chapter 4

Ishan and Advik returned home around 11:30 PM, weary from a long day at the office, only to find their wives absent.Though they had never openly appreciated their presence, the absence of Anika and Pragya seemed to leave a void in the air, subtly affecting the atmosphere of the home.

"Mom, where are Bhabhi and Pragya?" Ishan inquired, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Oh, they went home, They said they were missing Aayush," replied Ranya in her tone casual.

Ishan nodded in understanding, but a pang of unexpected longing tugged at his heartstrings as he realised the emptiness of the house without his wife's presence.

Advik couldn't help but smirk mischievously as a thought crossed his mind. He and his brother-in-law, Aayush, had been captains of rival teams during their college days, and Advik relished the opportunity to tease him whenever possible.

"Let's go, brother, and pick up our wives from our brother-in-law's place," Advik suggested, his smirk widening.

"Ah, sure. I miss my brother-in-law so much," Ishan replied with a smirk of his own, the prospect of playful banter with Aayush adding a hint of excitement to their plan.

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The grandeur of Saxena Mansion echoed with the laughter of Anika, Pragya, Gulki, and Aayush as they gathered around the ludo board in the opulent living room.

Anika, with a mischievous glint in her eye, rolled the dice, her fingers tingling with anticipation

. "Come on, six!" Pragya chuckled, "Looks like someone's eager to get their token moving!"

Gulki, her eyes sparkling with competitive spirit, teased, "Don't worry, Anika, your luck might just roll in with the next throw!”

Meanwhile, Aayush, the strategist of the group, observed the board intently, plotting his next move. "I must say, ladies, luck favours the bold, but strategy wins the game." Anika's dice clattered on the board, and she cheered as she moved her token forward, narrowly avoiding a blockade set by Pragya.

"Yes! Finally, a lucky break!"Pragya smirked, unfazed. "Luck is fickle, my dear. Let's see if it stays by your side till the end."

Gulki playfully nudged Aayush, "Hey, don't let Anika's luck intimidate you. We've got this!"

Aayush winked, "Oh, i am just getting started. Brace yourselves, ladies, for the Aayush strategy!"

Their banter filled the room with warmth and camaraderie, as the game intensified with each roll of the dice. With every move, alliances shifted, and friendships were tested, but in the end, it was the laughter and joy that truly mattered in the halls of Saxsena Mansion.n echoed with the laughter of Anika, Pragya, Gulki, and Aayush as they gathered around the ludo board in the opulent living room.

Anika, with a mischievous glint in her eye, rolled the dice, her fingers tingling with anticipation.

"Come on, six!"Pragya chuckled, "Looks like someone's eager to get their token moving!"Gulki, her eyes sparkling with competitive spirit, teased. "Don't worry, Anika, your luck might just roll in with the next throw!"

Meanwhile, Aayush, the strategist of the group, observed the board intently, plotting his next move. "I must say, ladies, luck favors the bold, but strategy wins the game."

Anika's dice clattered on the board, and she cheered as she moved her token forward, narrowly avoiding a blockade set by Pragya. "Yes! Finally, a lucky break!"

Pragya smirked, unfazed. "Luck is fickle, my dear. Let's see if it stays by your side till the end."

Gulki playfully nudged Aayush, "Hey, don't let Anika's luck intimidate you. We've got this!"

Aayush winked. "Oh, i am just getting started. Brace yourselves, ladies, for the Aayush strategy!"

Their banter filled the room with warmth and camaraderie, as the game intensified with each roll of the dice. With every move, alliances shifted, and friendships were tested, but in the end, it was the laughter and joy that truly mattered in the halls of Saxena Mansion.

As the doorbell rang, Aayush went to answer it, curiosity etched on his face. Upon opening the door, he found Advik and Ishan standing before him."What?" Aayush asked, puzzled by their unexpected visit.

"I want to meet Pragya," Ishan stated plainly, his tone determined.

"Ladies of my house don't meet other men at night," Aayush retorted firmly, shutting the door before they could respond.Undeterred, Ishan rang the doorbell again. Aayush reluctantly opened the door once more, his expression guarded.

"I am her husband," Ishan declared, his words laced with authority and determination.

"Oh, glad you still remember," Aayush quipped, rolling up his sleeves with a determined look in his eyes.

"Hello, brother-in-law," Advik chimed in, stepping into the frame with a smirk, reigniting the old college rivalry between the opposing team captains from college.

Aayush's glare intensified as memories of their competitive past flooded back. The animosity between them, born from their fierce rivalry on the sports field, had persisted long after their college days.Pragya's brows furrowed in confusion, “jiju and you? what are you doing here?"

Advik flashed a charming smile, "We're here to take you home, ladies."

Anika raised an eyebrow, "Take us home? But why? “

Ishan stepped forward, his expression earnest, “bhaiya and I thought it would be nice to escort you both back safely. It's getting late, and we wouldn't want you to be out alone." Pragya's eyes softened at Ishan's concern.

"That's really thoughtful of you both, but we're perfectly fine here." Anika nodded in agreement, "Yes, we're having a great time. Besides, Aayush and Gulki are here too.”

“ Let us take you home “ Advik said, trying to pull a fight with Aayush .

Pragya hesitated for a moment before relenting. "Alright, if you insist “

Anika was still standing there at the doorway  "Are you coming, or should I order a red carpet for you?" Advik quipped teasingly at Anika, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Mr. Malhotra, my sister is allowed to stay here as long as she wants. The doors of my house are always open for my sisters," Aayush replied firmly.

"Leave it, bhaiya. I am going. Take care of yourself and bhabhi," Anika said, embracing Aayush tightly before pulling away.

"Okay, bye. But remember, it's your house, and if some idiots mess with you, without any second thought, you can come here," Aayush warned, shooting a pointed glance at Advik.

"Don't worry, Aayush. I don't let her stay near idiots. That's why i am asking her to come faster," Advik retorted, his tone laced with sarcasm as the tension between them simmered.

"Hello, Mr. Railway," Aayush greeted Ishan with a smirk, igniting a playful exchange between them. "Did you just call me Railway?" Ishan questioned, raising an eyebrow in amusement as Aayush nodded in affirmation.

"Let me hug my sister and bid her a proper goodbye," Aayush said, turning to Pragya, who approached him with a warm smile.

"Your brother is always here for you," Aayush assured Pragya, enveloping her in a tight embrace."I know, Dibbe," Pragya replied affectionately, returning his smile.

"Okay, sweetheart, bye, and take care," Aayush said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before releasing her.With their farewells exchanged, all of them gathered into the car, ready to embark on their journey.

The ride was enveloped in a heavy silence until Ishan decided to break it with a sly remark.

"You know, bhaiya, I heard someone say she would prefer the mafia over you," Ishan teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Is that Mrs. Malhotra?" Advik asked with a smirk, his tone playful.

"If you ask her like that, she will definitely say things like that," Pragya muttered under her breath, though Ishan overheard her comment.

"Tch tch, sister's love. How much they're affected by comments about each other," Ishan remarked, observing Pragya's struggle to contain her amusement.

However, Pragya was not one to be underestimated. She was not the fragile type; she was bold and badass, and she made no effort to hide it.

"Yeah, I've noticed it too, brother," Advik acknowledged, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I guess you missed us. Jiju, this is the first time ever you are talking to us. We should visit our brother more often, what do you say, di?" Pragya proposed, catching Advik and Ishan off guard.

They found themselves at a loss for words, realising that indeed, this was the first time they were engaging in such conversation. Did they truly miss their presence?The rest ride was silent as it was already late they are headed to their respective rooms

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The next morning, Anika woke up to find Advik absent once again, having left early for work.Descending the stairs, she encountered Pragya, prompting her to inquire about Ishan's departure.

"So, Ishan left?" Anika asked innocently, oblivious to the implication, while Pragya facepalmed in response.

"Oh, dear bhabhi, don't you enjoy having us around the house?" Ishan chimed in, followed by Advik, who appeared with a cup of coffee.

Anika sheepishly smiled at their banter, realising she had inadvertently touched a nerve. "Pragya, let's prepare breakfast," Anika suggested, swiftly changing the subject and deftly avoiding further scrutiny.

"Oh, yes, yes, di," Pragya agreed eagerly, playing along with Anika's diversion tactic.

Later, as they busied themselves in the kitchen, Anika couldn't help but voice her curiosity about their recent behaviour.

"What's up with them nowadays?" Anika queried Pragya, seeking insight into their unusual demeanour.

"Dad strictly instructed the guards not to let them enter the office building before 9:30," Pragya revealed with a chuckle, and both women shared a knowing smile.

"Only Dad can rein them in," Anika remarked with amusement.

"Can't agree more," Pragya concurred, acknowledging their father's unique ability to manage the mischievous duo. During breakfast Avni made a request to her brother.

"Bhaiya, will you drop me at college?" she asked."Ask the driver. We're on leave today," Advik replied nonchalantly, and Avni nodded in understanding.

"Mumma, Pragya and I have to go to the office today for the publishing of our works," Anika informed her mother."Oh, that's wonderful! What are the names? I'll buy the first copy of your work," Prakash, their father, expressed his excitement.

"I've titled mine 'World of Poetry’," Pragya answered."And mine is 'Beyond Words'," Anika added."What's inside? Give us a summary too " Ranya requested eagerly.

"I've written poems on crushes, motherhood, childhood, and one-sided love," Pragya explained

."Nice. And what about you, Anika?" Ranya inquired.

"It's a story of one-sided love: a girl who is afraid to confess her feelings. She writes an online platform book named 'Beyond Words,' containing the words she wants to say to him, and the boy discovers it.   So basically, it's their love story," Anika elaborated.

"Oh, that sounds like a lovely love story," Prakash commented.

"Yeah, now that she doesn't have her own love life, it's the only thing left to give fictional characters a love life" Avni remarked casually, her words inadvertently hitting a sensitive spot.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"Avni, is this the way to talk?" Advik reprimanded strictly"Sorry, bhaiya, it just slipped out of my mouth," Avni apologised, realising her mistake

"Sanjay, Adarsh, are you going to find any job or apply for our company?" Advik questioned sternly.

"Bhaiya, i am trying for one job," Adarsh responded hesitantly."Trying where?" Advik pressed, but Adarsh remained silent, unable to provide a satisfactory answer.

"Both of you should start working instead of wasting your time here at home," Advik asserted firmly, his frustration evident.

"Advik, what's with your tone?" Prakash interjected, sensing the tension in the air."Sorry," Advik apologised, realising his abruptness.

"Mom, you asked me to stay here. i am not here for myself or my family to be insulted," Reena addressed Kalyani with a hint of defiance.

"Bua ji, you are free to go back to your own home," Advik interjected, his tone firm."Advik," Kalyani warned, her voice tinged with disapproval.

"Give respect and take respect," Advik reiterated firmly, refusing to back down from his stance on maintaining mutual respect.

"Do you think I don't have any idea about how my wife and sister-in-law are treated by you and your family in my absence?" Advik questioned sharply, his frustration boiling over.

"Adarsh, find a job," Reena interjected, her anger directed towards Advik, though she felt powerless to address the situation at that moment.