HeartStrings Entwined:A Tale of BrotherHood✅

Chapter Twenty Six: The Deal of a Lifetime

Aarav sat in the corner of his office, staring at the city skyline as the sun dipped below the horizon. The day had been long, filled with back-to-back meetings, negotiations, and the usual corporate chaos. But his mind was far from the contracts he had signed or the deals he had secured.

Saanjh was back in his life.

He hadn’t expected her return. The memories of their past, of the love they once shared, came rushing back the moment she walked into his office, her presence as undeniable as ever. But Aarav had changed. He was no longer the carefree man who had once believed love could solve everything. His heart, both literally and figuratively, had endured too much.

But tonight, things were going to be different. Aarav had a plan, one that was as unconventional as he was. He picked up his phone and texted Saanjh.

**Aarav:** *Meet me at the rooftop garden at 8?*

A few minutes later, the reply came.

**Saanjh:** *Sure. Something on your mind?*

Aarav smirked. Oh, she had no idea.

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At exactly 8 p.m., Saanjh stepped out onto the rooftop garden, the cool breeze ruffling her hair. Aarav stood by the edge, hands in his pockets, looking out at the city. He turned when he heard her approach, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow down.

“You asked me to meet you here?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Aarav nodded and gestured toward the table nearby, where two glasses of champagne sat waiting. “Yeah, I wanted to discuss something important with you.”

Saanjh raised an eyebrow but walked over to join him. She picked up her glass and took a sip, her eyes never leaving his. “Important? This sounds serious.”

“It is,” Aarav replied, taking a deep breath. “You know how I’ve always been a businessman. My entire life has revolved around negotiations, contracts, and deals. So I thought, why not approach this… differently.”

Saanjh’s lips curled into a playful smile. “Approach what, exactly?”

Aarav leaned against the table, his expression both intense and mischievous. “You and me. Us.”

Saanjh blinked, taken aback. “What do you mean, Aarav?”

Aarav straightened up and cleared his throat, pulling out a small, folded piece of paper from his pocket. “I’ve drawn up a contract of sorts. Not legally binding, of course. Just… a proposal.”

“A proposal?” Saanjh repeated, her heart skipping a beat. “Are you serious?”

Aarav smiled, his hazel eyes gleaming with warmth. “Very serious. See, I’m not the romantic type, Saanjh. I leave that stuff to Vivaan. But I know business, and I know what it means to commit to something fully. So I figured, why not propose in a language I’m good at?”

Saanjh crossed her arms, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Alright, Mr. Businessman, let’s hear this proposal of yours.”

Aarav unfolded the paper and cleared his throat dramatically, as if reading from a formal business document. “Proposal for: Miss Saanjh Kapoor. Date: Today. Time: 8:00 p.m.”

Saanjh chuckled, shaking her head. “Go on.”

“Terms and Conditions,” Aarav continued, his tone playful but sincere. “Term One: I, Aarav Malhotra, hereby offer you a lifetime of partnership. This includes, but is not limited to, love, loyalty, and unwavering support in both personal and professional matters.”

Saanjh’s smile widened as she listened, her heart fluttering at his words.

“Term Two: In case of any disputes—whether minor disagreements or major life challenges—the undersigned, that’s me, agrees to resolve them with respect, communication, and compromise.”

“And what about my terms?” Saanjh asked, stepping closer, her voice teasing.

Aarav smirked, handing her the paper. “There’s a space for your terms, of course. But I have one more.”

Saanjh took the paper from him, glancing over it with an amused expression. “Go on, I’m listening.”

“Term Three,” Aarav said, his voice lowering as he met her eyes, “I promise to protect your heart, no matter what. I’ve learned a lot about fragile hearts—mine, Vivaan’s—and I know how precious they are. I won’t take yours for granted again.”

For a moment, Saanjh said nothing. The breeze played with her hair, and the sounds of the city below seemed to fade into the background. Aarav’s eyes held hers, filled with sincerity, vulnerability, and something she hadn’t seen in him before—hope.

“You’re serious about this,” she finally whispered, her fingers tracing the edge of the paper.

“I am,” Aarav replied, taking a step closer. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, Saanjh. But this is one deal I don’t want to lose. I’m all in. If you’ll have me.”

Saanjh looked down at the makeshift contract, then back at Aarav, her heart full. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pen, scribbling something at the bottom of the paper. When she handed it back to him, Aarav’s eyes widened as he read her addition.

**“I accept the terms. On one condition: You have to let me love you back.”**

Aarav smiled, folding the paper and tucking it back into his jacket pocket. “Deal.”

Saanjh stepped forward, closing the gap between them, her voice soft. “Aarav, I never stopped loving you. Even when we were apart, you were always there, in the back of my mind. But are you sure about this? After everything we’ve been through?”

Aarav nodded, his voice steady. “I’ve never been more sure of anything. I know I’m not perfect, and I know I’ve hurt you before. But I want to do this right. I want us to be partners, in every sense of the word.”

Saanjh’s eyes shimmered with emotion as she looked up at him. “Then, I’m all in too.”

Without another word, Aarav pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he never wanted to let go again. And for the first time in a long while, everything felt right. The city lights twinkled around them, the world moved on below, but up on that rooftop, they had found something that transcended deals, business, and contracts.

They had found love.

And this time, neither of them planned on losing it again.