Page 258 of One Hellish Wedlock
“Are you serious?” he asked, baffled. “Congratulations, Mrs. Chopra. Looks like you’ve already got your next job lined up.”
She beamed. “They’re sending the paperwork soon. Can you help me with the agreement? I’m not great with contracts.”
“With pleasure,” he replied, kissing her nose. “Sunny can help with logistics, and my attorney will go over the legal stuff. When do you start?”
“Not for another six months. The office needs to be set up and clients onboarded. Until then, I’m all yours.”
“Perfect,” he said, smiling as he tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m proud of you, Aanya. Always.”
She took in the sight of him. Reyansh was so accomplished on his own that hearing him express pride in her small victories made Aanya feel even prouder of herself. Navya had been right. He truly was her lucky charm. Ever since he’d returned to her life, she’d found new purpose: a stable career, a loving family, and the peace she’d never known before. For the first time in years, everything felt right. Everything felt perfect.
The Next day
“This is too much, Di,” Aanya said, eyeing the piles of sweets and gift boxes that Radhika had arranged to send with them.
“Nothing is too much when it’s coming from family,” Radhika replied warmly.
Reyansh stood nearby, holding a cranky Ruhi in his arms. The little one had been unusually fussy all morning. Maybe even she could sense her uncle, aunt, and great-grandmother were leaving for India.
“We’re really going to miss you all. It’ll be dull without you here,” Rishi sighed, disappointed.
“We’ll miss you too,” Reyansh agreed. “But at least we have the comfort of knowing you’ll be moving back to India in a few months.”
“That’s the only thing keeping us sane,” Rishi smiled, patting his brother-in-law’s back.
Radhika shared a quiet moment with Nani, exchanging hugs while Aanya pressed a kiss to Ruhi’s cheek to say goodbye, but the baby didn’t take it well. She burst into tears immediately. It took Aanya a few extra minutes to calm her down and bring back her smile. After some heartfelt farewells, the couple and Nani left for the airport, stepping into the next chapter of their journey.
Chopra Mansion - India
“You two wait here!” Nani said, stopping them at the entrance just as they were about to enter the house. After the long flight, both Reyansh and Aanya looked forward to rest, but clearly, Nani had other plans.
She hurried inside and returned moments later with a Puja thali. The house staff joined them at the doorstep, showering Aanya with warm greetings on her return. The welcome melted her heart.
Nani circled the aarti plate around her and performed the traditional rituals to welcome the bride home once more.
Aanya’s eyes misted with emotion, the moment pulling her back to the time when things had been so different between them.
“Here,” Nani said, handing her the house keys, the same ones Aanya had returned before leaving for California.
“Nani… maybe you should hold on to them a little longer,” she hesitated.
“No, they’re yours now. Your responsibility.”
“That’s a huge one.”
“You’ll handle it. And I’m always here if you need help.”
Reyansh stood by, witnessing their exchange, his gaze fixed on Aanya with admiration and pride. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she bent down again to take Nani’s blessings.
“God bless you both,” Nani said, placing a hand on each of their heads. “And may I live long enough to become a great-grandmother. I don’t think I can leave this world without meeting your baby.”
“Nani,” Reyansh groaned. “You’re going to live for decades more.”
“I hope so,” she chuckled, pulling them into a hug. “My duty is done now. I promised Reyansh’s parents I’d look after him and this house until someone else came along to take over. Now that you’re back, Aanya, I can finally rest.”
Aanya smiled through her tears, feeling content, she had finally earned her place in this family. Peace had returned to their lives. Everything had come full circle. Later that night, after freshening up and settling in, Aanya pulled a folder from her bag and handed it to Reyansh.
“What’s this now?” he asked, puzzled.
