"Maitree, the food tastes amazing," Aradhya said while tasting the upma. Maitree responded with a small smile.
Everyone was gathered around the dining table for breakfast; they were all enjoying upma, except for Anjali. She saw cashews on the upma and instantly felt nauseated, so she opted for fruits.
"Maitree, you didn't have to make breakfast," Nalini said with a soft smile.
"I didn't," Maitree replied. "Rudra did."
"No, I just helped," Rudra said, seated next to Varun opposite Maitree.
"No, aunty," Maitree insisted, looking at Rudra. "He did all the work."
"I just lent a helping hand," Rudra said, looking at Nalini.
"No, Rudra," Maitree said firmly, looking at Rudra. "He made the upma" she said looking at Nalini.
Nalini had a small smile as she sat at the head of the table with Maitree on her right and Rudra on her left. She looked at both of them and said, "Whoever made it, the breakfast is delicious."
Rudra shrugged looking at her with a smile while Maitree rolled her eyes
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Manasi Rana was reading the newspaper, sitting in her living room, wearing an elegant peach saree.
"Good morning, Mumma," Shourya greeted as he walked down the stairs.
"Morning, Shourya," Manasi replied, turning around.
"Here's your coffee," Khushi said, giving coffee to Shourya and then to her mother, and they both accepted it.
"Mumma, I thought you would learn how to cook when I'm away," Khushi said with a sigh as she sat on the couch.
"You know I don't cook. I have a hard time boiling water," Manasi said, shaking her head. Shourya looked at them with a smile.
Observing their interaction, Shourya thought to himself that Khushi was so much like her father. Shourya had never met him; her dad had passed away when she was six due to a heart attack. Since then, it had been just her and her mother. Manasi had a clothing store, which had now grown into a huge empire with multiple branches. She had gracefully walked the path and contributed to the growth of the company.
Shourya couldn't help but compare Maitree and Manasi; they were so alike in their ways, their hand gestures, practicality, even their smiles matched.
"Could it be," he thought, and when he saw Khushi walking to the kitchen, he followed her.
"Hey," Khushi greeted him as she took the plates.
"What do you think about Maitree?" Shourya asked, leaning on the counter.
"She is amazing, and I'm sure that Rudra loves her," Khushi said, looking at him.
"You like her," Shourya remarked with a smile.
"I do," Khushi confirmed, nodding while focusing on cleaning the plates. "You know, if she were alive, she would be Maitree's age," Khushi added, still concentrating on the task at hand.
"Her sister," the only thing that brought Khushi down, and it was completely understandable. Khushi had lost her sister a long time ago, and it was such a sensitive topic that in their five years of marriage, she had only talked to Shourya about it twice.
"I'll go to Rudra's after breakfast, and you and Mumma can come in the evening," Shourya suggested in a quiet tone.
Khushi nodded and began to set the plates on the dining table.
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At the Adhikari's house a team of decorators arrived to beautify the house for the godhbarai ceremony. Anjali and Aradhna had a clear idea – they wanted everything to be in red and gold.
The centerpiece of their decorations was a lovely stage, complete with a swing adorned in strings of fragrant flowers. The backdrop consisted of rich red and gold drapes that added a touch of royalty to the setting.
With the decorators' hard work, the whole house was transformed into a warm and inviting space, all in shades of red and gold.
Shourya looked around and spotted Rudra talking to the caterers.
"Rudra," Shourya said as he approached him.
Rudra nodded at the caterers and turned to Shourya.
"I thought you'd be here later," Rudra said with a smile.
"We need to talk, Rudra," Shourya said in a serious tone.
"What's wrong?" Rudra asked in a quieter tone.
"Can we talk somewhere else?" Shourya looked around and noticed workers and family members walking around.
"Sure, my room," Rudra suggested, and they both headed to his room.
Once they reached Rudra's room, Shourya closed the door.
"You're scaring me. What's going on?" Rudra asked, slightly agitated.
"Rudra, Maitree reminds me of Mom," Shourya said as he stood up.
"Your mom?" Rudra asked, confused.
"Not mine; Khushi's," Shourya clarified in a slower tone.
"Huh," Rudra said, sitting on his bed.
"They have the same eyes," Shourya said, sitting beside Rudra. "And it's not just the eyes; it's everything. They are so similar. It can't be a coincidence," Shourya mused aloud.
"What are you saying?" Rudra inquired.
"I don't know," Shourya admitted, shaking his head. "Maybe it's all in my head," he added, face-palming.
"In your head?" Rudra exclaimed as he got up. "Either you know something or you don't," he said, pointing at Shourya. Shourya looked at him and then spoke in a calm voice, "Firstly, I don't know what you're trying to say or thinking."
"I think Maitree is Manasi Rana's daughter," Shourya stated firmly, getting up.
"You think!" Rudra said in a louder tone once again and continued, "Maitree doesn't say it, but she misses her parents," and then he spoke in a calmer tone, "there's no room for uncertainty. If you don't know for sure, then don't go down that road."
Rudra knew about Khushi's sister, the only thing Khushi brought up when she had a bit too much to drink. It was a sensitive topic, something Khushi rarely talked about when sober. Her sister's memory was a heavy burden, and discussing it required a kind and understanding listen
Rudra went to the window and looked outside at Maitree and Aradhna watering the plants. He continued, "You won't just be giving hope to Khushi and Aunty, but to Maitree as well. She doesn't know anything. She's happy without knowing, but if this isn't true, she'll be heartbroken."
Shourya stood next to him, and Rudra continued while watching Aradhana playfully spraying water on Maitree, who ran to hide while laughing. "She'll never admit it, but she'll be sad."
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Threads of Destiny
Romance"I'm not interested in you, so I don't want to know anything about you," Maitree stated firmly. Rudraksh, responded with a playful tone, "Well, maybe you should go on more dates with me. You might find yourself becoming interested once you get to kn...
