The sun slipped behind Delhi's skyline like a secret retreating into shadows. The Kashyap Mansion, regal and radiant, stood like a crown kissed by twilight. Moments later, a sleek convoy of black luxury cars purred to a halt at the circular driveway, their glossy finish catching the last gold glimmers of day.

Even before the car doors opened, laughter echoed—a storm of chaos and warmth wrapped in childish joy.

Gatha Kashyap stepped out first, poised as ever in a soft silk saree that shimmered like liquid dusk. Her face was a canvas of calm, but beside her, the real storm tumbled out—Aayu and Ooven, wild with energy, arms overflowing with toy bags, candies, and shopping loot that could rival a mini-mart.

Arhaan trailed behind, expression exasperated, juggling designer shopping boxes like reluctant luggage.

"Yeh shopping mall gaye the ya lootne?"
("Did they go to the mall or loot it?") he muttered.

Gatha didn't flinch. She smoothed a pleat and replied crisply,
"Yeh sab Bachchon ka hai, Arhaan. Aur har waqt taana maarna zaroori hai kya?"
("These are all for the kids, Arhaan. And is it necessary to taunt every time?")

Arhaan scoffed, eyes rolling.
"Tum kab samjhogi? It's not always about you, Gatha."
("When will you understand? It's not always about you, Gatha.")

She turned to him with a chill in her tone,
"Main toh kab ka samajh gayi, Arhaan... Lekin tum kabhi bade nahi ho paaye."
("I understood a long time ago, Arhaan... But you never grew up.")

As they entered the mansion to the warm greeting of the house staff. The children ran ahead, announcing their triumphant return with shouts of "Daduuu!" and "We got chocolateeees!" leaving the pair of siblings behind.

The time flewed with laughter and happiness created by those two hearts, No sooner than the dust of their arrival settled than storm clouds which were to be gathered in the study. where The study smelled of old cigars, aged books, and dying loyalty wrapped in ambition, who was none other than Arhaan and Gatha where their words were collapsing defending themselves.

"You did what, You sold the property?" Gatha's voice cracked like a whip. "That was ancestral land!"

Arhaan's jaw clenched. "I had to... uski ki zarurat thi( that was the most needed)......It was bleeding money," Arhaan snapped. "And I'm the one who has been managing it for the last seven years while you—"

"While I was rebuilding the ashes you left behind!" Her eyes flared like a sudden monsoon.

"You signed away our legacy without consulting anyone. You don't get to be the only Kashyap with authority."

"I've earned it!"

"You've inherited convenience," she hissed. "And I'm taking back what's rightfully mine."

The air between them was viscous with fury. Everyone fell silent as Gatha opened a carved wooden drawer and pulled out a sealed document—something cold and final.

Just then, their father,Raghvendra Kashyap, entered—his cane tapping like a judge's gavel.

"Bas karo dono, ("Enough, both of you.")" he said sternly, voice low but lethal.

Gatha and Arhaan froze.

"Kashyap Empire tumhare jhagde ka maidan nahi hai, ("The Kashyap Empire isn't a battlefield for your arguments.")" Raghvendra Kashyap said, slowly sitting in the leather chair.

"Abhi main zinda hoon. Aur khursi kisi ke gusse se naahi milti hain aur naahi chalti hain. ("And this throne has never bowed to anyone's anger—nor will it ever.")"

There was silence.

"Gatha," he continued, "agar tum leader banna chahti ho, toh pehle sunna seekho. ("Gatha, if you want to lead... learn to listen first.")"

Then to Arhaan: "Aur tum, beta... raj karna seekhne se pehle, saanjha karna seekho." ("And you, son... before learning to rule, learn to share and be patient.")

Their father intervened, placing a trembling hand on her shoulder. "Let her, Arhaan. Woh Kashyap ka hi khoon hai, aur business uske liye jazbaat bhi hai aur zimmedaari bhi." ("She has strength, Arhaan. She's a Kashyap by blood, Business isn't just money for her... it's also responsibility.")

His words hung in the room like incense—unshakable and sacred.with his decision and left the study

"I'm assuming all control over Kashyap Industries now," she said, her voice ironclad. "From now on, you answer to me."

Arhaan staggered back a step. "You wouldn't dare."

"I already did." She snapped back at him

With that Arhaan stormed out, leaving silence crackling in his wake.

At dinner

The Dinner was laid with extravagant care—silver thalis, kachoris, rajma chawal, gajar ka halwa, all under the chandelier's golden glowing.right now it was a graveyard of unspoken words. Cutlery clinked. No one laughed. Not even the walls dared echo. Oovi looked around and exhaled softly. Until her two munchkins arrived.

Gatha sat beside her father, the children squabbling good-naturedly over.

"Aap logon ko pata hai Dadu ka time mein TV black and white tha?" ("During Grandpa's time, the TV was black and white!") Aayu giggled.

"Arre beta, humein toh remote bhi nahi milta tha," ("Dear, we didn't even have a remote.") their grandfather chuckled.

"Tab toh bore ho jaate honge!" ("Then you must've been bored!") said Ooven.

Gatha smiled warmly. "Lekin tab log ek dusre se baatein karte the. TV ke bina bhi zindagi thi." ("But back then, people talked to each other. There was life even without TV.")

For a heartbeat, time melted. Laughter hummed at the edges of grief.

In the doorway, Arhaan watched quietly. His gaze softened when Ooven ran up with a spoonful of halwa.

"Mamu... aapko sweet pasand nahi?"
("Uncle... don't you like sweets?")

Arhaan knelt, took the spoon.

"Pasand hai... bohot zyada."
("I do... very much.")

A crack opened in the cold. And for a moment, the wounds held back their bleeding.

Thereafter they had dinner resolving their personal upholded things atleast at the time of dinner which gave mr. kashyap some ease

The time passed like a blown wind making stars to twinkl at the sky, meanwhile the night, in the stillness of her room, Gatha was tossed in bed. A shiver coursed down her spine.

The dream came—dark, twisted, horrifying.

Blood on her hands. A scream. Her own. And then... a man's voice. Familiar. Fractured.

"... tum mujhe kyun bhool gayi?" ("...why did you forget me?")

She woke gasping, hand on her chest, the echo haunting the air.

On the other side, In his glass-walled office, Ved Mishra stared at an old photo—Oovi, younger, full of light.

His fingers lingered on the frame. "Seven years. Seven damn years....." while saying he stared out into the inky night. The city below sparkled with wealth and secrets, but his mind was elsewhere.

Every step forward with Natasha had been a tug backward. Her presence, kind and loving as it was, couldn't fill the hole.Just then, his phone buzzed with name flashing Natasha. Which Skipped his thoughts to her and her words

"Ved," Natasha's voice wavered, "I need you... abhi ke abhi wapas aajao. I—I can't do this alone."

His throat tightened.

"Natasha... main—"

"Main pregnant hoon. Aur Tum kahaan ho.....not with me ?" with that she started crying briefly

He closed his eyes. His world spun.

"Main aa raha hoon," he said quietly.

NEXT DAY

Morning rolled over Delhi like a soft sigh. Birds fluttered in the garden, dew kissed the grass, and the Kashyap Mansion stirred with the scent of chai, toast and manymore.

Gatha sat by the window in a silk robe, her hair undone, staring at the soft orange hues blooming over the skyline.

Aayu and Ooven were still asleep in her bed, clinging to her like their own little stars.

Few hours later,

Ved's morning was full of peace; who was reqady to fly for Mumbai but was shattered with the sound of rapid footsteps.

"bhai..... bhai!" Adhvay barged into the room, breathless. "Woh... woh Gatha Kashyap. She's taking full control. Usne bola she'll handle everything. Alone."

Ved's eyes snapped up.

"Gatha Kashyap?"

His heart kicked into his ribs.

"Tumne yeh naam phir se repeat kiya?"

"Ha bhai. She called for settlement. Directly." Adhvay spoke to make him stunned

Meanwhile few hours later, Aayu and Ooven, forever the escape artists, had snuck out to the nearby park.

"Mama won't let us do fun things!" Aayu complained.

They giggled their way to the garden gate—only to find a very familiar coming across the street.

"aayu?" Ooven whispered. As she was about to stike the car but the driver instantly hold the breaks. He stepped out thinking to check on them but, He froze. The children's eyes locked with his—for the briefest moment with unknown string attached.

Before he could call out, a worried Kashyap house help ran up "Ooven, Aayu! Arhaan bhaiya dhoond rahe hain tumhein!"

And they ran away.

The kids ran—right past Ved.

He turned just in time to catch a flash of their eyes.

Later that evening, Ved's car pulled into the private driveway of a heritage bungalow. The meeting had been arranged—Kashyap vs. Mishra.

He adjusted his cufflinks, straightened his jacket, tried to prepare himself.

When the doors opened... he froze.

Standing before him was not just a rival CEO.

It was............

—To be continued—