Mr. Agnihotri dropped me right outside my parents' home.

I had completely lied to him when I said I sent my live location to my brother.

If Aadarsh Bhaisa or any of my other brothers found out I had gotten into a car with a random stranger, I would never hear the end of it.

That didn't mean I was being reckless with my safety, though.

I had actually sent my live location to Inayat and Izzy, knowing full well they would turn London upside down if I suddenly went missing.

I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

Moments later, the door swung open, and I was looking right at my father.

Without a second thought, I launched myself into his arms, hugging him as tightly as I could.

He chuckled warmly, wrapping his arms around me.

"How are you, Princess?"

"I'm good, Babasa. How are you?"

"I am perfectly fine now that I see you happy," he replied with a smile.

I immediately bent down to touch his feet and seek his blessings, but he gently caught my shoulders and stopped me.

"How many times do I have to remind you? Daughters don't touch feet... especially not a Rathore princess," he said with mock sternness.

I offered him a sheepish smile. "But I need my father's blessings."

"You always have my blessings, bacche," he said softly, kissing the top of my head. "Now go on inside."

"Where is everyone else?" I asked, looking around the grand foyer.

"Your Maasa is up in our room unpacking. Vivaan, Vihaan, and Avyukt are already dominating the gaming room," he told me.

I nodded and headed straight to my parents' room to find my mother.

I knocked softly on the door, and when I heard her gentle "Come in," I slipped inside.

She was standing by the closet, neatly arranging her clothes.

I rushed over and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind.

"I missed you so much, Maasa," I murmured, burying my face in her shoulder.

"I missed you too, beta," she said, turning around to embrace me fully.

She stepped back slightly, scanning me from head to toe, her brow furrowing into a deep frown.

"Are you not taking care of yourself here? Veeransh, look at her! See how thin she has become. It looks like she isn't eating properly at all."

Babasa, who had followed me upstairs, leaned against the doorway.

"I was just missing the food made with your magic, Maasa," I teased sheepishly, trying to deflect her worry.

Her eyes softened instantly.

"Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it for you right away."

"No, you need to rest first. You've had a very long journey," I insisted.

I guided her to the edge of the bed, making her sit down, and then comfortably rested my head in her lap.

She immediately began running her fingers through my hair, a familiar comfort I had desperately missed.

"By the way," Maasa remarked, looking down at me, "did the sun rise from the west today?"

I looked up at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're wearing ethnic clothes," she pointed out with a smile.

"I was meeting my family after months, so I wanted to look my absolute best," I admitted honestly.

"You look beautiful, Princess. Just like your mother," Babasa chimed in, giving Maasa a playful wink.

"Stop it, Veeransh," Maasa murmured, a soft blush instantly creeping onto her cheeks.

"Oh, my cute Maasa! You look even prettier when you blush," I teased, reaching up to lightly pinch her cheek.

"Kriti," Babasa called my name. I sat up as he walked over and handed me an elegant, velvet box.

"Your Dadusa sent this with us. He wanted to give it to you personally, but he wasn't well enough to travel."

Intrigued, I opened the lid and gasped.

Nestled inside the satin lining was a stunning, intricate tiara.

Reference pic

"This is your graduation gift from him," Babasa explained.

"It's breathtaking, Babasa," I whispered, staring at it in awe.

I noticed a small envelope tucked inside the box.

Pulling the card out, I read the elegant script:

"Humaari Rajkumari ke liye unke Dadusa aur Dadisa ki taraf se chota sa uphaar. Hum chaahte hai aap ise apni graduation ceremony ke din pehene."

[A small gift for our Princess from her grandfather and grandmother. We want you to wear this on the day of your graduation ceremony.]

I carefully placed the note back and closed the box.

This was incredibly precious to me.

I pulled out my phone and immediately dialed their number.

"Pranam, Dadusa," I greeted respectfully when he picked up.

"Kaisi hai humaari Rajkumari?" his soft, old voice crackled over the line.

( "How is our Princess?")

"I received your gift, Dadusa. Thank you so much. It is absolutely beautiful," I said from the bottom of my heart.

"Humein khushi hui ki aapko accha laga," he replied warmly.

("We are glad that you liked it.")

We talked for a few more minutes, catching up on his health, before I affectionately hung up.

"Wear it tomorrow and show the world your identity as a Rathore," Babasa said, his chest swelling with pride.

"You have worked incredibly hard, Kriti, and you managed to become the top scorer of your entire batch. We are so proud of you."

"You earned every bit of this on your own merit," Maasa added, kissing my forehead.

"You refused to use the family name to get ahead, and you made a place for yourself all on your own."

"Is Kriti here yet?" Avyukt Bhai's excited voice boomed from the hallway.

I mentally slapped my forehead, realizing I had completely forgotten to go down and greet my brothers.

I quickly rushed out of the room to meet them.

"I'm here, Bhaiya!"

The moment he spotted me, he lifted me off my feet, engulfing me in a massive, bone-crushing hug.

Vivaan and Vihaan Bhai rushed in right behind him, joining the chaotic group hug.

"How are you, Princess?" they asked in unison.

"I'm perfectly fine, Bhaiya," I gasped out, laughing as they finally set me down and dragged me into the living room.

"Is everything sorted for tomorrow?" Avyukt Bhaisa asked, taking a seat.

I nodded.

"Everything is ready."

"What are you wearing?" Vivaan Bhai inquired.

"A saree."

Vihaan Bhai smiled, cracking his knuckles.

"Guess we should keep our weapons handy then. If any guy dares to look at our sister the wrong way tomorrow, his next seven generations will regret it."

I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Relax, Bhaiya. I am more than capable of handling those situations myself."

"What do you mean by that?" Avyukt Bhai's eyes narrowed instantly, his protective instincts kicking in.

"Did someone actually approach you like that?"

"Of course they did, Bhai. But I handled it perfectly without resorting to any unnecessary violence," I said proudly, tossing my hair back.

"Beauty with brains," Vihaan Bhai complimented.

"She is our sister, after all," Avyukt Bhai smirked. "And we happen to be pretty handsome too."

I gasped dramatically.

"Excuse me? Your hands usually work way faster than your brains do. You three definitely prefer violence over negotiation."

"Hey!" all three of them objected loudly.

"We aren't violent people," Vihaan Bhai defended.

"We just have zero tolerance and serious temper issues when it comes to you. Otherwise, we are incredibly calm."

"Oh, I know exactly how calm you are!" I reminded them, counting on my fingers.

"Vihaan Bhai broke a guy's hand just because he asked me out. Then you literally burned another guy's bike because he tried to catcall me. And let's not forget when you had that student transferred just because he wanted to be my friend... the list goes on and on."

"That last guy didn't just want to be friends," Avyukt Bhai argued right back.

"We saw the way he looked at you! It was completely inappropriate."

"Yeah, and it was actually Reyansh Bhaisa's idea to get him transferred..." Vihaan Bhai added carelessly.

The moment his name slipped out, the words hung heavy in the air.

The bright smile instantly faded from my face, and a tense, uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

Vihaan Bhai's expression turned deeply guilty as he realized what he had said.

"He didn't come for my graduation," I muttered under my breath, staring down at my lap.

"He didn't even bother to send a text."

"Hey, Kriti... don't let his issues ruin your mood," Vivaan Bhai said gently, leaning forward. "He's being a fool."

"Yeah, don't worry. He'll come around eventually," Avyukt Bhai tried to reassure me.

"When, Bhai?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly. "It has been four years. Our relationship just keeps getting more bitter instead of getting better."

"He will see her true face one day, Kriti. Just let time play its game. The weight of that regret will hit him hard," Vivaan Bhai stated firmly.

"Kritika beta," a soft but commanding voice interrupted.

I looked up to see Babasa standing at the base of the stairs.

He walked over, crouching down right in front of my chair so we were at eye level.

"Joh yaha nahi hai, unke liye apna mood kharab mat karo. Joh yaha hai, unke saath acchi yaadein banao. Joh nahi hai, unka nuksaan."

("Don't ruin your mood for the one who isn't here. Make beautiful memories with the ones who are present. The loss is entirely his.")

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring down the mood."

"We are glad you spoke your mind. You never have to bottle things up when you're with us. We are always here for you," Babasa said, his reassuring warmth acting as an instant shield.

He smiled, deliberately shifting the topic.

"Now tell me, what have you and your friends planned for tomorrow?"

I smiled, knowing exactly what he was doing.

He was protecting me from my own thoughts.

"Nothing too extravagant as of now."

"Well, invite them all over for lunch then," Babasa offered generously.

"After the ceremony concludes, we can host them here at the villa. They have stood by you all these years, and we should celebrate this milestone together."

I immediately pouted.

"Inayat and Safiya's husbands probably won't let them come out for long. They are total attention-seeking thieves who have stolen my besties away."

Babasa burst out laughing at my expression.

"They are their husbands, Princess. They have every right to want to celebrate their wives' successes too. Just invite them along as well."

The thought of having everyone together made me beam.

"Alright, I'll inform them right away!"

How's the chapter?