The next morning...
Rajvanshi Mansion felt unusually lively.
Fresh flowers decorated the entrance.
Servants hurried around preparing snacks and tea.
Watching everyone busy, Avni looked towards Revati.
"Dadi..."
"Aaj ghar mein itni taiyaari kyun ho rahi hai?"
Revati smiled warmly.
"Veer aa raha hai."
"Veer?"
"Hmm."
"Arnav ka sabse kareebi insaan."
"Bachpan se iss ghar ka beta hai."
"Arnav us par aankh band karke bharosa karta hai."
Avni nodded.
"Accha..."
Before she could ask anything else...
The sound of a black SUV echoed through the driveway.
One servant smiled.
"Veer sir aa gaye."
---
The SUV came to a halt.
A tall young man stepped out wearing a simple white shirt and blue jeans.
Unlike Arnav...
His personality carried warmth.
The moment he entered the mansion...
He bent down before Revati.
"Dadi."
"Jeete raho."
He hugged Raghav.
"Kaise hain, Uncle?"
"Ab tum aa gaye ho toh aur achha hoon."
Both smiled.
Only then did Veer's eyes fall upon Avni.
For a brief second...
He looked at her gently.
Then smiled.
"Bhabhi..."
"Finally aapse properly milna hua."
Avni blinked.
"Bhabhi...?"
She looked at Revati in confusion.
Revati smiled naturally.
"Haan beta."
"Veer bachpan se Arnav ko apna bada bhai maanta hai."
"Toh tum uski Bhabhi hui na."
Understanding slowly appeared on Avni's face.
She smiled awkwardly.
"I'm sorry..."
"Mujhe kuch yaad nahi."
Veer's smile softened immediately.
"Toh kya hua?"
He folded his hands dramatically.
"Official introduction."
"Main Veer."
"Aapka devar."
Avni blinked.
"Devar?"
"Haan."
"Bhai se rishta hai..."
"Toh Bhabhi se bhi toh rishta hua."
She couldn't help smiling.
"Par mujhe toh kuch yaad hi nahi..."
Veer smiled reassuringly.
"Toh kya hua?"
"Dobara yaad bana lenge."
She looked at him.
"Dobara?"
"Haan."
"Purani yaadein yaad aaye ya na aaye..."
"Nayi yaadein banane se kisne roka hai?"
For a moment...
Avni simply looked at him.
Then a genuine smile appeared on her face.
"I think..."
"Mujhe mera devar pasand aaya."
Veer dramatically placed a hand over his heart.
"Bas Bhabhi..."
"Yehi baat Boss ke saamne mat bol dijiyega."
She laughed.
"Kyun?"
"Warna woh bolenge..."
> "Office ka kaam kam hai... jo ghar mein bhi bakwaas karne aa gaya."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Even Raghav shook his head.
"Bilkul Arnav ki nakal utaar raha hai."
Veer grinned proudly.
"Training unhi ki hai."
Revati looked at the two of them with satisfaction.
For the first time since the accident...
Avni looked comfortable.
Like she truly belonged here.
---
A maid entered with tea.
Before she could serve it...
Avni immediately stood.
"Main serve kar deti hoon."
She first served Revati.
Then Raghav.
Finally...
She handed a cup to Veer.
"Careful..."
"Garam hai."
Veer accepted it dramatically.
"Thank you, Bhabhi."
He took a sip.
Then nodded seriously.
"Bas..."
"Ab samajh aaya."
Avni looked confused.
"Kya?"
"Boss office se jaldi ghar kyun aane lage hain."
She blinked.
"Ji?"
Veer immediately laughed.
"Mazak tha."
Avni shook her head with a smile.
"Aap bhi na..."
---
A little later...
Veer picked up an old family photo album.
"Bhabhi..."
"Boss ka asli version dekhna hai?"
Curious, Avni sat beside him.
He opened the first page.
A ten-year-old Arnav stood covered in birthday cake.
Laughing without a care.
Avni stared in disbelief.
"Nahi..."
"Ye Mr. Rajvanshi nahi ho sakte."
Veer laughed loudly.
"Maine bhi pehli baar yahi bola tha."
He turned another page.
Young Arnav decorating the house during Diwali.
Another.
Helping the servants' children with homework.
Another.
Standing beside Revati in the kitchen while proudly holding a bowl of halwa.
Avni smiled unconsciously.
"Woh..."
"Bahut haste the na?"
Veer's smile slowly softened.
"Haan..."
"Bahut."
"Duniya ne badal diya."
Silence settled for a moment.
Then Veer smiled mischievously.
"Bhabhi..."
"Ek secret bataun?"
Avni leaned slightly closer.
"Kya?"
"Boss bachpan mein bahut rote the."
"Sach?"
"Haan."
"Dadi agar halwa kisi aur ko pehle de deti thi..."
"Toh poora ghar sar pe utha lete the."
Avni burst into laughter.
"Nahi..."
"Mr. Rajvanshi aur itni zid?"
Veer nodded seriously.
"Bilkul."
"Tabhi toh kehta hoon..."
"Insaan badalta nahi..."
"Bas bada ho jaata hai."
Revati quietly looked at Arnav's childhood photograph.
Her smile carried both love...
And pain.
---
Just then...
The grand entrance doors opened.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the silent hall.
Nobody had expected him before evening.
Arnav Rajvanshi had returned.
He loosened the cuff of his shirt while walking inside.
His face remained unreadable.
His eyes swept across the room.
Revati.
Raghav.
Then...
They stopped.
Veer...
And Avni...
Sat side by side on the carpet.
The photo album lay open between them.
Avni's laughter still lingered in the air.
For a brief second...
His eyes remained on her smiling face.
It was the first time...
He had seen her laugh so freely.
Something inside him shifted.
A strange...
Unfamiliar discomfort.
He ignored it.
Avni noticed him first.
She immediately stood.
"Mr. Rajvanshi..."
He gave a slight nod.
"When did you come?"
"Just now."
His voice remained calm.
Controlled.
His eyes shifted toward Veer.
"When did you arrive?"
"Around an hour ago."
"Hmm."
A brief silence followed.
His gaze casually fell upon the open album.
Then returned to Veer.
"The office work finished?"
Veer understood immediately.
"My study."
"Five minutes."
Nothing else.
No explanation.
Just an order.
Veer hid a smile.
"As you say, Boss."
As he walked past Avni...
He bent slightly and whispered,
> "Lagta hai bade Bhai ne attendance le li."
Avni smiled.
"Ab?"
Veer sighed dramatically.
> "Ab devar ki class lagegi."
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
Arnav heard it.
Without realizing...
His eyes shifted towards Veer once again.
Only for a second.
Yet...
It was enough for Veer to notice.
---
Study Room
Veer entered leisurely and closed the door.
Arnav stood beside the window overlooking the gardens.
His hands rested inside his trouser pockets.
Silence.
Finally...
Veer spoke.
"Toh..."
"Kis baat ki emergency thi?"
No answer.
Veer looked around.
"No files."
"No meeting."
"No work."
He smiled knowingly.
"Boss..."
"Aaj jhoot bolne ki practice kar rahe ho kya?"
Arnav finally turned.
"I don't lie."
"Hmm."
"Toh sach bata do."
"Kyun bulaya?"
Another silence.
Then Arnav spoke.
"Doctor ne kaha tha..."
"Avni ko rest chahiye."
Veer almost laughed.
"Garden mein baith kar photo album dekhna itna exhausting hota hai?"
Arnav ignored the comment.
"I don't want unnecessary people around her."
Veer's eyebrows rose.
"Unnecessary?"
He pointed at himself dramatically.
"Main?"
Arnav met his eyes.
"Tum samajh rahe ho."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then...
A slow smile spread across Veer's face.
"Boss..."
"Ek baat poochun?"
Silence.
"Agar Bhabhi sirf aapki responsibility hain..."
"...toh unki hansi sunte hi aap office se teen ghante pehle ghar kyun aa gaye?"
The room fell silent.
Arnav's expression didn't change.
"I came because work was over."
Veer nodded seriously.
"Bilkul."
"And I'm Salman Khan."
Even Arnav's eyes flickered for the briefest moment.
Veer caught it.
He chuckled.
Walking towards the door, he stopped midway.
Without turning back...
He said softly,
> "Bade Bhai..."
> "Aap duniya se jhoot bol sakte ho..."
> "Mujhse nahi."
> "Aur sabse mushkil hota hai..."
> "Khud se jhoot bolna."
He opened the door.
One last smile appeared on his face.
> "Waise..."
> "Bhabhi ko haste hue achha lagta hai."
> "Unhe hasne diya kijiye."
The door closed.
Arnav remained standing alone.
Slowly...
His eyes drifted towards the garden below.
Avni was helping Revati arrange fresh flowers.
She smiled at something Dadi had said.
The corners of her eyes curved innocently.
For reasons he couldn't understand...
His gaze lingered.
Longer than it should have.
He looked away almost immediately.
As if admitting that single moment...
Would mean admitting something to himself.
Something...
Arnav Rajvanshi wasn't ready to accept.
— End of Chapter 11 —
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