Jassi stood before the food truck for a long moment, as if waiting for the ground beneath her feet to steady.
The red cloth tied at the front fluttered lightly in the warm afternoon breeze. The small lamps placed near the wheels glowed even in daylight—steady, almost stubborn, as if refusing to be ignored.
She lifted the coconut in her hands.
For once, she didn't rush.
Her fingers tightened around it as she closed her eyes briefly, murmuring a half-remembered prayer—uneven, awkward, stitched together from memory rather than faith, but sincere enough to count.
Then she struck.
The coconut broke cleanly against the ground.
Cheers erupted instantly.
"Congratulations!"
"This is amazing, Jassi!"
"Start already, what are you waiting for!"
Claps followed—one, then many—until the narrow lanes of the chawl echoed with applause and whistles. A few women cheered loudly, joy spilling over without restraint.
Jassi startled at the noise, then laughed—a short, surprised sound that felt unfamiliar even to her. She wiped her palms against her sari, grounding herself, and turned back toward the truck.
Pranati stood beside her, eyes bright, her smile wide but careful—like someone afraid the moment might shatter if she held it too tightly.
"It's officially open," Pranati said softly, almost to herself.
Jassi looked at her then. Really looked at her.
"You did all this," she said—not accusing, not doubting. Just stating it. "On your own."
Pranati shrugged lightly. "Not on my own," she replied. "I had you. I always have."
Something tightened in Jassi's chest.
She masked it quickly, turning toward the gathering crowd. "What are you all staring at? Aren't you going to take pictures or what?"
That was all it took.
Phones came out instantly.
Siya pushed her way forward, already laughing. "Come on, come on—stand properly. This is a historic moment!"
Pranati moved to one side of the truck, Jassi to the other. Siya squeezed herself between them, looping an arm around Pranati's shoulder without asking.
"Smile," Siya said firmly. "A proper one."
The camera clicked.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
In one photo, Pranati was caught mid-laugh—unguarded and glowing.
In another, Jassi stood straighter than usual, chin lifted, pride softening the sharp edges she carried like armor.
In a third, Siya pulled a ridiculous face, ruining the seriousness entirely.
The chawl buzzed with happiness—small, imperfect, earned.
For a fleeting moment, Jassi felt it too.
Not the hunger for more.
Not the instinct to calculate.
Just… belonging.
Pranati glanced once more at the truck—at her name painted proudly across its side—and something settled quietly inside her.
This wasn't just a business.
It was a beginning.
---
Meanwhile — In Arnav's Room
The room was quiet in a way that felt deliberate.
The curtains stirred faintly as the balcony doors stood open, letting the noom air drift in.sun lights filtered into the room in the distance, indifferent to the thoughts gathering inside the room.
Arnav stood by the railing, one hand resting against the cold metal, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the skyline. Calm. Still. As if nothing about the coming days unsettled him.
Behind him, Arav lay sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I still can't believe it," Arav said after a moment, breaking the silence. "Three days from now… you'll be married."
Arnav didn't turn.
Ranav, leaning against the desk with his arms crossed, watched his brother carefully. "Bhaiya," he said, quieter, more cautious. "Do you think you'll be able to… love Ruby? After the wedding?"
The question hung in the air longer than expected.
Arnav's jaw tightened—not visibly, but enough.
He let out a slow breath before answering.
"Love?" he repeated softly, as if testing the word. "What love are you talking about?"
Arav sat up slightly. Ranav straightened.
Arnav finally spoke, still facing the night.
"This marriage isn't about love," he said evenly. "It's about responsibility. Protection." A pause. "If marrying her keeps this family safe from what I carry… then that's enough."
Ranav frowned. "That's not how marriage is supposed to—"
"I know," Arnav interrupted gently, not sharply. "I know what love is supposed to be."
He turned then, just slightly, enough for them to see his face—not cold, not angry… just tired.
"Love is trust," he continued. "It's letting someone see your weakest parts and knowing they won't run. It's choosing someone every day, even when it's hard." His voice softened. "It's beautiful."
Arav blinked, surprised by the quiet conviction in his brother's tone.
Then Arnav's gaze dropped.
"But it isn't meant for me."
Ranav stepped forward instinctively. "Bhaiya—"
Arnav raised a hand, stopping him.
"I can't afford it," he said simply. "The moment I let myself care like that… the person I love becomes a target. For darkness. For Mohana. For everything I fight every day."
He swallowed.
"No girl deserves to live like that. Looking over her shoulder. Wondering if today is the day I lose control."
Arav's voice came out rougher than he intended. "That doesn't mean no one could love you."
Arnav gave a faint, humorless smile.
"Maybe," he said. "But I won't let anyone try."
The word slipped out before he could stop it.
"Monster."
The room stilled.
Ranav moved instantly, crossing the space between them. He grabbed Arnav's arm—not hard, but firm. "Don't," he said. "You promised Mom. And you promised us."
Arav joined them, standing on Arnav's other side. "You're not a monster. You're the one who keeps saving everyone—even when it costs you."
Arnav closed his eyes for a second.
The wind brushed past them, carrying the distant sounds of the city—alive, unaware.
When he opened his eyes again, the walls were back in place.
"I'm fine," he said quietly. "I know what I am. And I know what I have to do."
Ranav searched his face, then nodded slowly. "Just don't shut us out."
Arnav looked at his brothers then—really looked at them.
"I won't," he promised.
They stood there together for a moment, the three of them framed by the open balcony, bound by something deeper than fear.
Outside, a shadow in the sunlight watched silently.
And somewhere far away, fate listened.
To be continued…