Vihaan watched his niece skip away and heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, he had some alone time with Divyanshi Trilok. No woman had ever resisted him so determinedly. In fact, women had thrown themselves at him, and he had to fend them off like a broomstick-wielding warrior. He had never felt so frustrated and intrigued by someone at the same time.Luckily, today, he got a chance to make her feel comfortable with him, all thanks to Drishti. The little minx had schemed and prodded until they rearranged their lives, making it convenient for her to get what she wanted.Anyone could see her intentions from a mile away. One day, he would have to teach her the subtle art of subtlety. Her obvious schemes had been pushing Divya away from him instead of bringing them closer. Now, with Drishti gone, he had to address the issue and put Divya at ease."It's natural for Drishti to want us to be together," he said. "I am sorry if it makes things awkward for you.""I can handle it, Divya. Drisht
Drishti!Oh, God! He had forgotten all about her.The lights in the house are on. Is she hiding behind a window and looking out at them?He can't put it past her. Eavesdropping happens to be her favourite hobby. And if she had witnessed this scene, she would have been so happy, thinking all her matchmaking skills had come to fruition.He suddenly realised Divya had stopped crying.Probably too drained to move. Or maybe it felt good for her to be held. By him. He hoped so.The thought of kissing her crept into his mind. The temptation was strong.‘You should ease her fears, Vihaan. Don't increase them.’The last thing he wanted was to alarm her into being skittish with him again, shying away from any contact."Drishti," she jerked back from him and looked around."Don't worry. She must be asleep by now.""Uh... I am sorry," she looked down in embarrassment."Don't be. I am sorry I had put you in such a turmoil. I had no idea you thought you were on a trial with us. That's not how it is
"Two Irish coffees coming up," Vihaan announced as he came out to the verandah.As soon as she saw him, her hard-won sense of peace shattered, and her heart started galloping again. She tried hard to get herself under control.He set the tray of coffee on the small tea table and took a seat next to her. "This is life. Far from the maddening crowd of the city and pressures of business. Sun, sand, and surf. Nothing could beat it for a wonderful holiday," Vihaan said and took a sip of the coffee.Divyanshi smiled. That hadn't changed for him."It must be very stressful being the CEO and leading a multimillion-dollar empire," Divya said, smiling. She was so proud of him, of what he had become with his own hard work."Well, I have my moments. But it's what I am trained for," Vihaan said."Then it was worth going to Harvard," she said.His head snapped around. "How do you know I went to Harvard?"Divya's heart rate increased in panic. The comment had slipped out, and now she had to answer f
Warning: This work is purely fictional. You might find certain things illogical... Read at your own risk 😂Vihaan gazed at the ceiling, unable to sleep at the moment. He relished the feeling that something extraordinary had entered his life. Divyanshi Trilok seemed to offer him everything he had desired in a woman. The problem was, he couldn't be sure how much his dreams of her were influencing him. Was this strong attraction driven by wishes or was it genuinely real? The emotions she stirred in him were so intense and rapid that he had barely restrained himself from pursuing a deeper connection with her tonight. He used the excuse of Drishti's early rising tomorrow to keep his desires in check. He wanted her. He wanted to hold her, embrace every part of her, but he knew he had to be cautious. Drishti was closely involved in this relationship, and he couldn't make hasty moves.The wisest thing to do was to wait. Divya wasn't going anywhere. He needed to make sure that whatever he did
Diyaa!The name echoed persistently in Vihaan's mind, as if it belonged to this moment, an enchanting magic of their union."Divyanshi," he said aloud, trying to dispel the echo, to overpower it."Yes?" she replied."I could never have dreamt of what we've shared," he murmured, lifting himself from her embrace to tenderly brush his lips against hers, a loving tribute to her generosity. "It transcends dreams."He rolled onto his side, bringing her along, and wrapped an arm around her as she lay on his chest, their legs entwined in intimacy.She felt so right, so perfect, as though she had been created exclusively for him. How could she have loved another man? No other woman had ever been like her for him."It's a miracle," she whispered, her warm breath caressing his skin, making it tingle. "A Diwali miracle." Her voice carried a happy smile.Diwali.Diyaaa.The special name stirred an unease, a sense of wrongness he tried to resist, but it persisted. He remembered the grieving look on
Vihaan engaged Drishti in conversation while Divya had her breakfast.Observing the two of them together, so similar in more ways than they realised, was heartwarming.Is it wise of her to leave the past in the past?It felt wrong for Vihaan not to know he was Drishti's father.She shouldn't keep such a special flesh and blood bond from him, from either of them. They both had a right to know.Telling him was not going to be easy, especially after she had briefly mentioned the adoption last night.Her reasoning for holding back had seemed right at the time.She didn't want to burden him with a truth he'd find disturbing and painful, considering the part his sister had played in taking responsibility from him, the long-played deceit that had denied him his true relationship with his own child.However, the circumstances are different now.Vihaan felt the same about her as he had all those years before, and Sandhya Rathore was out of the picture.Now she wouldn't be putting any sense of
Not knowing was killing him. He knew that he had unsettled Divya with his brooding. Well, she wouldn't have the slightest idea as to what was eating him up, and he couldn't just blurt it out. If she realised what he was thinking, and if he was wrong, she would think he had lost his marbles, imagining himself to be her one great love. He didn't want to confuse her feelings for him. But... he had to know!He paced the living room, impatient to get a little time to himself so that he could make the much-needed phone call. If anyone would know the critical details of what had happened to him that Diwali season thirteen years ago, Omkara and Aditya had the inside track. They'd been with him from the start to the end of the vacation, and they had told him nothing worth mentioning had happened during the trip. Is there any point in asking them again? What is he going to lose anyway?The sculptures set along the corner Divya had set up to do the pooja caught his eyes, and he stopped, struck b
"This is the final round, Drishti," Vihaan warned as he set up the game board again."You're just jealous that I've been winning all the games so far," Drishti crowed proudly."Yeah, by cheating," Vihaan said, and Drishti rolled her eyes as if it wasn't a big deal.They had played three rounds of Snake and Ladder and two rounds of Ludo at Drishti's insistence. Drishti had won all the games, using her sneaky tricks to avoid the snakes and win at Ludo.He looked tired. He had been rather quiet, almost distant, all evening, only responding to Drishti's demands.Divya hoped he wasn't too tired to stay up with her after Drishti went to bed. It had been an active day filled with swimming, windsurfing, drawing rangolis, decorating the house, and setting up the pooja room. Besides, he couldn't have had much sleep last night as he had been up early with Drishti this morning. What would she do if he suggested they retire early?"It's Diwali tomorrow, Vihaan Uncle. I'm too excited to go to bed,"
5 years later.Diya draped her saree and was about to wear the sindoor when a hand caught hers, stopping her. Vihaan took the box of vermilion from her with a charming smile."Do I have to remind you every day that this is my haqq biwi?" Vihaan asked as he took the vermilion between his thumb and forefinger and applied it on her partition."I thought you would be busy downstairs with preparations," Diya said, smiling contentedly."I'm never too busy for you, love," Vihaan said as he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest."Vihaan, what are you doing?? Someone will come. We have lots of work to do," Diya said, trying to wriggle out of his hold."No one will come, and all works are done. The house is all set for Diwali," Vihaan said before bending down and pecking her on her lips.Vihaan caressed her exposed waist with his fingers, earning a light moan from Diya."Vihaan. It's morning.""So?? Do I have to wait till night to love my wife??"Diya wound her arms ar
Drishti walked to the front door, pausing before making her exit, sweeping them both with another grin, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Happy Diwali," she called out. Then off she went down the hallway singing.As Drishti went out of sight, Vihaan's hands slid around Divyaa, turning her around to face him, making her heart flutter wildly. "Thank you. Thank you for being you, for having my child and giving her to me. But above everything else, thank you for waiting for me, Diya.""Oh Vihaan," Relief gushed through her. The love in his voice was unmistakable. "I'm sorry I gave up on you. I...""No..." He placed a finger on her lips, hushing the stream of regret. "I was wrong. You don't have anything to answer for. God knows I've seen enough, been with you enough to appreciate, in some small measure, how it's been for you. I'm sorry I got so screwed up about being left out.""Well, at least I'm not too young for you anymore."He frowned, pained by the reminder."I don't know that you eve
Tears streamed down Drishti's cheeks, but she seemed unaware of them. She was still staring at Vihaan, her desperate plea for him to make things right for her evident in her gaze. Twisting the hem of her nightshirt, her open hair hung around her face, giving her a bedraggled appearance. She looked like a lost little waif, and Divyanshi wanted to gather her child in her arms and hug her insecurities away. However, it was to Vihaan that her daughter looked for what she needed now, and Divya held herself back. It was up to him to answer his daughter, to answer all the questions now.Yet, Vihaan looked as lost as Drishti, struck by the realisation of all she might have overheard - the role her adoptive parents had played in taking her from Divyanshi, in preventing Vihaan from knowing about his fatherhood, ensuring he didn't reunite with her mother, and keeping the knowledge of her real parentage from her. The world they had known had been torn up, and the pieces couldn't be put togethe
"This is the final round, Drishti," Vihaan warned as he set up the game board again."You're just jealous that I've been winning all the games so far," Drishti crowed proudly."Yeah, by cheating," Vihaan said, and Drishti rolled her eyes as if it wasn't a big deal.They had played three rounds of Snake and Ladder and two rounds of Ludo at Drishti's insistence. Drishti had won all the games, using her sneaky tricks to avoid the snakes and win at Ludo.He looked tired. He had been rather quiet, almost distant, all evening, only responding to Drishti's demands.Divya hoped he wasn't too tired to stay up with her after Drishti went to bed. It had been an active day filled with swimming, windsurfing, drawing rangolis, decorating the house, and setting up the pooja room. Besides, he couldn't have had much sleep last night as he had been up early with Drishti this morning. What would she do if he suggested they retire early?"It's Diwali tomorrow, Vihaan Uncle. I'm too excited to go to bed,"
Not knowing was killing him. He knew that he had unsettled Divya with his brooding. Well, she wouldn't have the slightest idea as to what was eating him up, and he couldn't just blurt it out. If she realised what he was thinking, and if he was wrong, she would think he had lost his marbles, imagining himself to be her one great love. He didn't want to confuse her feelings for him. But... he had to know!He paced the living room, impatient to get a little time to himself so that he could make the much-needed phone call. If anyone would know the critical details of what had happened to him that Diwali season thirteen years ago, Omkara and Aditya had the inside track. They'd been with him from the start to the end of the vacation, and they had told him nothing worth mentioning had happened during the trip. Is there any point in asking them again? What is he going to lose anyway?The sculptures set along the corner Divya had set up to do the pooja caught his eyes, and he stopped, struck b
Vihaan engaged Drishti in conversation while Divya had her breakfast.Observing the two of them together, so similar in more ways than they realised, was heartwarming.Is it wise of her to leave the past in the past?It felt wrong for Vihaan not to know he was Drishti's father.She shouldn't keep such a special flesh and blood bond from him, from either of them. They both had a right to know.Telling him was not going to be easy, especially after she had briefly mentioned the adoption last night.Her reasoning for holding back had seemed right at the time.She didn't want to burden him with a truth he'd find disturbing and painful, considering the part his sister had played in taking responsibility from him, the long-played deceit that had denied him his true relationship with his own child.However, the circumstances are different now.Vihaan felt the same about her as he had all those years before, and Sandhya Rathore was out of the picture.Now she wouldn't be putting any sense of
Diyaa!The name echoed persistently in Vihaan's mind, as if it belonged to this moment, an enchanting magic of their union."Divyanshi," he said aloud, trying to dispel the echo, to overpower it."Yes?" she replied."I could never have dreamt of what we've shared," he murmured, lifting himself from her embrace to tenderly brush his lips against hers, a loving tribute to her generosity. "It transcends dreams."He rolled onto his side, bringing her along, and wrapped an arm around her as she lay on his chest, their legs entwined in intimacy.She felt so right, so perfect, as though she had been created exclusively for him. How could she have loved another man? No other woman had ever been like her for him."It's a miracle," she whispered, her warm breath caressing his skin, making it tingle. "A Diwali miracle." Her voice carried a happy smile.Diwali.Diyaaa.The special name stirred an unease, a sense of wrongness he tried to resist, but it persisted. He remembered the grieving look on
Warning: This work is purely fictional. You might find certain things illogical... Read at your own risk 😂Vihaan gazed at the ceiling, unable to sleep at the moment. He relished the feeling that something extraordinary had entered his life. Divyanshi Trilok seemed to offer him everything he had desired in a woman. The problem was, he couldn't be sure how much his dreams of her were influencing him. Was this strong attraction driven by wishes or was it genuinely real? The emotions she stirred in him were so intense and rapid that he had barely restrained himself from pursuing a deeper connection with her tonight. He used the excuse of Drishti's early rising tomorrow to keep his desires in check. He wanted her. He wanted to hold her, embrace every part of her, but he knew he had to be cautious. Drishti was closely involved in this relationship, and he couldn't make hasty moves.The wisest thing to do was to wait. Divya wasn't going anywhere. He needed to make sure that whatever he did
"Two Irish coffees coming up," Vihaan announced as he came out to the verandah.As soon as she saw him, her hard-won sense of peace shattered, and her heart started galloping again. She tried hard to get herself under control.He set the tray of coffee on the small tea table and took a seat next to her. "This is life. Far from the maddening crowd of the city and pressures of business. Sun, sand, and surf. Nothing could beat it for a wonderful holiday," Vihaan said and took a sip of the coffee.Divyanshi smiled. That hadn't changed for him."It must be very stressful being the CEO and leading a multimillion-dollar empire," Divya said, smiling. She was so proud of him, of what he had become with his own hard work."Well, I have my moments. But it's what I am trained for," Vihaan said."Then it was worth going to Harvard," she said.His head snapped around. "How do you know I went to Harvard?"Divya's heart rate increased in panic. The comment had slipped out, and now she had to answer f