Chapter 20- The Woman Beyond Mrs. Oberoi
Arjun didn't go home that night.
For the first time in years, Oberoi Group headquarters stayed lit long after midnight because its CEO remained locked inside his office staring at things that suddenly mattered more than billion-dollar contracts.
Aadhira's project details.
Vivaan had left the file behind intentionally.
At first Arjun thought it only contained the separation drafts.
But underneath them-
There was another folder.
Cream-colored.
Slightly worn at the edges.
He opened it slowly.
Inside were design sketches.
Aadhira's sketches.
Hand-drawn concepts for the heritage hotel restoration project.
Arjun went still.
The pages were beautiful.
Warm earthy palettes.
Traditional arches blended with modern lighting.
Courtyards redesigned into intimate cultural spaces.
Every detail carried emotion.
Not flashy.
Not overly luxurious.
Human.
Comforting.
Alive.
His fingers paused over handwritten notes scribbled in the corners.
"Natural light makes spaces feel emotionally safer."
Another one:
"People remember how places make them feel more than how expensive they look."
And suddenly-
Something painful hit him.
Aadhira designed spaces the same way she loved people.
Quietly.
Carefully.
Emotionally.
God.
How had he never truly looked at her work before?
Not casually looked.
Actually seen it.
Arjun leaned back slowly in his chair, exhausted guilt settling heavier inside his chest.
Because somewhere along the way-
He stopped seeing Aadhira as a woman with her own expanding world.
She slowly became:
comfort,
routine,
home.
And he mistook permanence for emotional security.
His phone buzzed suddenly.
Mom.
He ignored it.
Another call immediately after.
Ignored again.
Then finally a message arrived.
"Come home. Media situation worsening."
For the first time in his life-
The media felt insignificant.
Because all he could think about was one horrifying realization:
Aadhira was rediscovering herself outside him.
And if she succeeded-
Would she ever want to return?
-
Meanwhile-
Aadhira stood inside the half-renovated heritage property in Jaipur trying very hard not to panic.
Construction noise echoed everywhere.
Workers moved around carrying materials while architects discussed measurements loudly nearby.
And somehow-
All of this felt more terrifying than leaving the Oberoi mansion.
Because this?
This was hers.
Not as Arjun Oberoi's wife.
Not as the Oberoi daughter-in-law.
Just Aadhira.
Meera Sethi walked beside her confidently.
"The investors loved your restoration concept."
Aadhira blinked slightly.
"They did?"
Meera laughed softly. "You really don't know how talented you are yet, do you?"
The question lingered uncomfortably.
Because honestly-
No.
She didn't.
Not anymore.
Years of minimizing herself had damaged that confidence badly.
Meera handed her a file while walking.
"You'll lead the emotional aesthetic redesign."
Aadhira froze slightly.
"Lead?"
"Yes." Meera looked confused by her hesitation. "That's what you were hired for."
The simple certainty in her voice shook something loose inside Aadhira emotionally.
Because nobody had trusted her professionally like this in years.
At Oberoi Mansion, her creativity became:
cute,
refined,
decorative.
Not serious.
Never serious enough.
Her throat tightened unexpectedly.
Meera noticed instantly.
"You okay?"
Aadhira nodded quickly.
"Yes. Sorry."
But the older woman smiled knowingly.
"First project after a long gap?"
Aadhira exhaled softly.
"Is it that obvious?"
"A little." Meera's expression softened. "Confidence comes back faster than you think."
If only emotional confidence worked the same way.
-
By evening, exhaustion finally settled into Aadhira's bones.
She sat alone near the unfinished courtyard reviewing notes while sunset painted the old walls gold.
For the first time in months-
Her mind felt quiet.
No constant anxiety waiting for Arjun's attention.
No emotional exhaustion trying to decode silence.
Just work.
Purpose.
Breathing space.
And that realization brought guilt immediately afterward.
Because part of her felt... lighter.
The thought alone hurt.
Her phone vibrated suddenly.
Arjun.
Her heartbeat betrayed her instantly.
Stupid heart.
She stared at the screen for several seconds before finally answering quietly.
"Hello."
Silence greeted her first.
Not awkward.
Heavy.
Then his voice came softly through the line.
"You got the project."
Not a question.
Vivaan told him.
Aadhira looked down at the sketches in front of her.
"Yes."
Another silence.
Then quietly-
"I'm proud of you."
Her breath caught unexpectedly.
Because during marriage-
She couldn't remember hearing those words from him about something that belonged only to her.
The timing hurt.
Everything about them hurt now.
"Thank you," she whispered softly.
Arjun closed his eyes briefly inside his dark office.
God.
Even now her voice calmed something inside him instantly.
"How was your first day?" he asked carefully.
The question sounded simple.
But Aadhira noticed the difference immediately.
He was asking about her.
Not about returning home.
Not about fixing appearances.
Her.
"It was good," she admitted quietly. "Scary. But good."
A small smile almost appeared on Arjun's face imagining her nervous before presentations.
"She used to rehearse in front of mirrors before debates."
The memory surfaced automatically.
Aadhira froze slightly.
"You remember that?"
Arjun's chest tightened hearing the surprise in her tone again.
Of course he remembered.
He remembered everything about her.
That was the tragedy.
He remembered.
He just stopped showing it.
"You used to threaten people with highlighters during exams too."
A soft laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
The sound hit Arjun painfully.
Because he realized how long it had been since he made her laugh naturally.
Silence settled afterward.
Gentler this time.
Then quietly-
Almost carefully-
Arjun asked:
"Why didn't you tell me you still wanted this?"
Aadhira stared toward the unfinished courtyard ahead.
Because once upon a time-
She did.
Many times.
Just not directly.
"I thought you knew," she answered honestly.
The sentence gutted him instantly.
Because yes.
That was their entire marriage.
She expressed needs emotionally.
He understood things logically.
And somewhere between those two languages-
They lost each other.
Arjun rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"I should've noticed."
"You were busy."
"No." His voice lowered. "I was careless."
The honesty silenced her.
Because this version of Arjun felt unfamiliar.
Not defensive.
Not dismissive.
Just... regretful.
Painfully regretful.
Aadhira closed her eyes briefly.
"Arjun..."
"I'm not calling to stop you."
That surprised her.
"I know."
"No." He exhaled slowly. "I really mean it."
Silence.
Then softly-
"You should work." His voice roughened slightly. "You should've always worked if it made you feel alive."
Her chest tightened painfully.
Too late.
Again.
Everything came too late.
Still-
Hearing him finally acknowledge her dreams healed something tiny inside her.
And maybe that terrified her most.
Because despite all the hurt-
She still wanted his understanding.
God.
What an unfair kind of love this was.
Arjun stared out at the city lights afterward before speaking again.
"Did you eat properly?"
There it was.
That familiar softness.
Aadhira smiled faintly despite herself.
"Yes."
"Lie."
Her smile widened slightly.
And for one brief dangerous moment-
They sounded almost normal again.
Like the years between them hadn't become fractured with loneliness and regret.
Then reality returned quietly.
Aadhira looked down at the ring still resting on her finger.
Her voice softened afterward.
"We should probably discuss the papers eventually."
The warmth disappeared instantly from the call.
Arjun went silent.
Painfully silent.
Finally-
"I haven't signed anything."
Aadhira's throat tightened.
"They're only consultation drafts."
"I know."
Silence again.
Then quietly-
Almost vulnerable-
Arjun asked the question terrifying him since morning.
"Do you want me to?"
The question shattered something inside her chest.
Because beneath those words was something much deeper.
Are you already done with us?
Tears burned unexpectedly behind her eyes.
And somewhere between heartbreak, exhaustion, lingering love, and fear-
Aadhira realized she still didn't know the answer.