14 : project

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Advantika had already informed them that she’d be late returning from the hall

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Advantika had already informed them that she’d be late returning from the hall.

As she descended the stairs, her thoughts swirled back to the previous night—the way he had grabbed her, the way his voice had cracked with desperation, and the way she had walked away without looking back. But was that enough? She needed to make her next move before he did.

Lost in her own world, she barely registered the loud crash that echoed through the house. Her head snapped up just as shards of glass scattered across the floor, glinting under the lights.

“Kalesh kar diya Navratri ke din!” Dadi scoffed, her face twisting in irritation.

Advantika rolled her eyes at the dramatics but kept her voice calm. “Dadi, yeh kalesh nahi hai, sirf kaanch tuta hai. Kuch shubh hoga.” She stepped forward, her tone even, unbothered by the older woman’s sharp gaze.

She turned towards the kitchen, calling out, “Maasi, please clean this up properly. Koi chot kha lega.”

Mithali let out a breath of relief. “Thanks, Advi… warna yeh budhiya mujhe zinda nigal leti.” She shot a glare in Dadi’s direction.

Advantika shook her head. “We shouldn’t talk about elders like that.”

Mithali huffed. “You’re right, but sometimes she makes it impossible to respect her. It was an accident, and she made a whole scene out of it!”

Before Advantika could respond, Niharika strode into the kitchen, her presence filling the space.

“Hey, what’s up, girls? Plans without me? Not fair!”

“Bhabs, we were just planning some black magic on Dadi. You got any nuska?” Mithali teased, earning a light smack from Advantika.

Niharika chuckled. “What did she do now?”

As they explained the whole situation, Advantika’s phone buzzed with a notification. Her breath hitched as she opened the email. The words on the screen sent a jolt of electricity through her.

Her dream project had been approved.

Her heart pounded. The deal was finalized. Their product was going to be on the front cover of one of the biggest magazines in the industry.

A shriek of joy left her lips before she could contain it. She turned, grabbing Niharika and Mithali in a tight hug, her excitement bubbling over.

“Arey, kya hua? Itna khush kaun karta hai?” Kashyap, her father, stepped into the room, amused by the sight of his usually composed daughter hopping around like a child.

“Pappa! My project—it’s happening! Tomorrow is the signing session!”

His face softened with pride as he opened his arms. She ran into them without hesitation, sinking into the familiar warmth of his embrace.

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