"Happy Married Life, Shivya Pathak" I weakly smiled seeing my condition, mangalsutra dangling in my neck, vermilion in hair and both hands filled with gold bangles.
"Come out quickly or do you want me to break the gate," my husband knocked again...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I did not expect you to come," Shivya said, turning her head to look at her brother, who was seated beside her on the garden bench.
Angad smiled faintly as his hand moved over Zumo's fur in absent strokes, who was sprawled across his lap like he had no bones left in his body.
"Aana toh nahi chahta tha," he said with deliberate carelessness, though the warmth in his eyes betrayed him. "Lekin aaj Rakshabandhan hai, toh tujhe yaad bhi dilana tha ki sautela hi sahi, ek bhai hai tere paas."
[I did not want to come, but today is Rakshabandhan, so I had to remind you that even if I'm only a stepbrother, you still have a brother.]
The moment the word stepbrother left his mouth, Shivya's expression hardened. She turned fully toward him and punched his arm with enough force to make him wince, more wounded by the word than amused by the joke.
"You are my real brother," she said sternly, glaring at him with misted eyes she refused to acknowledge. "Only mine."
For a brief second, Angad's teasing slipped. Something more vulnerable crossed his face before he quickly hid it behind another smile.
He slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her gently into a sideways hug, pressing her against him in a gesture that was rough in execution but tender in meaning "Lucky for us," he murmured with dry humor, "that our parents never thought of bringing more children into this world and ruining their lives too."
Shivya did not laugh this time, she lowered her gaze and remained silent, because no matter how bitterly he said it, there was truth buried beneath his sarcasm, and some truths were too heavy to answer.
Then Angad finally asked the question that had been waiting within him since the day she had chosen to stay with Vedant "So now," he said, turning to look at her properly, "you are leaving your old life behind to become a housewife?"
Shivya turned toward him immediately, a quiet fire rising in her eyes "No," she said firmly. "I did not struggle that much in life just to abandon everything I dreamed of and become only a housewife. I gave a job interview, and Vedant sent my documents to Ahana. Maybe in two or three days I'll receive an email regarding it."
Angad studied her face carefully. He wanted to be reassured, but concern was not so easily dismissed.
"Are you sure he isn't manipulating you with sweet words?" he asked quietly. "You know why I'm asking."
His tone held no accusation, only the protectiveness of a brother who knew exactly how fragile and stubborn his sister could be, and how dangerous the wrong household might become for someone like her.
Shivya frowned at once, not offended for herself but for the man being misjudged "Tu jaise samajh raha hai na, mere Vedant waise bilkul bhi nahi hain," she said, defending him with a speed that surprised even her. "Tu unhe achhe se jaanta nahi hai, issiliye aise bol raha hai."
