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Aaradhya pov:

What just happened? My heart's still thudding wildly in my chest, and my cheeks are burning like anything. The way his eyes held mine... Oh God! What is happening to me?

I shook my head, trying to pull myself together.  His confidence had completely thrown me off, yet somehow, it felt oddly comforting, like he was someone I'd known forever—even though I was certain we'd never met before.

As I reached for the teapot to distract myself, I realized something terrible—I was smiling. A soft, involuntary smile tugged at my lips, and that made my heart skip all over again. 

"Aaradhya!" Yamuna Madam's sharp voice snapped me back to reality. My head jerked up, and there she was, standing in the doorway, glaring at me like I'd committed some huge crime.

I gulped, gripping the teapot tighter. "Y-Yes, madam?"

"Don't you know we have guests coming today?" she barked, her hands firmly on her hips. "And you're still standing here like you've got all the time in the world? The breakfast needs to be prepared,  What are you waiting for? start!"

"Sorry, madam," I stammered, quickly setting down the teapot.

"Hurry up!" she snapped, turning away.

I swallowed my nerves and rushed to the tasks she'd rattled off. My hands were moving,The kitchen was buzzing like a hive. Pots clanged, knives chopped, and the sizzle of oil filled the air My fingers were moving quickly, but my mind? Still drifting back to him.

Who was he? Was he Mr. Rudhran? There was something about the way he carried himself—his gaze so sharp, yet oddly warm. It was so... distracting. Focus, Aaradhya, I scolded myself silently, shaking my head.

Today, Patti specifically asked me to make rava dosa, sambar, coconut chutney, coriander chutney, and medu vada. Honestly, I don't mind—cooking is something I genuinely love. It's the one thing that makes me forget everything else, even for a little while. (Medu Vada: Deep-fried lentil donuts, often served with sambar and chutney.)

As I flipped the dosas one by one, their golden edges crisping just right, I couldn't help but feel a tiny flicker of pride.

Third pov:

The morning sunlight poured into the grand halls of the house as Rudhran stepped out of his room, freshly showered and dressed in a crisp white shirt and jeans. His mind, however, was far from the present. It kept circling back to her.

Why did she run off like that? he thought for the hundredth time. He wasn't exactly intimidating—well, maybe a little. But still, her reaction puzzled him. And more than that, it intrigued him. The way she looked at him before bolting, her eyes wide and fluttering like she'd been caught doing something forbidden, played on a loop in his head.

Shaking his head, he sighed and made his way downstairs, only to pause when he heard a familiar, warm voice call out.

"Rudhra kanna!"

A rare smile broke through his usually stoic expression. "Patti!" he called back, his tone softening as his grandmother, Ganga, waddled over to him with open arms.

She hugged him tightly, and he returned the gesture, "How are you, Patti? Missed me already?"

Ganga chuckled, patting his back. "You didn't even visit me yesterday, kanna! Of course, I missed you."

Before he could reply, another voice rang out dramatically from the side. "Oh, now she's happy? What about your most energetic and beloved grandson, Patti?"