Rathore Mansion – Sunday Afternoon
It was a calm Sunday afternoon at the Rathore Mansion.
Warm sunlight spread softly across the marble floors, filling the house with a peaceful golden glow. Everything felt quiet… almost too quiet.
Rajveer Rathore was at his office, and Sushila had just left after preparing lunch.
For the first time that day, the mansion felt unusually silent.
Only Tanvi and Kiara were in the living room.
Tanvi sat on the sofa, completely absorbed in her book. Her calm expression and soft features reflected the stillness around her, as if she belonged to this silence.
Beside her, Kiara sat comfortably, watching a movie with headphones on, occasionally reacting with expressions, careful not to disturb Tanvi.
The silence between them was soft… comfortable.
Ding Dong.
The sudden sound of the doorbell broke the calm atmosphere.
Tanvi looked up, slightly surprised. She gently closed her book and walked toward the door.
As she opened it—
She blinked.
Standing outside were Ishika, Aarohi, and Yuvraj.
Before she could even react, the three of them casually walked inside like it was their own house.
Kiara quickly removed her headphones, frowning in confusion.
“Tum teeno? Itni achanak entry? Koi announcement system nahi hai tum logon ke paas?”
(You three? Such a sudden entry? Don’t you have any announcement system?)
The three of them settled on the sofa as if nothing was unusual.
Aarohi smiled brightly.
“Di, hum log shopping ja rahe the… do din baad classes start hone wali hain na.”
(Di, we were going shopping… classes are starting in two days.)
She leaned forward slightly, excitement clear in her eyes.
“Toh socha Tanu ko bhi saath le chalein… use bhi kuch chahiye hoga.”
(So we thought we’d take Tanu along… she might need something too.)
Tanvi looked at Kiara, unsure.
Before Kiara could respond—
A calm but firm voice echoed through the room.
“Tanu kahin nahi jaayegi.”
(Tanu is not going anywhere.)
Everyone turned.
Reyansh walked down the stairs.
For a moment… the atmosphere shifted.
He was wearing a sleeveless shirt, his toned arms clearly visible. His broad shoulders, sharp jawline, and calm yet intense eyes gave him a naturally commanding presence.
There was something effortless about him—something that didn’t try to impress… yet still did.
His gaze moved across the room, steady and controlled.
And then—
It stopped.
On Aarohi.
For a second—
Aarohi completely forgot where she was.
Her eyes locked onto him.
Her thoughts? Gone.
Her heartbeat? Faster than usual.
“Yeh insaan real hai ya imagination…”
(Is this person even real or just imagination…)
She didn’t even realize she was staring.
“Aaru!” Ishika tapped her head lightly.
“Kya ghoor rahi hai? Sun bhi rahi hai kya woh kya bol rahe hain?”
(What are you staring at? Are you even listening to what he’s saying?)
Aarohi blinked, snapping out of it.
“Haan? Kya?”
(What?)
Ishika sighed.
“Woh bol rahe hain Tanu humare saath nahi jaa sakti.”
(He’s saying Tanu can’t go with us.)
Ishika then looked at Reyansh.
“Bhaiya, par kyun nahi jaa sakti?”
(Brother, why can’t she go?)
Reyansh’s expression remained calm, but his tone turned firm.
“Maine kaha na… woh nahi jaayegi. Bas.”
(I already said… she won’t go. That’s final.)
Yuvraj leaned back casually, crossing his arms.
“Par problem kya hai bhaiya? Aise react kyun kar rahe ho… koi usse kha thodi jaayega.”
(What’s the problem? Why are you reacting like this… no one’s going to eat her.)
Reyansh’s jaw tightened slightly.
“Main use tum logon ke saath aise akela nahi bhej sakta.”
(I can’t send her alone with you like this.)
Yuvraj smirked.
“Bhaiya, jab woh humare saath jaa rahi hai toh akeli kaise hui?”
(If she’s going with us, how is she alone?)
Kiara sighed softly.
“Reyansh, jaane do na… it’s just shopping.”
Reyansh didn’t even look at her.
“Maine ek baar bol diya na.”
(I’ve already said it once.)
Behind them—
Ishika leaned toward Aarohi and whispered,
“Yeh Reyansh bhaiya kitne gusse wale hain.”
(Reyansh is so strict.)
“Hm…” Aarohi replied absentmindedly, still stealing glances at him.
Ishika smirked.
“Waise… hot hai na?”
(By the way… he’s hot, right?)
“Bahut…” Aarohi replied instantly.
Then she froze.
Ishika burst into silent laughter and nudged her.
“Hosh mein aa ja, Aaru baby. Agar Reyansh bhaiya ne tujhe aise ghoorte dekh liya na…”
(Come back to your senses. If Reyansh sees you staring like this…)
Aarohi quickly looked away, pretending to fix her hair, her cheeks slightly warm.
Meanwhile—
Yuvraj suddenly stood up.
“Are bhaiya, why are you behaving like a typical Hindi TV serial brother?”
(Why are you acting like a typical Hindi TV serial brother?)
He grinned.
“Chill… abhi jaayegi, thodi der mein wapas aa jaayegi.”
(Relax… she’ll go and come back in a while.)
Reyansh stepped forward.
“Yuvraj, main—”
Before he could complete—
Yuvraj casually held Tanvi’s wrist and pulled her toward the door.
“Chalo, Tanu.”
(Let’s go, Tanu.)
Tanvi blinked, completely caught off guard.
“Maine haan bhi nahi bola—”
(I didn’t even say yes—)
“Ab bol diya,” Yuvraj said with a grin.
(Now you did.)
“Bye bhaiya, di! Don’t worry, hum sambhal lenge isse.”
(Bye brother, sister! Don’t worry, we’ll take care of her.)
Ishika and Aarohi followed quickly.
“Bye!”
Within seconds—
They were gone.
The door closed.
Silence filled the room again.
Reyansh stood there, staring at the door, his expression unreadable.
“…Yeh kya tha?”
(…What was that?)
Kiara shrugged casually.
“Kuch nahi. Thodi der mein aa jayegi.”
(Nothing. She’ll be back in a while.)
Then she looked at him carefully.
“Tu itni tension kyun le raha hai?”
(Why are you so worried?)
Reyansh didn’t reply.
His eyes were still fixed on the door.
But this time—
It wasn’t just irritation.
There was something deeper in his gaze.
Something he didn’t understand.
Something he wasn’t ready to accept.
A few hours had passed.
The soft golden light of evening had slowly turned into a calm, dim glow inside the Rathore Mansion.
Reyansh and Kiara were sitting in the living room.
Kiara was scrolling through her phone casually, while Reyansh sat quietly, his posture straight but his mind clearly somewhere else.
His eyes occasionally shifted toward the main door.
As if he was waiting.
As if something didn’t feel right.
Ding Dong.
The doorbell rang.
Kiara immediately looked up.
“Tanu aa gayi shayad.”
(Tanu must be back.)
She stood up and walked toward the door.
As she opened it—
She froze for a second.
Standing at the entrance was Rajveer Rathore.
He was tall, fit, and carried a naturally commanding presence. Despite being around forty, his sharp features, well-built physique, and composed personality made him look effortlessly charismatic.
His aura alone was enough to shift the atmosphere of the house.
Without saying much, he stepped inside.
“Dadda… aap aaj jaldi aa gaye?” Kiara asked, slightly surprised.
(Dadda… you came early today?)
Rajveer removed his watch calmly.
“Haan, aaj office mein kaam kam tha.”
(Yes, there was less work at the office today.)
He walked toward the living room and sat on the sofa.
Reyansh straightened slightly.
His expression changed.
There was a flicker of uneasiness in his eyes.
Rajveer’s gaze moved around the room.
“Tanu kahan hai?”
(Where is Tanu?)
For a moment—
Silence.
Reyansh’s throat went dry.
“Woh dadda… main—”
(Dadda… I—)
His words got stuck.
Before he could say anything—
Kiara spoke, her tone calm but slightly unsure.
“Dadda… Tanu ke friends aaye the… woh unke saath shopping par gayi hai.”
(Dadda… Tanu’s friends came… she went shopping with them.)
The moment those words left her mouth—
The atmosphere changed.
Completely.
Rajveer’s expression hardened.
His eyes first moved toward Kiara… then slowly toward Reyansh.
“What are you saying?”
(Tum kya keh rahi ho?)
His voice was low—
But dangerous.
“Kiara ko toh shayad samajh nahi hai… lekin tum?”
(Maybe Kiara doesn’t understand… but you?)
He stood up.
His anger now visible.
“Reyansh, tumne use kaise jaane diya?”
(Reyansh, how did you let her go?)
His face turned slightly red with anger.
“Abhi ke abhi call karo. Unhe wapas bulao.”
(Call them right now. Call her back immediately.)
His tone was firm.
Unquestionable.
Reyansh looked toward the door—
Just as it opened.
All four of them stood there.
Tanvi. Aarohi. Ishika. Yuvraj.
For a moment—
No one moved.
Tanvi stood still.
Her face was pale… her eyes slightly lowered.
There was fear.
And tension.
Yuvraj looked confused, his usual confidence missing.
Ishika and Aarohi stood quietly, their expressions a mix of shock and nervousness.
The playful energy from earlier was completely gone.
Rajveer’s expression changed instantly.
The anger in his eyes softened.
He walked toward Tanvi without wasting a second.
Gently, he placed his hand on her head.
“Are you okay, princess?”
His voice was soft now.
Concerned.
Protective.
Tanvi looked up slightly and nodded.
“Haan…”
(Yes…)
Rajveer exhaled slowly, as if calming himself.
Yuvraj stepped forward a little.
“Hum log chalte hain…”
(We should leave…)
His voice was polite now.
Respectful.
Rajveer immediately shook his head.
“Nahi, beta. Tum log thak gaye hoge.”
(No, beta. You all must be tired.)
His tone was warm again.
“Thodi der aaram karo. Andar aao.”
(Rest for a while. Come inside.)
The three of them exchanged quick glances, slightly hesitant.
“Ji…”
(Okay…)
They stepped inside.
Rajveer turned toward Kiara.
“Kiara, in sab ke liye kuch snacks aur cold drink le aao.”
(Kiara, bring some snacks and cold drinks for them.)
“Ji, Dadda.”
Kiara nodded and moved toward the kitchen.
Meanwhile—
Everyone slowly walked toward the living room.
But the atmosphere had changed.
Completely.
There was silence.
There was tension.
And there was something unspoken—
Something that made everyone feel it.
Without understanding it.
_______________________________________
Singhania Mansion – Night
The night had settled quietly over the Singhania Mansion.
Inside the living room, Rudraksha and Nikhil were sitting on the sofa, busy discussing something related to their studies. Books and notes were spread across the table, and both of them looked serious.
The atmosphere was calm—
Until the door opened.
Yuvraj, Aarohi, and Ishika walked in.
The moment they entered, something felt off.
No excitement.
No drama.
Just silence.
They walked toward the sofa and sat down.
Their faces blank… expressions dull.
Rudraksha immediately noticed.
“Kya hua? Why do you three look like someone cancelled your life plans?”
(What happened? Why do you three look so dull?)
Nikhil also looked at them carefully.
Yuvraj ran a hand through his hair and exhaled.
“Bhaiya… aapko pata hai Reyansh bhaiya ke papa kitne dangerous hain?”
(Brother… do you know how dangerous Reyansh’s father is?)
Rudraksha frowned.
“Kya hua exactly?”
(What exactly happened?)
Yuvraj leaned forward slightly.
“Hum log unke ghar gaye the… aur Tanu ko shopping ke liye le gaye.”
(We went to their house and took Tanu for shopping.)
He continued,
“Reyansh bhaiya ne mana kiya tha… but I thought he was just overreacting.”
His tone turned a little guilty.
“So… I kind of dragged her with us.”
Aarohi and Ishika exchanged a glance.
“Jab wapas aaye… Rajveer uncle already ghar par the,” Yuvraj said.
“And trust me, bhaiya… he was really angry.”
“He literally started scolding Reyansh bhaiya like we did something illegal.”
Aarohi nodded quickly.
“Haan bhaiya… they were behaving like Tanu bahar jaate hi kuch dangerous ho jaayega.”
(Yes brother… they were behaving like something dangerous would happen if Tanu stepped outside.)
She frowned.
“It felt… weird.”
Rudraksha listened calmly.
“Tum logon ne usse le jaana hi kyun zaroori samjha?”
(Why did you feel it was necessary to take her?)
His tone was calm but firm.
“If they clearly said no… you shouldn’t have forced it.”
Yuvraj looked down slightly.
“Sorry, bhaiya…”
Rudraksha sighed.
“Every family has their own reasons.”
“Without knowing the full story, we shouldn’t judge.”
Aarohi leaned forward.
“But bhaiya… seriously, don’t you think they’re overreacting?”
“I mean… itna overprotective hona is not normal.”
Rudraksha shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe it’s their personal matter.”
“And we should respect that.”
The three of them nodded slowly.
“Okay…”
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Then—
Nikhil spoke.
“This is not that simple.”
Everyone turned toward him.
His expression was serious.
“There’s something big going on.”
Rudraksha narrowed his eyes.
“Kya matlab?”
(What do you mean?)
Nikhil looked straight at them.
“You guys know… Tanvi is adopted.”
For a second—
No one reacted.
Then—
“What?” Rudraksha said, clearly shocked.
“Tujhe kaise pata? And why don’t I know this?”
(How do you know? And why don’t I know this?)
“Reyansh ne kabhi mention bhi nahi kiya.”
(Reyansh never even mentioned it.)
“Why would he hide something like this?”
Nikhil replied calmly,
“Kiara told me.”
Everyone looked at him.
“I don’t know why Reyansh didn’t tell you… but Kiara shares everything about Tanvi with me.”
He paused, then added,
“And she also said… Rajveer uncle aur Reyansh ka behaviour hamesha aisa hi raha hai.”
“But even she doesn’t know the reason.”
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Rudraksh leaned back, thinking deeply.
“Hmm…”
Then he said calmly,
“For now… everyone just go and rest.”
“We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
He looked at Yuvraj and Aarohi.
“You two, go to your room.”
“Okay, bhaiya…”
They stood up and left quietly.
Nikhil stood up and looked at Ishika.
“Ishu, let’s go. Mom must be waiting.”
“Hmm…”
Both of them left.
The living room slowly became empty again.
Only silence remained.
And a mystery—
That was just beginning to unfold.
_______________________________________
Next Day – College Canteen
The canteen was buzzing with noise—students chatting, laughing, plates clinking.
At one corner table—
Nikhil, Kiara, and Rudraksh were already sitting.
Kiara was scrolling through reels on her phone, occasionally smiling at something.
Nikhil sat quietly, lost in his thoughts.
Rudraksha leaned back slightly, observing everything calmly.
Meanwhile—
Aaditya was not sitting at all.
He was pacing around the table, hands in his hair, clearly overthinking something.
Kiara looked up at him.
“Aadi, tu marathon ki practice kar raha hai kya?”
(Aadi, are you preparing for a marathon or what?)
Nikhil smirked slightly.
“Ya phir dimag me itni heavy calculation chal rahi hai?”
(Or is your brain doing some heavy calculations?)
Before Aaditya could reply—
A familiar voice came from behind.
“Good morning, guys.”
Everyone turned.
Reyansh walked in casually, his usual confident aura intact.
“Good morning,” they all replied.
Reyansh sat down, glancing at their faces.
“Kya hua? Tum sabke expressions aise kyun change ho gaye?”
(What happened? Why do your expressions look so different?)
Before anyone else could speak—
Aaditya stepped forward and lightly smacked his shoulder.
“Sale… apne doston se baatein chhupata hai tu?”
(Dude… you hide things from your friends?)
Reyansh winced slightly.
“Aadi! Kya kar raha hai?”
(Aadi! What are you doing?)
He rubbed his shoulder.
“Kis baare mein baat kar raha hai? Maine kya chhupaya hai?”
(What are you even talking about? What have I hidden?)
Rudraksha raised his hand calmly.
“Pehle tum dono baith jao.”
(First, both of you sit down.)
Both of them sat.
Aaditya leaned forward.
“Ab bata… kyun chupaya?”
(Now tell me… why did you hide it?)
Reyansh frowned.
“What are you talking about? I’m not hiding anything.”
Aaditya scoffed.
“Jhoote… tune chhupaya hai.”
(Liar… you did hide it.)
Then he said clearly—
“Tanvi ke baare mein.”
(About Tanvi.)
A slight silence fell.
“You didn’t tell us she was adopted.”
Reyansh’s expression changed instantly.
His jaw tightened.
His eyes turned sharp.
He stared at Aaditya.
“Kisne bataya tumhe?”
(Who told you?)
Aaditya casually pointed toward Rudraksha.
“Isne.”
(He did.)
Reyansh’s gaze shifted to Rudraksha.
Rudraksha didn’t react much.
“Woh mujhe Nikhil ne bataya.”
(Nikhil told me.)
Now Reyansh looked at Nikhil.
Nikhil calmly pointed at Kiara.
“Kiara told me.”
All eyes turned to her.
Kiara froze for a second… then straightened.
“Woh… main—”
Reyansh raised an eyebrow.
“Ha… tujhe bhi kisi ne bataya hoga?”
(Yeah… someone must have told you too?)
Kiara rolled her eyes.
“Mujhe kaun batayega? Mujhe toh already pata hai.”
(Who would tell me? I already knew.)
Reyansh exhaled sharply.
“Tere pet mein koi baat tikti nahi hai kya?”
(Can’t you keep anything to yourself?)
“Har jagah dhindhora pitati rehti hai.”
(You announce everything everywhere.)
Before Kiara could reply—
Aaditya interrupted.
“Tu usse kyun daant raha hai?”
(Why are you scolding her?)
“Tu bata… tune humse kyun chhupaya?”
(You tell us… why did you hide it from us?)
Reyansh leaned back slightly.
“Kyu? Kya yeh sabko batane wali baat hai?”
(Why? Is this something to announce to everyone?)
“Jo main dhol baja kar sabko bataun?”
(That I should go around announcing it?)
His tone had sarcasm.
Aaditya shook his head.
“Arey… we are friends, yaar.”
“Hume toh bata sakta tha na.”
Then he leaned forward.
“Chal ab drama band kar… aur properly bata.”
“Everything. From the start.”
For a moment—
Reyansh stayed silent.
His expression softened slightly.
Then he sighed.
“Okay… batata hoon.”
(Okay… I’ll tell you.)
Everyone grew serious.
Reyansh took a slow breath, his expression turning serious as his gaze dropped for a moment, like he was revisiting something he didn’t usually talk about.
“Two years ago…” he started quietly, his voice low but steady, “Dadda brought Tanvi home. She was around sixteen… maybe seventeen at that time. Actually, she’s the daughter of Dadda’s business partner.”
He paused briefly, his fingers tapping lightly against the table before continuing.
“That time… Dadda had a major accident. They were returning from a business trip—Dadda, the driver, Tanvi’s parents, and her younger brother… all of them were in the same car.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“Tanvi wasn’t there… she was on a school trip.”
There was a brief silence before he continued.
“And then… suddenly, their car collided with a truck.”
His voice lowered.
“The impact was really bad… so bad that everyone in the car died.”
For a second, no one moved.
“Except Dadda,” he added quietly. “He was the only one who survived… but he had serious injuries.”
Reyansh leaned back slightly, exhaling slowly.
“After a few months… when things started settling down, Dadda suddenly brought Tanvi home.”
His tone softened just a little.
“She had lost everything in one moment… her parents, her brother… her entire world.”
A small pause.
“And then Dadda decided to adopt her.”
Reyansh finally looked up at them, his expression calm but his eyes carrying a quiet depth.
“Since then… she’s been living with us.”
A heavy silence settled over the table after Reyansh finished speaking.
No one said anything.
Even the usual noise of the canteen felt distant.
For the first time, the situation didn’t feel like a joke anymore.
It felt real.
Aaditya leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table, curiosity clearly visible on his face.
“Uncle use ghar le aaye… tum dono ne kuch bola nahi?”
(Uncle brought her home… didn’t you two say anything?)
His eyes shifted between Reyansh and Kiara.
Rudraksha also looked at them, his expression calm but questioning.
“Haan… tum dono ko koi problem nahi hui?”
(Yeah… didn’t you two have any problem with it?)
Kiara let out a small breath, her fingers absentmindedly tapping her phone screen before she kept it aside.
“Itna easy nahi tha humare liye…”
(It wasn’t that easy for us…)
She glanced at Reyansh once, then looked back at them.
“Actually, Dadda ne hume bataya tha ki woh Tanvi ko adopt karne wale hain… but usse milne se pehle hum uski family se mil chuke the.”
(Actually, Dadda had told us he was going to adopt Tanvi… but before meeting her, we had already met her family.)
Her expression shifted slightly, a hint of irritation appearing.
“And honestly… mujhe woh log bilkul pasand nahi the, bahut Ajeeb the.”
Nikhil frowned slightly.
“What do you mean? Ajeeb kaise?”
Kiara leaned back, folding her arms, her tone turning sharper as memories surfaced.
“Matlab… unka behaviour hi weird tha,” she said, then continued in one breath—
“Jab bhi woh humare ghar aate the na, Tanvi ke father hamesha Dadda ka kaan bharte rehte the—ki aapne apni beti ko itni freedom de rakhi hai, ladkiyon ko aise nahi rehna chahiye, unka behaviour aisa hona chahiye, waisa hona chahiye.”
(Whenever they used to come to our house, Tanvi’s father would always try to influence Dadda—saying you’ve given your daughter too much freedom, girls shouldn’t behave like this, they should act in a certain ‘proper’ way.)
She rolled her eyes slightly.
“Aur uski so-called mother…” she scoffed softly, “pata nahi kya problem thi mujhse. Har baat pe tokna—kaise baithti ho, kaise bolti ho… ‘ladkiyon ka behaviour aisa nahi hota’—like seriously?”
(And her so-called mother… I don’t know what problem she had with me. She kept correcting everything—how I sit, how I talk… saying ‘girls shouldn’t behave like this’—like seriously?)
Aaditya and Nikhil exchanged a look.
Kiara continued, a little more animated now—
“Aur uska bhai… zero manners. Bilkul tameez nahi thi. Completely spoiled. Matlab… pura environment hi toxic tha.”
(And her brother… zero manners. No basic decency. Completely spoiled. The whole environment was toxic.
She shook her head.
“So yeah… I didn’t like them at all.”
A small pause.
“And obviously… mujhe laga Tanvi bhi unhi jaisi hogi.”
Then her expression softened.
“But when I met her…”
Her voice slowed.
“She was completely different.”
“She was sweet… quiet… innocent. Like… bilkul opposite.”
There was a brief silence.
Aaditya leaned forward again.
“Matlab tum logon ne use first day se accept kar liya?”
(So you guys accepted her from the first day?)
Kiara gave a small smile.
“Main ne toh kar liya tha.”
(I did.)
“Honestly… mujhe woh pehle din se hi pasand thi.”
Then she glanced sideways at Reyansh, a teasing hint in her eyes.
“But Mr. Attitude here… not at all.”
Everyone looked at Reyansh.
Reyansh sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“Obviously,” he said calmly, “Dadda usse suddenly ghar le aaye the.”
“I didn’t like that.”
“And I couldn’t accept it that easily.”
Kiara smirked slightly.
“‘Couldn’t accept it’ is an understatement,” she said.
“Tum logon ne usse baat tak nahi ki thi.”
(You didn’t even talk to her.)
Aaditya raised his eyebrows.
“Seriously?”
Kiara nodded dramatically.
“Haan bhai… Mr. Reyansh Rathore didn’t even acknowledge her existence.”
Everyone chuckled lightly.
Then Kiara leaned back, crossing her arms.
“Aur ab dekho…” she said with a knowing smile,
“Same person protects her like she’s some priceless thing.”
(And now look at him… the same person protects her like she’s something extremely precious.)
Aaditya smirked.
“True that.”
Kiara leaned back slightly, a faint smile forming on her lips as she looked at everyone.
“You know what… Reyansh ne kya kiya tha jab usne first time Tanu ko dekha tha?”
Everyone looked at her curiously.
Aaditya leaned forward instantly.
“Now this I want to hear.”
Rudraksha’s eyes narrowed slightly, interested.
Kiara smirked.
Flashback –
Rathore Mansion
The Rathore Mansion was unusually quiet that afternoon.
Reyansh was sitting on the sofa in the living room, scrolling through his phone absentmindedly.
In the kitchen, Kiara and Mansi Goyal (their bua) were busy talking and preparing something.
Meanwhile, Kamini Rathore and Ranveer Rathore (their chacha-chachi) had come to stay after hearing about the accident.
Suddenly—
Ding Dong.
The doorbell rang.
Kamini walked toward the door and opened it.
She froze for a second.
Standing outside was Rajveer Rathore, his expression serious yet calm. Behind him stood his PA, Abhishek Khurana.
And beside him—
A girl.
Around sixteen or seventeen.
Wearing a simple knee-length frock.
Her long hair fell softly over her shoulders.
Her face—
Innocent… delicate… almost angelic.
But her eyes—
Filled with fear and confusion.
Rajveer looked at her gently.
“Princess, come inside.”
(Princess, andar aao.)
Tanvi stepped in slowly, her grip tightening slightly on her dress.
Kamini frowned.
“Bhai sahab, yeh ladki kaun hai?”
(Bhai sahab, who is this girl?)
Rajveer walked inside, his voice calm but firm.
“Yeh ab humari beti hai. Aaj se yeh humare saath rahegi. Iska naam Tanvi hai.”
(She is now our daughter. From today, she will live with us. Her name is Tanvi.)
Just then—
Reyansh stood up from the sofa, confusion clearly visible on his face.
“What? You just brought a random girl and suddenly she’s our daughter?”
His tone had disbelief.
“What do you mean she’ll stay here?”
Kiara quickly stepped forward.
“Reyansh, calm down.”
Then she looked at Rajveer.
“Dadda… at least properly batayiye. Who is she?”
Rajveer sighed slightly.
“Yeh Rajendra Singh ki beti hai… mera business partner. Unki accident mein death ho gayi.”
(She is Rajendra Singh’s daughter… my business partner. He died in the accident.)
“Aaj se yeh yahin rahegi.”
(From today, she will live here.)
Reyansh frowned deeply.
“But why?”
Rajveer looked straight at him.
“Kyunki main ise adopt karne wala hoon.”
(Because I am going to adopt her.)
“Yeh meri beti hai.”
(She is my daughter.)
Kamini immediately reacted.
“Kya keh rahe hain aap, bhaiya? Yeh ghar hai ya dharamshala?”
(What are you saying? Is this a house or a shelter?)
“Aap ise adopt kyun karenge? Iske relatives honge na!”
(Why would you adopt her? She must have relatives!)
Rajveer’s expression hardened.
“Main un logon ko dekh chuka hoon.”
(I have seen those people.)
“Main ise unke bharose nahi chhod sakta. Woh log theek nahi hain.”
(I cannot leave her with them. They are not good people.)
Reyansh clenched his jaw.
“So what do you expect, Dadda?”
“We’ll just accept her like that? Just because you decided?”
Rajveer’s tone turned strict.
“Enough, Reyansh.”
“Maine decide kar liya hai.”
(I have decided.)
“Agar kisi ko problem hai… toh woh yeh ghar chhod sakta hai.”
(If anyone has a problem… they can leave this house.)
Silence.
“What? Dadda… aap ek unknown ladki ke liye hume ghar chhodne ko keh rahe ho?”
(You’re asking us to leave the house for a stranger?)
Reyansh said, clearly hurt and angry.
Rajveer didn’t back down.
“Maine jo kaha woh final hai.”
(What I said is final.)
“Yeh yahin rahegi.”
(She will stay here.)
Reyansh’s eyes turned cold.
“Fine.”
“Your house. Your decision.”
Then he pointed toward Tanvi.
“But I don’t accept her.”
“And you…” he said sharply,
“Whatever your name is—stay away from me and my things.”
He turned and walked upstairs without another word.
Tanvi stood there silently.
Her fingers trembling.
Her eyes slowly filling with tears.
Evening – Reyansh’s Room
Reyansh was sitting quietly on his bed, lost in his thoughts.
Knock.
“Come in,” he said without looking.
The door opened slowly.
“Reyansh bhaiya…”
A soft, trembling voice.
He turned.
Tanvi stood at the door.
Reyansh’s expression hardened instantly.
“TUM YAHAN KYA KAR RAHI HO? GET OUT OF MY ROOM!”
(What are you doing here? Get out of my room!)
His voice was loud.
Tanvi flinched.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Sorry… bhaiya…” she said, her voice shaking.
“Please Rajveer uncle se naraz mat ho…”
(Please don’t be upset with Rajveer uncle…)
“Woh bahut ache hain… meri wajah se aap unse naraz mat ho.”
(He is very kind… please don’t be upset with him because of me.)
“Please… aap dono ek dusre se naraz mat rahiye…”
(Please don’t stay angry with each other…)
Reyansh looked irritated.
“Stop crying like a child.”
“Just leave.”
By now, everyone had gathered at the door.
Rajveer saw Tanvi crying.
His expression darkened.
“Reyansh!” he snapped.
“Yeh kya behaviour hai?”
(What kind of behaviour is this?)
“Tum ek ladki se aise baat kar rahe ho?”
(You’re talking to a girl like this?)
“Woh already itna suffer kar chuki hai… aur tum usse is tarah treat kar rahe ho?”
(She has already suffered so much… and you’re treating her like this?)
Mansi stepped forward.
“Reyansh, tum aaram se bhi baat kar sakte the.”
(You could have spoken calmly.)
Kiara added,
“Look at her condition…”
Reyansh snapped back.
“Mujhe kyun suna rahe ho? Isse puchho yeh yahan kyun aayi!”
(Why are you scolding me? Ask her why she came here!)
“ENOUGH!” Rajveer said firmly.
Then he turned to Tanvi, his voice instantly soft.
“Princess, don’t cry.”
“Chalo, main tumhe tumhara room dikhaata hoon.”
(Come, I’ll show you your room.)
He gently held her hand and took her away.
Everyone followed.
Leaving—
Reyansh alone.
Later – Same Room
Kiara sat beside him.
“Reyansh, kya problem hai? Tell me.”
(Reyansh, what’s the problem? Tell me.)
Reyansh looked at her, frustration clear in his eyes.
“Yeh sab kya ho raha hai, Kiara?”
(What is all this, Kiara?)
“Dadda suddenly ek unknown girl ko le aaye…”
(Dadda suddenly brought an unknown girl…)
“How am I supposed to accept her as my sister?”
“Why, Kiara? Why did he do this?”
“Were we not enough for him?”
Kiara softened.
“Reyansh, relax…”
“She’s a nice girl. I talked to her.”
“She’s innocent… like an angel.”
Reyansh looked away.
“I don’t want to talk about her.”
“Please… just leave me alone.”
Kiara sighed.
“Okay… take care.”
She left.
Reyansh locked the door.
And sat there…
Alone.
Flashback Ends
Back in the canteen—
Everyone was silent.
Aaditya shook his head in disbelief.
“I still can’t believe… tu wahi Reyansh hai jo use accept nahi karta tha.”
“And now… you’re the one protecting her the most.”
Reyansh gave a small, calm smile.
“Us time situation alag thi…”
(That time, the situation was different…)
“Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha kya karu.”
(I didn’t know what to do.)
Then his voice turned firm.
“But now… she’s my sister.”
“My little sister.”
“And I’ll always protect her… from everything.”
Kiara smiled slightly.
“Okay guys, enough emotional drama.”
“Chalo, ghar chalte hain.”
“Kal se first semester ki classes start ho rahi hain… and our juniors are coming.”
Everyone nodded.
They stood up—
And walked out of the canteen.
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