Chapter 28: The Weight of the Crown
(Vihaan's POV)
The past forty-eight hours had been a blur of damage control, screaming matches, and cold silences. But as I sat in the grand living room of the Malhotra mansion, the air felt different. The tension wasn't sharp anymore; it was heavy with the realization of a crumbling dynasty.
My father sat in his leather armchair, looking aged. The news of the "Runaway Groom" had settled, but the expected stock market crash hadn't been as catastrophic as he'd feared. Instead, the public narrative was shifting. People were tired of cold, corporate arrangements; they were captivated by the "CEO who chose love."
The door opened, and Janvi stepped in, flanked by her parents. They looked nervous, standing in a room that cost more than their family home, but they held their heads high.
The Reckoning
"Sit down," my father said. It wasn't a command this time. It was an invitation.
My mother, who had spent the last three days in tears, looked at Janvi. She didn't see a "commoner" anymore. She saw the woman who had brought her son back to life—the son who had been a hollow shell for five years.
"Vihaan told us everything," my mother began, her voice trembling. "Not just about the runaway wedding. But about college. About the bet. About the notebook."
I looked at my father. He wouldn't meet my eyes.
"I spent my life building a name," my father said, staring at his hands. "I thought a legacy was built on mergers and bloodlines. I thought I was protecting you by choosing Sophia. I thought... I thought I knew what was best for the chair of this company."
He looked up then, and for the first time in my life, I saw a flicker of regret in the man I thought was made of stone.
"But I watched you on that stage, Vihaan. I saw the look on your face when you walked away. It was the first time in years you looked like my son, and not just my successor." He turned his gaze to Janvi's parents. "I have been arrogant. I treated your daughter like an obstacle to a deal, rather than the woman my son cannot live without."
The Bridge Rebuilt
Janvi's mother stepped forward, her voice soft but firm. "We were angry, Mr. Malhotra. We didn't want our daughter anywhere near this world again. But we've seen the way they look at each other. You can't buy that kind of loyalty."
My father stood up slowly and walked over to Janvi. She didn't shrink back. He reached out, hesitantly, and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I was wrong," he whispered, loud enough for the whole room to hear. "V.X. Enterprises doesn't need a merger to survive. It needs a heart. And it seems my son found his a long time ago."
He looked at me, a small, tired smile touching his lips. "We won't be having a private, hidden ceremony, Vihaan. A Malhotra wedding is a statement. And this time, the statement will be that we value the woman you chose. We will do this right. The grandest celebration this city has seen—for the woman who saved the CEO."
A New Dawn
The relief that washed over me was so intense I had to steady myself against the back of a chair. Janvi reached for my hand, her fingers interlacing with mine.
"Does this mean we have your blessing?" I asked, needing to hear the words.
My mother walked over, pulling both of us into a hug. "You've always had it, Vihaan. I was just too afraid of your father to say it. Janvi, welcome to the family. And please... forgive us for taking so long to see you."
As we walked out of the mansion and into the cool evening air, Janvi leaned her head against my shoulder.
"I can't believe they actually listened," she breathed.
"They didn't just listen, Janvi," I said, kissing the top of her head. "They finally saw. The 'line item' is gone. You're the headline now."
The wedding was still weeks away, and it would be a spectacle for the ages, but the real victory had already happened. The war was over. The crown was heavy, but with Janvi by my side, I finally felt strong enough to wear it.