The Unwanted Royal Marriage

54. Heart attack? In the knees?

Author's pov

 Moments later, Ruhaan came running into the room, tugging at Baba sa's hand.

"Dadu, Kaka Dadu, let's go play cricket outside!" Ruhaan exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Baba sa chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Alright, Ruhaan beta. Let's see if you've got your Baba's skills!"

Kaka sa added, "Or mine! We'll teach you some tricks today."

With that, the trio left the palace, leaving Meera alone for what she assumed would be a quiet day.

But moments later, Devi's voice echoed from the hallway.

"Meera Bhabhi! Guess what? We've all decided to stay home today!" Devi announced as she entered the room with Dhruv, Dev, Saira, and Kabeer trailing behind her.

Meera raised an eyebrow. "All of you? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Dhruv grinned. "What's more important than spending time with you, Bhabhi? Plus, it's been a while since we had a good family gossip session."

Meera laughed, shaking her head. "Alright, what's the occasion?"

Saira plopped onto the couch beside her, a mischievous glint in her eye. "No occasion. We just thought it's about time we talk about how Adhyay Bhai sa was in your absence."

Meera's smile faltered slightly, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Dev sighed dramatically, leaning back. "Bhabhi, you have no idea. Bhai sa was a different person in those three years."

Devi nodded, her expression softening. "He was... angry, Bhabhi. All the time. He barely smiled. The palace was so quiet, it didn't feel like home."

Dhruv added, "Every little thing would irritate him. He threw himself into work, taking on so much that even Baba sa had to tell him to slow down. But he wouldn't listen. It was like he was trying to drown out the pain."

Saira, her voice gentler than usual, said, "We missed him—the real Adhyay Bhai sa. He was there, but it wasn't him. You were his world, Meera. When you... left, a part of him did too."

Meera felt a lump form in her throat, her heart aching at the thought of the man she loved suffering so deeply. "I didn't know... I thought staying away would protect him."

Kabeer, leaning against the wall, spoke up. "Bhabhi, you might've been in Canada, but you weren't all sunshine and roses either. Should I tell them how you were during your pregnancy?"

Meera's eyes widened. "Kabeer, don't you dare!"

But Kabeer grinned wickedly and turned to the others. "Oh, you're going to love this. Bhabhi was the queen of cravings and mood swings. Saurabh and I would get midnight calls to bring her strawberry milkshakes or chocolate truffles. And God forbid if they didn't meet her exact standards!"

Dev burst out laughing. "Wait, so she was just as stubborn there as she is here?"

"Worse," Kabeer said with mock seriousness. "Once, she sent Saurabh all the way to a specific bakery for a cake, only to tell him she didn't feel like eating it anymore when he got back."

The room erupted in laughter, and Meera groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I can't believe you're telling them this!"

Devi smirked. "This is gold! Bhabhi, you sound like you were a nightmare!"

Kabeer's tone softened as he continued, "But she was also incredibly strong. She handled everything on her own, even when it was tough. And she always kept Ruhaan's best interests at heart. She didn't let anyone see her struggles, but I saw them."