"Married in Her Shadow"

The clock struck midnight, and the once-bustling mansion had grown eerily quiet. Aarohi sat cross-legged in the living room, surrounded by a chaotic sea of torn wrapping paper, ribbons, and discarded boxes. Her hair was tied into a messy bun, her cheeks were dusted with confetti, and her lips carried a faint pout that had appeared more often than she wanted to admit tonight.

Her parents, Sabitri and Anirban, had already retired to the guest room, leaving Aarohi to open the mountain of presents she’d received throughout the day.

“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got here,” Aarohi murmured to herself, reaching for a small, neatly wrapped package.

As she unwrapped each gift, she gave her dramatic commentary:

A set of luxury scented candles from Priya.
Aarohi sniffed one. “Hmm… vanilla and lavender. Priya wants me to be calm. Does she think I’m not calm? Rude!”

A personalized notebook from Sana.
“Ara’s Big Book of Sarcasm? Honestly, fitting.” She laughed.

A quirky mug with the words ‘Queen of Sass’ from Raghav.
“Oh, Raghav, I’ll be drinking my tea and spilling shade with this one.”

A sketch of her from Dev.
Aarohi gasped. “Oh my God, Dev! You made me look like a goddess. Finally, justice for my beauty!”

An assortment of chocolates from Hitansh.
“Bribing me to forgive him for teasing me all day? Accepted.”

One by one, the gifts kept coming, each one bringing a smile to her face. But as the pile dwindled, Aarohi began noticing something—or rather, the absence of something.

“Wait a second…” Aarohi paused, scanning the room. “Where’s Veer’s gift?”

Her eyes darted around, searching for anything she might have missed. Surely, he hadn’t forgotten, right?

The Disappointment Sets In

“Nothing?” she whispered to herself, the corners of her mouth dropping into a full-blown pout. “Not even a card? A note? A lousy chocolate?”

She leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms. Her gaze wandered to the staircase, where Veer’s room was.

“What kind of husband doesn’t get his wife a birthday gift?” she muttered. “Even if it’s just for show!”

Her thoughts raced, a mix of frustration and disappointment. Hadn’t they gotten closer over the past few months? Didn’t she deserve at least a small gesture?

Cue the Drama

She flopped onto the couch, dramatically throwing her arm over her eyes. “This is it. The great Aarohi Rathore has been abandoned on her birthday. Betrayed by her own husband. A tragedy for the ages!”

As if on cue, the sound of soft footsteps interrupted her theatrical sulk. Aarohi peeked from under her arm to see Veer descending the stairs, his expression unreadable. He was dressed in his usual casual attire, his sleeves rolled up and his hair slightly messy—probably from working late.

“What are you doing?” Veer asked, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the mess around her.

Aarohi shot up, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “You! You forgot my birthday present!”

Veer’s brow furrowed. “I didn’t forget anything.”

“Oh, really?” Aarohi crossed her arms. “Then where is it, Mr. Rathore? Or did you think your brooding presence was gift enough?”

Veer smirked slightly but didn’t answer. Instead, he walked over to the couch, picking up a stray ribbon and twirling it between his fingers.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said cryptically.