The evening sky had begun to fade into shades of orange and purple as a gentle breeze swept across the vast Malhotra estate. The peaceful surroundings contrasted sharply with the thoughts occupying Krish's mind.
He stepped out of his father's residence with slow, measured footsteps, the conversation they had shared only moments ago replaying over and over in his head.
The ancestral haveli...
Even after twenty years, its doors remained closed.
Not because it had been abandoned.
Not because it had lost its value.
But because every member of the family still respected the promise that had been attached to it years ago.
Krish tightened his grip around the file in his hand before walking towards the waiting car.
The chauffeur immediately opened the rear door.
"Good evening, sir."
Krish acknowledged him with a slight nod before taking his seat.
"To the office."
"Certainly, sir."
The car rolled away from the residence.
At almost the same moment, the entrance of another residence inside the estate opened.
Raj stepped outside, casually balancing a football beneath one arm. He had just returned from practice, and the first thing he did—as always—was search for his elder brother.
The moment he noticed Krish's car, a smile appeared on his face.
"Bro!"
He raised his hand, hoping Krish would notice him.
But before his voice could travel across the driveway, the car had already crossed the main gate and disappeared beyond the estate walls.
The smile slowly faded from Raj's face.
He scratched the back of his neck before quietly murmuring,
"What happened to him today? He didn't even look this way."
His eyes instinctively shifted towards the residence Krish had just left.
Their father had already turned around and walked back inside.
Near the entrance, however, their mother still stood silently.
Her eyes remained fixed on the empty driveway long after the car had disappeared.
Raj noticed the sadness hidden behind her composed expression.
For a brief moment, he considered walking over and asking whether everything was alright.
But something told him that this wasn't the kind of silence that could be broken with questions.
Some distances required time—not words.
Without disturbing the moment, Raj quietly turned around and walked back towards his own residence.
Behind her, a familiar voice finally broke the silence.
"You should come inside."
She slowly turned.
"I thought..." she whispered, though the sentence never reached its end.
Her husband looked towards the empty gate before speaking in a calm voice.
"Some distances cannot be crossed simply by taking a few steps."
"They disappear only when the person carrying them is ready to let them go."
She lowered her eyes.
"I know."
"I only hoped today might have been different."
A faint smile appeared on her lips, carrying more helplessness than hope.
She gave the gate one last glance before quietly walking back inside.
Several hours later...
The office had grown unusually quiet.
Most employees had already left for the day when Krish finally returned to his cabin after finishing another round of meetings.
He loosened his tie slightly before picking up his phone and dialing a familiar number.
The call connected almost immediately.
"Bhai?"
Ananya answered with her usual cheerful tone.
"I was waiting for your call."
"I spoke with Father."
The excitement in her voice faded as she waited for his answer.
"The ancestral haveli won't be available."
Although she had prepared herself for that possibility, disappointment still crossed her face.
Krish continued before she could respond.
"However, we have another estate in India. It's fully maintained and spacious enough for guests. If Jess and her family are comfortable with it, they can use that property."
The relief in Ananya's voice was immediate.
"Really?"
"That solves such a huge problem."
"Thank you, Bhai."
"I'll tell Jess right away."
For a brief moment, another question surfaced in her mind.
She wanted to ask why the ancestral haveli remained untouched.
But she stopped herself.
If her brother wasn't ready to speak about it, she wouldn't force the conversation.
Some stories revealed themselves only when the time was right.
Just as she was about to end the call, Krish spoke again.
"Ananya."
"Yes?"
"Before leaving for India, contact Rohan."
"He'll explain everything regarding the property and make the necessary arrangements."
"Alright."
"And one more thing."
His tone became noticeably firmer.
"You'll be travelling with security."
Ananya let out a dramatic sigh.
"Bhai... I'm going to India, not a war zone."
A faint smile appeared on Krish's face.
"I know exactly where you're going."
"That's precisely why I'm saying it."
She tried to protest.
"But I can manage on my—"
"You'll have security."
His voice remained calm, but his decision was final.
She knew better than to continue arguing.
With a helpless smile, she laughed softly.
"Fine."
"You always win."
"It's not about winning."
"It's about making sure you return safely."
Those words made Ananya's smile grow warmer.
"Okay."
"I'll do as you say."
"Good."
"Good night."
"Good night, Bhai."
The call ended.
Looking at the dark screen of her phone, Ananya smiled to herself.
"No matter how old I become..."
"...I'll always remain his little sister."
Without wasting another moment, she searched for Jess's contact to share the good news.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the Raichand house couldn't have been more different.
Shristi still stood inside Radhika's room with her arms folded across her chest.
She narrowed her eyes dramatically before saying,
"So... are you finally planning to tell me what you were doing before opening the door?"
Radhika blinked innocently.
"I already told you."
"I wasn't doing anything."
Shristi refused to believe her.
"You took nearly five minutes to open the door."
"And when you finally did, you looked like someone had caught you red-handed."
Radhika tried to hide her smile.
"You're imagining things."
"Am I?"
Shristi stepped closer.
"Then explain why you're acting so suspicious."
Before Radhika could think of another excuse, a gentle knock echoed through the room.
The door opened slightly.
Meera stood outside, holding her mobile phone.
"Radhika."
"Your Bua wants to speak with you."
For the first time that evening, Radhika silently thanked her mother for arrival.
She quickly accepted the phone.
"Hello, Bua."
"My dear," Bua said warmly, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."
Radhika glanced at Shristi before smiling.
"Not at all."
"Tell me."
Bua laughed softly.
"I've been buried under wedding preparations all day."
"Every time I finish one task, another three seem to appear."
"I think weddings have their own way of keeping everyone busy."
Radhika chuckled.
"They certainly do."
"That's why I need your help."
"When Jess, her friends, and the rest of the guests arrive, I want them to feel welcomed from the very first moment."
"I was thinking of preparing special welcome gifts for each of them."
"But honestly..."
"I trust your generation's creativity much more than mine."
Radhika smiled warmly.
"Leave that to us."
"We'll make sure they receive something they'll always remember."
"I knew I could count on you."
After discussing a few more ideas, the call ended.
Meera took the phone back before looking at both girls.
"Your Bua wants all of you to go shopping for the welcome gifts."
The moment Shristi heard the word shopping, all her detective instincts disappeared.
"Oh, that's going to be so much fun!"
She immediately began listing ideas.
"We can prepare traditional hampers... handmade souvenirs... maybe matching keepsakes..."
Radhika thoughtfully added,
"What if every gift tells a small story about our culture? Handcrafted items, local sweets, personalized notes, maybe even handmade bangles."
Shristi's eyes widened.
"Now that's a welcome gift!"
Just then, Siddharth's voice echoed from downstairs.
"Is somebody planning shopping without me?"
Both girls burst into laughter.
Meera smiled before saying,
"I'll let Babuji know that all of you are planning to buy the welcome gifts. He'll decide how everything should be arranged."
Shristi leaned over the balcony and shouted,
"Sid! Be ready tomorrow."
"We're recruiting you whether you like it or not."
Siddharth laughed from below.
"I was never planning to refuse."
The room instantly filled with laughter once again.
Only a few minutes earlier, Shristi had been determined to uncover Radhika's secret.
Now, both cousins had become completely immersed in planning the perfect welcome for guests they had never met.
Far away, another family had unknowingly begun preparing for the very same journey.
Neither family knew it yet.
But destiny had already taken its first quiet step toward bringing their paths together.