04.

Soft music played inside the car, but both siblings—Ahana and Kartik—were lost in their own thoughts.

Ahana's face looked a little sad. Her eyes still carried the image of someone... that girl from her class today—silent yet graceful. There was pain hidden in her expression, but also a certain dignity that no one else seemed to notice.

"Why are you so quiet?" Kartik asked, his eyes focused on the steering wheel. "Was college that boring, or did your new batch ruin your mood?"

Ahana glanced at him and gave a faint smile, but quickly turned serious again.

"I saw a girl... very simple, very low-profile. But everyone was ignoring her. Riya even crossed all limits..."

Kartik raised his eyebrows. "Riya?"

Ahana, anger flashing in her eyes, said, "She insulted that poor girl in front of the entire class, mocked her financial status... made fun of her clothes. I thought people went to college to study, not to walk in a fashion show."

Kartik seemed a little bored but couldn't hide his growing curiosity.

"So... what's the girl's name?"

Ahana shot him a sideways glance and casually said, "Aakriti."

Kartik's eyes lit up. He repeated the name—"Aakriti..." and a mischievous smile curved on his lips.

"Such a beautiful name. How old would she be?"

Ahana looked at him suspiciously. "Why are you asking? Are you planning to flirt?"

Kartik pretended as if he hadn't understood a thing. "I’m just asking casually. Anyway, you guys are young, so guessing the age of college girls is pretty normal, right?"

Ahana playfully smacked his shoulder. "You’ll never change! You just can't stop flirting with someone or the other."

Kartik laughed. "Who said I ever wanted to change?"

Ahana rolled her eyes. "Forget it. I can’t expect anything serious from you."

"Okay, okay. Last question. That girl... is she pretty?" Kartik teased.

Ahana gave him a look that could kill and then fell silent. Kartik laughed harder. "Silence means yes!"

6:15 PM

As their car stopped on the marble driveway, a servant rushed to open the door.

Singhania Mansion—one of Delhi’s most luxurious and grand homes. Every corner breathed royalty.

In the hall, Kamla Singhania (Arnav’s grandmother), Vikram Singhania (his grandfather), and Malti Singhania (Arnav’s mother) were sitting comfortably.

Soft lighting filled the courtyard, and the sweet scent of lavender from the aroma diffuser lingered in the air.

"Here come our two little troublemakers," Malti ji said with a smile.

Ahana ran to her and rested her head in her lap. "Dadi, I missed you so much."

Kartik touched Vikram ji’s feet and asked, "Dadaji, did you check your blood pressure?"

Sujata ji smiled warmly at them and said, "Go freshen up, dinner will be ready soon."

7:00 PM

The patriarch of the Singhania family, Mr. Rajwant Singh, entered the house.

Now semi-retired, he helped his son Arnav with business decisions. Once, he was the silent emperor behind an underworld empire.

His mere presence created an aura of power—calm, strict, yet deeply affectionate towards his family.

As he stepped in, Malti ji immediately asked, "Where’s Arnav?"

"There was an urgent meeting at the office. He'll be late," Rajwant ji replied calmly.

9:00 PM – Dinner Time

Everyone gathered around the grand dining table. Crystal cutlery gleamed under the soft lights, and Malti ji had specially arranged for royal-style paneer and moong dal halwa.

Casually, Ahana said, "By the way, I met a strange girl at college today... her name’s Aakriti."

Rajwant ji paused for a moment. "Aakriti?"

"Yeah... a sweet girl. Riya was troubling her," Ahana continued casually.

Rajwant ji didn’t say anything. He simply cast a thoughtful look at Ahana—as if that name stirred a memory... or perhaps, marked the beginning of something new.

11:00 PM

After dinner, the house fell quiet as everyone retired to their rooms.

Only Vikram ji and Rajwant ji remained in the drawing room, sipping coffee, when a loud knock on the main door broke the silence.

It was Arnav Singhania.

Dressed in a jet-black three-piece suit, his tie loosened, his eyes heavy with exhaustion but his face devoid of emotion—every step he took carried the kind of weight that made the earth want to bow down.

He glanced at both of them, his brows furrowing.

"How many times have I told you both? Don’t wait up for me."

Vikram ji replied in a soft tone, "And how many times have we told you? You should come home earlier. We’re your family—what’s wrong with waiting for you?"

Arnav said nothing. Ignoring their words, he strode toward the stairs.

Rajwant called out from behind, "Did you eat?"

Without looking back, Arnav replied, "I had something from the canteen."

And without any further emotion, he disappeared into his room.

Arnav’s Room – The Cold Royalty

The most secluded and mysterious part of the Singhania Mansion—Arnav’s room.

A black and silver theme dominated the space, leather couches, a giant glass window overlooking the city skyline, and a walk-in wardrobe that resembled a high-end showroom.

Arnav removed his coat and headed to the bathroom.

His bathroom wasn’t ordinary either—marble flooring, a jacuzzi, a rain shower, and a fog-proof mirror.

As he showered, water droplets traced over his strong arms and back, like pearls sliding over a sculpted statue.

He stepped out wearing only a pair of loose lowers. His wet hair clung to his forehead, his skin fresh, but his soul exhausted.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, he picked up a whiskey glass but placed it back down—he wasn’t in the mood.

He lay down on the bed, face down.

Today, a single name floated in his mind—Aakriti.

He closed his eyes, and a fleeting memory flashed—a little girl he had once seen... maybe outside a school gate... or was it in a hospital corridor?

Who was she?

And why did her name feel so familiar?

~

To Be Continued…