This chapter is a little long and filled with the purity of love. Please make sure to vote and comment, it truly means a lot! Writing this took me days of thinking, shaping every emotion, and turning my thoughts into words.

AUTHOR POV at Aarohis home 

he soft jingle of anklets echoed as Aarohi stepped out of the kitchen. The world seemed to pause for a second. She was draped in a dark blue saree, the fabric hugging her curves in all the right places, her dusky skin glowing against the deep shade, every step graceful yet hesitant. In her hands, she carefully balanced a silver tray filled with steaming cups of tea.

All eyes turned to her. Every elder looked up, approving smiles spreading across their faces, whispers exchanged quietly, while the younger cousins craned their necks to see her properly.

All eyes… except Siddhartha’s. He sat there, tall and rigid, dressed in his black tailored suit, his jaw clenched, his gaze fixed coldly on the floor as though none of this interested him.

“Beta, aao. Idhar baitho.” His mother’s voice broke the silence, gentle but commanding.

Aarohi lowered her gaze, nodding shyly. She started moving across the room, serving tea to each elder one by one, bending respectfully to touch their feet, receiving blessings with a small smile. Her hands trembled slightly, but her smile didn’t falter.

And then… she approached him.

The tray wobbled almost imperceptibly as she stopped before Siddhartha. She leaned slightly, and said softly, “Tea?”

His eyes finally lifted. Cold, unreadable, sharp enough to pierce right through her. His lips parted, and his reply was flat, without hesitation, “I don’t drink tea.”

Aarohi froze for half a second, her smile flickering. But instead of walking away, she steadied her breath and replied politely, her voice calm yet laced with subtle wit. “Then should I make something else for you? Lemonade, coffee… or maybe just plain water?because I don’t think anyone could survive without any liquid intake”

For the first time, Siddhartha’s gaze lingered on her, as though testing her courage. Before the silence could stretch, his mother chuckled warmly, shaking her head. “Beta, don’t mind him. He always throws tantrums like this. Leave him be. One day his mind will start working on its own.”

The entire room laughed softly. Aarohi lowered her eyes quickly, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.

And then suddenly little feet pattered across the marble floor.

Rishu, with his small dramatic jump, leapt from Ritika’s lap and ran straight to Aarohi, hugging her waist tightly. “Chachiii!” he squealed, his little arms refusing to let go. “Uppp! Uppp! Chachii pick uppp!”

The tray wobbled dangerously again. Aarohi quickly set it down on the tea table, laughing nervously. Then she bent down, scooping the tiny boy up in her arms. Her eyes softened instantly as she brushed his messy hair away from his forehead.

“And what’s your name, little prince?” she asked sweetly, her tone playful.

The boy puffed his chest proudly. “Waise toh Rishabh… lekin sab mujhe Rishu bulate!” His childish lisp made half the room chuckle.

“Oooo… so Rishabh it is,” Aarohi said, eyes twinkling. “But Rishu suits you more.” She kissed his cheek lightly, making him giggle louder.

“Wapas aa, Rishu!” Ritika called out, slightly embarrassed. “Don’t trouble her like that. She must already be nervous. Come back, baby.”

But Aarohi shook her head immediately, hugging the boy closer. “No, it’s fine. He’s no trouble at all.”

Rishu wrapped his tiny arms around her neck tightly, his voice muffled against her shoulder. “Nahi! I stay here. Chachiii mine now!”

The elders broke into laughter at his bold claim, while Aarohi’s cheeks turned a shade darker, her eyes flicking once more unconsciously towards Siddhartha.

And there he was… still sitting cold, still silent, but this time… his gaze wasn’t on the floor. His dark eyes were fixed on her, on the way she held Rishu with ease, on the way the boy clung to her like he already belonged to her.

Aarohi finally lowered herself onto the couch, her saree pleats flowing neatly as she adjusted the tray aside. But Rishu? No force in the world could convince him to leave her lap. He clung stubbornly to her waist, curling like a little monkey, his head resting proudly against her shoulder as though he had already claimed her.

Ritika tried once, then twice, to call him back, but every attempt was met with a stubborn “Nooo! Chachiii mine!” which only drew laughter from the elders.

The conversation between the families stretched on, from business talks to family history, from jokes to blessings. The clock ticked away nearly an hour while Aarohi kept smiling, nodding when required, gently sipping water now and then, all the while aware of one piercing gaze that hadn’t left her completely Siddhartha’s.

At last, his mother straightened, her commanding presence silencing the chatter. She folded her hands neatly in her lap, her sharp eyes scanning both youngsters before speaking in a calm yet final tone.

“Siddhartha. Aarohi. Beta, you both should go and talk privately. Get to know each other at least a little before we discuss further.”

Both looked up at her at the same time. Aarohi’s breath caught for a second. Siddhartha’s jaw ticked in irritation.

He leaned back, his voice low and hard, “Maa, whatever decision you people want to take… take it. I’m fine with whatever you decide.”

A pin-drop silence followed. His mother’s eyes narrowed instantly, her tone rising in warning. “SIIIDDHAAARRTHHHAAA!”

The ruthless mafia boss, feared by hundreds, went quiet at once. His lips pressed together, shoulders stiffening . After a long beat, he sighed sharply, muttering, “Fine. Theek hai, Maa. I’ll go.”

Aarohi, still unsure how to react, adjusted the pallu of her saree nervously and stood, nodding lightly. “Hm… chaliye,” she whispered, her tone polite yet hesitant.

Just as Siddhartha and Aarohi rose to leave the living room, a little set of hurried footsteps echoed behind them.

Everyone turned, and there came Rishu his tiny legs moving as fast as they could, his little arms stretched out, eyes wide in panic.

Siddhartha’s mother arched a brow, her tone sharp yet laced with affection. “Oyeee, Chhota packet… where do you think you’re running off to, haan?”

Rishu stopped midway, puffing his cheeks like a balloon. his curls bouncing as he declared loudly, “Chachiii! I also go! Chachi and Chachu need to talk but I also need to talk !”

The whole room chuckled softly at his dramatic announcement, but Aarohi’s heart softened in an instant.

But Ritik quick as always swooped in, catching the boy from behind and effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Rishu’s small shirt rode up in the process, exposing his round little tummy. Instantly, the boy shrieked at the top of his lungs, “DAAADDDIII !!!!”

The elders burst into laughter, covering their mouths. Even Aarohi pressed her hand against her lips, trying not to giggle at the sight of the furious little boy kicking the air.

Siddhartha, however, didn’t laugh. His voice was sharp, commanding, echoing through the hall like it was his boardroom. “Ritik. Hold him properly. He’s a child, not a toy. Stop fooling around.”

Ritik immediately adjusted his grip, pulling Rishu close to his chest, nodding with a sheepish smile. “Haan bhai, sorry. I got him..”

But Rishu wasn’t about to let it go so easily. He balled his tiny fists and started pounding on Ritik’s chest with all the power his little arms could muster. “Bad Chachu! Bad Chachu! I want Chachiii, not youuu! Put me down, na! I say put me down!”

Ritik chuckled, unfazed by the punches, his sunshine personality glowing through. “Arrey, if I put you down you’ll just run again. What then? Hm? You want to disturbthem ?”

Rishu stopped mid-punch, glaring with his round doe eyes. His voice dropped into a dramatic whisper, “Yes. I disturb..”

Siddhartha finally turned, his gaze landing on the child. His voice was calm but dangerously firm. “Rishu.”

The little boy froze instantly. His fists unclenched, his mouth pressed into a pout. Those big brown eyes looked straight at Siddhartha, wide and guilty

“Listen to your Chote Chachu ,” Siddhartha said, his tone softer now but still carrying authority. “Stay here. Don’t make a scene. Aarohi will come back. Do you understand?”

For a second, it looked like Rishu might cry, but then Ritik kissed the top of his messy hair and whispered playfully, “See? Chachu said she’ll come back. Don’t worry, partner. Till then, you’re with me. And I’ll get you a chocolate hidden in my bag. Deal?”

Rishu blinked, his pout slowly shifting into curiosity. “Real chocolate? Not fake one?”

Ritik grinned. “Real.Kitkat. Big one.”

Finally, with the most dramatic sigh ever produced by a four-year-old, Rishu wrapped his arms around Ritik’s neck, muttering, “Okay… but only because of chocolate. Not because Chachu said.”

The whole room erupted into laughter again, Aarohi’s eyes sparkling as she shook her head. Siddhartha, however, simply turned back, his face blank, hiding the faintest twitch at the corner of his lips.

Without another word, he gestured towards the hallway. “Let’s go.”

Aarohi nodded softly, casting one last glance at the little boy in Ritik’s arms before following Siddhartha, her anklets tinkling in rhythm with her racing heartbeat.

The door clicked shut behind them, muffling the laughter and chatter from the hall. For a moment, silence stretched like a heavy curtain between them. Aarohi bangles softly jingling, her saree brushing against the floor as she gestured toward the bed.

“Please… sit here,” she said politely, her voice carrying both respect and nervousness. “Make yourself comfortable. It’s your room too, at least for now.”

Siddhartha didn’t hesitate, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings before sitting down on the edge of the . His broad shoulders straightened, his expression unreadable .

Then, in a tone that was calm but firm, he said, “Aap bhi baith jaiye. Mere bagal mai.”

Aarohi blinked, a little startled by the bluntness of his words. Her fingers tightened on the edge of her saree pallu, but after a hesitant moment, she nodded. Slowly, she moved closer and sat down next to him .

For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. The silence was thick, almost suffocating, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Aarohi’s heart thudded in her chest ..

Finally, she broke the silence, her voice light, curious, trying to chase away the awkwardness. “Do you like travelling? Like… going to new places, seeing the world and all that?”

Siddhartha finally turned his head, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch. “Yes,” he replied simply. His deep voice filled the room. “I do. But… why do you ask?”

Aarohi’s lips curved into a mischievous little smile, her eyes twinkling. “Good. Because if you had said no, I swear I wouldn’t have married you.”

Siddhartha’s eyebrows shot up, his serious mask faltering for a second. “What?”

“Yes!” Aarohi leaned in slightly, her voice animated, her words rushing out like a river. “I mean, marriage is a lifelong thing, right? So if my husband didn’t like travelling, then how would we go on adventures? How would we make memories? I want to see the world. Till now, life has been all about responsibilities, family duties, studies, and what not. But after marriage? I want to travel everywhere .. I want to do all of that with you.”

For the first time, Siddhartha’s lips twitched not into his usual smirk, but into something softer. A real smile. Almost involuntary. He quickly looked down as if to hide it, but Aarohi had already seen.

“World tour, hm?” he said, his voice quieter now, almost amused. “Fine. We’ll go. Together. Wherever you want.”

Aarohi’s eyes lit up like fireworks, her grin wide and unfiltered. “Really? You promise?”

Siddhartha tilted his head, his gaze softening for just a second. “Yes. I promise. Anything else you want to ask me?”

Aarohi, as usual, could never hold her tongue. Her words tumbled out without a pause, her excitement bubbling over as she leaned forward across the table, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“By the way,” she asked suddenly, almost too casually for the weight of her question, “do you… do you know about Pain X Cure?”

Siddhartha, sharp eyes lifted toward her, unreadable , “What?” His tone was clipped, almost irritated, as if her childish words didn’t deserve his attention.

But Aarohi was not one to back down. She repeated herself, this time slower, testing him. “Pain X Cure. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it.”

The corner of his lips tugged upwards, forming that dangerous smirk . He tilted his head slightly, his voice smooth yet edged with steel.“Wait a second,” he drawled, his eyes narrowing on her face. “You’re into fictional novels?”

The way he said it half disbelief, half amusement made Aarohi roll her eyes dramatically.
“Yes,” she shot back instantly, her tone dripping with mock pride. “Since childhood, actually. I grew up devouring them. Stories, characters, entire worlds… they felt more alive to me than reality ever did. And don’t you dare laugh at that.”

But he didn’t laugh. For a man who rarely allowed emotions to escape his iron mask, the flicker of something interest, maybe even admiration crossed his face for the briefest moment.
“That’s… unexpected,” he said softly, almost under his breath, before straightening his shoulders again. “But impressive.”

Aarohi’s lips curved into a small victorious smile. “Finally, Mr. Idiot approves of something about me.” Then she leaned forward, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “So? Answer my question. Do you know about Pain X Cure? And the Lotus?”

And that’s when Siddhartha decided to ruin her sanity.

He leaned closer, invading her personal space without hesitation, his presence so overwhelming that she instinctively shifted back, her breath caught between her lips. his voice dropped lower, the dangerous edge lacing each word, “Do you want me to show you? Should I… try it out on you?”

Her jaw fell open, her cheeks flamed, and she shoved her chair back an inch as if that could distance her from the shamelessness dripping from his tone.“You!” she gasped, her voice rising as she jabbed a finger at him. “You are utterly shameless ! Nirlaaj hai aap … How can you even say something like that with a straight face ..”

Siddhartha chuckled darkly, the sound low, husky, and absolutely maddening. “And yet you’re listening,” he teased, arching a brow.

“Curious my foot!” Aarohi huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “You’re acting just like Ekaksh always twisting innocent words into something dirty. Ugh, your mind is absolutely corrupt!”

“Maybe,” he admitted shamelessly, his eyes gleaming as he leaned back casually, the very picture of a man who owned not just companies, but the air people breathed around him. “But corruption has its own charm. And I think you secretly like it.”

Aarohi nearly choked on her own words, her eyes widening .“Excuse me!?” she gasped, staring at him with exaggerated disbelief. “What part of me looks like I like this, Mr. Siddhartha?”

Siddhartha only smirked in response, leaning back lazily, his sharp jawline catching the soft light of the room. he finally chuckled, “Relax, Aarohi,” he murmured, voice smooth . “You take everything so seriously. I was just teasing.”

“Teasing?” she repeated, glaring at him. “You call that teasing? You really have no filter, do you?” She crossed her arms, huffing. “You know what? Chup rahiye aap! Just stop talking. Let’s talk about something else.”

Siddhartha raised an eyebrow, amused. He rested his elbow on the armrest, chin propped on his hand, watching her with that same maddening calmness.
“Alright,” he said, his tone teasing. “Fine, Miss Aarohi. Go ahead. Change the topic.jo bolna hai bolo aapkae hi batien sunnah ai mujhe ..

Aarohi groaned dramatically. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet,” he replied smoothly, “you’re still here, talking to me.”

She glared again. “You’re so full of yourself, it’s honestly impressive.”

He chuckled. “I’ve been told.” Then, with an air of mock seriousness, he leaned forward slightly. “So, do you have any more questions? Or should I assume you’ve run out of things to interrogate me about?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re mocking me again.”

“I’m simply asking,” he said innocently, though that tiny smirk betrayed him. “I don’t want to deny my bride-to-be the right to speak her mind.”

That one line made her freeze. “Bride-to-be?” she repeated slowly, her heart skipping a beat.

Siddhartha looked up from his watch, his eyes steady and unreadable. “Well,” he said, his voice calm but laced with something she couldn’t quite name, “aren’t we here to make a decision?”

Aarohi blinked, taken aback. Her voice faltered. “Decision? Oh… that.”

“Yes,” he said simply, as if talking about business. “It’s better we go back and tell them what we’ve decided.” He stood up, straightening his jacket with that quiet authority that came so naturally to him. “Is it yes or no?”

Her heart started pounding for no reason she could explain. Her fingers twisted the end of her pallu nervously as she mumbled, “I… I mean, my answer is yes. But yours… I don’t know.”

He turned toward her, one eyebrow lifting in mild surprise. “Your answer is yes?”

She nodded quickly, cheeks flushing as she stammered, “Yes, mine is yes. But I have no idea what you’re thinking, and I’m definitely not the one telling everyone , it’ll sound so embarrassing! I’ll die of shame!”

For the first time that evening, Siddhartha actually looked startled.
“Shame?” he repeated slowly, his voice laced with disbelief. “You? You feel shy?”

Aarohi frowned, placing her hands on her hips. “Yes! I do have a sense of decency, Mr. Singhania. You may not believe it, but I do get embarrassed!”

He took a slow step closer, that smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth again. His voice lowered, calm and teasing, “That’s strange, because I don’t see any trace of shyness on you… anywhere.”

Her mouth fell open. “You—! You’re impossible!” she sputtered, trying not to smile but failing miserably.

He chuckled again, the kind of laugh that made her want to throw something at him. “Maybe. But you seem to handle it quite well.”

“Handle?” she repeated, crossing her arms. “Oh, trust me, I’m one step away from strangling you with my dupatta.”

Siddhartha tilted his head, feigning thoughtfulness. “That might just be the most interesting proposal I’ve received today.”

She glared, cheeks flushing pink. “You’re doing it again! Stop twisting my words!”

“Alright, alright,” he said, hands raised in mock surrender. “No twisting. Just walking.” He gestured toward the living room. “Shall we?”

Aarohi huffed but nodded, her heart still racing from the verbal duel. “Fine. But promise me one thing when we go back, you’re the one saying yes. Not me. If you expect me to announce it, forget it. I’ll disappear.”

He gave her a long, unreadable look, his expression softening just a little a rare crack in his usual control. “You have a habit of giving orders, you know that?”

“Only because you never listen the first time,” she said without missing a beat.

That made him smirk again but this time, there was something warmer beneath it, something almost fond. “Then I guess I should learn to listen,” he murmured quietly.

They began walking toward the living room their footsteps echoing softly across the marble floor, the air between them thick with unspoken emotions.

Aarohi kept stealing quick glances at Siddhartha from the corner of her eye .

When they finally entered the living room, Siddhartha’s mother looked up from her seat with a smile that carried both hope and anxiety.
“So, baacho ,” she asked gently, her voice cutting through the silence, “what’s your decision?”

Siddhartha didn’t even hesitate. “Our answer,” he said in his deep, composed tone, “is mutually yes.”

Aarohi blinked, her heart thudding against her chest as a nervous giggle almost slipped out. The seriousness of the moment made it worse. She bit her lower lip, struggling to stay composed, but the urge to laugh only grew serious situation mai hasna uff.

Her shoulders trembled slightly as she ducked her head, taking an instinctive step behind Siddhartha, trying to hide the tiny smile spreading on her face.

He felt her move behind him and then he heard it. That soft, muffled sound of her laughter, almost inaudible but enough to break the weight of the moment.

SIDDHARTHA POV

I heard it that faint, muffled sound she tried so hard to hide. Her laughter.
It slipped through her lips like a secret she didn’t mean to share, and for a second, I almost pretended I didn’t hear it. But I did.

She stood behind me, her head slightly bowed, probably wishing the floor would swallow her whole. I could feel it the tension in the air shifting, eyes turning toward her, the heavy silence right before judgment begins.

And I don’t know why, but something in me refused to let that happen.

So before anyone could say a word, before that silence could turn cruel, I let out a small laugh one that came out far more genuine than I intended. It startled even me.

The sound filled the room.Sharp at first. Then softer. Warmer.

Everyone stared for a second, confused, maybe even shocked. Then, one by one, they joined in. The whole room burst into laughter, their voices mixing into a chaos that somehow felt… lighter.

I glanced over my shoulder. Aarohi was still standing there, biting her lip to stop her smile, her eyes wide and glistening with relief. And in that moment, I knew I had done the right thing.

Because if my laughter could save her from that embarrassment if it could keep her from feeling small, even for a second then I didn’t mind losing a bit of my seriousness.

She didn’t need to know that I did it for her. She didn’t need to know that beneath the cold façade, I noticed everything the way her shoulders tensed, the way she tried to disappear.

AUTHOR POV

When the laughter finally subsided, Siddhartha turned to her, his eyes still glimmering with amusement. Slowly, he placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch firm yet reassuring. Then, he gently pulled her forward, placing her beside him instead of behind.

“You,” he said in a voice so soft, “will never stand behind me, Aarohi. You will always be in front of me .. You are not just my bride-to-be you are the goddess of my home,my heart , my Lakshmi.”

The words sent a ripple through the room. His family exchanged glances some stunned, some proud, some confused. But Siddhartha wasn’t done.

Without hesitation, he dropped down on one knee.

“Siddhartha!” she hissed,droping on her knees to , grabbing his arm immediately. “What—what are you doing?! Get up! This isn’t—this isn’t how—”

Before she could finish, her grandmother’s voice cut through the room.
“Beta, girls always stand behind their husbands,” she said sternly. “A wife never takes her husband’s name. It’s how it has always been and how it will always remain.”

The smile vanished from Siddhartha’s lips. He looked up at her with quiet respect, but his voice held an unshakable firmness that silenced the room again.
“Dadi,” he said, his tone calm but every word sharp as a blade, “if you say she shouldn’t take my name, then from today onwards, I will not take hers either. The rule that applies to her, applies to me as well.”

Aarohi’s heart stopped.

Her grandmother looked stunned for a moment, then her brows furrowed. “But beta, that’s not how it’s done. A woman should be quiet and obedient. A wife is meant to live at her husband’s feet, not beside him.”

That was when Siddhartha replied -

“No, Dadi,” he said, voice lower now, “she doesn’t belong at my feet. She belongs infront of me.”

Aarohi’s breath hitched the moment his fingers brushed against hers , he just took her hand firmly into his and gently pulled her up to stand beside him . “You are my soon-to-be wife, Aarohi. My Ardhangini. Do you know what that means?”

She shook her head slightly, lost in the gravity of his tone.

He continued, “It means two halves that complete one whole. A bond where neither stands above nor below the other. When a relation is meant to be equal, why should only one person bow? Why should only the wife show respect? When both souls are bound by the same promise love, trust, and loyalty then both deserve the same honor.”

He exhaled softly, his hand rising to touch her cheek not possessively, but gently, with reverence. he whispered, “your respect is my first and last duty. And if this world believes that a husband must be worshiped by his wife, then I say a husband’s truest worship is in respecting the woman who chooses to stand beside him.”

The room fell silent again this time, not in shock, but awe.

Aarohi’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She couldn’t speak her voice wouldn’t move, her heart wouldn’t stop racing. Every inch of her body felt like it had heard something sacred.

Siddhartha’s mother wiped a tear from her eye, whispering, “That’s my son.”

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