Chapter 102: chapter 102

SRUTHIThe bell rings, bringing joy to the faces of the pre-schoolers. Their happiness is contagious, and I find myself grinning too. That’s the best part of this job—no matter what troubles I have, spending time with these kids makes me forget my worries.I walk over to the corner of the classroom where Neetu is busy coloring her picture book. Usually, by now, she’d be standing at the front, waiting for her parents, her hopeful eyes constantly checking the door.“Aren't you going to wait for your parents?” I ask, sitting down on the floor next to her. The classroom is empty now, just the two of us. All the other kids have already left with their parents or guardians, as always leaving Neetu behind.“They're not coming to pick me up today,” she says, her eyes still focused on her drawing. It’s only then that I realize she isn’t coloring in her picture book, but on a loose sheet of paper—a drawing by her own hand.“Then who’s picking you up?” I ask. Neetu looks up from the drawing, her eyes gleaming with excitement.“Guess,” she says, trying to suppress a grin, though I can feel her excitement bubbling. Children tend to get excited easily, but this level of joy can only mean one thing.“Is it your grandparents?” I ask. Her mouth falls open in surprise, and I can’t help but smile at how adorable she is.“Yes! Grandma and Grandpa are coming to pick me up today! They said they'd be late by half an hour, and that I should draw them a picture while I wait.”That explains her sudden interest in drawing. As I watch her, I’m reminded of what Madhav said the first time he met Neetu. We’d argued in the car that day—he insisted that it was better to tell kids the truth than to give them false hope. I see the wisdom in that today. Instead of waiting anxiously for her parents, as she often does, Neetu is happily absorbed in her drawing, her usual sadness replaced with a cheerful smile.Madhav had a point that day. I grin, thinking about how panicked he’d been when he found Neetu crying. He was so terrified, so utterly clueless. I wonder how he would react if our child cried.Wait a minute.What am I even thinking?A child? Between us?Oh, come on, don’t play innocent. Of course, you want a child with him. Don’t you?My cheeks flush as I silently admit the truth. I do want a family with him—a loving husband, children, a peaceful life far away from all the noise and politics. It’s a dream I’ve carried since childhood. Whenever the pressures of being the sister of one of the country’s most controversial politicians got too much, I would imagine escaping it all for a simpler life.But will Madhav want children? We still have so much to discuss. I need to find out what really happened to my brother on his last mission. If what Madhav says is true, then the child we have would become the heir. It’s an inevitable fate if Vikram wants to remain in his position as defense minister. The law requires that a minister declare an heir before they turn thirty, and the heir must be either their child or a close relative.If Vikram doesn’t name an heir, he’ll face backlash. Despite all our technological and social advancements, this country still clings to the idea of bloodlines and hereditary leadership. Things would be simpler if we lived in a democracy. But we don’t, and people here are content with the way things are. They still believe that leadership is a birthright, passed down through blood.They have no idea how much pressure that puts on children like us—born into leadership, expected to carry the weight of an entire country. Vikram is a prime example. He’s been serious and responsible since he was a boy, never getting to enjoy the carefree life others his age had. He projects an image of invincibility, both to the public and the media, but I know the burden he carries.I just wish he didn’t have to carry it alone. I wonder if I’d been a stronger person, maybe the weight on his shoulders would have been lighter.Vikram has always been a wonderful brother, putting my safety and my wishes before his own ambitions. I know he loves his position, though he may not show it to the world. And I would do anything to keep him there. That’s probably why he hid his infertility from me. If I had known, I might have tried to have a child to make that child his heir. And Madhav knows that too.Of course he does. He knows me well enough. After all, I’m the kind of woman who agreed to marry a man I once hated, just to protect my brother’s position. But both of them made a mistake in thinking I would go that far. I have my limits. If something happens between Madhav and me, it will be because we both want it—not for the sake of an heir. I’m not that heartless.Movement at the entrance of the classroom pulls me from my thoughts. Before I can see who it is, Neetu squeals and runs toward the figure—a woman in her late sixties, who greets her granddaughter with a wide smile and a warm hug.“Where’s Grandpa?” Neetu asks, looking behind her.“He’s parking the car,” the woman says, her eyes soft and full of affection. “He’ll join us soon. Shall we go?”Neetu turns back to me. “Bye, ma’am!”I smile. “Bye, Neetu. Have a good time with your grandparents.”Neetu walks to the back of the class to pack her things. The woman glances at me, her smile kind and polite. As she does, I notice her grace, even at her age. Her face is lined with wrinkles, but they only add to her beauty. Her grey eyes are clear and sharp, her lips curved in a gentle smile.“She’s an adorable child, isn’t she?” I say watching Neetu fumble with her crayons. “She is,” the woman replies, her eyes still on Neetu. “You must be the teacher she’s always talking about at home.”My eyes widen. “She talks about me?”“Oh yes. You’re her favorite. She was quite upset when you took that long leave. She even complained about the substitute teacher who scolded her for being picked up late. My son and daughter-in-law were relieved when she said you’d returned.”I’m stunned, unsure how to respond. Praise like this is rare, and I hadn’t realized how much my presence mattered. Hearing that my absence affected someone makes me feel like what I do truly matters.“Thank you, ma’am,” Neetu says, her bag now packed.“See you around, Sruthi,” the grandmother says with a smile, surprising me by using my name.“Yeah... see you around,” I reply, watching them leave, waving as Neetu skips out the door.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥I pace the porch of my brother's house. I know he’s home because his secretary told me he has no meetings scheduled for this evening. I press the doorbell for the third time and wait patiently for Vikram to open the door. No matter what, I am going to meet him today. I need to talk things out. I dial Vikram’s number, and he picks up on the fourth ring.“Open the door,” I say without bothering to greet him. “I know you’re inside. Every pair of shoes and slippers you own is on the shoe rack. So, stop hiding and open the door now.”I hear him sigh on the phone. “One day or another, I’m going to fire Nisha for selling out my whereabouts.”I chuckle. “Believe me, brother, if that happens, she’ll throw a party.”I hear shuffling behind the door before the lock clicks, and the phone line cuts off. Vikram stands in his casuals, his hair tousled and longer than the last time I saw him.I frown at him. “When was the last time you cut your hair?”“Four months ago, I guess,” he answers with a shrug.“When are you going to cut it again?”He shrugs again. “I don’t know. I’m planning to grow it out.”“What? Why?”Another shrug. “I want to try a new look.”I shake my head at him. The determination in his eyes tells me that no matter what I say, he won’t listen.“I hope long hair suits your face,” I say, entering the house. I walk straight to my room. Vikram still maintains it just as it was when I lived here. There’s a lot of stuff I want to move to Madhav’s house. I only took the essentials when I first moved in with him. Now that our relationship is established, and I know it’s going to be permanent, I’ll need all my belongings.“Did you find the clue?” Vikram asks, lingering outside my room. He watches me put my clothes in a duffel bag. His eyes have a knowing look. He knows why I am packing my remaining stuff. Yet, he waits for me to tell him the news first. That is why he is an amazing brother. Though he may the stuff happening in my life, he doesn't like his nose into it unless I want him to. He keeps tabs on my life for safety reasons but makes sure I don't feel burdened by it.“Yeah, I did,” I say, putting my hands on my hips and glaring at him. “Turns out I’m the woman Madhav’s been in love with all these years. Isn’t that why you asked me to marry him?”Vikram grins. “Exactly. He was crazy for you, Sruthi, but you were oblivious. I couldn’t bear to see him heartbroken over you. So when I learned that Praveen left you, I used that opportunity to push Madhav toward you. I didn’t expect things to go so well, but I wanted Madhav to have a chance with you. I thought putting you and Madhav in close proximity would make you see his true nature. I’m glad I made that decision. Look where it’s led us.”I want to argue, but he has a valid point. If this marriage hadn’t happened, I would’ve always believed Madhav was a violent man. I wouldn’t have gotten to know the real him.“I agree, that was one of your better decisions.”Vikram grins at me. “See? I always make the right decisions.”I shake my head at him. “No, not always. Your decision to hide your infertility from me caused a huge misunderstanding between Madhav and me.”❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥