"Mumma, I'll be back soon. Don't worry, and Bhai arranged everything, na? So nothing will happen," Aadhya said to Mumma, who was getting tense as Aadhya was leaving for America in just one hour.
"Haan mujhe pata hai, magar fir bhi... jana zaruri thi kya? Yaha se bhi toh PhD kar sakti thi." (Yes, I know, but still... was it really necessary to go? You could've done your PhD here too.) Mumma said, her voice filled with worry.
I sighed and walked closer to them. Hugging Mumma from the side, I spoke gently.
"Mumma, hamari gudiya badi ho gayi hai ab. Aur agar aap ne use sahas nahi diya toh phir kaun dega, batayiye?" (Mumma, our little doll has grown up now. And if you don't give her courage, then who will, tell me?)
"Hmm, par yaad rakhna... har roz call karegi." (Hmm, but remember... you'll call every day.) Mumma said. Aadhya and I smiled.
"Jarrur, aapko toh call karna hi parega na, aap hamari mata-shree jo hain." (Of course, I'll have to call you, right? After all, you are our mother queen.) Aadhya teased playfully, making the three of us burst into laughter.
"Umm-hmm..." A sound came from behind. We turned and saw Papa standing there, his hand over his chest.
"Kya iss buddhe ko aapke parivaar mein jagah mil sakta hai?" (Can this old man get a place in your family?) Papa asked in a serious tone. But was he really serious? Nope. Mumma, Aadhya, and I exchanged a look. Then—
"Nahi!" (No!) we all said in unison, and Papa immediately made a pout like a child. Once again, we all burst into laughter.
"Haan haan, has lo has lo. Isi liye toh tum logon ko itni mehnat se laya tha is duniya mein." (Yes yes, laugh as much as you want. That's why I worked so hard to bring you into this world.) Papa said, gently pushing us away from Mumma.
"Hein? Mehnat?" (What? Hard work?) Mumma raised an eyebrow. I bit my lips, trying not to laugh.
"Of course, sweetheart, kitni raat jagna pada humein." (Of course, sweetheart, we had to stay awake so many nights.) Papa said, making Mumma turn red while Aadhya and I giggled.
"Sharam nahi aata aapko apne bachchon ke saamne yeh sab kehne mein?" (Don't you feel ashamed saying all this in front of your children?) Mumma scolded lightly, giving a small slap to Papa's chest.
"Aww, isme sharam ki kya baat? Unhe bhi toh karna hi padega na, warna hum pote-poti ka chehra kaise dekhenge?" (Aww, what's there to be ashamed of? They'll have to do the same one day; otherwise, how will we see the faces of our grandkids?) Papa teased while we looked at him in disbelief.
"Huff, aur nahi bol rahi hoon!" (Huff, I won't say anything more!) Mumma exclaimed, hiding her embarrassment.
We all shook our heads, while Mumma's face still burned red.
"Okey, so now I'm going... otherwise I'll be late," Aadhya said, picking up her bag.
"Hmm, Maa ko jaake bol ke aa." (Hmm, first go and tell your grandmother.) Mumma reminded softly.
Aadhya nodded and walked toward Dadi's room to take her blessings.
Meanwhile, I went outside and settled in the car, waiting for her. There was no way I was letting my sister leave alone. Everyone knew she was my sister, and that was enough to put her in danger. So, I had already made arrangements — I sent some of my most well-trained women to America. They would pretend to be students at her university, but their true duty was to protect Aadhya at all costs. I wasn't taking any risks with her safety.
Soon, Aadhya came out. She slid into the passenger seat beside me, adjusting her dupatta.
"Bhai... was it really necessary to send them?" Aadhya asked with a slight pout, her big eyes filled with complaint.
I looked at her and sighed, placing a hand over her head. "Gudiya, you know how many enemies we have. I can't be with you there all the time, so it's important for your safety. Don't worry — they won't stop you from doing anything, they'll only protect you."
Hearing that, she softened and gave me a small nod. I ruffled her hair lightly, making her smile. Then we drove off toward the airport.
At the private jet terminal, Aadhya hugged me tightly one last time before stepping inside with Anika — her bestfrined. I stood outside until the jet took off into the sky, watching until it disappeared completely.
Only then did I turn back toward my car. My face hardened as I headed for the office.
Those Moretti's... they had been getting on my nerves lately. And now, with Aadhya away, I couldn't afford any distractions.
They needed to be silenced — and soon.
One month later.........
I was finally going to meet Mumma and Papa today. It had been two long weeks since I last saw them, and this month had drained every bit of energy from me.
Vishal's masi and cousin sister had stayed with us for more than twenty days, and every single day felt like hell. From morning till night, if I was at home, they never left a moment to make me work. I was already exhausted from long surgeries and late-night operations, but did they ever try to understand? Never.
And Vishal... he had changed completely after that night. Now it felt like he only wanted my body, not me. I could sense it — he was cheating on me. But unless I saw it with my own eyes, my heart wouldn't believe it.
As I stepped inside my parents' house, the sight before me made my eyes sting with unshed tears. Papa and Mumma were sitting on the couch, talking softly with each other, completely lost in their own world.
"Papa, Mumma!" I called out, my voice breaking as I rushed forward. In the next moment, I threw myself into their arms, hugging them tightly as tears finally spilled down my cheeks.
"Princess... how are you?" Papa asked gently, both of them caressing my hair like they used to when I was little.
"I–I'm fine... aap dono kaise ho?" (I'm fine... how are you both?) I asked, trying hard not to break into sobs.
"We're fine too, aww... baitho." (We're fine too, come, sit.) Mumma said lovingly and made me sit between them on the couch.
"Why are you crying, Taru?" Mumma asked worriedly, her brows knitting together. Papa's face mirrored the same concern.
I quickly wiped my tears and gave them a small smile. "I just... missed you," I confessed with a pout.
They both smiled tenderly and leaned forward to place soft kisses on my forehead. In that moment, I felt it — this was what love truly felt like, warm and safe.
"We missed you too. Have you eaten?" Papa asked, his hand still on mine.
"Yes, I have. What about you two?" I asked, looking between them. They both nodded in reply.
Suddenly, a thought lit up in my mind, and I grinned. "Papa, chalo movie dekhte hain... bohot din ho gaye." (Papa, let's watch a movie... it's been so long.) We used to watch a film together almost every week, but life had gotten in the way.
Papa's eyes softened with joy. "Sure, chalo," he said warmly.
And just like that, we went into the home theater. For the first time in weeks, I felt a sense of peace settle over me. Tonight, at least, was going to be peaceful.
After spending the whole day, I finally decided to leave. It was already 6:48 p.m.
"Papa, Mumma, take care of yourselves. I'll call you guys later, okay?" I said, hugging them tightly.
"Hmm. You also take care of yourself," they replied warmly. With a soft smile, I left, driving my car back toward the Khanna mansion.
It took me almost half an hour to reach. When I entered, Ma and Papa were sitting in the living room, quietly sipping tea.
I went to them, bent down respectfully, and greeted them.
"Make the food quickly. We're going outside later," Ma said coldly.
I just nodded. By now, it had become a habit not to react. Without saying anything, I headed straight to the kitchen and prepared dinner. Once it was ready, I served them and then returned to my room.
I took a warm shower, letting the heat ease some of my tiredness. Afterward, I changed into my nightdress, did my skincare routine, and was about to go downstairs to eat when suddenly, the world around me started spinning. My body swayed, and I quickly clutched the wall for support.
"What the hell is happening to me?" I murmured under my breath.
It was the sixth time in the past two days that I had felt this way. Maybe I was pushing myself too hard, taking on too much stress.
Gathering myself, I went downstairs, ate quietly, and then returned to my room. Vishal wouldn't be back before two in the morning, so there was no need for me to wait up.
With exhaustion weighing down on me, I lay on the bed and slowly drifted into sleep.
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