SIDDHARTHA POV

What the hell am I supposed to do with these idiots I call men? They're supposed to be my eyes and ears, yet all they've proven to be is a pack of useless trash. Worthless. Weak. A liability that drags my name into the mud. They let a goddamn rival spy crawl into my company as if I don't already have enough enemies waiting for me to slip.

I was seething, my hands clenched so tightly my knuckles had turned pale. The glass of whiskey on my desk trembled from the sheer force with which I slammed my palm down. "Fucking useless," I muttered under my breath.

If it hadn't been for Naksh and Aarav, who happened to be wandering the company halls at the right time, the spy would've -...

But of course, I can't call that shits employees. No, that word would be too simple. Family. That's what they are at least, that's what Maa insists. She'd rip me apart if she ever heard me call them anything else. "They're not your workers, Siddhartha," she'd say in that disappointed tone. "They're family. They're our people."

And so I bite my tongue, swallow the curses I want to scream, and let her have her way. Because the truth is, I can face bullets, I can slit throats, I can walk into fire without blinking but I cannot, handle Maa's scolding.

Still, that doesn't erase the fact that my so-called family just put my empire in danger.

I paced the length of my office My men stood before me, lined up like statues, not daring to meet my eyes.

Finally, I stopped in front of them. My voice was low, controlled, but dripping with fury. "Tell me," I said slowly, each word landing like a hammer. "How the fuck does a rival spy stroll into company without a single one of you noticing?"

No one answered. Cowards. They stared at the floor, at their shoes, at the walls anywhere but at me.

I let out a dark chuckle, humorless and cruel. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or should I assume that silence means you're guilty?"

One of them a younger man, trembling like a leaf finally dared to open his mouth. "B-boss, we... we didn't realize he was a spy. He looked like—"

"Like what?" I snapped, my voice rising like a whip. I stepped forward so fast he flinched. "Like one of you? Like another piece of shit pretending to be useful while stabbing me in the back?"

The others shifted uncomfortably, their fear thick in the air, but none of them dared to move.

I grabbed the trembling one by his collar and yanked him forward until our faces were inches apart. My eyes bored into his as I growled, "This empire runs on fear, loyalty, and blood. Not excuses. You either protect it with your life, or you get the fuck out of my sight forever. And trust me..." I pressed the barrel of my gun against his chest, smirking at the way he froze, "leaving my sight forever doesn't mean walking out of this building alive."

They shook harder, their fear almost intoxicating, but before I could unleash more of my rage—

My phone rang.

Not the encrypted one. Not the business line. My personal phone.

And then the sound hit me. That ringtone.

"Dhum macha le, dhum macha le, dhum—"

I froze mid-step, my jaw tightening. What the actual damn ? Who the hell dared to change my ringtone to this circus? My gaze flickered to the screen, and then my breath left me in a sharp exhale.

Maa.

I picked up the call with a sharp, "Hello—"

But instead of Maa's voice, a tiny, innocent voice filled the line.

"Chachuuuu!" the little voice squealed with all the excitement in the world. "Dadi bolii apki shaadi hogiii... aur firr chachiii ayegii !"

For a second, I thought I misheard. "What?" My tone came out half growl, half disbelief. "Whatdid you say rishu?"

"Chachiii!" he repeated, dragging the word with joy only a child could manage. "Apko shaadi karnii hai naaa... firr chachiii ayegiii... aur woh meko fir toys dengii, aur chocolates bhi, aur ice-creaaammm!"

I blinked. My men were still in the room, watching the shift in my expression, trying to figure out what was happening .

"Get. Out," I ordered, my voice low .

They scrambled , slamming the door behind them. Finally, with only silence around me, I let out a long exhale, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Rishu," I muttered into the phone, softening my voice though irritation still lingered. "Who filled your little head with this nonsense?"

"Dadiiiiii," he sang innocently, giggling between words. "Dadi bolii Siddhu chachu shaadi karengaaee... aur firr chachiii ayegiii... abhi abhi!"

I dragged a hand down my face, suppressing a groan. Maa. Obviously. Who else would weaponize a four-year-old against me?

"No, Rishu," I said firmly, my tone slipping into the rruthless way but I controlled . "Listen carefully. I am not marrying anyone. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. So stop dreaming about some imaginary chachi. You're not getting one."

There was silence. And then a small, offended gasp.

"Chachu! Badddmannner!" he accused in his broken English, his little voice trembling with fake anger. "Ap... ap kabhiii kuch nhi dete... ab chachiii bhi nhi doge... ap bureee bureee hooo!"

"Rishu wo chachi hai koi toy nhi ," I sighed, lowering my tone, softer than I thought myself capable of. "I may be badmannered, but I am yours. Only yours. You don't need a chachi to get chocolates or toys. I can buy you the whole damn store if that's what you want. But don't ever think I'll let anyone come between us.understand baby?"

There was a pause on the other end. Then a small giggle.

"Hehe... toh chachu boloo... 'I loveee youuuu Rishuuu'... firr mai maan jaaunga."

My lips twitched upward despite myself. The audacity of this little devil. "You're blackmailing me now?"

"Yessss!" he giggled louder.

I shook my head, running a hand over my face. "You're unbelievable." Then, my voice softened, almost betraying me. "Fine. I love you, Rishu."

A squeal burst from the other end, so loud I had to pull the phone slightly away. "Yayyyy! Chachu said I love youuu! Ab main sabko bolungaaa... dadiii, Ritika bua aur chotu chachu , sabko bolungaaa... Siddhu chachu said he loveee Rishu!"

My eyes widened. "Don't you dare," I snapped, though my lips curved into a smile no one else could ever see. "That stays between us. Do you hear me? It's our secret."

"Secrettt?" he whispered dramatically, all excitement.

"Yes," I confirmed, my voice gentle now. "Only ours."

There was silence, then a little hum. "Chachu..." Rishu was squealing into the phone, his tiny giggles making me almost forget the burning anger I had carried all day. I was about to begin, when suddenly, from the other side of the line, another voice cut through.

A voice I knew too well.

"Rishhu... give me the phone. Tumhare chachu firse tumhae maska laga rahe . Phone do idhar!"

Hell .

My blood ran cold. It sure as hell made me freeze where I stood.

Before I could process, I heard my little devil giggle again. "Dadddiii!" he squealed, abandoning the phone instantly. I could picture it in my head him jumping straight into Maa's lap, hiding his mischievous grin in her saree like the little traitor he was.

The line shifted, and then came the inevitable.

"Siddharthaaa..." Maa's voice dragged out my name with that dangerous calmness that could cut sharper than any blade. "In one hour. At home. Do you understand? One. Hour. Not a second more. Otherwise, you will not be able to tolerate what I will do to you."

I shut my eyes, taking a long breath, and forced myself to reply with the most controlled voice I could muster. "Maa, I'm busy. I have important work here—"

"Shut up," she snapped, her tone rising enough to make me flinch, though no one else in this world had that power. "Not a word more. One hour, Siddhartha. Ek ghante ke andar ghar pe. If you're not here, I will come there myself. And then..." she paused for effect, "then you will see what happens to you."

"Maaaaa..." I half-growled, half-pleaded, trying to negotiate like the grown man I was. "Please, I—"

"Enough!" she thundered, and before I could get another word out, the call disconnected.

I froze, staring at the screen in disbelief. Did she...? Did Maa just... cut the call?

"What the hell..." I muttered under my breath, still glaring at the phone. "Ijat hi nhi hai bhaiii."

I rubbed my forehead, pacing again, but this time not from anger at my men, but at my own damn helplessness. "What kind of life is this? Outside, men beg for mercy at my feet. They hear my name and tremble. But inside..., I am nothing."

I let out a sigh that carried both defeat and an odd warmth. "God help me. If I don't go home in one hour, Maa will drag me out by my ear in front of the whole damn world..

With a sharp exhale, I reached for the landline and dialed. It rang twice before my personal assistant picked up, her voice trembling the way it always did when I called unexpectedly.

"Sir?" she whispered cautiously.

"Cancel everything," I said flatly, my tone carrying the weight of command. "Every meeting, , every call that was scheduled for tonight. Push them to tomorrow."

There was a pause. I could practically hear her scribbling nervously on the other end. "Y-yes, sir. Right away, sir."

"And," I continued, lowering my voice as my jaw tightened, "arrange the car immediately. I'm leaving in five minutes. If the driver isn't standing outside by then, you'll find yourself packing your desk. Do you understand me?"

Her voice shook. "Yes, sir. I'll call the driver right now. He will be waiting at the entrance."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, the irritation simmering. "Good."

I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling, the irony of the situation clawing at me. "Do you know where I'm going, Mira?" I asked suddenly, my voice dripping with bitterness.

There was silence on the line, "N-no, sir," she whispered carefully.

I laughed once, humorless and sharp. "Home. I'm going home.."

She stayed quiet. Smart woman. She knew better than to comment on that.

-

The long driveway stretched ahead as my car rolled toward the mansion. The moment the scanner picked up the license plate, the gates opened with a slow mechanical hum. My men stationed outside straightened immediately, their rifles held tighter to their chests, eyes lowered in respect as the car entered.

As the car curved into the courtyard and came to a halt, the massive front doors of the mansion swung open. I stepped out, buttoning my jacket, my shoes echoing against the stone pathway. The air was still, heavy, as though even the house itself knew Maa was inside waiting, ready to unleash her storm upon me.

I pushed open the door and stepped into the grand And there smack in the middle of it was chaos of a different kind.

Rishu.

My little monster was darting around the hall with his tiny toy airplane clutched in his chubby hands, making engine noises with his mouth, his small feet pattering against the floor as he flew it through the air. His giggles echoed through the room, pure, unfiltered joy.

On the sofa to the side sat Ritika, scrolling absently on her phone, her legs crossed, her brows furrowed in concentration. But the moment her eyes lifted and caught sight of me stepping in, the phone stilled in her hand, her face softening in silent acknowledgment.

And then it happened.

"Chhhhaaaaachchuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

Before I could even blink, Rishu spotted me and came crashing into me like a bullet train, his little arms wrapping tightly around my waist. His toy plane almost jabbed my side, but I didn't care. He buried his face into my coat, giggling like he'd been waiting all day just for this.

I exhaled, my hand hesitating in the air before finally settling on his small back, patting him gently. "Easy, little monster," I muttered, my voice softer than I had intended.

I tried to stay cold. His tiny hands grabbed the fabric of my coat as he squealed with all the energy in his tiny body, "Chachuuuu! You cameee!"

I bent slightly, my lips twitching despite myself, but before I could even reply to him, Maa's voice cut across the hall.

"Siddhartha. Be ready in ten minutes. We are leaving."

I turned my head, The way she stood there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, it didn't matter if I was the man feared in every boardroom and street corner because in front of her, I was just a son.

"Leaving where?" I asked, my tone clipped, though I already dreaded the answer.

Maa's lips curved into a smirk ."Rishta dekhne jaa rahe hain. For you. It's time you settled down."

I let out a sharp, humorless laugh, shaking my head. "Maa, no. Not for me. Marriage is not happening. I cannot handle it, and I will not destroy some girl's life by dragging her into mine. I don't have time for such nonsense, and I don't even have the capacity to give her love. That's not who I am."

Her eyes hardened instantly. "Oh, stop with your nonsense. Love comes on its own. This girl... she is perfect. Tumhari bua ki saas ki dost ki poti, from a very respectable family, and on top of that, she is a criminal lawyer. A perfect match for you."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling like I was speaking to a child. "Maa, I don't care if she's a lawyer, a doctor, or the President . I don't care about her post, her education, or her background. None of that matters to me. I don't want this. My life is my work, my business, and that's all I have to give. Marriage will only ruin another life."

Maa's tone dropped, low and dangerous, the kind that reminded me exactly who raised me. "Chup. Stop arguing. You are going to see the girl, and that's final."

I opened my mouth again, frustration bubbling in my chest. "Maa, I am busy. I don't have time—"

But Ritik's lazy voice interrupted, and I swear my blood pressure shot up. "Bhaiya, tension mat lo. We can just get you married on Zoom. And Bhabhi? Don't worry, we'll keep her in a PDF file with password protection."

The hall exploded with laughter. Ritika burst out laughing on the sofa, Maa bit back a smile, and even the servants in the background looked like they wanted to laugh but valued their lives too much.

I turned to Ritik slowly, my glare sharper than a knife. "Say one more word, and I'll make sure you regret it."

He raised both hands in surrender, smirking. "Relax, Bhaiya. I was just trying to help."

I was about to snap back at him, my voice already rising, when I heard it uncontrollable giggles. Loud, tiny, infectious.

I looked down.

There was Rishu, lying flat on the marble floor, his tiny body shaking as he clutched his stomach, laughing like he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

I blinked at him, half confused, half annoyed. Dropping down to my knees, I scooped him into my arms, holding him close. "Rishu, hey, what's wrong? What are you laughing at, hmm? Do you even understand what's happening?"

His little face turned up to me, eyes shining, cheeks glowing red from laughing so much. Between giggles, he managed to squeak out in that broken baby tone of his, "kuchh nahiii... samajh...aaya .. but sab hass rehaaa... toh... me bhi hass diyaaa! Hehehe!"

The entire hall roared with laughter again. Maa shook her head, hiding a smile behind her palm, Ritika nearly dropped her phone as she laughed, and Ritik was bent double on the sofa, wheezing.

I stared at the little boy in my arms, my palm dragging down my face in utter disbelief. "Nautanki.."

-

Author's POV

"Aarohi! Jaldi ready ho jaa, kitna time lagayegi gadhi! Ladke wale bas aate hi honge!" Dadi's voice echoed through the house .

Inside her room, Aarohi groaned dramatically, balancing a comb in one hand and a clutch of tangled hair in the other. "Haan, Dadi! Bas thoda sa... I'm just making my hair. And seriously, you people always drop such bombs on me with zero notice. If you had told me earlier, I would have called my whole vanar sena ."

Her tone was full of sarcasm, her eyes rolling as she struggled to detangled her hairs.

From the corridor, Dadi shouted back, her words quick and commanding, "Haan haan, Chal ab jaldi ready ho jaa ."

Aarohi groaned again, dragging her feet toward the dressing table, muttering to herself. "God save me from this

Meanwhile... on the other side ..

Black cars rolled down the polished driveway like a slow parade of danger. SUVs, windows tinted so dark that even sunlight couldn't peek through, stopped in perfect sync outside Aarohi's house. The screech of tires made the neighbours peek through their curtains, gasping.

The first to step out were men in black . bodyguards in tailored suits, earpieces tucked behind their ears, eyes scanning every inch of the street.

And then came him.

Siddhartha Singhania .

He stepped out of his sleek , his expensive shoes touching the ground as if the earth itself bowed beneath his weight. His presence was cold, commanding, untouchable.

Behind him, his mother adjusted her saree plates . Ritik, his younger brother, leaned casually against the car, smirking at something on his phone .

Rishu, the little one, peeked out from Ritika's hold, eyes sparkling with mischief, completely unaware of the storm of tension swirling in the air. "Chachu, upp"