Hi everyone, Kasia tha chapter 25? Curious na? Next chapter is even more intense. Trust me you’re not ready for what’s coming.

Happy reading♡

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Last night had been a night of relief for Vadehi after fifteen long days. She had her Shaurya, yes, only for five minutes on a call but at least he was there. Still, something flickered in her heart. The way he spoke something had shifted. She let it go, brushing it off as work pressure or maybe something else.

Today was Vadehi’s last exam. Six months remained before final year exams and the end of their degree, but these weren’t for college, they were for on-ground experience, for internships.

Samira and Vadehi sat cross-legged on Vadehi’s bed in Nirvana, their eyes glued to the laptop screen. Anika lounged on the couch, scrolling through her phone. The room was calm, filled with quiet concentration until chaos stormed in.

The door flew open, and Aarav stumbled in, collapsing dramatically onto the bed with a heavy thud, as though the weight of the world had finally crushed him.

Both girls snatched their laptops back just in time. Aarav’s tie was loosened, his shirt sleeves rolled up, his hair a mess evidence of a long day. Right behind him came Kashvi, she was composed and graceful even after her own day. This was the classic Kashvi. She placed her bag on the table and settled beside Anika with a sigh.

She tilted her head toward Aarav. “Look at this drama king. Do meetings kar ke aaya hai aur lagta hai jaise Everest chadh ke aaya ho.”

Anika giggled, eyes flicking up from her phone, and Vadehi and Samira joined in. Then, with a mischievous smirk, Anika fired her shot. “Yehi hota hai, Di, jab COO nepotism se banta hai, merit se nahi. Zindagi mein paanch minute kaam kiya nahi, bichare ki bhi kya hi gaalti.”

Aarav turned his head slowly, his eyes narrowing at Anika. His voice dropped low, serious. “Says the one jo hafte mein chaar din ghar pe baithi shopping karti hai. Mujhse meetings ki baatein tum toh karo hi mat?”

Anika sat up, offended, pointing a sharp finger at him. “Jitni der me tumhari do meetings hoti hain na, utne mein mera ek chapter bhi khatam nahi hota. Aur shopping, toh main toh karungi! Mera card thodi block hua hai kya kisi ki tarah.”

That stung. Aarav’s jaw clenched. Shaurya had indeed blocked his and Samar’s cards.

He shot back, voice rising. “Jitna bhi padh lo, doctor toh Singhania Medicare mein hi banogi na?”

Samira blinked, and confusion clouded her face. Kashvi also frowned. “Wait… humare paas hospitals bhi hain?” Samira asked, tilting her head.

Aarav shrugged, lifting one lazy hand. “Nahi hain toh kya? Banwa lenge.”

Samira cracked up, reaching for his palm. “High five!” Their hands slapped together mid-air. Anika was already red-faced, ready to explode, but before she could, Vadehi leaned forward, placing her hand between them. “Arre yaar, bas karo! Hum yahan stress ho raha hai aur tum logon ko sirf ladna hai.”

Aarav immediately softened, turning big pleading eyes toward her. His voice became almost childlike. “Bhabhi, please. We need our chill Vadehi, not Mini Shaurya Singhania. Bhai is enough torture.”

That melted her. Vadehi laughed, reaching to ruffle his hair.

“Bas! Again!” Aarav groaned, pulling back and patting his hair down desperately. “Kya hai App dono ko? Main achese hair setup karke office se nikla tha, app log mere upar hi toot padte ho.”

Kashvi finally looked up from her phone, her tone dry. “Tu gaali hi deserve karta hai. Pyaar tujhe digest hi nahi hota.”

Aarav sighed loudly, flopping back onto the bed. Then suddenly he sat up, brows furrowed. “By the way Samar kaha hai?”

Samira didn’t even glance up, still typing. “Bhopal Gaya hai.”

Kashvi’s head snapped up at the word. “Bhopal? Kyun?”

Samira shrugged, her expression bored. “Kaise pata hoga mujhe? He never tells.”

Silence lingered for a second before Kashvi looked at the two girls, both still glued to their laptops. “Aur yeh sab kya chal raha hai?”

Vadehi exhaled deeply, her shoulders slumping by now. “Internship hunt.”

At the word internship, Aarav’s eyes lit up. He shot up like a spark. “Hunt? Kis baat ka hunt? We have our own company!”

Samira and Vadehi exchanged a quick glance, excitement flickering. As if saying why didn't we thought this. But their joy was short-lived before Kashvi crushed it immediately.

“Yes, you can apply,” she said, her tone was practical.

Samira’s laptop shut with a clap, and she smacked Aarav’s palm in triumph. “Done! Why apply anywhere else? Di, you fix this!”

Kashvi shook her head, leaning back. “This isn’t about me. I’m head of finance. You both will be going in  marketing. Interns report under Adhiraj. He’s not here, so Ritika’s handling it. And trust me, the moment Bhai finds out, he’ll make sure it’s fair. Maybe Ritika will butter you Sammy because of the surname and to impress bhai, but not Vedu. She’s still a Rajvansh on paper.”

Samira groaned, flopping onto the headrest. “Yaar! Toh phir kya faida?”

Aarav waved his hand lazily, his voice dripping with mock wisdom. “Problem hi kya hai? Seedha Bhai se bolo. Bol do Ritika ko bolo tum dono ko clear karne ko.”

Kashvi shot him a look. “You think Bhai does favoritism? In your case it was Dadu’s condition. Bhai had no choice.”

Aarav clutched his chest like a wounded hero. “Arre Di, you’re forgetting, we have our Brahmastra. Bhai ka Brahmastra.” He stretched his finger toward the corner of the room.

Everyone followed his direction to the lamp beside Vadehi. Everyone was Confused, the room was left silent.

Finally Anika snapped, hr irritation in full Flint. “O hello! Chor Bazaar ke Ranbir Singh, seedha bolo. Matlab kya hai?”

Aarav rolled his eyes dramatically. “Bewakoof! Lamp nahi, Bhabhi!” He pointed straight at Vadehi.

The room burst into realization. Samira squealed, springing onto the bed on her knees. “Oh my God! Manie toh socha bhi nahi! Bhai boss hai, but Vedu, woh to Bhai ki lady boss hai.”

Vadehi’s face turned pale. “No chance! Main Shaurya ko call nahi kar rahi. Woh Kya sochenge?”

Samira stared at her like she had committed blasphemy. “Kya sochenge?! Main tujhe thappad maar dungi! Bas call kar aur bol tujhe aur mujhe internship chahiya.”

Vadehi shook her head stubbornly. “Are you mad? Di just said he won’t help us.”

Samira knew she wasn't gonna get convinced like that so she wrapped an arm around her shoulder, coaxing. “Vedu, meri jaan. Bhai door hai abhi. Thoda pyaar use kar. He’ll agree.”

Vadehi opened her mouth to argue again, but Samira leaned in closer and with sharp eyes, used her superpower. “Tujhe meri kasam. Call him. Right now.”

Vadehi blinked. She was stuck between her hesitation and this new ‘kasam’ given by Samira. “Abhi?”

Samira nodded firmly. “Yes. Abhi.”

From the other end, Aarav muttered lazily, smirking with mischief. “Ek ‘I love you’ bol dena. Forget internship, Bhai Singhania Group hi Apke naam likh dega.”

Everyone in the room giggled. Heat rushed to Vadehi’s cheeks; her face burned crimson. But Kashvi wasn’t laughing. Her smile had faded minutes ago. An echo from last night throbbed in her mind Shaurya, with Anaya Shroff. Everyone believed they’d broken up three years ago. But what Kashvi had learned said otherwise. Fifteen days. Fifteen days together.

Her gaze shifted to Vadehi, who sat blushing like a girl in love. How will Shaurya tell her? How will she survive it? Kashvi’s throat tightened. Until she had answers, she couldn’t shatter Vadehi’s innocence.

She cleared her throat, snapping the tension. “Arvi, ghar jaa. Freshen up. Seedha yahan aa gaya. Niklo.”

Aarav dragged himself up, giving a mocking salute. “Okay, Madam Hitler.”

Kashvi glared as he grinned and walked out. She rose too, grabbing her phone and bag. “I have to discuss something with Nirvan. Tum log carry on.”

And with that, she left, her footsteps calm, though her heart stormed inside leaving behind three girls tangled in confusion.

Samira, Anika, and Vadehi exchanged glances. Anika walked towards Vadehi and sat exactly where Aarav had been lying a moment ago. “Vedu, the idea isn’t bad. Bhai will agree, just give it a try.”

Samira smiled encouragingly. “Yes, please, just one time. You’re the saviour now.”

Vadehi was in a dilemma. She had never asked Shaurya for such favors, but her mind kept reminding her that she was his wife. It was her right to ask him for small things like this. Finally, after thinking for a good two minutes, she picked up her phone and walked out to the balcony.

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Vadehi’s heart pounded as she stepped outside, the cool dusk air brushing against her skin, so different from the warmth of the room she had left. She took a deep breath, clutching her phone. She had never asked Shaurya for anything like this it felt wrong. But Samira’s words echoed in her mind.

Her finger hovered over his name before she finally pressed call. The line rang twice, her anxiety tightening with every chime.

“Hello?” Shaurya’s voice came, rushed, with faint background noise the murmur of a crowd, a muffled announcement. He sounded busy. Her heart sank.

“Hi. Aap busy ho?” she asked softly, trying to sound normal.

“Hi. Nahi. Kaisi ho?” he replied in a single breath. “Everything okay?”

She hesitated. The direct approach suddenly felt impossible. “Good. Just missing you.”

There was a slight pause. “I’ll be back soon” he said, but the warmth she craved wasn’t there. This wasn’t the Shaurya she hd seen around her. Maybe it work.  “Princess, is everything alright? You sound a bit off.”

“No, I’m fine,” she lied quickly. She was not fine. She was missing him horribly. She wasn’t feeling the same warmth she used to feel. She feels foreign now. “I just wanted to talk. My exams are done, you know. It’s internship time now.”

“That’s great, Princess.” She could hear him moving, a door opening and closing. “I’m in a meeting right now. I’ll call you back later.”

“No, wait” she blurted out. Her pulse raced. “Shaurya, woh… woh… I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?” His voice softened, laced with concern. The sound of his movement stilled, as though he had stopped to listen carefully. “Tell me. You’re not having any trouble in college, are you?”

She bit her lip, gathering courage. “No, nothing like that. It’s about my internship. Samira and I… we want to do our internship at Singhania Group.”

A long silence stretched between them. She held her breath. “Apply then.” The words felt distant, almost casual.

Vadehi, without thinking, hurried out, “No, I mean… can’t you help us? Why do we have to apply?”

His tone changed instantly. It no longer remained soft. It was firm, controlled, distant. “You know that’s not how things work. So many people apply for internships; it wouldn’t be fair to them.”

Her heart sank. She didn’t wanted to hear this from him. A no from him. “But… but it’s your company. We’re lacking by few marks. And my gap—” her voice broke into a whisper, almost a plea.

“Princess, I’ll ask Ritika to overlook your gap. But for marks? That wouldn’t be fair. Don’t be stubborn now.” His voice turned colder. “I won’t do anything for you. You’ll have to go through the process like everyone else. Send in your resume. If it gets selected, you’ll get a call.”

Tears pricked in her eyes. This wasn’t how Shaurya sounded, at least not the man who had held her close when he was around. He felt like a stranger. “But, Shaurya, I—”

He cut her off, his voice sharp and final. “Vadehi, I have to go. We’ll talk later.”

“But—” she tried again. But before she could complete, she heard something which shook her, a woman’s voice, loud and clear, spilled from his phone “Mr. Singhania, Mrs. Singhania wants to see you.”

The line went dead. She disconnected the phone. Vadehi stood frozen, her phone trembling in her hand. The night air suddenly felt suffocating.

Mrs. Singhania.

The name echoed inside her, sharp and unrelenting. For a heartbeat, her chest tightened with fear she couldn’t name.

But then she shook her head hard, almost angrily. “No. I must have misheard. Maybe she said something else. Maybe the network glitched. I’m just overthinking.”

She repeated the thought until it dulled the sting, until it felt believable. She forced herself to believe it. But sill deep in her chest, where denial couldn’t reach, the unease stayed. The words lingered, carving themselves into her heart, no matter how much she tried to erase them.

From Princess to Vadehi. From warmth to distance. From certainty to doubt.

Something was wrong. But she wasn’t ready to believe it. Maybe because she feared, she would lose it.

Vadehi slipped her phone into her kurta pocket, blinking fast to chase away the sting in her eyes before stepping back into the room. Samira and Anika immediately sat up straight, expecting good news, but one look at her face dimmed the spark in their eyes.

Samira was the first to ask, her voice was soft, “Bola kya Bhai ne?”

Vadehi forced a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She sat back on the bed, exhaling as if trying to let go of the weight she carried. “No. He said we’ll have to apply like everyone else. He won’t help. It wouldn’t be fair to others.”

For a beat, the room fell silent. Samira’s shoulders slumped with disappointment clear on her face. But before gloom could settle, Anika, ever the problem-solver, spoke up with a thoughtful tilt of her head. “Toh? No big deal. You’re forgetting. We have another Big Bull. Sehgal Diamonds mein try kar lo. Wahan bhi toh internships open hain. And it’s one of the best places in luxury retail. Perfect exposure for marketing interns.”

Samira’s head shot up instantly, her face brightening like Diwali lights. “Aree haan! Brilliant idea! Yeh to dimaag me hi nahi aaya. Sehgal Diamonds ka internship tag kaun mana karega?” She clapped her hands together, already excited by the thought.

But beside her, Vadehi stayed quiet. Her fingers twisted the edge of her dupatta, her mind far away. Shaurya’s voice still echoed in her ears the sharpness in his tone, the sudden distance, the cold finality. And worse, the voice that had slipped from the background. ‘Mrs. Singhania wants to see you.’

Her heart clenched. She told herself again it must have been a mistake, a glitch, anything but the truth her fear whispered. But the thought kept circling like a shadow.

“Vedu?” Samira nudged her shoulder, snapping her out of the spiral. “Are you even listening? It’s a great idea, na?”

Vadehi forced a small nod, changing her voice into neutral. “Haan! idea acha hai.”

Anika stood, brushing her hair back with determination. “Then decided. Let’s not waste time. Bhai must be in his study right now and Di’s also probably there. Let’s go talk to him directly.”

Samira jumped up at once, tugging Vadehi’s hand. “Come on! Before its too late.”

Vadehi let herself be pulled along, her feet moving, though her mind was still caught somewhere between Shaurya’s “Princess” and the unfamiliar chill of his “Vadehi.”

The three of them walked down the long corridor toward Nirvan’s study, their steps were filled with purpose, while one heart among them carried a storm it could barely name.

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Kashvi paused outside Nirvan’s study, her hand hovering mid-air for a moment before she finally knocked.

A low, steady “Come in” came from inside.

She opened the door slowly. The study was quiet, save for the faint ticking of the clock and the muted hum of Nirvan’s laptop. He sat behind the large mahogany desk, sleeves rolled up, eyes fixed on the glowing screen. But the instant his gaze flicked up and found her standing there, something in his demeanor shifted subtle, almost imperceptible, but enough.

They hadn’t spoken since last night. Both were upset, carrying their own storms, and the silence between them had stretched painfully long.

Kashvi stepped in, her heels soft against the carpeted floor. She was carring a slim file in her hand and walked straight to the desk. Nirvan didn’t move, he didn’t say a word, his jaw went tight as his eyes returned to the laptop.

She placed the file gently on the table, her voice quiet, careful. “These are some of the best CFOs across India. You can check and choose one for Sehgal Diamonds.”

Nirvan’s eyes didn’t rise. He gave a small nod, clipped, businesslike. He had asked Kashvi to get him names of India’s best CFOs, as this was her social circle.

Kashvi lingered for a second, waiting for him to respond, to at least look at her once. But he didn’t. His silence pressed heavier than words.

She cleared her throat, forcing composure, and turned to leave. Her steps were measured, but inside, her heart ached from this silence.

But this pain wasn’t one sided, the moment she reached the door, Nirvan’s eyes followed her, lingering on the slope of her shoulders as she walked away. He still didn’t call her back. He was hurt. Hurt by how quickly she had judged him last night, as if his love for Vadehi and Shaurya meant nothing. As if he would ever let the two destroy themselves and their relationship without stepping in. The thought that she doubted him stung more than he wanted to admit. And what ached most was her taking his affection, his care as a way to coax.

But, what he didn't knew was Kashvi she was hurt too. His silence was unbearable. She hadn’t accused him out of malice; she was simply scared, deeply concerned for Shaurya and Vadehi. But instead of understanding, he had shut her out.

Two people bound so tightly to each other, were now drifting in opposite currents of pride and hurt. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Nirvan alone with the quiet thrum of his laptop and the echo of all the words neither of them had spoken.

The door had barely clicked shut behind Kashvi a minute ago when another knock followed, lighter this time, almost hesitant. Nirvan’s brows pulled together. He didn’t look up right away, just said “Come in.”

The door opened and in came Samira, Anika, and Vadehi. Their energy was a stark contrast to the storm that had just passed.

Anika looked around, surprised. “Di yahan nahi hai?”

Nirvan finally lifted his gaze, the faintest shadow still in his expression. “She’s gone.” His tone which was clipper a minute ago turned soft as he saw the three girls coming.

Samira, never one to dwell on moods, stepped forward with her brightest grin. “Acha, Chalo toh seedhe kaam ki baat karte hain, Bhai!” She clasped her hands dramatically. “We want internships. Official internships. In Sehgal Diamonds. For six months” His voice was less of a pleading more of an order.

Anika joined in, her voice calmer but firm. “It makes sense, Bhai. Marketing division there is strong, exposure bhi acha milega. Vedu aur Sammy ke lia best hai.”

Nirvan studied the two sisters for a brief second, then gave a single nod with a hint of smile, his decision sharp and instant. “Okay. Kal office aajana. I’ll ask the CMO to meet you guys and get everything arranged for you two.”

Samira blinked, stunned. Ofcourse Nirvan and Shaurya were really close and their principles resembled with each other quite much. All three had thought of answers of every question Nirvan was going to ask but, the game completely changed. “Bas? Itni easily? Matlab no lecture? No test? No twenty-five questions? No fair play wala scene?”

A corner of Nirvan’s mouth twitched, he had a smile, though his eyes stayed serious. “No. If you can stand here and order Nirvan Sehgal directly, you can survive the work too. That’s enough for me.”

Samira looked at Nirvan and giggled like a kid. “Woh… toh Bhai request hi Thi order ke form me.” Then, Samira let out a squeal, throwing her arms around Anika. “We did it!”

Anika and Nirvan laughed softly, while relief in Anika’s voice. “Finally.”

But while the room buzzed with their little celebration, one figure stood apart. Vadehi, quiet, her gaze drifting somewhere distant, her fingers restless against her dupatta.

Nirvan noticed her. Even as he nodded along to Samira’s chatter about “How they had been looking for companies since morning” and “how Shaurya refused to help” his sharp eyes kept flicking back to Vadehi. She wasn’t celebrating. She wasn’t even smiling. He knew Something was wrong. And Nirvan, unlike the others, didn’t miss it. Her expressions weren’t normal. She was pretending to be normal while, she was anything but, normal.

Samira and Anika’s laughter faded down the corridor, as they left the study hushed once more. Vadehi lingered by the door, her hand brushing the knob about to get out of the study, when Nirvan’s calm voice stopped her. “Vadehi.”

She stopped and turned slowly. His eyes were sharp yet steady and held her in place. “What happened?” he asked, softer this time. “You don’t seem okay.”

Her throat tightened. For a moment she thought of brushing it off, but the weight in her heart pressed too hard. She wanted to spill it out. She wanted another person to say ‘she was overthinking’. “Bhai…” she began with hesitation, her voice was  barely above a whisper. “I’m concerned for Shaurya. He doesn’t sound normal. Is he okay there? Is he hiding something from me? Is he too stressed? It’s all so much in here.” Her palm pressed lightly over her heart.

Nirvan stilled. He saw her worry, the innocence in her eyes searching for reassurance. For a fleeting second, his anger at Shaurya roared how could he let her feel this way? How could he leave her questioning like this? How could he do this to such an innocent and pure soul.

But when he finally spoke, his voice was gentle and steady. He stepped closer, brushing a hand through her hair with quiet affection. “He’s fine, Vadehi. Occupied, yes. He wants to come back to you sooner, so he’s working harder. He’s finishing up work day and night, just to be with you as soon as possible. That’s all. Nothing else.”

Her lashes fluttered. Slowly, her lips curved into a faint smile. She had a relieved smile. It made sense he was hers, and maybe he was just pushing himself for her. The heaviness in her chest loosened a little. This was all she needed. The reassurance. The answers to her questions.

It was all because of Nirvan. The person who always stood by her and for her, even when he didn't had to. He’s not just called her ‘his sister’ but also treated like one. Before she could second-guess herself, she leaned forward and hugged him.

Nirvan froze, his breath caught. Since the time they met, he had kept a careful distance, never forcing the bond, never expecting her to be frank and normal. He understands the awkwardness of their bond. And now, here she was holding him with a simple trust that left no space for doubt.

After a beat, he let his arms fold around her, protective and sure, his embrace carrying all the quiet promises he’d never spoken aloud.

“Thank you, Bhaiya,” she murmured, her voice warm and certain. “You’ve always been there. And I know unless you’re by my side, nothing can go wrong.”

Nirvan closed his eyes briefly, letting her words settle in his heart. He didn’t answer, he didn’t had an answer. He felt bad. He felt an ache in his heart. What will happen? When she gets to know about, what his husband was doing in Switzerland and that her brother was involved too. He felt a guilt settling in his heart.

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Ok fine, mat karo vote. Mat karo comment. Mai bhi part 1 ke baadse target lga dungi fr.

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