The Rathor Mansion was buzzing with life as the entire family gathered in the living room. The mood was lighthearted, filled with laughter and playful banter. Aarav, never one to shy away from making a grand gesture, had decided today would be the day he'd finally express his feelingsâdramatically, of course.
Sia was sitting with Ishika, sipping her tea, when Aarav suddenly stood up from his seat, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"I have an important announcement," Aarav declared, causing everyone in the room to pause.
"Here we go again," Arjun muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he exchanged a glance with his parents.
Sia's heart skipped a beat. "Aarav, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice laced with nervous curiosity.
Aarav flashed her a mischievous grin. "Sia, I've kept this secret for far too long. The truth is... I've fallen for you."
The room went silent for a split second before everyone erupted into laughter. Arjun's grip on his coffee mug tightened, and Sia's face turned bright red, her eyes wide in shock. She had no idea how to react.
"Wha-what?" Sia stammered, her eyes darting between Aarav and the family, who were all chuckling at the sudden turn of events.
"You heard me right!" Aarav continued dramatically, holding his chest as if proclaiming his love for all to hear. "I've fallen head over heels for you, Sia. No one can change that. You... you're the one I've been waiting for!"
Sia was speechless, and her mind raced to process what had just happened. Arjun, who had been quietly observing, stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. His face turned red with frustration, and the atmosphere in the room shifted.
"Aarav, what the hell are you doing?" Arjun snapped, his voice low but thick with anger.
Aarav didn't flinch. Instead, he grinned. "What? Can't a man confess his feelings?"
"I don't care if you're confessing or not," Arjun said, his words coming out sharper than intended. "But if you think for a second that you have any right to declare your feelings for my wife, you've got another thing coming."
Sia's heart sank at Arjun's words, and she instinctively moved to stand beside him, her eyes not meeting anyone's gaze. The entire room was now filled with laughterâsome uncomfortable, some genuinely amusedâat the scene unfolding before them.
"You've really gone off the deep end, Aarav," Arjun said with a smirk, trying to mask his frustration. "But since you like to make everything dramatic... let me make one thing clear. You will address Sia as Bhabhi from now on."
Everyone burst out laughing at Arjun's declaration, even Aarav couldn't hold back his amusement.
"Bhabhi?" Aarav repeated, his tone exaggerated. "Okay, okay. Bhabhi it is."
Sia couldn't help but chuckle nervously at the absurdity of the situation. The whole family was looking at her, waiting for her to say something. But the only thing she could do was laugh awkwardly, her face still flushed with embarrassment.
"Well, that was unexpected," Ishika said, her voice lighthearted, trying to ease the tension.
Aarav, still grinning, gave Sia an exaggerated bow. "My apologies, Bhabhi. I will now respect the boundary set by my very own brother."
Sia, now slightly more relaxed, shot Arjun a look. She couldn't quite put into words what she was feeling, but deep down, there was a strange sense of warmth that spread through her at hearing Arjun stand up for herâeven in his angry, possessive way.
"I... I don't know how to respond," Sia said, looking at Aarav and then at Arjun, her voice uncertain.
"It's fine," Aarav said, his voice playful but understanding. "I knew I was too late anyway. You're already taken."
Arjun shot Aarav a glare but couldn't help the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.
"I'm still trying to figure out how I ended up in the middle of all this drama," Sia said, finally finding her voice again.
The entire room was filled with laughter, but there was something else in the airâa sense of warmth, of belonging. Arjun and Sia's playful bickering was nothing new, but this moment felt different. There was a strange sense of clarity as Arjun's eyes met Sia's.
Though no one had heard Arjun say those three little words, Sia didn't need him to. In that moment, as he stood beside her, the silent confession was more than enough.