Spicy

Author's Pov

Advika tied her apron, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. She rolled up her sleeves, preparing to take over the kitchen. It was her first meal for the family, and she wanted it to be perfect—or almost perfect.

As she chopped the vegetables, her mind raced. Today, I’m not just cooking. I’m making a point. She moved swiftly, marinating the paneer, rolling the dough for parathas, and simmering the daal. The aroma of spices filled the air as she tasted every dish, adjusting the flavors to perfection.

Just as she was stirring the gajar ka halwa, Vivan's mom entered the kitchen.

“Beta, you don’t need to do this today. Take rest, it’s your first day,” she said kindly, her voice filled with concern.

Advika smiled warmly. “Maa, I really want to. It’s my way of starting my journey in this family.”

After some hesitation, Vivan’s mom agreed and left the kitchen. As soon as the coast was clear, Advika wiped her hands and called Sarah and Akshit into the kitchen.

“Bhabhi, what’s the secret meeting about?” Akshit asked as he walked in, curiosity evident on his face.

Advika smirked. “I have a plan to teach Dadi a little lesson.”

Both Sarah and Akshit immediately perked up. “Plan? What kind of plan?” Sarah asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Advika leaned closer, lowering her voice. “We’ll prepare two sets of dishes. One will be for the family, perfectly made. But the dishes served near Dadi will have... a twist.”

“A twist?” Akshit raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Yes,” Advika said, picking up a jar of chili powder. “We’ll mix extra chilies into her gajar ka halwa. And we’ll overheat the daal and sabzi near her seat so they taste unpleasant. The rest of the food will be untouched and delicious. Also, the youngsters will sit around her to make sure no one else eats from her bowls.”

Sarah clapped her hands softly. “This is brilliant!”

“Shh! Keep your voice down,” Advika warned, though she couldn’t help but smile. “No one else can know.”

The three of them got to work. Sarah carefully mixed an excessive amount of chili powder into a small portion of the gajar ka halwa, while Akshit adjusted the daal and sabzi. Advika plated the rest of the dishes perfectly, ensuring there would be no suspicion.

Once everything was ready, Advika called a servant to help carry the dishes to the dining table.

Advika was busy instructing the servant to take the food to the dining room when a familiar presence filled the room. She turned to see Vivan entering, his face glowing with happiness. Before she could say a word, he strode over to her and, without warning, scooped her up in his arms.

“Vivan!” she squealed as he twirled her around, a laugh escaping her lips despite her surprise.

“You won’t believe how much I am happy today,” he said, his voice filled with affection.

Advika’s laughter quickly turned into embarrassment when she noticed the servant standing nearby, trying to stifle his own amusement. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she lightly patted Vivan’s arm. “Vivan, put me down! Everyone’s watching!”

He smirked but obliged, gently setting her down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she playfully hit him on the arm. “At least look around before you do things like this!”

He simply rolled his eyes, unconcerned. “Let them watch. It’s not like I care,” he said nonchalantly, his grin widening.

Before Advika could say anything else, he grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “Come with me,” he said, tugging her gently.

“Where are we going?” she asked, trying to sound annoyed but failing to hide her smile.

“You’ll know,” he replied, leading her toward their room without further explanation.

As they disappeared down the hallway, the servant, who had been holding back his laughter, finally let it out. “Bade log, bade nakhre,” he muttered to himself with a chuckle before continuing his work.

As they entered their room, Vivan closed the door behind them and turned to face Advika. His eyes sparkled with excitement, a rare sight for the usually composed CEO.

“You know,” he began, taking a step closer to her, “I’ve always known you were special, but today… you proved that you’re my lucky charm.”

Advika raised an eyebrow, intrigued but slightly confused. “Lucky charm? What are you talking about?”

He smiled, reaching out to gently hold her hands. “There’s something I’ve been working on for years—something I’ve been hoping for, dreaming of. And today, it finally happened.”

Her eyes widened. “What happened, Vivan?”

“Why are you so happy?” she asked, her curiosity piqued as she watched him pacing the room excitedly.

He stopped abruptly, turning to her with a mischievous grin. “Let’s just say something great happened today, but I can’t tell you right now.”

Advika folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? And why can’t you tell me?”

He chuckled, stepping closer to her. “Because it’s a surprise. For now, you can just think of it as… a great deal.”

She narrowed her eyes playfully. “A great deal? That’s all you’re giving me?”

He nodded, the grin never leaving his face. “Exactly. But trust me, when the time is right, you’ll know. And when you do, you’ll be just as excited as I am.”

Advika rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the smile creeping onto her lips. “Fine, keep your secrets. But you better make it worth the suspense.”

“Oh, it will be,” he said confidently, pulling her into a warm embrace. “And when the time comes, you’ll realize just how lucky I am to have you by my side.”

She rested her head on his chest, her heart swelling with warmth. Even though she didn’t know what he was hiding, his excitement was enough to make her feel proud.

"Advika can I say something to you"he asked

Hmm hmm"she replied

He broke the hug and took her hands in him and said that Ever since you came into my life, everything’s been falling into place. You’ve brought a light into my world that I didn’t even know I needed.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked down shyly. “Vivan…”

He tilted her chin up gently, making her meet his gaze. “I mean it, Advika. You’re my good luck, my strength, my everything. And I’m so grateful to have you by my side.”

A soft smile spread across her lips. “I’m proud of you, Vivan. And I’m happy that I could be a small part of your happiness.”

He chuckled and pulled her into a warm embrace. “Small part? You’re the biggest part, Mrs. Raichand.”

As she rested her head against his chest, she felt a deep sense of contentment. For the first time in years, she felt like she truly belonged somewhere—with him.

They walked into the dining room, Vivan couldn’t hold back his concern. “Advika,” he asked gently, “why did you make food? Did anyone say something to you?” His brows furrowed as he looked at her, searching for any hint of discomfort.

Advika gave him a reassuring smile, shaking her head. “No, Vivan, no one said anything. I just wanted to make food for everyone myself. It’s been a while since I did something like this.” She didn’t want to mention the specific reason for her decision, so she focused on her true intention—wanting to cook for her new family.

Vivan looked relieved but then his excitement kicked in. “You made it with your hands?” he asked, his eyes lighting up. “I can’t wait to eat it!”

As the food arrived at the table, everyone started serving themselves eagerly. The aroma of Advika’s cooking filled the air, making mouths water. Advika sat quietly, observing with a calm yet mischievous expression as the family dug in.

The youngsters strategically served themselves from Dadi’s special bowls, making sure she wouldn’t get suspicious. They carefully placed the food on their plates but didn’t eat it, pretending to enjoy every bite.

But then, Vivan’s eyes landed on the special bowl—the one with the food Advika had prepared for the elders. Without a second thought, he reached over to grab a helping, intending to take from it.

The youngsters froze in shock. They exchanged glances, fear creeping into their faces. They had been waiting for the right moment to get away with it without being caught by the elders.

They looked towards Advika for help, and for a second, she hesitated, not wanting to ruin the plan she had so carefully executed. But when she saw the situation unfolding, an idea popped into her head. She bit her lip, stifling a laugh, knowing she had to act fast.

As Vivan reached for the bowl, she casually placed her hand on his arm. “Vivan, not that one,” she said, trying to sound casual but with a hint of urgency.

Vivan raised an eyebrow. “Why? What’s wrong with this one?”

She shot him a playful grin, keeping her voice light. “Oh, nothing, just trust me—try the other bowls first. This one’s special,” she added, winking at him.

The youngsters looked at her in silent gratitude, as Vivan reluctantly let go of the serving spoon and reached for a different bowl. Advika, trying to contain her amusement, quickly began serving herself to make sure no one would suspect anything.

Meanwhile, Vivan gave her a curious look but decided to let it slide. “I guess I’ll just wait until I can have some of your special food later, huh?”

Advika smiled sweetly at him, “Sure, later, Mr. Raichand. But for now, try this one. You’ll love it, I promise.”

“Oh my god, Advika! This is amazing,” Vivan's mom exclaimed after tasting  food.

“Absolutely! The parathas are so soft, and the sabzi is just perfect,” Vivan’s bua added.

Even Vivan’s dad nodded in approval. “Beta, you’ve outdone yourself. This is a feast!”

Hearing the continuous praise for Advika, Dadi’s expression darkened. She glared at the family, her anger bubbling inside her like the overly heated daal in her bowl. Unable to bear it any longer, she grabbed her spoon and took a large bite of the daal.

The moment the burning-hot food touched her tongue, her face turned crimson. “Ahhh!” she cried out, fanning her mouth with her hand. The intense heat made her eyes water.

Everyone looked at her in confusion, trying to hide their amusement. “Dadi, are you okay?” Sarah asked, her voice laced with faux concern.

Dadi, refusing to admit defeat, quickly grabbed a spoonful of the gajar ka halwa, hoping to soothe her burning mouth. But the moment the spicy dessert hit her tongue, her agony doubled.

“Yeh halwa... it’s so spicy!” Dadi gasped, coughing and fanning her mouth even more furiously.

Advika immediately stood up, her face a mask of innocent worry. She poured a glass of water and rushed to Dadi’s side. “Dadi, here, drink some water,” she said, holding the glass out.

But Dadi, still fuming and embarrassed, slapped the glass away. “No! I don’t need your help!” she snapped, glaring at Advika before storming away from the table, blowing on her mouth with her hands as she left.

The moment she was out of sight, the youngsters burst into laughter, unable to hold it in any longer.

“Bhabhi, this was priceless!” Akshit said, clutching his stomach.

Sarah added, “I swear, Dadi’s reaction was worth everything. The way she stormed off!”

Advika, still holding the glass of water, finally let out a small smile. “I just hope this teaches her a lesson. Let’s see if she dares to mess with me again.”

As soon as Dadi stormed out of the dining room, Akshit turned to Advika, grinning. “Bhabhi, ab toh hume bhi de do apne haath ka asli khana. I'm starving for the good stuff!”(Bhabhi, now give us also the real food you made)

Advika laughed at his dramatic tone and waved at the servant. “Bring out the other serving bowls and fresh plates for everyone,” she said.

The servant quickly complied, and soon, the table was filled with the delicious food Advika had originally prepared. The youngsters eagerly began serving themselves, their faces lighting up as they tasted the perfectly cooked dishes.

Sarah sighed in contentment after her first bite. “Now this is the real deal, Bhabhi! You’re officially the best cook in this house.”

While the youngsters were busy enjoying the food, the elders exchanged confused looks. Vivan’s dad finally spoke up, his voice filled with curiosity. “What’s going on here?

The room fell silent for a moment as all eyes turned to Advika. She hesitated briefly, then took a deep breath. “I’ll explain,” she began, her voice steady but firm.

She narrated the whole thing and at the end she said "I’m sorry if what I did upset anyone, but I couldn’t help myself. Dadi crossed a line today. If she had said something to me, I would have let it go. But she brought my mother into it and not just my birth mother but my second mom as well.” She glanced toward Vivan’s mom, her eyes glistening with emotion.

“She insulted both of my moms in front of everyone,” Advika continued, her voice cracking slightly. “I couldn’t just sit there and let it slide. I had to teach her a lesson.”

Hearing this, Vivan’s mom’s eyes filled with tears, and she smiled warmly. “Meri beti,” she said softly, her voice brimming with pride.

Vivan’s dad leaned back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips. “Well,” he said after a moment, “I can’t say I approve of your methods, but I understand your intentions. Sometimes, lessons need to be taught in unconventional ways.”

The youngsters burst into laughter again, and Sarah chimed in, “Dadi definitely learned her lesson today, Bhabhi! That was iconic.”

Advika smiled shyly, relieved that the family wasn’t upset with her. She looked over at Vivan’s mom and said, “I’m sorry if I caused any trouble, Maa, but I couldn’t stand by and let anyone disrespect you.”

Vivan’s mom reached across the table and squeezed Advika’s hand. “You didn’t cause any trouble, beta. I’m proud to call you my daughter.”

The warm atmosphere filled the room as the family continued to eat and laugh, the earlier tension replaced by a newfound sense of unity and understanding.

As she sat down, Vivan leaned toward her with a teasing smile on his face.

“Oh, this is what you mean by ‘special,’” he said, his voice low but filled with amusement. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he watched her, waiting for her to respond.

She shrugged casually, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Sometimes, you just have to teach people a lesson. Plus, I’m just looking out for my family now.”

Vivan chuckled, the admiration in his eyes evident. “Well, whatever your reasons were, i loved it.

"By the way you know na I am talking about another sweet please add spice in it too , I would love it" he said teasingly making her cheeks get red.

~Aapki har adda ka hum,

Deewana ban baitha hai!!

Aajkal aisa lagta hai ki,

Bss aapka liya hi jeeta hai!!

Chapter updated!!❤️

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