Aarohi’s POV
After a sleepless night, I sat quietly on the balcony swing with a book resting open in my lap while the cool morning breeze brushed softly against my face.
But honestly…
I hadn’t read a single line in the last ten minutes.
My mind kept drifting back to that night.
That scream.
That voice.
That strange feeling still clinging somewhere inside my chest.
I still couldn’t understand if it was all just my imagination… because I knew what I heard.
Someone had called my name.
Not normally.
Not casually.
It sounded desperate.
Almost like someone was trying to reach me.
And somehow…
that thought disturbed me more than fear itself.
I was still trying to figure everything out when—
“AARU!”
I flinched slightly before turning around.
Rhea stood near the door holding my bag dramatically.
“If you keep zoning out like this, one day I’m charging money for emotional babysitting.”
I rolled my eyes weakly while picking up my phone. “You’re impossible.”
“And you,” she pointed at me accusingly, “need caffeine before you start looking haunted again.”
That earned the smallest smile from me.
Exactly what she wanted.
Rhea kept talking the entire drive while I sat beside the window quietly watching the city rush past us.
A little while later, we finally reached the café Meera had forced everyone to meet at.
Warm lights glowed softly around the space while quiet music played in the background. The smell of coffee and desserts wrapped around the atmosphere comfortably enough to make people forget stress existed.
Almost.
Meera sat beside Yash, arguing passionately about wedding decorations while he looked one complaint away from surrendering completely.
“I’m telling you, fairy lights matter,” Meera insisted seriously.
“They’re literally just lights,” Yash argued helplessly.
Rhea gasped dramatically. “Wow. Such disrespect toward aesthetics.”
“I support Meera,” I added while sitting down beside them.
Yash stared at us in betrayal. “Of course you do.”
For a few moments…
everything actually felt light again.
Normal conversations.
Random teasing.
Wedding chaos.
The kind of warmth that makes you forget the world outside for a little while.
But even then—
my mind refused to settle completely.
Because underneath all the laughter…
that strange feeling still remained.
Like something was quietly waiting for me to notice it.
“Aaru?”
I blinked and looked up.
Meera frowned slightly. “Where are you lost?”
“Nowhere,” I replied quickly.
Rhea narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Liar.”
Trying to escape the topic immediately, I turned toward Yash with my sweetest expression.
“Jiju… can you please get us ice cream?”
Yash stared at me for a full second.
“After coffee?”
“Yes.”
“After all of you emotionally bullied me for the last twenty minutes?”
“Still yes.”
Meera nodded proudly. “See? This is why you’re husband material.”
“I regret meeting all of you.”
Rhea placed a hand over her heart emotionally. “That’s honestly so hurtful.”
Despite himself, Yash laughed before finally standing up.
“Fine. What flavors?”
“Chocolate!”
“Cookies and cream!”
“Blackcurrant!”
Yash sighed dramatically. “Not one normal answer.”
The second he walked away—
Meera leaned closer instantly.
“Okay. Now tell us.”
Rhea pointed her spoon at me dramatically. “I knew something was wrong since morning.”
My fingers tightened slightly around the coffee cup.
For a moment, I debated staying quiet.
But before I could answer—
the café door opened.
Vihaan bhai walked inside looking visibly tense, like he had rushed here the second I called him.
His eyes immediately found me.
“What happened?” he asked the moment he reached the table. “Why did you suddenly call me like that? Are you okay?”
The concern in his voice softened something inside me instantly.
“I’m fine,” I assured quietly.
He still sat beside me with a look that clearly said he didn’t believe me at all.
A few seconds later, Yash returned balancing everyone’s ice cream cups with unnecessary drama.
“Your royal orders,” he announced proudly.
Rhea immediately grabbed hers. “Finally. Respect.”
The conversation shifted for a little while after that.
Wedding shopping.
Guest lists.
Meera threatening to cry if anyone ruined her functions.
Rhea roasting every decision made by humanity.
Vihaan bhai repeatedly warning us not to create chaos before the wedding even started.
Slowly, the noise around me started pulling me back from my own thoughts.
Meera arguing dramatically.
Rhea laughing too loudly.
Vihaan bhai pretending he wasn’t protective every five seconds.
Yash quietly handling all of us without complaining once.
Maybe this was why I loved being around them.
Because somehow, they always managed to pull me back before my thoughts drowned me completely.
Then finally—
I gathered enough courage to speak.
“I need to tell you guys something.”
The table quieted almost instantly.
I inhaled slowly.
A small smile appeared on my face.
“I got the job.”
For one second—
complete silence.
Like nobody processed what I had just said.
Then suddenly—
“WHAT?!”
Rhea almost screamed loud enough for half the café to hear.
Before I could even defend myself, Meera and Rhea nearly attacked me with hugs while Vihaan bhai looked genuinely proud.
Even Yash almost dropped his spoon.
“Wait… seriously?” he asked.
I laughed softly and nodded.
The smile that appeared on his face after that was immediate.
“Congratulations, Aarohi,” he said warmly. “That’s actually huge.”
“Thank you, Jiju.”
Rhea pointed at me accusingly. “Excuse me? Since when were you planning to hide this from us?”
“Exactly,” Meera added. “When did this even happen?”
I bit back a laugh.
“Remember the shopping day?”
Vihaan bhai blinked once. “The same day you disappeared for hours?”
I nodded slowly. “I caught a quick flight after that, gave the interview, and came back the same night.”
Silence.
Then all four of them stared at me like I had personally betrayed society.
“You WHAT?” Rhea nearly yelled.
“Aaru!” Meera looked horrified. “Who does that alone?!”
Vihaan bhai folded his arms immediately.
“So you took a flight alone, went for an interview alone, came back alone… and thought informing your family was optional?”
His tone stayed calm.
Which honestly felt scarier than yelling.
“I wanted confirmation first,” I defended weakly. “And anyway, they agreed to let me work from home till my finals are over.”
That softened everyone slightly.
Yash smiled faintly. “Still… proud of you.”
Something about those simple words warmed my heart unexpectedly.
Maybe because somewhere along the way, Yash had stopped feeling like just Meera’s fiancé and started feeling like family.
Rhea suddenly narrowed her eyes again.
“Wait.”
I froze dramatically. “What now?”
“You’re smiling too innocently.”
Meera pointed at me immediately. “Exactly. That means she’s hiding something.”
I gasped. “Wow. Such lack of trust.”
“Years of experience,” Vihaan bhai replied calmly.
That instantly made everyone laugh again.
And for a little while…
everything felt normal.
Safe.
Like life wasn’t hiding shadows behind every peaceful moment.
Author’s POV
While laughter still echoed softly around the café table…
somewhere else, another family was preparing for a conversation nobody wanted to have.
At Rathore mansion—
the atmosphere was nowhere near peaceful.
The entire Rathore family sat in the living room staring at one envelope like it contained a legal death sentence.
“No,” Myra refused instantly, pushing it away. “I’m not giving this to bhai.”
Yuvraj pointed toward himself dramatically. “Do I look suicidal to you people?”
Sadhana sighed tiredly while Rajveer silently pretended this situation had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Amrit Singh Rathore stared at everyone in disbelief.
“You all behave as if Atharv eats people for breakfast.”
Yuvraj muttered under his breath, “Emotionally? Yes.”
That earned him an immediate glare from three different people.
Still—
nobody volunteered.
Because everyone knew exactly how Atharv reacted whenever the topic of marriage came up.
And nobody wanted to become collateral damage.
Later that night, the family gathered around the dining table waiting for Atharv.
The moment he entered—
the entire atmosphere shifted.
Conversations stopped one by one.
Forks lowered quietly.
Even Yuvraj, who normally never stopped talking, suddenly looked interested in his food.
Atharv noticed it immediately.
Of course he did.
He calmly pulled out his chair and sat down, his expression unreadable while everyone else exchanged nervous glances over dinner.
Finally, he looked up.
“What happened?”
Nobody answered.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Why does everyone look terrified?”
Before anyone else could speak, Amrit Singh Rathore cleared his throat calmly.
“After dinner,” he announced, “everyone will meet in the living room.”
That somehow made the tension worse.
Even Atharv looked suspicious now.
After dinner, Atharv walked toward his study and picked up Kabir’s call.
But midway through the conversation—
Myra’s name flashed across his screen.
The second he answered, her dramatic voice echoed through the phone.
“Bhai! Dadu literally told everyone to gather downstairs and you disappeared again.”
Atharv closed his eyes briefly.
“I forgot.”
“You forget everything these days,” she accused dramatically.
A faint smile appeared on his face despite himself.
“Coming, princess.” he said while cutting the call.
The moment Atharv entered the living room, he instantly sensed the tension waiting for him there.
Something was definitely wrong.
And somehow—
it involved him.
He quietly sat beside his grandfather.
Dadu looked at him for a long moment before finally speaking.
“Beta… have you thought about marriage?”
Atharv immediately sighed.
“Dadu, not this again.”
“Atharv—” Rajveer started calmly.
“No,” Atharv interrupted firmly. “I already said I’m not interested.”
Sadhana looked at him softly. “At least meet the girl once.”
His patience snapped slightly after that.
“Maa,” he said sharply, “I said no.”
Silence filled the room immediately.
Nobody spoke after that.
Myra getting uncomfortable.
Sadhana quietly looking hurt.
Yuvraj avoiding eye contact.
Then slowly—
Dadu stood up from his seat.
“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “Take me to my room, Atharv.”
The guilt hit instantly.
Without another word, Atharv helped him upstairs.
The second they entered the room, Dadu sat down slowly while Atharv remained standing nearby.
For a few moments—
neither of them spoke.
Then finally—
“How long will you punish yourself like this, beta?”
Atharv’s expression tightened faintly.
Dadu’s voice softened further.
“I know some memories never leave completely,” he continued quietly. “But that doesn’t mean your life should stop too.”
Atharv looked away silently.
Because somewhere deep down—
a part of him knew Dadu wasn’t wrong.
Dadu sighed softly.
“The girl I’m talking about…” he said slowly, “she’s my old friend’s granddaughter. Before he passed away, he made me promise that I would at least try.”
Something inside Atharv’s chest tightened painfully after hearing that.
For the first time that evening—
his anger started fading beneath exhaustion.
“Do you know what hurts the most?” Dadu asked quietly.
“Watching everyone celebrate life while my grandson keeps surviving it instead of living it.”
Atharv lowered his gaze for a moment.
He looked tired.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like someone who had spent years carrying memories too heavy to put down.
Finally, after a long silence, he exhaled quietly.
“…I’ll think about it.”
Relief instantly appeared in Dadu’s eyes.
A small smile touched his face.
And strangely—
And for the first time in years…
Atharv Singh Rathore realized something terrifying.
Maybe agreeing to meet that girl wouldn’t just change his future.
Maybe it would reopen every wound he had spent years trying to bury.
Some promises change destinies…
and some memories refuse to stay buried. 🖤
What do you think Atharv will choose? ✨
— your author, Elara
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