Hello my divs, hope you all are happy and healthy

Here's the new chapter of until the end of us 𐙚

I hope you all will love it and enjoy reading it

Vote and comment 𐙚

Some days passed.

And, as usual, Nitya had made herself completely comfortable on the living room sofa as usual, doing absolutely nothing productive.

She was wearing one of her favourite oversized T-shirts so huge that it practically swallowed her whole and a pair of comfortable shorts. A half-open packet of chips rested against her stomach while she mindlessly scrolled through her phone.

One hand held the phone, The other kept reaching into the chip packet.

Crunch.

Scroll.

Crunch.

Scroll.

She was so engrossed in whatever she was watching that she barely noticed Lavanya entering the room with a servant behind her "Yeah, better if you put some lilies on the table," Lavanya instructed, glancing around the living room. "And don't add peanuts to anything."

The servant nodded respectfully "Yes, ma'am."

Lavanya looked around again, examining the room with a critical eye "And oh, yeah..."

She pointed toward the curtains "Change these curtains too."

Nitya's scrolling finger finally stopped, She slowly lifted her eyes from her phone, Her gaze moved from Lavanya to the servant.

Then to the flowers, Then the curtains, Something was definitely happening.

She pulled her hair into a messy bun and sat up slightly "Kya hua, Bhabhi?"

Lavanya glanced at her.

"Koi aa raha hai kya?" She asked casually, still looking at the phone.

"Haan." Lavanya answered just as casually "Bola tha na... bhai aa rahe hain."

Nitya's hand froze halfway toward the chip packet.

Lavanya continued without noticing the effect her words were having "Dinner pe. Aaj raat yahin rahenge."

Silence, Complete, Utter, Silence.

Nitya slowly lowered her hand, Her eyes remained fixed on Lavanya.

For several seconds, she didn't even blink, Then "KYAAAAA?????"

Lavanya practically jumped "Nitya!"

Nitya shot up from the sofa "Aapne mujhe bataya kyuuuu nahi, Bhabhi?!"

Lavanya flinched and covered one ear "Arre! Chilla kyun rahi ho? Kaan ke parde phaad dogi mere!"

But Nitya was already too far gone "Bhabhiiiiii!" She marched toward her "Aap mere gurdhe padh rahi ho!"

Lavanya blinked "Kya?"

"I mean " Nitya waved her hands helplessly "Aap mere dil ki baat samajh rahi ho aur phir bhi mujhe bataya nahi!"

Lavanya looked at her with confusion "Kyaa?!"

Nitya's mouth fell open "Maine kuch bola? Ahhhh!" She grabbed her hair in frustration "Bhabhi, pehle kyun nahi bolaaaa?!"

Lavanya stared at her "Achha, batao." She placed both hands on her hips "Pehle bolne se kya hota?"

Nitya opened her mouth, Nothing came out, Lavanya continued "And abhi bata rahi hoon toh kaunsa Mahabharat asudh ho gaya?"

Nitya stared at her in disbelief "You don't understand!" Her voice became almost whiny, "Aap nahi samajh sakti!"

And before Lavanya could ask another question, Nitya suddenly turned around.

Then she ran, Straight toward the staircase.

Lavanya stood there, watching her disappear upstairs "Nitya!"

No response, Lavanya slowly shook her head "Ye ladki..." She looked toward the servant, who was trying very hard not to smile.

Lavanya sighed "Mujhe kabhi samajh nahi aayegi."

Upstairs, Nitya's Room

The moment Nitya reached her room, she slammed the door shut behind her and rushed straight toward the mirror.

She stared at her reflection for exactly three seconds, Then her eyes widened "BC... ye pimple bhi aaj hi aana tha kya?!" she whispered, touching the tiny pimple on her cheek as if personally offended by its existence "Ohh Godddd... aur baal bhi wash nahi hainiiii!"

She ran her fingers through her messy hair and immediately regretted it "Main aise kaise Krish ke saamne jaungi?"

Her eyes widened further as another horrifying thought struck he "KRISH."

She practically sprinted toward her two storey walkin closet and threw the doors open dramatically.

Rows and rows of clothes stared back at her.

Nitya stared at them, The clothes stared back "Hey Bhagwaaan! Mere paas pehenne ko kuch hai hi nahi!"

She grabbed one dress "No."

Another "Too much."

Another "Too simple."

She threw it onto the closet couch "Ye toh main ghar mein bhi nahi pehenti."

Within seconds, half her wardrobe was on the couch

Nitya stood in the middle of the mess, both hands on her head "Main kaise jaungi Krish ke saamne?" she whined, pacing around. "Oh God... first impression! First impression is important!"

She suddenly stopped, Her eyes sparkled "Ahhh! Meri love story!"

Then she immediately slapped both hands over her face "Chup kar Nitya! Love story? Tube usse teen baar dekha hai bas!"

She peeked at herself through her fingers "But... future husband ho sakte hain."

"NITYAAA!" she scolded herself.

She collapsed dramatically onto her couch, For a few seconds, she stared at the ceiling.

Then "Tara bhabhi!" She suddenly sat upright "YESSS! Tara bhabhi!"

Her face lit up as if she had just discovered the solution to a national crisis "Woh mujhe ready karengi. Unke paas definitely kuch hoga!"

Nitya practically ran down the hallway and stopped outside Tara's room.

She knocked hurriedly "Bhabhiiiiii!"

"Arey, rahi hoon!" Tara's voice came from inside. A moment later, the door opened.

She looked at Nitya, who was standing there breathlessly, her hair slightly messy from running "Nitya? Kya hua?"

"Bhabhiiiiii! I need your help!"

Tara blinked "Arrey, dheere! Kaisi help?"

Nitya grabbed her hand dramatically "Aapke kapde de do mujhe."

Tara stared at her."Heh?" She followed Nitya inside, completely confused "Mere kapde kyun chahiye?"

"Voh..." Nitya avoided her eyes. "Mere paas nahi hain."

Tara stopped walking and slowly gave her a look "Nitya..."

She folded her arms "Is ghar mein agar kisi ke paas sabse zyada kapde hain, toh woh tum ho."

Nitya immediately waved her hand "Accha chhodo na, bhabhi! Aap bas kapde dikhao. Kuch achha sa."

Tara shook her head, amused "Chalo."

She led Nitya toward her walk in closet and opened the doors "Jo mann ho, le lo."

Nitya's eyes immediately lit up.

She stepped inside and started going through the clothes, touching fabrics and pulling out different outfits "Wow..."

She held one dress against herself "This one..." Then she spotted another "Wait, this is pretty too."

Tara leaned against the doorway, watching her "Waise..."

Nitya continued looking through the clothes "Kahin ja rahi ho?"

"Nahi toh." Nitya said without giving away much attention

Tara raised an eyebrow "Phir ye kapde?"

Nitya still wasn't putting much attention in Tara's talk.

Tara waited.

Nitya's lips parted, And, because she was Nitya and apparently had absolutely no filter when nervous "Voh Krish aa rahe hain na."

Silence, Nitya's eyes widened.

Oh shit.

Tara slowly turned her head "Kya?"

"Kuch nahi, bhabhi." Nitya immediately turned back toward the clothes, pretending to be deeply interested in a random dress.

Tara wasn't buying it "Nitya." Her voice was softer this time.

She walked over and gently took Nitya's hand "Tumhe Krish pasand hai na?"

Nitya's entire face went pink, She immediately bit her lower lip "Nahi toh..."

Tara smiled knowingly, "Aisa kuch nahi hai?"

Nitya shook her head a little too quickly "Nahi."

Tara studied her face for a moment.

Then sighed dramatically "Sure?"

Nitya nodded "yes yess."

Tara's smile widened "Achha." She released her hand "Waise agar hota na..." She shrugged casually "Toh main tumhari help karwa deti usse patane mein."

Nitya's eyes immediately widened "B..bhabhi!"

Tara laughed "What?"

Nitya looked down at the dress in her hands, Her fingers nervously played with the fabric "Voh..."

Her voice became tiny, Tara waited patiently, Nitya took a deep breath "Bhabhi..."

"Hmm?"

"Voh..." She swallowed "Mujhe...naa."

Her cheeks were now completely red "...crush hai Krish pe."

Tara's lips slowly curved into the biggest smile "I knew it."

Nitya immediately covered her face "Please hasna Matt!"

Tara laughed softly and pulled her into a hug "Arrey, main nahi has rahi."

"You are!"

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

Tara laughed again "Okay, okay. Fine."

She pulled back and looked at Nitya's embarrassed face "Toh madam ko finally kisi pe crush ho hi gaya."

Nitya groaned"Bhabhiiii..."

Tara smiled

"B... bhabhi..." Nitya hesitated, still standing among Tara's clothes "Voh... Krish ka favourite colour batao na."

Tara stared at her for a second, Then burst out laughing "Oh God, Nitya!" She shook her head, completely amused "Tumhe toh love mein interest tha hi nahi!"

Nitya rolled her eyes "Peheli ki baat alag thi..." She picked up another dress and held it against herself "Abki baat alag hai!"

She looked at Tara impatiently "Aap jaldi batao na! Time nahi hai!"

Tara laughed again "Okay, okay, madam!" She walked toward the wardrobe, scanning through the clothes "Aaj aise ready karungi tumhe..."

She pulled out a dress with a mischievous smile "...ki Krish ki nazar tumse hategi hi nahi."

Nitya's eyes widened "Bhabhi!"

Tara winked "Kya? Crush hai na?"

Nitya's cheeks turned bright red, She quickly looked away "...Haan."

Tara grinned "Then let's make sure Mr. Arora remembers this dinner."

After an hour long hurricane of clothes, dresses, accessories, and endless confusion, they finally agreed on a cream-l green suit Krish's second favourite colour.

Nitya stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself. The suit was simple, elegant, and covered in delicate floral patterns. Nothing too flashy, exactly the way she wanted it. Her hair had been styled into soft curls that framed her face perfectly, while her makeup remained light and natural, with just a little gloss on her lips.

Tara stared at her for a moment before smiling proudly "Hayee, kitni pyaari lag rahi ho!" she exclaimed, adjusting one of Nitya's curls. "Nazar na lage."

"Datt, bhabhi! Kuch bhi," Nitya mumbled, immediately looking away as her cheeks turned bright red.

Tara chuckled, but then her expression softened. She looked at Nitya through the mirror "Nitya... your crush is cute, but Krish is very hard to love. He hardly lets anyone get close enough to truly know him. So you'll have to be patient." She paused, giving her a knowing smile. "But trust me, once he considers someone his own, he can burn the whole world for the people he loves."

Nitya slowly nodded, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her dupatta "B ...bhabhi... kuch hone do pehle... um..." she murmured, her blush deepening.

Tara's eyes widened mischievously "Ohooo! You're blushing like a cherry already. What are you going to do in front of him, huh?"

"Kuch bhi!" Nitya squeaked.

Before Tara could tease her any further, Nitya grabbed her phone and hurried toward the door.

"Nitya!" Tara called after her, laughing.

But Nitya was already running away, her cheeks still burning "Aisa Kuch Nehi hai!" she shouted from the hallway.

Tara shook her head with an amused smile "Yeah... let's see how long that 'kuch nahi' lasts."

Downstairs, the peaceful atmosphere of the mansion was finally interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

The maid hurried toward the entrance and opened the door.

Krish stood there, one hand tucked casually into the pocket of his black coat, the other holding his phone. The dark outfit made him look effortlessly handsome cold, sharp, and dangerously intimidating without even trying. Behind him stood his guards, carrying several beautifully wrapped gifts and a large bouquet.

The moment Lavanya saw him, her face lit up "Bhaiiiii!"

Krish's otherwise serious expression immediately softened. He opened his arms "Anuuu."

Lavanya practically ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. Krish chuckled and gently ruffled her hair "Itna late? Kabse intezaar kar rahe hain hum sab," Lavanya complained, pulling back and giving him an accusing look.

"Land karte karte thoda late ho gaya," Krish replied casually.

"Come inside. Thak gaye honge aap." She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside as the maids immediately took the gifts and bouquet from his guards. A few moments later, the guards left, leaving Krish with his family.

Across the living room, Rajveer stood up from the couch, while Yuvaan and Avyansh remained seated beside him.

Krish's eyes immediately landed on Rajveer.

He raised an eyebrow "tsk tsk... your husband seriously lacks manners, Anu."

Rajveer frowned "What kind of manners? Care to enlighten me?"

Krish walked closer, a mischievous smirk slowly appearing on his lips "Well, as your wife's elder brother, I expected at least a namaste or maybe a hug." He clicked his tongue dramatically. "Very bad, Jija ji."

Lavanya immediately shot Rajveer a look.

Rajveer rolled his eyes.

"Seriously..."

With an exaggerated sigh, he walked toward Krish and pulled him into a hug.

"Ye shauq bhi kahin adhoora na reh jaaye," Rajveer muttered sarcastically.

Krish laughed and patted his back "Ab aaye na line pe."

Behind them, Yuvaan and Avyansh was smirking in amusement

Because watching Rajveer and Krish argue like two schoolboys was definitely not something they wanted to miss.

They all settled into the living room, the earlier teasing slowly giving way to comfortable family chatter.

Until

"Mamuuuu!" Veer's excited voice echoed through the mansion as he came running toward them.

Krish instantly stood up, his face lighting up "Hey, champ!"

Veer ran straight into his arms, and Krish effortlessly picked him up, making the little boy giggle.

Rajveer and Lavanya exchanged amused looks.

Krish adjusted Veer comfortably against his arm, but then his eyes wandered across the room.

And stopped.

Nitya stood there.

The cream green floral suit Tara had chosen suited her perfectly. Her soft curls framed her face, and the subtle gloss on her lips caught the warm light of the living room.

For a moment, Krish simply stared, His eyes refused to move away, And strangely enough, Nitya wasn't looking anywhere else either.

Her gaze remained fixed on him before slowly travelling over his appearance. The black coat, the slightly open collar of his shirt, the effortless confidence in the way he carried himself

She swallowed.

Oh God.

She immediately looked away, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.

"Mamuu, my chocolate!" Veer's voice snapped Krish out of his thoughts.

Krish blinked and looked down at him "Yes, yes. I brought lots of chocolate for you."

Veer immediately grinned, Rajveer noticed Nitya standing awkwardly near the entrance "Nitya, khadi kya ho? Aao, baitho." He frowned slightly when he noticed her flushed face. "Aur ye kya? Aise laal kyun ho rahi ho? AC toh chal raha hai."

Nitya froze "H...han... bhai... woh..." Her eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for an excuse.

Then the first thing that came to her mind escaped her mouth "Blush thoda zyada laga liya maine."

Silence.

Lavanya stared at her, Rajveer blinked, Avyansh immediately looked at hwr

And Nitya mentally regretted every decision that had brought her to this moment.

Blush? Seriously, Nitya?

Nitya quickly decided that the safest thing to do was to walk past him without looking.

She stood up and moved toward the other side of the living room, keeping her eyes stubbornly fixed ahead.

But then she had to pass right beside Krish.

And the moment she came close, his fragrance reached her.

She hadn't expected it, It was subtle at first something deep, warm, and undeniably masculine. A faint trace of woody notes mixed with something fresh, clean, and slightly smoky, lingering around him without being overpowering.

Nitya's steps slowed, Just for a second, Her fingers instinctively tightened around the edge of her dupatta.

Oh God.

She could smell him properly now, The fragrance clung lightly to his shirt, probably settling into the fabric from hours of wearing it. It wasn't the kind of perfume that announced itself from across the room.

It was worse, It was the kind that made you notice it only when you were close enough.

And Nitya was very, very close.

Her breath caught quietly, She could feel the warmth radiating from him as she passed, and suddenly the entire room seemed strangely distant the voices, the laughter, even Veer's excited chatter fading into a blur behind her.

All she could register was that scent.

Warm.

Clean.

Deep.

So completely him, She swallowed and forced herself to keep walking.

Don't look at him. She repeated the warning inside her head like a prayer.

Don't look. But her heart had apparently decided that following instructions was beneath its dignity.

Her eyes almost betrayed her.

She could feel his presence beside her without even looking his height, his calmness, the quiet confidence he carried so effortlessly.

And then, as she finally moved past him, a little more of his fragrance followed her.

Nitya's cheeks grew warmer, She immediately lowered her face, pretending to adjust her dupatta.

What kind of perfume is this?

She mentally cursed herself.

And why does he have to smell this good?

She hurried toward the sofa before anyone could notice how flustered she was.

Behind her, Krish's eyes remained on her for a moment longer.

He had noticed the sudden pause.

The flushed cheeks, The way she had practically escaped after walking past him.

A faint, almost imperceptible amusement touched his lips.

But Nitya had already buried herself beside Lavanya, desperately trying to convince her racing heart that walking past a man should not feel like surviving a natural disaster.

Soon, the usual evening snacks were served across the coffee table plates of cookies, sandwiches, samosas, and little bowls of snacks arranged neatly for everyone.

Everyone was busy talking when Tara suddenly glanced toward the plate sitting near Krish.

"Nitya..." she called sweetly.

Nitya looked up.

"Jara woh wali cookies ki plate leke dena na, baby? I can't bend, you know."

Tara pointed toward the plate.

Nitya glanced at it, Then at Tara.

Then at the plate again, It was literally sitting right beside Krish.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, She knew exactly what Tara was doing.

Tara bhabhi...

But before she could protest, Tara gave her the most innocent smile imaginable "Please?"

Nitya sighed internally and got up "Okay..." She walked toward the table, trying very hard to act normal.

The closer she got to Krish, the more aware she became of him.

And then,That fragrance hit her again.

The same deep, warm scent from earlier It wrapped around her senses the moment she stepped close, making her heartbeat stumble all over again.

Seriously?

She silently cursed her luck.

Nitya reached for the cookies, but before taking them, her eyes betrayed her.

They moved toward him, Krish was already looking at her, Their eyes met, For one suspended second, neither of them moved, His gaze was steady, calm, almost unreadable.

Hers was anything but Nitya's breath caught She could feel the heat rushing straight to her cheeks again, and suddenly she became painfully aware of how close she was standing.

She couldn't hold his gaze for more than a heartbeat Her eyes dropped immediately "Ye..."

Her voice came out softer than she intended, She picked up the plate and quickly turned toward Tara "Ye lo, bhabhi."

Tara accepted it with an innocent smile that practically screamed I know exactly what I just did "Thank you, baby."

Nitya gave her a tiny glare.

Tara only smiled wider.

Nitya immediately walked back to her seat, trying to look completely unaffected.

Behind her, Krish's gaze lingered for another moment.

Nitya walked a little farther away from everyone, making sure everyon was distracted enough not to notice what she was about to do.

A mischievous smile slowly spread across her face.

She pulled out her phone.

Her original plan had been simple, she wanted a picture of Krish, She could have asked Tara for one, obviously.

But then Tara would tease her, And Nitya would rather jump off the balcony than give that woman another reason to tease her about her crush.

So, if she wanted a picture...She had to take one herself, She unlocked her phone, opened the camera, and discreetly zoomed in.

Krish was sitting comfortably on the sofa, talking to Rajveer as if he had no idea that someone across the room was currently conducting a very important photography mission.

Nitya bit back a laugh "Kya kadak maal hai yaar... chalta phirta cocaine hai, cocaine." she murmured under her breath, trying not to smile as she clicked another picture.

Click.

Then another.

Click.

She looked at the screen.

Her smile widened "Damn..." Even through her phone camera, he looked unfairly good.

There was nothing special happening. He was literally just sitting there, one arm resting casually against the sofa, his shirt slightly open at the collar, listening to Rajveer talk.

And somehow How does he look this handsome while doing absolutely nothing?

Nitya zoomed in a little more "Seriously..." she whispered, shaking her head. "Insaan hai ya walking Gucci ka model?"

She quickly lowered her phone when Krish suddenly shifted in his seat.

Her heart jumped "Shit." She immediately pretended to be scrolling through something completely innocent, even though her camera was still open.

Krish glanced in her direction.

Nitya froze, For one terrifying second, she wondered if he had caught her.

Then he looked away.

Nitya slowly exhaled "Saved..." She looked down at the picture again.

And despite herself, that stupid little smile returned.

Okay... maybe one more.

She raised the phone again.

Nitya.

A very unique character.

The first time I properly noticed her tonight, she looked almost like a dream standing there in that cream green suit, looking far too pretty without even trying.

And, coincidentally, she was wearing one of my favourite colours.

By her sudden interest in me was it intentional?

I wasn't sure, I hadn't bothered thinking about it much Anu had always described Nitya as someone whose entire world revolved around her studies, her family, and her friends. So maybe I was simply reading too much into things.

But then she walked past me, And the way she suddenly went stiff when my perfume reached her...The way her cheeks turned red, The way she refused to look at me afterward, I had to admit, I was barely holding back my laugh.

And now...

There she was.

Hiding behind a pillar like she was some undercover agent, her phone raised as she secretly clicked pictures of me.

Seriously?

What kind of cat and mouse game was this

A very obvious one.

Did she seriously think that a man who handled an entire empire wouldn't notice someone standing behind a pillar, practically photographing him?

Cute.

I decided not to expose her, I pretended not to notice, Instead, I casually adjusted my posture, Then leaned back against the sofa.

A moment later, I changed my position again, giving her a slightly better angle.

If she wanted pictures, who was I to disappoint her?

I'd give her some worth keeping.

I kept my expression completely neutral, continuing the conversation with Rajveer as though nothing unusual was happening.

But curiosity got the better of me, I glanced toward the pillar.

There she was, Phone raised, Eyes focused on the screen, A tiny, mischievous smile playing on her lips.

I almost smiled myself, So this was what she was doing.

Our eyes almost met.

Almost.

Because the second Nitya realized I was looking in her direction, she immediately lowered her phone and started scrolling through the screen with an expression of complete innocence.

As if she'd been doing absolutely nothing, As if she hadn't been secretly photographing me for the last five minutes.

I had to bite back a laugh.

Oh, please, I looked away, shaking my head

slightly.

Silly girl A quiet smile remained on my lips.

Cute, though.

Nitya stared at the picture on her phone.

Perfect, Absolutely perfect.

The angle, the expression, the way Krish had casually adjusted his cufflinks.Everything.

Her eyes practically sparkled."Kya maal hai yaar ye... hayeee." she murmured, biting back a grin.

She zoomed in on the picture once more before pressing her phone against her chest like she had just secured the most precious thing in the world "Finally..."

"Ahem."

Nitya froze, Her entire body went stiff.

Slowly, Very slowly she turned around.

Avyansh was standing behind her, arms crossed, staring at her with the most unimpressed expression imaginable.

Nitya nearly jumped out of her skin "BHAAIII!" She clutched her chest "Marne ka iraada hai kya?! Abhi toh meri shaadi bhi nahi hui!"

Avyansh raised an eyebrow.

Nitya continued before he could say anything "Kyun mere hone wale pati ko bewa banane ke plan mein ho tum?!"

Avyansh just stared at her, For a moment, he genuinely looked like he was questioning every life decision that had led him to this conversation.

"Main kaafi der se dekh raha hoon...".He pointed at the phone pressed against her chest "...ye phone apne seene se chipka ke yahan khadi ho."

Nitya slowly lowered the phone "Main... actually..."

"Khair." Avyansh waved a hand dismissively. "Tujhse kuch umeed hai hi nahi, ki tu kisi ke pyaar Main gir sakti hai"

Nitya frowned "Bhai!"

Avyansh continued casually "Tu kisi ko pata bhi Nehi sakti hai, iska mujhe toh bharosa hi nahi hai. Shayad koi nayi law ki book mili hogi."

Nitya's mouth fell open "WHAT?!"

Avyansh turned around and started walking away "Chalo. Bhabhi bula rahi hain."

Nitya stood there, completely offended "Main kisi ko pata nahi sakti?!"

She looked down at her phone, Then at the direction Avyansh had gone.

Then back at Krish's picture, Her expression softened immediately "...Well."

She smiled "Ek ko toh pata lungi." She immediately shook her head "Pagal ho gayi hoon main."

"Bach gayiii!" She shoved her phone into her pocket and hurried after Avyansh before anyone else could catch her staring at Krish's picture like a lovesick idiot.

The entire family was seated around the dinner table, the atmosphere warm and lively as everyone settled into their usual conversations.

Lavanya, however, seemed more interested in making sure her brother actually ate "Arre du Bhai!" she complained, serving more food onto Krish's plate. "Shuk ke khata ho gaye ho aap. Khane peene ka dhyaan hi nahi hai aapko."

Krish looked at the growing amount of food on his plate and sighed "Hmm... enough, enough, Anu." He gently stopped her hand. "Ab bait. Bahut ho gaya. Ab khana khao. Main le lunga jo chahiye woh."

Lavanya finally gave up and took her seat beside Rajveer.

Rajveer immediately picked up her plate and served her food without her even asking.

"Thank you," she murmured, giving him a small smile.

Krish watched the exchange with an amused smile, But there was someone else watching.

Someone who had been staring at him for the past several minutes.

Nitya.

Her eyes were practically glued to Krish, She wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.

As Lavanya had been serving Krish, Nitya had unconsciously imagined herself sitting in Lavanya's place,

Imagine...Krish serving her food "Nitya, aur chahiye?"

"Nahi, bas..."

She nearly smiled to herself.

Oh God.

She quickly looked down at her plate before anyone could notice, And then her imagination had gone several steps further.

Focus, Nitya, She quickly looked down at her plate, Only to glance back at him a second later.

Krish caught the movement from the corner of his eye.

Meanwhile, Rajveer casually looked toward Krish "I think Krish ki shaadi karwa deni chahiye."

Nitya's head snapped up.

Rajveer continued, completely unaware of the effect his words were having "Ek achhi ladki dhoondh lenge. Biwi aayegi toh shayad isse thoda sudhaar degi."

Nitya's eyes widened.

Marriage.

Krish.

Wife.

Her heart suddenly started beating much faster, Before she could stop herself, a blush crept onto her cheeks.

Tara noticed.

And immediately decided to make things worse "Haan, Rajveer bhai bilkul sahi bol rahe hain." She smiled innocently "Koi achhi si ladki... confident, sundar, independent..."

She paused deliberately "Ekdum humari Nitya jaisi."

Nitya's eyes went wide "Kh..kjhh" She immediately choked on her food "COUGH...COUGH!"

Everyone turned toward her, Yuvaan immediately pushed his chair back slightly."Nitya!"

Krish was already reaching for the water glass,.He passed it to her without hesitation "Here."

Nitya grabbed it and started drinking hurriedly.

Lavanya stood halfway from her seat."Offo Nitya! Dheere dheere!"

Yuvaan gently patted her back."Aram se. Kya kar rahi hai o?"

Nitya continued coughing for a few seconds before finally managing to breathe normally again.

Rajveer looked genuinely concerned "Aaram se khao, Nitya. Koi jaldi nahi hai."

Nitya nodded quickly, her eyes watering "Haan..."

She took another sip of water Across the table, Tara was struggling desperately not to laugh.

She looked far too pleased with herself.

Nitya slowly turned her head toward her.

Their eyes met.

Nitya gave Tara the most murderous glare she could manage.

You.

Tara simply smiled, A completely innocent smile, As if she hadn't just publicly compared Nitya to Krish's future wife.

Krish, meanwhile, quietly watched the entire exchange, His eyes briefly moved toward Nitya's flushed face.

Rajveer, however, wasn't ready to let the topic go He looked toward Krish again, resting his arm casually on the table "So, Krish... what are your thoughts about getting married?"

The entire table went quiet.

Everyone's attention shifted toward Krish.

But one person was staring at him like her entire future depended on his answer.

Nitya.

Her eyes were practically about to pop out of their sockets.

Please say yes.

Krish cleared his throat, completely unaware of the silent prayer happening across the table "Well..." He paused for a moment, thinking. "I've honestly never thought about it. My priorities have always been Anu and my business. I never really had the time to think about marriage."

Nitya's hopeful expression slowly faded.

"And I don't think I'll be thinking about it anytime soon either," Krish finished calmly.

Nitya's face fell, Just like that, Her shoulders dropped slightly, and she lowered her eyes toward her plate, suddenly finding her food far more interesting than the conversation.

Oh.

Rajveer nodded thoughtfully "Well, your life, your decision." He smiled faintly. "But marriage is beautiful."

As he said that, his eyes naturally drifted toward Lavanya.

Lavanya immediately caught his gaze and rolled her eyes.

Krish chuckled softly "Yeah. I agree."

His gaze wandered across the table,And stopped, Nitya was already looking at him, Their eyes met For a second, neither of them looked away.

Krish noticed the disappointment that still lingered faintly in her eyes, and something about that expression made him pause.

Nitya quickly looked down, But not before Krish caught it, A small, almost unreadable smile touched his lips.

After dinner, Krish and Rajveer walked side by side along the stone pathway, the cool night breeze moving through the trees.

For a while, neither of them said anything, Then Rajveer glanced at Krish "You smoke?"

Krish chuckled softly and shook his head "No."

Rajveer looked at him, amused."Kyu bhai? Tumhari toh biwi bhi nahi hai."

Krish laughed under his breath "Biwi nahi hai toh kya hua? Behen toh hai na." He looked up toward the night sky "Anu can't tolerate smoking. And I could never deliberately do something she doesn't like."

There was a quiet fondness in his voice when he said her name.

Rajveer smiled "Fair enough."

After a moment, Krish looked at him "What about you?"

Rajveer raised an eyebrow "Me?"

"Yes."

Rajveer chuckled "Tum bhool rahe ho..." He slipped his hands into his pockets "Tumhari behen meri biwi hai."

Krish laughed."And?"

"And I never do something she has strictly forbidden me from doing." For a moment, the two men simply looked at each other.

Then both burst out laughing.

Krish shook his head "You should be grateful, you know."

Rajveer's laughter faded slightly "For what?"

"If Anu hadn't wanted revenge..." Krish gave him an amused look "...you wouldn't have even gotten a chance."

Rajveer placed a hand over his chest dramatically, pretending to be wounded "Come on! I'm not that bad."

Krish laughed "That's exactly what a guilty man would say."

Rajveer shook his head, smiling "You and your sister..." He sighed dramatically "Ek ko samajhna mushkil hai, doosre ko aur bhi zyada."

Krish smiled faintly "Maine usko bada kiya hai Main hi usko samjh Nehi paya toh tum kis khet ki muli ho, Get used to it."

The two continued walking, their laughter slowly fading into the quietness of the night.

As Rajveer and Krish made their way back inside, they found Lavanya standing near the staircase with Tara and Nitya.

Lavanya looked up as soon as she saw them "Aa gaye aap dono?"

Rajveer nodded "Yes, yes."

Lavanya turned toward Krish "Bhai, aapke liye upar room set hai. Night suit bhi maine room mein rakhwa diya hai. Aur ghar ka gym bhi aapke room ke halfway, last mein hai."

Krish nodded casually."Okay, okay."

Rajveer immediately looked at his wife, confused "Gym kyun?"

Lavanya looked at him as if the answer was obvious "Bhai ko sone se pehle gym karne ki aadat hai. Isliye woh room diya hai."

Nitya, who had been standing quietly beside Tara, immediately looked at Krish.

Room, Gym Upstairs, And then another thought entered her mind.

Her room was also upstairs.

Very close to his Her brain immediately started producing possibilities.

Maybe I'll accidentally pass by his room.

Maybe I'll accidentally see the gym.

Maybe She quickly stopped herself.

What am I even thinking?! If he caught me he would think I'm a creep

Tara noticed the expression on her face and had to suppress a smile.

Lavanya turned toward her "Tara, bhai ko room dikha do."

Before Tara could answer, she glanced at Nitya with a mischievous smile "Arre, main kyun? Nitya le jayegi. Uska room bhi upar hai. Kyun Nitya, dikha dogi na?"

Nitya's face immediately turned pink."H..hhaan."

Tara bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.

Nitya looked toward Krish,.He was already looking at her.

Her heart skipped "Chaliye...".She gestured toward the staircase.

Krish simply nodded."Lead the way."

Nitya turned around and started walking,.She tried to look completely normal, completely calm, Completely unaffected.

Unfortunately, the tiny smile she couldn't suppress gave her away.

As they walked upstairs, the mansion grew quieter with every step.

Nitya walked a little ahead, trying very hard to act normal despite the fact that her heart was beating far too fast.

Behind her, Krish suddenly slowed down, He pulled a small notebook and pen from his pocket, scribbled something quickly on one of the pages, and tore it off.

Nitya stopped near the hallway and pointed ahead "Ye... ye room, aur gym is taraf hai."

Krish looked up "Thanks."

Nitya turned toward him "and..." She barely got the word out when Krish stepped slightly closer.

Close enough for her to notice the faint scent of his perfume again.

Her breath caught, Krish calmly held out the small piece of paper."Maine suna aapko mera number chahiye tha... emergency ke liye."

Nitya stared at him Her brain stopped functioning.

Krish's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile "And don't forget to send me the pictures, Miss Nitya."

He placed the paper in her hand.

Then, as casually as if he hadn't just completely short circuited her brain, he turned around and walked into his room.

The door closed behind him, Nitya remained standing in the hallway.

Completely frozen, she slowly looked down at the piece of paper in her hand.

Then toward the closed door, Then back at the paper.

Number? Emergency? Pictures?!

Her eyes widened."He... he knew?"

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