Author pov

As evening settled in, the sun slowly surrendered itself to the growing darkness. The golden light that once ruled the sky faded away, replaced by a quiet, creeping chill. Winter had claimed its place, wrapping the entire city in a cold embrace, as if asserting its dominance over everything in sight.

Amidst this shifting atmosphere, the grand Singhania Mansion stood tall and unshaken—its presence as commanding as ever.

Right at six in the evening, Adaya Singhania stepped inside.

The mansion was alive with activity. Servants moved around swiftly, the clinking of utensils echoing through the halls as preparations for dinner were in full swing. Yet, none of it caught Adaya’s attention.

Her eyes landed on the three familiar figures seated in the living room.

Adarsh.

Ashriti.

Vivian.

A bright, childlike smile instantly spread across her face.

“Adarsh bhaiya! Ashriti di! Vivian bhaiya!”

Her voice rang through the room as she ran toward them without a second thought.

The three of them looked up, slightly startled at first, but the moment they saw her, their expressions softened. Adarsh quickly stood up, placing his laptop aside, just in time to catch her as she threw herself into his arms.

He held her close, a gentle sigh escaping him, as if a part of his exhaustion melted away just by holding her.

“How was your day, little one?” he asked softly.

His voice was nothing like the one he used in the corporate world. There, he was known as a strict and cold CEO. But here… he was just a loving brother.

Adaya stiffened slightly. The memory of her professor scolding her flashed in her mind, but she quickly masked it with a sweet smile as she pulled away.

“It was good, bhaiya. And you know what? Afternoon classes got cancelled because of some meeting!”

Adarsh simply hummed and patted her head, not suspecting anything—yet.

She then moved to Ashriti and Vivian, hugging them tightly. Both returned the gesture with warmth, their subtle gestures filled with care.

Soon, they all settled down, talking casually.

But Ashriti, ever observant, tilted her head slightly.

“If your classes were cancelled… where were you, Adaya?” she asked gently.

The question hit its mark.

Adaya froze.

Her mind raced. She remembered the hills—the one place she wasn’t allowed to go, yet the only place where she felt free.

“I… I was…”

Her words tangled, unable to form a proper lie.

Before she could say anything further, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room.

Everyone turned.

The elders had arrived.

Instantly, all four of them stood up. No matter how distant the relationship was, respect was something they had been taught since childhood.

Mahesh Singhania entered, followed by the others. Their mere presence shifted the atmosphere. The warmth in the room disappeared, replaced by a cold, heavy silence.

They acknowledged the younger ones with slight nods and took their seats.

And just like that, the air changed.

Completely.

“Adaya,” Mahesh’s voice cut through the silence.

She straightened immediately, her heart skipping a beat.

“I received a call from your university.”

Her fingers curled slightly.

“Your mentor informed me about your daily late arrivals.”

Her eyes widened. Panic flickered across her face, but she quickly masked it.

“N-no, papa… that’s not true,” she said hurriedly. “I was just stuck in traffic. She just doesn’t like me because I ask questions she can’t answer.”

She tried to sound convincing, even blinking innocently.

But her cousins knew better.

They exchanged glances but stayed silent.

Mahesh narrowed his eyes slightly. “Really?”

Adaya nodded quickly.

A moment of silence passed. Then Mahesh turned to Adarsh.

“What is this, Adarsh? Someone dares to mistreat my daughter, and you do nothing?”

His tone was calm, but the authority in it was unmistakable.

It was never about affection.

It was about power.

Adarsh took a deep breath, his jaw tightening. Before he could respond, Vivian stepped in smoothly.

“Bade papa, Adaya already told me about it. I’ll handle the professor.”

Mahesh studied him for a moment before nodding.

That was enough.

Adaya let out a silent breath of relief, her eyes briefly meeting Vivian’s in gratitude.

“Freshen up,” Mahesh said as he stood. “We’ll talk during dinner.”

With that, he left.

The tension eased slightly after his departure.

Mitali approached Adaya, gently placing a hand on her head. “Go freshen up, Adu. You didn’t eat lunch again, did you?”

Adaya smiled faintly and nodded before heading upstairs.

After she left, Karishma turned to her children.

“She was lying, wasn’t she?”

Vivian immediately slipped into his usual dramatic self. “Mumma, you know Adu doesn’t like studying. That professor is just targeting her!”

Before he could continue, Karishma grabbed his ear.

“So now your sister is innocent and the professor is wrong?” she scolded.

“Ow! Mumma, sorry!” he whined, while Ashriti burst into laughter.

Adarsh stepped in calmly. “It’s my fault, mom. I thought the professor would inform me, not bade papa.”

Karishma sighed. “Just make her understand. Don’t scold her… she won’t be able to handle it.”

Adarsh nodded.

✦ Dining Hall ✦

By the time Adaya reached the dining table, everyone was already seated.

She quietly took her place beside Adarsh.

Dinner began in silence.

Occasionally, Adarsh added vegetables to her plate, ignoring her small protests.

The mothers exchanged knowing smiles.

And then—

Mahesh cleared his throat.

“Adaya, I have something to tell you.”

Her body stiffened.

“I have fixed your marriage.”

The words hung in the air.

“With Arav Rathore.”

Everything stopped.

Adaya choked on her food, coughing violently as Adarsh quickly handed her water.

But Mahesh remained calm.

As if he hadn’t just shattered her world.

Adaya slowly looked up, her eyes searching his face for any sign of a joke.

There was none.

She turned to her mother.

Mitali lowered her gaze.

That was enough.

The truth hit her all at once.

Her breath hitched.

The ground beneath her felt like it had disappeared.

Her ears rang.

Voices blurred.

Darkness slowly crept into her vision.

And before she could hold herself together—

She collapsed.

The last thing she heard…

Was Adarsh’s voice.

Panicked.

“ADAYA!”

And then—

Everything went silent.

To be continued:

I hope you like chapter lovelies . Lots of love from your lovely author 😘😘.....