Zara woke up early in the morning and saw Ayaan sleeping on his stomach, his arm wrapped securely around her waist. Even Rehan and Zavi were still fast asleep in their crib. She knew the three of them wouldn’t wake up for at least another two hours, so she quietly got ready for the day.
Since she hadn’t stepped out of her room in the last three days after Brinda’s arrival, she decided to meet Vaishu and Reyansh. She was craving a warm coffee with her papa and mamma.
She stepped out of the elevator expecting to find them in the living room but only the staff were there, busy with their morning cleaning. Deciding to get a hot coffee, she walked toward the kitchen when she suddenly noticed someone slipping into the study.
“Who could be in the study so early? No one enters the main study without Ayaan being there” she thought and made her way towards it.
Zara opened the door and frowned when she saw Brindha searching through the room.
“What are you doing here?” Zara asked.
Brindha gasped, placing a hand on her chest. “You scared me, Zara. Last night I came to serve coffee to Ayaan and Ishaan. And I think I dropped my earring so I came to look for it.” she said her eyes scanning the floor as if looking for the earring.
“I’ll ask the staff to clean the room and search for your earring. You can return to your room,” Zara replied in a plain tone and opened the door wider.
Brindha gave an awkward smile and walked out.
Zara remained inside for a moment, her eyes scanned everything on the desk and inside the cupboards before she stepped out and locked the study using her passcode.
She entered the kitchen and the staff greeted her with warm smiles. The chef immediately moved to prepare her coffee but she stopped him gently and made it herself. As she did, one of the staff informed the chef that Reyansh and Vaishu had just arrived in the living room.
Zara prepared tea for them and walked to the living area with a smile while a maid followed carrying a tray with the tea and coffee Zara prepared.
“Zara, why were you in the kitchen? You could’ve asked the chef. You shouldn’t be doing any work right now, you need rest,” Vaishu said.
Zara smiled and poured coffee for Vaishu. “Mamma, I’m fine now. It’s not like I was cooking a feast for the whole family. I just… missed you both and wanted to have my morning coffee with you.”
“So you ditched your poor husband to join your papa and mamma?” Ayaan said, settling beside her and casually leaned on her shoulder.
“Jealous kid,” Reyansh teased, making Ayaan frown.
“You called me a kid? Dad, let me remind you, I’m a father to a beautiful princess and a handsome prince,” Ayaan huffed and everyone chuckled at his reaction.
Just then, the nannies arrived carrying Rehan and Zavi. Reyansh and Vaishu cradled the babies lovingly with a smile and kissed their tiny palms. Ayaan and Zara watched them fondly as the elder couple cooed over their grandchildren.
A moment later, Ved and Saanvi entered with Ishaan and Pari.
“Wow, Rehan and Zavi are here?” Ved said, sitting beside Reyansh to admire the babies.
Saanvi gently touched Zavi’s cheek. “Good morning, Zavi,” she whispered with a smile.
“What brought you out of your room, Zara?” Pari asked, in a teasing tone as she glanced at Ayaan.
“She was missing her papa and mamma,” Ayaan replied simply.
Zara called the home manager over. “Brindha seems to have lost her earring in the study last night while she was there to serve coffee to Ayaan and Ishaan bro. Please send a staff member to clean the room and look for it. I’ve locked the study so use your passcode.” she said and the room fell silent as everyone looked at her, their expressions unreadable.
“Brindha was in the study?” Pari asked in shock and everyone’s eyes immediately shifted to Ishaan and Ayaan.
“Speak of the devil,” Ayaan muttered through gritted teeth just as Brinda walked in and sat beside Pari.
“Brindha, why were you in the study last night?” Vaishu asked, her tone was clipped and cold.
“Aunty, I couldn’t sleep… since it’s a new place so I entered the kitchen to make myself some coffee. I heard the staff saying Ayaan and Ishaan bro were in the study, so I thought, why not serve them coffee too?” Brindha said looking nervous.
Vaishu shook her head in clear disapproval. “We have a full team of chefs and assistants who serve anything the family needs at any time. They work in shifts. It is not your job.”
Brindha nodded quickly and mumbled a small sorry under her breath.
Just then, Sameer arrived and silently handed his iPad to Ayaan and his expression darkened before he passed it to Ishaan.
Ishaan took one look and said coldly, “Go ahead.”
Ayaan stood and signaled to the nannies to take Rehan and Zavi for their morning bath, then instructed the home manager to take Ved and Saanvi to get ready for school. The moment the babies and kids were out of the room, he called the CSO.
Within seconds, the Chief Security Officer arrived with a team of female guards. They moved without hesitation and seized Brindha and forced her to the ground. Everyone rose to their feet as Brindha began screaming.
“What the hell are you doing? Let me go ” she shrieked, struggling against the guards. One of the women forced her to kneel in front of Ayaan, who stood with Zara’s hand firmly in his.
“Who sent you?” Ayaan asked in a calm but cold voice enough to freeze the air.
Everyone except Ishaan looked stunned.
“I did suspect her sudden entry after all these years but my suspicion grew stronger when she arrived at the study last night. So I informed Sameer to leave the study unlocked and place a hidden camera. This morning, he retrieved the footage. It shows clearly……..she entered the study and was going through the files on the table. Zara walked in right on time and ruined whatever plan she had. And the footage also shows she wasn’t wearing any earring at all last night. So her excuse was a lie.” Ayaan said, his gaze fixed on Brindha.
Gasps filled the room and Ayaan took the gun from the CSO and pointed it directly at Brindha’s forehead.
“Why did you come here after all these years? Who sent you? What were you looking for?” he asked her.
Pari stepped forward and slapped Brindha hard, her face twisted in disgust.
“I allowed you to stay here only because you are related to mom. And you dared to spy on my family?” Pari snapped. She grabbed Brindha’s chin and slapped her once again across the face.
“Who sent you? Don’t you dare lie to me.” she demanded with her teeth clenched.
Brinda burst into sobs. “Please… let me go. No one sent me. I wasn’t looking for anything, please believe me…” she said through her tears but no one in the room believed a word she said.
Ayaan stepped closer, the barrel of the gun inches from her skin.
“Either you confess or I’ll have you locked in the dungeon forever.” he said in a low and deadly voice.
The CSO picked up Brindha’s phone from the couch where she had been sitting and forced her fingerprint to unlock it. A list of unfamiliar numbers appeared in the call history. The calls she had made since the previous night. The CSO turned the screen toward Ayaan.
“We don’t need her confession to know the truth. Lock her up and trace every number she has contacted. Find out who they are.” Ayaan said coldly and then he looked at his father.
“I’ll speak to Mithun and Kajal ,” Reyansh assured him.
“No… no, don’t. They’re just my friends. Please give my phone back and let me go. If you don’t like me here, I’ll leave on my own. But don’t treat me like a criminal. I’ll talk to Hari grandpa, he won’t be happy to hear you’re treating me this way” Brindha cried and her voice trembled.
Before she could finish, Pari stepped forward and slapped her again, harder than before.
Brindha screamed, stumbling to the floor in pain. Zara flinched instinctively, shocked to see Pari so aggressive.
Ayaan placed a reassuring hand on Zara’s back and gestured to the CSO to take away Brindha. The guards immediately dragged Brindha away as she continued crying and protesting.
Ayaan didn’t spare Brindha another glance. He wrapped his arm around Zara’s shoulders and gently guided her back toward their room. She was still shaken and her mind replayed the image of Pari’s fury.
“Don’t be shocked, Pari was once a very gentle, soft-spoken girl. The only problem she and Ishaan bro had was his temper, he couldn’t control it. But everything changed the day she realized she was being used… that she was unknowingly helping someone who wanted to destroy our entire family. She lost her cool and felt guilty that her kindness could have costed our family. She was there on the cruise with Ishu bro and me when we dealt with the bastards who tried to use her as a pawn. She has seen Ishaan bro handle traitors again and again. After witnessing that, she doesn’t hesitate anymore to take down anyone who threatens us.” Ayaan explained.
Zara stared at him, horrified. “You mean… you kill people? And you think even I might become like that someday?”
Ayaan didn’t flinch. “Yes. I have killed many. And none of them were saints, they deserved it. Every man in our family has blood on his hands. But you don’t ever have to be like us.” he said and cupped her cheek gently.
“I’m here to handle everything so my pretty wife can keep living her life the way she is now. I won’t let anything change you unless you decide otherwise.” he said and smirked, trying to lighten her mood.
“Though I’m not lying… a killer look on you would be sexy enough to put me on my knees.” he said with a wink and Zara punched his chest and smiled but her smile faded quickly.
“Ayaan… does that mean you will kill Suryadev and everyone involved with him?” she asked quietly.
Ayaan drew in a long breath and sat beside her on the couch.
“I won’t get directly involved unless there’s no other choice. I’ve planned everything in a way that it happens indirectly. But… if the situation demands it, then yes, I will.” he answered her honestly.
“Now give me a kiss and let me go check on our babies,” he said, pointing to his lips but Zara pushed his face away and stuck her tongue out.
“Go get ready, you dirty fellow. I’ll take care of our babies. I’m hungry, let’s have breakfast.” she said and turned to leave but Ayaan caught her wrist to pull her back and stole a quick peck on her lips before letting her go.
Zara entered the nursery beside their bedroom and found the nannies dressing Rehan and Zavi. She sat on the bed, took the little frock from the nanny and dressed Zavi herself, then cradled her lovingly in her arms.
She returned to their room with the nannies following behind, carrying the babies. They gently laid Rehan and Zavi on the bed before stepping out.
Zara settled beside them, began feeding Rehan and held up a toy to keep Zavi entertained until her turn.
Ayaan was in the balcony, chatting with Zara while watching Rehan and Zavi look around in wonder. He had decorated the space with colorful toys, stars and artificial flowers to catch their attention. The babies were making soft sounds and when Ayaan knelt beside them, they started smiling and opening and closing their tiny fists.
“My Rehan and Zavi are smiling at Daddy? Do you want me to cradle you ? Aww, my little angels… Daddy will cradle you later but for now you should stay active and look around. See the stars, the balls, the flowers and the toys. Which color do you like the most?” he asked, gently poking their chubby cheeks.
“Zara, look at their cheeks, so cute and chubby, just like you,” he teased softly. “I love you, my prince and princess,” he whispered before returning to Zara and wrapping an arm around her.
Just then, his phone chimed with a notification. It was a message from the CSO, he had sent the report containing details about the person Brindha had been in contact with.
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A/N:
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