Author pov

The living room of the Kapoor Mansion was unusually quiet.

Laksh had just ended the phone call with Mahesh Khurana.

His expression remained unreadable as he placed his phone on the center table.

Meera looked at him carefully.

"What did he say?"

Laksh leaned back against the sofa.

"They've accepted the proposal."

Silence settled over the room.

Vivaan glanced at Rajveer before looking at his elder brother.

"So... they're ready?"

Laksh simply nodded.

Rajveer folded the newspaper lying beside him.

"When do they want to meet?"

"This Sunday."

Meera smiled softly.

"That's good."

Laksh didn't respond.

His eyes automatically searched for one person.

Eira.

She was sitting on the carpet, trying very hard to stack colorful building blocks one over another.

Every time the tower fell...

She would pout adorably before trying again.

Laksh couldn't help but smile.

His daughter never gave up.

Maybe...

He should learn something from her.

"Dada!"

Eira suddenly picked up a yellow block and ran toward Rajveer.

"See!"

Rajveer adjusted his glasses dramatically.

"Oh?"

"My princess built this?"

She proudly nodded.

"Meee!"

Rajveer laughed.

"Very beautiful."

Eira grinned before running back to destroy the same tower she had spent five minutes building.

Vivaan shook his head.

"She's exactly like bhai."

Laksh raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"You both build things..."

"...and then refuse to let anyone touch them."

Everyone laughed.

Even Laksh.

It had become rare.

Very rare.

Meera silently noticed it.

She had almost forgotten how her son looked when he genuinely smiled.

After lunch...

Eira had fallen asleep in Laksh's lap.

One tiny hand was wrapped around his shirt while her soft breathing echoed through the room.

Laksh gently brushed a few strands of hair away from her forehead.

"So peaceful..."

he whispered.

Meera sat beside him.

"You know..."

Laksh looked at her.

"I agreed to this proposal only because of her."

"I know."

"I don't need another relationship."

"I don't need love."

"I don't even want marriage."

His voice remained calm.

"The only thing I want..."

"...is someone who'll never let Eira feel unwanted."

Meera's eyes softened.

"Laksh."

He looked at his mother.

"Every child deserves someone she can run to when she's scared..."

"Someone she'll proudly call 'Mumma.'"

Laksh looked down at his sleeping daughter.

"If the girl coming into this house can't love Eira wholeheartedly..."

"I'll end everything before the wedding."

Meera held his hand gently.

"Sometimes..."

"Children choose their parents."

Laksh frowned.

"What do you mean?"

She smiled.

"If that girl is truly meant to become part of our family..."

"Eira will accept her before any of us do."

Laksh didn't know why...

But those words stayed with him.

Meanwhile...

Across the city...

Aarika quietly folded freshly ironed clothes.

Her mind wasn't on her work.

Every few seconds...

The same thoughts returned.

Laksh Kapoor.

A stranger.

A father.

A man carrying a broken past.

And a little girl...

Only two years old.

She wondered...

Did Eira laugh a lot?

Did she like chocolates?

Did she still speak in broken words?

Did she miss having a mother?

The thought made Aarika's heart ache.

She had lost her parents.

That little girl...

Had lost her mother while she was still alive.

There was a difference.

Yet...

The emptiness probably felt the same.

Without realizing it...

A small prayer escaped Aarika's lips.

"I hope she's happy."

She didn't even know why she cared.

Maybe because...

Pain recognizes pain.

---

Just then...

Her phone rang.

Siya Calling...

Aarika quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Aaru!"

Siya almost shouted.

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"Your marriage is getting fixed?"

Aarika sighed softly.

"So... Bade Papa told everyone already."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I... didn't know how."

There was silence.

Then Siya asked carefully,

"Are you okay?"

Aarika looked outside the window.

"I don't know."

"I've never met him."

"I don't know anything about him."

"The only thing I know..."

"...is that he has a little daughter."

Siya's voice softened.

"Does that bother you?"

"No."

Aarika answered honestly.

"It only makes me wonder..."

"How lonely she must have been."

At that very moment...

Destiny smiled quietly.

Because somewhere in another house...

A little girl was unknowingly waiting for the woman who had already started worrying about her.

Siya stayed silent for a few seconds.

Then she smiled.

"You know what, Aarika?"

"Hmm?"

"I've known you since we were five."

"And if there's one thing I'm sure about..."

"It's that any child who gets you in their life will be the luckiest."

Aarika let out a small laugh.

"You always exaggerate."

"I don't."

"I mean every word."

Before Aarika could reply, another voice interrupted the call.

"Aadhya?" Aarika smiled.

"Who else?"

"So... Miss Aarika Khurana is getting married and didn't think it was important to tell her best friends?"

"I'm sorry."

"No."

"We're angry."

"Very angry."

Aarika laughed softly.

"I'm really sorry."

Aadhya sighed dramatically.

"Fine... you're forgiven."

"But answer one thing honestly."

"Are you happy?"

The smile on Aarika's face slowly disappeared.

"I don't know."

"I've never dreamt about marriage."

"I always thought..."

"...whoever married me would do it out of pity."

Both Siya and Aadhya immediately went quiet.

"Aaru..."

Siya spoke gently.

"Never say that again."

"You are not someone's responsibility."

"You deserve love."

"You deserve respect."

"And one day..."

"You'll have a family that chooses you."

Aarika closed her eyes.

For years...

Those two girls had been the only people who had made her feel important.

"I hope you're right."

"You'll see."

Aadhya replied confidently.

"And listen..."

"If that Laksh Kapoor ever makes you cry..."

"We'll kidnap him."

Siya burst into laughter.

"And make him apologize."

For the first time that day...

A genuine laugh escaped Aarika's lips.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For reminding me that I still have people."

"You'll always have us."

The call ended with smiles on all three faces.

Later that evening...

The Kapoor Mansion buzzed with preparations.

Meera was already deciding what sweets should be served during the meeting.

Vivaan, on the other hand, had only one mission.

To tease Laksh.

"So..."

Laksh looked up from his laptop.

"What?"

"What colour are you wearing on Sunday?"

"I haven't thought about it."

Vivaan smirked.

"I think blue."

Laksh ignored him.

"Or black."

Still no response.

"Or maybe white?"

Laksh finally looked at him.

"Do you have work?"

"No."

"Then go find some."

Rajveer chuckled from across the room.

"You'll never stop teasing him, will you?"

Vivaan shrugged.

"It's fun."

Laksh shook his head before returning to his laptop.

Just then...

Tiny footsteps echoed through the hallway.

"Papa..."

Laksh instantly closed the laptop.

"Come here."

Eira walked towards him while dragging her fluffy bunny.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Uth..."

"You woke up?"

She nodded.

"Hug."

Laksh immediately lifted her into his arms.

"There you go."

She rested her head on his shoulder without saying another word.

Vivaan smiled.

"I swear..."

"She has a sixth sense."

"The moment Laksh starts working..."

"She appears."

Everyone laughed.

Eira looked around in confusion.

"Funny?"

Laksh kissed the top of her head.

"Very funny."

She giggled without even knowing why.

The next morning...

Mahesh Khurana arrived home carrying a file.

Kavita followed him into the living room.

"What happened?"

"The meeting is fixed."

"When?"

"This Sunday."

Kavita nodded with satisfaction.

"Good."

She looked toward Aarika, who had just entered with tea.

"Did you hear that?"

"Ji."

"Wear something decent."

"And don't embarrass us."

Aarika quietly nodded.

"Ji, Badi Maa."

Mahesh placed the file on the table.

"The Kapoor family is respectable."

"They won't tolerate carelessness."

"I understand."

After they left, Aarika stood alone in the living room.

Sunday.

Only three days away.

Three days later...

She would meet the man who could become her husband.

Three days later...

She would also meet a little girl who unknowingly occupied her thoughts

She didn't know Laksh.

She didn't know whether he was kind or cold.

Whether he smiled often...

Or hardly smiled at all.

But one thing kept repeating in her heart.

If fate is taking me into that little girl's life... I hope I never become another person who leaves her.

Far away, at the Kapoor Mansion...

Eira looked at Laksh with sparkling eyes.

"Papa..."

"Hmm?"

"Park?"

Laksh smiled.

"I promised, didn't I?"

She clapped excitedly.

"Pakka?"

"Pakka."

Holding his daughter's tiny hand, Laksh walked out of the house.

Neither he nor Aarika knew...

That in just a few days...

Their lives would cross for the very first time.

And a little girl's innocent smile would become the beginning of a story neither of them had ever imagined.

Sunday.

A day that seemed ordinary to the rest of the city.

But for two families...

It was the beginning of a new chapter.

---

The Kapoor Mansion was unusually lively.

Meera Kapoor had been supervising the household staff since early morning.

"No, arrange the flowers properly."

"And make sure the snacks are served fresh."

The staff nodded and hurried to complete their work.

Vivaan walked into the living room, yawning.

"Mom..."

"It's just a family meeting, not a royal wedding."

Meera glared at him.

"It may be a simple meeting for you."

"But for your brother..."

"It's an important day."

Vivaan immediately raised both his hands.

"Okay, okay."

"I was just joking."

Just then...

Rajveer entered wearing a crisp white kurta.

"Is Laksh ready?"

Meera sighed.

"He has been in his room for almost an hour."

"I'll check."

---

Laksh stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the cuffs of his light blue shirt.

His face showed no excitement.

Only calmness.

He wasn't nervous about meeting Aarika.

He was worried about something else.

Would she accept Eira?

Would she truly love his daughter...

Or would she merely tolerate her?

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

Rajveer entered.

"You look good."

Laksh smiled faintly.

"Thanks, Dad."

Rajveer stood beside him.

"Still thinking?"

Laksh nodded.

"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."

Rajveer placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You're not getting married because you're lonely."

"You're getting married because you're trying to give your daughter a complete family."

"And that's never a wrong decision."

Laksh looked down.

"I just don't want Eira to get hurt again."

Rajveer smiled gently.

"Then trust your instincts."

"If the girl is right for Eira..."

"She'll automatically become right for you."

Laksh silently nodded.

---

Meanwhile...

Little Eira was busy making everyone laugh.

She had somehow managed to wear one pink shoe and one yellow shoe.

Vivaan laughed so hard that he almost fell off the sofa.

"My fashion queen!"

Eira proudly looked at her feet.

"Pretty!"

"The prettiest."

Meera corrected the shoes before kissing her forehead.

"My princess is beautiful in everything."

Eira giggled happily.

---

Across the city...

The Khurana house looked completely different today.

For the first time in years...

Kavita herself had asked Aarika to wear a beautiful outfit.

Not because she cared.

But because appearances mattered.

Aarika walked out of her room wearing a blush pink suit.

She looked graceful without trying.

Her long hair fell neatly over her shoulders, and she wore only a pair of tiny pearl earrings.

Kavita looked her up and down.

"At least you look presentable."

Mahesh nodded.

"Let's leave."

Aarika quietly picked up her small handbag.

Before stepping out...

She looked toward the sky for a brief moment.

"Mumma... Papa..."

"Please stay with me today."

Then she got into the car.

---

Inside the Kapoor Mansion...

The doorbell rang.

Everyone looked toward the entrance.

"They're here," Meera whispered.

A servant opened the main door.

Mahesh and Kavita entered first.

Behind them...

Walked Aarika.

The moment she stepped inside...

She wasn't looking at the luxurious interiors.

She wasn't looking at the expensive décor.

Her eyes instinctively searched for one tiny face.

And then...

She saw her.

A little girl in a pink frock...

Holding a stuffed bunny...

Standing beside Laksh.

Eira blinked curiously at the unfamiliar people.

Aarika couldn't take her eyes off her.

She's so little...

So adorable...

Without realizing it...

A warm smile appeared on Aarika's face.

At the same moment...

Eira tilted her tiny head.

She looked at Aarika for a few seconds.

Then...

Without any hesitation...

She stretched out both her little arms toward Aarika.

"Uppie..."

The entire room fell silent.

Laksh looked at his daughter in surprise.

She had never willingly gone to strangers.

Never.

Even Aarika stood frozen.

She slowly looked at Laksh, silently asking for permission.

Laksh didn't know why...

But he gave a slight nod.

With hesitant steps, Aarika walked closer.

The moment she bent down...

Eira wrapped her tiny arms around Aarika's neck as if she had known her forever.

Aarika instinctively held the little girl carefully.

"It's okay..."

she whispered softly.

Eira rested her head on Aarika's shoulder with complete comfort.

Laksh watched the scene without blinking.

Something inside his heart...

Shifted.

For the first time since agreeing to this proposal...

He felt a tiny spark of hope.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

This meeting wasn't arranged by people.

Maybe...

It had been arranged by destiny itself.

♡ Author's Note ♡

And that's the end of Chapter 2! 🤍

Sooo... what do you think? 🥹

The way little Eira reached out to Aarika without knowing anything... maybe children really do recognize pure hearts. 🥺🤍

I'd love to know your thoughts!

💭 Tell me in the comments:

- Did you like Eira's first interaction with Aarika?

- What do you think Laksh was feeling in that moment?

- Do you believe this marriage is destiny... or just another compromise?

If you enjoyed this chapter, please don't forget to:

- 🤍 Vote

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Your support means the world to me. Every vote, every comment, and every message motivates me to keep writing this story with all my heart. ❤️

And... are you excited for Chapter 3? 👀

Because the real journey of Laksh, Aarika, and our little princess Eira is about to begin. 🥹✨

See you cutiepie in 3rd chapter!

With love,

Miliwrts