82. REYANSH

AUTHOR’S POV 

Later, everyone came out of their rooms dressed in fresh clothes. Just then, Shivnya sneezed. Abhimanyu immediately looked at her and said,
"Now you have to take kadha."

Shivnya's eyes widened. "No! Never! I'm not drinking that horrible thing."

The whole house burst into laughter as Abhimanyu-and especially little Anirudh-started running behind her with the kadha, determined to make her drink it. The scene turned into a playful chase until Abhimanyu finally caught her. He pulled her into his lap, firmly held her wrists, and made her sip the kadha.

Shivnya scrunched her nose, clearly disgusted, but before she could complain, Abhimanyu offered her a few drops of honey. "So you don't feel pukish," he teased.

Still frowning, Shivnya muttered angrily, "Bhai, throw him out! He... he's an idiot!"

Aarav burst into laughter at her words, and the rest joined in before they all settled down for dinner.

That night, after Radha made Anirudh sleep, everyone gathered near the bonfire. They decided to play "Speak the Truth or Drink the Shot." A few bottles of dark rum were placed in the center, and the group sat in a circle, couples sitting beside each other.

Divit spun the bottle first. It landed on Radha.

Shivnya leaned forward with a mischievous smile. "Radha, did you ever check Ansh's phone?"

Before Radha could answer, Ansh jumped in, "Bhabhi, she doesn't need to check it-she already keeps my phone with her."

Abhimanyu, Yuvraj, and Tanmay froze, staring at him in shock. "What the hell do you mean?" they chorused.

Shivnya turned to Abhimanyu with a sharp glare. "And what's wrong in that, hmm?"

Abhimanyu rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "N-nothing."

Radha laughed. "Oh, I know what the problem is. These brothers have a secret group chat. And one day, when I checked Ansh's phone, you won't believe what I found."

Abhimanyu instantly closed his eyes in embarrassment, while Yuvraj and Tanmay started panicking.
"Arrey, that's not part of the question! Spin the bottle again!" they shouted together.

But Shivnya quickly hushed them. "No, no, we want to hear this!"

Radha smirked. "Well... I saw Ansh and Abhimanyu bhaisa discussing something in such a sexy and hot way. And these two duffers-Yuvraj and Tanmay-were agreeing to every word. Plus, the language they were using! My temper shot through the roof..."

Everyone was staring wide-eyed when Radha continued dramatically, "...until I realized they were actually talking about a car! The way they described it was so double-meaning, anyone would misunderstand!"

The women burst into uncontrollable laughter while Abhimanyu hid his face in his hands.

Ansh quickly defended himself, "It's not our fault that your mind is that dirty! We are innocent boys who only love our wives."

All the men nodded furiously in agreement, but the women just kept laughing, enjoying their embarrassment.

After that, the game continued with more spins, laughter, and lots of shots. Some were already getting tipsy when the bottle pointed at Avni.

Radha smirked and asked, "So tell me... did you both get together before marriage?"

Avni's cheeks flushed, but before she could respond, Aarav immediately grabbed the glass and drank the shot on her behalf-since she was pregnant.

All her brothers froze in shock. Aarav, now half-drunk, raised his hand like a soldier taking an oath. "I won't answer that question. I don't want my child to listen to the things I did with their mom."

The entire circle erupted in laughter at his drunken honesty, while Radha and Ansh exchanged teasing looks, clearly enjoying the spicy turn the game was taking-though they too revealed things only half-way, keeping their own secrets safe.

The bottle spun again and landed on Abhimanyu.

Ansh leaned forward mischievously. "Bhaisa, tell us honestly... you never liked Anirudh coming to your room, right?"

Shivnya instantly gave her husband a warning look, but Abhimanyu, unfazed, replied casually, "Never. And you tell me-didn't you do it purposely?"

Ansh smirked. "Of course I did! Ani liked Shivnya bhabhi a lot. So I used a trick-I bribed him with chocolates."

Shivnya's jaw dropped, while Radha's eyes widened in disbelief.

Abhimanyu turned to his wife and said dryly, "You hear that? That was the truth."

Radha, still shocked, asked, "But why would you even do that?"

Ansh scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "We weren't getting any quality time together. So... I thought this was my opportunity."

Radha immediately hid her face in embarrassment, while everyone else burst into laughter.

"Radhaaa..." Shivnya teased, making her blush harder as she buried herself behind Ansh.

The game continued, and the bottle landed on Aarav again. This time Divit leaned in and teased, "So bhai... tell us, who's that person you talk to and say, baby, I'll come and bring chocolates for you?"

Aarav shot him a deadly glare and silently drank the shot instead of answering.

Shivnya gasped dramatically. "My munchkins have grown up! Aarav, you didn't even tell me about your girlfriend?"

Ira, who had been watching him closely, was feeling devastated . Aarav quickly defended himself, "Di, it's nothing like that. He's just joking." His eyes, however, warned Divit to stay quiet.

Before Divit could say anything more, Aarav's glare shut him up.

The game rolled on and the bottle stopped at Reyansh.

Abhimanyu leaned forward curiously. "So, Reyansh... do you love someone?"

Reyansh gave a small, curt nod, his eyes flicking briefly toward Sanj. Abhimanyu caught the hint immediately but said nothing.

When Reyansh's turn came to spin, the bottle pointed at Sanj. But before anyone else could ask, Reyansh himself asked softly, "Do you love someone?"

All her brothers looked at her expectantly. Sanj froze, confused whether to say yes or no. After a pause, she lifted the glass and drank the shot instead.

Putting it down, she murmured, "I feel sleepy... I'm going to my room."

Everyone fell silent, surprised by her reaction. But they trusted her and didn't push further.

Just then, Ani began to cry, so Radha and Ansh excused themselves to tend to him. Avni was exhausted too, and Aarav-completely drunk by now-was helped to his room by Abhimanyu. One by one, everyone started leaving. Ira slipped away quietly to her room, and the game came to an end, the bonfire crackling into the night.

𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘

The morning welcomed them with a soft drizzle, the sky painted in shades of grey and silver. The weather was too beautiful to waste indoors, so everyone decided to drive up to the hills to enjoy the misty views.

Two cars stood ready near the porch. The first was a Land Rover. Aayansh climbed in first, settling at the back. Ira followed him, slipping in beside him. Avni sat in the middle so she could be comfortable, and Aarav protectively shifted closer to make space. In the front seat, Divit took his spot beside the driver.

The second car was already being claimed. Sanj and Radha quickly slipped into the back seat together, giggling about something. Ansh and Tanmay occupied the middle, leaving only the front seats empty for now.

Just then, Reyansh walked out. His eyes immediately landed on Sanj at the back. Without hesitation, he pulled the seat forward, about to slide in beside her.

But Sanj's voice stopped him. "Where are you coming? There's no seat here. Go sit in front."

Everyone turned to look at her. Reyansh raised an eyebrow. "There is a seat here. And no one's sitting. Why can't I?"

Sanj folded her arms, refusing to meet his gaze. "Who told you it's empty?"

Reyansh tilted his head, confused but firm. "Then you tell me... who's sitting here?"

Sanj's mind raced, and before he could press further, she spotted Yuvraj walking toward them. "Yuvraj! Your seat is here!" she blurted out.

Reyansh's expression flattened instantly.

Yuvraj blinked, surprised. "Oh... thanks for saving me a seat. But I think Mr. Suryawanshi here was already-"

"For God's sake, Yuvraj," Sanj cut him with a tight smile, "the car is big enough for Mr. Suryawanshi to sit anywhere. You come sit here."

Yuvraj gave Reyansh an awkward, nervous laugh before sliding in beside Sanj. Reyansh stepped back, jaw tightening, and without a word, moved to the front seat instead.

Just then, Ani came bouncing with Abhimanyu, who slid in beside Ansh, while Daksh arrived a second later. Spotting no free seat in the second car, Daksh casually joined Ira, Aayansh , Aarav, and Avni in the Land Rover.

"Shivuuu!" Abhimanyu's voice rang out. "Come fast, everyone's waiting!"

Shivnya came running out of the mansion, clutching her scarf against the drizzle, her cheeks glowing in the cool morning air.

ABHIMANYU'S POV

Shivnya came out wearing a light sky-blue top, her hair slightly damp from the drizzle. She glanced at the first car, but it was already full. With a frown, she turned to the second one, only to find every seat taken there too.

"There's no space! Where should I sit now?" she said irritably, her arms crossed.

I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. Patting my lap, I said with a grin, "Come sit here. Your seat is always reserved."

She shot me a glare, clearly unimpressed. Aarav leaned out from the first car and shouted, "Shivnya, come here! You can sit with us!"

But I knew her. She didn't want to make Avni uncomfortable, especially during her pregnancy. So she shook her head and muttered, "It's okay, bhai. I'll manage here."

I smirked and stretched out my hand. Before she could protest, I tugged her gently into my lap. She gasped but couldn't resist, and soon she was seated comfortably against me.

As soon as I shut the door, the whole car burst into teasing.
Tanmay, Radha, Yuvraj, and Sanj shouted in unison, "Oooohhh!"

Radha giggled and said, "You know, Sanj, a car ride always feels incomplete unless someone's sitting in someone's lap."

Everyone laughed, and Sanj added playfully, "Yes, yes-and my di has completed the ritual!"

Reyansh, out of nowhere, muttered, "It should be completed in every ride."

Sanj scoffed loudly, pretending not to look at him. I caught the flicker in her eyes though, and by now I was almost sure-something was definitely brewing between the two of them.

Meanwhile, with Shivnya in my lap, I couldn't resist. I slipped my hand slowly under her top, my fingers brushing against her warm skin. She stiffened, her big eyes darting to me in shock.

Radha, noticing her sudden wide-eyed look, smirked. "What happened, bhabhisa? Did you... feel something?"

Shivnya glared at her sister-in-law, cheeks flushed, while everyone laughed.

The drive stretched on, and eventually the teasing faded. I pulled her scarf and draped it over our faces as if to rest. But instead, I snuggled closer, pressing soft kisses into her neck, hidden under the fabric.

Yuvraj and Tanmay's voices broke in, "What a scene! Someone's getting romantic right in front of us!"

I ignored them, tightening my hold on Shivnya as she wriggled shyly in my lap. After a while, I lifted the scarf just enough to glare at the boys. My look was enough-they shut up instantly.

The rest of the ride passed with laughter, music, and banter, but I couldn't help noticing one thing: Reyansh's eyes. They kept drifting to Sanj, as if she was the only view worth watching.

Within an hour, our cars pulled up to the hills, the mist curling around us like a dream.

As we reached the top of the hills, we slowly got down from the cars, the cool breeze instantly brushing against our faces. The weather was foggy, with a light drizzle falling, painting everything in a dreamy haze.

Everyone hopped out to soak in the view-except Avni. Aarav, being his strict self, made her stay inside the car, wrapped in warmth and safety.

We were all admiring the breathtaking scenery when the picture craze began. Cameras came out, laughter echoed around, and Shivnya came running toward me with a bright smile. We clicked pictures together, in groups, and with others, capturing every moment in that misty paradise.

Since we had started out early, hunger soon crept in. Thankfully, we'd packed food from home. Slowly, everyone settled down to enjoy the meal with the view-the perfect combo of comfort and adventure.

After eating, Sanj, Yuvraj, Tanmay, and Divit decided to go for a short walk. Ira tagged along, and Aarav soon joined them, taking little Anirudh with him. A few moments later, Reyansh followed, obviously drawn by Sanj, and Daksh gave him company.

As they all left, the crowd thinned, leaving just us couples. Finally, a little privacy. A rare gift.

I took Shivnya's hand and led her to a quieter side of the hill, away from the chatter.

"Finally," I said with a playful grin, "I got a moment with you."

Shivnya scoffed, rolling her eyes. "A moment? You're with me all the time, Abhi!"

I chuckled, tugging her closer. "You know I can't stay away from you for too long, right?"

Before she could respond, I leaned in to kiss her. She quickly placed her hand on my chest, her cheeks flushing.

"Stop it, Abhi! Someone might see us," she whispered, glancing around nervously.

But as if I cared. With a smirk, I closed the space between us anyway, and our lips met-soft and warm amidst the cool drizzle. For a moment, the world faded away, leaving just the two of us and the taste of rain-kissed love.

As we pulled away from our kiss, she looked at me, her eyes shimmering with pure happiness. I gently took her hand, ready to roam around, when she hesitated and said softly,

"You know... I was thinking about something. Just-please don't get angry."

I frowned, slightly confused. "Why would I get angry? Tell me, what happened?"

She took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around mine.

"You know, the day before Raksha Bandhan, no one had ever called me 'Maa' before. Obviously... who would? Ani always called me 'Princess.'" A faint smile played on her lips, then slowly faded. "But when he called me Badi Maa... something stirred inside me. It was like a sudden rush of motherly feeling."

She glanced at me with teary eyes, her voice trembling but determined.

"I've always wanted a baby. There were times when I even thought of adopting one, but every time... something happened, and it didn't work out. I never wanted to marry anyone else except Advaith, and deep down, I knew my love for him was just a fragile hope I was clinging to."

Her gaze softened as she continued, "But now... after marrying such a loving husband, someone who makes me feel like I am his whole world... I don't just want a child-I want our child. A baby who is our creation. I want to give that baby all the happiness in the world-the happiness I deserved in my childhood but never got. I'll give our child my happiness... and there too."

Her hopeful eyes sparkled with dreams of motherhood, and my heart clenched. She didn't know... I didn't want children-especially our own. I just wanted to live happily with her, just us two.

But I didn't want to crush her joy, not now. So, I forced a small smile and said gently,
"Okay, baby... we'll think about it later. For now, let's just enjoy the view."

Her entire face lit up with happiness as she nodded. We continued exploring the area hand-in-hand.

That's when, from a distance, I noticed Reyansh and Sanj standing in a corner, clearly in a heated argument. They were deliberately hiding from everyone. Shivnya was distracted, looking elsewhere, but if she saw them fighting, she would definitely step in.

She's fiercely protective of her cousins-okay, fine, extremely possessive. She never lets anyone hurt them. And while I understand her, I also know she has to learn to give them space. They need to fall, to make mistakes, to rise again on their own.

So, before she noticed anything, I quickly guided her away and sent Reyansh a discreet message:

"Come back. We're heading home."

It was already 4 p.m., and by the time we reached home, it would be close to 6 p.m. Everyone would be exhausted.

When we reached the cars, Aarav and Avni were already asleep from tiredness. We all sat in the same order as before. On the drive back, every woman slowly drifted to sleep-especially my woman. She slept completely on me, her feet resting on my thighs, her face buried in my neck, her arms draped lazily around my chest. She looked like a little princess.

My little princess. My queen.

An hour and a half later, we finally reached her mansion. Slowly, the men carried their wives inside. I don't even know who carried Ira and Sanj, but I carefully took my wife to our room, changed her into something comfortable, tucked her into bed, and kissed her forehead.

I still had unfinished business.

I called Reyansh and asked him to meet me in the backyard. When he arrived, my tone was cold-no longer a best friend, but a husband protecting his wife's family.

"What the hell were you thinking, behaving like that with my wife's sister?" I demanded.

Reyansh smirked slightly, completely unbothered.
"She's my Buttercup... my Temptress."

His words hit me like a thunderbolt. Buttercup? Mrs. Temptress Suryawanshi?

I grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face me. Our eyes locked, and he nodded silently, confirming what I didn't want to believe.

I was in complete shock. Sanj... her? It couldn't be true.

Unable to process it, I left without another word and returned to our room. Shivnya stirred awake as I walked in.

"Where did you go...?" she mumbled sleepily, reaching for me. "Come to bed, baby. Sleep with me."

I just nodded, lay beside her, and hugged her tightly. She drifted back to sleep almost instantly, but I stayed awake all time , haunted by Reyansh's revelation and the memories it dragged back.

Suddenly, Shivnya stirred again and murmured, "What are you thinking about?"

Before I could answer, she frowned.
"Go check, na. Someone's been knocking for ten minutes."

I quickly got up, opened the door, and found Reyansh standing there. His expression was unreadable.

"Come out for dinner," he said quietly. "I've ordered food for everyone."

I nodded and went back to wake Shivnya. She was still drowsy as I guided her to the dining hall.

As we walked in, everyone was already seated. Shivnya clung to my arm, noticing my serious face.

"What happened, Abhi? Why do you look so tense?" she asked softly.

What could I tell her? About her sister's past... about Reyansh's secret?

I forced a small smile. "Nothing, baby. Just thinking about office work."

She seemed convinced and nodded. We all began to eat.

Then, Sanj picked up her plate of Thai noodles. The moment Shivnya saw, she froze.

"Stop eating, Sanj!" she shouted urgently.

Everyone looked at her in confusion as she rushed toward Sanj.

"Spit it out!" Shivnya ordered.

Sanj blinked in shock, the noodles still halfway to her mouth.

" Diii...., what-?"

"You're not a kid anymore! Don't you remember? Thai food has peanuts, and you're severely allergic!" Shivnya's voice trembled with panic.

Before Sanj could react, Reyansh calmly intervened.
"Relax, Shivnya. There's no need. These noodles don't have peanuts-I made sure of it when I ordered."

Shivnya stared at him, stunned.
"How... how do you even know about her allergy?"

Before Reyansh could respond, both Sanj and I spoke at the exact same time:
"I told him."

The entire table turned to look at us, confused.

Shivnya's brows furrowed. "Abhimanyu... how did you know? And when did you even tell Reyansh?" she said this while looking at sanj

I smiled, standing up casually, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Oh,Shivuu... you shouldn't doubt us so much. One day, Sanj mentioned her allergy to me, and later, when Reyansh asked, I just told him-like how you're allergic to berries and she's allergic to peanuts."

Shivnya made an "O" face and seemed satisfied with the explanation. What she didn't realize was that my words were a deliberate cover-up for Reyansh.

When Reyansh caught my eye, he gave a subtle nod, silently thanking me. I returned it with a faint one of my own.

Everyone went back to eating happily-everyone except the three of us: Reyansh, Sanj, and me.

Because Sanj knew one thing for certain: she had never told me about her allergy.

Which meant I was protecting them.
Which meant... I knew the truth about her and Reyansh's past.

A past buried for nearly six years.

I wanted to talk to Sanj more than Reyansh, because with Reyansh, I already knew what had happened - I knew how much he was hurt, what he felt, and what he's still going through. But when it came to Sanj, I was completely oblivious. I needed to understand what was going on in her mind, and that too, in a way where she felt comfortable enough to open up. I couldn't force her, but at the same time, I couldn't just let things slide. After all, this matter involved both her and my best friend - and I could never choose one over the other.

I just wanted to calm things down, but seeing how much my wife was sensing about both of them, I knew I couldn't handle it all with everyone being around.

That night, we all went back to our rooms, but I messaged Reyansh to leave the next morning. Things were getting more and more complicated, and he agreed with me to leave.

The next morning, all three - Reyansh, Ira, and Daksh - left. Radhika, Anii, and Ansh also decided to go back since Anirudh had started school, and they didn't want him to miss any classes. Anii cried a lot while sitting in Shivnya's lap, not wanting to leave her badi maa. But it was necessary - both for Anirudh and for my wife. I didn't want her spending too much time with the kids, afraid she might feel that void again... the one of not having a child yet.

And I couldn't even promise her anything about the future.

Slowly, everyone left. Our vacation had come to an end, and it was time to return to our daily routine. Shivnya seemed happy - she truly enjoyed the vacation - but deep down, I hoped this peace would last longer than just the trip.

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:

______________________________________________________

HELLLOWWW EVERYONE

I HOPE YOU LIKED THE CHAPTER

LIKE IT SHARE IT COMMENT DOWN

FOLLOW MY ACCOUNT :-
CHRONIC_WRTSS
CHRONIC_WRTSSS

BYE BYE

LOVE YOU ALL BUTTERFLIES 🦋❤