VIDYUT’S POV 

When I entered the room, I expected to find her sketching.
But she wasn’t.

She was lying on the floor.

Her arms tucked beneath her head like a pillow, eyes lost somewhere far, far away.
Tears had left silent trails down her cheeks.
Her eyes were swollen red — like a little raccoon.

My heart clenched at the sight.

I stepped closer, voice soft but steady.

“Vani…”

She flinched at my voice, immediately sitting up and wiping her tears away as if nothing happened.

But I saw it all.

I crouched down in front of her, bringing my face to her level, and gently wiped the tear stains from her cheek.

“Why were you crying, rabbit?” I asked softly.

She gave me a fake smile — the kind that shattered me more than any real tear ever could.

“No... I didn’t cry,” she mumbled, avoiding my eyes.
“It’s just… water. That’s all.”

I gave her a look — one of those ‘don’t even try to lie to me’ stares.
But before I could say another word, she burst out desperately,

“What did your sister say? Will we… will we still get married?”
Her voice trembled.
“Tell me, please, Mr. Russo… did she agree?”

And there it was.

The fear.
The real reason behind her tears.

She thought I might leave her.
She thought someone’s disapproval could change my decision.

But what she didn’t know was—

I’m going to become her shadow.
The one that will follow her even where shadows cannot go.
She’s not just mine — I am hers. Entirely.

She was searching for answers in my eyes, scanning every flicker of emotion.
And before she could even blink—

“Yes,” I whispered.

“She agreed.”

And in that very second — she jumped into my arms.

A hug.
Her first hug as a couple .
Ever.

It wasn’t careful. It wasn’t slow.
It was raw, sudden, desperate — everything she was holding inside poured out into that single embrace.

Caught off guard, I lost balance and fell backward, pulling her down with me.

Not because she was heavy.

But because her love was.

And suddenly we were both on the floor.

She was on top of me — hands pinned awkwardly under my chest, her hair falling across my face like silk.
Our eyes locked, time stilled.

Her breath hitched.

She looked so stunned — not by me, but by herself.
By how naturally she had clung to me.
By how safe she must’ve felt.

I gently reached up, brushed the strands of hair from her cheeks, and tucked them behind her ears.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

Then I pulled her closer. Just a bit. Just enough.

I leaned in toward her ear, my voice dropping to that low, dark, dangerous tone she now knew too well — the one that made her body tremble with every word:

“Thanks for the hug… Mrs. Russo.”

And just like that—

She froze.

Her cheeks turned crimson.

And I swear I could feel her heart pounding against mine.

She tried to get off me in a hurry, but fate had other plans.

Her soft strands got tangled in the button of my shirt, pulling her even closer, her breath brushing against my neck.

I smirked and wrapped my arms around her waist, keeping her in place.

“Even your hair doesn’t want to go away from me,” I whispered, the tease making her cheeks bloom with that familiar pink hue.

She tried to hide her face, but I gently lifted her up in my arms and sat down again with her now in my lap.

“Now you can untangle them,” I said with a soft smile.

She glanced into my eyes—flustered, glowing, and hesitant—and then slowly focused on the strands caught in the button. Her fingers trembled slightly as she worked, and all I could do was stare… mesmerized by the way her shyness painted her face like art.

When she finally freed the last strand, she looked back at me.

This time, something lingered longer in her gaze. A pull. A question. A silent surrender.

I leaned in slowly.

She gasped.

And then tightly closed her eyes, waiting for something more.

A soft smirk played on my lips.

Instead of her lips, I placed a tender kiss on her forehead — the kind that sealed more promises than words ever could.

But right then—a knock at the door.

She startled and shot up from my lap like she’d been caught in some forbidden act.

I laughed under my breath and stood up beside her, offering a comforting smile while she still looked like a nervous deer.

When I opened the door, Malvika stood there — and trailing behind her were the twins: Rakshit and Kashish.

The moment they stepped in, Vani's curious eyes followed them.

Malvika walked toward her — her expression softer now, eyes no longer suspicious but filled with understanding.

“I’m sorry if I misbehaved with you earlier,” she began gently.
“I was just being protective toward him. You know… your husband had never fallen in love before. And after losing his family so young, I tried my best to be there. But I had responsibilities too. That’s why, now… I just wanted someone who would love him wholly, with everything she has. And I believe… that someone is you.”

Vani’s eyes welled up instantly, lips trembling.

She softly whispered, “Yes… I will love him wholeheartedly. Always.”

And in that quiet moment, something sacred passed between them — a silent truce, a heartfelt promise.

Meanwhile, down at my legs, I felt tiny tugs.

Rakshit and Kashish were clinging to my pants, trying to pull my attention.

I bent down with a soft chuckle.

“What happened, babies?”

Kashish looked at Vani, her face full of curiosity.

“Who is she?”

I chuckled and replied, “She’s my wife.”

Rakshit’s eyes widened, and his face broke into a massive grin.

“It means she’s our mami?!” he asked with delight.

I nodded, and without wasting another second, both of them ran toward Vani.

She looked at them wide-eyed, unsure what to do — but as they hugged her tiny legs, clinging with innocent smiles, something in her cracked open.

She knelt down, hugged them back, and for the first time—

She truly smiled.

Not out of nervousness.

But because she felt home.

AUTHOR’S POV 

Vani sat comfortably on the plush velvet sofa, a soft smile curving her lips.
She looked at the twins and chirped,
“Hi babies!”

Both Kashish and Rakshit enthusiastically waved at her, their eyes twinkling.

“What are your names?” she asked warmly and they told their names and then she asked “ so what is your age ..? ”

The twins, clearly more excited than expected, shouted in unison,
“Seven years!”

Vani chuckled softly, her eyes forming little crescent moons as she said playfully,
“I’m only ten years older than you. That’s not too much.”

But the moment her words slipped out, Malvika—who had been standing beside Vidyut—whipped her head toward him, horror etched on her face. Her eyes widened like saucers as she slowly approached him.

She leaned in, her voice sharp and low.
“She’s underage, Vidyut…”

Vidyut didn’t flinch. His eyes stayed focused on Vani, who was still laughing and chatting with the kids.
Then he turned toward his sister and said in a firm, heavy tone,
“I know.”

Malvika's jaw tightened.

“I thought about letting her go,” he continued, voice unwavering.
“I tried… but neither of us can. She doesn’t want to leave, and I—”
He paused for a second, collecting himself.

“I want to give her something she’s never had. A proper family. A relationship where she is wanted, protected. Loved. You know what I’ve lived through. You think I care about rules and norms? My team will handle anything if something happens.”

Malvika sighed, heart torn between what was right and what was human. Because if there was one thing she knew about her brother—it was this:
If Vidyut Russo wants something… he gets it.

Always.

She didn’t argue further.

Instead, she turned and walked toward the little trio now sitting and chatting as if they’d known each other forever.

“Okay, bedtime! We all need to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.”

The kids frowned.

“But we want to talk with mami and also sleep with her!” Rakshit pouted.

Malvika huffed, placing her hands on her hips.
“You can talk to her in our room too. Now get up, all three of you.”

But the real surprise wasn’t theirs—it was Vidyut and Vani’s.

“What do you mean by that?” Vidyut asked, stepping forward, voice sharp.
“Why would Vani go with them?”

Malvika turned, and a mischievous smirk danced on her lips.

“So what? You want her to sleep with you even a night before the wedding?” she teased.

“Sleep alone for one night, Mr. Russo. You’ll meet your wife tomorrow at the altar. No peeking before that.”

Vidyut looked horrified.
As if someone had ripped the moon out of his sky.

Vani, on the other hand, was startled but calm—almost finding the whole thing adorable.
But Vidyut wasn’t having any of it.

“I am her husband. I’ll decide where she’ll sleep.”

Malvika burst into a laugh.
“Not yet. You’re not her husband yet, remember?”

Then she turned toward Vani and softened.
“Let’s go, Vani. You’ll sleep peacefully tonight, and tomorrow, you’ll be the most beautiful bride in this city has ever seen.”

Vani hesitated for a second, looking at Vidyut, her eyes silently asking for permission—or maybe forgiveness.

Before he could say anything, Malvika gently grabbed her wrist and guided her out of the room.

The kids followed, holding her hands like she belonged to them.

Vidyut stood there, rooted, watching his soon-to-be wife leave the room.
His heart clenched painfully.

He had never missed someone before they even left.

But this?

This felt like heartbreak.

Vani walked quietly to the guest room, her hands clasped by two little bundles of energy—Rakshit and Kashish. Her heart felt heavy leaving him, but the excitement of tomorrow danced gently in her nerves. She was getting married. To her MR. RUSSO.

And suddenly, it all started to feel real.

As she lay in the middle of the bed, curled between the two giggling seven-year-olds who refused to sleep away from their new mami, Vani found herself smiling. All night they whispered stories, asked her silly questions about Vidyut.

She answered all... but her heart?

It was still aching for the soft warmth of his chest... the rhythm of his heartbeat... his fingers brushing her hair.

She missed sleeping in his lap.

---

Meanwhile, in Vidyut’s Room

The silence was deafening.
No soft breathing against his neck.
No sleepy nuzzles under his jaw.
No small hands curled over his chest.

He was pacing the room restlessly, his phone in hand, flipping through Vani’s pictures—again and again—trying to fill the void.

The world had seen Vidyut Russo as a storm, ruthless and composed. But tonight?

He was just a man missing his rabbit.

His heart felt too full.
He never had anyone. No one to wait for him at night. No one to share dreams with. No one to call his.

But now... he had her.

His baby. His peace. His chaos. His family.

Just the thought of her waking up beside him every morning, of her soft snores filling their room, of her laughter echoing through the house... made something ache deep inside his chest.

He barely slept—maybe an hour when the sun had begun to rise.

---

The Next Morning

Vidyut didn't head to the gym like he usually did.
Instead, he found himself walking straight to the guest room.
The door was closed. Locked.

A staff member, wiping the floor nearby, giggled softly behind her palm seeing the ever-powerful Mr. Russo standing like a love-struck boy.

He couldn’t help it.

His desperation was growing.

As he was about to turn away, his eyes caught the window. A tiny corner where the curtain hadn’t been drawn properly. Without a second thought, he walked up and peeked in.

And what he saw?

He would hold that image in his heart forever.

Vani was sprawled lazily like a sleeping kitten, one arm thrown over Rakshit, the other tangled with Kashish. All three were a perfect picture of innocent chaos—messy hair, relaxed limbs, peaceful breaths.

Vidyut just stood there.

Breathing.

Staring.

Memorizing.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, a dream began to form—One day, he’ll wake up to this. His wife. His kids. His home.
He smiled softly to himself, whispering internally:
But not until she’s ready. Not until she chooses that future too.

---

Later That Day

He returned to his room, showered, and changed into his tailored black wedding suit. The crisp collar framed his sharp jaw, and the satin bow-tie sat perfectly at his throat. He looked every bit the man the world feared—except for the softness lingering in his eyes.

Malvika entered in a simple yet elegant white dress. She walked up to him and began adjusting his bowtie, a playful smile teasing her lips.

“Where are the kids?” he asked, stealing a glance at the mirror.

Malvika laughed under her breath.
“They’re with their mami, of course. They love her—they haven’t left her side all morning.”

Vidyut shook his head with a smirk.

“So... I already have competitors for my wife’s love.”

Malvika chuckled as she fixed the crease on his shoulder.

“You better work hard, Mr. Russo.”

But Vidyut simply smiled, his voice low and sure.

“I don’t mind sharing her a little with them... Because in the end, I know she’s mine.”

With that, Malvika and Vidyut made their way downstairs. On the way, Vidyut asked with impatience in his tone, “Malvika, where is she?”

Malvika smiled teasingly and replied, “I told you, didn’t I? You’ll see her at the altar. Now let’s go to the car.”

Vidyut huffed and followed her. As he opened the car door, he found the twins already seated inside. The moment he sat down, they beamed and shouted,
“Mamuuu, you look so cute!”
Vidyut chuckled and said with a smirk,
“Babies, it’s handsome… not cute.”

With that, the car took off, and the twins began excitedly telling him how they spent the night with their mami, what they talked about, how much fun they had, and how much they liked her.
Vidyut just smiled, soaking in all their chatter while silently missing his rabbit.

After some time, they finally reached the church—
the same one where he and his mother used to visit whenever they were in India.
He stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath as the memories washed over him. His mother’s warmth… her laughter… and now, he was here to make new memories.
With her.

There were only few bodyguards around the church, and Vidyut knew Vani would probably feel intimidated by it all. But after today, her life would change—and he promised himself, he would ease her into it slowly.

As he stepped inside, the church looked like something out of a fairytale.
Decorated with white lilies, light pink roses, and soft warm lights—
it was intimate. Peaceful. Beautiful.

Inside, there were only a handful of people—
the priest, Malvika, and a couple of elderly folks who have seen him growing.
Still no sign of Vani.
And Karthik.

Then suddenly, they heard the sharp screech of tires outside.
Moments later, the door opened—

And there she was.

Vani walked in with Karthik by her side, who was her best man today.
She looked like an angel wrapped in white.
Her gown was shoulderless with a soft flare that floated around her like a cloud. A delicate dip at the neckline highlighted her collarbone, and a long veil cascaded over her face, partially hiding her expressions—
but not her nervousness.

Vidyut stood still, heart thudding.
He had never seen her like this before—
so beautiful, so delicate, yet so strong.

As Karthik led her down the aisle, Vidyut couldn’t tear his eyes off her.
Her gloves, her simple earrings, that little necklace… everything screamed purity. Innocence. His.

When they finally reached the altar, Karthik gently placed her hand into Vidyut’s.

And Vidyut—he was just lost.
Eyes locked. World frozen.
Until the priest cleared his throat loudly, breaking the moment.

Malvika and Karthik smirked from behind, sharing a knowing look.

The ceremony began.

The priest opened the Bible and read the vows. After a few verses, he turned toward Vidyut.

“Vidyut Russo, do you take Vani Thakur as your lawfully wedded wife?
To have and to hold, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, to love and to cherish—
till death do you part?”

Vidyut didn’t answer immediately.

Because he was still just… looking at her veil covered face and suddenly Vani looked at him the net fabric veil was a barrier in between but still they can see each other

And he whispered with emotion so raw that it made her blink away tears—

“I do. With all my soul, I do.”

Then the priest looked at Vani.

“Vani Thakur , do you take Vidyut Russo as your lawfully wedded husband?”

She glanced up through tear-filled eyes, and whispered softly, nervously—

“I do… I really do.”

The priest smiled and said
“You may exchange the rings now.”

As the priest announced the next step, little Rakshit walked up with a small velvet pillow holding the rings, while Kashish went to Vidyut with the second basket. Both of them stood proudly like little ring bearers, their eyes shining with excitement.

Vidyut smiled and gently took the ring from Kashish’s basket. He then turned toward Vani, who extended her gloved hand with slight tremble. Slowly and carefully, he slid the ring onto her finger, his touch lingering just a moment longer than needed.

Vani, her eyes fixed on his, then took the second ring from Rakshit and with slightly nervous fingers, slipped it onto Vidyut’s finger.

A warm silence settled as their hands met and completed the bond.

The priest smiled and said solemnly,
“You may now kiss the bride.”

All eyes turned to Vidyut.

Vani, already overwhelmed, grew more nervous. She lowered her gaze shyly, her veil still covering her face. She wasn’t quite ready—not yet—for a public kiss.

Vidyut understood her silence.

He didn’t lift her veil. Instead, he leaned in slowly and softly pressed a kiss to her forehead through the netted fabric. It was gentle, respectful—just like his love for her.

With that, he whispered against her skin,

“Congratulations, Mrs. Russo… I’m your husband now.”

At his words, a single tear escaped the corner of her right eye—
not of sadness, but of emotion too deep to name.
And just below that veil, a soft, teary smile formed on her lips.

She looked up at him and murmured sweetly—

“You too, Mr. Russo.”

The moment hung in the air like magic.

And then—
applause erupted.

The small gathering clapped and cheered, while the twins jumped in excitement.

But The Russo wedding was still incomplete.

・。.・゜✭・

_________________________________________________________

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CHRONIC

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