Arvi's pov:

The next morning, I sat beside Rayaan in the car, palms pressed together in my lap as the city blurred past the windows. The plan had seemed smart and straightforward last night. Now, with each passing second, my heartbeat grew louder in my ears.

“You’re too quiet,” Rayaan said, glancing at me as he turned the steering wheel.

“I’m just thinking.”

He reached over and laced his fingers through mine. “It’ll work.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath. “I hope she doesn’t hate me for this.”

“She won’t,” he said. Then, with a slight smirk, “And if she does… I’ll protect you.”

That earned him a small smile.

When we reached Nia’s house, I rang the bell with a mix of nerves and anticipation. A moment later, she opened the door, her face lighting up.

“Arvi! Rayaan! What a surprise come in!”

We stepped inside, and she led us to the living room. It smelled like lavender and freshly baked cookies

“I didn’t know you two were coming over,” she said, setting three glasses of juice on the table. “Everything okay?”

I looked at Rayaan once, then back at her. “Actually… we came to give you an invitation.”

Her brows lifted. “Invitation?”

Rayaan leaned forward. “Vivaan’s engagement is next week.”

I watched the words hit her.

Nia blinked once. “Engagement?”

“Yes,” I said softly. “The Rathore girl. Bade Papa finally decided.”

Nia stared at me, lips parting slightly. Her face didn’t change much but her eyes? They did. I saw the flicker of something shock, disbelief… and panic.

“I… I didn’t know,” she murmured.

I gave her a slow, gentle nod. “We wanted to invite you personally. You’ve been so close to all of us it wouldn’t feel right without you there.”

Her throat moved as she swallowed. “Right… yes. Of course.”

But her voice had gone distant. Flat.

Rayaan spoke next. “The function’s at the mansion. Sunday. Don’t be late.”

She nodded absently.

I gave her a quick hug before we left, and for a second, she held on tighter than usual.

As we walked out, I didn’t speak. I didn’t have to.

Rayaan looked at me and said, “She’s already unraveling.”

I exhaled, heart racing again but this time, not from nerves.

From hope.

As soon as we entered the Mansion no one was in hallway, we entered our room, I turned to speak but Rayaan didn’t give me the chance.

He shut the door behind us, locked it, and strode toward me with a look in his eyes that made my heart stutter.

Before I could ask, he reached out, his hands sliding around my waist, pulling me close close enough to feel the heat of him, the tension in his body.

“I want to kiss you,” he said, voice low, rough, and honest. “So badly, Arvi. I’ve been holding it in since we left Nia’s.”

My breath hitched. The way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered in the world made my knees weak.

“Then kiss me,” I whispered.

And that’s all it took.

He leaned in and kissed me like he’d been starving for it urgent, deep, and impossibly tender all at once. One of his hands cradled my jaw, the other gripped my waist as if grounding himself.

I melted into him, completely.

When we finally broke apart, both of us breathing hard, he rested his forehead against mine, eyes still closed.

“I love you,” he whispered, like a promise.

My heart felt like it would burst. I cupped his cheek, my thumb brushing lightly over the faint stubble there.

“I love you more,” I murmured back, our breaths still mingling.

Rayaan smiled, that rare, unguarded smile that made my chest ache in the best way. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, then gently led me to the bed. We sat, still tangled in each other, the urgency now softened into something quieter… more tender.

He traced slow circles on the back of my hand. “You were incredible today. With Nia. With the plan. You always think of everyone.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “I just want everyone to be happy.”

“You make me happy,” he said simply, pressing a kiss to my temple.

We sat there for a while, no rush, no pressure. Just his hand holding mine, our fingers interlocked. The silence between us was full of warmth, of understanding, of love.

And in that moment, nothing else mattered.

Just as Rayaan pressed another kiss to my forehead, a knock echoed through the room.

He sighed, standing up reluctantly. “Who’s disturbing my moment?” he muttered under his breath with a smirk, making me giggle.

When he opened the door, Vivaan stood there, breathless, hair a little messy, and eyes wide with excitement.

“She—she called me,” he said in a rush. “Nia just called me!”

I stood up instantly. “What? What did she say?”

Vivaan held up his phone. “I haven’t picked up yet. I—I didn’t know what to say.”

“Put it on speaker,” I said quickly, crossing the room toward him. “Let’s hear it together.”

Rayaan shut the door behind him, and we gathered close around Vivaan as he hit the green button and put the phone on speaker.

Nia’s voice came through, soft but trembling. “Vivaan? I… I don’t know what you’re doing, but I can’t stop thinking about it. About you. About… the engagement.”

Vivaan’s eyes widened.

Nia paused, then her voice dropped to a whisper. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you loved me?”

Vivaan’s breath caught. He looked at me, at Rayaan, then back at the phone, his voice barely steady.

“Because I was scared,” he said honestly. “Scared I’d lose you if I said the wrong thing… scared you didn’t feel the same.”

There was silence on the line for a second that felt like forever. Then Nia exhaled shakily.

“I was stupid,” she murmured. “I thought if I kept things simple, nothing would change. But now… the thought of you marrying someone else—Vivaan, it’s killing me.”

My heart clenched, and Vivaan’s fingers trembled as he held the phone tighter.

“Then don’t let me,” he whispered.

Rayaan’s hand slid into mine, squeezing gently as we all listened, breath held.

“Don’t marry anyone else, Vivaan,” Nia said softly. “Because I think… I think I love you too.”

Vivaan’s eyes filled with tears.

He didn’t say a word. He just nodded to himself, overcome.

I smiled through the lump in my throat and whispered, “Told you so.”

Rayaan let out a breathy chuckle beside me and kissed my knuckles.

Vivaan wiped at his face and looked at us with pure, unfiltered joy.

“I have to go see her,” he said.

“Go,” Rayaan nodded, his voice firm but warm.

Vivaan didn’t waste a second. He turned and ran.

Rayaan closed the door behind him.

Then, without a word, he turned to me and lifted me off the floor effortlessly, burying his face in my neck.

“You did it, Mrs. Oberoi,” he whispered.

I laughed as he held me close. “No. We did.”

And just like that, our hearts felt a little lighter. Our home, a little fuller.

—

The next morning, the house felt like it was buzzing with soft, golden energy.

Rayaan and I sat together at the breakfast table, fingers lightly intertwined under the tablecloth, when Maa came in, adjusting her saree pallu, eyes sparkling.

“Arvi,” she said, “we’re going to Nia’s house today. Bade Papa, Chote Papa, Choti Maa everyone’s coming.”

My heart skipped.

I sat up straighter. “For…?”

She smiled knowingly. “For the rishta, beta.”

Vivaan, sitting across from us, froze with his toast halfway to his mouth.

“You’re serious?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Bade Papa nodded. “We’ll speak to her parents. If they agree, we’ll move ahead with the engagement.”

Vivaan looked like the air had been knocked out of him. I leaned forward and whispered, “Breathe.”

That afternoon, they all left together, a car full of elders and hopeful intentions.

I stayed back with Rayaan, pacing in our room while he calmly scrolled through emails on his tablet.

“You’re not even nervous?” I asked.

He smirked, setting the device down. “I don’t need to be. You don’t lose, bacha.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile stretching across my face.

Hours later,the front door opened and they returned.

I rushed to the hallway, almost colliding with Choti Maa, who was grinning.

“They said yes,” she beamed. “They said yes, Arvi!”

Behind her, Vivaan stood frozen, eyes wide.

“They said yes?” he repeated like he couldn’t believe it.

Maa stepped forward, cupping his cheek. “She said yes, beta.”

Vivaan let out a choked laugh, eyes brimming with disbelief and joy.

“Arvi,” he said, turning to me. “You’re unreal.”

I laughed and hugged him then aleesha gasped

“You’re kidding!”

“No way!” Arekha clapped her hands.

“Oh my God, she said yes?” Vanisha squealed, practically jumping.

Vivaan laughed, overwhelmed, as the girls threw their arms around him in a messy, happy group hug. Even Rayaan let out a quiet chuckle beside me.

“Now this is a celebration,” Arekha said, pulling me into the hug too.

Aleesha leaned in to whisper in my ear, “You genius. You totally knew this would work.”

I just smiled. “I had a feeling.”

Vanisha held Vivaan’s arm like a proud sister. “Nia is officially one of us now. This calls for cupcakes and matching outfits.”

Vivaan groaned playfully. “Can we wait till after the engagement for the glitter?”

Laughter erupted again, and in the middle of it all, Rayaan pulled me gently aside, his fingers brushing mine as he leaned in close.

“You’re the reason everyone’s smiling today,” he said softly, his eyes full of something that made my heart flip.

“And you’re the reason I believed I could pull it off,” I whispered back.

From across the room, Choti Maa called, “Girls, start preparing for the engagement! It’s happening this weekend!”

More cheering followed.

And just like that, the Oberoi Mansion was alive with celebration again.