Unexpectedly Yours

Chapter 1

Author's POV:

Adarsh: "Tai, I'm leaving," he called out, grabbing his bag.

Atharva: "Me too, Taaiii! See you in the evening!" he added, racing past his older brother.

Aayansh: "Tai, I won't be home for lunch today, so don't wait for me. See ya!" he shouted, already halfway out the door.

Advik: "Tai, my friends are coming over later, so make sure to whip up something really good!" he chimed in without missing a beat.

One after the other, they rattled off their demands in rapid succession, barely leaving space for her to respond.

Vanshika, juggling her morning routine, finally threw her hands up in exasperation. "Will you all give me a second to speak?! Just one second, that's all I ask!" Her voice, usually soft and calm, carried a sharp edge as she glanced between her four brothers.

(Here enters our female lead)

Vanshika, the pillar of the household, was only in her early twenties but carried the weight of caring for her four brothers with a blend of fierce love and responsibility. From packing their lunches to remembering every little detail of their schedules, she did it all without complaint. Despite their endless demands, she found joy in looking after them, even when they tried her patience. She had long since accepted that her role wasn't just a sister, but a second mother to these boys.

Vanshika sighed, her expression softening as she grabbed the tiffin boxes. "Alright, first of all, Adarsh and Atharva, take your tiffins. And Aayansh, you too," she said, giving him a pointed look. "You're not eating outside today, do you hear me? Get that into your head." Her voice was firm but warm, the kind of tone that only someone who truly cared could master.

She turned to Advik, her youngest brother, who was standing there with a cheeky grin. "As for you, my little Aadu, don't worry. I'll make something special for you and your friends." She ruffled his hair affectionately.

Adarsh, always the most composed of the bunch, looked a bit sheepish as he took the tiffin from her. "Tai, what's the need for this?" He asked, though he knew full well how she was. "I'm just heading to an interview, no big deal."

But Vanshika waved off his protests, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "It's still important, Adarsh. You won't focus if you're hungry. Now go on, and best of luck."

The room buzzed with energy, but beneath it all was a steady, unbreakable bond-a testament to the love Vanshika poured into her brothers every single day.

---

Vanshika's POV:

The morning began like any other, instructing my brothers one after the other before heading to the kitchen. It was a rare week off from my job as a receptionist at Pawar and Companies. I didn't have the qualifications most people had for a job like this, but I was lucky-Mama (my maternal uncle) gave me this opportunity, knowing the circumstances I faced. Though my formal education was incomplete, life had taught me countless skills, especially through raising my brothers.

I had taken this week off to focus on Baba's health. Lately, it seemed to be deteriorating, and the sight of him in that condition broke me a little more each day. As I stirred the food for Aayansh and his friends, a lone tear slipped down my cheek. The weight of everything-my father's condition, the responsibility of running the house, caring for my brothers-it all felt heavy today.

But I wiped it away quickly. No time to dwell. Aayu's friends were coming over, and I wanted to make something special for them. After all, it was good to see Aayu taking his studies seriously, especially with these project discussions. I had to make sure they had a hearty meal to keep them going.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. They're here already. I quickly wiped my hands on a towel and stepped out of the kitchen to greet them. Aayu introduced me to his friends, and I smiled warmly at them, exchanging pleasantries before slipping back into the kitchen to finish preparing their meal. It's moments like these that made everything feel a little lighter, knowing I could still make things right for my family, even in the smallest ways.

As soon as the food was ready, I heard footsteps approaching the kitchen-it had to be Aayu, of course.

"Tai, are the snacks ready?" he asked eagerly, barely able to hide his hunger. "We're all starving."

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, another voice chimed in. It was one of Aayu's friends, Raghav, stepping into the kitchen with a friendly grin. "Hello, Tai! I can't wait to taste the food you've prepared. I've heard so much about it!"

Before I could respond, a girl's voice joined in from the living room. "Oh, yes! We've all tasted your food before from the tiffins you pack for Aayansh every day." I turned to the girl and smiled. What was her name again? Ah, yes, Ashwi-such a unique name.

I smiled at them and gestured towards the tray. "Yes, the snacks are all ready. Aayu, just take the tray out and make sure everyone enjoys, alright?"

Aayu's eyes lit up as he took the tray from me. "Alright, Tai. Thanks!"

As they headed back to the living room, I couldn't help but feel a little warmth in my heart. It's the small moments like these-seeing Aayu happy, surrounded by friends-that made everything worthwhile.

The evening had settled in by the time Aayu and his friends finished their discussions for the day. Well, just for today, because I knew this routine was going to continue until they finally wrapped up their project. One by one, they began leaving, each one bidding me a cheerful goodbye.

Except for Ashwi.

I noticed she lingered behind, so I asked, "Aren't you leaving?"

I didn't mean to sound rude, but the words came out awkwardly. I quickly tried to fix it. "Uhh... I mean, you can stay as long as you want! I was just asking."

She chuckled, clearly amused by my flustered response. "It's okay, Tai, I understand. I'm heading home soon. I just asked my brother to pick me up. He's returning from a business trip today, so we're leaving together."

"Oh, okay!" I nodded, feeling a little more at ease.

I left her there, still chuckling to herself, and returned to my usual evening chores. She was an interesting girl, I thought, with her easygoing nature.

Just as I was finishing up some work, I heard a knock at the door. Wiping my hands on my apron, I went to answer it. As I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of a man with a strong, tall figure. My gaze traveled up until I realized my height barely reached his chest.

And then I saw his face.

My heart skipped a beat. There was no mistaking him. Even after all these years, his face remained etched in my memory-unchanged, yet somehow different.

It was him.

Deva.

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The male lead has officially entered the story, and trust me-it's about to get exciting! How does Vanshika know him? Is there some history between them? Well, you'll just have to stick around to find out as the story unfolds!

I am publishing this chapter now as I was done with drafting it and currently I am drafting the other chapters. I promise you I will try to make each and every chapter interesting.

If you're enjoying the journey so far, don't forget to vote and leave a comment! Your support means the world to me, and I can't wait to hear what you think!