ᴍɪʜɪᴛʜᴀ-𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓮𝓵𝔂 𝓸𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷

chapter 44

The sun had just begun to rise, casting a soft, golden light over the Ranawath mansion. Mihitha woke up to the faint sounds of Nila stirring in her crib, her tiny cries breaking the peaceful silence of the early morning. Mihitha stretched lazily in bed, a tired but contented smile forming on her lips. She turned to find Rudransh already up, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching their daughter with an expression of quiet devotion.

Without saying a word, he rose and walked over to the crib, scooping Nila up in his arms. His movements were careful and practiced, the gentle sway of his body immediately soothing their baby. Mihitha watched him from the bed, her heart swelling with love as she observed the tenderness in his every action. It was still hard to believe this was the same man who once terrified her with his cold, ruthless demeanor. Now, he was a father, a husband, and, most importantly, someone capable of immense love.

“Good morning,” Mihitha murmured, her voice soft from sleep.

Rudransh turned to her, his lips quirking into a half-smile. "Morning," he replied, his voice low and warm. "I think someone’s hungry."

Mihitha chuckled and sat up, reaching for Nila as Rudransh carefully handed her over. Their daughter looked up at her with wide, curious eyes, her little hands reaching out for her mother. Mihitha cradled her close, feeling the warmth and weight of the baby against her chest, marveling at how something so small could fill her heart with such immense joy.

Rudransh sat back down beside them, his hand resting gently on Mihitha’s back as she began to nurse Nila. The quiet moments of the morning had become their routine, a cherished time where the outside world felt far away, and it was just the three of them, cocooned in their own little universe.

"You’ve gotten good at this," Rudransh murmured, his voice full of admiration.

Mihitha smiled at him, her heart warming at his words. "It feels natural," she said softly. "Like this is what I was meant to do."

He nodded, his gaze softening as he watched her. "You’re incredible, you know that?"

Mihitha felt her cheeks flush slightly at his compliment. "We’re in this together," she replied, looking up at him with a playful glint in her eyes. "And you’ve been pretty amazing too, Mr. Ranawath."

Rudransh let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "I’m just trying to keep up with the two of you."

Mihitha leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment. "You’re doing more than that, Rudra. You’re everything Nila and I need."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just sat there, watching their baby girl, their hearts full of a kind of love they had never experienced before. The bond between them had grown stronger with each passing day, the walls they once had between them now replaced with trust, affection, and a shared understanding that this.this little family was what mattered most.

As Nila finished nursing, Mihitha gently burped her, and Rudransh took her back into his arms. He stood up, pacing slowly around the room with Nila against his chest, her tiny head nestled into his shoulder.

"I could do this all day," Rudransh said, his voice full of wonder. "Just hold her like this."

Mihitha smiled as she watched him. "You make it look easy."

Rudransh shook his head. "It’s not easy. It’s… everything. She’s everything."

Mihitha’s heart melted at his words, her eyes filling with love for him. "I know," she whispered. "She is."

For the rest of the morning, the three of them stayed wrapped up in the small, beautiful moments of their routine feeding, playing, and simply being together. There was no rush, no need to leave the bubble they had created in their home. It was just the three of them, moving through their day with the ease and contentment of a family that had finally found its rhythm.

By midday, Nila was down for a nap, and Mihitha and Rudransh found themselves sitting on the living room couch, enjoying the quiet moment of respite. Mihitha leaned against Rudransh’s shoulder, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on his arm.

"Do you ever think about how different things could have been?" Mihitha asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rudransh turned his head slightly, looking down at her. "All the time," he admitted. "But I’m grateful for how things turned out. For us. For Nila. I wouldn’t change a thing."

Mihitha smiled softly. "Me neither."

Rudransh leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. "We’ve been through so much," he murmured. "But now, it feels like we’ve finally found our way."

Mihitha nodded, closing her eyes as she let herself relax against him. "We have," she whispered. "And I’m so glad we did."

The afternoon passed in a similar, blissful haze, the house filled with the sounds of laughter and soft coos from Nila as she played on her mat. Rudransh spent hours with her, lying on the floor beside her, making her giggle with silly faces and gentle tickles. Mihitha watched them from the couch, her heart swelling with a love so deep it was almost overwhelming.

Later that evening, as the sun set and the sky turned a deep shade of pink, the family gathered in the nursery for Nila’s bedtime. Rudransh held her close, rocking her gently as he hummed a soft tune under his breath. Mihitha stood beside them, her hand resting on Rudransh’s arm, a peaceful smile on her lips.

"She’s so lucky to have you," Mihitha whispered, her voice full of emotion.

Rudransh looked at her, his eyes shining with love. "No," he said softly, "I’m the lucky one."

Mihitha felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she quickly blinked them away. "I love you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Rudransh leaned down, kissing her softly on the lips. "I love you too."

They stood there for a while longer, the room filled with the soft sounds of Nila’s breathing as she drifted off to sleep. The weight of the day, the joy of being parents, and the love they shared between them settled over the room like a warm, comforting blanket.

As they finally laid Nila down in her crib and made their way back to their bedroom, Mihitha couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for this life they had built together. It hadn’t been easy, and they had both made mistakes, but they had found their way through it all.

And now, as they lay side by side in bed, their hands intertwined and their hearts full, Mihitha knew with absolute certainty that this was where she belonged here, with Rudransh and Nila, in a home filled with love.