CHAPTER62 [SHOPPING & TEASING]
The next morning...
Everyone gathered around the dining table for breakfast.
Unlike the previous few days, the atmosphere felt much lighter.
Rhea kept talking nonstop while everyone listened to her with amused smiles.
After breakfast, everyone got ready and left for wedding shopping.
Aarohi went with them as well.
Vihaan, on the other hand, left for the office after wishing everyone goodbye.
Everything was going smoothly.
One boutique after another...
One jewelry store after another...
Everyone was busy choosing outfits for the wedding.
In between shopping, Sana and Aryan wouldn't miss a single chance to tease Rhea.
"So, Mrs. Yash-to-be," Sana smirked, "have you forgotten us already?"
Rhea rolled her eyes.
"Oh please, Bhabhi! Stop embarrassing me."
Arjun chuckled.
"This is just the beginning."
"Wait until the wedding."
Everyone laughed.
For a brief moment...
Even Aarohi smiled.
But the smile disappeared just as quickly.
Her mind was still trapped in last night's conversation.
Every single word Vihaan had spoken echoed in her thoughts.
*"I went to London... three times."*
*"Marrying you was never my mistake."*
*"I should have loved you the right way."*
She unknowingly drifted away from the group.
Anjali noticed it immediately.
She quietly walked over to Aarohi.
"Beta..."
"You haven't picked anything for yourself yet."
Aarohi looked at the dresses displayed in front of her before shaking her head.
"No, Aunty."
"I already have plenty of clothes."
Before Anjali could reply, Rhea walked over with a playful smile.
"Bhabhi..."
"Why are you worrying so much?"
She folded her arms dramatically.
"Your husband is a multi-billionaire..."
"...or maybe even richer than that."
"You can shop without thinking twice."
"And besides..."
"It's my wedding."
"You're not seriously planning to wear your old outfits, are you?"
The entire family looked at Aarohi, waiting for her answer.
She let out a helpless sigh before smiling faintly.
"Fine..."
"But only one dress."
Rhea's eyes widened dramatically.
"One dress?"
She placed a hand on her chest as if she had just heard the biggest joke of the year.
"No, Bhabhi!"
"You'll buy one for the Haldi."
"One for the Mehendi."
"One for the Sangeet."
"One for the Wedding."
"And of course..."
"One for the Reception."
Everyone stared at Rhea in complete silence.
A few seconds later, Rhea shrugged innocently.
"For now... that's all."
"We'll shop for the rest later."
Aarohi blinked in disbelief.
"After buying all these..."
"There's still more left?"
Rhea nodded proudly.
"Of course."
"We're only buying one dress for each function."
The moment those words left her mouth...
Everyone burst into laughter.
Even Aarohi couldn't stop herself.
A genuine smile appeared on her face.
Not a forced one...
Not one to hide her pain...
But a smile that came straight from her heart.
Anjali smiled silently.
Seeing Aarohi laugh after such a long time brought peace to her heart.
The shopping continued for the next few hours.
Sometimes they argued over colours.
Sometimes Sana and Arjun teased Rhea about her upcoming wedding.
Sometimes Rhea kept forcing everyone to try outfits they had already rejected.
The entire boutique echoed with laughter.
For those few hours...
No one thought about the past.
No one talked about pain.
It almost felt like a normal family outing.
By the end of the day...
Everyone had chosen their outfits.
As expected...
Aarohi had only agreed because Rhea and the entire family refused to take no for an answer.
Finally, everyone returned to the Singhania Mansion, exhausted but happy.
···
Meanwhile...
At Singhania Corporation.
Vihaan was sitting in his cabin, finishing a meeting when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Karan walked inside carrying a thick confidential file.
His usual smile was gone.
His expression was unusually serious.
He placed the file on Vihaan's desk.
"I found something."
Vihaan slowly looked up.
Karan took a deep breath before saying,
"I've gathered some information about the man they call..."
"Shadow."
Karan placed the confidential file on Vihaan's desk.
"So?"
Vihaan asked, his eyes fixed on the file.
Karan took a deep breath before speaking.
"As far as I've investigated..."
"No one knows his real identity."
"The entire underworld knows him by only one name..."
"Shadow."
Vihaan remained silent.
Karan continued,
"And there's something else."
"He's not working alone."
"There are two more people standing beside him."
"They're also part of the mafia world."
"They entered this world only a few years ago..."
"But despite that..."
"They've already built quite a reputation."
"They're powerful."
Vihaan leaned back in his chair, listening carefully.
Karan opened another page of the file.
"And according to everything I've found..."
"The very first attack Shadow ever planned..."
"...was against you."
Vihaan's expression hardened.
He looked at Karan.
"So..."
"The attack was meant for me."
"Which means..."
"His enmity is with me."
Karan nodded.
"That's exactly what it looks like, Bhai."
"For now..."
"That's all we've been able to uncover."
He closed the file.
"But whatever we do next..."
"We'll have to think very carefully."
"Because if Shadow has targeted you once..."
"There's no guarantee he won't strike again."
Vihaan slowly closed the file.
His eyes had turned completely cold.
"Whoever he is..."
"He just declared war against the wrong man."
Karan gave a slight nod.
"I've already increased security around the mansion."
"No one enters or leaves without my permission."
Vihaan stood up.
"Good."
"Keep digging."
"I want everything."
"The day he makes one mistake..."
"...will be the day I end this."
Karan nodded.
"It'll be done, Bhai."
···
Meanwhile...
At an unknown location.
The room was almost dark.
Only a single light illuminated the large table in the center.
Three figures stood there.
Their faces remained hidden in the shadows.
One of the men placed a file on the table.
"He knows about Shadow."
Another chuckled softly.
"Let him."
"He still knows nothing."
The man standing in the middle slowly picked up the file.
On the front page...
There was only one photograph.
**Vihaan Singhania.**
He stared at it for a few seconds before a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"The King is finally back..."
He closed the file.
"Good."
"I was getting bored."
Another man spoke,
"What about Aarohi?"
For a brief second...
Silence filled the room.
Then the man in the middle replied in a calm voice,
"She is not to be harmed."
"Not a single scratch."
The other two nodded.
"And Vihaan?"
A dangerous smile appeared on his face.
"Break him..."
"But don't kill him."
"I want him to lose everything..."
"...the same way I once did."
The room fell silent again.
Outside...
Thunder echoed across the dark sky.
A new storm...
Had already begun.
To be continued........
Sorry for late update ??...............