Chapter - 23
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Vihaan ~
I watched Shivanya on the balcony, leaning against the railing. I could see her shoulders finally relaxing, her eyes closed as she took in the cool sea breeze. It was almost strange how protective I felt at that moment for her. I had seen her in court, breaking down cases with an accuracy only a few could rival, yet here she was, my Sunshine, needing an escape I was more than happy to get her.
"Sir, I have a question." She asked, turning her head towards me for a split second before looking away again.
"I gave her a nod, asking her to go ahead, only to find a very small smile playing on her lips. So small that I would have missed it if not for the moonlight illuminating on her face.
"So," she began, her voice laced with playful curiosity as she turned her head towards me, "You've got a bit of a reputation. How true are the rumours I've seen in tabloids and on Instagram?"
Her question was direct, bold even, yet there was an unmistakable lightness in her voice. She knew exactly what she was doing, seeing if I would squirm.
I smirked, feeling both amused and impressed. "Well, Sunshine, it depends on what exactly you've heard," I said, holding her gaze. "But if this is about my past. The women, the late nights, the lack of labels, I will not deny any of it. I have had my share of fun, kept things casual, but yes, everything was always with the woman's full consent."
I watched her carefully, gauging her reaction. Her expression remained calm, as if she were merely collecting facts, filing away bits and pieces of who I'd been before she entered my life.
"I'm not exactly proud of the man I was back then," I added, my voice dropping. "But I will not pretend that part to never have existed. I don't want to start this, us, with anything less than honesty."
Her eyes softened slightly, and though she said nothing for a moment, her expression shifted in a way that made me feel she appreciated the truth, even if she might not admit it.
After a brief silence, she turned back to the cityscape. "Interesting," she murmured, her voice almost teasing. "I just wanted to see how you'd respond."
I let out a short laugh. "So, this was an interrogation?"
She shrugged, still not looking at me. "Just... gathering intel."
The quiet that followed felt strangely intimate. She had asked her question, gotten her answer, and yet neither of us felt the need to rush back inside. I took a step closer, closing the distance between us, until we were nearly shoulder to shoulder, looking out at the world together.
"Anything else you'd like to know?" I offered, leaning in just slightly.
She raised an eyebrow, the smallest of smirks playing on her lips. "I think I've heard enough for tonight but thank you Mr. Raichand."
"For what?" I asked, unable to take my eyes off her.
"For telling me the truth. For not lying to me. I appreciate that." She replied with a small nod.
I let her words sink in, a warmth spreading through me that I was not used to feeling before I met her. Trust, it was not something I had been worried about earning before. But with her, I had known from the start that honesty would be non-negotiable.
"I will always be honest with you, Shivanya," I said quietly, meaning every word. "No matter what."
She looked down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, a subtle blush on her cheeks. She wasn't used to being looked after but I was not going to let her live like that anymore. I couldn't.
"I think we should get back inside before someone finally figures out that we are missing." She said, looking back up to me with her big, beautiful eyes I could see myself getting lost into every morning.
I gave her a nod and gestured her to walk ahead while I followed her.
The family was exactly in the places we had left them at, only shifting their discussion around from decorations to venues.
"Hold on," I said, cutting through their chatter. "There is no need to rush everything. Let's give Shivanya some space and time here."
A small silence settled before Radhika, never one to back down, looked at me with an amused smile. "Vihaan Jiju, you do realise the wedding season is about to start? If we don't start now, we'll be pushed back to next year. And I doubt anyone wants to wait that long."
Maa chimed in,"Vihaan, we just want everything to be perfect, especially with the season starting soon. Things need to fall into place now if we want everything ready."
I opened my mouth to push back again, prepared to insist on pacing this out, but just as I was about to speak, Shivanya stepped forward. She looked around, her expression calm and assured, then met my eyes with a softness that settled my own resistance.
"It's okay," she said, her voice gentle but steady. "If you are ready for, I am too. Truly." She held my gaze, and in that moment, I felt a sense of trust and assurance from her I had not expected but instantly understood.
She was giving herself all in, all in for us and that made me the luckiest man.
"Yes Di! Oh My God this is going to be great!" Radhika shrieked and threw herself into Shivanya's arms and Taran rubbed Shivanya's shoulder with him, which did not settle well with me but I had to let it pass, considering he was one of the person who pushed Shivanya towards me.
Then, Maa made her way towards her, taking Shivanya in her arms.
"Welcome to the family beta." She said.
Shivanya's gaze met mine over my mother's shoulder, and in her eyes, I saw a quiet understanding and, perhaps, a hint of wonder.
Maa gave Shivanya a final squeeze before letting go, her face still lit up with joy. She turned to me, eyes glistening slightly. "Vihaan, you chose well. I couldn't be happier."
I found myself returning her smile.
Shivanya ~
Fourth of December, that's when Vihaan and I were getting married.
Two weeks.
I was getting married in two weeks.
"Shiv, I know you are starting to overthink. Don't. I can see how much Vihaan loves you, he is smiling, see. He is smiling." Taran said, dropping next to me on the couch while Radhika was busy explaining Mr. Birdbrain that even if he was getting married to me, that did not mean he would be my number one priority, it will always only be her.
Vihaan looked borderline scared.
Well done, my girl.
"Taran, you're an idiot but I am glad that you are my best friend." I said with a grin and he elbowed my stomach. I elbowed back.
"Ouch woman that hurt." He hissed and I rolled my eyes.
"That's why I did it." I whispered back.
"Don't start, you two. I thought that phase of yours where you'd practically attempt to kill each other was over already but seems like not." Naina aunty said in a sharp voice, looking at us and Taran sat up straight, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You know it's always her who starts." He said like a child.
"Oh shut up Taran, you're the evil one not my Di." Radhika said before tuning us out and getting back to her conversation with Vihaan who briefly looked at me before Radhika made him scribble something down on the notepad which was lying on the coffee table.
I decided that it'd be best to not get into whatever Radhika was explaining him for my own mental health sake because knowing my sister, she probably was making him by heart my daily schedule.
Taran nudged me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Shiv, he looks like he's about to lose his mind, thanks to your sister. You should probably save him."
I grinned. "Let him suffer a little. Besides, if you are feeling so bad for him, you should be going and saving him from your wife."
"You're evil." He remarked and I rolled my eyes.
"Okay so it's settled then, Di you are getting married in two weeks in Mussoorie." Radhika announced, making me sit up straight.
"What? Mussoorie? Why?" I asked, looking around and except for Radhika and Mr. Birdbrain, every one was as surprised as I was.
Radhika grinned, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she sprinted to her room and got back just as quickly with a weathered book.
"Because this says so," she declared.
I furrowed my brow, trying to make sense of her words. "What is that?"
"This," she said, clutching the book to her chest dramatically, "is Mumma's diary."
The room went silent. Everyone's attention shifted to her, and I could feel Vihaan's curious gaze flick between us. The mention of Mumma brought a wave of nostalgia and warmth that filled the air, bittersweet and comforting all at once.
Radhika's tone softened, and her teasing demeanour faded. "Lat year, I found this while cleaning out some of the old trunks at home. I wasn't sure if I should bring it up, but then tonight, with everything happening, I thought it was the right time."
She opened the diary carefully, the pages worn but well-preserved. "Mumma wrote about so many things here, her dreams, her hopes for us. But one entry stood out." Her voice caught slightly as she continued. "She wrote about how she always dreamed of getting Di married in Mussoorie, the place where Mumma and Papa first met and fell in love."
My heart clenched at the revelation. Memories of Mumma's gentle smile and her soothing voice rushed back. I hadn't known she had written something like this, and for a moment, I felt a pang of loss all over again.
Radhika wiped a tear before it could fall and sniffled, laughing softly to mask her emotions. "And, of course, you know Papa. He agreed with her wholeheartedly. They were both hopeless romantics in their own way."
I blinked rapidly, my vision blurring. "They... they wanted this? Both of them?"
She nodded, her own tears now threatening to spill. "Yes, Di. They both believed that Mussoorie was special. Mumma thought it would bring good luck to your marriage, just like it brought her and Papa together. And Papa... I think he just wanted to make Mumma happy." She looked at me, her expression both tender and resolute. "I think we should do this for them, Di. For us. It's what they would have wanted."
The room was quiet except for the faint rustling of the pages as Radhika flipped through the diary.
I reached out, hesitating for a moment before gently taking the diary from Radhika. As I ran my fingers over the familiar handwriting, a lump formed in my throat.
My vision blurred as I traced the edges of Mumma's handwriting, her words pulling me into a moment frozen in time. It was like she was right there with me. Flipping to the page Radhika had read from, I read the entry again silently, letting each word sink deep into my heart.
Radhika placed a hand on mine. "Di, I know this is sudden, but... doesn't it feel right? Like this is where your story with Jiju should start?"
I looked up at her, then at the others in the room. Vidhi aunty's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her hand resting lightly over her heart. Taran stood silent but gave me an encouraging nod. Even Sangeeta Aunty stood there with a small smile and unshed tears but my gaze lingered on Vihaan. He said nothing, his dark eyes locked on mine and all he did was nod his head in a yes so faint that I wouldn't have caught it if I wasn't looking just at him.
"Mussoorie," I whispered, "If that's what Mumma and Papa wanted... then it's what I want too."
Radhika threw her arms around me, burying her face in my shoulder, her tears now freely flowing. "They'd be so happy for you Di" she whispered, her voice breaking.
I held her tightly, feeling the weight of everything. Our parents' love, their dreams for us, their presence, all wrapped around me like a warm embrace and this somehow didn't just feel like my wedding anymore, it somehow felt their story continuing through mine and there was a tiny part of me that felt a little forgiven for what I had caused years ago.
When we finally pulled away, I noticed Taran wiping his eyes discreetly. "Don't start crying, Taran," I teased, my voice shaky but laced with affection. "You'll ruin your 'tough guy' image."
He sniffled dramatically. "Shiv, you have no idea how hard it is to be the emotional pillar of this family." The room broke into soft laughter, lightening the heavy air, and for a moment, everything felt... right.
Vihaan was still silent, standing a little apart, his gaze unwavering. His expressions were softer than I'd ever seen it, the sharp edges of him melting into something more gentler. Slowly, he stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto mine as if we were the only two people in the room.
I stood frozen, clutching Mumma's diary close to my chest, my emotions threatening to spill over again. He stopped just in front of me, a faint smile playing on his lips as he reached out. His hand was warm, steady as it gently cupped my face, his thumb brushing away a lone tear that had dared to escape.
"Shivanya," he began softly, "ek aansoon bhi bahane ka haqq kisne diya hai aapko? Khair woh baat alag hai ki aapke aansoon bhi itne khushnaseeb hain ki aapke gaalon ko chuke chale gaye, aur mai bas yahan khada dekhta hi reh gaya."
(TRANSLATION - "Shivanya," he said softly, "who gave you the right to shed even a single tear? Though, they are so fortunate that they could touch your cheeks, while all I could do was stand here, watching.")
His words hit me like a wave, leaving me breathless and my eyes widened at him.
What? How? Those....those words?
I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks as Mr. Birdbrain's words echoed in my mind, leaving me flustered. How could he be so... so completely disarming? Every time he spoke to me like that, it felt as though I was losing my own sense of control.
I cleared my throat, attempting to regain some composure. "It's... it's pretty late," I stammered, avoiding his gaze as my fingers tightened around the diary in my hands. "I should get home now."
Radhika, never one to miss an opportunity, leaned over with a mischievous grin on her face. "Don't worry, Di! Vihaan Jiju will drop you. Your car is still broken, right?"
I shook my head. "No, Radhika, really, I can manage. I don't want to trouble him," I said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
But before I could say anything else, I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Vihaan, his eyes no longer soft but firm. His expression was determined, his voice steady as he spoke.
"No more arguing," he said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "I will drop you. End of discussion."
There was something in his gaze, something so sure and protective that left me no room to argue. I opened my mouth, but the words seemed to evaporate before they could leave my lips.
"Okay," I murmured, my voice quieter than usual, not quite able to meet his eyes. "Thank you."
He nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as if he knew exactly how to calm my resistance.
Taran, unable to resist, let out a dramatic sigh. "I swear, you two are going to give me a heart attack one day. Honestly, it's like watching a live Bollywood romantic."
Vihaan shot him a quick glance, though his smile remained. "It's settled. Let's get going," he said, turning to me, his hand was still resting gently on my shoulder, and for a split second, I felt my whole body freeze. There was something about the weight of it that made me feel... seen. A little too seen. My shoulders instinctively relaxed, but my heart? It was racing. A quiet flutter stirred in my chest, and I had to focus to keep my breathing steady.
The car hummed quietly as we drove through the familiar streets, the world outside fading into a blur. I sat back, trying to push aside the overwhelming wave of wedding-related thoughts that had been clouding my mind for the past few hours. I glanced at Vihaan, who was focused on the road, his jaw set in that typical, intense manner he had when he was thinking about something important.
"So," I broke the silence, wanting to bring our focus back to work, "we've got that Hit and Run case tomorrow. I was reviewing the witness statements earlier. There are some inconsistencies we need to address."
His eyes flicked to me for a split second, the focus in them shifting to the case in an instant. "I saw them too," he said, his voice firm. "The defense will try to exploit any weakness, especially with the timeline. But we can use their uncertainty against them. The key is tightening our hold on the witness testimonies, showing their discrepancies clearly."
I nodded, mentally aligning with his thoughts. "Exactly. We need to push hard on the key witnesses, the ones who can't remember simple details. It'll help crack the defense's argument apart."
Vihaan's gaze sharpened, his mind already calculating the next move. "That's the strategy. But we can't rush the cross-examination. We need to get them to slip up, but it has to be clean."
I leaned back, glancing at him with a wry smile. "I know you like it that way Sir but I am more of a straight forward questioning types."
He gave me one of his work smiles, one that always made me wonder if he was truly listening or just amused by my impatience. "If you go straight to the point, you would miss half the fun of watching them squirm," he said, his tone half teasing, half commanding. "But, fine, let's keep it your way. You run the cross tomorrow."
I raised an eyebrow, not missing his challenge. "You're letting me take over as the primary counsel in your case Mr. Raichand?"
His eyes glinted with something unreadable, his lips quirking ever so slightly. "As long as you don't get too carried away, Sunshine. But yes, you've got it.
"I'll make you proud." I leaned back, my hand resting on the armrest, still processing that he let me take over his case!!!
The silence in the car is peaceful, one of those moments where you don't feel the need to fill the quiet with words. My fingers absently trace the edge of Mumma's diary in my lap, and my thoughts start to wander, drifting back to memories of her and Papa. I could almost hear their voices, their laughter, see their faces in my mind as though they were right here with me.
I don't even realize how much time has passed. My thoughts are so full of them, of everything I miss, that I lose track of the present.
Vihaan's voice breaks through my reverie, gentle but filled with curiosity. "Shivanya," he says, his tone soft, "What were your parents like? Tell me about them."
I glance at him. There's something about his sincerity that makes it easy to open up. I look down at the diary in my hands, feeling its edges, and then I begin.
"My mumma... she was always so kind, so patient," I started with a smile. "She had this way of making everyone feel at ease, like nothing was too difficult to handle. She always had a solution for everything." I pause, memories flooding back. "She was a teacher, and she loved it. She would come home every day with stories about her students and her eyes would light up as she spoke about them."
I found myself telling him more, about how she would sing while cooking, or how her laughter was like music to my ears. "And Papa..." I add, my voice softening. "He was the complete opposite. He was calm, measured, but his love was... overwhelming in the best way. He could make anyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. He was a lawyer too!"
"My parents, they loved Radhika and I so much," I begin, my voice steady. "They made sure we never felt alone, even though they were busy with their own work. Mumma was always there to guide us, to listen to our worries. And Papa was our protector. He always made sure we knew that we were the most important people in his world."
I smile softly, thinking back to the little things they did to show their love. "Mumma would sit with us for hours, helping us with our homework, even if she was exhausted from teaching all day. She always knew exactly what we needed, whether it was a word of encouragement or just a comforting hug." I let out a soft laugh, remembering how she would always make us hot chocolate when we had a bad day, no matter the time.
"And Papa," I continue, my voice a little softer, "he never missed a chance to tell us how proud he was of us. Every night, before bed, he'd come in and kiss us goodnight. Even when we were teenagers, when we thought we didn't need it anymore, he would still do it."
This was the first time I was talking about them to anyone in ten years.
I hadn't noticed how much time had passed, how long we had been sitting in the car, talking about my parents, until I glance out the window. We were already parked under my apartment and I must've been so absorbed in what I was saying that I lost track of everything else around us.
I opened my mouth to apologise for holding him back but before the words could form, Vihaan raised a finger to my lips.
The motion was so subtle, so gentle, yet it halted everything inside me. His dark eyes were softer than I had ever seen them, his gaze unwavering as he watched me, as though he was seeing me in a way that nobody else ever had. His finger lingered on my lips for a moment, the warmth of his touch making my heart flutter unexpectedly.
"Shivanya," he murmured, his voice low, steady. "Don't you dare apologise. Never."
I leaned back against the seat, feeling a warmth spread through me. One that had nothing to do with the car's heat or the streetlights. It was something much more lasting.
Spending time with him didn't feel suffocating, as it often did with most others. Perhaps this was a reassurance that maybe, just maybe, he is my destiny.
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