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Before the Chapter!

Hey guys! Sorry for the late updates! My laptop is practically in a coma, and typing on my phone is a struggle. Seriously, laptop typing is so much easier! 😩

I’m trying my best to update, so please bear with me! Huge thanks for all your comments and messages—I see them, and they mean a lot! I’m just unable to reply right now, so don’t hate me for it, okay? 😭

Enjoy the chapter, and don’t forget to vote and drop your thoughts in the comments! Your support keeps me going! ❤️

Aaradhya's POV

The reception felt like a dream-one I never thought I'd live. The grandeur, the lights, the people-VIPs, celebrities, and well-wishers-all gathered to celebrate me and Rudhran mama. But none of it mattered as much as the love and warmth I felt from my family.

But life had changed beautifully after my marriage.

Rudhu mama wasn't just my husband-he was my biggest supporter. If I got lost in my books for hours, he never complained. Instead, he made sure I had everything I needed-quiet time, resources, even late-night coffee when I was too deep in reading to notice the time.

Balancing family, studies, and my responsibilities wasn't easy, but with Rudhran mama beside me, it never felt like a burden. He respected my ambitions, and that made me love him even more.

And then there was Divya-my partner in crime. We had found amazing friends, and life felt full and happy.

For the first time in my life, I wasn't just dreaming of a happy future. I was living it.

Speaking of family, Ganga Patti had become one of my strongest pillars.

"Aaru ma, you have a golden heart. No matter what others say, always stay the same," she told me once, patting my cheek.

And I knew what she meant. Because not everyone in this family wanted to see me happy.

Yamuna athai... She despised me. From the moment I stepped into this house, she made it clear that I wasn't welcomed in her eyes. Her words were sharp, her glances even sharper. But I had learned to ignore the bitterness and focus on those who truly cared for me.

And right now, the person who mattered most was sitting beside me, his strong hands gripping the steering wheel as we drove down the open road.

Rudhran mama.

He looked effortlessly handsome, dressed in a simple black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The dim evening light from the setting sun made his sharp features even more breathtaking. My heart did a little flip just looking at him.

The gentle evening breeze carried the scent of the sea as Rudhran mama's car sped down the ECR road, the headlights slicing through the dusk. The road stretched endlessly before us, the golden glow of streetlights flickering past in rhythmic patterns. It felt surreal-just him and me, driving towards the beach, lost in our own world.

By now, I had grown completely comfortable around him-the initial hesitation I once had, the nervousness, had faded. With him, I felt safe, cherished, and most of all, loved, his strong fingers tapping along with the song playing on the radio. It was another old 90s Tamil classic, the kind that made my heart flutter because I knew he loved these songs.

"You really love these songs, don't you mama?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips.

He smirked, not taking his eyes off the road. "Hmm. They have soul, Aaru ma. Real romance, not the filmy, over-the-top kind you see these days."

I laughed. "So, you're a hopeless romantic, then?"

His gaze flickered to me, amused. "Only for my wife."