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It was another morning at the Rajvanshi Mansion.

The house was already awake.

The servants moved around with their usual morning rush, the guards stood at their posts, and everyone was slowly getting ready to leave for their daily work.

Some were already at the dining table.

Some were still missing.

And, as usual, a few people were already getting scolded for being late.

Meera looked around the dining hall and sighed.

"Every morning, the same story..."

She turned toward one of the servants.

"Call everyone for breakfast."

The servant immediately nodded.

"Ji, Ma'am."

He hurried away to gather the rest of the family.

Within a few minutes, the elders gathered in the hall, enjoying their morning tea while casually discussing business.

Soon, Sitara entered with Nandini, her pooja thali carefully held in both hands.

Virendra looked at her and smiled.

"Finished your pooja?"

Sitara nodded.

"Ji, Papa."
(Yes, Papa.)

She walked around the room, giving everyone prasad.

Before she could even finish, Anika, Aryaveer, and Adhiraj suddenly surrounded her.

"Good morning, Bhabhi!"

Sitara laughed.

"Good morning..."

All three hugged her at once.

Nandini immediately shook her head.

"Leave her! She'll suffocate if all three of you keep hugging her like that."

Aryaveer grinned.

"Jealous, Chachi?"

Nandini rolled her eyes.

"Very."

Everyone laughed.

A little later, Anu arrived and sat beside Vikram.

Nandini looked toward her.

"Anu, when is Maya coming?"

Anu glanced toward the entrance.

"She should have been here by now. Wait, I'll call her."

Before she could take out her phone, a loud commotion came from the entrance.

A guard suddenly came running inside, his breathing slightly heavy.

"Ma'am! Maya Madam and Kabir Sir are fighting!"

Everyone looked at one another.

For a second, nobody moved.

Then Aryaveer immediately pushed his chair back.

A grin spread across his face.

"Arey Malki, chalo naa... udhar matter ho gaya!"
(Arey  Malki... Come on.. ,there's a situation over there!)

Adhiraj was already getting up.

"Again?"

Anika quickly followed them.

Nandini shook her head in disbelief.

"Those two haven't even spent a peaceful hour together."

Virendra sighed as he stood.

"Let's go before they destroy something."

Aryaveer hurried after him, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Chalo, chalo! I don't want to miss this."

Anika grabbed his arm.

"You're going there to stop them, not watch them."

Aryaveer looked at her innocently.

"Of course."

He paused.

"I'll stop them after watching for two minutes."

Anika rolled her eyes.

The entire family hurried toward the entrance.

And judging by the guard's worried expression...

whatever Maya and Kabir were fighting about this time,

it definitely wasn't going to end peacefully.

What they saw made everyone stop.

Kabir was holding Maya's expensive purse in one hand.

In his other hand was a pen.

And the pen was dangerously close to the purse.

Maya, meanwhile, had Ramlal in both hands.

And she looked completely ready to drop him straight into the dirty-water bucket the servants used for cleaning.

Kabir's eyes widened.

"Hey! Chipkalli! Leave my son!"

Maya glared at him.

"Hey, Langoor! Leave my purse! It's imported!"

Kabir scoffed.

"Langoor? You... you Magarmachh!"

Maya's jaw dropped.

"How dare you! You... you Genda!"

Kabir moved the pen closer to her purse.

Maya's eyes widened.

"Hey! I dare you to do anything to my purse, Khatmal!"

She lifted Ramlal slightly.

"I swear I'll throw your safed rang ka balla into that dirty water, and then see how your white face turns black!"

Kabir immediately pointed at her.

"Hey, Chipkalli! Leave my son! I just gave him a bath. Don't you dare!"

Maya gave him a cold look.

"Mendak, give me my purse!"

Everyone simply stared at the two of them.

Anu hurried toward Maya.

"What happened, Maya? Leave Ramlal. He's literally terrified."

Maya shook her head.

"No way! Its all this safed billa Ka fault!"

Anu sighed.

"What did he do now?"

Maya pointed dramatically toward her broken camera.

"I came here recording everything, and without even looking at me, he pushed me! My camera hit the ground and turned into pieces!"

She looked genuinely heartbroken.

"My camera!"

Sitara's eyes widened.

Anika noticed.

She leaned toward her.

"Bhabhi, she's Maya. Anu Di's best friend."

Aryaveer immediately corrected her.

"Actually, you can say more than best friends. They've been friends since childhood."

Adhiraj nodded.

"And Kabir and Maya are like Tom and Jerry. Their favourite hobby is fighting and calling each other animals name."

Aryaveer looked at the animals around them.

"I feel bad for the animals."

Sitara looked between Kabir and Maya.

"Ohhh... they've been fighting like this since childhood?"

Anika nodded.

"This is normal, Bhabhi. They used to fight like wild animals. Once, Maya even broke Kabir's nose."

Sitara's mouth fell open.

"Waaa..."

Kabir immediately pointed at Maya.

"Don't lie, Machhar! Tell everyone the truth. This is all your fault!"

Maya's eyes widened.

"My fault?!"

Nandini suddenly noticed something on Kabir's cheek.

She pointed at it.

"Kabir, what is that red mark on your face?"

Kabir's face immediately turned red.

His eyes went straight toward Maya.

Maya suddenly became very interested in literally anything except his eyes.

Everyone noticed.

Nobody said anything.

Yet.

Meera finally stepped forward.

"Enough, both of you! Come for breakfast now, or nobody is getting any food at all."

That was the only threat powerful enough to stop them.

Everyone slowly started moving toward the dining area.

But the chaos wasn't over.

Not even close.

A Few Minutes Earlier...

Maya was completely lost in her own little world.

Her camera was in her hands, her attention focused entirely on the decorations around her.

She moved from one corner to another, adjusting the angle, checking the frame, and then adjusting it again.

Being a designer had its disadvantages.

She couldn't simply look at something.

She had to notice everything.

The arrangement.

The colours.

The little details nobody else cared about.

She lifted her camera again.

"Just one more shot..."

Click.

Perfect.

Or at least, it would have been perfect...

If a certain white-furred disaster hadn't been running around behind her.

Ramlal.

Kabir's precious little son.

And currently, Kabir's biggest headache.

The Ramlal darted across the room.

Kabir immediately followed.

"Ramlal! Come here!"

Ramlal didn't even look back.

He simply ran faster.

Kabir stopped for half a second, staring at him in disbelief.

"Are you seriously running away from your own father?"

Ramlal glanced back.

"Meow."

Kabir pointed at him.

"Don't 'meow' at me. Come here!"

The Ramlal turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

Kabir's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, so we're playing this game today?"

He chased after him.

"Stop running, you little criminal!"

Ramlal slipped around a chair.

Kabir nearly crashed into it.

"Ramlal!"

The cat continued running as if this were the greatest entertainment of his life.

Unfortunately, he had now chosen his next victim.

Maya.

She was standing with her back toward them, completely unaware of the approaching chaos.

She lifted her camera.

"This angle is actually..."

Ramlal suddenly came flying toward her.

Maya barely had time to turn.

"What—?"

The Ramlal jumped straight onto her.

"AH!"

Maya stumbled backward.

Her fingers lost their grip.

The camera slipped from her hand.

CRASH!

Silence.

Maya froze.

Slowly, she looked down.

Her camera was lying on the floor.

She crouched immediately.

"No..."

She picked it up.

Checked the screen.

The lens.

The body.

Then the screen again.

Her face slowly fell.

"My camera..."

She looked at Ramlal.

The white cat sat there innocently, his tail moving lazily from side to side.

Maya's eyes narrowed.

She pointed at him.

"Kya re, Chamgadar?!"
(What is this, you bat?!)

Ramlal blinked.

"Meow."

Maya's mouth dropped open.

"Don't you 'meow' at me!"

She picked him up.

"You destroyed my camera!"

Kabir finally reached them.

The moment he saw Maya holding Ramlal, his expression changed.

"Hey! Chipkalli! Leave my son!"

Maya turned toward him.

"Your son?!"

She lifted the white cat slightly.

"This Safed Billa just murdered my camera!"

Kabir immediately frowned.

"Don't call him Safed Billa!"

Maya stared at him.

Then looked at the cat.

Then back at Kabir.

"Why not?"

She pointed at Ramlal.

"He's white."

She pointed again.

"And he's a billa."
(cat)

Kabir stared at her.

"He's my son."

Maya rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Your precious Safed Billa."

Kabir immediately pointed at her.

"And don't blame him! You were standing right in the middle of everything."

Maya's jaw dropped.

"Excuse me?!"

She signed towards Ramlal

"Your Safed Billa jumped on me!"

Kabir folded his arms.

"Because you scared him."

Maya looked at him as though he'd just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"I scared him?!"

She looked down at Ramlal.

"This Chamgadar has been running around like he has lost his mind!"

Kabir's eyebrow lifted.

"Chamgadar?"

Maya nodded confidently.

"Yes. Look at him!"

Ramlal meowed.

Maya pointed at him.

"See? He's not even denying it."

Kabir rubbed his forehead.

"He's a cat, Maya."

"He's a Safed Billa."

"He's my son."

"He's a menace."

"He's innocent."

"He's a criminal."

"He's adorable."

"He's a disaster."

Ramlal meowed again.

Maya's eyes narrowed at the little Ramlal in her arms.

"Don't look at me like that, Safed Billa. You already destroyed my camera."

Kabir stepped toward her and held out his hand.

"Give him to me."

Maya immediately stepped backward.

"Take him yourself."

Kabir took another step.

Maya stepped back again.

"Maya, I'm not asking."

"And I'm not giving."

He stepped forward.

She stepped backward.

Again.

And again.

Until her back suddenly hit the wall.

Maya stopped.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Ramlal was still trapped between them in her arms, looking completely unconcerned about the situation he had created.

Kabir stood barely an inch away.

His gaze dropped to Ramlal, then lifted to Maya.

"Give him... Maya."

Maya tightened her hold on the cat.

"No way."

"He's my son."

Maya scoffed.

"Then come take your troublesome son."

Kabir's jaw tightened.

"You call him troublesome after destroying my morning?"

Maya glared.

"Your morning?"

She lifted Ramlal slightly.

"Your Safed Billa destroyed my camera!"

"He didn't do it intentionally."

"Of course. Maybe your Safed Billa planned to destroy it in his dreams."

Kabir gave her an annoyed look.

"Just give him to me."

"No."

Ramlal suddenly licked Maya's hand.

Maya looked down at him in disgust.

"Ugh."

Her grip loosened slightly.

Ramlal immediately took advantage of it.

He wriggled free and jumped onto the nearby table.

"Ramlal!"

Kabir instantly moved toward him.

Maya also reached forward.

"Catch your cat before he destroys something else!"

Kabir stepped toward the table.

But his foot landed on a tiny broken piece of Maya's camera.

His expression changed.

"Damn..."

His foot slipped.

Maya's eyes widened.

"Kabir!"

He lost his balance.

Before he could stop himself, he stumbled straight toward her.

His hands hit the wall on either side of her.

His body pressed against hers.

Both froze.

Maya immediately pushed against his chest.

"Move!"

She tried again.

Nothing.

Then she felt a tug at her neck.

She looked down.

Her chain had caught itself in one of the buttons of his shirt.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"What the fuck..."

She grabbed the chain.

Pulled.

Nothing.

She pulled again.

Still nothing.

"Perfect. Just perfect."

Kabir didn't answer.

He was staring at her.

Not helping.

Not moving.

Just staring.

His gaze travelled over her irritated face, the tiny crease between her eyebrows, her scrunched nose...

Then stopped at her lips.

Maya looked up.

Her irritation increased.

"Hey!"

Kabir didn't respond.

She waved her hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Langoor."

His eyes finally returned to hers.

"What?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

A slow smirk appeared on his face.

"Nothing."

Maya frowned.

"Then stop staring and help me!"

Kabir simply shook his head.

"No."

Maya stared at him.

"What do you mean, no?"

He leaned slightly closer.

Maya immediately stiffened as his warm breath brushed against her face.

His voice dropped.

"No... because I'm enjoying this."

Her eyes widened.

"Enjoying what?"

She looked at the chain.

Then at him.

"Me being stuck to you? Have you completely lost your mind?"

Kabir's smirk deepened.

Maya rolled her eyes.

"Just help me, idiot."

Kabir finally reached for the chain.

His fingers worked at the clasp caught in his button.

For a few seconds, he tried to free it.

Then he stopped.

Maya looked at him.

"Why did you stop?"

Kabir looked directly into her eyes.

"If I free this..."

He paused.

"...what do I get?"

Maya stared at him as if he had just asked the stupidest question in existence.

"Fine."

She answered impatiently.

"What about a bikini...?"

Kabir's eyebrow immediately shot upward.

Maya's lips curled into a wicked grin.

"One pink bikini, specially designed by me for you."

She glanced at his shirt, then slowly looked him up and down.

"You'd look damn sexy in that, Kabir Shekhawat."

The moment she finished, she burst into laughter.

She laughed so hard that she had to hold onto him for balance.

"Imagine you in that, damn Kabir..."

She wiped the corner of her eye, still laughing.

"Girls would fall directly on the ground the moment they saw you!"

Silence.

Maya's laughter suddenly faded.

She felt his hands move to her waist.

Her eyes widened.

Kabir looked at her with an utterly unimpressed expression.

"Shut up?"

Maya blinked.

Then, despite the warning in his voice, she couldn't resist teasing him again.

"Why?"

She smiled innocently.

"Don't worry. I'll design it so perfectly for you that even I would have to sacrifice my sleep just to finish it."

Kabir's jaw tightened.

His hands remained at her waist.

"If you don't stop..."

He leaned slightly closer.

"...then I'll design that two-piece for you."

Maya's smile faltered.

Kabir's eyes held hers.

His voice dropped into a teasing murmur.

Kabir's eyes held hers as his smirk deepened

"And the best part..."

His voice dropped into a deliberately teasing murmur

"I won't even need to ask what size to make it"

He let his gaze linger on her for a second before looking back into her eyes

"I already know exactly what will fit you...."

Maya's eyes widened

For once, she had no comeback ready

She immediately grabbed the chain between them and glared at him

"Shut up and remove this damn chain"

She grabbed the chain and pulled with all her strength.

The chain suddenly came loose.

But the force pulled her forward.

Kabir moved at the same moment.

Their lips accidentally met.

Both froze.

Maya's eyes widened.

Kabir's gaze remained on her for a second longer than necessary.

Then

SLAP!

His face snapped to the side.

A red mark immediately appeared across his cheek.

Maya glared at him.

"You!"

Kabir slowly turned his face back toward her and touched his cheek where her palm had landed.

"You're the one who pulled."

Maya's eyes widened.

"And you're the one who didn't move!"

Kabir raised an eyebrow.

"You told me to help you."

"I told you to free my chain, not kiss me!"

A faint, shameless smirk appeared on his lips.

"It was an accident..."

He paused, his eyes dropping briefly to her lips.

"...but your lips taste sweet. Like strawberries."

Maya's mouth fell open.

For a second, she simply stared at him.

Then her face twisted in disbelief.

"You... gay... cutie!"

Kabir's eyebrow shot up.

"What did you say?"

Maya immediately stepped away from him, her face still flushed with anger from the kiss.

"Gay cutie... famous college beauty!"

Kabir stared at her.

Maya folded her arms tightly.

"Mr. Perfect Gay... Cutie."

Kabir's expression darkened.

"Maya."

Maya immediately stepped away from him.

She turned her attention elsewhere before he could question her again.

Then her eyes landed on Ramlal.

The little white cat was still sitting peacefully on the table, completely unconcerned about the disaster he had caused.

Maya's eyes narrowed.

"And you're still here?"

She walked over and picked him up.

"You really don't know when to leave, do you, Safed Billa?"

Ramlal simply meowed.

Maya rolled her eyes.

"Don't act innocent."

She glanced around.

Then her eyes landed on the bucket sitting beside the table.

It was filled with dirty water the same water the servants used for cleaning the floor.

A mischievous thought immediately crossed her mind.

She looked at Ramlal.

Then at the bucket.

Then back at Ramlal.

"Hmm..."

Kabir noticed her expression.

His eyes immediately narrowed.

"Maya."

She ignored him.

She slowly moved Ramlal toward the bucket.

Kabir took a step forward.

"Maya, stop."

Maya looked over her shoulder.

"Why?"

Kabir pointed toward the bucket.

"Don't even think about it."

Maya raised an eyebrow.

"What? It's just water."

Kabir stared at her.

"That's dirty water."

Maya shrugged.

"So?"

She held Ramlal just above the bucket.

"He can have a little bath."

Kabir's eyes widened. Kabir stepped closer.

"Maya!"

"Give me my son."

Maya shook her head.

"Come take your Safed Billa."

Kabir's jaw tightened.

"Don't test me."

Maya smiled innocently.

"I'm not testing you."

She lowered Ramlal a little closer to the bucket.

"I'm just trying to help your son cool down."

Kabir's eyes immediately went toward the purse lying nearby.

He bent down and picked it up.

Maya's eyes widened.

"Don't you dare..."

Kabir casually lifted her purse.

"Give me Ramlal."

Maya tightened her hold around the cat.

"Put my purse down."

"Give me my son."

"No."

Kabir raised the purse slightly.

"Then neither am I."

Maya stared at him in disbelief.

"You're seriously holding my purse hostage?"

Kabir gave her a calm look.

"You're holding my son hostage."

Maya looked at Ramlal.

Then at Kabir.

Then at the bucket.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Fine."

She slowly lifted Ramlal again.

"Let's see which one of us gives up first."

Kabir's expression hardened.

"Maya..."

She shrugged.

"Kabir..."

Ramlal meowed between them.

Neither moved.

And judging by the way they were glaring at each other...

Back at Breakfast

Everyone had finally settled around the dining table.

The servants moved quietly around them, placing the dishes in front of everyone before stepping back.

The moment Rudradev entered the dining hall with Reyansh beside him, the atmosphere shifted slightly.

The guards straightened.

The servants immediately became more careful.

But Rudradev seemed completely unaffected by any of it.

His eyes moved across the room only once before finding Sitara.

She was already seated at the table.

For a brief moment, his attention remained fixed on her.

Sitara, however, was busy with her plate and completely unaware of the way he was looking at her.

Rudradev finally took his seat.

Reyansh sat beside Anu.

Everyone began eating.

For a few moments, everything appeared perfectly normal.

Almost too normal.

Then Aryaveer's eyes slowly moved toward Rudradev.

He blinked.

Then blinked again.

His gaze settled on the faint marks around Rudradev's neck.

He immediately nudged Anika with his elbow.

"Ani..."

Anika looked at him.

Aryaveer subtly tilted his head toward Rudradev.

"Did you see what I saw?"

Anika followed his gaze.

The moment she noticed the marks, her lips twitched.

She leaned closer.

"Not only you... everyone saw it."

Aryaveer tried very hard not to smile.

Adhiraj, sitting nearby, had already noticed.

He leaned slightly toward them.

"Of course everyone saw it."

His eyes moved toward Rudradev.

"Look at Bhai. He's wearing those marks like some kind of victory medal."

Aryaveer covered his mouth to hide his laugh.

Then his curiosity got the better of him.

He leaned toward Anika again and whispered,

"Bhai ne kuch kuch kar diya kya?"
(Did Bhai do something romantic?)

Anika immediately shook her head.

She glanced toward Sitara.

Then back at Aryaveer.

A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

"Bhai ne nahi..."

She paused deliberately.

"...Bhabhi ne kuch kuch kar diya."
(Not Bhai... Bhabhi did something.)

Aryaveer's eyes widened.

Adhiraj immediately looked between them.

"Wait..."

He glanced toward Rudradev's neck.

Then toward Sitara.

Then back toward Rudradev.

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"Ohhh..."

Aryaveer immediately whispered,

"So that's why Bhai looks so satisfied."

Anika pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.

Across the table, Rudradev calmly continued eating as though he couldn't hear a single word.

But the slight curve at the corner of his mouth suggested otherwise.

Adhiraj leaned toward Anika and whispered,

"Virendra Chachu even placed guards outside to stop Bhai from going there."

He paused, trying not to laugh.

"But Bhai still used the balcony like a thief."

Anika covered her mouth, hiding her smile.

Across the table, Nandini's eyes had already settled on the faint marks around Rudradev's neck.

She raised an eyebrow.

Then her gaze shifted toward Reyansh and the bandage around his neck.

A knowing smile slowly appeared on her face.

She looked between the two men.

"Hmm..."

Rudradev calmly continued eating.

Nandini leaned back in her chair.

"So..."

She deliberately looked at Rudradev.

"Did both of you suddenly fall in love?"

Reyansh nearly choked on his food.

Rudradev simply lifted his eyes toward her.

Nandini pointed toward his neck.

"And what are those?"

Rudradev remained completely calm.

Nandini smiled wider.

"Don't tell me those are your new fashion accessories."

Aryaveer lowered his head, trying desperately not to laugh.

Adhiraj nudged him.

Nandini continued teasing.

"At least try to hide those love marks, boys."

Rudradev calmly placed his spoon down.

He glanced around the table, completely composed.

Then his eyes briefly moved toward Sitara.

A faint amusement flickered in them.

"Chachi... what can I say?"

He paused.

His gaze returned to Nandini.

"Someone has very sharp teeth."

Sitara's head immediately shot up.

Her eyes widened in panic.

"I don't have any sharp teeth!"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Every person at the table froze.

___________________________________
Glimpse of next Chapter.......

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