Bonus Chapter 1
Author's POV:
It was a calm Sunday morning in New York.
For once, the world outside could wait.
Inside their home, Ayaan and Aayat were fast asleep, wrapped in a rare moment of peace. No office calls. No meetings. No responsibilities knocking at the door.
Ayaan didn't have to go to work today.
And Aayat.
.. she mostly worked from home now. Over the years, she had handed over her properties-India to Huzaif, and others to Hayaat.
Yet, she still stood strong as the Chairman of Khan's Group for the past nine years.
.. while Huzaif Malik handled everything as CEO.
Life had changed.
They had changed.
And now... they had three little storms of their own.
And their youngest...
Inaya Khan - Ayaan's princess, his weakness, his entire world.
Peace never lasted long in this house.
The bedroom door suddenly burst open.
A loud voice echoed.
Then a calmer one followed,
"Zayir, araam se... Mama aur Baba so rahe hain. Baad mein shikayat kar lena."
"Bhai, aap beech mein mat aao!"
Half asleep, Aayat mumbled,
"Ayaan... apne bachon ko dekho, kya ho raha hai..."
Without even opening his eyes, Ayaan replied,
"Yeh tumhare ladle hain... khud dekho..."
He turned the other way and pulled a pillow over his head.
Meanwhile, Azlan grabbed Zayir by the arm, trying to drag him out.
Zayir, however, dramatically dropped to the floor and started shouting louder.
That was enough.
Both Ayaan and Aayat sat up.
And froze.
Zayir was lying flat on the floor...
And Azlan dragged him across the floor like a sack of potatoes-completely unbothered-while the poor boy flailed dramatically, as if his entire dignity was being hauled away along with him.
At the door, a tiny head peeked in.
Inaya.
Watching everything silently.
Ayaan blinked.
"Yeh kya ho raha hai subah subah? Itna shor kyun macha rakha hai tum logon ne?"
Zayir immediately stood up and ran to Aayat.
"Mama! Dekho na, Inaya ki bachi ne meri drawing copy phaad di!"
At that exact moment, Inaya ran inside, climbed straight into Ayaan's lap, buried her face in his neck-and started fake crying.
Ayaan melted instantly.
"Kya hua meri princess ko...?"
Inaya sniffled in her tiny voice,
"Baba... Zayil bhai jhoot bol lay hain... hum ne nahi phala..."
Zayir stared at her in disbelief.
"Main jhoot nahi bol raha! Bhai se pooch lo!"
All eyes turned to Azlan.
He stood there... arms folded... watching the drama like a tired judge.
Zayir looked at him desperately.
Azlan just waved his hand and walked to the sofa, sitting down silently.
Zayir blinked.
He looked at him like, really? Out of all the moments, this is when you forget how to talk?
Then said,
"Yeh dekho!"
He held up his torn notebook like courtroom evidence.
Aayat tried to look at Inaya, but she hid deeper into Ayaan's chest.
Ayaan gently stroked her head.
"Mujhe pata hai meri princess aisa kuch nahi kar sakti."
Aayat smirked.
"Haan, tumhari princess toh kuch karti hi nahi hai."
Zayir immediately complained,
"Mama! Aap hamesha isi ki side lete ho!"
Aayat pointed at herself.
"Main? Tumhein tumhare baba nazar nahi aate kya?"
Azlan, still sitting calmly, finally spoke,
"Aap logon ne Inaya ko bohotsir chadha diya hai. Woh humari cheezein kharab karti hai aur aap log kuch nahi kehte."
Ayaan raised an eyebrow.
"Tumhein badi jalan ho rahi hai, Huzaif 2.0."
Azlan rolled his eyes.
"Childish."
And walked out.
Ayaan turned to Aayat.
"Suna tumne? Tumhare bete ne kya kaha?"
Aayat shot back instantly,
"Mera beta? Inhein paida karne mein tumhara koi haath nahi hain kya?"
"Beta mera hai... lekin gaya poora tumhare bhai par hai."
"Shakal us par gaye hai beshak, lekin aadatein toh.... tum par-100%."
They stared at each other.
Meanwhile, Zayir and Inaya... completely forgot their fight.
They looked at their parents.
Then at each other.
Both shook their heads and quietly walked out.
Because this?
This happened every time.
But things between Aayat and Ayaan were far from over.
Aayat abruptly got up from the bed, clearly annoyed. She shot him a glare and said,
" Jaisa baap hain, waise hi bachay hain...."
Then her expression shifted into a dramatic, almost teary pout.
"All of you have teamed up just to torture me."
With that, she turned and walked out of the room.
Ayaan ran a hand through his hair, letting out a sigh as he held his head.
"Great... looks like I upset her again," he muttered to himself.
He dropped back onto the bed with a thud, staring at the ceiling, already regretting it.
~
Ayaan walked into the kids' room.
All three ran to him.
He sat down with them.
"Yeh kya tha, ho thodi der pehle kiya tum logo nay?"
Zayir pointed at Inaya.
"Is ne shuru kiya tha."
Inaya instantly made an innocent face.
Ayaan looked at Zayir.
"Woh tumhari chhoti behan hai zayir. Tum dono us k bade bhai ho-iska khayal rakhna hai tum dono ko."
Then to Inaya,
"Aur tum... ye tumhare bade bhai hain... Aur badon se izzat se baat karte hai. Okay..."
Then to Azlan,
"Aur tum- tum in k bade bhai ho. Tumhein in dono ko sambhalna chahiye. Main ghar par nahi hota, lekin tum toh hote ho na.
Mama ko tang kyun karne dete ho inhe?"
His voice softened.
"Woh hum sab ke liye kitna karti hai... tum 3 kay liye us ne office Jana choda ... Ta kay wo tum teeno ko waqt de sake ... Tumhari har cheez ka khiyal rakhti hain ... Office ka kam bhi ghar se karti hain.... aur tum log phir bhi usey itna tang karte ho...
Ye haal mere samne hain ... Toh jab mein nahi hota toh tum log meri bewi ko kitna tang karte ho gay...."
Azlan lowered his head.
"Sorry, Baba... ab se main dhyaan rakhunga. Promise."
Ayaan nodded.
As he stood up to leave, he noticed Aayat at the door-arms folded.
She smiled slightly.
"Breakfast is ready."
The children immediately rushed downstairs, their footsteps echoing in excitement.
Aayat turned to follow them, but suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back. Ayaan hugged her from behind, holding her close.
She tried to free herself, slightly struggling.
"Are you upset with me?" Ayaan murmured, tightening his hold.
"I'm not upset... the breakfast will get cold. Chalo jaldi," she replied, trying to sound normal.
But Ayaan wasn't in a hurry.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent before pressing soft kisses along her skin.
"Mmm" aayat moaned.
Then, without warning, he playfully bit her neck.
Aayat let out a soft gasp, quickly pulling herself away.
Without looking back, she hurried downstairs, her heartbeat racing.
Behind her, Ayaan followed at a slow pace, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
~
At the table...
Everything was going fine.
Until Inaya decided otherwise.
"Mama apko pata hain! Zayil bhai ne Mehel ko loteck diya ta , ush din.... aur kaa tha ke woh balay ho kal ush shay chaadi kalegay!"
Silence.
Ayaan and Aayat both froze.
Zayir panicked.
Azlan calmly explained,
"Daddu aur Dadi movie dekh rahe the... usmein hero ne heroine ko locket diya tha. Isne bhi copy kar liya. Itni badi baat nahi hain...."
Ayaan slowly turned towards Zayir.
"Achha... toh tumhein Hayaat massi ki itni yaad islye aati rehti hai, ab samajh aaya."
Aayat turned to Sameer Khan.
"Baba... aap bachon ke saamne kya kya dekhte rehte hain?"
Sameer coughed.
"Humein kya pata tha ke tumhare bachon ne already life ki priorities set kar rakhi hai."
" Bacho nahi sirf bacha bolay.....Mera Azlan aisa nahi hai!"
Zayir grinned.
"Acha?
Toh aisa nahi hain kya bhai..."
Azlan glared.
"Main tumhari tarah nahi hoon samjhe. Ab chup kar kay khao...."
Meanwhile, Ayaan kissed Inaya's head.
"Meri princess sabse achi hai. Kuch seekho is se.
Is ke liye toh main ek perfect prince dhoondhunga. Dekhna tum sab...."
Inaya looked up innocently.
"Kya woh khubshulat hoga?"
"Haan."
"Zavian jaisha?"
Ayaan choked on his juice.
Aayat quickly patted his back.
"Zavian jaisa matlab?!"
"Woh Azy bhai aur Zayil bhai se jyada khubshulat hai na..."
Zayir snapped,
"Tumhari eyesight kharab hai!"
Inaya replied confidently,
"Tum doctol kay pass ja kal apni shakal chain kalwao... phil tum bhi khubshulat ho jao gay...."
Ayaan sighed.
"Yeh sab kaun sikha raha hai tumhein?"
All three kids pointed... at Dadu and Dadi.
Sameer and Sonia looked away.
"daddu toh "ill bu" bhi bolte hain..." Inaya added proudly.
Ayaan blinked.
"Ill bu?"
Azlan laughed.
"I love you."
Sameer and Sonia both started coughing.
Aayat and Ayaan spoke together,
"Aap log bachon ke saamne kya bolte rehte hain?!"
Sameer muttered,
"Tumne bachay paida kiye hain ya recorders?"
Sonia quietly left the table.
Aayat pointed at Sameer.
"Aaj ke baad aap inke saath akele nahi rahenge."
Sameer silently continued eating.
Ayaan sighed,
"Baba... seriously..."
Sameer winked at the kids.
They giggled.
~
Later that day...
They went out together.
Central Park.
The kids ran ahead-Azlan pretending to be responsible, Zayir chasing pigeons, and Inaya spinning in circles, laughing freely.
Ayaan and Aayat walked behind them.
For a moment, everything felt... complete.
"kitne khush hain ye teeno khurafati..." Ayaan said softly.
"Tumhari wajah se hi toh ye khushiya hain...."Aayat smiled." inaya wala I'll bu..."
Ayaan laughed,
"Ill bu too..."
~
Night fell.
After a long day, Aayat tucked the kids into bed.
Inaya clung to her.
"Mama... aap kahin nahi jao gi na?"
Aayat kissed her forehead.
"nahi jaugy."
Once they were asleep, she walked into her room.
Ayaan was already there... waiting.
The room was quiet.
Soft.
Warm.
He looked at her... the same way he did years ago.
Like she was still his entire world.
"Late ho gayi tum."
"Tumhari princess kay dramay khatam jo nahi hote...."
He stepped closer.
" Bilkul tum per jo gaye hain.
Isliye Tum dono hi toh meri jaan ho.."
She smiled.
" Acha pehle kon hain?"
" Pehle toh....
Hmmmm...
Meri aayat..."
"Hamesha..."
"Hamesha."
He gently pulled her closer.
"Tum jaanti ho na... tum meri jaan ho... jaana."
She looked into his eyes.
This time...
She believed it.
Aayat rested her head against his chest.
And Ayaan held her like he never wanted to let go.
Outside, the city never slept.
But inside that room-
They finally did.
Together.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°