The backyard was filled with laughter, the kind that could only come from carefree children and an equally carefree uncle who refused to grow up. Rihaan was running around with his kids, Aanya and Aarav, along with Raj's twins, Isha and Rishi, who were now eleven years old. The game was simple-Rihaan was 'the monster,' and the kids had to escape him.
Aanya shrieked as Rihaan almost caught her. "Dada, no cheating!" she protested, giggling as she dodged his grasp.
"Who's cheating? I'm a monster, and monsters don't follow rules!" Rihaan declared, lunging toward Rishi, who barely managed to escape.
From the study inside the house, Ananya could hear their laughter, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She sat opposite Raj, her expression troubled.
"Bhaiya," she started, her voice hesitant, "I've noticed something strange about Rihaan these last two days."
Raj leaned back in his chair, studying her carefully. "What is it, Ananya?"
"For the last two days, he's been acting strange whenever the kids call him an adult," she explained. "He gets angry and defensive whenever the kids call him an adult." Her brows furrowed, "It's unusual. He's never acted like this before. I don't understand why. It's like he's afraid of being an adult."
Raj sighed, rubbing his temple. He had expected this conversation.
"There's a reason for that," he said finally, looking her in the eye. "Rihaan wasn't always like this. When he was in -"
Before he could continue, a small army of children barged into the study, followed by an innocent-looking Rihaan. All five of them had the most exaggerated sad expressions, their big puppy eyes locked onto Ananya as they marched up to her.
Isha, the unofficial spokesperson for their little gang, tugged on Ananya's dupatta. "Chachi," she said dramatically, "Mama is refusing to let us eat ice cream."
Ananya raised an eyebrow. "Mama?"
Isha nodded, her lips pouting. "Yes. Mama says it's bad for our teeth."
Raj sighed, already knowing what was coming next.
The kids shuffled closer to Ananya, their faces morphing into the most pitiful puppy-eyed expressions. Even Rihaan joined them, his big brown eyes shimmering with exaggerated sadness.
Ananya sighed. She was a strong, undefeated businesswoman. She had faced ruthless negotiations, taken over major companies, and won against impossible odds.
But she could never win against these eyes.
Ananya looked down at their adorable, pleading faces and immediately knew what was happening. She stole a glance at Raj, who was watching the scene unfold with a knowing look.
Of course. They came to her.
Raj shook his head in amusement. This mischievous little gang had quickly figured out one universal truth-Ananya never said no to them. Even if Priya refused, even if Raj refused, even if everyone in the house refused, Ananya would somehow find a way to give them whatever they wanted.
She folded her arms, looking at them with a defeated look. "Alright. What else do you all want?"
The sadness vanished in an instant. Their faces lit up like fireworks.
"Chocolate!"
"French fries!"
"Cotton candy!"
"Icecream!"
Rihaan, ever the troublemaker, added, "And chips!"
Raj groaned, shaking his head in amusement while Ananya sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll get everything."
The kids and Rihaan jumped in excitement. "Yay! Thank You!"
Ananya shook her head, grabbed her purse, and left for the market.
*****
When Ananya returned, her arms were full of bags containing everything the kids had asked for-and then some. She was just about to sneak into the house when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Ananya."
She froze and turned around slowly to find Priya standing there with an amused yet stern expression.
Priya's gaze flickered to the bags in Ananya's hands before she sighed knowingly. "Let me guess. The kids?"
Ananya gave a sheepish smile. "And Rihaan."
Priya sighed, shaking her head. "You know, Ananya, you're the only one who can never say no to them."
Ananya shrugged. "They're just too cute."
Priya folded her arms. "Doesn't matter. It's almost lunchtime. You can't let them eat all this now."
Ananya nodded, calling the kids and Rihaan. They rushed toward her, excitement radiating from their faces.
She smiled at them. "You can have all of this after lunch."
A chorus of groans erupted.
"But-" Aarav started.
"No buts," Ananya cut in. "Lunch first."
Though disappointed, they nodded, knowing there was no arguing with her.
*****
By the time everyone gathered at the dining table, Mr. and Mrs. Mehra had returned from the temple. The whole family sat together, chatting, laughing, and enjoying their meal.
Ananya, sitting beside Rihaan, occasionally glanced at him. He was acting normal again, playfully stealing bites from her plate while teasing Raj about his strict personality.
She wanted to resume her conversation with Raj, but now wasn't the time.
Once lunch was over, the kids immediately rushed to Ananya, their eyes sparkling.
"Chachi, now can we have ice cream?" Isha asked eagerly.
Ananya smiled, pulling out the bags she had hidden earlier. "Yes, now you can."
Cheers erupted as the kids grabbed their treats. Even Rihaan joined them, happily munching on chips.
Mrs. Mehra, watching the scene unfold, shook her head in exasperation before turning to Ananya.
"You shouldn't spoil them like this, beta," she scolded playfully. "If you keep giving them everything they ask for, they'll never learn patience."
Ananya looked down, listening quietly.
Before she could respond, Rihaan spoke up. "Maa, don't scold my Anya."
Mrs. Mehra raised an eyebrow. "Your Anya?"
"Yes," Rihaan said stubbornly, folding his arms. "And it's not her fault. I told her to bring everything. If you want to scold someone, scold me."
Mrs. Mehra sighed, shaking her head in defeat. "You'll never change."
Ananya smiled softly, her heart warming at Rihaan's protectiveness.
*****
The night was calm, the sky painted in hues of deep blue and black, but inside Ananya, a storm was brewing. She stood on the balcony with Raj, the distant laughter of Rihaan and the kids echoing from the backyard.
Her fingers gripped the railing, her knuckles turning white. The cool breeze did little to cool the fire burning inside her.
“Bhaiya,” she finally spoke, her voice quiet, yet heavy with unspoken weight.
Raj, standing beside her, turned his gaze from the sky to her. “Hmm?”
She inhaled slowly, controlling the sharpness trying to creep into her tone. “Earlier, in your study, you were about to tell me why Rihaan doesn’t want to be called an adult.”
Raj hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “I was.”
“Tell me now.”
Raj remained silent for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. Finally, he spoke.
“Rihaan was bullied.” His voice was low, almost reluctant. “In boarding school. It was… bad.”
Ananya didn’t move, didn’t react. But her grip on the railing tightened.
Raj continued, unaware of the storm building beside him. “It wasn’t just teasing or occasional fights. It was constant. Physical, emotional… they broke him.”
A shiver ran down Ananya’s spine, but it wasn’t from the cold. It was from the ice-cold fury crawling up her skin.
“He used to cry at night, but he never told anyone,” Raj said, his voice softer now, filled with regret. “Not until it was too late.”
Ananya finally turned her head to look at him, her dark eyes gleaming with something sharp. “What did you do against them?”
Raj blinked, sensing something dangerous in her voice. “I—”
Her voice sliced through him like a blade. “What did you do against those bullies, Bhaiya?”
Raj exhaled, shaking his head. “We couldn’t do anything, Ananya.”
The air around them turned cold.
“What?”
“The school authorities denied everything. They acted like it never happened. And by the time we found out, the bullies had already left the school. There was no record of them anymore.”
Silence.
Deadly, suffocating silence.
Raj swallowed as he felt a shift in the atmosphere.
Ananya’s face was blank, her expression calm. But her eyes—her eyes—were lethal.
“You did nothing?” Her voice was no longer quiet. It was cold. Unforgiving. A blade sharpened to perfection.
Raj shifted uncomfortably. “Ananya—”
“You did nothing?” she repeated, her tone even sharper, her gaze cutting straight through him.
Raj had faced powerful businessmen, ruthless rivals, and enemies who wanted to see him fail. But in this moment, standing before Ananya, he felt a fear he had never felt before.
Ananya’s rage wasn’t loud. It wasn’t wild.
It was cold.
It was controlled.
And that was what made it terrifying.
She took a slow step toward him. “They tormented him for years. They broke him. And you let them walk away?”
Her voice dripped with something Raj had never heard from her before—pure, unrelenting fury.
“I didn’t let them—”
“You did,” she interrupted, her tone deadly. “You let them disappear. You let them live their lives as if nothing happened while my Rihaan—” she inhaled sharply, controlling herself, “—while he is still suffering.”
Raj had no response.
The air was heavy between them, suffocating.
Then, Ananya’s voice dropped to something softer, something eerily calm. “Who were they?”
Raj hesitated. “…I don’t know.”
Ananya’s jaw clenched.
“Only Rihaan knows,” he admitted, looking away. “And I can’t ask him.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m scared, Ananya,” Raj said, his voice quiet. “If we bring it up now, if we force him to remember, he might have a panic attack. He’s… not ready for that.”
Ananya stared at him for a long moment. Her gaze was unreadable, her expression frozen in something dangerous.
Then, she smiled.
It was small. Almost unnoticeable.
But it wasn’t warm.
It was the kind of smile that sent a chill down his spine.
Raj swallowed. “Ananya—”
“I understand,” she said softly.
Raj should have felt relieved.
But he wasn’t.
Because he knew that whatever was going through Ananya’s mind at this moment… it wasn’t over.
Not for her.
Not for the bullies.
She turned to look at the backyard where Rihaan was laughing with the kids, completely unaware of the storm forming behind him.
Her Rihaan.
The person who treated everyone with kindness.
The person who loved with his whole heart.
The person who had suffered, and yet, still smiled.
And those bastards had hurt him?
No.
She wouldn’t let this go.
She wouldn’t let them go.
Ananya inhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a second before opening them again.
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