epilogue
As I slowly opened my eyes, I found Yugant's face buried in the crook of my neck. His lips moved lazily over my skin, leaving slow, open-mouthed kisses that sent shivers through me.
I wriggled slightly, and he instantly realized I was awake. He lifted his face from my neck and smiled brightly.
"Good morning," he mumbled before capturing my lips.
I thought he would pull away after a quick kiss. He didn't. Instead, he deepened it, taking his time as he explored my mouth. Just before pulling away, he harshly bit my lower lip.
"That was harsh..." I complained, touching my lower lip. A faint metallic taste filled my mouth. He had bitten it hard enough to draw a tiny drop of blood.
"Was it?" he asked innocently. "You didn't complain last night."
Ugh... this man. "Because I enjoyed that."
His brows lifted. "So you didn't enjoy the kiss?"
"You bit me..."
"Then let me make it better."
Before I could react, he leaned down again. His fingers wrapped gently around the back of my neck as he captured my lower lip between his own, kissing it slowly and carefully this time, soothing the sting with every soft kiss.
I melted into him without realizing it and kissed him back.
My hands wandered over his bare chest while his palms explored my body with the same familiar tenderness that always made me forget everything else.
Neither of us realized when we lost ourselves in each other again.
By the time we finally came back to our senses, we had gone from the bed to the shower, wrapped in nothing but each other's company.
Afterward, we hurriedly got dressed. We were already running late, so we rushed downstairs to have breakfast with everyone.
Everyone was already at the dining table, waiting for us.
"Good morning, Jiju!" Mysha chirped the moment she spotted Yugant. The bright smile on her face made it obvious how excited she was to see him.
"Oh... hey!" Yugant replied a little awkwardly. "How are you?"
He walked over and took the seat beside her, while I settled next to Vedika on the other side because, apparently, Mysha had claimed my seat today.
She gave him a shy nod.
"Did you sleep well?" Yugant asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
"Yes," she answered softly. "Dhrithi Dii's room was very comfortable."
As the two of them continued talking I noticed how comfortable Mysha was becoming around Yugant, I turned my attention to Pihu.
"Hey, Pihu. How are you, baby?"
She looked up at me with her beautiful doe-like eyes. Her face remained blank, just like always. No smile. No reply.
My heart clenched. I understood that silence. I had lived it.
"Pihu," I said gently, "I used to be just like you. I couldn't speak either. But I kept trying... and now, see? I can talk."
She simply blinked at me.
I wasn't even sure if she understood my words.
At that moment, I realized how difficult it must have been for Bhai all those years when he tried to include me in conversations, only to receive the same silent response.
I served myself breakfast before glancing at Yugant. He was still busy talking to Mysha.
When I looked back at Pihu, I noticed her eyes were fixed on the two of them.
Yugant had once told me he had tried talking to Pihu a couple of times, but she had become uncomfortable around him. Not wanting to frighten her further, he had quietly stepped back. She always seemed much more at ease around the women in the family.
But right now...She was watching Yugant and Mysha with complete focus. Almost as if she wanted to be a part of their conversation too.
"Yugant," I called, pretending to remember something. "Do you remember the scrapbook we found in Pihu's room? The one filled with pictures of cats?"
He looked at me blankly.
"What if we give her a kitten?" I turned to Pihu with a smile. "Would you like that, baby?"
Her eyes lit up immediately.
For the first time, I saw a little excitement on her face. Instead of answering me, she turned to Vedika and nodded eagerly.
"All right," I laughed. "Then today we'll go adopt one. Deal?"
I held out my hand. She looked at Vedika again as if asking something.
"Of course I'll come with you, baby," Vedika said, kissing her forehead.
After breakfast, just as promised, we went to an animal adoption center. They showed us several adorable kittens.
Pihu quietly observed every one of them until a tiny grey-and-white kitten slowly walked up to her feet and rubbed itself against her leg.
She froze. Then, very carefully, she bent down and picked it up.
The kitten immediately curled against her. We all knew she'd made her choice.
Yugant completed the adoption while none of us had the heart to separate the two.
For the first time... I saw a genuine smile bloom on Pihu's face. And somehow, that single smile made my own heart feel unbelievably full.
Because all my life... I had been the one running away from people, building walls. Creating distance before anyone could get close. I had lost so much because of it.
But now I have taken a step toward someone instead of away from them and It felt right.
When we reached home, Pihu spent the entire time following the tiny kitten around the house, making sure it didn't wander too far.
After so long she wasn't holding Vedika's hand. She wasn't hiding behind her. Usually, if Vedika even went to the washroom, Pihu would follow her immediately.
"Dhwani..." Vedika called softly, watching the little girl with teary eyes. "Thank you."
I smiled.
"You don't have to thank me. I understand what she's going through because I've been there too. And honestly..." I looked at Pihu fondly. "I love being around her. She's the sweetest little girl."
Vedika nodded, wiping the corner of her eye.
"Still... this is the first time I've seen her this carefree. And it's because of you."
I shook my head.
"No... it's because she finally found someone who made her smile."
Just then, Mysha came running downstairs with a drawing pad clutched to her chest.
"Dii! Where's Jiju? I want to show him something."
"He left for the office a little while ago."
"Oh..." She pouted for a second before smiling again. "It's okay. I'll show him this evening."
With that, she hurried back upstairs. She was probably using my colors.
I turned back to Vedika. "How old is Pihu?"
I asked because I was planning to order a dress for her online, and children's clothes usually come in age-wise sizes.
"She is four."
My eyes instinctively went to Pihu. "She doesn't look four."
The moment I looked back at Vedika, the color had completely drained from her face.
"Vedika... are you alright?" I asked, reaching for her hand.
She pulled it back almost instantly."Y-yeah... I'm fine. It's just... a little hot."
Hot?
The air conditioner was on, and the room temperature couldn't have been more than twenty-seven degrees. It wasn't hot at all.
After a brief silence, she looked at me again. "Why do you want to know her age?"
"Oh... nothing." I smiled. "I just wanted to buy a frock for her."
She nodded quickly.
"Buy one size bigger. She's just... a little healthy. That's probably why she looks older."
"Huh... okay."
I nodded, though something about her answer felt... odd.
"Why do you call her Pihu?" I asked. "I mean...I know it's such a cute name and it suits her as well but how do you think?"
A faint smile appeared on Vedika's lips.
"I've called her that lovingly since she was a baby. It's not her real name."
One more new piece of information.
"Then what's her real name?"
She hesitated for a moment, it looked like she was debating whether she should answer.
"It's..." she paused before finally saying, "Sadhvi."
"Sadhvi."
I repeated the name under my breath. It was beautiful.
Though completely different from Pihu.
"Did you and Adhvait have a love marriage... or was it arranged?"
I didn't know why I suddenly felt so curious about her life. Maybe because she still looks so young. Maybe because Adhvait had ruined so much for her.
She deserved another chance at life. She deserved to build a career, raise Pihu peacefully, and live for herself.
"It was..." she hesitated again. "Yes... a love marriage."
As she spoke, tiny beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?" I asked gently. "I mean... we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
She immediately shook her head. "No, no... it's not you." She forced a small smile. "I just... don't like remembering that phase of my life."
Poor her. The man she had loved had only given her pain. "I'm... really sorry," I said softly.
She simply nodded, her eyes drifting toward Pihu, who was happily chasing the kitten around the living room.
That night, Mumma came straight to the Raizaada Mansion after finishing work to pick up Mysha since she had school the next morning.
The moment Daadi saw her, she turned toward me with an annoyed look.
"Dhwani! Why didn't you tell me your mother was coming? I would've prepared dinner properly."
Before I could even defend myself, she had already instructed the staff to arrange dinner from outside because she refused to let a guest leave without eating.
Sometimes, I seriously wondered who was more dramatic, Daadi or me.
Soon, all of us gathered around the dining table.
Daadi and Mumma slipped into conversation so naturally that it surprised me.
Daadu even smiled and said, to bring Naanu next time.
I didn't even understand when they became this close? I had no idea Daadi and Mumma had formed such a beautiful bond.
Then again... that was just Daadi.
She was unbelievably warm and open-minded.
Yes, we argued almost every other day because neither of us liked accepting the other's opinions, and Daadi happily complained about all our arguments to Mumma too.
"She debates with me on everything," Daadi grumbled dramatically before smiling proudly.
I
tried to focus on the book in my hands while Yugant got ready.