~Embrace the fresh start with courage and enthusiasm, for each new beginning holds the promise of endless possibilities~

~~~

The journey to the airport had been long yet silent for Aaradhya. Though the Rajvansh family continued their usual banter, her mind remained distant, weighed down by her parents' last words.

But one thing had been constant—Shivansh's gaze.

He hadn't asked anything, but she knew he had noticed. Every moment. Every shift in her expressions.

After landing, the family traveled to the Rajvansh Mansion, it was surrounded by forests, it was like a castle, everyone has been welcomed with garlands by the house staff. The mansion stood tall, a symbol of generations of legacy, discipline, and tradition.

A place so grand, so beautifully lit, it looked like a scene from a dream. The afternoon sun casting a golden look, Fresh flowers decorated the entrance, the golden glow of fairy lights illuminating the intricate carvings on the tall doors. The entire mansion radiated warmth.

And yet, standing there, Aaradhya felt nothing.

No excitement. No happiness. No comfort.

Because this place, no matter how grand, was not home.

Home was where Aahan was. Home was where her grandparents were.

And now, she had left that home behind.

~

His family stood waiting for them at the entrance.

His mother, Meera, was the first to step forward, a warm smile gracing her lips. In her hands was a beautifully decorated aarti thali, the diya flickering softly in the night air.

His grandmother, Sushma Singh Rajvansh, stood beside her, looking just as delighted.

"Welcome home, beta," Meera said gently, placing a tilak on Aaradhya's forehead before moving the aarti plate in slow, circular motions.

Aaradhya forced a small smile, nodding as she followed the instructions given to her. She lifted her foot and gently kicked the kalash filled with rice, watching as it spilled onto the floor, marking her first steps into the house as a Rajvansh.

It should have been a moment of significance. A moment where a bride felt the beginning of her new life.

But to Aaradhya, it felt like a step deeper into the unknown.

She walked forward, her hands unconsciously clutching the fabric of her lehenga. Every whispered blessing, every congratulatory smile, felt hollow.

Just like the celebrations at her own house.

They had celebrated her wedding grandly, showered her with love and care—for the world to see. But when the guests had left, when the lights had dimmed, their true faces had surfaced once again.

And now, looking at the smiling faces around her, a deep fear settled in her chest.

Would this family be the same?

Would this kindness fade with time?

As soon as they entered, the family welcomed them warmly, excitement buzzing in the air. The younger members, especially Vihaan, Aarav, Abhir, and Abhira, were the life of the celebration.

"Finally, our bhaiya is married! Can you believe it?" Abhira giggled, nudging Abhir.

"I thought he'd just grow old alone and let us inherit everything!" Vihaan teased, making everyone laugh.

Aaradhya, who had been standing stiffly, bit her lip, unsure how to react. The atmosphere here was so different from the suffocating house she had left behind. It was playful, full of genuine warmth.

Her husband let out a sigh, rubbing his temple. "I regret coming home already."

"Too late, bhaiya!" Aarav smirked. "Bhabhi is here now. You're stuck with all of us!"

Aaradhya looked at her husband, expecting to see irritation, but instead, there was the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his lips.

Maybe... just maybe... this wasn't going to be as terrifying as she thought.

~

When the ring-finding ritual began, Aaradhya found herself sitting across from her husband, their hands dipped into a large bowl filled with milk and flower petals. Somewhere in the bowl, their wedding ring was hidden.

"Bhabhi, you have to win!" Abhira cheered.

"Don't let bhaiya win. He already rules the world outside. Let him suffer at home," Vihaan teased.

Aaradhya hesitated for a moment before her fingers brushed against something cool.

The ring.

Before her husband could react, she grabbed it, pulling it out with a victorious glint in her eyes.

The entire family erupted into cheers.

"She won!" Aarav laughed. "Looks like bhaiya lost his power already."

Aaradhya turned to look at her husband, half-expecting him to be annoyed, but he only smirked.

"Enjoy your victory, Mrs. Rajvansh." he said, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

A shiver ran down her spine at the way he said it, but before she could dwell on it, Everyone was already planning the next ritual.

“Now comes the real challenge!” Avni called out. “Let’s see if Shivansh can find his name hidden in Aaradhya’s mehendi!”

Aaradhya froze slightly. She had been too preoccupied to think about that detail. Meera and Kavita joined in the teasing as Shivansh leaned forward, brows raised.

“Where is it?” he asked softly, almost challengingly.

“I’m not telling,” Aaradhya replied, just above a whisper, avoiding his eyes.

"Are you challenging me?" He whispered so that no one other than them could hear this conversation.

But she didn't replied, and just focused on her hands.

“Okay,” he smirked. “Challenge accepted.”

He reached for her hands, gently taking her palms in his. The warmth of his fingers made her breath catch. His gaze shifted with focus as he studied the intricate patterns. The room was filled with giggles and hushed commentary from the family.

“This is more intense than a business meeting,” Vihaan teased.

“Bhaiya’s trying to decode bhabhi’s emotions and the mehendi,” Abhir added.

Shivansh was quiet, his eyes slowly scanning the fine swirls of design. Then his thumb traced a spot near the curve of a flower on her left palm.

“Here,” he said quietly, eyes lifting to hers.

Aaradhya’s lips parted slightly in surprise. He was right.

Everyone burst out laughing.

“Of course, he found it! He probably practiced detective skills before the wedding,” Abhira said.

Aaradhya looked away shyly, but she couldn’t hide the blush on her face. In that moment, for the first time, she wasn’t thinking about her past or her pain. She was just… there. Between her new family, these people who actually give her a little peace and radiate love.

After the rituals and dinner, Meera approached with a soft smile. “You both must be tired. Go freshen up and rest, beta. We’ll do the rest of the rituals tomorrow.”

Aaradhya simply nodded, feeling overwhelmed by everything- the wedding, family, relatives, and maybe herself too.

Abhira and Avni helped her to her new room while chatting with her.

As they walked towards their room, she felt the weight of reality settle in again.

This was it.

She had stepped into a new life.

A life she hadn't chosen but had no choice but to accept.

And as she walked beside them, she wondered-

Would this place ever truly feel like home?

As she walked toward his room, she couldn't help but notice how beautiful their home was.

The walls weren't empty like the ones she had grown up in or which held only siya's pictures. They were full of life. Framed pictures of smiling faces, memories frozen in time, hung proudly across the halls. Some were traditional family portraits, while others captured moments of genuine joy.

It felt... real.

And yet, it only reminded her of what she had never had.

Her thoughts faded when they finally stopped in front of a door.

When they reached his bedroom, Aaradhya hesitated. The room was beautifully decorated, filled with soft candlelight and fresh flowers. But what caught her attention the most was how far it was from the rest of the house.

It was secluded. Private.

A sign that he valued his space.

The realization made her feel guilty. Would he feel uncomfortable now that he had to share it with her?

"what happened Bhabhi? satisfied with your new room?" Abhira said mischievously, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She blinked, turning to her. "I... was just thinking."

"oh ok then, enjoy your first night" Avni added mischievously, and then they both laughed seeing the red look on her face and then after saying "You should freshen up. You must be exhausted." they left her alone with her thoughts.

She sat on the vanity and started removing her jewelries, soon she heard the door open and he came in. 

"You should change your clothes, it must be uncomfortable" he said and got into the washroom to freshen up after she nodded

soon she had all the accessories out of her hair and just as she was about to stand up he came out in his casual shirt and trousers and got in the balcony.

she quickly got into the closet and saw all of her things organized already and she started changing, after that she got into the washroom which was connected to the closet and then suddenly a terrifying thought hit her.

This is our first night.

Would he expect something? Was this the moment where the gentle silence between them would shift?

Her hands shook as she splashed cold water on her face.

When she finally stepped out, her heart pounded in her chest. he was coming in from the balcony but the moment she looked at him, she noticed the way his eyes softened.

"You don't have to be scared," he said, reading her thoughts easily.

Aaradhya stiffened.

"I won't do anything without your consent," he continued. "I respect you, Aaradhya."

A lump formed in her throat.

It was the first time someone had said those words to her.

When he walked toward the couch with a pillow, she frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Sleeping," he said simply.

"The bed is big enough," she said hesitantly. "You don't have to sleep on the couch."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're comfortable with that?"

She swallowed, then nodded.

His eyes searched hers for a moment before he walked back to the bed. As they lay in silence, Lying on his side, he finally broke the quiet.

“Aaradhya…” he began, his voice low. “I know this wasn’t your dream. Maybe it wasn’t mine either. But I don’t want us to be strangers who just share a room.”

She turned to look at him.

“I want to work on this… whatever this is. And we’ll go at your pace. No pressure. No expectations.”

Her throat tightened. No one had ever said anything like that to her. Not in her family. Not even Aahan could promise her a safe space like this.

And then she finally let the worry out "what if.... what if it didn't work out?" she said slowly, unsure of how he would react.

"We have 3 years to decide that, remember?" he said turning himself towards her but still keeping the distance between them.

She gave the smallest of nods. And for the first time since entering this house, a little part of her felt at peace.

"Good night Mrs. Rajvansh"

she replied without looking at him feeling his gaze on her "Good night."

For the first time that night, she smiled, hearing the name.

~~~