THE RAJHANS SISTERS

DILEMMA

"Tell us quickly, why did you call us here?" Aarushi demanded, her voice sharp with curiosity.

"Yeah, Di! Although it's good you called me too, otherwise Manu Di here planned to finish this special lunch all by herself," Nishi teased, scooping a spoonful of curry.

"You keep quiet and just eat your curry. We're having an important conversation, so don't interrupt," Aarushi said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"But I didn't even..." Nishi began, but Aarushi cut her off, feeding her another spoonful of rice.

"Now quiet... mouth closed," Aarushi instructed, then turned to Nitya, holding her hand. "You tell us, Nitya... what's going on? You sounded so excited on the phone."

Both girls looked at her expectantly, their eyes wide with anticipation. Nitya took a deep breath, standing up slowly. She retrieved the pregnancy test kit from her bag and held it out to them. Aarushi snatched it first, her eyes widening as she processed what she was seeing.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Nitya..." Aarushi yelled, her voice filled with excitement and disbelief.

Nishi, still confused, took the kit from Aarushi. When she saw the faint lines, her face lit up with joy. "OMG! Di! You are pregnant!" she exclaimed, almost jumping out of her seat.

The girls immediately enveloped Nitya in a group hug, their excitement palpable. Tears welled up in Aarushi's eyes, and Nitya couldn't hold back her own tears, overwhelmed by the joy and relief of sharing her news.

"Why are you two crying? This is such a happy moment," Nishi commented, her voice tinged with wonder.

Aarushi wiped her tears, chuckling softly. "Silly... it's the pregnancy hormones affecting her, just like they did to me."

Seeing Nishi's confused expression, the twins said in unison, "When you become a mother, you'll understand." They all laughed, the room filled with their shared happiness and the deep bond of sisterhood.

"Did you tell Mom?" asked Aarushi, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"No, I want to talk to Aniket first... then I'll tell Mom and Dad too," Nitya replied, her voice steady but filled with emotion. She knew the next step was to share this incredible news with her husband, hoping that it would bring them closer and heal the rift between them.

SATKAAR GROUP OF HOTELS

"Sir Ji, think about it once more. Think about what Nitya Madam will go through," Gupta Ji pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion.

"I am thinking about her, Gupta Ji. That's why I'm doing all this," Aniket replied, his gaze unwavering, though his eyes betrayed a deep sorrow.

"Why don't you tell her everything, Sir Ji? She is understanding; she'll get it," Gupta Ji stammered, desperate to find a solution that didn't involve breaking Nitya's heart.

"Tell her what, Gupta Ji? What should I tell her? What can I tell her?" Aniket roared, his voice echoing off the walls of the office. Tears spilled from his eyes, mingling with the frustration and helplessness that had built up inside him.

"What can I tell her? How do I tell her why I'm doing all this? How do I tell her, Gupta Ji, that the man she loves more than herself can never truly love anyone in return, can never be anyone's life partner? How do I tell her that the man she wants to spend her entire life with doesn't have a control on his own life?" Aniket's voice broke, his anguish palpable.

Gupta Ji sank into his chair, feeling the weight of Aniket's words. He closed his eyes, tears forming in them as well, a mirror of the sorrow he felt for his employer and friend.