RIYA'S POV
The laughter hadn't completely died down when a loud, aggressive GROWL echoed through the massive room.
Everyone FROZE.
I blinked, my hands suddenly going still in my lap.
"..."
Another growl.
This time, significantly louder.
It sounded like an angry bear was trapped under the bed.
Abhiraj bhaiya immediately pointed an accusing finger at Ranchit bhaiya.
"I knew your interior design would eventually start making animal noises."
Ranchit bhaiya looked deeply offended, his jaw dropping in sheer disbelief.
"My room has acoustics, not wildlife."
The sound came again.
Rumble.
Maan bhaiya calmly lowered his tablet, looking over the rim of his glasses.
His sharp eyes bypassed his brothers and landed directly on me.
"...That wasn't the room."
My cheeks warmed instantly, a furious flush spreading all the way to my ears.
I ducked my head, wrapping my arms around my stomach.
"...It was my stomach."
Silence.
Absolute, pin-drop silence.
Abhiraj bhaiya slapped a hand over his heart DRAMATICALLY, looking as though I'd just stabbed him.
"Doll..."
"You've been starving?"
"I had breakfast," I defended weakly.
A tiny pause.
"...This morning."
"You've committed a CRIME against food."
Ranchit bhaiya nodded solemnly, crossing his arms like a disappointed judge.
"And against Harish bhaiya's feelings."
I frowned, completely confused.
"I don't even know Harish bhaiya."
"You will."
"He takes people skipping meals very, very personally."
Almost on cue, as if summoned by his very name, there was a polite, measured knock on the bedroom door.
One of the uniformed staff stood outside respectfully, his head slightly bowed.
"Sir..."
"Breakfast is ready."
Lakshya, who had been quietly watching the entire circus from the window, gave an authoritative nod.
"We're coming."
The staff member disappeared instantly, almost like a ghost.
Abhiraj bhaiya clapped his hands together once.
"Excellent."
"Operation Save Doll From Starvation begins right now."
"I am not starving," I grumbled, pulling my hoodie tighter around myself.
"You literally just threatened the walls with your stomach."
"It made one sound!"
"It made an announcement."
I rolled my eyes so hard they actually hurt.
"Goddddd, I hate all of you."
Abhiraj bhaiya grinned.
That bright, shamelessly charming grin that could probably talk its way out of a murder charge.
"Liar."
"You love us already."
"I've known you for exactly one day."
"And yet here you are, insulting us exactly like family."
"...Fair point."
Ranchit bhaiya smirked, casually adjusting his expensive watch.
"She's adapting significantly faster than expected."
Maan bhaiya stood first, smoothly straightening his immaculate cuffs.
He didn't even look like he'd been sitting casually on a bedroom sofa.
He looked ready for a boardroom takeover.
"We should go."
"If we delay another five minutes, Harish will definitely come looking for us himself."
Abhiraj bhaiya's eyes widened in genuine panic.
"Oh, no."
"He carries a heavy wooden ladle."
I frowned.
"...Why is that scary?"
"You'll understand."
"He once aggressively chased me through the entire kitchen wing."
"What did you even do?"
"I tasted the kheer before breakfast."
"You stole it," Maan bhaiya corrected flatly.
"I sampled it for safety!"
"You ate HALF the massive bowl."
"I was thoroughly quality-checking the sugar levels!"
Ranchit bhaiya snorted as he walked past him.
"The only thing you checked was your massive appetite."
Lakshya walked toward the open door.
Everyone instinctively fell quiet.
The playful banter died instantly, replaced by that quiet, heavy respect that always seemed to surround him.
He opened the door.
Then paused.
Glancing back over his broad shoulder, his dark, unreadable eyes bypassed his highly trained, lethal brothers and landed softly on me.
"Come."
Just one word.
Not a command.
Not an order from a mafia boss.
An invitation.
I slipped off the edge of the plush bed and walked toward him.
Without consciously making the decision, my smaller feet naturally adjusted to match his long, steady steps.
Behind us, the others exchanged knowing, incredibly soft looks.
Abhiraj bhaiya leaned toward Ranchit bhaiya, hiding a smile behind his hand.
"...See?"
"What?"
"She already walks perfectly beside him."
Ranchit bhaiya smiled.
A real, deep smile that reached his eyes.
"She always did."
Lakshya didn't turn around.
But the faintest, barely-there shake of his head told me he'd heard every word.
He simply continued down the grand corridor.
And, without making a big deal out of it...
He deliberately slowed his long, powerful stride.
Just enough for me to keep walking comfortably beside him.
The moment we stepped out of the private bedroom wing, the massive Singhania Mansion felt vibrantly alive.
Morning sunlight poured through the towering floor-to-ceiling windows, painting the marble floors in bright, warm gold.
Staff moved quietly and efficiently through the wide corridors, carrying silver serving trays and vases of fresh, dew-kissed flowers.
Someone carefully adjusted a massive oil painting.
Someone else disappeared around a corner carrying a stack of neatly folded, pristine white towels.
Everything ran with practiced, almost terrifying precision.
Yet...
As Lakshya walked ahead with me beside him, everyone who crossed his path stopped.
They didn't cower.
They greeted him with a deep, respectful nod.
"Good morning, sir."
He acknowledged each one with the slightest dip of his chin.
Nothing more.
No unnecessary words.
No wasted movement.
I looked around, my eyes widening.
None of the staff actually looked frightened of him.
They looked...
Respectful.
Loyal.
Trusting.
That surprised me.
In the orphanage, I'd imagined a mafia mansion as a dark, terrifying place filled with people constantly trembling, terrified that one mistake could cost them their lives.
Instead...
It felt strangely disciplined.
Almost like a very, very large family that just happened to live inside absurdly expensive, bulletproof walls.
Halfway down the sweeping marble staircase-
"Doll!"
Abhiraj bhaiya's loud voice ECHOED through the elegant hallway.
I turned just in time to see him literally sliding down the highly polished wooden railing.
"Abhiraj bhaiyaaaaaa!"
"What?"
"You're going to fall!"
"Relax. I've been expertly doing this since I was twelve."
Right on cue...
His balance dangerously shifted to the left.
"Oh..."
"...Arre."
He windmilled his arms wildly, his eyes going huge with panic, before somehow-miraculously-landing on both feet at the bottom of the stairs with a loud THUD.
He immediately straightened his jacket and looked around proudly, breathing heavily.
"See?"
"Perfect execution."
Ranchit bhaiya walked down the stairs normally, folding his arms as he stared at his brother in utter disgust.
"You almost became abstract modern art on the marble."
"I mathematically calculated the descent."
"You literally screamed."
"I screamed strategically to alert everyone of my arrival."
Maan bhaiya walked right past both of them without slowing down.
"I'll inform Harish to make extra food."
Abhiraj bhaiya frowned, jogging to catch up.
"Why?"
"So you can recover your strength from your traumatic near-death experience."
I burst out laughing, covering my mouth.
"You completely deserved that roast."
"I expected emotional support from my sister!"
"You actively chose unnecessary drama."
"I chose adventure, Riya!"
"You fought gravity, and gravity almost won."
By the time we reached the massive, sunlit dining hall, a warm, incredibly familiar smile greeted us.
"Arre, aa gaye sab."
Harish bhaiya stood near the head of the impossibly long table, wearing a crisp uniform, a heavy silver serving spoon firmly in one hand.
His kind, crinkling eyes immediately found me, still half-hidden behind Lakshya.
"So this is our chhoti madam."
Before I could even say hello, Abhiraj bhaiya spoke first, throwing an arm dramatically toward me.
"Harish bhaiya, save her. She's starving."
I immediately protested.
"I'm not that hungry!"
Harish bhaiya chuckled.
A deep, rumbling, grandfatherly sound.
"Every stubborn child says exactly that."
He looked at me with such immense kindness that the last bit of anxiety in my chest melted away.
"Come, beta."
"First eat nicely."
"Then forcefully argue with these useless boys."
"Otherwise, without energy, you'll definitely lose."
Ranchit bhaiya nodded with complete seriousness as he pulled out a chair.
"He's speaking from decades of exhausting experience with us."
Lakshya walked to the head of the table and smoothly pulled out the chair directly beside his own.
He looked down at me.
"Sit."
Just that.
No grand gesture.
No formal ceremony.
But he stood there and patiently waited until I had fully settled into the heavy wooden chair before finally taking his own seat at the head of the table.
None of the others commented.
Because to them...
That small, protective habit wasn't special.
It wasn't new.
Lakshya had always done things exactly like that.
Quietly.
Without ever expecting anyone to notice how much he cared.
I had barely settled into my chair when another ridiculous problem appeared.
There was only one chair left directly beside Lakshya on the right.
Naturally...
Three fully grown, lethal, highly intelligent men decided it was the most valuable piece of real estate in the entire mansion.
"Hat."
Abhiraj bhaiya was already aggressively pulling the heavy chair back.
"Main pehle aaya tha."
Ranchit bhaiya immediately grabbed the wooden backrest.
"Jhooth mat bol."
"Abhi toh kitchen mein papad uda raha tha tu."
"Main food quality inspect kar raha tha, idiot!"
"Tu chori se kha raha tha!"
"Multitasking bolte hain usse, anpadh!"
Before either of them could physically escalate their fight over a wooden chair-
Maan bhaiya quietly walked right between them.
He smoothly pulled the chair free from their grips.
And calmly sat down.
"...Thank you."
Silence.
Abhiraj blinked at the empty space where the chair had been.
"..."
Ranchit blinked too, his hands still hovering uselessly.
"..."
Both slowly turned toward Maan bhaiya.
"...Aap baith gaye?" Abhiraj asked, sounding deeply betrayed.
Maan calmly picked up his cloth napkin, elegantly unfolding it across his lap.
"Tum dono bewakoofon ki tarah bahas kar rahe the."
He paused.
"Maine strategically mauka dekh liya."
Ranchit immediately pointed an accusing finger toward the head of the table.
"Dekha, Lakshya bhaiya?"
"Aap hamesha mujhe bewajah dangerous bolte hain."
"Is ghar ka asli khatra toh yeh shaant insaan nikle!"
Abhiraj nodded dramatically.
"Bilkul."
"Bahar se ekdum seedhe-saadhe bante hain..."
"...lekin andar se poore ruthless businessman hain yeh."
Maan finally looked up, adjusting his silver glasses calmly.
"Main ise ek compliment samajh leta hoon."
"Woh tha hi naiiiiii!" Abhiraj whined, pulling out a chair on the opposite side.
I couldn't help it.
I burst out laughing, covering my mouth as my shoulders shook.
I quietly settled into my chair on Lakshya's left, directly opposite Maan bhaiya.
Harish bhaiya smiled brightly and began serving everyone from the silver dishes.
The rich, mouth-watering aroma of hot, buttered rotis, spicy dal, and perfectly cooked sabzi filled the dining room.
My supposedly not starving stomach immediately betrayed me.
Everyone started talking over one another again.
Arguing about business.
Cars.
Abhiraj's horrible sliding technique.
But...
I wasn't paying attention to their banter anymore.
I stole one quiet glance at Lakshya.
Then another.
He was deeply engrossed in listening to Yusuf-his head of security-quietly explain tomorrow's supply shipments near the doorway.
Calm.
Serious.
As intense as always.
I slowly rested my chin against the wooden table.
My lips s-l-o-w-l-y formed a tiny, highly dramatic pout.
Nobody noticed.
They were too busy eating.
Except Lakshya.
Of course he noticed.
He felt my eyes on him.
He smoothly finished listening to Yusuf's report.
"Handle it efficiently."
"Yes, sir."
Yusuf nodded respectfully and quickly walked away.
Lakshya finally turned his head toward me.
"...What?"
I immediately looked away dramatically, staring hard at the salt shaker.
"Nothing."
"Hm."
Another few excruciating seconds passed.
I aggressively poked at the hot rice on my plate with my silver spoon.
Didn't take a single bite.
My pout deepened.
Lakshya watched me quietly, leaning back slightly in his large chair.
"...Baccha."
I gave absolutely no response.
I stared intensely at one particular grain of rice.
"...Idhar dekho."
Slowly...
Reluctantly...
I lifted my eyes.
"What happened?"
His voice was soft, meant only for me amidst the chaos of the table.
A very, very small voice answered him.
"...Nothing."
"You've been stubbornly saying 'nothing' for two whole minutes."
I let out a DRAMATIC, world-ending sigh, dropping my spoon onto the plate with a clink.
"...Aapne poocha hi nahiiiiii."
A pause.
His dark brows pulled together in genuine confusion.
"...Kya poochta main?"
I stared at him, genuinely offended that he'd forgotten.
"...Sach mein?"
"You don't remember?"
Abhiraj bhaiya immediately stopped chewing his roti.
"Oh ho..."
Ranchit bhaiya paused with his glass halfway to his mouth, looking eagerly between us.
"Lagta hai Lakshya bhaiya aaj sach mein phas gaye."
Maan bhaiya calmly took another bite of dal.
"Inhe abhi tak samajh hi nahi aaya ki inki galti kya hai."
Lakshya completely ignored his brothers, remaining focused on me.
"What did I miss, baccha?"
I looked at him with the absolute, profound betrayal of a heartbroken thirteen-year-old.
"Jab main chhoti thi..."
My voice wobbled slightly, though I tried to sound tough.
"...main kabhi akele kisi badi chair par nahi baithti thi."
The entire dining room went dead quiet.
Even the clinking of spoons stopped.
"...Main hamesha aapke saath baithti thi."
Another heavy pause.
"Aur aaj..."
I folded my arms tightly across my chest, jutting my chin out.
"...Aapne ek baar poocha bhi nahi."
Dead silence.
Then-
Abhiraj bhaiya slapped the dining table DRAMATICALLY with his palm.
"LAKSHYA BHAIYA!"
"Aapse aaj bahut, bahut badi galti ho gayi hai."
Ranchit bhaiya shook his head slowly in theatrical disappointment.
"Paanch saal..."
He sighed.
"...aur dekhiye, doori ne is parivaar ka kya haal kar diya hai."
Even Maan bhaiya quickly raised his glass of water to hide the corner of a genuine smile.
Lakshya didn't react to them.
He simply looked at me.
He stared at my pouting face for one long, unreadable second.
Then...
Without saying a single word in his defense...
He smoothly shifted his heavy chair back from the table.
He patted his strong thigh once.
"...Idhar aao, baccha."
The angry pout disappeared from my face instantly.
I tried my absolute best to remain offended for exactly two more seconds.
I failed.
Completely.
I immediately pushed my chair back, stood up, walked over, and happily climbed into his lap as though five entire years of separation had never happened.
Lakshya didn't even blink.
He adjusted my weight effortlessly with one massive, secure arm around my waist, tucking me safely against his chest.
He was so warm.
So solid.
So familiar.
He gently picked up his spoon with his free hand, acting as though this was the most normal thing in the world.
"...Ab khao chupchap."
Abhiraj bhaiya clutched his chest, looking violently offended by the sheer display of affection.
"Main pichle ikkīs saal se is ghar mein pyaar maang raha hoon!"
Lakshya didn't even glance in his direction.
Instead, he casually fed me a small bite of roti.
"Tum agle ikkīs saal aur intezaar hi karo."
"I KNEW IT! Favouritism!"
Ranchit bhaiya burst into laughter, nearly choking on his water.
"Kasam se, Abhi... agar aaj tu unki godh mein baithne ki koshish bhi karega na..."
He pointed toward Lakshya.
"...toh tera agla khana seedhe city hospital ki tube se milega."
Abhiraj scoffed, puffing out his chest bravely.
"Risk toh life mein lena padega na, bhai."
"Jaan jaayegi teri."
"Lekin bade bhai ka pyaar toh mil jayega marne se pehle!"
Even Lakshya's tense shoulders relaxed ever so slightly at their chaotic nonsense.
The tiniest, almost invisible curve touched his lips as he held me securely against him.
And me?
Wrapped safely in his arms, surrounded by the loud, bickering, beautiful noise of my brothers...
I finally, truly started eating.
For the first time in five years...
Breakfast didn't feel like just a meal.
It felt like coming home.
To Be Continued...
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