Sacred Games Of Twisted Fate {18+}

**THE DINNER**

***author's pov***

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                 ATLEAST DISTRACT ME ...

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── .✦

Arjun held Abhi in his arms, watching Aayara move around the room with practiced ease. When she handed him the baby again, he sighed dramatically. "Arre yaar, he’ll cry again. At least change in front of me. I’ll get...distracted."

Aayara raised an eyebrow, amused by his blatant cheekiness. "Are you serious?"

Arjun smirked, leaning slightly closer. "Please?" he asked, his voice dipping lower in a way that sent a shiver down her spine.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Fine, go ahead," she said, dropping the towel casually.

Arjun froze, his breath catching as he took in the sight before him. His gaze softened, lingering a little too long until he cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus on the baby in his arms.

Abhi squirmed slightly, his little hands reaching out toward Aayara. Arjun chuckled, gently covering the baby’s eyes with one hand. "She’s my wife, boy. No peeking," he teased.

Abhi giggled, clearly amused, and buried his face in Arjun’s chest, his small hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. Arjun shook his head, his own chuckle escaping as he kissed Abhi’s chubby cheek.

"You’ve gone after me, haven’t you?" Arjun said, his voice filled with warmth. "Always curious, always wanting more. I bet you’ll grow up to be just like your dad."

Aayara, now fully dressed, turned to see the tender moment between father and son. She smiled faintly, the sight filling her with warmth. "He might’ve inherited your curiosity, Arjun, but I’ll make sure he doesn’t pick up all your bad habits."

Arjun smirked, glancing at her with a playful glint in his eye. "Good luck with that, white. I have a feeling he’ll be unstoppable."

Aayara stepped closer, gently taking Abhi back into her arms. "Let’s just hope he inherits your loyalty, not your stubbornness."

Arjun’s smirk faded slightly, replaced by a softer expression. "He already has the best parts of both of us," he said, brushing a hand gently over Abhi’s head. "I’ll make sure he always has what we didn’t."

Aayara nodded, her eyes glistening with emotion as she held their son tightly. "Together," she whispered.

"Always," Arjun replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead tenderly.

Aayara and Arjun descended the staircase to the dinner table, where the entire family was beginning to gather. A warm, lively atmosphere filled the dining hall, with conversations flowing and occasional laughter echoing.

Aayara’s gaze shifted to Daksh, who was holding his little daughter. The baby squirmed in his arms, her tiny hands reaching out as if trying to grasp the air. Aayara smiled, her voice soft and curious. "So, what name have you thought for this little princess, Daksh?"

Daksh chuckled awkwardly, adjusting his grip on the baby. "Wo...bhabhi...Rajshree," he said, glancing briefly at Arjun.

The name hung in the air, a subtle tension descending over the table. Arjun froze mid-motion, his expression unreadable as his fingers gripped the edge of the chair. His sharp inhale didn’t go unnoticed.

"Really?" he murmured, his voice quiet yet heavy with emotion.

Aayara, oblivious to the undercurrent, smiled warmly. "It’s beautiful," she said genuinely, her eyes softening as she looked at the baby.

Daksh returned her smile, albeit faintly, sensing Arjun’s reaction. "Thank you, bhabhi," he said, his tone subdued.

Arjun stood abruptly, his chair scraping slightly against the floor as he reached for the baby. Daksh hesitated but handed her over. Arjun cradled the little girl in his arms, his touch surprisingly gentle despite the tremble in his hands.

He whispered the name, "Rajshree," as if testing the weight of it on his tongue. His eyes flickered with a storm of emotions—pain, love, and an aching nostalgia.

The room grew silent as everyone watched him. Aayara frowned slightly, sensing the shift in his demeanor. She placed a hand lightly on his arm, grounding him.

Arjun exhaled deeply, his gaze fixed on the baby’s innocent face. "She’s...perfect," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to the baby’s forehead.

Daksh swallowed hard, his expression conflicted, while Aayara’s grip on Arjun’s arm tightened, silently offering him support.

As Arjun handed the baby back to Daksh, he glanced at him, his voice steady yet heavy with meaning. "Take care of her. She carries a name that deserves nothing less than love and strength."

Daksh nodded, his throat tight as he held his daughter close. The moment passed, and the family resumed their conversations, though a lingering weight remained in the air, felt by those who understood its significance.

They all settled around the grand dining table, the atmosphere lively with chatter and laughter. Aayara sat beside Arjun, who kept Abhi comfortably on his lap, occasionally feeding him tiny bites of mashed food.

Meera walked in, her expression carefully masked. However, her jaw ticked subtly with suppressed anger. The sight of Aayara, now welcomed warmly back into the family, gnawed at her. She forced a bright smile, her eyes darting between Arjun and Aayara, though the bitterness in her gaze was hard to miss.

She gracefully took her seat, picking up her fork and knife with practiced ease. “It’s so wonderful to have you back, Aayara,” she said, her tone laced with artificial sweetness as she looked across the table.

Aayara, ever gracious, smiled faintly. “Thank you, Meera. It feels good to be home.”

Meera’s grip on her fork tightened, though she kept her smile intact. “Home indeed. I just hope everything will be as perfect as before,” she added, the faintest edge of sarcasm slipping through.

Daksh chuckled, completely oblivious to the tension. “Of course, it will be. Now that bhabhi is back, everything feels right.”

Payal nodded in agreement, adding, “It’s nice to have a complete family again.”

Meera bit into her food with a little more force than necessary, her eyes flickering with disdain as she watched Aayara interact effortlessly with everyone. Her mind raced with schemes, but for now, she kept her composure, blending into the harmony of the evening.

Arjun’s sharp gaze didn’t miss the subtle tension in Meera’s posture or the flash of resentment in her eyes. His hand slid over Aayara’s under the table, squeezing gently as if to reassure her. He leaned in and whispered, “Ignore her.”

Aayara glanced at him, a small, grateful smile on her lips. She nodded and turned her attention back to Abhi, who was giggling at Daksh’s silly antics.

The dinner carried on, the warmth of the family’s bond overshadowing Meera’s quiet fury—for now.