Alina simply stared.
Frozen.
Completely frozen.
The river.
The flowers.
The lights.
The decorations.
Everything reflected in her wide eyes.
Silence.
My gaze shifted toward Mahi.
The confidence she had shown all morning had completely vanished.
Her fingers twisted together nervously.
Then her right hand moved automatically toward her left arm
A habit.
One I had noticed months ago.
Whenever she was anxious.
Whenever she was waiting for an answer.
Whenever she cared too much.
"Mahi."
Alina finally turned around.
Mahi immediately straightened.
Trying to look calm.
Failing completely.
"Do you like it?"
The question came out softer than I expected.
For a second, Alina simply stared at her.
Then laughed.
A disbelieving laugh.
"Are you joking?"
Mahi blinked.
Alina's eyes filled with tears.
"I love it."
The relief that appeared on Mahi's face was almost immediate.
Before she could say anything else, Alina threw her arms around her.
And nearly knocked her over.
"Mahi!"
A laugh escaped Mahi.
"Careful."
"No."
Alina hugged her even tighter.
"I love it."
Another squeeze.
"Thank you."
Another.
"Thank you."
And another.
"Thank you."
Mahi laughed helplessly.
The sound carried across the venue.
Bright.
Happy.
Completely unguarded.
For a moment, I stopped looking at the decorations.
Stopped looking at the guests.
Stopped looking at everything else.
And simply watched her.
Because the smile on her face in that moment—
The relieved one.
The genuine one.
The one she only showed when someone she loved was happy—
Was easily the most beautiful thing there.
She finally let Alina and Advik make their way toward the stage.
The guests followed behind them.
Laughter filled the venue.
The baby shower had officially begun.
Mahi walked back toward me.
The smile still hadn't left her face.
I nudged her arm lightly.
"She loved it."
A grin immediately appeared on her face.
"I know."
The excitement in her voice was impossible to miss.
"I am so happy."
For a second, I simply looked at her.
The way her eyes seemed brighter.
The way her cheeks crinkled whenever she smiled.
The way she looked completely unaware of what she was doing to me.
A smirk appeared on my face.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Before I could say anything, she grabbed my hand.
Then immediately started dragging me toward the stage.
"Mahi."
She ignored me.
"Mahi."
Still walking.
"Mahi."
Nothing.
Typical.
She finally leaned closer and whispered,
"You know what you're supposed to do, right?"
I looked at her.
Then toward the stage.
Then back at her.
Of course I knew.
She had explained the schedule to me three separate times.
Then sent it to me.
Then reminded me over breakfast.
Then reminded me again in the car.
Then reminded me over text.
Then reminded me when I arrived.
I nodded.
"Yes, Snowflake."
Suspicion immediately appeared in her eyes.
As if she somehow knew I was making fun of her.
"You actually remember?"
I looked offended.
"Of course."
"Tell me."
I released a breath.
"The welcome speech."
She nodded.
"The gift presentation."
Another nod.
"The cake."
Another.
"The games."
Another.
"The surprise."
The smile on her face immediately widened.
Good.
I had passed the test.
Barely.
Very barely.
She squeezed my hand.
"Good."
Then immediately turned back into organizer mode.
Pointing at decorations.
Directing guests.
Adjusting flowers.
Fixing chairs that didn't need fixing.
I watched her for a moment.
Then shook my head.
A surgeon.
An event planner.
A professional worrier.
And somehow...
My wife.
The thought still felt strangely satisfying.
After every game, the energy only grew louder.
Laughter.
Cheering.
Excited voices echoing across the riverside.
And then came the final moment.
The gender reveal.
Mahi stepped forward, carefully holding two white balloons.
The entire crowd went silent for a second.
Even Alina looked like she was about to burst from excitement.
"I am so excited!" Alina shrieked.
Mahi immediately matched her energy.
"I am also so excited!"
The two of them laughed together.
For a moment, it felt like the entire world had narrowed down to just that happiness.
Mahi walked back toward me.
She nudged my arm with her elbow.
I looked at her.
She leaned closer.
"Don't press the button until they both pop the balloons."
I nodded once.
"Aye aye, Snowflake."
Her eyes narrowed immediately.
"You're making fun of me."
"I'm not."
I wasn't.
Much.
She studied my face for a second longer, then finally turned back toward the stage.
Satisfied.
Probably.
The guests gathered closer now.
Phones came out.
Whispers filled the air.
Advik stood beside Alina, holding her hand tightly.
Alina looked like she couldn't breathe from excitement alone.
Mahi positioned herself near the mechanism.
Focused.
Completely in control again.
The same Mahi who panicked over flowers five minutes ago.
I watched her carefully.
Waiting for her signal.
She raised her hand slightly.
"Ready?"
A collective cheer went up.
Alina screamed again.
Advik laughed nervously.
She shrieked.
The sound echoed across the entire venue.
Then immediately pointed at Advik.
"Now!"
Poor Advik looked more nervous than anyone else there.
Including the pregnant woman.
He took a deep breath.
Then popped his balloon.
Nothing happened.
Absolutely nothing.
Silence.
Advik froze.
Completely.
On the other hand, Alina burst into laughter.
The guests started laughing too.
"What happened?" someone shouted.
"I don't know!" Advik shouted back.
Mahi immediately looked away.
A terrible decision.
Because the smile she was trying to hide gave everything away.
Suspicion appeared on Alina's face.
"Mahiiii..."
Mahi lifted both hands innocently.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
A blatant lie.
A very bad lie.
One that fooled absolutely nobody.
Alina narrowed her eyes.
Then looked down at her own balloon.
The entire venue grew quiet again.
Waiting.
Watching.
Holding its breath.
Alina exchanged a glance with Advik.
Then popped her balloon.
Nothing.
Again.
No color.
No confetti.
No reveal.
For a second, both of them simply stared at the remains of the balloons.
Then slowly looked at each other.
Then at Mahi.
Then back at Mahi.
Mahi looked entirely too pleased with herself.
I felt an elbow hit my side.
I looked down.
Mahi.
Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.
"Now."
I nodded.
Then pressed the button.
For a second—
Nothing happened.
Then the large white cloth behind the stage dropped.
Pink smoke immediately burst into the air.
Soft clouds of pink surrounded the entire backdrop.
Flowers hidden behind the cloth came into view.
Pink ribbons.
Pink decorations.
Pink lights.
Everything.
The crowd erupted.
Cheers exploded from every direction.
But I wasn't looking at them.
Neither was Mahi.
Both of us were looking at Alina and Advik.
Frozen.
Completely frozen.
Alina's hands flew to her mouth.
Tears immediately filled her eyes.
Advik looked like someone had unplugged his brain.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them spoke.
Finally, Mahi stepped forward.
The biggest smile I had seen all day appeared on her face.
Then she said softly—
"Vristi is coming."
For a second, the world seemed to stop.
Then Alina started crying.
And Advik wasn't far behind.
Mahi smiled.
Not her usual smile.
Not the teasing one.
Not the stubborn one.
Not the victorious one she used whenever she proved someone wrong.
This one was different.
Brighter.
Softer.
Happier.
The kind of smile that reached her eyes completely.
And somehow...
That made me smile too.
Alina immediately threw her arms around her.
"Surprise."
Mahi laughed.
The sound was light.
Carefree.
Almost childlike.
Alina hugged her tighter.
"You planned all this?"
Mahi nodded proudly.
"Mostly."
A very obvious lie.
She had planned all of it.
Every flower.
Every ribbon.
Every decoration.
Every detail.
Alina's eyes filled with tears again.
"Thank you."
Mahi's smile softened.
The excitement faded slightly.
Leaving something gentler behind.
Something warmer.
She reached up and brushed a few tears from Alina's cheeks.
Then smiled.
The kind of smile only family ever received.
"You deserve it."
For a second neither of them spoke.
Then Alina hugged her again.
Hard enough to make Mahi stumble backward.
I almost stepped forward automatically.
A habit.
One I was slowly developing around her.
Unfortunately.
Mahi started laughing.
Which meant she was perfectly fine.
Alina pulled back slightly.
Still holding onto her.
"I love it."
Mahi's eyes immediately lit up again.
"Really?"
"Really."
"The flowers too?"
"Yes."
"The decorations?"
"Yes."
"The games?"
"Yes."
"The banner?"
"Yes."
"The cake?"
"Yes."
"The—"
Alina placed a hand over her mouth.
Immediately.
The crowd laughed.
I laughed too.
Because apparently Mahi had spent the entire morning worrying that everything was a disaster.
Only to receive the exact reaction she wanted.
Typical.
Absolutely typical.
My gaze settled on her again.
She was smiling.
Still smiling.
And somehow...
That felt more satisfying than the successful reveal itself.
She was still smiling.
Laughing with Alina.
Completely unaware that I had spent the last ten minutes watching her instead of the celebration.
Typical.
The gender reveal had gone perfectly.
Alina was happy.
Advik was happy.
The guests were happy.
And somehow...
Seeing Mahi smile like that was my favorite part of the entire day.
Maybe that should have worried me.
It didn't.