The day had been grueling—back-to-back meetings that seemed to stretch on forever. My mind felt heavy with the weight of everything that had been going on, and by the time I checked the clock, it was already 8:00 pm. I quickly messaged Maasa, letting her know that I will stay at penthouse, and grabbed my car keys. As I walked out, my bodyguard fell into step behind me, always keeping a close watch.

Once I arrived at the penthouse, I parked the car and entered, feeling a sense of calm settle in. The hustle and bustle of the day seemed to fade away as I made my way to the living room. I poured myself a drink, trying to unwind after the chaotic hours, and decided to call Sumit, my private detective.

"Sumit, do you get any information of her yet?" I asked, sitting back on the couch, waiting for his reply.

"Yes, boss," Sumit responded. "I’ve gathered some details about her and her family. Should I tell you everything?"

"Go ahead," I replied, my voice low as I braced myself for the information. I had to know everything about Ananya, about what I was dealing with, even if it meant hearing things that might change my perspective on her.

Sumit continued, his voice steady as he relayed the details.

"She’s 25 years old,  From what I gathered, Ananya works at a small company in delhi.   Her family consists of her mother, father, and a younger brother . They live a simple life, nothing extravagant," he paused for a moment, and I could hear the sound of papers shuffling in the background. "Her father works a regular job, while her mother was a housewife and brother is still studying, from what I could tell."

I absorbed the information in silence, trying to piece everything together. Ananya wasn’t from a wealthy background like mine, and the simple life she led seemed to explain her demeanor—quiet, reserved, maybe even a bit shy.

"Anything else?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Sumit hesitated before speaking again. "Well, I did get wind of some things from her past, but nothing significant for now. It’s mostly her current situation that stands out. I can keep digging if you want, boss"

I sat back, thinking for a moment. Ananya's family background wasn’t as important to me the important thing is why I couldn't get her out of my head.

"Keep me updated," I said before ending the call.

I stared into my drink, lost in thought.

I sat back in the chair, the weight of Sumit’s words sinking in. The situation with Ananya was becoming more complicated than I initially thought. I wasn’t prepared for the mess Dev had caused, and now everything seemed to spiral out of control. The engagement that was supposed to be a simple formality had turned into something far messier.

I took a deep breath and dialed Dev’s number. It rang twice before he picked up.

"Hriday," Dev's voice was strained, as if he had been expecting this call.

"Where are you?" I asked, keeping my tone even.

"At the penthouse," he replied. "I was about to call you."

I didn’t wait for him to finish. "We need to talk. The situation with Ananya is spiraling. "

I heard him sigh heavily on the other end. "I didn’t think it would get this out of hand, Hriday. Thir relatives spinning it like she ran off with someone, and her family is taking the heat for it. I’ve been controlling the media, but I can only do so much. People are bad-mouthing them, and it’s not their fault. I know I big time fucked up ."

"You're an idiot, Dev," I snapped, the frustration boiling over. "You put her in this position, and now you're playing damage control. What’s your next move?"

There was a brief silence, then Dev’s voice, quieter this time. "I’m going to meet her family. I think it’s time they know what’s going on."

I let out a frustrated breath. "Fine, but you need to fix this. And fast. People are talking, and this will only get worse if you don't handle it right."

"I know," Dev muttered. "I’ll take care of it."

My hand tightened around the phone, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I ended

~~~~~

After the long, exhaustingthe call with a sharp click. day, I decided to take a hot shower to calm my restless mind. The water cascaded down, washing away the stress but not the thoughts swirling in my head. Her face, her tear-filled doe eyes, refused to leave my mind. I cursed under my breath and turned the shower off.

Dressing in just my trousers, I walked to the kitchen. Cooking always helped me relax. I pulled out the ingredients for pasta and got to work, letting the rhythmic chopping and sizzling take my mind off everything. Once done, I plated the pasta and sat on one of the counter chairs, taking a moment to appreciate the silence of the penthouse.

This place had been my sanctuary for the past four years. Whenever work ran late or I needed space from everything and everyone, I came here. It was close to the office and far from the noise of the city. But tonight, even this space couldn’t offer me the solace it usually did.

After finishing my meal, I washed the dishes, a habit I’d picked up from my mother’s insistence on being self-sufficient. Then I made my way to the bedroom. Checking my emails and responding to a few urgent ones gave me a momentary distraction, but as soon as I lay on the bed, her face returned.

Her black doe eyes.

I turned onto my side, trying to shake the image, but it burned into my mind. Her tearful, vulnerable expression replayed over and over. I growled in frustration and shifted to the other side, trying to clear my head.

But the more I tried to ignore it, the more vivid it became.

Finally, I sighed, accepting defeat. I closed my eyes and decided to let sleep take over, no matter how restless it was. Ignoring her wasn’t as easy as I thought.

~~~~~

I woke up at 6 a.m. sharp, the first rays of sunlight filtering through the blinds of my penthouse. Stretching out the lingering stiffness from last night.

I got out of bed and headed straight to the gym. Exercise has always been my way to focus and channel my energy—it cleared my mind like nothing else.

After an hour of intense cardio and weightlifting i came to the room.

I was drenched in sweat, but my mind felt sharper. After a quick shower, I dressed for the day in a crisp white shirt and a tailored black suit.

I moved to the kitchen, preparing myself a quick breakfast of sandwiches and black coffee.

As I ate, I scrolled through the updates on my phone—emails, messages, and the latest reports on ongoing projects.

Once I was done, I grabbed my car keys and made my way to my car. My "baby," a sleek black Audi, was parked in its spot. 

I slid into the driver's seat.  I pulled out of the driveway, heading towards the office.

Today was going to be another busy day, but I thrived in chaos. And as much as I hated to admit it, there was a part of my mind that still wandered to a certain someone with doe-like eyes. Ignoring it was easier when I had work to bury myself in.

I sat quietly in the garden, surrounded by blooming flowers, wearing another set of clothes that belonged to Vivaan Sir. I felt bad for him—he didn’t even know his mom had given me his clothes. He wasn’t there at breakfast either, and I hoped I wouldn’t have to face him again today.

I sighed, my fingers lightly brushing against the petals of a rose. Memories of home flooded my mind—Mom, Dad, and Chiku. A tear slid down my cheek before I could stop it.

How many days was that khadus planning to keep me caged here?

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice Mayra until she walked into the garden, carrying her bowl of fruits.

She looked fragile yet strong in her own way, but my thoughts immediately shifted to Dev. How could he leave her in this condition?

She stopped a few steps away, noticing me sitting there. I quickly turned my gaze to the other side, pretending not to see her.

"Want some?" her soft voice broke the silence, and I looked up to see her standing beside me, offering her fruits with a small smile.

I shook my head, my voice hesitant. "No, you eat. It’s good for your health."

Her smile faltered slightly, but she nodded and sat down on a bench nearby, quietly eating her fruits. I turned my gaze back to the flowers, trying to keep my emotions in check.

As I sat quietly in the garden, lost in thought, I suddenly heard her voice calling out, "Hey, Ananya, come here."

I looked up, unsure, but saw Mayra smiling at me. Reluctantly, I stood up and walked toward her, sitting down awkwardly beside her on the bench. It felt strange, sitting here with her—I was supposed to be engaged to Dev, her boyfriend, and the father of her baby. And yet, she was being so calm, even talking to me like nothing had happened.

She broke the silence by asking, "What do you want to eat?"

I shook my head quickly. "Kuch nahi. Humne abhi to breakfast kiya," I replied, though my voice was quiet. Of course, I’d only had juice and toast because the breakfast today wasn’t to my liking. Suji ka halwa and some Rajasthani dishes—I didn’t even know what it was.

She smiled knowingly and said, "Poha pasand nahi hai na tumhe?"

I blinked at her, shocked that she knew.

She continued, "Aur nahi tumhe sweets jayda pasand hai, hai na? Aur dal baati churma... I know. Jab koi pehli baar khata hai, toh pasand nahi aata."

Her tone was light, almost teasing. "Mere friends ko bhi pasand nahi aaya tha jab unhone pehli baar khaya tha," she added with a soft laugh.

I stared at her, confused, and hesitantly asked, "Aapko kaise pata ki mujhe poha aur woh dish pasand nahi?"

She chuckled, her laughter soft and warm. "Dining table pe dekh rahi thi tumhe. Tumhare expressions... bilkul clear the ki tumhe woh bilkul pasand nahi hai."

I flushed slightly, looking down. My face must have given me away completely, and I hadn’t even realized it.

Mayra looked at me, waiting for an answer. "So now tell me, what do you want to eat? Jab se ayi ho, juice pe hi zinda ho," she said, her voice soft but firm.

I hesitated. "It’s okay. I’m fine."

She frowned slightly and said, "Okay, then I’ll ask the maid to make some pasta for us. Now you’ll eat, right?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, it’s okay," I said again, but she ignored me and called the maid, instructing her to prepare pasta.

I looked at her incredulously. She turned toward me, and before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "Do you have any objection if I slap your baby’s father?"

She froze for a second, looking at me in horror. Then, to my surprise, she chuckled and said, "Bilkul bhi nahi! Main toh kehti hoon meri taraf se bhi ek aur laga dena—khhich ke, aur woh bhi itna zor se ki uske gaal pe finger print chap jaye!"

I couldn’t help but smile. "I’m serious," I said .

She smirked and replied, "I’m serious too!"

I asked her, "Where is he?"

She replied calmly, "Bhai sa said he will come soon. He’s in Delhi, talking to his parents about us."

The next question came naturally to me. "If you both love each other, then why did he agree to marry me?"

Her expression changed, becoming softer, almost regretful. "Because of his mother," she said quietly.

Now it all made sense. "Ah, I see," I said, nodding. "But thank God mai bach gayi!"

For the first time since I came here, I laughed.

Mayra stared at me in shock, then asked, "What happened?"

I couldn’t stop chuckling. "Bach gayi mai! His mom is like Ahem Mom!"

She blinked, confused. "What?"

I explained, "You know, Saath Nibhaana Saathiya! Gopi Bahu ki saas!"

Her eyes widened, and then she burst out laughing—hard. She laughed so much that she was almost out of breath.

Just then, Mrs. Rathore and her Kaki sa came into the garden, holding plates of pasta. They paused, smiling at Mayra, who was trying to control her laughter.

"Oh God, you’re right!" Mayra gasped, wiping tears from her eyes.

Mrs. Rathore and Kaki sa smiled at the scene, seemingly glad to see her in good spirits. Mayra gestured to them to sit down. They joined us on the bench, and Mayra handed them plates before giving me one. She took a plate for herself and took a bite.

"Umm. Tasty!" she said with delight.

I hesitated but eventually took a bite. To my surprise, it was actually better—better than anything I’d had here before. For the first time since arriving, I genuinely enjoyed some food.

Kaki sa looked at Mayra with a curious smile. "Mayra, why were you laughing so much?"

Mayra grinned, still amused, and replied, "Anaya said she feels lucky she escaped Dev’s mom. And then she compared aunty to Gopi Bahu’s saas from Saath Nibhaana Saathiya! Can you imagine?"

Kaki sa and Mrs. Rathore both burst out laughing at that. I couldn’t help but smile as I finished my pasta, feeling lighter than I had in days.

Mrs. Rathore turned to me and asked, "Anaya, did you like the pasta? If there’s anything else you’d like, let me know. I’ll ask the chef to prepare it for you."

I shook my head quickly. "No, ma’am, it’s okay."

She frowned and gave me a stern look. "You can call us ‘aunty.’ No need for this formal ‘ma’am’ nonsense."

I nodded shyly, and she continued, pointing at Kaki sa, "You can call me Chitra aunty, and her Sonakshi aunty. Is that clear?"

"Yes, aunty," I said hesitantly.

Mayra, always ready with her teasing, smirked and said, "I’ll ask my secretary to arrange some dresses for you. If you wear Vivaan’s clothes one more day, woh pura palace ghar par utha lega!"

I couldn’t help but laugh softly at her comment, while Mrs. Rathore and Kaki sa chuckled. Mayra always had a way of making the atmosphere lively, and for once, I felt a little less like an outsider.

After Mayra measured my size and sent the details to her secretary, she insisted I stay in her room for a while. We sat together on the couch, talking casually, but my mind was elsewhere. All day, I hadn’t seen Mr. Rathore, and I was growing impatient. I needed to ask him when I could leave.

My thoughts drifted to my family. The shame and taunts they must have faced because of me weighed heavily on my heart. Remembering their faces, a tear slipped down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away when Mayra walked out of the washroom.

“Ananya, are you crying?” she asked softly.

Before I could lie, her warmth broke my resolve, and I burst into tears. She immediately wrapped her arms around me, soothing me like an older sister.

“Shh, it’s okay,” she whispered, stroking my hair.

Through my sobs, I managed to say, “I miss them. I want to go home, Mayra. Mom and Dad must hate me now. I’m not a good daughter. They probably think I ran away... People must be taunting them...”

She gently pulled back and cupped my face. “Ananya, stop saying this nonsense. You’re an amazing daughter, I can see it in your eyes and your heart. We’ve only known each other for two days, but trust me, I know you’re not someone who would ever hurt her family intentionally.”

I sniffled and looked at her, unsure.

“Listen to me,” she continued, her voice firm but kind. “We’ll call them Tommorow You’ll talk to them, okay? And don’t worry about Bhai sa—if he has any objections, I’ll handle him. Now, no more tears. Promise me.”

I nodded hesitantly, and she smiled. Taking my hand, she

pulled me up. “Now, let’s go. It’s dinner time, and everyone’s waiting for us.”

As we walked to the dining room, I felt a flicker of hope for the first time in days. Maybe Mayra was right. Maybe things could still be okay.