**New Delhi, AIIMS Hospital**

In the VIP room of the hospital, an elderly man lay on the bed, wearing an oxygen mask. Monitors surrounded him, and it seemed like his final moments were near. His face had turned pale, as if life had almost left his body. Four people were in the room.

A young girl, around 18 years old, sat on a chair beside the bed, holding the elderly man's hand. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she spoke to him, sobbing:

"Nanaji, please don’t do this. Please don’t leave me. If you go, how will I live? Mom and Dad already left me. Now if you leave too, what will I do? Am I so bad that everyone wants to leave me?"

Hearing her, the grandfather, in a weak voice, replied:

"No, my child, you are not bad. You are a very smart and kind girl. But my time to go has come."

The girl shook her head in denial, crying and begging him not to leave. But how could anyone stop what was destined? The grandfather turned to another elderly man sitting by his side and said,

"Raj, I have only half an hour left. How much longer until Kabir arrives? I cannot wait any longer."

Rajvardhan Singhania responded, "Don’t worry. Kabir should be here any moment. And the promise I made to you, I will fulfill it."

As he finished speaking, the door opened, and a 28-year-old man walked in holding a file. He bowed down to touch the grandfather’s feet and said,

"I have brought the wedding papers."

Everyone in the room, including Rajvardhan, the grandfather, the girl, and an elderly woman (about 70 years old), looked at Kabir. The grandfather’s eyes welled up as he said,

"I knew, my boy, that you would listen to me."

Then he looked at the girl and said,

"Janvi, my child, I don’t have much time left. My last wish is that you marry Kabir in front of me. I trust Kabir completely. He will take good care of you. After I am gone, you will be all alone, and this world can be very cruel. I don’t want you to suffer. Will you fulfill your Nanaji's last wish?"

Hearing this, tears streamed down Janvi's face. Crying, she said,

"Nanaji, I will do whatever you say. But please don’t leave me like this."

Gayatri Singhania placed a comforting hand on Janvi’s shoulder and said,

"Janvi, my child, don’t cry. We, your Dadaji and I, are here with you. We promise that you will never feel the absence of your Nanaji. Now, please sign these wedding papers."

Janvi looked at her grandfather, who nodded weakly, his eyes silently pleading. Then she turned to Kabir, who had already signed the papers. Finally, Janvi also signed them.

Gayatri gave Kabir a mangalsutra to put around Janvi’s neck. Without showing much emotion, Kabir placed the mangalsutra around Janvi’s neck and filled her hairline with sindoor. Watching his granddaughter's wedding, tears rolled down Harishankar Srivastava’s face.

Kabir and Janvi bent down to take Harishankar’s blessings, but suddenly the machines beeped loudly, and his breathing grew heavier. Kabir quickly ran to call the doctor, and Janvi clung to her grandfather, crying.

“Nanu… my child… my time has come. But I am leaving this world content because I’ve placed you in safe hands. Move forward in life, fulfill your responsibilities, and make me proud. Even though I may leave this world, I will always be with you, watching over you as a star in the sky.”

His breaths grew weaker. Frightened, Janvi cried out,

“Nanu! No… please don’t do this!”

But the machine let out a long beep. Harishankar was gone.

Janvi broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Nanu, please wake up! I will never disobey you again. I won’t be mischievous anymore. Please don’t leave me like this. Please wake up, Nanu! I’ll do whatever you say. I won’t eat ice cream secretly anymore. I promise I’ll never misbehave. But please don’t leave me!”

She kept crying, holding his lifeless body, but nothing could bring him back. Harishankar Srivastava had left this world.

Rajvardhan and Gayatri tried to console her, but her pain was beyond healing. Harishankar had been in the final stage of cancer, and Janvi was his only granddaughter, whom he loved more than anything. With no other family, Rajvardhan, his closest friend, had promised to take care of her. Harishankar entrusted Janvi to Rajvardhan’s eldest grandson, Kabir Singhania.

Kabir respected Harishankar deeply and agreed to marry Janvi solely for his sake. Kabir was not just a successful businessman but also the king of the underworld. For him, love and relationships didn’t matter. This marriage was just a way to fulfill his promise and take responsibility for Janvi.

At around 2 PM, Harishankar was laid to rest in Delhi’s largest cemetery. Since his body was frail from cancer, cremation was not an option.

People placed flowers on his grave, paid their respects, and later returned to Srivastava Mansion.

Janvi was in a fragile state, having neither eaten nor slept properly in the past week. Gayatri instructed a nurse to administer a sedative so she could rest. Otherwise, the mental and emotional toll would have worsened.

Rajvardhan and Gayatri stayed back to look after Janvi, but Kabir returned to Mumbai that same evening.

**Three Days Later...**

Janvi had managed to compose herself over the last three days. The loss of her grandfather was something she had to live with, though the pain of his absence lingered. Gayatri Ji and Rajvardhan Ji were preparing to leave for Mumbai today, as there was nothing left for them here anymore.

Janvi sat in her grandfather's room, revisiting the memories she had created in this house with him for one last time.

As Gayatri Ji entered the room, she asked Janvi gently, "Beta, have you finished packing? We'll be leaving for Mumbai in a little while. Make sure to take everything you want from here."

Hearing this, Janvi replied, "Yes."

Gayatri Ji sat beside her, stroking her hair affectionately, and said,

"I understand your pain, beta. I may not be able to erase it, but I can certainly help ease it. My family will ensure you lack nothing, and my grandson Kabir will take great care of you. Yes, from the outside, he might appear stern and arrogant, but he is a soft and kind person at heart—a bit like a coconut, hard on the outside, soft inside.

I want you to leave behind the life you've lived so far and start afresh. Move forward, become successful, and make Hari proud, wherever he is."

Janvi understood her words and made a promise to herself—to fulfill her responsibilities in this new relationship and move on with her life.

In no time, they boarded their private jet to Mumbai. About two and a half hours later, they landed, where a convoy of Singhania family cars awaited them. The Singhania mansion was roughly an hour and a half from the airport.

**Two Hours Later...**

The convoy of three to four cars halted in front of the massive Singhania mansion. The mansion, painted white and resembling a grand palace, stood in all its glory. Janvi gazed at it without much awe, as she had grown up in a similarly lavish home thanks to her grandfather’s business empire. Despite her wealthy upbringing, Janvi had always led a humble life and had no pride in her family’s riches.

Rajvardhan Ji walked ahead while Gayatri Ji, holding Janvi’s hand, led her inside. At the entrance, the entire Singhania family had gathered to welcome them.

Kabir’s mother, Vasundhara, stepped forward with an aarti plate in hand, performed Janvi’s aarti, and placed a pot filled with rice and a plate of alta near the entrance. Smiling warmly, Vasundhara said,

"Beta, gently knock over the pot with your right foot, then step onto the alta plate and imprint your footsteps as you enter the house."

Janvi followed the instructions. Soon, everyone gathered in the hall, and Janvi found herself surrounded by a family she was meeting for the first time. Feeling nervous at the sight of so many people, Janvi's expressions didn’t go unnoticed by Vasundhara, who approached her lovingly.

"There’s no need to feel anxious," Vasundhara assured her. "Consider this your home, and think of us as your family. You’re not just my daughter-in-law but also my daughter."

These comforting words relaxed Janvi a little, and Kabir's aunt, Mahima, added,

"Vasundhara Ji is absolutely right, Janvi beta."

Meanwhile, Kabir’s younger sister, Mahi, approached Janvi excitedly and said,

"You’re so beautiful, bhabhi! Do you know, I’ve been waiting to meet you for so long? I have so much to talk about with you. But first, let me introduce everyone."

Pointing to Rajvardhan Ji and Gayatri Ji, she began,

"These are the elders of the house, Dadaji and Dadiji. You know them well."

Next, indicating Vasundhara Ji and Rajeev Ji, she said,

"And these are your mother-in-law and father-in-law."

Janvi bent down to touch their feet and take their blessings. Then Mahi pointed towards Mahima Ji and Sanjeev Ji.

"And these are my mom and dad, meaning your uncle and aunt."

Moving on, Mahi gestured to a woman standing nearby.

"And this is my sweet Bua, Mitali Ji. My Fufaji is currently out of town."

Finally, pointing to the three young men sitting on the sofa, Mahi introduced them.

"That's Rithik Bhaiya (Mitali and Vaibhav's son, aged 27), Sameer Bhaiya, and Vidhan Bhai (Mahima Ji and Sanjeev Ji's sons). Sameer Bhai is 24, and Vidhan and I are twins, both 21."

Janvi had learned about the entire family when Mitali interjected,

"That’s enough, Mahi. She isn’t going anywhere. She can meet the rest later. She must be tired. Take her to Kabir’s room so she can rest."

Mahi nodded and escorted Janvi to Kabir’s room. As they entered, Mahi said,

"Bhabhi, please rest now. If you need anything, just call me."

Janvi nodded, closed the door behind her, though she didn’t lock it, and scanned the room. The décor was themed in grey and black, including the bedding.

Seeing this, Janvi mused to herself, *"It seems he loves the color black a bit too much."*

Exhausted, she lay down on the bed and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

**Around 8 PM...**

Janvi was sleeping peacefully when the door opened, and someone entered the room. The only light came from the dim ceiling light. The man locked the door behind him and turned on all the lights.

His eyes fell on Janvi sleeping on the bed. Anger flared in his expression, but it dissipated when his gaze lingered on her serene face. For the first time, he noticed a girl so closely, though many women had crossed his path, eager to be with him. He never cared for them, but today, he couldn’t stop staring at Janvi.

Her saree had slipped slightly, revealing her bare waist, which glowed like ivory in the dim light. A strange desire surged within him, urging him to touch her soft, smooth skin. Just then, his phone rang, breaking his trance and waking Janvi.

Janvi opened her eyes, startled to see a man in front of her. She quickly sat up as he turned off his ringing phone. Fixing her saree, Janvi nervously muttered,

"You…you’re here."

The man simply responded with a "Hmm," took off his blazer, and threw it on the sofa. Anger flickered in his eyes—not at Janvi, but at his phone, which had interrupted his moment.

Before either could say more, Mahi entered, saying,

"Bhabhi, please get ready quickly. Everyone is waiting for you at dinner."

Janvi nodded, went to the bathroom to freshen up, and soon joined everyone at the dining table.

During dinner, Gayatri Ji announced,

"Kabir, don’t go to the office tomorrow. We’ll be completing the post-wedding rituals."

Kabir replied, "I have an urgent meeting, but I’ll be back by noon. We can do the rituals after that."

Vasundhara Ji agreed, "Yes, that works. I’ll ask the pandit to prepare for the havan accordingly."

After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms. Janvi changed into a cotton suit as she felt uncomfortable in a saree. Her wardrobe had been organized earlier in the day. After freshening up in the bathroom, she came out to find Kabir had just entered the room.

---

Kabir and Jhanvi's Room

Jhanvi stepped out wearing a simple white suit. She noticed Kabir sitting on the bed with his laptop on his lap, engrossed in work.

Jhanvi glanced at the wall clock—it showed 10:00 PM. She was feeling incredibly sleepy as she hadn’t rested properly for the past few days. Anyway, Jhanvi was someone who loved to sleep a lot.

She looked at Kabir and said, “ suniye ji {Excuse me…}”

Kabir was busy checking a presentation on his laptop. But as soon as Jhanvi’s voice reached his ears, he immediately looked up at her.

She was nervously fiddling with the edges of her dupatta.

“Hm?” Kabir responded, his gaze fixed on Jhanvi.

Jhanvi hesitated but finally asked, “I’m feeling sleepy…can I… I mean… can I sleep on the bed?”

She asked with great courage. Jhanvi was very innocent, and considering Kabir’s personality, she felt intimidated by him. She had heard from several girls that Kabir was a very short-tempered and possessive man. The media often portrayed similar stories about him.

Hearing her request, Kabir said, “Hmm.”

Taking his permission, Jhanvi came to the other side of the bed, lay down with a blanket, and said, “Excuse me.”

“Hm?”

“Please don’t turn off all the lights. I’m scared of the dark,” Jhanvi said.

Kabir nodded in agreement and resumed his work. 

Within moments, Jhanvi’s slow breathing indicated she was in deep sleep. Kabir worked until midnight, his focus sharp as usual. As the clock struck 12:00, he closed his laptop, intending to turn off the lights.

Her earlier words echoed in his mind, “Please don’t turn off all the lights. I’m scared of the dark.”

Sighing softly, he switched off the room’s main light but left the table lamp and night lamp glowing. Sliding into bed, he turned his gaze toward Jhanvi. She was facing him, her delicate features illuminated by the soft glow.

“She looks so peaceful,” Kabir thought, unable to tear his eyes away. Her loose locks framed her face, her rosy lips slightly parted. “How can someone be so effortlessly beautiful?”

Unknowingly, a smile tugged at Kabir’s lips, a rare occurrence for the man known to be stoic and guarded. For the first time in years, a strange warmth filled his heart.

The Next Morning

As per his usual routine, Kabir woke up at 5:00 AM. But today’s morning felt very different.

He realized Jhanvi had unconsciously curled into him in her sleep, her head resting comfortably on his chest. Her hand clutched his shirt like a lifeline.

Kabir’s heart skipped a beat. His usual stern exterior softened as he thought, “She looks like she belongs here… like she belongs to me.”

Carefully, he shifted her to the side and placed her back on the pillow without waking her. Unable to resist, he kissed her forehead lightly.

As his gaze lingered on her rosy lips, his throat suddenly dry. “Why do I feel this way?” he wondered. But his heart had already taken over. Kabir felt his throat go dry. His heart yearned to taste them, but his mind reminded him not to take advantage of her while she was asleep.

However, his heart overpowered his mind. He whispered to himself, “ “You’re mine… my wife. Just one kiss won’t hurt, right?”

Resolving to give her just a light kiss, Kabir leaned closer to Jhanvi. He carefully positioned his hands on either side of her and slowly brought his face closer to hers. Gently, he placed his lips on hers and kissed her softly.

Kabir kissed her tenderly to avoid waking her up. After about two minutes, he moved away and licked his lips seductively, a mischievous smirk playing on his face.

“Very tasty, like strawberry,” he muttered and walked to the bathroom. He knew that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to resist the urge for more. Besides, he knew Jhanvi wasn’t ready for anything beyond that yet.

Two Hours Later

After working out, Kabir returned to the room to find Jhanvi still asleep.

“This girl sleeps so much and so deeply,” he remarked.

He went to freshen up. When he came out an hour later, wrapped in a black towel around his waist, he noticed his black business suit neatly laid out on the bed alongside his shoes.

“I didn’t take these out…” Kabir thought, puzzled. Before he could figure it out, Jhanvi spoke up from near the sofa.

“I laid them out for you. Your watch, wallet, perfume, and brooch are on the dressing table too,” she said.

Kabir turned to her. “Who told you to do all this?”

Jhanvi replied, “When I was little, I saw my mother do the same for my father. So, I thought I’d do it for you too. If you don’t like it, I won’t do it again.”

Kabir looked at her, then removed the towel from his shoulders and tossed it toward her. “My mom also dries my dad’s wet hair with her hands. From now on, you’ll do the same for me.”

Saying this, Kabir sat on the sofa. Jhanvi took the towel and began drying his hair carefully. For the first time, Kabir felt relaxed.

After a while, Jhanvi said, “It’s done. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”

Kabir replied, “No, you go and freshen up now. Everyone has breakfast together here.”

Jhanvi nodded and left. After she was gone, Kabir began getting ready for his 10:00 AM meeting.

When Jhanvi returned, she was wearing a pink georgette saree with a matching blouse. The blouse’s sleeves reached her elbows, and the back had strings. She stood before the dressing mirror, struggling to tie the strings of her blouse.

Kabir, who had been sitting on the sofa scrolling through his phone, watched her intently. He finally got up, set his phone on the table, and walked toward her.

Jhanvi felt a chill on her back as Kabir’s fingers touched her while tying her blouse strings. She looked into the mirror and saw him standing behind her.

His hands moved gently, sending shivers down Jhanvi’s spine. Her heart raced, and her fists clutched the pleats of her saree tightly.

After tying the knot, Kabir leaned closer and pressed a soft kiss on her back. His sudden action sent a shiver down Jhanvi’s spine. Before she could react, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

“Look at us, Mrs. Kabir,” he whispered, their reflection staring back at them in the mirror. “We make a perfect pair, don’t we?”

Blushing, Jhanvi lowered her gaze.

A moment later, Kabir picked up a mangalsutra from the dressing table and tied it around her neck. He then filled her hairline with sindoor. "You look perfect now,” Kabir said, admiration evident in his voice.

Watching this, Jhanvi felt overwhelmed with emotion.

She finally spoke, “Excuse me… Can I ask you something?”

“Hm?”

“Will you fill my hairline every day? My father used to say it increases a husband’s lifespan,” she said shyly.

Hearing her words, Kabir smiled but quickly masked it. “Okay. Now let’s go downstairs.”

Janvi beamed with happiness as they walked downstairs together.