---
Next day, the morning sun bathed the hospital room in a soft glow. Mass woke up early, freshened up, and quietly walked toward Kk’s bedside to wake her.
"Kat... Kat," he whispered gently.
Kk slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the light. Mass smiled softly and leaned down to help her sit up with tender care.
A knock echoed on the door.
"Come in," Mass said, turning his head.
The door creaked open, and Meera entered with a big smile on her face.
"Dad, good morning!"
"Good morning," Mass replied warmly.
"Good morning, Mom," Meera added sweetly.
"Good morning, my love," Kk responded, her voice full of affection.
"Look! We brought a carry cot for the baby!" Meera said excitedly, holding it up proudly.
Just then, the doctor entered the room, clipboard in hand, and offered a courteous smile.
"Good morning, Mr. Khan."
"Good morning, Doctor."
The doctor turned to Kk, concern in his tone. "Mrs. Khan, are you experiencing any pain or discomfort in your body?"
"No, Doctor. I feel fine," Kk replied softly.
"That’s good. Then you’re ready for discharge. But Mr. Khan, please make sure she doesn’t walk too much for the next two to three days. Also, keep her stress-free."
"Understood, Doctor," Mass assured with a nod.
The doctor gave a small smile and left the room. A nurse entered and gently placed the sleeping baby in the carry cot.
Jadav and Meera carefully took the baby and exited the room quietly.
Kk began changing her clothes slowly. As she was about to leave, Mass suddenly stepped closer, took her hand gently, turned her toward him, and without hesitation, lifted her into his arms in a bridal style.
Surprised, Kk opened her mouth to speak, but Mass interrupted her softly.
"I know I’m not supposed to touch you, but I can't risk anything with your health. Just bear with me for a few more minutes, please."
Without giving her a chance to argue, he walked out of the room with her in his arms.
In the hospital lobby, people turned to look, their murmurs buzzing through the air. Kk felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. She glanced around nervously, then noticed her own hand resting on Mass’s neck, and the other on his firm chest. She lifted her eyes to his face and couldn’t help but stare at him, lost in thought.
They stepped into the elevator. It was just the two of them, surrounded by silence.
"I told you before," Mass said with a faint smile, "DON’T STARE AT ME WITH THOSE INTOXICATING EYES."
Embarrassed, Kk quickly turned her face away. He waited, hoping for some reaction, but nothing came. He sighed quietly, disappointed.
They reached the car. Mass gently placed her in the passenger seat, then got behind the wheel. The drive was quiet, filled with unspoken emotions. When they reached home, he carried her inside once more.
"Oh my God!" Aaisha squealed, her eyes lighting up.
"A very lovely couple just walked in," Nargis chimed, grinning.
Kk’s face broke into a wide, joyful smile as she saw her sisters and father waiting for her.
Mass gently placed her on the sofa, allowing her to settle in.
"How are you, my love?" Mr. Kaif asked, wrapping his arms around her.
"I’m fine, Dad," Kk replied, hugging him back.
"We’ve already met our cute little niece!" Aaisha said excitedly. "But she was sleeping, so we couldn’t play with her."
"Don’t worry, she’ll wake up soon," Kk replied warmly.
"We’re not talking to you!" Aaisha teased. "We’re only here for our niece—not for you!"
"How rude!" Kk laughed, though a hint of hurt touched her voice. "I had my reasons for not inviting you to my wedding. If you want to be mad about it, then fine—go back. I don’t want to talk to you either."
"Hey!" Nargis protested. "You’re not allowed to upset us!"
"Why not?" Kk challenged with a playful smirk.
"Come on, girls," Mr. Kaif interrupted. "You haven’t seen each other in so long. Don’t waste this moment fighting."
"Dad, look at her!" Aaisha pouted. "It’s like she didn’t even miss us."
"Who said that?" Kk’s voice softened. "You have no idea how much I missed you all..."
Without another word, Aaisha and Nargis rushed toward her and hugged her tightly, tears glistening in their eyes.
"We missed you, K. We love you."
"I missed you too. I love you, my b!tches!" Kk laughed, her voice thick with emotion.
Everyone laughed together, the tension dissolving into warmth and sisterly love.
"Everyone, freshen up and come down for breakfast," Mass called from the dining room.
"Yeah, I’m so tired," Aaisha yawned.
"And I’m starving," Nargis added.
"Jadav, take them to the guest rooms," Mass instructed. They all left upstairs.
Mass returned to Kk’s side, lifted her into his arms again, and carried her to their bedroom.
---
Once inside, she stood up from the sofa and walked toward the bathroom.
"If you need anything, just call me," Mass said softly behind her.
She didn’t reply, disappearing into the bathroom. Moments later, she came out wrapped in a towel, her face calm and fresh.
The baby was awake and stirring softly.
"Are you hungry, baby?" Kk cooed. "Don’t worry, Momma will feed you."
She picked up the baby, sat on the bed, and began bre@stfeeding her. Just then, Mass came out of the bathroom, towel slung over his shoulder. Their eyes met—and panic surged in Kk’s chest.
Mass immediately turned away, facing the wall.
"Don’t feel uncomfortable. I didn’t see anything," he said quietly, his voice filled with understanding. As he walked to the wardrobe, he added, "I know you still haven’t accepted me as your husband... but she’s my child. And you’re my wife. You don’t have to feel embarrassed feeding our daughter in front of me."
He changed quickly into a crisp office suit and walked out, expecting to see Kk. But she was gone.
He made his way to the dining room, where laughter and chatter filled the air.
"D@mn, jivs! (Sister's husband) You look so handsome in that suit!" Aaisha said, pretending to swoon.
"$exy, h0t, handsome businessman!" Nargis teased.
Everyone laughed.
"Don’t fl!rt with me," Mass said with a grin.
"Why not?" Aaisha shot back. "We have to admire all the beautiful things in the world!"
"Not me," Mass replied coolly.
"I think jivs doesn’t like it when other women compliment him in front of his wife," Nargis teased again.
The room burst into laughter—except for Kk and Mass, whose eyes met across the table. A quiet understanding passed between them, lingering like a
question left unanswered.
"Let’s eat. I have to head to the office," Mass said, breaking the moment.
"I have a business meeting too," Mr. Kaif added.
After finishing breakfast, Mass left for work with Mr. Kaif.
Kk, Aaisha, and Nargis headed to Kk’s room, their laughter echoing through the house like music.
Aaisha: "Can you believe how many months it's been since we finally got to spend time like we used to?" Her voice was soft with nostalgia. "Just like the old days…"
Nargis: "I miss those times more than I can express." Her eyes shimmered with quiet longing.
Kk: "I crave my old life too…" She looked away, pa!n in her voice. "But deep down, I know it's not coming back. If I could have just one wish from God, I'd ask for my old life, no second thoughts."
Aaisha: "Are you… not happy with the life you're living now?"
Nargis: "Mass told us you haven’t really accepted him as your husband… and that your relationship isn’t… like a marriage."
Kk: "How can I accept him… after everything he did to me?" Her words dropped like stones, heavy with bitterness.
Aaisha: "Wait—what do you mean by that?"
Kk: "It’s nothing... just forget I said anything." Her tone turned cold, shutting down.
Nargis: "Come on, Kk. We’re your sisters—we can help, but only if you open up." Her voice was pleading.
Kk paused, her defenses wavering under the weight of silence.
Kk: "Fine. I’ll tell you what really happened… that night after we left the club." Her voice cracked as old w0unds reopened.
Aaisha: "That much pa!n… and you kept it to yourself?" Her voice broke in disbelief. "How could you hide it from us? We’re supposed to be your family…"
Kk: "I only agreed to stay in this marriage because of the baby." She exhaled shakily. "I couldn’t bring myself to end this child’s life before it even began…"
Nargis: "Then we need to tell Dad. You’ll come with us. We’ll fix this."
Kk: "No. Please… promise me you won’t say a single word to Dad." Her voice trembled. "And I’m not leaving with you."
Aaisha: "But why? Why stay in this situation?
Kk: "Because… I’ve built something here." Her gaze dropped. "A family—his family—they’ve never hu®t me. They stood by me when he didn’t. Now… they’re my world."
Kk: "I’ve built a life without him in it."
Suddenly, Kk’s phone chimed. She glanced at it and read silently:
Mass’s message: "Take care of yourself. I know seeing your family makes you excited, but don’t forget to rest. Don’t overdo it, and please don’t skip your meals.
Kk’s expression was unreadable as she set her phone down.
Aaisha: "What did he say? Hand me the phone."
Aaisha and Nargis quickly scrolled through the messages.
Nargis: "He told us you ignore him, but we had no idea it was to this extent…" She looked at Kk in disbelief. "You’ve completely shut him out."
Kk just rolled her eyes in response, her silence louder than words.
Aaisha: "If you’ll hear my honest opinion… I think you should consider giving him a chance." Her voice was gentle but firm. "He knows he was wrong. He’s apologized, and you’ve already made him go through a lot. Maybe it’s time…"
Kk: "No. I’m not ready. I don’t want to accept him—not now." She said it with finality.
Aaisha: "But he’s trying, Kk. He’s doing everything he can. He’s accepted your conditions, loves the baby… even his family supports you. Why not him?"
Kk: "I don’t know… I just need time." Her hands trembled slightly. "My mind is a storm, and my heart still carries too much resentment. I’ll only accept him when I feel no hatred inside me. That’s the truth."
Aaisha: "Okay, we won’t push you." She reached out, squeezing her hand gently. "Just… please think about what I said. Don’t let it be too late."
Nargis: "For now, get some rest. We’re heading to our room—we need rest too."
Nargis and Aaisha walked away. Kk lay back on the bed, eyes open, thoughts racing.
Kk’s thoughts echoed in her mind like whispers in the dark:
Am I being too harsh? Can I forgive him? Does he deserve a second chance? Should I speak to him? Or just… try being his friend first? Should I stop pretending he’s invisible? Can he truly be forgiven for what he did?
Kk: "Ughhh… D@mn him!" She buried her face in her pillow. "I’ve never been this confused in my life. He’s driving me insane. I hate how he makes me feel."
Her thoughts continued like a spiral she couldn’t escape:
The craziest part is… he knows everything about me. My favorite foods, my moods, my fears… But I know nothing about him. Not even what he does for a living. I don’t know his people. Who is he, really?
Meanwhile, in the other room—
Nargis: "How could he hu®t her like that?"
Aaisha: "He’s obsessed with her—we all see that. But at least he didn’t abandon her after what happened. He says he loves her… and honestly, I think he’s proving it. He accepted all her conditions, didn’t he?"
Nargis: "What man would stay so calm—so patient—when his own wife won’t even look at him, let alone touch him?"
Aaisha: "And even if we told Dad, he couldn’t undo this. They’re married. And we both know… he’s the mafia." Her voice lowered, eyes wide.
"He’ll never let her go. Kk doesn’t even realize who he really is… but we do. He can do anything. But we’re helpless."
Nargis: "I think… we should stay out of it now. Time will either break her or heal her. Maybe one day… she’ll find love for him again."
Next day evening,
Kk: "Let’s have dinner."
Mr. Kaif: "What about Mass?"
Meera: "We usually eat before him. He’s always late from work."
Aaisha: "I think… we should wait for him today."
Mr. Kaif: "Hold on, I’ll give him a call."
He dialed Mass’s number.
Nargis: "Looks like you’ll have to wait for him every night now, huh?"
Kk rolled her eyes, lips tight.
Mr. Kaif: "He’s on his way—said he’ll be here soon."
Samar: "It feels like forever since we all had dinner together."
Sahil: "Yeah, those family dinners are rare now."
Nargis: "Kk, look how happy everyone is. Maybe… just maybe… you should eat with him."
Mass entered the house, the room growing quiet.
Aaisha: "Well, good evening, Mr. Handsome Businessman."
Laughter broke out from everyone—except Kk.
Mass: "Evening. And how many times have I told you—stop fl!rting with me."
Aaisha: "Yeah, yeah, we get it!"
Mass: "Go ahead, all of you. Start dinner. I’ll join you after I freshen up."
He walked to his room. Kk watched him silently, emotions unreadable.
Minutes later, Mass returned and took his seat.
Mr. Kaif: "I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. Got an important business meeting."
Aaisha: "Alright, Dad."
Mass: "Are you both staying here for long?"
Nargis: "Yeah, a few more days."
Aaisha: "What? Are we interrupting your personal space?"
More laughter erupted. Kk and Mass stayed silent.
Mass: "Just asking, that’s all."
After dinner, the family gathered in the living room.
Mr. Kaif: "Kk, you go rest. We’ll take care of the little one."
Kk nodded quietly and walked away.
Soon, the baby’s cries echoed from the room.
Aaisha: "She must be hungry."
Mass: "I’ll take her to Kat."
He gently picked up the baby and disappeared down the hall.
Mr. Kaif: "I’m off to bed. I need to be up early."
Aaisha: "Goodnight, Dad."
He exited, leaving the others behind.
Nargis: "Alright, tell us—how’s their relationship really going?"
Meera: "Honestly? Like a divorced couple forced to live together under the same roof."
Jadav: "Six whole months… and not even the tiniest sign of progress."
Samar: "Can’t you convince her to forgive him? To accept him again?"
Nargis: "We tried. We spoke to her today."
Sahil: "And?"
Aaisha: "She said she’ll accept him… but only when she’s completely free of hatred."
Jadav: "Well, let’s wait and see. It’s all we can do."
Aaisha: "Tomorrow’s Saturday. Is he flying to India?"
Jadav: "Not anymore. Now he only travels once every two months. So, he’ll be here tomorrow."
Nargis: "Alright, time for bed. Goodnight, everyone."
Meera: "Goodnight."
On the other hand,
Kk scrolled through her phone absently, her fingers moving but her mind far away. The soft creak of the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked up, heart skipping a beat.
Mass stepped inside, gently holding the baby in his arms. His face looked tired—worn, as if carrying the weight of unspoken words and sleepless nights. The moment Kk saw him, tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She tried to blink them away, but one slipped down her cheek.
He walked toward her in silence and offered the baby.
Mass said softly, "I think... she’s hungry."
Kk didn't answer. Her eyes locked onto his, full of silent questions, pa!n, and confusion. She stared at him, not with anger, but with a storm of emotions she hadn't yet named.
The baby began to cry, her small wail slicing through the thick silence.
Mass took a breath and looked away, understanding what that stare meant. He turned and walked toward the balcony, retreating from her gaze like a man who knew he had no right to stay. He sat in the balcony chair, staring at nothing, consumed by his own regrets.
Kk shifted her focus to the baby in her arms. She adjusted her position, hands trembling slightly as she began to feed her. The baby calmed instantly, her little fists unclenching, eyes fluttering shut.
Minutes passed. The room softened into stillness. The baby fell into a deep sleep, and soon, Kk did too, her head resting gently beside her daughter’s.
Mass stepped back inside. His eyes immediately found them—mother and child, curled together in quiet peace. The sight hit him like a wave. His breath caught in his throat.
He moved closer, carefully pulling a blanket over both of them, as if shielding them from the world.
He sat at the edge of the bed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mass murmured, "I wish I could hold you in my arms like this every night. I wish I could k!ss you without feeling like I’m stealing a moment that doesn’t belong to me. I wish I could spend every second with you both like normal families do. I wish I could call you my wife, shout it to the world. I wish I had the courage to tell you how deeply I love you. You and this little angel… you are everything. I’ll wait, no matter how long it takes. I’ll wait until the day you finally choose me."
He leaned forward, k!ssed her forehead with trembling lips, then walked silently to the couch and lay down, staring up at the ceiling, his heart aching with hope and longing.
---
Next morning,
The living room buzzed with warmth and chatter. Everyone had gathered, laughter echoing through the space.
Aaisha asked with a smile, "So, have you thought of a name for the baby?"
Kk nodded, her voice soft but sure. "Yes, I did. I was thinking... Aelina. What do you all think?"
Nargis chimed in quickly, playful and determined. "Nope! I want to name her."
Meera jumped in too. "Me too!"
Jadav raised his hand with a grin. "Count me in."
Samar and Sahil exchanged looks and shouted together, "Us too!"
Mass sat off to the side, focused on his laptop, quietly observing the chaos with a small smile playing on his lips.
Kk laughed, the sound light and refreshing. "Okay, okay! Let’s settle this with a lucky draw. Everyone writes down a name, we put the chits in a bowl, and whatever name comes out—we go with it."
Everyone eagerly scribbled down their choices.
Meera looked at Mass and said, "Dad, you should write a name too.
Mass hesitated for a second, then nodded. He picked up a chit, paused thoughtfully, wrote something down, folded it carefully, and handed it to Meera.
She tossed it into the mix and gave all the chits a good shuffle before drawing one.
Meera unfolded the slip and read aloud, "Saumya."
Aaisha leaned forward, curious. "Who wrote that name?"
Mass looked up and replied quietly, "I did."
Nargis gave a teasing smile. "Lucky guy. Looks like she’s already Daddy’s girl."
Mass chuckled softly, pride glimmering in his eyes. "Why not?"
Meera clapped her hands. "It’s settled then. Baby’s name is Saumya!"
Kk looked down at the baby nestled in her arms. Her voice was gentle, full of something between wonder and acceptance. "Hi, Saumya..."
When Mass heard her say the name—the name he had chosen—it was as if the entire world paused for a second. A smile broke across his face, pure and proud. For the first time in a long
time, hope didn’t feel like a fantasy. It felt like a promise.
To be continued.....
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