The golden Parisian sun spilled through the sheer curtains of the suite, but Avni felt the morning most acutely in the soft ache of her limbs. As she stirred, she found Divyansh exactly where he had fallen asleep: his face buried against her, his steady breath warm against her skin. A sharp, sweet heat flared in her chest as the previous night played back in her mind like a fever dream—the intensity, the vulnerability, and the gentle way he had cared for her afterward. Leanng down, she pressed a lingering kiss to the crown of his head.
Divyansh shifted, his eyes fluttering open before he snuggled deeper into her embrace. "Anhh..." Avni breathed, a playful protest as she tried to nudge him back.
"Good morning, Jaana," he murmured. He pulled back just enough to flash that devastating, dimpled smile that always managed to disarm her.
"Good morning, Dimples," she countered, leaning in to pepper his cheeks with kisses.
"This is, without question, the best morning of my life," he whispered. He shifted upward, his bare chest warm against the silk of the shirt she had borrowed from him the night before. He pulled her into a side-hug, holding her as if she might vanish with the morning mist.
"I couldn’t agree more," she whispered back.
The comfortable silence was broken when Divyansh’s expression shifted. His usual playfulness retreated, replaced by a rare, heavy seriousness. "Avni, I need to ask you something. You have to be completely sincere with me."
Avni felt a flutter of nerves. "Ask me anything, Ansh."
"Did you... was it okay for you?" He looked away, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "I mean, did I satisfy you? I know I was a clumsy, and it was my first time... I was worried I was too messy."
Avni’s heart melted. She reached out, cupping his face to draw his gaze back to hers. A soft chuckle escaped her lips before she kissed him deeply. "You were perfect," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "If you think you were messy, you’re wrong. It was my first time, too. I was terrified and shy, but you handled everything with so much care."
Divyansh’s ego returned in an instant, a wicked glint returning to his eyes. "You were anything but shy, Jaana. The way you moaned my name... I'll be hearing that for weeks." He grinned, trailing a finger down her arm. "And more importantly, where did that dress come from? I never pegged you for the type to buy something so... provocative."
Avni felt her face flush a brilliant crimson. She swatted his chest lightly. "Shut up!"
"No, really! I’m impressed," he laughed, catching her hand.
"If you must know, I didn't buy it. Kritika practically held me at gunpoint and forced it into my suitcase," Avni admitted, hiding her face in his shoulder.
"Remind me to buy Kritika a very expensive thank-you gift," he chuckled. "Was there only one?"
"Two," she muttered.
His eyebrows shot up. "Two? Well, why are we still talking? Show me the second one."
"You are impossible! We have a schedule," she laughed, finally breaking free of his hold and sitting up. "We need to get freshened up for breakfast."
"Why go out?" He lunged for her again, dragging her back into the pillows. "We have room service, a locked door, and I’ve discovered a new favorite hobby."
The day disappeared into a blur of tangled sheets and quiet laughter. It wasn't until the sun began to dip toward the Seine that they finally emerged. Avni was privately marveled at Divyansh’s inexhaustible energy; she’d had to practically bribe him with the prepaid dinner cruise to get him out of the suite.
They were just stepping out when Divyansh’s phone shattered the mood. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing. "It’s Vivek."
The moment he hit 'accept,' his brother’s panicked voice leaked through the speaker. "Divyansh! You have to help me. Maa knows. She knows about me and Kajal!"
Divyansh stiffened. "Slow down. What happened?"
"I was with Kajal in my office. We were talking—really talking—and I just couldn't wait anymore. I asked her to marry me. She said yes, and I was the happiest man alive until I turned around and saw Mom. She was standing right there... and she had Meera with her."
Divyansh let out a sharp breath, rubbing his temples as he led Avni toward the car. "And then? What did you say?"
"Nothing! I couldn't say a word. Mom just turned and walked away without a sound. But Meera... she looked at me like I’d stabbed her in the heart. She kept saying I betrayed her. How did I betray her? I never promised her anything!" Vivek sounded on the verge of a breakdown. "Kajal is a wreck, Divyansh. I don't know what to do."
"I told you this would happen," Divyansh said, his voice stern but laced with brotherly concern. "I told you to be honest before she stumbled upon it. Proposing before even introducing her to the family? That was reckless, Vivek."
"I know, I know! I was going to tell everyone once you and Avni got back from Paris. I just... I lost my head," Vivek lamented.
"Well, this is a mess of your own making," Divyansh said, sliding into the back of the car next to Avni. "Don't look to me to fix it yet. You need to go to Maa—alone. Do not bring Kajal into that line of fire until the dust settles."
"I know. You're right," Vivek sighed. "When are you guys landing?"
"Our flight is tomorrow afternoon. We’ll be home the day after. Just... try to keep the house from burning down until then." Divyansh hung up and turned to Avni, relaying the details.
Avni leaned back against the leather seat, a sense of dread pooling in her stomach. "Maa must be devastated. She’s spent years imagining a future for Vivek and Meera. To find out he’s been hiding a two-year relationship with his intern? It’s not just the girl, it’s the secrecy."
"Forget Maa for a second," Divyansh muttered, staring out at the passing Parisian lights. "If Papa finds out I helped Vivek drop the Khosla case specifically to protect Kajal’s interests... and that I’ve known about them this whole time? Vinayak Singh isn't just going to be angry. He’s going to disown us both. We need to start looking for our own place, Avni. Fast."
"Should I call her?" Avni asked, reaching for her bag. "Maybe I can soften the blow."
"Don't," Divyansh warned. "Don't put yourself in the middle of a mother-son war. You'll just end up as the villain."
"I'm not going to argue," she insisted, pulling out her phone. "I’m just going to check on her."
She dialed Radha’s number. It rang several times, the tension thick in the car, before a clipped, weary voice answered. "Hello?"
"Hello, Maa? It's Avni. I just wanted to call and say hi." She kept her voice bright, practiced, and innocent.
"I am fine, Avni," Radha replied, though her voice was uncharacteristically thin. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh, nothing at all. It’s just our last night in Paris, and I wanted to let you know we'll be home the day after tomorrow. But... you sound tired, Maa. Is everything okay at home?"
Divyansh watched her, shaking his head in disbelief at how naturally she could act under pressure.
There was a long pause on the other end. Finally, Radha spoke, her voice trembling slightly. "Avni, tell me the truth. Do you know a girl named Kajal?"
Avni felt a cold shiver, but she didn't miss a beat. She caught Divyansh’s eye; he was mouthing 'I told you so.'
"Kajal? Oh, you mean Vivek’s intern from a few years back? Divyansh mentioned her once or twice in passing," Avni lied smoothly, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"I see," Radha said, her tone unreadable. "Never mind. Just get home safely. We will talk when you arrive." The line went dead.
As the car pulled up to the docks where the dinner cruise awaited, Divyansh let out a long, dramatic groan. "That’s it. We’re staying in France. I’m claiming asylum."
"Don't be dramatic," Avni said, though she felt the weight of the coming storm.
"I’m serious! Why leave?" He pulled her close as they walked toward the shimmering lights of the ship. "In Paris, we can stay in bed all day. In India, there’s always someone knocking on the door right when we're in the middle of... well, you know."
"Ansh! We are in public!" Avni hissed, her cheeks burning again.
"Exactly my point!" he huffed. "Tomorrow is our last day of freedom. From the moment we wake up until we board that flight, I am not letting you out of my sight. Because once we’re home, it’s back to reality."
"For God’s sake," Avni laughed, pulling him toward the gangplank, "just shut your mouth and enjoy the view."
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