MAYA KSHATRIYA:

By the time I come down, I've done everything I could to look unaffected. Hair done, clean makeup, carefully chosen outfit - polished armour to hide the war waging inside me.

But the second I reach the bottom of the stairs, I pause.

They don't see me yet. And for a moment, I just... watch.

Adhya is sitting on his lap, one arm around his neck, giggling uncontrollably while he pretends to be some villain from one of her silly cartoons. Mayank is next to him, trying not to laugh - but I can see the corners of his lips twitching. He's enjoying this. They both are.

And he - Adranksh - he's just smiling.

Not the smirk he uses to disarm or manipulate.
Not the cold, practiced grin.
This was different.

He looked happy. Like he belonged.

And God... he looked good like this. Too good. His shirt sleeves rolled up, hair slightly messy because Adhya kept playing with it, and that soft glint in his eyes - something I had seen years ago.

Back when we were still "us."

My traitor heart does this little stutter.
No, no, stop.

Adhya suddenly says something - I can't quite hear it - but he laughs.
A real laugh. Deep. Warm. Familiar.

And in that moment, it all comes crashing into me.
The years. The memories. The man I fell in love with.
The father I thought he'd never become.

And here he is - being exactly that. Effortlessly. Like it was natural.

He brushes a strand of hair behind Adhya's ear like it's second nature.
He hands Mayank a glass of milk without being asked, and the boy doesn't even hesitate - just takes it like it's normal.

Like this isn't five years late.

I should be angry. I am angry.

But watching this... my walls start to crack.

I fold my arms across my chest, leaning slightly against the pillar, as if distance will protect me from what's happening inside. But it doesn't.

Because there's something terrifyingly beautiful about seeing them together.
About the way Adhya leans into him, safe and sure.
About how Mayank doesn't flinch when he ruffles his hair.

They want this.

And worse... a part of me wants it too.

A cruel whisper crawls into my chest - what if he never left? What if I had believed him?

What if we were still a family?

He catches me watching. His gaze locks onto mine, slow and steady, like he already knew I was there.

His expression doesn't change, but there's something in his eyes - something soft, unreadable - that makes my breath catch.

He doesn't say anything. Just gives me the tiniest nod.

And I hate that I feel it in my bones.

I clear my throat, straightening. "Are they done with the milk?" I ask, voice sharper than I intend.

Adhya turns immediately. "Mumma! Look! I finished the whole glass!"

She holds up the empty cup like a trophy.

Mayank follows. "Me too."

I narrow my eyes suspiciously and walk over, inspecting both glasses.

"Hmm," I murmur, "not a drop left."

I glance at Adranksh. "Color me surprised. You actually got them to listen."

He shrugs with that maddening arrogance. "They just needed a little motivation."

Adhya gasps, eyes wide. "Dada said if we finished it, we could go for pancakes!"

I raise a brow. "Bribery. Classic."

"They're kids," he says, calm and confident, "not soldiers. Let them be spoiled once in a while."

I open my mouth to retort - but stop.
Because Adhya is beaming.
And Mayank... he's smiling. Not the cautious smile he usually wears, but a real one.

And all I can think is - is it really so bad if they're happy?

My heart aches. Not the sharp pain it used to carry, but something duller. Heavier. Like grief slowly softening into longing.

They needed him. Maybe I needed him too.

But I don't know how to forgive him. I don't even know if he deserves it.

Still, as I watch him place a kiss on Adhya's head and wrap an arm protectively around Mayank, I can't help but wonder...

What if this time... he stays?

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The cars stops at a mall, so familiar. Our mall, Mayansh. The one we built together. Still functioning like I never left.

But today, it seemed empty. Completely empty.

No people. No noise. Just Adranksh, standing in the centre of the arcade with that self-satisfied smirk that makes me want to punch him and kiss him in equal measure.

"You... booked the whole mall?" I ask, disbelief laced with annoyance.

"Yes, it's our mall, Malyshka," he says casually, as if he didn't just shut down a functioning city space like a spoiled royal. "They deserve it."

Adhya squeals beside me, already dragging Mayank toward the glowing rows of games and rides. "Mumma, it's all ours! Look! Look! No lines!"

Mayank gives me a hesitant glance - a silent question - and I nod. "Go. Have fun. Stay where I can see you."

"Come, Mumma!" Adhya calls back. "Come with Dada too!"

I shoot Adranksh a warning glare. "One wrong move, and I will find creative ways to ruin your day."

He raises a brow. "Haven't you already done enough."

I try to ignore the jab but it still hurts and he looks at me for a second, guiltily.
No, Maya. Be strong.

But even I can't stop the smile tugging at my lips when I see my children laughing like they have the whole world at their feet.

We spend the next hour jumping from game to game. Mayank challenges Adranksh to basketball. Adhya forces me onto the carousel with her. We scream, we laugh - and for a terrifying moment, it feels like nothing ever broke.

Like maybe... just maybe... we never fell apart.
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