𝐀𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚 : 𝐸𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠

~🥀 Lingering Smiles 🥀~

💗

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After the chaos of the morning and afternoon Puja, the evening settled over the Raj Mahal with a quiet sense of peace. The palace, which had echoed with prayers, laughter, and footsteps throughout the day, now breathed in calmness.

At the heart of the Raj Mahal lay its enchanting central courtyard, the aangan. A serene oasis where heritage embraced elegance. Majestic arches and grand galleries framed the space, while meticulously tended gardens and graceful fountains added to its timeless beauty. Ornately carved benches invited moments of quiet reflection, and as dusk deepened, soft golden lights illuminated the pathways, making the entire courtyard glow with a regal charm. Every corner stood as a testament to the grace, grandeur, and enduring legacy of royal architecture.

Everyone had gathered there, lost in light-hearted conversations. The centre of everyone's attention was Haseena. They did everything they could to make her feel at home, asking about her life, sharing stories, and drawing her into their laughter. Though naturally reserved, Haseena tried her best to open up, responding with shy smiles and hesitant words, slowly allowing herself to become a part of the warmth surrounding her.

"Achha, Bhabhi Sa... yeh batayiye, aap aur Bhai Sa pehli baar kahaan mile the?" Karishma asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

The question immediately caught everyone's attention. One after another, all eyes shifted to Haseena. It wasn't just Karishma who wanted to know. None of them had ever heard the story of how Anubhav and Haseena had met. No one knew where it had begun, how it had unfolded, or what had brought the two of them together.

The curiosity that had been buried for so long suddenly came alive.

Haseena, however, froze.

Her fingers instinctively tightened around the edge of her pallu as the unexpected question left her momentarily speechless.

Because the truth was...

She didn't know the answer either.

The first time she had seen Anubhav was the day he had kidnapped her. That memory was etched too deeply into her mind to ever be forgotten.

But when had he first seen her?

When had his story with her truly begun?

Had he noticed her long before that day?

Or had everything started at that very moment?

She had never paused to think about it. Not once. And now, standing in the middle of everyone's curious gazes, she realized she had no answer to give.

Before the silence could grow any heavier..

A deep, commanding voice rang out from behind them, effortlessly drawing every ounce of attention towards itself.

"Agar aap sab ka ho gaya ho... toh hum apni biwi ko wapas apne ghar le jaa rahe hain."

The calm authority in his voice carried across the courtyard with such ease that no one needed to look twice to know who it was.

Yet they all did.

Almost in unison, every head turned towards the entrance.

Anubhav stood there with his usual composed expression, one hand casually resting in his pocket as if he hadn't just interrupted the entire gathering. There was no hint of hesitation in his stance, no uncertainty in his eyes. His presence alone was enough to command the space, effortlessly shifting the centre of attention from the conversation to himself.