Dhruv's POV

The moonlight filtered softly through the sheer curtains, casting a silver glow across the room. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Aakriti sleep.

"Can anyone believe me if I tell them that she tormented me a few minutes ago?" I murmured.

"Baby, the stunt that you pulled today was deadly. I nearly lost my breath. Could have had a heart attack and lost my life at a young age." I said, gently tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. I quickly withdrew my hand, as I didn't want to wake her up.

"Sleeping like a baby, unaware of what your presence is doing to me." I smiled, admiring her. She always kept her walls up, but here, while sleeping, she let them down, maybe because of exhaustion.

Just as I was about to get up, her body tensed. Her brows furrowed, lips trembling. She jerked her body. She raised her hand, trying to grasp something in the air.

"No... Don't... drink.... Dhruv, please stop... Don't go there... please..." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it was heard in the silence of the night.

I froze.

Her fists clenched around the bedsheet as if trying to hold on to something that was slipping away.

I lay beside her in an instant. "Aakriti..." I whispered, trying to calm her, as I gently pulled her into my arms. Her body trembled against my chest. I held her tighter and rubbed her back to make her realize my presence. I gently kissed her forehead.

"It's okay, I'm here. Look, your Dhruv is here. You're safe, and I am safe. Nothing happened to me." I murmured, my voice low and soothing. "I'm not going anywhere. I didn't drink. Relax. Your Dhruv is safe."

Gradually, her breathing slowed, and her fists unclenched. She relaxed into my embrace, a faint sigh escaping her lips. But her words—those broken, pleading words—revolved in my mind.

I stayed still, arms wrapped around her, even after she settled. My gaze was fixed on the ceiling, jaw tight.

She had been dreaming about me... No, not dreaming but having nightmares. Why those words?

Because she saw me drunk that day. She showed her vulnerability for the first time that night. Did she get nightmares about something happening to me? Did I trigger her nightmare? I was so happy about her feeling something for me that I didn't realize her state. Her vulnerability arose not only from care but also from deeper issues. But clearly, something haunts her from the past. A memory? A fear she had buried deep?

I kissed her lightly over her hair.

I wanted to ask her, hold her, and promise her everything. But if she hadn't told me, maybe it was something she wasn't ready to share.

"How much are you hiding inside you? I want to be the shoulder that you lean on. I don't know what you experienced to the point of experiencing nightmares. But I will be there for you. I will do anything to help you."

But how should I help her... without letting her know that I know? Because if she realized that I knew about her nightmares, she would start distancing herself from me.

The question weighed on me as I remained there in the silence, holding her closer, vowing silently to protect her—even from her nightmares.

"I'll make it safe for you," I whispered so softly, even the night might have missed it. "Even if you never tell me, I'll protect you from the shadows you're too scared to name."

Aakriti's POV

Let me sleep. Close the light. I turned around and buried my head into a pillow. I felt someone hugging me tightly. I tried to open my eyes slightly, but I was not able to; my heavy eyelids closed again at a slight effort. I opened my eyes and saw black. I moved my head backward. I saw it was Dhruv circling me in his arms like an octopus. Even one of his legs was on mine. I tried moving away from him. His grip tightens. I struggled and finally came out of his grip.

I heard a knock on the door, and I opened the door. A lady was standing with a box in her hand. She informed me that Dhruv's Dadu sent it. Why is she so shy? I took the box from her hand and asked her about my bags, and she informed me that my luggage was placed in the wardrobe. She looked embarrassed and left hurriedly. What happened?

I closed the door, and my sight fell on my reflection in the mirror. Shit. I opened the door like this. Aaku, are you mad? No doubt she was so embarrassed. Why does all this happen with me? Forget it. Why did I do that yesterday? But irritating him feels good.

I opened the box, and inside it was a beautiful saree.

"Let's go and freshen up."

I came into the room wearing the saree. I love wearing sarees. It makes me look so beautiful. I started searching for a hairdryer.

"Where the hell is it? Or what if my husband doesn't own it?" I murmured.

"Finally found it."

I removed the towel and freed my damp hair. I started blowing my hair. I looked in the mirror and saw the plates were uneven at the bottom. I tried to correct it but was unable to do it.

"Let it be; I will ask someone else to help me."

"Let me do it." I heard Dhruv as he kneeled in front of me.

"You know?"

"Don't underestimate your husband. I am an all-rounder." He said, concentrating on straightening the plates.

"Narcissist."

He stood up in front of me.

"I used to help Mom like this. When I used to ask her why she asked only me and not her husband, she used to tell me that she was training me for my future wife." He said with a fond smile. The way he talks about his parents clearly shows that he is a loved child. And sometimes I feel jealous of him.

"She saved me so much effort. Awesome." I said.

"You are looking so..." He stopped suddenly. I waited for him to say something, but he didn't continue. I got busy getting ready.

"I will go get ready." Dhruv said and left. I went downstairs and greeted Dadu (Dhruv's Dadu), as only he was present. I touched his feet and took his blessing. His presence is so warm. Like Dadu. He told me that I needed to cook a sweet dish for my pheli rasoi. Me and cooking. How am I going to do it? If I start cooking, I might burn the kitchen.

Dhruv's POV

I came down and saw only Dadu, not Aakriti. She wasn't in the room. Where did she go?

"Your wife is in the kitchen." Dadu said with a teasing smile. I rushed towards the kitchen.

I saw her standing in the middle of the kitchen, hands on her hips, glaring at the stove like it had personally offended her.

"Okay, Aakriti," she whispered to herself. "How hard can it be? Boil milk, add rice, sugar... ta-da! Kheer."

"Aaku, did you forget cooking, and you do not get along well together? Last time you tried... Don't remember the disaster." She said with her pout. I named her perfectly; she is just like an adorable squirrel. My squirrel.

"Need help?" I asked her.

"You even know how to cook." She asked in disbelief.

"Didn't I tell you I am an all-rounder? I have been trained by the best."

"I don't need your help." She said, shocking me. Really? It looks like the kitchen is going to be burnt to ashes.

"I need you to cook it all." She said in a bossy voice and handed me the spatula like bestowing a sword to a knight.

"Oh? So now I'm your personal chef too?" I raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Exactly. And don't mess it up, Mr. All-Rounder. Make one sweet dish. I was planning to make kheer. Can you make it?" She asked me. Kheer. That's the dish that I make the best.

"Yes. But you will make it, and I will guide you. As you need to do the cooking." I said, bursting her bubble. She looked at me as if I had deceived her. I ignore her look.

"Let's boil the milk first," I told her, and like a grumpy baby, she started working. I added all the ingredients and went behind her.

"May I?" She thought I was asking so as to add an ingredient, so she nodded with a confused look. Her expression told me, Why are you asking me? I don't know anything. But instead of adding anything, I held her hand to stir the kheer. And placed the other hand on the kitchen platform, trapping her between me and the platform.

"Rani sa, Isn't your husband the best?" I said, teasing her.

"You better not burn the Kheer, Raja Sa. Because you got lost in flirting with me." She said to me by slightly turning her head.

"Who was flirting, or rather, should I say, seducing me yesterday?" I said.

"Didn't I tell you I don't let go of my grudges?" She said it nonchalantly, but I saw her blushing profusely. My wife, you are so cute.

"Kheer is done." I declared. She looked at me with a bright smile. I garnished it in the serving bowl.

"Let me taste it." I picked up a spoon and took some kheer and brought the spoon closer to her mouth. She ate it and closed her eyes in delight. Obviously it's Mom's kheer recipe.

"It's delicious. I agree you are an all-rounder, husband. I loved this kheer." She said. I asked someone to serve it on the dining table. We entered the dining area and saw everyone sitting and waiting for us.

"Bhai, you know you can leave Bhabhi; she will not run away." Kabir said, smirking.

"But it depends on whether he wants to leave her. Right, Aaku?" Aarav said with a mischievous glint.

"Obviously she is my wife." I said. Aakriti looked down, her ears turning a shade pinker. I caught the small smile playing on her lips.

"Uff, romance in the air already!" Karan teased dramatically. "Save us single souls." The kheer was served, and everyone tasted it. Everyone looked at me except for Aarav, realizing that I made the kheer. I gestured for them to not reveal it.

"Aaku, you made it?" Aarav asked doubtfully.

"Yes." she said with guilt.

For a second, I thought someone might say something. Might joke, might reveal.

"It is delicious." Dadu came to the rescue.

"Yes, Bhabhi. It's yummy." Kabir said. The rest followed suit, all nodding and praising her.

Aakriti looked at them, eyes scanning each face, and then finally smiled—small, grateful, but so full of relief that it tugged at something deep inside me.

She looked at me then, mouthing 'thank you,' and I gave her a subtle nod.

They didn't expose me. They gave her the moment. And made her look like she...she belonged here.

Everyone had eaten their fill. Laughter still lingered in the air as breakfast was passed around.

Just then, Dadu stood up, and the room naturally quieted. There was something in his stance, which seemed gentle but firm, that made everyone pay attention. We followed him and waited in the living room for Dadu to speak. I saw someone come with a jewelry box.

"Beta," Dadu called, his eyes on Aakriti. "Come here for a minute."

She looked up, surprised. "Ji, Dadu?"

"Dhruv, come too."

I followed her to where Dadu stood and watched as he carefully opened the box.

"This belonged to your Dadi. And later, your Ma wore it." He said, being emotional.

The box held the kangan, simple but exquisite, the kind that held generational stories. I hadn't seen them in years. My heart pulled tight.

Aakriti blinked, stunned. "Dadu... I—I can't..."

"You can," he interrupted gently. "And you will. This house has been waiting for its daughter-in-law to wear these again. And now it's you."

"You might not remember our first meeting. But the moment I saw you, I felt like I was watching my daughter-in-law's reflection."

"A modern version. And a feisty one." He chuckled. I agree, Dadu. Now I get why he directly arranged our date instead of asking my opinion like usual.

"These kangans... are not just jewelry. They're blessings. From your Dadi. From Dhruv's Ma. And now, they're yours."

He placed the box in her hands. Her fingers trembled slightly as she took it.

"I don't know if I deserve this." she whispered.

"You do, Bhabhi. If Dadu is saying that you are like Mom, then it has to be the truth. He loves his daughter-in-law more than his son, and your case is also going to be the same." Karan said.

"I feel like if it weren't for Mom, he would have disowned his son already." Kabir said.

Everyone laughed, and the room warmed again.

And me?

I stood quietly beside her, heart full, watching the woman I loved slowly becoming the heart of the home she never thought she belonged to.

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