CHAPTER 5
AARAV
I walk up to the front gate of our family home, and my chest feels tight. My feet move, but my mind’s all over the place. Everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours—Anika, the wedding, Vikram running away—it keeps replaying in my head on a loop.
Anika walks quietly beside me. Neither of us has spoken since we left Vikram's house. Not because we don’t want to, but because we don’t know where to begin. I have nothing to say to her. She must probably hate me for doing this.
I press the doorbell, my mind full of messy thoughts. The gate creaks open, and there she is—my bhabhi. She stands in the doorway, visibly surprised. “You’re finally here,” she sighs, her tone somewhere between relief and annoyance.
“Aarav, you’ve been missing for a whole day. Do you even realize how tense Chachi was?” She scolds, but then her eyes soften. A huff escapes her as she rests her hand on her baby bump, adding, “You shouldn't stress me out like this in this condition.”
Guilt sinks into my stomach like a stone.
God. She doesn’t even know yet. The thing I’m about to drop on her is way worse than just disappearing.
I love Bhabhi like I love Aditi—she’s family in every way that matters.
She's kind, warm, and strong in that quiet way. When I see her with Bhai, sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever have something like that.
But right now? That dream feels far, far away.
Before I can open my mouth, Anika takes a small step forward. Bhabhi’s gaze draws to her, confusion all over her face.
“Who’s this?” she asks, looking between us.
I glance at Anika, then back at Bhabhi. My hand reaches for hers without thinking. Her fingers slip into mine, cold and hesitant. I grip them tighter.
“She’s my wife,” I say, voice low but steady.
Bhabhi’s eyes widen as if I just slapped her with the words. A gasp escapes as her hands come up to her mouth. A beat or two passes as she stares at Anika, then at me, then back again.
“What... what?” She stammers.
I don’t say anything. I just hold onto Anika’s hand like it’s the only thing keeping me grounded. My hand unknowingly tightens around her, and she flinches in hold.
Bhabhi looks at Anika up and down. I can see her brain trying to catch up, putting the pieces together. When it finally hits, her expression changes from confusion to disbelief. Maybe horror.
“What have you done, Aarav?” She whisper-questions, almost like she doesn’t want to believe it.
“It’s... complicated,” I mutter, and it is. Every part of this is messy and tangled and way beyond anything I ever imagined.
“Does anyone else know?” she asks, her voice quieter now.
I shake my head slowly. Nope. Just us, and now her.
She looks at Anika again, and this time something shifts in her expression. Her gaze softens. She steps forward and holds out her hand.
“You must be tired,” she says gently.
Anika hesitates for a second; her hand wriggles in mine as if contemplating, but then she nods and takes Bhabhi’s hand. Bhabhi leads Anika to the couch like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I just stand there. Frozen.
Confusion swirls in me as I watch Anika settle on the couch. I don't get it. She’s not yelling, not crying, not angry. She seems... okay. Too okay. It’s almost unsettling. She put up a fight and questioned my actions but did not, for once, walk away from the wedding.
“Who’s there, Shivani?” Maa’s voice cuts through from the hallway and my thoughts. Her hair’s tied in a bun, her eyes sleepy like she just woke up from a nap. Then she sees me. Her face lights up with a mix of shock and relief.
She rushes over and hugs me tightly. “You idiot!” she snaps, thwacking the back of my head. “You didn’t think to inform your mother before vanishing?”
I close my eyes and let myself sink into the hug. Her warmth melts the tension in me. It feels safe. It feels like home. But I know it’s not going to last.
“Chachi,” Bhabhi calls quietly, as if scared to break the news to her. Maa turns her head, her gaze landing on Anika.
Her smile slowly fades as a frown pulls up her face. “Who’s this?” she asks slowly, looking between us.
Anika walks toward us and turns to Maa. She bends forward to touch her feet, but Maa stops her midway and pulls her into a hug instead. She stares at her for a second, and then something clicks. “Anika? Is that you?”
Anika nods, tears welling in her eyes. “Yes, aunty. It’s me.”
They hug, and for a second, everything’s soft and warm again. But then Maa turns to me, and just like that, the warmth evaporates.
“What happened?”
I clear my throat.
“Maa…" My throat tightens; I don't know how to break the news. A deep breath escapes me as I step back and announce, "I married her."
Maa tilts her face. "Anika's my wife.”
Her face freezes, eyes widening. The room goes still. Just the slow whirring of the ceiling fan overhead.
“Why?” Maa finally yells. And before I can even explain, the rest of the house starts waking up. Doors open. Footsteps shuffle in. Faces appear one by one—Badi Maa, Bade Papa, Dadu.
“Maa,” I began, but she cut me off harshly, her voice booming across the living room.
“Don’t give me any justification,” Maa snaps, her voice shaking.
“Because no matter what you say, this is wrong.”
Tears roll over her cheeks. Badi Maa rushes to her, concern flooding her features.
“Naina? What’s wrong?”
Maa doesn't utter a word; she looks so broken—it breaks my heart. Bhabhi steps ahead and answers in a whisper, “Aarav got married. She’s Anika. His wife.” Their reactions hit me like a tidal wave—shock, anger, and disbelief.
“How could you do this without telling us?” Bade Papa’s voice booms, laced with disappointment.
The silence that follows feels like it might crush me. I step forward, struggling to find words. “I know this is sudden. And I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. But this was necessary.”
“Necessary?” Maa repeats, her voice breaking; she stares at me as if I have betrayed her. “Without rituals? Without blessings? Is this how we raised you?”
I glance at Anika, who’s standing there like a deer caught in headlights. An urge to pull her close, protect her, and take the weight off her shoulders fills me.
“I understand your anger,” I begin softly as I reach out to Maa, but she turns away from me. “And I’m sorry for the way this happened.”
“Sorry doesn’t change anything,” Badi Maa snaps.
“Enough!” Dadu’s voice slices through the chaos like a blade. The room goes still.
“Tell me the reason behind this. Let me decide if it was right or wrong,” he demands, his tone full of authoritativeness.
I suck in a deep breath. My hands are trembling.
I run one through my hair. I am not afraid of anyone, but when it comes to my family, especially Maa and Dadu, I am terrified.
They have always loved me; they rarely yell at me, and when they do, it's bad.
“Dadu... I went to Vikram’s mansion.”
“Khanna?” Bade Papa interrupts.
I nod. “He leaked internal info about my company. It cost me a two-hundred crore deal.”
Soft gasps echo around me. I see Bhabhi and Anika both flinch. “ He ran away. He was supposed to marry Anika. Her mom’s health is fragile." I look at Maa. "We already know that. She couldn't take it that he left Anika on the aisle; it could break her.”
I pause, trying to steady my breathing. “We got married to stop that from happening.”
Dadu doesn’t say a word. Just turns around and walks into his room, shutting the door behind him. I swear under my breath. If he doesn’t approve, no one will. The silence hangs heavy. My heart pounds in my chest. I glance at Anika—her eyes are glossy, and I know she’s holding everything in.
Then, the door creaks open. Dadu steps out and walks straight past me. My breath catches. He stops in front of Anika. She lifts her gaze, fear written all over her face. Dadu holds out a blue velvet box toward her.
“Welcome to our family, Anika,” he announces. She blinks, unsure if she heard him right. She slowly takes the box, her hand trembling. He places a gentle hand on her head.
“You’re one of us now,” he tells her. Relief floods through me. One hurdle down. A million more to go.
Because she might be part of the family now… But only for six months.