After getting ready, Ishika came down the stairs slowly, her dupatta slipping slightly over her shoulder. The soft gold of her saree caught the morning light filtering through the tall windows, but her face was unreadable. Her eyes didn’t meet anyone’s. She moved like she was walking through a house that had never been hers.

“*Ishika bhabhi!*”

Mahi, Veeransh’s younger sister, rushed forward, her bangles jingling. She grabbed Ishika’s hand, her eyes shining with genuine admiration.

“Aap bahut pyari lag rahi hain aaj… sach mein. lagta hai aapne poora ghar roshan kar diya.”

Ishika didn’t stop. Didn’t smile. Didn’t even blink. She just slid her hand free and walked past, her chin tilted a degree higher, like she was walking through glass she didn’t want to shatter.

Behind her, Badi Maa’s voice, warm and heavy with ritual, cut through the silence.

“*Ishika beta, nazar na lage kisi ki.* Kitni pyari lag rahi ho… bilkul apni maa ki tarah.” She came closer, adjusting the pleat of Ishika’s saree with hands that trembled a little — not from age, but from hope.

“Aur haan, aaj pehli rasoi ke rituals hain. Agar tumhare mann mein ho toh hi karenge. Koi zabardasti nahi, beta.”

Ishika’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She just nodded once, stiffly, and turned toward the kitchen. Her silence was louder than any argument.

From the side, Veeransh’s cousin sister whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear,

“Bhabhi toh pehle aisi nahi thi na? Hashti thi, baat karti thi… ab toh jaise pathar ban gayi hain.”

Her brother elbowed her, but Badi Maa sighed before anyone could stop her.

“*Bas halaat hi aise hain.* Dil par jo beet rahi hai, wohi chehra dikha raha hai. Use hum logon se nafrat nahi hai… dar hai. Aur dar insaan ko chup kara deta hai.”

Ishika heard every word. She didn’t turn back.

Inside the kitchen, the air was thick with the smell of ghee and cardamom from last night’s leftovers. She rolled up her sleeves, her jaw tight. _Meetha khana hai unhe. Toh meetha hi khilati hoon._

Her hands moved on autopilot — heating the kadhai, roasting the sooji till it turned golden brown, the aroma slowly filling the room. She didn’t hum. Didn’t sing like she used to. Every stir of the spoon was sharp, controlled, like she was stirring away the lump in her throat.

When the halwa was done, she scooped it into a silver katori, garnished it with dry fruits with hands that didn’t shake, and walked out.

The dining hall was already full. The low murmur of conversation died the moment she entered.

Veeransh’s Bade Papa was seated at the head of the table, his reading glasses pushed up on his forehead. Badi Maa immediately gestured to her.

“*Ishika beta, tum baitho. Main naukar se serve karwa deti hoon.* Aaj tum mehman ho.”

Ishika didn’t answer. She pulled out the chair opposite Veeransh and sat down, the metal legs scraping against the marble floor. Her back was straight, her gaze fixed on the plate in front of her, not on him.

Veeransh’s eyes narrowed. He leaned back in his chair, watching her like she was a puzzle he hadn’t solved yet.

“*Mrs. Veeransh,*” he said, his voice low, deliberate, carrying across the table.

“Yeh hamare side wali seat aapke liye reserve hai. Bhool gayi kya? Ya jaan boojh ke door baith rahi ho?”

Ishika ignored him. As if he was air.

That got a reaction. His lips quirked into a slow, infuriating smile. Without warning, he pushed his chair back, stood up, and in one smooth motion, walked around the table. Before Ishika could react, his arms were around her waist, lifting her off the chair.

“*What the heck! Put me down, you shameless person!*”

Ishika’s voice finally broke, sharp and furious, her fists pounding lightly against his chest. Her cheeks flushed red — from anger, embarrassment, and something else she refused to name.

Around them, the table reacted instantly.

Veeransh’s cousins ducked their heads, hiding their faces behind their hands, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

Bua’s face twisted in disgust, muttering, “Sanskar khatam ho gaye hain aaj kal ke ladkon ke.”

And Badi Maa? She just smiled, a small, knowing smile, and said nothing.

Veeransh didn’t let her go. He carried her the two steps to the seat beside him and set her down carefully, like she was breakable even though she was fighting him.

“Baithe raho yahan,” he said quietly, his voice dropping so only she could hear. “Yeh jagah tumhari hai. Baaki sab dekhte rahenge.”

Ishika yanked her wrist free, her eyes blazing. In her mind, she was cursing him in every language she knew. _Nafrat ho tumse. Itni nafrat ki… agar thodi kam hoti, toh shayad kuch aur hota._

But she didn’t say it. She just straightened her dupatta, picked up the spoon, and placed the first spoonful of halwa on Bade Papa’s plate. Her hands were steady. Her heart wasn’t.

Across the table, Veeransh watched her, his smile gone, replaced by something quieter, heavier. He wasn’t smiling at the fight anymore. He was watching the girl who was fighting him with everything she had left.

Everyone tried the halwa that Ishika had made and the dining hall filled with murmurs of praise as spoons clinked against silver bowls

But Ishika’s eyes never left Veeransh as she sat frozen in her seat watching him with a storm behind her gaze thinking Khao khao meri zindagi me aag laga kar tumhe meetha khilau kha lo na aaj pata chalega Ishika Chouhan kaun hai

She was not waiting for appreciation she was waiting for a reaction for a flinch for tears because the bowl in front of him was not halwa at all it was a fireball she had cooked with extra chilies and burnt sugar just for her unwanted pati

Mahi tasted it first and gasped with delight wow bhabhi bahut hi achha bana hai sach mein aapne toh kamaal kar diya

One by one the family nodded and smiled even Badi Maa whispered that it reminded her of Ishika’s mother’s cooking

But Ishika heard none of it her focus was locked on Veeransh’s spoon and on the way his expression never changed

Mira leaned forward teasingly and said vese ye itna saara chasni aur dry fruits bhaiya ke liye kuch zyada hi nahi ho gaya

The cousins laughed softly and Mira added ha bilkul lagta hai bhabhi ko pehle hi din pyaar ho gaya

Veeransh said nothing he just lifted the spoon slowly and held it near his mouth while his eyes stayed on Ishika’s face

Ishika kept her expression blank but inside she was counting each second her heart pounding impatiently waiting for him to taste it

Then he smiled and put the spoon in his mouth chewing slowly before saying ha chasni kuch zyada hi hai

Ishika froze for a moment thinking what is this really a monster hai kya yeh insaan hai bhi ya nahi

Before she could think further Veeransh leaned forward and said softly are meri pyari patni tum bhi toh chakho

In the next second he had filled a spoon and slid it into her open mouth without warning

The fire hit her instantly burning her lips and throat making her eyes water and her breath catch

She choked and shot up from her seat clutching her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes

Without a word she turned and ran out of the dining hall her footsteps echoing up the stairs until she slammed the door of her room behind her

Behind her the table fell silent for a second before laughter and worried whispers filled the air

And Veeransh only watched her go with a smile that was heavier than before

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