Chapter: Peace, At Last

Arnav was rushing out of his room, his steps hurried and restless, when he suddenly collided with Abhimanyu, who was heading toward Maan’s room. The impact was sharp enough to jolt him back to the present, even though his mind was still caught in the storm he hadn’t managed to calm since the previous night.

Abhimanyu steadied him instantly, firm hands grounding him before he could stumble. “Aram se, Arni. Lag jaayegi.”

“Sorry,” Arnav muttered, the word automatic, already distracted again, eyes darting as if searching for something he couldn’t name.

“Dawai laga di?” Arnav asked immediately, the concern slipping out before he could stop it, anxiety roughening his voice.

Abhimanyu shook his head. He was about to explain when Arnav cut him off, the words spilling out in a rush...frustration, guilt, and regret tangling together.

“Kya yaar, Maine bola tha na usse dawai laga dena… Maine pehle hi gadho ki tarah usse itna maar diya. Aur upar se dawai bhi nahi lagayi... Dawai kyu nhi lagai yaar?”

Abhimanyu lifted a hand, stopping him mid rant. “Arey Oo Rajdhani Express... thambaaa.”

Arnav froze, breath uneven, eyes flashing with pent up emotion as he glared at him.

“Ghoor mat,” Abhimanyu said calmly, unfazed. “Usi ne mana kar diya. Bol rahi thi Bhaiya lagayenge tabhi lagwaungi.”

The tension drained out of Arnav in a tired sigh. He shook his head helplessly, a dull ache settling in his chest.
“Ye ladki bhi na… dard ho raha hai, phir bhi dawai nahi lagwani. Bhaiya se hi lagwani hai.”

And then it hit him.

He went still, the casual rhythm of his steps breaking. His eyes widened slightly, shock replacing irritation.

“Vo uth gyi itni jaldi?”

The thought unsettled him more than he expected.

Waking Maan and Anvi was never easy. Most mornings, it took coaxing, playful warnings, sometimes even mock threats before they would finally drag themselves out of bed. Anvi waking up on her own, so early, wasn’t normal.

He had sent Abhimanyu to them assuming they would still be asleep. He had needed space, needed time to breathe through the mess of emotions twisting inside him. And through all of that, he had trusted that Abhimanyu would take care of them, apply the ointment, ease the pain because no matter how hurt or angry he was, he had never wanted his children to suffer.

Abhimanyu exhaled slowly before saying, “Puri raat soyi nhi hai”

The words landed heavily.

Arnav’s face paled as understanding settled in, sharp and unforgiving. Of course she hadn’t slept. She must have waited... for him to come, to sit beside her, to talk, to tell her that things were still okay.

But he hadn’t come.

He had chosen sleep while his children stayed awake, waiting.

The realization tightened painfully around his heart.

His steps slowed, chest constricting as he looked at Abhimanyu, voice dropping, fragile with fear he didn’t want confirmed. “Bahot naraz hai na? ... Maine itna maara phir maine dono se baat bhi nhi ki”

The words felt heavy, almost shameful.

Guilt clawed at him. After punishing them, he had walked away, letting his own hurt dictate his actions. Whether exhaustion or medication had dragged him under didn’t matter. He should have stayed. He should have talked. He should have applied the ointment himself, reassured them, reminded them that his love didn’t disappear with his anger.

And the image of them crying alone, waiting for him, cut deeper than any wound ever could.

Abhimanyu shook his head slowly, voice steady but laden with truth.
“Naraz nhi hai vo Arni... She's drowning in guilt... She kept crying the entire night... She is blaming herself for everything”

Something inside Arnav gave way.

His gaze dropped to the floor, shoulders slumping as tears welled up, blurring his vision. The pressure in his chest became unbearable.

Abhimanyu stepped closer, gently cupping his face, grounding him, forcing him to look up when he would have preferred to hide. “She needs you Arni... Not just now Arni... They always need you... You haven't even realised how much she loves you Arni....”

The words pierced straight through him.

There was a pause...thick, weighted, full of everything left unsaid.

“Temporary guardian ke liye koi itna nhi rota Arni”

Arnav’s breath hitched as he looked up at Abhimanyu, eyes shining, the truth finally settling in, undeniable.

Abhimanyu continued, softer now but firm. “She loves you just as much as you love her Arni... Tum dono ke beech bahot saari misunderstanding ho gyi hai baccha... Go talk to her... She really needs you and you too need her... Go make everything right Arni... Things have stretched too far... Partly because of me and partly because of communication gaps”

The urgency in his voice wasn’t pressure, it was care.

“Go and talk to her Arni... Clear every doubt you have... Tell her your feelings too... You need to listen to her side and she needs to listen to your side too Arni... Go make things right”

Abhimanyu leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Arnav’s forehead, the same familiar gesture he always used when words fell short, when emotions became too heavy to carry alone.

That was all it took.

Arnav broke, arms wrapping around him tightly, holding on as if letting go would make everything collapse.
“Mai baat krta hoon usse”

Abhimanyu smiled softly, humming in reassurance as he returned the embrace.

After a moment, Arnav pulled back, meeting his eyes. Before he could speak, Abhimanyu said, “Mai maan ke pass jaata hoon tu pehle usse baat kr le...”

Arnav nodded.

Right now, Anvi needed him most. Maan mattered just as much but he trusted that his dada would keep him safe for a while.

First, he had to go to her.

Before the silence turned into something neither of them could fix.

Arnav entered Anvi’s room quietly and stopped just inside the doorway. She was sitting on the bed, a pen clutched loosely in her fingers, a sheet of paper resting on her lap, her gaze fixed on it without really seeing anything.

He stepped closer and spoke softly, “Chutki”

The anger that had burned through his voice the night before was completely gone. What remained was a gentleness so raw and unguarded, the kind he reserved only for his own, the kind that came from fear rather than authority.

Anvi looked up.

The moment their eyes met, hers filled instantly. There was no time to stop the tears, no strength left to pretend. Her bhaiya had come. Even after everything. Even after she had messed up so badly, after hurting him in ways she now understood too clearly, he still came.

That sight alone broke her.

Arnav didn’t wait. The instant he saw the tears spill, he lunged forward and pulled her into a tight hug, his arms wrapping around her with desperate force as his eyes squeezed shut. Anvi clung to him just as fiercely, as if she had been holding herself together the entire night only for this moment, only to finally fall apart in his arms. Her sobs came out thick and shaking, relief and guilt tangled together, impossible to separate.

Arnav’s own eyes burned as he held her, the truth crashing into him with brutal clarity. He had already punished her, but his fury had blinded him to her pain, to the fear underneath her mistakes. He had been so consumed by his hurt that he hadn’t seen how deeply she was drowning.

He held her closer, tighter, as if trying to make up for every second of distance he had created. The embrace was fierce, suffocating in its intensity, like neither of them wanted even a breath of space between them. They held onto each other as though they had been waiting an eternity for this, two hearts bruised by the same storm, finally finding their way back.

Anvi was crying her heart out in Arnav’s embrace, her sobs raw and uncontrollable, as if everything she had been holding in all night had finally found a way out. Arnav tightened his hold around her, panic and regret clawing at his chest as he tried to steady her.

He pulled back just enough to look at her and said softly, “Bss baccha... Itna nhi rote... Tabiyat kharab ho jayegi chutki... Please baccha shant ho jaa”

He kissed the top of her head, lingering there, hoping the warmth of his touch would calm the storm inside her.

But Anvi couldn’t stop. She cried harder, every ounce of guilt, fear, and hurt pouring out through her tears. The weight of everything she had done and everything she had imagined collapsed all at once, leaving her trembling in his arms.

Arnav kissed her head again, his own control slipping as he whispered, “Bss baccha... Please shant ho jaa... Baccha please... Aise nhi rote... I'm sorry baccha... Bhaiya is really sorry... Please aise mat ro na baccha...”

His voice cracked as the words left him, because watching his daughter break like this felt unbearable. Her pain mirrored back everything he had done wrong, everything he hadn’t realised in time.

Tears spilled from Arnav’s eyes too as the truth settled deep inside him. He had thought he was punishing her, teaching her a lesson but somewhere along the way, that punishment had turned into something far worse and the realisation cut through him with devastating clarity.

Anvi’s cries refused to soften. They weren’t loud anymore, they were broken, torn from somewhere deep inside her, the kind that came when a person had already crossed the edge. Arnav held her close, his arms tight around her shaking body, whispering to her, stroking her hair, pressing her to his chest as if that alone could keep her from shattering further. He had been trying for so long now, whisper after whisper, promise after promise and none of it was reaching her.

That thought alone filled him with dread.

Her breath stuttered violently against his chest, sharp little gasps cutting through her sobs, and he realised too late how far she had gone. Panic clawed up his throat. He should have reached her sooner. He should have seen this coming. Watching her cry like this felt like watching something precious slip through his fingers.

His voice rose suddenly, not in anger, but fear just enough to break the spiral she was trapped in.

“ENOUGH.”

The sound startled her out of herself. Anvi flinched hard in his arms, her sobs breaking unevenly as she looked up at him, eyes red, terrified, already apologising in her head for something she didn’t know how to fix.

The moment it worked, guilt crushed him.

He wiped her tears hurriedly, his hands unsteady, as if he was afraid she might fall apart again if he slowed.

“Enough, baccha…. Kitna ro rhi hai… Bss ab aur nhi… Ekdm chup... Aise thodi rote hai.”

The words came out rougher than he meant, but his touch wasn’t. He pressed his forehead to hers, kissed her skin gently, desperately, as if he could make her feel safe again through sheer force of love.

When he reached for the jug and found it empty, irritation barely flickered, his mind was still entirely on her. He turned away only for a second.

That second was enough.

The sight of him moving away snapped something inside Anvi. All the guilt she had been choking on, all the fear she had buried, surged up at once. She didn’t see him going for water, she saw him leaving.

She slid off the bed and grabbed his legs without thinking, holding on like a drowning person clutches the last piece of wood.

“Bhaiya I'm.. I'm sorry please mat jao bhaiya I'm sorry bhaiya please mat jao.”

Her words poured out ugly and desperate, every apology soaked in terror. She wasn’t asking him to stay. She was begging him not to disappear.

Arnav stumbled, shock jolting through him.

“Anvi anvi kya kr rhi hai…. Mere pair chod….”

But she couldn’t let go. Letting go felt like accepting the end.

“Nhi mai nhi chorungi…. Please mat jao bhaiya please.”

And suddenly, everything made sense to him and the understanding hurt more than anything else.

This was a child who believed she had finally ruined the only safe place she had.

“Nhi ja raha baccha mai kahi….” he said, his voice soft now, almost pleading. “Pani lene jaa raha tha bss… Uth baccha please kya kr rhi hai chod mujhe.”

But fear had already swallowed her whole.

He bent down and pulled her up, his hands firm only because his own chest was shaking.

“Uth… Pagal ho gyi hai kya… Uth.”

The moment she was standing, she collapsed into him again, her arms locking around him like she was afraid he might fade if she loosened her hold.

“Please mat jao bhaiya….”

Her voice barely reached him, a whisper filled with shame, fear, and the certainty that she deserved to be left.

Anvi wasn’t just afraid of losing him.

She was afraid that she had earned it.

Arnav’s heart broke open at that realisation. He wrapped her in his arms, holding her so tightly it almost hurt, his own breath uneven now.

“Kahi nhi jaa raha mai baccha….” he whispered, pressing his lips into her hair. “Bss paani lene jaa raha tha… Please shant ho jaa baccha… Please chutki… Itna nhi rote baccha… Mai kahi nhi jaa raha… Tere pass hi hu mai….”

Her sobs soaked into him, each one carving guilt deeper into his chest. This was his fault too. He had waited too long. He had assumed she would be fine sleeping. And now his child was begging him not to leave, like love was something fragile that could be taken away.

He kissed her head again, slower this time, and pulled back just enough to make her sit on the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he looked at her properly, really looked and the sight of her shattered face almost undid him.

“Baccha mai kahi nhi jaa raha… Kabhi bhi nhi chutki… Tujhe chorke mai kaha jaunga baccha… Tere bina mai kya karunga… Tumlog ho toh hi toh mai hoon baccha… Mai kahi nhi jaa raha chutki… Kahi bhi nhi.”

His voice trembled, not hiding anything anymore.

He wiped her tears gently, as if afraid that even this might hurt her.

“Ro nhi baccha… Tu bimaar padd jayegi chutki…. Please bhaiya ke liye… Ro nhi baccha….”

And as Anvi leaned into him, still shaking but holding on a little less desperately, Arnav realised with painful clarity.

He wasn’t just comforting her.

He was standing in the ruins of a fear he should never have allowed to grow this big.

He stayed kneeling in front of her, not moving even an inch. He didn’t dare.
Anvi bent forward slightly, as if her body no longer trusted itself to hold upright, and her forehead slipped into the crook of his neck. The moment she touched him, something inside Arnav gave way.

He gathered her into himself, holding her close while still on his knees, One arm wrapped around her back, his palm moving up and down in slow, steady strokes, grounding her the only way he knew how. His other hand cradled the back of her head, fingers spread protectively through her hair, keeping her right there...safe, contained, his.

He kissed the side of her head again and again, each kiss lingering a second longer than the last, as if he was afraid that if he stopped, she would fall apart all over again.

“Bhaiya yhi hai baccha… Kahi nhi jaa rha mai… Yhi hoon tere pass….”

His voice was low, almost a whisper, rough with emotion, meant only for her. He pressed his cheek lightly against her hair, breathing her in, steadying himself as much as her.

“Apni bacchi ko chorke kaha jaunga mai baccha… Yhi hoon mai… Hamesha… Kabhi bhi nhi jaunga kahi nhi jaunga… Meri bacchi se door….”

His throat tightened painfully. The words weren’t just reassurance, they were a vow.

“Shant baccha… Tu toh meri pyaari princess hai na..Please shant ho jaa...Bhaiya ke liye… Shant ho ja… Mai yhi hoon… Kahi nhi jaa raha….”

Her body still trembled in his arms, but he held her through every shudder, anchoring her with his presence. He kept murmuring softly, anything and everything that came to his mind, reassurances, half formed sentences, familiar endearments, repeating again and again that he wasn’t leaving, that he was right here.

“Bss rone nhi… Shh….”

His knees burned, the pain sharp and insistent, but it barely registered. He could have stayed like this forever if it meant she would feel safe. Right now, nothing mattered except the fragile girl shaking in his arms, the child who trusted him with her entire world.

So he stayed.
He held her.
He reassured her again… and again… and again.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, her sobs softened. The tight, panicked gasps eased into uneven breaths. The violent trembling dulled into small shivers, then faded further as his steady touch and whispered promises wrapped around her like a shield.

Anvi’s breathing finally began to calm, not because the fear was gone, but because for this moment, she believed him.

And Arnav, still kneeling, still holding her close, knew with aching certainty
As long as she needed him like this, he would never move.

Anvi’s breathing finally evened out. The violent trembling faded into small, exhausted shudders, and slowly, hesitantly, she pulled away from him. She didn’t go far, just enough to look at him.

Her eyes were still wide, anxious, searching his face as if she was afraid that if she blinked, he might disappear.

Arnav was still kneeling in front of her.

Only now did his body register the pain. His knees throbbed sharply, protesting the time he had spent on the floor, but he pushed the ache aside and rose slowly, carefully, so he wouldn’t startle her. He sat beside her on the bed and reached for her hand, holding it firmly, not letting distance creep back in.

“Chutki…” he said softly.

“Ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna baccha… Mai tujhe chodke kabhi bhi nhi jaunga baccha… Kabhi bhi nhi… Tu khud kujhe kahegi tb bhi nhi...Mai tujhse naraz ho skta hoon baccha...gussa ho skta hoon... Lakin I won't ever leave you baccha.”

The words were steady, deliberate. Not said to calm her said so she would remember them when fear tried to return.

He pulled her close, guiding her head gently to rest against his chest. The moment she settled there, his arm wrapped around her instinctively, holding her like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Tu toh jaan hai meri baccha.”

He pressed a soft kiss to her head, his lips lingering there longer than necessary, his voice barely holding together.

“Tujhe chor diya toh mai toh khud hi mar jaunga.”

The truth of it sat heavy between them.

Arnav lifted one hand and cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing away the last traces of moisture clinging to her skin. He kissed her forehead quietly, reassuringly, then lowered his lips to her eyelids..one… then the other...slow, tender kisses, as if he could erase every tear she had cried, every fear those tears carried.

His throat tightened with emotion he didn’t trust himself to voice.

Anvi stayed pressed against his chest, her ear resting over his heart. Each steady beat grounded her a little more, pulling her back from the edge she had stood on moments ago. With every reassurance he whispered, with every rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek, she felt herself settle.

Not completely healed.

But safe.

And Arnav, He held her close...warmly, protectively, as if his arms were telling her what words could not. That he would stay. That he would always stay. No matter what broke between them, no matter how ugly things became, he would never leave her.

Anvi held him just as closely.

They stayed like that, pressed together, both drowning quietly in their own guilt.
Arnav’s heart was heavy with regret, for pushing her so far in his hurt, for putting his own pain above hers, for not reaching out sooner, for not seeing how fragile she had been beneath her mistakes. Every sob he had heard felt like a punishment he deserved.

Anvi, on the other hand, was sinking under the weight of her own shame, for saying those words to him, for lying, for hiding the truth even when he had tried to reach her. For hurting the one person who had never once hurt her on purpose.

Two people hurting.
Two people blaming themselves.
Holding each other because letting go felt impossible.

Anvi’s voice finally broke the silence, barely louder than a breath.

“I’m sorry bhaiya.”

Arnav closed his eyes for a moment, the words hitting him deeper than any accusation ever could. He rested his forehead lightly against her hair and replied softly,

“I’m sorry too baccha…. Really sorry.”

She slowly sat up in front of him, hesitation in every movement, and looked at him with tear filled eyes. Arnav’s chest clenched painfully at the sight of her face, exhaustion etched into every feature. Her cheeks were wet, some tears dried and staining her skin, others still slipping down silently. Her eyes were red and puffy, swollen from crying far more than any child ever should.

The sight broke something inside him.

He cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing her cheeks with aching tenderness.

“Baccha… Mai paani le aau… Mai kahi nhi jaa raha… Bss paani le aata hoon… Thoda sa pi lena….”

The moment he said it, Anvi shook her head, fear flickering back into her eyes. Her voice came out broken, small.

“Mat jao… please.”

She didn’t want to move away from his warmth, not after the coldest night of her life, not after feeling so close to losing him.

Arnav leaned closer, coaxing her gently, his voice calm, steady, reassuring.

“Mai turant aa jaunga bachha….”

He paused, studying her face carefully, making sure she was really listening, really believing him. Then, softly, almost asking permission, he said,

“Jau?”

Anvi nodded slowly. She didn’t want him to leave, every part of her resisted it but the pleading softness in his eyes stopped her from refusing.

Arnav stood up immediately.

He didn’t linger. He didn’t give her time to overthink. Taking long, hurried strides, he rushed out of the room, down the stairs, straight to the kitchen. He moved faster than he ever had, grabbed the water, and turned back instantly.

Within a minute, he was already on his way back.

Because this time, he wasn’t going to make her wait.

Arnav returned just as quickly. He sat beside Anvi without a word, careful not to startle her, and brought the glass to her lips slowly, patiently.

“Dheere,” he murmured instinctively.

He supported her gently, one hand steady at her back, the other holding the glass as she took small, hesitant sips. His thumb moved in slow, absent strokes against her arm, a silent reminder that he was right there, that he wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t rush her, didn’t look away even for a second, watching her closely until her breathing settled completely.

When she finished, he set the glass aside and picked up the damp towel he had brought along. With quiet care, he wiped her face, dabbing gently at her cheeks and forehead, careful around her eyes that were still sensitive and swollen. He wiped away the dried tear stains, the lingering dampness, the exhaustion etched into her skin, as if tending to her could somehow erase the pain she had gone through.

Anvi didn’t pull away. She let him.

When he was done, Arnav leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead... gentle, grounding, filled with everything he couldn’t say out loud.

Anvi’s heart softened in a way she hadn’t expected.

The gentleness of his hands, the patience in every small movement, the way he cared for her without hesitation, it all seeped into the cracks she had been trying so hard to hold together. Even after everything she had said. Even after the lies, the hurt, the words meant to push him away.

He was still here.

Still wiping her face.
Still making sure she drank water.
Still kissing her forehead like nothing had changed.

The realisation hurt almost as much as it healed.

How much he cared for them, for her even after they had hurt him with their words and their actions. Even when he had every reason to pull away, to protect himself, he chose to stay. Chose to care. Chose her.

Guilt wrapped tightly around her chest, heavy and aching. She had wounded him deeply, and yet he was the one comforting her, the one holding her together when she was falling apart.

She leaned into him quietly, overwhelmed by the weight of his love.

And in that moment, Anvi understood something with painful clarity

His love wasn’t conditional.

It never had been.

Anvi was finally calm now.

Not because everything was suddenly fixed but because, for the first time since that night, she truly believed that it would be. That he wasn’t leaving. That she still had him. The certainty settled gently in her chest, warm and steady.

And with that calm came resolve.

She wanted to tell him everything. Every truth she had hidden, every mistake she had made, every fear that had driven her to lie. She wanted to make things right, at any cost. But the thought of saying it out loud still tightened her throat, her chest already aching at the possibility of breaking down again.

So she reached for what had always been her refuge.

Anvi pulled back slightly and grabbed the paper lying beside her on the bed. Her fingers trembled just a little as she held it out to him, not meeting his eyes.

“Bhaiya please isse padh lo ek baar….”

The paper held everything, every emotion she couldn’t speak, every truth she was too afraid to voice, every apology she had carried silently. She had poured herself into it because words failed her when she needed them most.

Arnav looked at the paper, and something in his expression softened instantly.

Ever since she was little, this had been Anvi’s way. When emotions became too heavy, when guilt sat too deep in her chest, she would write instead of speak. He remembered a much smaller Anvi standing in front of him just like this  head lowered, hands stretched out, holding a letter she had written after getting into trouble at school. After punching a boy. After messing up in ways she didn’t know how to explain without crying.

And he had always read them.

Because that was their language.
Their quiet understanding.
Their unspoken pact.

A way of knowing each other’s hearts without forcing words out of trembling mouths.

Arnav took the paper from Anvi’s hands slowly, carefully...as if it were something fragile. Something that could cut if handled roughly. Anvi watched him for a second, then looked down, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. She couldn’t watch him read it. She didn’t trust herself to survive his expression.

So she waited.

Arnav read in silence.

Bhaiya please… I’m really sorry.
I don’t even know how to start this properly. I just know that I hurt you, and that pain is sitting so heavy inside me that I don’t know what to do with it. I scared you. I lied. I crossed lines I should never have crossed. And I’m so ashamed of myself for that, bhaiya.

Please believe me about one thing… I did not go to that party.
I’m not saying this to defend myself, I’m saying this because it’s the truth.
Yes, Mr. Jaisingh made me wear that dress. Unhone bola ki mujhe apni life enjoy karni chahiye. Par bhaiya, aapne mana kiya tha. Aur jab aapne mana kiya, toh main kaise jaa sakti thi? I didn’t go. I swear I didn’t.

That night I was crying, bhaiya.
I was crying because I had already hurt you. I felt disgusting for what I said. Rote rote main so gayi. Maybe that’s why you think I went as I was wearing that dress… but bhaiya, please trust me, I didn’t.

I’m really sorry for what I said to you that day, bhaiya.
I’m really… really sorry.
I didn’t mean it. I could never mean it. And even if someday you forgive me, I know I’ll never forgive myself for those words. Uss din ke liye main khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paungi bhaiya.

Please mujhe jo punishment deni hai de do Please Daant lo, saza de do, kuch bhi please. Maybe it’ll lessen this guilt even a little, because right now I’m drowning in it.

I’m drowning, bhaiya. Har second wahi words dimaag mein ghoom rahe hain.
I feel sick with guilt. I hate that I became the reason you’re hurt. I hate myself for that.

Bhaiya… I need to say one more thing.
Please don’t think I manipulated you. I didn’t. I swear I didn’t. I just wanted to protect you.

I didn’t want you to hear the harsh things Prateeksha said about you. I didn’t want those words to hurt you. That’s why I lied, bhaiya. And in trying to save you from that pain, I ended up hurting you even more. I’m so sorry for that. That day i fought in college because prteeksha was saying bad things about you.. I got angry and punched her.. And I lied to you because i didn't want you to get hurt by her words.

Please trust me bhaiya… I didn’t manipulate you. I could never do that. Aapke saath toh kabhi nahi.

I’m not giving an explanation or trying to justify anything, bhaiya I just need you to know this. Mr. Jaisingh  kept telling me that you were controlling me. That you were caging me, trying to ruin my life. And I didn’t even realise when those words started affecting me. Mujhe pata hi nahi chala kab main rude aur arrogant banne lagi.

I’m really sorry for that, bhaiya.
Every time you said no to something, he would come later and give it to me secretly. Or he would tell me to demand things from you, to talk back. And I listened. I shouldn’t have. I know that now and I'm really sorry bhaiya.

You mean the world to me, bhaiya.
That man doesn’t even come close to you. Not even a little.
You were there when I needed someone. You were the one who held me when I was breaking. You never once said a bad word about me. Never. I know that. I really know that.

I know you love me too, bhaiya. I know I matter to you.
But I’m scared. I’m really scared that after all this you’ll leave me.
I know you wouldn’t… I know that in my head. But my heart won’t stop feeling this fear. I can’t help it.

Please don’t stop talking to me, bhaiya.
I can handle anger. I can handle punishment.

Par please bhaiya… don’t step back from me.
Please mujhe apne se door mat karo.
You are the only parent I have ever known. Aap hi mere liye mummy papa dost bhai sb kuch ho bhaiya. Jab aap door hote ho, it feels like I lost everything.

Please talk to me, bhaiya.
Please give me a chance to fix this.
Jo punishment deni hai de do, bas please mujhse baat band mat karo.

I’m begging you, bhaiya.
You are the only parent i have ever known
I need you bhaiya
Please don’t leave me
Please don't make me an orphan.

His eyes moved steadily over the first few lines, his face unreadable at first guarded, controlled. But as he went on, something began to shift. His jaw tightened slightly. His grip on the paper changed, fingers curling in just a little, knuckles whitening.

By the time he reached the part about the party, his breath slowed.

He paused there for a second, not because he didn’t understand, but because the truth landed heavier than anger ever had. The certainty in her words. The way she hadn’t defended herself, hadn’t accused him, only begged to be believed.

His chest tightened.

As he read about that night, her crying, falling asleep in guilt, something inside him cracked quietly. He had imagined so many things. None of them had included her breaking alone.

The apologies followed. Line after line of shame, self blame, punishment she thought she deserved.

His eyes burned.

He reached the part where she said she was drowning, where his silence was breaking her from the inside and that was where he stopped breathing for a moment. The paper trembled slightly in his hands.

This was where it broke him.

Not her mistakes.
Not the lies.
But the fact that she thought his withdrawal was punishment, that she believed love could be taken away.

When he read about Mr. Jaisingh’s words, about poison planted quietly over time, his throat tightened painfully. He hadn’t protected her enough. He hadn’t stood between her and that manipulation the way he should have.

And then he reached the last lines.

You are the only parent I have ever known.
Please don’t leave me.

That was it.

Arnav lowered the paper slowly.

He didn’t look at her immediately. He couldn’t. His eyes had gone wet, his vision blurring in a way he hadn’t allowed himself in years. He swallowed hard, once… twice… as if trying to force the emotion back down where it belonged.

But it didn’t obey.

A tear slipped free... silent, unnoticed by him and landed on the paper still clutched in his hand.

He closed his eyes.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Arnav reached out and pulled Anvi into him...firmly, decisively.... her head pressing against his chest before she could react. One arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other cradling the back of her head, holding her closely, desperately.

Arnav held her close, tighter than before, as if the weight of everything unsaid had finally broken through him. His control slipped completely. His shoulders trembled once, then again, and his voice came out raw, stripped of every shield.

“I’m so sorry baccha… I’m really sorry… Really really sorry…”

His tears spilled freely now, soaking into her hair, into her shoulder, tears he had held back for too long, tears heavy with regret, fear, and love he hadn’t known how to express. Every sob felt like an apology he should have made earlier, every broken breath a confession of how deeply he had failed her.

Anvi broke with him.

She clutched him just as tightly, fingers digging into his back as if afraid he might disappear if she loosened her hold even for a second. Her cries were soft but wrecked, shaking against his chest, finally allowed to exist without guilt or fear.

“I’m really sorry too bhaiya… I’m really sorry.”

Her words came out between sobs, fragile and honest, carrying every lie she regretted, every truth she had been too scared to say, every moment she had punished herself in silence.

They cried together like that, not trying to be strong, not trying to explain, just holding on, letting the pain drain out in tears, letting forgiveness begin without needing to be spoken aloud.

For the first time in a long while, neither of them was alone in their guilt.

They were just two hearts breaking and healing, in the safety of each other’s arms.

His voice cracked before the words even formed, heavy with shame he had carried alone.

“I didn’t realise he was manipulating you…” he confessed, the truth finally spilling out. “I just… I just started believing that you forgot me after he came…”

His breath hitched. He swallowed hard, but the words kept coming, unstoppable now.

“I was so jealous…”
“I was so, so jealous of him.”

Tears continued to spill from his eyes, sinking into her hair, into the space where she rested against his chest. He held her closer, almost desperately, as if admitting this fear made it real.

“That day… I thought you returned from the party and slept wearing that dress…”
“I was very hurt…”

His voice broke completely then not loud, not dramatic, just shattered.

“I thought his words matters to you more...I know i was so stupid...I'm sorry....so sorry...I thought…that I’m actually being the person around whom you’re feeling suffocated.”

The thought crushed him as he said it aloud for the first time. His chest felt tight, his arms trembling around her smaller frame.

“I thought you’ll leave me…”
“Now that he had came… you’ll leave me.”

The confession hung between them, not as blame, not as accusation but as a wounded fear spoken too late. A man who had been strong for everyone else, finally admitting how terrified he had been of being replaced… of becoming unwanted… of losing the only child who had ever chosen him as home.

And even as he cried, even as his heart cracked open, his arms never loosened still holding her like she was the only thing anchoring him to the world.

He bent his head lower, his forehead resting against her hair, his voice reduced to a broken whisper, the kind meant only for the person held closest.

“I’m sorry, baccha…”
“For the things I assumed myself… without clarifying… and in the end hurting everyone.”

His breath shook against her scalp.

“I..I was so stupid… and jealous,” he admitted, the word tasting bitter.
“I was so jealous when you started telling him about your day and not me…”

His arms tightened unconsciously, as if that memory still threatened to pull her away.

“When I saw you having secrets with him… it broke me... Everytime you shared gossips with him and the smirk on his face...made my heart burn.....I was so jealous…”

A sob slipped out this time, unguarded.

“And terrified,” he whispered.
“Terrified because I thought you’ll leave me… because you find me overbearing…”

His chest rose sharply as the truth finally settled into words.

“I didn’t see that he manipulated you.....I’m so sorry for questioning your love…”

His voice cracked completely then.

“I’m sorry.”

The apology wasn’t loud. It wasn’t dramatic. It was exhausted. Ashamed. Full of a man who had loved too fiercely, feared too deeply and realised too late how badly that fear had wounded the very child he was trying to protect.

Anvi slowly broke the hug, her hands lingering on his arms as if afraid even this small distance might hurt. She looked at him, eyes glassy, voice trembling.

“I’m sorry for making you feel that way, bhaiya… I’m sorry…”
“That I started to act rudely with you once he came in my life… It was very selfish of me… I’m sorry, bhaiya.”

Her gaze dropped instantly, unable to face the tears she saw gathering in her bhaiya’s eyes. Shame weighed heavy on her chest.

“Jab bhi aap daantte the…” she whispered, guilt dripping from every word, “He would come and tell me the exact opposite things... He said you are trying to control me and i should live my life as i want... He also knew about my bunks and said its normal part of college... That i should enjoy my life...and that you are being too disciplined and strict”

Her fingers clenched in her lap.

“I started to feel that you are actually very strict... I’m sorry, bhaiya, for feeling that way… I’m sorry…”

Her voice broke now.

“I was so stupid to believe him… when I knew he never even wanted me... Never cared for me... I knew even if I die he won't care... I thought he cared for me now.... I thought he was trying to fix everything... And I believed him... I believed that the only person who never ever left my side could try to cage me... I believed him... I'm sorry... I'm so so sorry”

Arnav’s heart shattered at her words. He reached out instinctively, gently cupping her face, his thumbs brushing away the tears she refused to let fall.

“It’s okay, baccha…” he said softly, forcing steadiness into his voice.
“You don’t have to feel sorry for the way you felt, baccha… It’s okay…”

His eyes lowered, guilt heavy in them.

“He’s your father… and it was stupid of me to get jealous and...”

He was cut off mid sentence.

Anvi shook her head firmly, lifting her face despite the tears, her voice quiet but resolute, stronger than before.

“He’s not my father, bhaiya…”

Arnav froze.

“If someone held that position in my life, it’s you, bhaiya…”

Her words landed like a confession carved straight from her soul.

“That man can never be a father to anyone…He’s just a sperm donor, bhaiya… Not even that... He's a bastard that broke two women's trust...”

Her voice didn’t waver only the tears betrayed her.

“He can’t be my father… or anyone’s father.”

The words hung heavy between them not angry, not bitter....but final.
And Arnav’s grip on her hands tightened just a little, as if her words both healed and shattered him at the same time.

Anvi looked into Arnav’s eyes, really looked, as if searching for every memory she had ever lived inside his presence. Her hands trembled, her voice shook, but there was a firmness in it that never broke.

“You are the one who always chose me, bhaiya…”

“No matter what happened, you were there for me…”

Her throat tightened, yet she continued, refusing to stop now.

“You were the happiest when I was born…”
“You were the one who would cheer the loudest for me…”

A broken smile trembled on her lips through the tears.

“You were the one who used to throw a party when I achieved something…”
“You were the one who made even my smallest achievement the biggest deal ever…”

Her voice cracked, emotion flooding out.

“You didn’t celebrate when you got the award of businessman of the year…”
“But you celebrated when I passed in my exams…”

Her chest heaved.

“You were the one who stayed with me even when I disappointed you…”
“You were the one who patiently handled all my tantrums…”

Her eyes burned now, but she didn’t look away.

“You were the one who held me when I cried because my periods hurt…”
“You were the one who held me every time I fell… "

" You were the one who sacrificed himself for raising us...”

Her voice dropped into something softer, deeper, truth laid bare.

“Because of you… I have become like this…”

"And I'm so damn proud of myself... Certainly not everything... But most of it"

"And it was only possible, because you were there for me"

A tear slipped free.

“You stood between me and the world…”
“Between me and that man who claims to be my father…”

She swallowed hard, her words trembling but unshaken.

“You were the one who was always there… no matter what…”

And in that moment, she wasn’t just apologising or explaining
She was claiming him.

She poured her heart out, every word trembling, every breath breaking, yet her resolve never wavered. To the man who was not her father by birth…but had been her father in every way that ever mattered.

“And I’m so sorry for making you feel that way, bhaiya…”

Her voice finally broke, the strength she had been holding onto crumbling under the weight of guilt.

“Maine jhooth bola aapse…”
“…battameezi ki…”

The words tasted bitter as they left her mouth.

“Lekin phir bhi…”

Her breath hitched violently, sobs ripping through her chest now.

“You are there to hold me…”

And that was it.

She couldn’t hold herself together anymore.

Her body folded into him as she sobbed harder, guilt and fear spilling out in raw, helpless waves because despite the lies, despite the hurt, despite everything she had done…

He was still there.

Holding her.

Arnav held her tightly, closer than before. Her words seeped into him like balm over an open wound, easing the ache he had been carrying for weeks, the unspoken pain, the loneliness, the fear of losing her. He held her close, breathing her in, grounding himself in the simple truth that she was here.

They stayed like that.

Both of them holding on, both of them finally listening, not just to words, but to the hurt beneath them, the fears, the misunderstandings. Slowly, quietly, a realisation settled between them.

They loved each other. Immensely.

All this chaos hadn’t been born out of lack of love, it had been born out of too much of it. From the terror of losing one another. From loving so deeply that even the thought of separation had made them stumble.

They held onto each other for a while longer, letting the silence do what words couldn’t.

Then Arnav gently pulled back. He wiped his tears quickly, composing himself, and then reached out to wipe Anvi’s tears too.

“Ab bas…” he said softly.
“Aur nahi rona… Baad nhi laani hai mumbai mai.”

He held her hands, grounding both of them, looked straight into her eyes, lovingly warmly..

“We both made mistakes,” he said gently.
“And we both realised it.”
“And we both are genuinely sorry…”

“So let’s put this past us, okay?”

He kissed her forehead, lingering just a second longer than necessary.

“I’m sorry… and I forgive you.”

Anvi smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in what felt like forever. She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“I’m sorry… and I forgive you too.”

Arnav smiled back, warmth returning to his eyes. He couldn’t stop himself. He cupped her cheeks with hoth his hands lovingly...leaned in again, kissing her forehead… then her eyelids… then her cheeks… and finally her nose.

Anvi let out a small giggle, the sound fragile but real.

And in that laughter, the heaviness finally began to lift.

Arnav cupped her face lovingly, his thumb brushing softly against her cheek.

“Bas ek promise karegi, baccha?”

Anvi nodded immediately.

He held her gaze, his voice low, almost pleading beneath the calm.

“Don’t scare me like that ever again, baccha… Never again…”

Her eyes softened, guilt flickering through them as she replied quietly,

“I’m sorry, bhaiya… dobara nahi hoga. Sorry.”

Arnav leaned in and kissed her forehead again, lingering there for a moment. Anvi smiled faintly, comforted by the familiar warmth.

Then, without a word, Arnav quietly reached into his pocket and pulled out the ointment. He opened it and gently took her arm in his hand. His touch was careful, almost reverent, as he applied the ointment to her arms.

Guilt crawled through him, heavy and suffocating, for the moments he had lost control, for the pain he had caused in the fit of rage that was born out of fear. He kept his gaze lowered, focusing on the slow, deliberate movements of his fingers. His throat clenched painfully.

“I’m sorry, baccha…” he muttered under his breath.

Anvi didn’t say anything.

She just watched him, the way his hands trembled slightly, the way he applied the ointment as if even the slightest pressure might break her, the way his care spoke louder than any apology ever could.

And in that quiet moment, forgiveness settled between them...gentle, unspoken, complete.

As Arnav got up, Anvi suddenly reached out and clutched his wrist. He paused instantly and looked down at her. She looked up into his eyes, anxious yet hopeful.

“Aap bhi ek promise karoge?”

Arnav smiled faintly, his eyes softening. He cupped her face gently.

“Haan… bol, baccha,” he said, lovingly, softly.

Her voice trembled just a little as she spoke, fear peeking through.

“Aap mujhse baat karna band nahi karoge… Kuch bhi ho jaaye… koi bhi bole…Aap mujhse baat karna band nahi karoge.”

Guilt crawled through Arnav’s chest again. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

“Kabhi nahi, baccha.”

He then knelt in front of her, beside the bed, taking both her hands in his.

“Baccha, I’m really sorry for letting someone interfere between us… I’m sorry…Lekin chutki, ek baat hamesha yaad rakhna…”

He looked straight at her, voice firm but full of love.

“Chahe kuch bhi ho jaaye… chahe main kitna bhi gussa hoon, hurt hoon, ya koi bhi mujhe kasam de de…Main tujhe kabhi nahi chhodunga, baccha… kabhi bhi nahi…”

“I won’t ever step back from your life… and I promise that.”

Anvi smiled through her tears, relief washing over her. Then, like her usual self slowly resurfacing, she said,

“Ek aur promise karo.”

Arnav chuckled softly. “Bol…”

She frowned slightly, irritated...mostly at herself.

“Main aapse battameezi kiye jaa rahi thi aur aap sirf khade hoke sunn rahe the…Aap promise karo kabhi bhi dobara aisa hua…Maine aapke ya kisi aur ke saath battameezi ki…Aap aise chup hoke sunoge nahi…”

Her words tumbled out now.

“You have every right on me, bhaiya, to correct me… and you always have to…Aap aise chup chaap nahi sunte jaoge…”

She huffed, clearly annoyed.

“Aapne ussi din mujhe ek laga diya hota na…Toh meri himmat nahi hoti dobara battameezi karne ki…”

She crossed her arms slightly.

“Saari galti aapki hai… Baccha battameezi kar raha hai aur aap karne de rahe ho…”

She went on without stopping.

“Yahi main agar bhaiyu ya kisi aur ko kuch bol deti toh aap sabse pehle aate kaan khinchne… Lekin aapko bola toh aap bas sune jaa rahe the…”

“Woh toh Pari di ne thappad maar diya, nahi toh main toh pata nahi kya kya bole jaa rahi thi…Aapko idea bhi hai...”

“Arreeeee bas bhai!”

Arnav finally interrupted, laughing, holding up his hands.

“Thik hai, thik hai…”
“Main promise karta hoon… tujhe ache se koot dunga.”

Anvi burst into a smile, eyes widening.

“Nahi, nahi… ab itna bhi nahi,” she said sheepishly.

“Tez se daant doge tab bhi main chup hi ho jaungi…”

“No need to get violent.”

Arnav chuckled, shaking his head, and pulled her into a gentle hug.

And just like that, the heaviness eased, guilt softened, and the familiar warmth of them returned.

Arnav pulled back slightly and studied her face with quiet concern, the softness still there but edged with alertness.

“Chutki, ek baat bata,” he said calmly. “College mein koi tujhe bully kar raha hai kya, baccha? Main jaanta hoon Keshav ke chakkar mein tu itne din college skip toh nahi karti. Kuch hua hai kya?”

Anvi blinked, then scoffed dramatically. “Arre mujhe kaun bully karega, bhaiya. Main khud bully hoon.”

Arnav didn’t even crack a smile. “Baccha, sahi sahi bata. Mujhe aur jhooth nahi sunana.”

He made her stand in front of him, took both her hands in his, and looked straight into her eyes... the same tone, the same posture that had always made both Anvi and Maan confess everything within minutes.

Anvi immediately dropped her gaze.

“Pehle aap promise karo gussa nahi karoge,” she muttered. “Dekho, aapne kal bahot maara… ab aur nahi.”

Arnav closed his eyes for a second.

The fear in her voice hit him harder than any accusation ever could Ab aur nahi…That wasn’t negotiation. That was fear.

His chest tightened painfully.

He took a slow breath, forcing his hands to unclench, forcing himself to calm the storm raging inside him. When he opened his eyes again, the anger was gone, replaced by regret.

“Nahi maarunga, baccha…” he said softly. “I’m really sorry for yesterday, baccha.. ”

Anvi frowned and said, “Areee… I deserved it. Avu ne aisa kiya hota na, toh main toh dande se maarti.”

She said it without drama because she truly believed it.

Going missing in the middle of the night, leaving her phone at home, no contact, no money… nothing. Anything could have happened. The thought alone made her stomach twist.

She understood her bhaiya’s fear.

If she were in his place, she knew she would’ve been just as terrified, maybe even worse. Terrified enough to lose control. Terrified enough to reach for a cane.

Arnav chuckled softly at her confession, shaking his head. He knew she wasn’t wrong. She had crossed a line.

He wasn’t guilty about the punishment.

What haunted him was everything that followed.

The distance.
The silence.
The pain he had caused by not reaching out sooner.

That part sat heavy on his chest.

He looked at her then, really looked, eyes no longer sharp, only worried.
“Sach sach bata,” he said, his voice firm but gentle now. “College mein kya chal raha hai?”

She tried again, clearly not done bargaining yet, her voice extra careful like she was stepping on a landmine.
“Pehle aap promise karo punish bhi nahi karoge aur daantoge bhi nahi.”

For a second, Arnav almost melted again. Almost. The memory of her fear from yesterday tugged at his chest, the way she had flinched, the way she had asked him if he would hit her again. Guilt tried to creep back in.

And then he saw that look.

The sideways glance.
The deliberate pause.
The suspiciously polite tone. That tone itself was a red flag.

Oh.

So this wasn’t fear anymore. This was strategy.

His brat was back, fully armed and dangerously adorable. The negotiations, the pre-conditions, the sudden display of innocence… every alarm in his head went off at once, blinking frantically.

Arnav exhaled through his nose, all his remaining guilt evaporating in record time.

A slow, sarcastic smile tugged at his lips as he raised an eyebrow, the legendary one that had made both Anvi and Maan confess crimes they hadn’t even committed yet.

“Beta,” he said calmly, far too calmly, “Woh toh tere kaand sunne ke baad decide hoga. Ab bol.”

The silence that followed was loud.

Anvi gulped.

That was it. Negotiation phase officially rejected.

She shifted from one foot to the other, already regretting every life choice that had brought her to this moment, while Arnav simply crossed his arms and waited...relaxed, patient, and absolutely prepared to hear nonsense of criminal proportions.

Inside his head, he was already bracing himself.

Yeh ladki chup ho ke khadi hai… matlab kand serious hai.

Anvi shifted from one leg to the other, clearly stalling. Arnav calmly sat down in front of her, arms folded, patience forced into every breath.

“Bolo,” he said. “Main sun raha hoon.”

She sighed dramatically. “Woh bhaiya… aisa hai na…”

Arnav lifted his eyebrow even higher. “Aisa kaise hai, baccha? ‘Woh’ ke aage bhi bol.”

She rushed ahead before he could intimidate her further. “Bhaiya, Keshav nahi aa raha tha aur Sam ko dengue ho gaya tha toh woh bhi nahi aa rahi thi. Toh meri nayi group ban gayi thi. Matlab meri dosti Apoorva se hui aur uske friends bhi the.”

She paused, sneaking a glance up at him, testing the waters.

Arnav said nothing. Just waited.

“…toh un logon ke saath maine ek din bunk maara,” she admitted quickly. “Uske baad thoda thrilling laga bhaiya. Phir bas… aise hi hum log bunk marne lage.”

Arnav kept his voice steady. “Bunk marke kahan jaati thi?”

“Mall… park… waghera.”

“Aur?” he asked calmly, already knowing there was something more to it.

She swallowed. “Kabhi kabhi club bhi,” she said meekly, immediately adding, “Lekin maine drink ya kisi cheez ko haath bhi nahi lagaya. Sacchi.”

She even pinched her throat for emphasis, like that would magically certify her honesty.

Arnav rubbed his face slowly, already feeling a headache forming. “Security saath leke jaati thi?”

Anvi shook her head so slow it was almost impressive.

“Toh security dodge karke jaati thi,” he said flatly. “College ke bahar kaise jaati thi, baccha? Kyunki college ka sirf ek exit hai… aur wahan mere guards hamesha hote hain.”

She shrank. “Playground ki deewar kood ke…”

Arnav sucked in a sharp breath and dragged a hand down his face, eyes closing briefly like he was praying for patience. Somewhere deep inside, he reminded himself chillana nahi hai… chilana nahi hai…

Anvi stood there like a guilty kitten, shoulders hunched, eyes round and terrified, rocking slightly from one foot to the other.

After a moment, he asked quietly,
“Teri uss ladki se ladai kyun hui thi? Did she bully you?”

Anvi clicked her tongue instantly, offended. “Arey bhaiya, maine bola na mujhe koi bully nahi kar sakta. Vo ladki Prateeksha hai. Ek number ki jalkukdi.”

Arnav sighed.

“Pehle vo Apoorva ki dost thi, lekin jab meri aur Apoo ki dosti ho gayi na,” Anvi continued, warming up now, “toh vo bas beech mein aag lagane lagi. Mujhe boring dikhana chahti thi... ki main padhaku hoon, bunk nahi maarti, parties mai nahi jaati, pranks nhi krni...mtlb she wanted to make me look like a champu”

She crossed her arms. “Aur uss din na...Apoo invited me to a party...but it was in a club so I knew you wouldn't allow and i refused her... Lakin ussi mai uss Prateeksha ne apni naak ghusa di....usne bola I'm ‘Bhaiya's fragile little princess’ bola aur aapke baare mein bhi bakwaas ki.”

She snapped, “That's why i punched her to shut her fucking mouth.”

Arnav’s expression hardened instantly. He didn’t shout.

Anvi froze.

Like… proper freeze.

Mid rant, one hand hovering dramatically in the air, brain finally catching up to what had just happened.

Ruk… ruk…
Did she just… confess everything?

Bunking.
Mall.
Park.
Club.
Wall-jumping like some budget action heroine.

And bhaiya

She slowly turned her head back.

Arnav was still standing there, calm, breathing normally, not yelling, not pacing, not doing that dangerous silence thing either.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Yeh kaise ho sakta hai?

Anvi’s brain went into overdrive.

“What... What happened... Why did I confess everything.... EVERYTHING"

She squinted harder.

Did he… hypnotise me?

Her gaze darted to his hands.

Koi bhasm vasm toh nahi phek di na mere upar?
Ya paani mein kuch milaya tha?

She shuddered internally.

Arnav Jaisingh with THIS CALM..after her confession…
Suspicious. Very suspicious.

He didn’t want to shout. He didn’t want to punish her right now. But he knew, yeh sab yun chhodna bhi theek nahi hai.

He exhaled deeply, steadying himself.

“We’ll talk about this, Anvi,” he said firmly. “In the evening in my study and...” his eyes narrowed just a bit, “Anvi Jaisingh, I’m warning you, this better be the last time I hear your colourful vocabulary.”

She nodded so fast she almost hurt her neck. “Sorry,” she whispered.

Arnav looked at her steadily.

Anvi swallowed hard.

The words "We'll talk about this" echoed in her head.

She knew that tone far too well. It wasn’t anger, and it wasn’t shouting either, it was that calm, measured voice that always meant a long lecture, aching ears, tired knees, and consequences she wouldn’t be able to escape from. Her stomach tightened at the thought, and for a second she just stood there, bracing herself.

But then something unexpected happened.

The fear didn’t stay.

Instead, it slowly unraveled, loosening its hold on her chest. The heaviness that had sat there for days... the dread, the guilt, the constant anxiety began to lift. She realised that even though a talk was coming, even though she was probably in trouble, the most important thing had already been fixed.

Her bhaiya was back.

The distance between them was gone.
The silence had broken.
The misunderstandings had finally been dragged into the light.

And suddenly, the consequences didn’t feel so terrifying anymore.

Jo hoga, dekha jaayega.

That thought settled in her mind with surprising ease.

With a small, almost careless shrug, as if she was physically shaking off everything that had weighed her down Anvi walked straight up to him and climbed onto his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. As if nothing serious had happened at all. As if she had never doubted his presence for even a moment.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting against him comfortably, and said in a tired, demanding voice that sounded very much like the child she had always been with him, “Main raat bhar soyi nahi hoon. Sulao mujhe.”

Arnav blinked, completely caught off guard.

For a brief second, he just stared at her and then a soft laugh escaped him. He shook his head lightly, his hands instinctively coming up to steady her.

“Pehle kuch kha le,” he said, the firmness gone, warmth taking its place. “Phir sula deta hoon.”

He smiled down at her, that familiar, reassuring smile that made everything feel okay. “Tu fresh ho ja. Main breakfast banata hoon. Sirf 20 minute... Phir pyaar se sula dunga apni bacchi ko”

He leaned in and kissed her cheeks gently.

Anvi smiled, returned the gesture with a quick kiss to his cheeks, and slid off his lap, already lighter, already calmer. She turned and headed toward the washroom, her steps quicker now, her shoulders relaxed in a way they hadn’t been for days.

Arnav stood there watching her go, shaking his head with a quiet smile.

For the first time in days, his chest felt steady again. The ache that had lingered inside him finally eased.

Whatever conversation awaited them later, whatever lessons needed to be taught, they would face it together.

He turned toward the kitchen, a sense of peace settling over him as he walked out of her room.

___________________________________________

Thanks for reading lovelies

This is the longest chapter I’ve written so far almost 10k words… toh target bhi thoda bada hoga

And yes, next update only after this one is fully completed.

I’ve put a lot of hard work, emotions, and sleepless thinking into this chapter, and honestly… I’m craving your reactions.

So pleaseeeee shower me with comments. So many that my eyes get tired reading them. I want to know everything you felt while reading every emotion, every thought, every scream.

Comment away, because your words are the fuel that keeps me writing