Threads of Fate

Beginning Anew

Siya leaned against the railing, her gaze drifting over the city lights. “I still can’t believe Arnav bhaiya is staying. It’s like a dream come true.”

Anjali nodded in agreement, her eyes soft with affection as she looked at her brother. “I thought he’d never settle down, but maybe he’s finally found something—or someone—that’s keeping him here.”

Before anyone could speculate further, a maid appeared at the doorway. “Arnav sir, your father would like to see you in his room.”

Arnav glanced at his siblings, who exchanged curious looks. “Just me?” he asked.

The maid nodded. “Yes, sir. He specifically asked for you.”

Arnav shrugged, though he couldn’t deny a flicker of curiosity. “Alright, I’ll go see what he wants.”

As Arnav left the balcony, the remaining siblings exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued. “What do you think it’s about?” Siya asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

“I have no idea,” Anjali replied, her brows knitting together. “But whatever it is, it must be important.”

“I guess we’ll have to wait for Arnav to tell us,” Arjun added, though his tone suggested he wasn’t entirely comfortable with that idea.

They settled back into their conversation, though it was clear that their thoughts were elsewhere, each of them wondering what could be so important that only Arnav was called.

When Arnav entered his parents’ room, he found Nandini and Devendra seated on the bed, their expressions serious but not stern. There was a calmness in the room, a sense of something significant about to unfold.

“Arnav, come in,” Nandini said softly, gesturing for him to take a seat.

Arnav did as she asked, his curiosity growing. “What’s this about?” he asked, his gaze shifting between his parents.

Nandini took a deep breath, her hands folded neatly in her lap. “Arnav, do you remember the other night when Siya asked me why I hadn’t thought of Khushi as a daughter-in-law for this family?”

Arnav nodded slowly, not quite sure where this was going. “Yes, I remember.”

“Well,” Nandini continued, “her question stayed with me. And then, tonight, when I saw the way you looked at Khushi, I realized that maybe there’s more here than we’ve acknowledged.”

Arnav’s brows furrowed slightly, his mother’s words stirring something within him. “What do you mean?”

Devendra leaned forward, his tone calm and measured. “Arnav, you’ve decided to stay here and join the family business. We’re proud of that decision. But your mother and I have been thinking… if you’re going to build a life here, wouldn’t it be wonderful if Khushi were part of that life? As your wife?”

Arnav’s heart skipped a beat at the suggestion, his mind reeling. He had never considered the possibility in such concrete terms before. Yes, he had felt a connection with Khushi, something he couldn’t quite explain, but to think of her as his wife…

Nandini watched her son carefully, her voice gentle as she spoke. “We wanted to talk to you before mentioning this to anyone else, especially the Guptas. We need to know how you feel about Khushi, and if you would be open to this idea. We don’t want to push you into anything, Arnav, but we need to know if this is something you would consider.”

Arnav was silent for a long moment, his thoughts swirling. He respected his parents deeply, and he knew they only wanted what was best for him. And when he thought about Khushi—her kindness, her strength, her warmth—he couldn’t deny that there was something special about her, something that drew him in.

Finally, he looked up, meeting his mother’s eyes. “I trust you both,” he said slowly, his voice steady. “If the Guptas are okay with this, and if Khushi is okay with this… then yes, I’m ready to marry her.”

Nandini’s face lit up with a smile, relief flooding through her. “Thank you, Arnav. We’ll speak with the Guptas soon, but first, we’ll give Khushi time to think about it. This is a big decision for her too.”

Devendra nodded in agreement, his expression proud. “We’re glad to hear that, Arnav. We know this isn’t easy, but we’re confident that this could be the beginning of something wonderful.”

Arnav nodded, though his mind was still processing everything. He trusted his parents, and he trusted that they had his best interests at heart. And as he thought about Khushi, he realized that the idea of marrying her didn’t feel strange or wrong—it felt… right.

But there was still a long way to go, and he knew that the next step was to see how Khushi felt about all of this.

As he left his parents’ room, Arnav’s mind was filled with thoughts of Khushi, the future, and the possibilities that lay ahead. And for the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of peace, as if he was exactly where he was meant to be.

Back on the balcony, his siblings were waiting eagerly for him to return, their curiosity barely contained. But Arnav only smiled at them, his thoughts elsewhere.

“Everything’s fine,” he said, his tone light. “Let’s just enjoy the evening.”

But as they all sat together, laughing and talking under the stars

, Arnav’s thoughts kept drifting back to one person—Khushi.

And as the night deepened, he couldn’t help but wonder what she would think when she found out about the conversation that had just taken place, and whether their paths were truly destined to converge in the way his parents believed.

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