62. Love Demands Truth.
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I opened my eyes and found Dhwani's serene face right in front of me.
For a few seconds, I just looked at her quietly.
As much as I remembered, last night it was me who had fallen asleep with my head resting against her chest.
But somewhere during the night, positions changed.
Now she was the one sleeping over me.
One of her legs rested over my torso, arms wrapped around my chest possessively, face buried near my neck while my one arm still stayed around her waist, keeping her close even in sleep.
A small smile pulled at my lips unconsciously.
God.
This girl really slept like she was trying to stop me from escaping the country.
Carefully, without disturbing her too much, I grabbed my phone from the side table and checked the time.
Almost 9.
Shit.
I closed my eyes for a second.
There were already too many things waiting at the office today. Legal meetings, investors, media pressure, files... the entire mess from yesterday still needed handling.
Slowly, I shifted Dhwani properly onto the bed. She frowned slightly in sleep and instinctively tried holding my vest again.
Cute.
And dangerous for my self-control early in the morning.
I leaned down before I could stop myself and captured her soft pouty lips gently between mine.
Just one kiss.
That was the plan.
But the moment her warmth melted against my mouth, restraint became difficult.
I kissed her slowly, softly sucking her lower lip once before forcing myself to pull away.
God.
This woman tasted addictive.
And honestly, leaving the bed suddenly felt like punishment.
Still, I had to go.
After that, I took a quick shower, got dressed for the office, and headed downstairs.
Dadi and Dadu were already having breakfast when I entered the dining area.
Dadu lowered his newspaper slightly and looked at me over his glasses. "Good Morning Mr. CEO."
I pulled out a chair with a tired sigh. "Good morning to you too."
Dadi placed coffee in front of me while eyeing me carefully. "You look stressed, Yugant. Is everything alright?"
" Yeah, everything is alright." I lied because I don't want to stress them.
"Did Dhwani wake up?" she asked again.
I automatically smiled a little. "No. She's sleeping."
Dadi hummed softly. "Both Dhwani and Dhrithi are the same. Sleepy heads."
"Are we complaining now?" I teased while taking another sip of tea.
"Not at all," Dadi replied immediately. "A quiet house in the morning feels nice sometimes."
Dadu shook her head fondly before speaking again. "Dhwani was waiting for you till late night."
My fingers paused around the cup. Though I know that.
"She didn't eat properly either until you came. So make sure to come on time."
I nodded. They both are so understanding.
After a moment of silence, Dadu spoke again.
"How is Ishaan doing? He hasn't come home since Samarth left."
I looked up.
"He used to stay here most of the time," Dadu continued. "Why did he suddenly shift back to his own house?"
"He wanted that," I replied simply. "So I didn't stop him. Anyway, after a few months he might leave the job too."
The reaction was immediate.
"What?" Dadi looked genuinely shocked. "Leave the job? Why?"
Her face instantly filled with worry.
"Have you done something?" she asked quickly. "Does he think he isn't getting enough income? Do his promotion if needed, but keep him close."
I sighed softly.
"It's not about money, Dadi."
"Then what is it?"
"Ishaan and I had an agreement from the beginning," I explained calmly. "He was supposed to stay with the company for a fixed period. That contract is ending in a few months. After that... whether he stays or not will completely be his choice."
"No," Dadi whispered immediately, shaking her head. "This can't happen."
Her voice turned emotional unexpectedly.
"First Samarth walked away from this house, now Ishaan too?"
The guilt in her eyes made my chest tighten slightly.
"You boys are the reason this house still feels alive," she said quietly. "Please do something, Yugant."
I leaned back slightly in my chair before speaking carefully.
"It's impossible to keep Ishaan here now... unless..."
Both Dadi and Dadu looked at me immediately.
"Unless?" Dadu repeated.
I hesitated for a second. " Unless... we have some relationship."
Honestly, even I wasn't sure how this conversation would go.
"What kind of relationship can keep him here?" Dadi asked slowly this time, pressing each word carefully.
I exhaled quietly.
"Maybe..." I paused briefly before continuing, "Dhrithi."
The silence that followed was immediate.
Heavy.
Both their expressions changed instantly.
"Do you even hear yourself?" Dadu asked in disbelief. "Dhrithi is still a child compared to him."
"It's a nine-year age gap, Dadu," I replied calmly. "Mom and dad also had an eight-year gap. Even me and Dhwani have five years between us. When the partner is right, age doesn't matter that much."
"This isn't about numbers," Dadu spoke firmly this time.
"And you don't get to decide something like this for Dhrithi," Dadi added immediately. "She is your sister, not a way to keep Ishaan emotionally tied to this family."
I closed my eyes briefly, controlling my own irritation before replying calmly again.
"It was just a thought." I looked toward them properly. "It's not like I'm forcing Dhrithi into marriage tomorrow. Her life will always stay her choice. I only shared what crossed my mind."
Dadi shook her head immediately. "Then bury that thought."
Her tone softened slightly afterward.
"Not because Ishaan is a bad person. He is a wonderful man. But Dhrithi..." she sighed quietly, "...she won't survive in his world. He's too emotionally damaged, too serious, too burdened already."
I stayed silent for a moment before finally nodding once.
"Alright," I said calmly while finishing the last sip of my coffee. "As you say."
After that, I picked up my car keys and quietly walked out of the mansion.
They saw Ishaan as emotionally damaged.
But they never truly saw how damaged Dhrithi was too.
Emotionally. Mentally. Quietly.
People only notice pain when it becomes loud.
After mom and dad, she never really grew up normally. Neither did Adhvait let her.
And honestly? I never minded carrying her responsibility for a lifetime.
She was never a burden to me. She was family. The only untouched part of my life that still felt pure despite all the mess around us.
I could keep her with me forever if needed. Even if she never married, I genuinely wouldn't have a problem with that.
The only thing I feared was her choosing the wrong person someday. That's why Ishaan crossed my mind.
Not because I wanted to "keep him close" like Dadi misunderstood. That's the second thing. But because I trusted him.
More than most people.
I had seen the way he protected people he cared about, even while destroying himself quietly in the process.
I had seen his patience, his loyalty, the way he carried pain without throwing it onto others.
And strangely... I felt only a man like him would truly understand someone like Dhrithi.
Because damaged people often recognize wounds in each other that normal people completely miss.
And maybe that's exactly why I thought he would never hurt her carelessly.
Not intentionally. Never intentionally.
But of course... life rarely moves according to the plans we make for the people we love.
No matter how much we protect them, guide them, or try to choose the safest path for them, eventually their life becomes their own story to write.
And that's what scared me the most. Because control gives an illusion of safety.
But love?
Love demands trust.
Trust that even if the people we care about fall someday, they'll still find their way back without completely breaking themselves in the process.
So maybe Dadi was right too in her own way.
I couldn't decide Dhrithi's future for her, no matter how pure my intentions were.
Some relationships are not built by logic, protection, or planning.
They either happen naturally... or they don't happen at all.
And forcing fate usually destroys more things than it saves.
So for now, maybe the best thing I could do was let things flow the way they were meant to. And let time decide what was truly right for all of us.
I unlocked the car and slid inside it. The low sound of the engine filled the silence around me while I loosened my tie slightly.
Before I could drive out of the mansion gates, my phone started ringing.
I pulled it out of my pocket, connected the Bluetooth, and glanced at the screen.
Samarth.
A small sigh escaped me unconsciously before I accepted the call.
"Good morning," I spoke first while reversing the car slowly.
"Is it?" His cold voice came immediately from the other side.
Yeah. Definitely Samarth. No hello. Straight interrogation mode.
I smirked faintly. "What happened now?"
"Dhwani hasn't picked my calls since evening," he said sharply. "What have you done?"
Sorry what?
If she wasn't answering calls, how was that automatically my fault?
"She might be busy."
"Busy in what?"
I leaned back lazily against the seat before answering shamelessly, "Busy with her husband. We're newly married, for God's sake."
Silence followed for few seconds.
"You're so disgusting, Raizaada."
A laugh escaped me. "You asked."
"I regret asking."
"Good."