The evening had settled into a calm quiet as the family gathered around the dinner table. The only sounds that filled the room were the clinking of plates and the soft murmur of conversation. However, two chairs remained empty—Vihaan and Amaira were absent.

Anjali, Drishti, and Riddhima moved gracefully around the table, placing food before everyone. The scent of warm food wafted through the room, but Advait's focus wasn't on his plate. His eyes were flickering between Drishti and on her bare feet that moved silently across the cold floor.

Every step she took made his chest tighten with worry. He wanted to tell her to sit down, to rest—but the words caught in his throat. He never found it easy to express his concern for her in front of others; a fear always surrounded him...

Advait's gaze shifted from Drishti to his mother, silently pleading with her to intervene. Anjali, ever aware of her son's unspoken words, understood immediately. She turned to Drishti, her voice gentle but firm. "Drishti, do not stand. Your injury needs rest. sit down and have dinner."

Drishti's lips curled into a faint smile, though there was a trace of reluctance in her eyes. "No, Ma, I'm fine," she insisted, her voice soft but resolute.

Advait's head remained lowered, his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him, but his voice carried a quiet authority. "If Ma is telling you something, just listen. No arguments."

His words hung in the air, Drishti glanced at Anjali, searching her eyes for reassurance. "I wasn't arguing, Ma," she whispered, her voice barely audible to anyone but Anjali.

Anjali reached out, her hand resting gently on Drishti's back, offering comfort in her touch. She nodded toward a chair, urging her to sit without needing to say another word.

Drishti finally relented, lowering herself into the seat, her gaze flickering toward Advait. Though he never looked directly at her, every glance he tried to hide. —sometimes, love speaks louder in silence.

.....................................

As everyone dispersed to their rooms, Anjali and Drishti remained in the kitchen, immersed in a conversation ...

Drishti followed closely behind Anjali, her steps hurried as she pleaded softly, "Ma, we can't just let Vihaan Bhaiya stay hungry.

"He will come his own when he wants to have something," Anjali said.

"but I want to give him the food myself."Anjali, sensing Drishti's persistence, came to an abrupt stop and turned to face her. Drishti, now standing still, looked at Anjali with hopeful, wide eyes, waiting for permission.

"Because it's the rule," Anjali said firmly, her voice calm but unyielding. "And besides, this is how he always acts when someone scolds him."

"Scolded?" Drishti's eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Who scolds him?"

"Your husband," Anjali replied simply, before turning away to finish her remaining tasks.

Drishti stood frozen for a moment, her lips pressing into a tight line. Inke paas koi aur kaam nahi hai kya? she mumbled under her breath, exasperated. Hearing this, Anjali chuckled softly, the sound filling the silence between them.

Despite Anjali's words, Drishti's resolve didn't waver. She quickly served a plate of food and looked up at Anjali, waiting for disapproval. But Anjali just glanced her way and said nothing, leaving Drishti to her own decision. Picking up the plate, Drishti squared her shoulders and said, "Ma, I'll take it to him. No one will even notice."

Anjali shook her head with a small smile. "What can I say? Go," she sighed, her tone light but affectionate.

Drishti barely took a few steps when her heart sank. Standing at the kitchen entrance was the last person she wanted to see—Advait.

His eyes raked over her, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head, making her feel exposed, nervous, and oddly afraid. She gripped the plate tighter, her fingers trembling slightly.

"And where exactly are you going?" His deep voice was low, filled with suspicion.

Drishti didn't answer immediately. Instead, she glanced over her shoulder, looking toward Anjali, her silent plea for help evident. But Anjali, busy with the dishes, seemed completely oblivious—or perhaps, intentionally so. She knew all too well that the son who now confronted Drishti wasn't the true reflection of who he was deep down.

Advait cleared his throat, pulling Drishti's attention back to him. "What are you looking at her for? I asked you something."

Drishti swallowed hard, her eyes flicking nervously between the plate of food in her hands and his piercing gaze. She tried to speak, but the words got tangled in her throat. "Woh... woh..."

Advait's brow raised, waiting for her to continue. His gaze was unwavering, full of intensity.

Before he could press further, Drishti, overwhelmed by the tension, did the only thing she could think of—she ran. Like a startled bird, she darted from the room, her quick steps resembling those of a penguin on shaky legs.

Advait blinked, watching her retreat with a mix of confusion and surprise. "You will fall—?" He started to say, but stopped, turning his gaze to his mother, who was now chuckling softly at the scene.

"Maaa!" he groaned,as he looked at Anjali, who was clearly enjoying the show.

.....................

Drishti stood in Vihaan's room, hands firmly planted on her hips, staring at both Vihaan and Amiara with a mix of surprise and amusement. The room was a mess, filled with snacks—chips, chocolates, and other treats scattered everywhere.

"You two have been having fun the whole time, munching on snacks, while I thought you were upset!" she exclaimed, her gaze shifting between the pile of snacks and the two of them.

Amiara giggled and walked over to Drishti, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the sofa. Vihaan quickly followed and sat beside Drishti, with Amiara settling down on the other side.

"Bhabhi, it's our little secret," Amiara said, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Whenever we get scolded by someone in the house, especially by Bhaiya, we hide here. Everyone thinks we're sulking, but really, we're just having fun and eating."

"Yeah," Vihaan chimed in with a grin, "we help each other out, making sure we don't starve."

"And now that you're part of our team," Amiara added, leaning in closer, "you can't tell anyone about this, okay?"

Drishti folded her arms and looked at them with mock seriousness, pretending like she might spill their secret. Amiara and Vihaan exchanged worried glances, their playful smiles fading into concern. Seeing their expressions, Drishti couldn't hold back her laughter. "Why would I tell anyone?" she chuckled.

"But," she added with a teasing smirk, "since I risked everything and brought you both dinner, no more snacking. You have to eat the real food now."

Amiara groaned dramatically. "Bhabhi! Just one more bite of chips, please." She reached for the bag of chips and handed it to Drishti. "Here, you have some too."

Drishti playfully took a chip, munching on it with a grin. "Okay, but only after you both eat this proper dinner. By the way, Vihaan, why did you get scolded?"

Amiara's curiosity flared up. "Yes, Bhaiya! I've been asking too, but you won't tell me."

Vihaan rolled his eyes and took a bite of food. "You both just want to make fun of me. Forget it."

Drishti laughed, and Amiara joined in, poking Vihaan's arm. "Bhabhi, you're in on it too!"

But as the laughter died down, Drishti's expression softened. "You know," she said quietly, her voice touched with emotion, "even when things go wrong, I think I've been lucky. I got both of you in my life and this family."

Amiara, her eyes warm, gently placed her hand on Drishti's shoulder. "No, Bhabhi. We're the lucky ones to have you as our sister-in-law."

A soft smile spread across Drishti's face as the three of them sat there, sharing a moment of quiet affection amidst the chaos of snacks and secrets.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted their laughter, causing all three to turn toward it. Lost in their chatter, Vihaan, feeling lazy, called out, "I'm not opening the door!"

From the other side, a voice responded casually, "Okay, I'll just open it myself then."

"Bhaiyaaaaa!" Amiara and Vihaan screamed in unison, recognizing the voice, and Drishti immediately covered her ears.

Panic set in as Vihaan fumbled to hide the plate of food, while Amiara scrambled to shove the chip bags and candy wrappers out of sight.

Drishti, bewildered by their frantic movements, raised an eyebrow. "Vihaan Bhaiya, why are you hiding the plate?" I brought the food for you right in front of him."

That sent both Amiara and Vihaan into a new frenzy. "*Kyaaa!" they screamed again in disbelief.

"Can you both stop screaming and shouting already?" Advait's voice came again, sounding more impatient this time. "Open the door."

Drishti sighed, shaking her head . She walked over to open the door, while Vihaan and Amiara quickly stood in a straight line like children caught misbehaving, trying to act innocent.

As the door swung open, Advait's expression immediately shifted, his eyes narrowing. "What are you doing here?" he asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

Drishti, sensing his sternness, glanced back at the others and quickly said, "Main bas ja hi rahi thi." (I was just about to leave.) She lightly pressed her hands against Advait's arm to move past him, and he, caught off guard by the subtle touch, instinctively stepped aside, momentarily lost in the sensation.

Seizing the moment, Drishti darted out of the room, leaving him standing there, bewildered. He snapped back to reality when Amiara yelled, "Haan, bhabhi! Aa rahi hoon!"She too hurriedly ran past Advait, her laughter echoing in the hallway.

Advait shook his head, turning to Vihaan. "Is someone calling you too? he asked, stepping inside.

Vihaan chuckled awkwardly and shrugged. "Yeah, I feel like someone is... Should I go?

"Shut up and sit down," Advait said, rolling his eyes. "I want to talk to you."..