Mayra and I entered the dining room for dinner. Everyone was there, except that khadus Rathore. I quietly took my seat. Just then, I heard Vivaan sir's voice.

"Yeh jaani-pehchaani lag rahi hai," he said, pointing at what I was wearing.

Of course, it'll look familiar, I thought to myself. After all, it's yours.

Before I could respond, Vihaan sir, who was sitting beside him, lightly smacked his head.

"Teri hi hai, buddhu! Transition reels banane ke time itne kapde kharid liye the ki ab apne hi kapde pehchaan mai nahi aa rahe."

Everyone chuckled at Vihaan sir's comment. Vivaan sir looked at me, then at his mom, and with a pout, said "Mere hi kyun? Yeh dono bhi toh ameer hai."

He rested his hand on Vihaan's shoulder and added, "Aur iska size bhi toh mere barabar ka hai. Toh mere hi kapde kyun?"

His mom sweetly replied, "Beta ji, tumhare kapdon ka colection best hai. Aur Rohan aur Vihaan ke paas shirts kaafi zyada hain. So, maine tumhare de diye."

Rohan sir and Vihaan sir burst out laughing, thoroughly enjoying Vivaan's frustration.

Vivaan sir , still pouting, said, "Matlab tab tak mere kapdon ki kurbani lagegi. Ab toh mujhe apne wardrobe pe tala lagana padega!"

Rohan sir shook his head, laughing. "Gadha, wardrobe pe tala nahi lag sakta"

The entire family roared with laughter at that, and I couldn't help but smile. Vivaan sir, with his playful attitude, reminded me so much of Chiku.

Just then, Mayra chimed in, "It's okay, Vivaan. Tumhe tala lagane ki zarurat nahi hai. Maine Ananya ke liye dresses mangwa li hain."

Vivaan sir immediately sighed in relief. "Thank God."

Rohan sir teased, "Looks like someone's made a friend."

Mayra, with a proud smile, replied, "Of course. She's so sweet!"

After dinner, as I picked up my plate, Chitra aunty stopped me. "Maid kar legi beta. Tum jao aur aaram karo." she said sweetly.

I nodded but hesitated. "Aunty, mujhe raasta nahi pata," I admitted sheepishly.

She smiled warmly. "No problem. The maid will drop you off."

She called the maid, who guided me back to my room. Once inside, I finally allowed myself to relax, feeling a small sense of warmth despite everything happening around me.

I walked into my penthouse, exhausted after a long day. After freshening up, I grabbed my phone and dialed Dev's number. He picked up, and I instantly caught the strain in his voice.

"What happened to you?" I asked, slightly curious but mostly amused.

"Bro, save me!" he groaned dramatically.

Switching the call to video, I said, "Pick up the video call, let me see your sorry face."

When the screen lit up, I was greeted with a sight that made me burst into laughter. Dev Malhotra-usually so composed and suave-had his face covered in bandages, a split lip, and bruises that looked fresh. It was a sight to behold.

"You... you look like someone dragged you through hell!" I teased, struggling to contain my laughter.

"Shut up, you ass," he muttered, glaring at me.

Still laughing, I managed to ask, "What happened to that beautiful face of yours? Someone actually beat the great Dev Malhotra?"

Pouting, he replied, "It was her dad and brother!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Whose dad and brother?"

"Ananya's!" he snapped, clearly annoyed.

That made me laugh even harder. "Wait... wait... you actually went to their house? And then they beat you up? Dev, my man, you're a mess!"

He glared harder, muttering curses under his breath. "I went there to tell them the truth, okay? That she didn't run away and that I kidnapped her. But her dad and brother didn't wait to hear the whole story before landing punches. Her mom was ready to call the police!"

I couldn't stop the grin spreading across my face. "And what was the point of being in a mafia brat if you're going to let yourself get trashed by a 19-year-old boy and a 50-something-year-old man?"

He rolled his eyes, clearly not in the mood for my taunts. "Hey, I let them beat me, okay? I knew it was my fault. I deserved it. Otherwise, I could have taken them down in seconds."

"Sure you could," I said sarcastically. "So, did they even ask about their daughter?"

"Of course, they did!" Dev snapped. "I told them she's in Rajasthan with you and that she'll come back once things are sorted out. I also told them the whole story from start to end. They want to talk to her and see her. The only reason they didn't call the police is because I mentioned your name and assured them she's safe."

I froze. "You WHAT?" I shouted

"Calm down and listen!" he said quickly. "They just want to talk to her and know she's okay. That's all."

I rubbed my temples, exhaling deeply. "Fine. I'll arrange for her to talk to them tomorrow."

Dev nodded, clearly relieved. Then I changed the subject. "And have you told your parents about you and Mayra yet? Or are you still hiding like a coward?"

He groaned irritably. "Bro, I just got beaten up! Can't I at least have dinner in peace? If I tell them now, they won't even let me eat."

I glared at him through the screen. "You better tell them tonight. No more excuses, Dev."

With that, I hung up the call, turned off the lights, and went to bed.

~~~~~~

I woke up, followed my daily routine, and after breakfast, decided to visit the palace. It had been two days since I last went there.

As I reached the palace and was making my way to my chamber, I suddenly heard a female voice shouting for help. My ears perked up, and instinctively, I followed the sound. The voice seemed to be coming from the garden.

I hurried towards the garden, scanning the area to locate the source of the voice. Just as I was looking around, I heard a louder shout from behind me. Before I could even turn, someone collided into me with full force.

Reflexively, I turned to catch the person, but I lost my balance and ended up falling onto the soft grass. The next thing I knew, she was on top of me.

The world seemed to stop.Her wide, expressive eyes locked with mine, and I was frozen in place. Her hair cascaded down like a curtain, brushing against my face and blocking everything else from view. My hand instinctively rested on her waist, and a jolt of warmth ran through me.

She was so close that I could feel her uneven breaths mingling with mine. Her scent-a mix of something floral and warm-clouded my senses.

Damn it, she's so soft, my mind whispered as I realized the feel of her waist under my hand.

Neither of us moved, our eyes locked in an unspoken conversation. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but the moment had rendered her silent. My heart pounded in my chest, loud enough that I was sure she could hear it.

A soft breeze brushed past us, making her hair sway and reveal more of her delicate features. Her cheeks had a slight pink hue, and her lashes fluttered as if she were trying to regain composure.

"Are... are you okay?" I managed to croak out, my voice low, almost unsure if I wanted to break this spell.

She blinked, her lips moving but no sound coming out at first. Her hands rested against my chest for balance, and I couldn't ignore how perfectly they fit there.

"I... I'm fine," she finally whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

We stayed like that for what felt like forever, neither of us making a move to get up, trapped in this accidental closeness. It wasn't just her eyes that held me-it was the entire aura she carried, like gravity pulling me in.

For the first time in my life, I didn't want the moment to end.

As Ananya and I locked eyes, the spell was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps and barking. I quickly stood up, helping her to her feet as she clung to my arm, her wide eyes now filled with fear.

Turning, I saw Mayra running towards us with Vivaan, who was struggling to keep hold of Ace, German Shepherd.

Ace barked loudly, his sharp gaze fixed on Ananya, making her grip my arm tighter. I instinctively glared at Vivaan, who was grinning like an idiot. He stopped laughing at my look but didn't hide the amusement on his face.

"It's okay, Ananya," Mayra said in her usual calming tone. "Ace is just barking because he's never seen you here before. He won't harm you. He'll just smell your feet to get familiar with you."

I still holding her trembling hand as I turned to Vivaan. "Bring him over," I said firmly. She tensed at my words, her hold on my arm tightening even more.

Vivaan brought Ace closer, the dog immediately sniffing her feet as she clung to me for dear life. After a few seconds, Ace gently touched her feet with his paw, wagging his tail as if he'd just welcomed her into the palace.

Mayra, Vivaan, and Rohan chuckled, breaking the tension.

Vivaan smirked, patting Ace's head. "Look at our Ace. Kitna sanskari hai! Blessings le raha hai."

She seemed confused, so Rohan explained with a smile. "Don't worry, Ananya. When Ace feels safe with someone, he touches their feet to greet them-just like our culture. Maa Sa trained him to do this. It's his way of saying you're welcome here."

Her lips curved into a small smile, and it felt like time slowed again. Her smile lit up her face, and for a moment, I forgot where we were. That smile... Damn.

I was so lost in her expression that I didn't notice Rohan leaning in close to me. "Bhaisa," he whispered, "aur kab tak haath pakadne ka irada hai?"

Realizing I was still holding her hand, I immediately let go, clearing my throat to mask the awkwardness.

"I was... uh, going to my chamber," I said, brushing past the moment and turning to leave.

As I start walking towards my chamber, I noticed Vihaan hiding behind a pillar, his phone in his hand. When he saw me looking, he quickly shoved it into his pocket and stepped out as if nothing had happened.

I ignored him and continued to my room, but my mind was stuck on one thing the warmth of her hand in mine. And for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling of wanting it back.

I walked into my chamber and tossed my coat on the bed. Just as I sat down, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen-Dev. I sighed, already knowing the conversation wouldn't be light. I picked up.

"Dev," I said, my voice a little gruff, "what's going on? You okay?"

On the other end, I could hear Dev's deep breath before he spoke. "Bro, I need to tell you something... and I'm not sure how it'll go down."

I leaned back in the chair, trying to get comfortable. "What is it? Just say it."

There was a pause, and then Dev spoke again, this time a little more hesitant. "I told my parents about Mayra. About... us. And, uh, she's pregnant."

My eyes widened in shock, but I quickly composed myself. Okay, How did they react?"

Dev sighed, his voice heavy. "At first, they were angry. But after some time, when I explained, my dad just looked at me and said, 'If you're sure about her, then we'll figure it out.' My mom... she just cried. But in the end, they said they'll come tomorrow."

I ran a hand through my hair. "Okay"

"Yeah," he confirmed, a bit of anxiety in his voice. "They want to meet her, figure this all out. I... I don't know how they're going to handle it, man."

I paused, considering what to say next. "Well, tomorrow's a big day then. We'll be here to support you, don't worry. Just... make sure you're ready for everything."

Dev let out a shaky breath. "Thanks, bro. I'm just... nervous, you know? I don't want them to hate her or think I'm making a mistake."

"You're not making a mistake," I said firmly. "You love her, and that's all that matters. They'll see that."

Dev was quiet for a moment before he responded. "I hope so. Anyway, I'll keep you updated. Thanks for always having my back."

"No problem," I replied. "I'll see you tomorrow.

With that, we ended the call. As I set my phone down, my mind was racing. Tomorrow was going to be a pivotal day for Dev-and for Mayra.