Fated To Love You

Chapter 7

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Raghav woke up early the next morning, the remnants of his cautious optimism lingering as he pulled himself out of bed. The morning light filtered through his curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. He took a deep breath, feeling a strange mixture of nerves and anticipation.

As he went about his morning routine—shaving, brushing his teeth, and dressing for the office—his thoughts kept circling back to Kavya’s message from the night before. He replayed her words in his mind, analyzing every detail, every nuance. She had sounded friendly, even warm, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that he was reading too much into it. Maybe she was just being polite. Maybe she didn’t mean anything by it.

But then again, maybe she did.

Raghav caught his reflection in the mirror as he buttoned up his shirt. He looked the same as he always did—neat, composed, with every hair in place. But something in his eyes was different. There was a spark there, a glimmer of something that hadn’t been there before. Hope, perhaps. Or maybe just the thrill of having taken a step, however small, toward something he wanted.

He picked out a tie, something simple and professional, and adjusted it carefully in the mirror. His hands moved automatically, the motions familiar and routine. But his mind was far from routine. Today felt different, charged with a kind of energy that made his heart beat a little faster.

When he was finally dressed, he glanced at his phone, wondering if he should send her another message. Maybe something casual, like a “Good morning” or “Have a great day.” But then he hesitated, not wanting to seem too eager. He didn’t want to overwhelm her or make her feel like he was being too forward.

Instead, he slipped the phone into his pocket and headed downstairs, telling himself that it was better to take things slowly. There was no rush, no need to jump ahead of himself. After all, they were just starting to talk. There would be time for more messages later.

As Raghav descended the stairs, he could hear the familiar sounds of his family starting their day. The clatter of dishes in the kitchen, the low murmur of his father’s voice as he read the morning newspaper, and the hum of conversation between his mother and brother.

He paused for a moment at the bottom of the stairs, listening. His brother’s voice was easygoing, as it always was, filled with that natural confidence that Raghav had always envied. They were probably talking about something light, something that didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but there was a closeness in their voices that made Raghav’s heart ache a little.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the dining room. His mother was already at the stove, finishing up breakfast, while his father sat at the head of the table, his newspaper spread out in front of him. His younger brother was sitting at the table, scrolling through his phone with a slight smirk on his face.

“Good morning,” Raghav greeted, his voice quiet as he took his usual seat at the table.

“Morning, bhai!” his brother replied with a grin, glancing up from his phone. “You’re up early today.”

“Yeah,” Raghav murmured, unfolding his napkin and placing it on his lap. “Had some things on my mind.”

“Oh?” His brother raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “Anything interesting?”

Raghav hesitated, unsure of how much to share. He had always been the more reserved one, the quieter brother who kept to himself. His younger brother, on the other hand, was outgoing, friendly, and effortlessly charming—the kind of person who could talk to anyone about anything.