ALIA-THE BURDEN

38 - Rivals

And as the room stayed silent, with only the sound of Ayaan's cries and Aditya's soft words, she realized that sometimes healing didn't come from grand speeches or promises. Sometimes, it came from the simple act of a brother cooking a meal.

---

Aditya cleared his throat after a long silence, pulling himself gently out of Ayaan's hug. He gave his younger brother's shoulder a squeeze before straightening up. His voice was steady again, calm but carrying a warmth none of them missed.

"Bas... enough rona-dhona," he said firmly, glancing at both Ayaan and Alia. "If we don't hurry now, tum dono first day pe hi late ho jaoge. And I am not letting that happen."

Ayaan sniffed, wiping his eyes quickly with the back of his hand, trying to pretend he wasn't still trembling. He muttered, "Fine, bhai. But this is your fault. You had to go all filmy today."

That earned a few chuckles around the room, lightening the heavy air.

Alia, who had been watching quietly, finally gathered courage. She stepped forward, her small hands twisting nervously at her sides. For a moment, she hesitated-then she wrapped her arms around Aditya's middle.

It was soft, tentative, almost unsure. But the gratitude in her touch was clear. Her voice was muffled against his shirt as she whispered, "Thank you... for this."

Aditya froze for a second. He wasn't used to Alia's affection-not like Rudra, who had her trust from the beginning. But then his lips curved into the faintest smile. He bent slightly, one hand reaching up to rest gently on her head. His palm was broad and steady as he patted her hair, smoothing it down.

"Anything for you, my doll," he said quietly, almost instinctively.

The word doll slipped out before he could think. But as soon as he said it, Alia stilled. Her eyes widened slightly, then softened. A new name. A new bond. A new brother who claimed her in his own way.

She leaned back to look at him, a shy smile tugging at her lips. A new nickname from a new brother, she thought, heart fluttering with an unfamiliar warmth.

Rivaan, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow at the nickname but said nothing. Reyansh gave a tiny smirk, hiding his approval. Rajwant's chest swelled with silent pride-another step toward his children becoming whole again.

"Alright," Raj clapped his hands, standing. "Time to leave. Let's go, warna poora Oberoi khandaan ke saath school entry ka world record ban jaayega."

That broke the tension, and laughter rippled through the room.

Still, nobody made an effort to not go. In fact, within minutes, the entire family was gathered by the door-Rajwant, Abhiraj, Raj, Anjali, Aakriti, and the six brothers, all ready to pile into cars as though they were heading to some grand occasion rather than just dropping two kids to school.

Alia stood in the middle of the chaos, clutching her bag straps, staring in disbelief. "You all... are coming? With us?"

Avinash said " Yuppp!! And we are not changing our decision...

The Oberoi SUVs gleamed in the morning sun as they came to a smooth stop near the main entrance of Elysium Heights International School. The sprawling campus stretched endlessly in front of them, marble paths glinting, manicured gardens on either side, and fountains spraying delicate arcs of water that caught the sunlight like scattered diamonds. Alia's eyes widened, her small hands gripping her bag straps tightly. She had never seen a school like this-so grand, so precise, so alive with an air of quiet authority.

The family stepped out of the cars one by one. Rajwant's tall, commanding presence drew immediate attention. Abhiraj followed, composed and poised. Raj, with his quiet confidence, scanned the campus like he already owned it. The brothers-Abhimanyu, Reyansh, Rivaan, Avinash, Aditya, Rudra, and Ayaan-exited gracefully, each radiating power in their own distinct way.