Love On The Edge [On Hold]

29 | WELCOME TO THE FAMILY |

"We're leaving already? But why? We just got here two days ago," Daniel whined, watching Shanvi pack her stuff.

Shanvi sighed and gave him a sarcastic smile, "Duty calls, Danny. I can't ignore it," she said in a mock-serious tone, making Daniel pout.

Just then, Sameer walked into the room, carrying a stack of files. His eyes fell on Daniel, who looked like a sulking puppy. "What's going on here?" Sameer asked.

Daniel glanced up at Sameer, still pouting. "Darling is making us leave already. I thought we had more time."

"We have our responsibilities and stop calling my wife darling!”

"Oh, I can smell some intense jealousy here," Daniel teased, dramatically sniffing the air. Sameer rolled his eyes, exasperated by Daniel's antics. "Cut it out, Druggie," he muttered before walking towards the coffee table.

Daniel let out a playful giggle before plopping onto the couch. He picked up a decorative item from the table, examining it.

"By the way, Danny," Shanvi said, her tone suddenly serious as she took a seat on the bed. "It slipped my mind last night, but now that you're here, tell me—how did you know how to hack the system?" Her eyes fixed intently on Daniel, demanding an answer.

Sameer paused mid-step and turned towards Daniel, curiosity evident in his eyes. Daniel bit the inside of his cheek, then let out a sigh. "My uncle was a computer genius. He taught me a lot. I used to hide in his garage and watch everything he did. He was truly brilliant.”

"Where is he now?" Sameer asked.

Daniel lowered his head, his voice dropping to a somber tone. "He's no more. He died of a heart attack." He got up from the couch and made his way to the door. Just as he reached the doorway, he paused and turned back slightly. "I have a photographic memory," he whispered. "I learn things easily and remember them forever." With that, he walked out of the room, leaving a heavy silence behind.

Shanvi and Sameer exchanged a glance, the room fell into a brief silence, filled only with the quiet hum of the air conditioner.

They turned back to their tasks. Sameer folded clothes and organized their belongings, while Shanvi checked and rechecked her packing list.

Once they were done, Sameer and Shanvi descended the stairs. The chatter of the household reached them before they rounded the corner, and as they reached the bottom, they were greeted by the sight of everyone gathered by the front door, luggage neatly stacked beside them.

Mrs. Shekhawat, dressed elegantly in a saree, was busy chatting with Mr. Shekhawat, who was checking his watch impatiently. Daniel was fiddling with his phone, and was attempting to balance a suitcase that seemed too large for him.

Seeing them approach, Mrs. Shekhawat’s face brightened. “Oh, there you are! We were just about to head out. Everything’s packed and ready to go.”

Sameer nodded, his eyes scanning the collection of bags and boxes. “Alright, let's get going now.”

As everyone started moving towards the cars, Daniel struggled with the suitcase, clearly having difficulty balancing it.

Sameer, noticing Daniel's struggle, walked over with a sigh. “Need a hand with that?” he asked.

Daniel looked up, momentarily surprised. “Oh, uh, sure...”

Sameer took hold of one end of the suitcase. “You really should have packed lighter.”

Daniel tried to smile but was clearly somber. “I didn’t think it would be this heavy.”