UNWILLINGLY HIS

Enemies together?

The drive back to the mansion was peaceful, the silence between Samaira and Advait not heavy as it had been in the past. Instead, it was comfortable, almost easy. Both of them were lost in their thoughts, reminiscing about their time at the snow park. Samaira couldn't help but smile to herself as she thought about how she had shown Aarav his place earlier. It had felt empowering, and she had done it without hesitation, without the weight of the past pulling her down. Advait, too, seemed quieter than usual, though his gaze occasionally flicked toward her with a soft smile that made her heart flutter.

It was strange, she thought, how much they had changed over the past few days. The awkwardness between them seemed to have melted away, leaving space for something more natural, more comfortable. A small part of her even wished she could hang onto these moments forever—when the silence felt peaceful and not oppressive, when they could be in each other's presence without the weight of everything that had happened.

As they pulled up to the mansion, Advait turned to her just before she opened the door. “Thank you, Samaira,” he said, his voice quiet, sincere.

Samaira smiled back. “My pleasure,” she replied, and for a moment, it felt like the truth. She didn’t need anything from him right now except the peace they had created between them in this little bubble of time.

The next morning, Samaira woke up with an unexpected feeling of urgency. She hadn’t seen her family in what felt like forever. It was time to visit them, to check in on how they were doing. The thought crossed her mind that Advait wouldn’t stop her—he had already made it clear that she was a free soul, free to do as she pleased, except for one thing: escaping.

Samaira sat in front of the mirror, contemplating what to wear. Her fingers lingered over the mangalsutra resting in the drawer. A part of her resisted it, but another part—one that she couldn't quite silence—wanted to wear it, if only for the sake of appearance. It was just a piece of jewelry, after all. A piece of jewelry that meant more than it should.

She took a deep breath and put it on, the gold chain settling against her skin like a weight that didn’t quite fit.

Stepping out of her room, Samaira noticed that Advait wasn’t at the breakfast table like he usually was. He would always make sure she had something to eat before he left, but this morning, the table was empty.

"Savita ji," she called, her voice laced with curiosity. "Has he already left?"

Savita ji, the housekeeper who had worked in the mansion for years, nodded with a slight frown. “Yes, madam, I mean samaira. He had some business to attend to.”

It was strange. Advait never left without a word, especially not without making sure Samaira had breakfast first. But Samaira simply nodded and turned to leave. “I’m going to visit my parents. I’ll be back by evening.”

As she reached the door, she remembered something. She turned back to Savita ji, who was already clearing some plates from the table. “You’ve worked here for a long time, right? You must know what Advait’s favorite car is.”

Savita ji gave a knowing smile. “Yes, I do.”

“Well, my car is being sent for maintenance, and I thought I might get a feel of his favorite car," Samaira said, her tone casual. "If he likes it, it must be something special."

Without hesitation, Savita ji handed her the car keys. Samaira took them and left the mansion, her mind already set on the visit to her family.

As she drove out of the gates of the mansion, Samaira’s thoughts lingered on Advait, but she quickly pushed them aside. He wasn’t here, and there was no reason to dwell on what had been left unsaid. Her mind turned to her family, her home.

The guard at the gate opened the barrier, thinking Advait was in the car, as the vehicle was one of his favorites. He didn’t recognize the driver immediately, but since Advait used this gate on occasion, he assumed nothing was amiss. Samaira drove off, heading toward her parents' house.

Once on the road, she called her mother. “Ma, is everyone home?” she asked, the excitement in her voice palpable.

Her mother’s voice came through the phone, filled with joy. “Samaira! You're coming? Everyone is here, except your Papa. He went to the old mansion to get some documents. It’s been a while, so he must be done with his work soon.”

Samaira smiled, feeling a rush of warmth. “Then I’ll head to the old mansion first. I’ll meet him there and surprise him. Don’t tell him I’m coming yet.”

Her mother’s excited response came a beat later, her voice full of emotion. “Of course, I won’t say a word. He’ll be so happy to see you!”

As Samaira entered the familiar, old mansion, the guards at the door didn’t hesitate to let her in. They all knew who she was. Samaira had always been different from the other members of the Singhania family. She wasn’t domineering or aloof like the others. She understood the servants, their struggles, and their lives. Samaira never barked orders at them like they were beneath her. Instead, she treated them with respect, always making sure to acknowledge their efforts and show them kindness.

It was because of her, Samaira knew, that Advait had been in a better mood lately. She had always been the one to bring a sense of balance, even in the midst of chaos. And the servants—many of them had confided in her, telling her how much of a difference it made to have someone like her around.

As Samaira walked into the house, she greeted the servants with a nod and a smile. One of them informed her that her father was in the study. She nodded and made her way toward the study, the old house echoing with the sound of her footsteps.

Just as she reached the door, she heard two voices from inside. One was unmistakably her father’s. The other, however, made her stop in her tracks. Advait’s voice.

Her heart raced. What was he doing here? With her father?

She had known that there had been tension between Advait and her father ever since he had abandoned her at the altar, shattering her family’s reputation. The thought of them together, especially in her family’s private study, made her stomach churn.

Samaira stood still for a moment, listening to the conversation inside, trying to make sense of the situation. Her father sounded agitated, his voice rising in frustration. “You don’t get her into such danger, Advait!” he snapped.

Advait’s voice, low and controlled, responded. “I did whatever I did because it was necessary at that time …” His words trailed off, the tension clear.

Samaira’s mind raced. This wasn’t just a conversation. This was something more. Something urgent.

She stood frozen, unable to process what she was hearing. What was going on? Why was Advait here, talking to her father like this?