MARRIED 'SINGLES'

FAMILY?

Happy reading....

Ruhaan was getting ready to leave for his cafe when his phone rang. It was a call from his relatives and he's shocked.

Because they never called him.

He lifted the call in confusion and it's his paternal cousin, Ananth on other side. He didn't even greet before informing him that his grandfather had passed away from a heart attack the previous night.

The news hit him like a sledgehammer, leaving him devastated. His grandfather was the last family member he had, the only person who ever truly cared for him. Now, he was gone too.

Without wasting a second, Ruhaan grabbed his keys and rushed out, his heart pounding with grief and disbelief. The drive to his grandfather's house was a blur, a mix of frantic thoughts and a deepening sorrow that gnawed at him. It took an hour to reach, but it felt like a lifetime.

When Ruhaan finally arrived, the house was crowded with relatives-people he barely knew or recognized. They all turned to look at him as he entered, their faces blank, almost indifferent. It was as if they hadn't expected him to come, which confused and angered him.

How could they be so insensitive?

This was his grandfather, the only family he had left. Why wouldn't he be here?

Ignoring the cold stares and the whispers that followed, Ruhaan pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the place where his grandfather lay.

He knelt down beside the body, his heart shattering as the reality of the situation hit him like a wave.

Tears streamed down his face as he choked out, "Why did you leave me, Dada? Who will check on me now? Who will ask if I'm doing okay?"

He pressed his head against the edge of the coffin, his body shaking with sobs. His cousin Ananth approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's time to take him," he said quietly, trying to pull Ruhaan away. But Ruhaan felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

How could he let go?

As he wept, one of the older relatives spoke up in a cold, dismissive tone. "You're not a woman, Ruhaan. Stop crying like that. Behave like a man."

Ruhaan's head snapped up, his tear-stained eyes blazing with anger. He wanted to scream at them, to tell them how cruel and heartless they were. But before he could say anything, a voice rang out, cutting through the tension in the room.

"He just proved he's also a human being with a heart and emotions, unlike some pretenders here who only came for the property," the voice said, strong and clear. "He has every right to cry for his grandfather, and nobody will stop him."

Ruhaan looked up, confused and surprised. The man who had spoken up for him was someone he didn't expect. He looked familiar, but Ruhaan couldn't immediately place him. The man was standing tall, dressed in a white t-shirt with a black jacket hanging on his arm. As he turned around, Ruhaan's eyes widened in shock. It was the same man who had visited his cafe the day before.

The elder who had made the harsh comment about Ruhaan's tears scowled.

"Sameer, what are you saying? I didn't expect this from you. You know who he is, yet you-"