CHAPTER 22! FAMILY #2
For a moment, all her nervousness disappeared. She cupped his face gently, tilting it upward. "Look at you."
Ayaan was dressed in a dark green kurta. His hair was neatly combed-for approximately five minutes, Aadhira guessed. Children had a special talent for destroying expensive styling.
"You look handsome, meri jaan."
Ayaan nodded seriously. "I know mama."
Aadhira stared, then burst out laughing.
Definitely Aryav's son.
The same unshakeable certainty.
Ayaan immediately reached into his pocket. "I brought something."
He carefully pulled out a silver fountain pen and handed it to her.
The metal was cool against her palm.
Aadhira blinked. "For me?"
The boy nodded once. "For your drawings."
A strange warmth settled in her chest. "Ayaan..."
"Dada said good artists need good pens."
Aadhira looked up instinctively.
Rajendra Vikram Rai Shinghania was entering the grand hall, flanked by the rest of the family. And behind them-
Aryav.
Her breath snagged somewhere between her lungs and her pride.
Just for a second.
He wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary.
Simply walking beside his grandfather.
Dark blue shirt. Sleeves folded once. One hand in his pocket. Men like Aryav never needed to demand attention. Attention simply found them.
As if sensing the exact millisecond her gaze landed on him, he looked up.
Their eyes met.
Aadhira immediately looked away, her eyes fixing tightly on the floor.
Coward.
Five years engaged. Still acting like eye contact was a criminal offense.
"Mama," Ayaan tugged her hand, breaking her spiral.
"Hm?"
"You're red."
"I am not."
"You are."
"I am not."
The boy squinted up at her.
Aadhira decided she preferred arguing with adults.
"Go play," she murmured, nudging him gently.
Ayaan considered it, then spotted Vaani. The six-year-old had just entered holding Vivaan's hand.
The moment Vaani noticed him, she waved enthusiastically. Within seconds, both children disappeared toward the garden.
Aadhira stepped forward to greet the elders. She bent respectfully before Rajendra Vikram. "Namaste dada ji."
A large hand rested briefly on her head. "Khush raho." Simple words, yet they carried unexpected warmth.
She smiled, then moved toward Mrinalini Devi. The elegant matriarch observed her carefully before reaching out, touching Aadhira's cheek. "Tired?"
Aadhira opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again.
Mrinalini Devi smiled knowingly. "Good."
"Dadi?"
"Means you're participating."
Aadhira had absolutely no idea what that meant, which probably meant Dadi knew exactly what she was doing.
After greeting the elders, Ishani, vikrant and others, she found herself immediately surrounded by Tara and Myra. Finally. Normal people. Or at least relatively normal.
"You're looking weird," Tara noted.
"Weird?."
"Like the combination of beauty and stress."
"Am I?"
"Yeah but Don't worry you're ready for anything," Tara grinned.
Aadhira laughed. Before she could answer-
"Bhabhi!"
She closed her eyes. "Tara."
"Not me," Tara grinned, pointing a thumb backward.
A familiar voice appeared right behind her shoulder.
Reyansh. Of course. The human embodiment of trouble.
"What now?" Aadhira asked, turning around.
"I came to congratulate you."
"That sounds suspicious."
"It should."
Arjun appeared beside him carrying two glasses. "Don't encourage him."
"Too late," Reyansh smirked.
Arjun handed her a drink. "Welcome."
The simple sincerity surprised her.
She smiled. "Thank you."
Reyansh immediately ruined the moment. "Waise, Arjun owes me five hundred."
"Why?"
"No reason."
"Reyansh."
"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "I bet that Aryav bhai would look at you within five minutes of arriving."
Aadhira nearly dropped her glass. Tara choked.
Myra burst out laughing.
Arjun calmly sipped his drink. "He won."
"ARJUN!"
"Two minutes, thirty seconds," Reyansh interjected, checking his watch with a smug grin. "Frankly, I'm disappointed. Bhai's losing his edge."
Aadhira wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole. The cousins looked entirely too pleased with themselves.
For the first time all evening, she stopped feeling like a guest.
This wasn't intimidating.
This was family.
Aadhira was in the middle of listening to Tara explain why Reyansh should legally be banned from making bets when another car stopped outside.
The next second, a familiar voice echoed through the foyer.
"AADHIRA!"
Aadhira's face immediately lit up. "KASHVI!"
Ignoring every ounce of decorum expected inside a house full of relatives, Kashvi marched straight through the front door and wrapped her best friend in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh my God, look at you!"
"Kash-"
"No. Turn around."
"Kashvi."
"Turn around."
Aadhira groaned.
Kashvi narrowed her eyes.
"You're glowing."
"I am not."
"You are."
"I'm wearing highlighter."
"That's not what I meant."
Aadhira rolled her eyes. Kashvi smirked, then her gaze shifted beyond Aadhira's shoulder.
The smile disappeared. Immediately.
"What the..."
Aadhira knew that tone.
It was never a good sign.
Slowly, she turned.
Vivaan stood near the drinks counter. Unfortunately, he had also noticed Kashvi.
The silence lasted three seconds.
Four. Five.
"Tum," Kashvi said, folding her arms.
Vivaan looked unimpressed.
"Unfortunately."
"What are you doing here?"
"What a strange question."
"What does that mean?"
"It means," Vivaan replied calmly, his voice dry with amusement, "I was invited."
Kashvi scoffed. "Unfortunate for everyone involved."
Tara's eyes widened.
Myra grabbed a samosa and settled into the nearest chair.
Reyansh appeared from nowhere.
"Who is she?."
Arjun accepted a plate from a waiter. "Aadhira bhabhi's bestfriend."
Kashvi pointed directly at Vivaan. "Aadhira, this is the idiot who hit my car."
"Excuse me."
"Excused."
Vivaan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you ever get tired of yourself?"
"Why are you always annoying?" Kashvi groaned.
"Because apparently God enjoys testing me."
Kashvi gasped. "Excuse me?"
"I said what I said."
Before she could launch herself at him, Aadhira grabbed her wrist. "No."
"Aadhira."
"No."
"He started it."
"You literally spoke first."
"He started it spiritually."
The entire group burst into laughter. Even Arjun looked away to hide a smile.
Vivaan closed his eyes briefly.
"Unbelievable."
"You agree?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"That people like you are allowed driver's licenses."
Kashvi made a noise of pure outrage.
Reyansh immediately pulled out his phone. "I'm recording this."
"Reyansh!" Myra shouted
"What? Future evidence." Reyansh replied innocently.
Vivaan's phone suddenly vibrated.
His expression changed instantly. Not dramatically-just enough. He glanced at the screen and answered. "Yes."
The group quieted automatically.
Vivaan listened, his jaw tightening. "Handle it."
A pause.
"No."
Another pause.
"I said handle it."
The call ended. For a second, something cold flickered across his face, then it disappeared.
He slipped the phone away.
Kashvi stared. "Who was that?"
Vivaan looked at her. "None of your business."
And somehow, that irritated her even more. "See?" She pointed at him. "THIS. This attitude."
Vivaan looked genuinely confused. "You asked a personal question."
"You answered rudely."
"You asked rudely."
"You exist rudely."
Arjun nearly choked on his drink.
Myra bent over laughing.
Tara looked seconds away from falling off the sofa.
Vivaan stared at Kashvi, then shook his head slowly. "You are genuinely the most exhausting person I've ever met."
Kashvi smiled. "And yet here you are."