The morning air was thick with the grey, pre-dawn haze of 5:00 AM as Divyansh steered the car into the quiet driveway of the Singh estate. Beside him, Avni sat in a hollow silence, her eyes tracing the familiar silhouette of the house. Sleep had been a stranger to both of them all night, and the exhaustion was beginning to settle into their bones like lead. Divyansh had a grueling day ahead—his office hours began at nine—but his physical fatigue was nothing compared to the knots tightening in Avni’s stomach.
She dreaded the threshold of that house. Vivek was already inside, and she was certain he had laid bare the night's secrets to the family. How can I look them in the eye? she wondered, her breath hitching. How do I explain any of this?
Divyansh killed the engine. Habit took over even in his delirium; he climbed out and circled the car to open the passenger door for her. But Avni remained anchored to her seat, her hands gripped tightly in her lap.
"Do you want me to carry you inside, Jaana?" Divyansh asked, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, a tired but playful glint in his eyes.
"No, Ansh," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I just... I don’t think I can face your parents. Not after everything."
Divyansh reached in, gently unbuckling her seatbelt and taking her hand. "Don’t worry, Avi. They love you more than they love me. They aren't going to judge you. Come on, Jaana—I’m running on fumes, and I still have to be a functioning professional in four hours."
"Why don't you just take the day off?" she suggested as he finally coaxed her out of the car.
He locked the front door behind them, a wry, dramatic sigh escaping his lips. "Ah, my lady, you forget! You’re the CEO; you can take a holiday whenever the whim strikes. I’m just a humble employee. I have to beg for every hour of leave. My boss is already fuming because of the Paris trip—he’s probably wondering why I don't just go work for my wife if I’m going to be such a royal slacker."
Their banter was cut short as they entered the foyer. Ridha was already there, her face a mask of maternal anxiety. The moment she saw Avni, she rushed forward.
"Avni, beta, are you alright?" Ridha’s voice was thick with emotion as she stroked Avni’s hair. "If I had known that woman’s son had such intentions, I never would have pressured you to go to that birthday party. Tell me you're okay. I’ll make sure they pay for every bit of hurt they caused you."
Divyansh nudged his way into the circle, pointing to himself. "Actually, Ma, I was the one who ended up in the hospital, remember? Right here? Your son?"
Ridha didn't even look at him. "Shut up, Divyansh. Not everything is about you." She pulled Avni into a fierce, protective embrace.
The dam finally broke. At the touch of Ridha’s motherly warmth, Avni collapsed against her, sobbing openly. The sound of her grief echoed through the quiet house, bringing the rest of the household—Vinayak, Divya, Vivek, and even Scooby the dog—scrambling into the hallway.
Vinayak approached with a softened expression, his usual sternness replaced by genuine concern. "What is this? Why is my daughter crying? Did this boy do something to you?" He gestured toward Divyansh, who threw his hands up in a defensive 'not guilty' plea.
Avni looked up at Vinayak, her face tear-stained. "It’s not him, Dad. It’s just..."
"It’s okay, Avni," Vinayak interrupted, patting her forehead with a tenderness that surprised her. "You know that people from your past... they weren't your real family. We are your family now. Stop those tears, my daughter." He handed her a handkerchief with a stern wink. "If you don't stop, I’m going to have to slap Divyansh for failing to protect your happiness."
Divyansh instinctively cupped his cheeks, making Avni let out a wet, shaky laugh. "No, Dad," she sniffled, wiping her eyes. "He took wonderful care of me."
"Good," Ridha declared, her eyes flashing with a protective fire. "Because I’m not finished with the people who made my girl cry like this."
"Thank you, Maa... Dad," Avni said, her voice small but sincere. "I thought I’d never feel the presence of parents again after I lost mine. I’m so grateful Divyansh married me, if only because it brought me to you. You mean as much to me as they did."
Vinayak softened completely. "No, beta. We are the grateful ones. We needed someone smart in this house to balance out these two idiots," he said, gesturing to Divyansh and Vivek.
"dad!" the brothers shouted in perfect, indignant unison.
Ridha took Avni’s hands in hers. "Avni, you aren't just a daughter-in-law. You are our daughter. I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first, but I was wrong. Marrying you was the best decision Divyansh ever made—even if he didn't listen to a word I said at the time."
Divyansh stepped in, sensing the emotional weight was becoming too much for his exhausted wife. "Alright, alright, can we wrap up the melodrama? I’m exhausted, Avni’s exhausted, and if we stay here any longer, you’ll have her crying all over again from the sentiment. Come on, Avi." He swept her toward the stairs, leading her to the sanctuary of their room.
Once the door was shut, the tension of the night finally dissolved. Avni threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Dimples. For this family. For everything."
"You’re still in the honeymoon phase, Avi," he teased, falling back onto the bed. "Wait a year. You’ll see how 'amazing' they are when we’re arguing over the remote. Now, sleep."
Avni climbed onto the bed, resting her head on his arm, but sleep wasn't quite ready to claim her. She began tracing the buttons of his shirt. "You know, Ansh... you have to leave for the office at nine."
"I’m aware, Jaana," he murmured, eyes closed.
"I just mean... we still have a little time to ourselves before then."
Divyansh’s eyes snapped open, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "Are you feeling a bit adventurous, Avi? Far be it from me to decline my wife's wishes."
In the privacy of their room, the trauma of the night was replaced by a different kind of intensity. Avni took charge, the adrenaline of the day turning into a wild, desperate sort of affection. As she leaned down, she left a vivid, purple-red mark against the pale skin of his collarbone—a permanent souvenir of the hour.
"Well," Divyansh gasped with a low laugh, "aren't you a little wildcat, wifey?"
A few hours later, the family gathered at the breakfast table. The atmosphere was lighter, though Avni was still hyper-aware of every movement. As Divyansh reached for his coffee, the top button of his shirt slipped, revealing the dark bruise on his neck.
Ridha’s eyes sharpened. "Divyansh? What is that on your shoulder?"
Avni nearly choked on her toast, her face turning a shade of crimson that matched the mark.
"This?" Divyansh asked, remarkably cool as he continued eating. "Nothing, Maa. Just an itchy spot. I must have scratched it too hard in my sleep."
"Goodness, you should be more careful," Ridha said, already rising from the table. "Stay there, I’ll get the anti-fungal cream."
Vivek, sitting across from them, didn't say a word. He just caught Divyansh’s eye and let out a slow, knowing smirk. He knew exactly what kind of 'itch' his brother had been scratching.
"Leave it, Maa," Divyansh said, stopping her with a laugh. "It’ll go away on its own."
"Fine," Ridha sighed, sitting back down. "But next time, apply medicine before it gets that inflamed."
"Right," Divyansh said, standing up. "Come on, lawyers and CEO madam. This poor laborer has to go earn his daily wages."
The table met his comment with a chorus of eye-rolls. As he headed for the door, Vivek leaned in close to his brother’s ear.
"Make sure you button that shirt all the way up, Devu," Vivek whispered with a malicious grin. "Otherwise, the whole world is going to know exactly how much you were 'itching' last night."
Divyansh flashed a dangerous, evil smile back at his brother. "Laugh it up, big brother. Enjoy your day while you can. Just remember—your wedding is coming up soon. And when it does, I won't miss a single 'itch' you try to hide."
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