"There's a problem, Dhoni. The hosting committee just informed us that every participating team needs to have a specific digital ID to enter the tournament grounds tomorrow. It's mandatory for all the players and staff."

Dhoni frowned. "And we didn't receive this ID?"

The coach nodded. "Exactly. We were supposed to receive it via email a few days ago, but we haven't gotten anything. Without it, we can't even enter the venue tomorrow."

"How can they mess up something so important? Did anyone check with the tournament officials?" Virat asked

Ravi sighed. "Yes, I just got off a call with them. They're saying the IDs were sent out to all teams, and it's our problem if we didn't receive it."

The players exchanged glances.

"Are they serious? This is such an important tournament. How can they be so careless?"

"We could lose it all."

Dhoni held up a hand. "Alright, first things first. Ravi bhai, you get on a call with the organizers again. Tell them to check their records. Virat, I want you to get in touch with our board and inform them of the situation."

Rohit stepped closer. "Mahi bhai, if they don't resolve this tonight, we should file an official complaint with the ICC. It's clearly a miscommunication on their part, not ours."

Dhoni nodded trying to think of how to resolve the. We've worked too hard to let something like this stop us."

The coach looked up from his phone. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Mahi, I just spoke with the officials again. They said we could file a complaint with the ICC, but the fact remains—we won't be able to play tomorrow without those IDs. Even if we escalate this, it won't be resolved in time for the game."

The tension in the room skyrocketed. Virat's face contorted in disbelief. "What? How can they do this? This is sabotage! They're basically ensuring we don't get to play."

"Are they seriously trying to disqualify us like this? Just because we're a strong contender?"

Hardik slammed his fist against the table. "Pakistan is hosting the tournament this time, right? This feels like a dirty game. Politics khel rahe hain cricket ke naam pe saale!"

"This is outright manipulation. If Pakistan is playing politics here, we need to hit back the right way. If they think they can mess with us like this, they've got another thing coming."

"I'm telling you, this reeks of something underhanded! We've always played with respect for the game. But how can we remain calm when they do things like this."

The manager looked at everyone. "Captain, they are blaming us for the mismanagement of the ID's. Unka kehna hai ki IDs missing hone ke liye hum hi responsible hain.

"Hum responsible?" Rohit shouted in disbelief. "Yeh kaise possible hai? IDs unke paas thi! Hamaare team ke logon ne saari details submit ki thi."

"Bhai, kal match hai. Agar aaj yeh issue resolve nahi hota, toh hum kaise khel payenge?" Virat shook his head in frustration.

"Mahi, maine unse baar-baar request ki, but woh sun hi nahi rahe hain. Abhi kuch nahi ho sakta. Technical expert bhi keh raha hai ki match ke time tak IDs retrieve karna mushkil hai. Realistically, hum kal khel nahi paayenge."

A heavy silence fell over the room. 

Each player's face reflected the same disappointment, disbelief, and frustration. They had trained for months, pushing themselves through grueling sessions and sacrificing so much, only to be told they couldn't play because the hosting country has decided to play politics. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

Suddenly, the team's social media and networking head entered the room.

"Mahi bhai," he addressed Dhoni cautiously, "I think we need to come up with an excuse or an explanation. Agar yeh news bahar gayi that this happened because of our mismanagement, toh public aur media humare upar toot padegi. Log hum par blame karenge, aur humari image kharab hogi. Better we prepare a statement and manage the situation instead of accepting the blame."

Hardik's eyes flashed with anger. "Matlab, humari galti nahi thi aur ab humein kuch na kuch excuse banana padega? Yeh toh bilkul galat hai!"

Rohit shook his head in disbelief. "Yeh toh hadd hai, Mahi bhai. Itni mehnat karke, itni planning karke aaye the hum log, aur ab yeh sab drama ho raha hai? Sirf IDs ke chakkar mein hum match nahi khel paayenge?"

Dhoni looked around the room He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before speaking. "Fine," he said finally. "I will file a complaint about this at ICC.We will speak the truth. But I see no solution to this..."

He turned towards the team. "Pack your bags, boys," he said quietly. "Agar hum match nahi khel pa rahe hain, toh yahan rukne ka koi point nahi banta. Hum wapas jaayenge. We won't waste our time here, sitting around and waiting for something that's out of our control."

The room erupted in murmurs, the players looking stunned. The tournament might be over before it even began, It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Virat clenched his fists. "This is unbelievable, Mahi bhai. We prepared so hard for this, and just because of some stupid technical issue and miscommunication, we're being sent back?"

"Main bhi yahi keh raha hoon," Dhoni said, his voice quiet but filled with a finality that silenced everyone. "Lekin agar abhi kuch nahi ho sakta, toh hum apne aapko yahan torture karke koi fayda nahi hai. It's better we leave with dignity rather than stick around and watch from the sidelines."

The team exchanged disheartened looks. There was disappointment, anger, and helplessness on their faces. Some looked down, while others stared blankly at the walls, trying to process what had just happened.

Rishabh looked like he had been punched in the gut. "Toh matlab, yahi the end hai?" he asked softly.

Dhoni just gave him a small, sad smile and was going away when...

"Wait a minute, Mahi bhai" said Vritika, drawing everyone's attention. "These IDs you're talking about—they're digital, right? Couldn't they be found on the tournament's official website or their internal server?"

Dhoni paused in his tracks, turning slowly to face Vritika.

The technical expert looked up, startled. "Well, yes, technically, they are stored in the tournament's backend system. Each participating team's ID is assigned and accessible from there. But given the situation, it's pretty clear the hosting committee won't share it with us now. They've probably locked it down or restricted access."

Vritika's eyes narrowed. "So, if they won't send it to us, what if we...............hacked into their servers?"

The room fell silent as everyone processed what she just suggested. Eyes widened, and a few jaws dropped. Rohit was the first to break the stunned silence.

"Vritika... tum yeh serious ho?" he asked, half-amazed and half-incredulous.

"I've done it before, Ro. And I can do it now. We don't have any other option."

Hardik smirked, clearly entertained by the idea. "Yeh ladki kuch alag hi sochti hai," he muttered under his breath, impressed.

"Vritika, tum yeh samajhti ho na, this is not a joke?" Dhoni bhai was serious,"Hacking into the tournament's server is a serious offense. Agar hum pakde gaye, toh na sirf humein disqualify karenge, but it could also damage our reputation—permanently."

"Mahi bhai, I understand the risks. But they are practically throwing Team India out of this tournament."

Rohit knelt down next to her chair. "Ritz,  This isn't just some random hack,we're talking about an international tournament's secure system."

She gave a small, confident nod. "Mujhe pata hai, Ro. But I've hacked into way more complex systems before. Trust me."

The technical expert's eyebrows shot up. "You can do this? I mean, bypassing the hosting server's security system without getting detected is no joke. It's risky."

"Don't worry. I am going to leave any traces. They will find no evidence of the breach."

Yuvi leaned back against the table, arms crossed with a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeh ladki toh ekdum dhamaka hai, bhai. I say yes to this. What say Mahi?"

Dhoni took a deep breath, rubbing his forehead. The room  waiting for his call. Finally, he looked up, meeting Vritika's gaze.

"Alright. We go for it, Vritika, you can start. But no one else outside this room knows.I repeat No one! If anyone asks, we found a way to get the IDs through 'official channels.' I am asking you once again, are you sure about this, Vri?"

Vritika nodded. "I know it's risky, but I also know what I'm doing. This isn't the first time I've had to get into a secured network."

Virat looked uncertain. "Ritz, agar kuch gadbad ho gaya toh... tu phas sakti hai."

"Arey nahi phasungi. Dekh, I am not going to leave any evidence that can be traced back to us. And think about it.. agar in the rarest case they figure it out, they'll have to admit they didn't give us our IDs in the first place. This will put them in a tough spot."

"Okay Vritika, what do you need?"

"Just give me a laptop you don't mind losing. One that's clean and can't be traced back to any of us."

The technical expert Vicky quickly rummaged through his bag, pulling out an old laptop.

"This one should do," he said, handing it to her. "No personal data on it. No connection to the team, You'll need a secure connection too. Here's a VPN key to mask your IP address."

Vritika took the laptop. "Perfect. This will work."

The room was suddenly transformed. The laptop was set up, cables connected, and the team huddled around quietly, watching in anticipation as Vritika's fingers flew over the keyboard. Lines of code filled the screen, and she navigated through multiple security layers, bypassing firewalls like a pro.

Rishabh peered over her shoulder. "Yeh sab aapko kaise aata hai? It looks like some sci-fi movie stuff."

Vritika smirked, not looking away from the screen. "It's all about knowing where to look, Rishabh. Bas yeh socho ki main us system ki chabi dhoond rahi hoon jo kisi ne chhupa rakhi hai."

Rohit knelt beside her, squeezing her shoulder. "You're a badass, you know that?"

"I know." She quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Just keep the coffee coming, Sharmaji. This might take a while."

Virat came over and peered over her shoulder. "Is it really this easy for you, Ritz?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief. "What if they catch us?"

"If they catch us, they won't even know who we are. That's the beauty of the system. It's all about being invisible. I am leaving some traces but not to us, to various other countries like America, Spain and China, countries who don't even play cricket."

"That's awesome."

Vritika continued her work. Minutes dragged into what felt like hours. Some had propped themselves up against the walls, their heads nodding in and out of sleep. Yet, no one dared to leave the room, not when the stakes were so high.

She broke through the final layer of encryption. "I'm in," she announced.

The team perked up, suddenly wide awake, as they gathered around her.

"Now I just need to locate the IDs in their system."

Vritika quickly scanned the files, locating the IDs assigned to Team India. She copied them down and disconnected, closing all programs and wiping her traces. Finally, she shut the laptop with a satisfied click.

"Got it," she said, holding up the pen drive.

Instantly, the entire room erupted into cheers.

High fives, hugs, and celebratory shouts filled the air as the tension melted away. Vritika's cool confidence had saved the day. Everyone turned to her.

"You're a lifesaver, Ritz! We owe you big time for this." Rohit pulled her in a hug.

"It was nothing." Vritka pulled back and took the laptop in her hand. Then she snapped it in half and said," Mera naam mat lena bas... Mujhe toh kuch nahi hoga lekin tum phas jaoge."

Yuvi walked over to Vritika and clapped her on the back. "Vritika, you're unbelievable," he said, still chuckling. "You really pulled this off. Bol kya chahiye tujhe...bas maang"

"Dinner after tomorrow's win?"

There was a collective cheer at her request. Yuvi laughed, giving her a thumbs up. "You got it, Vritika! I think we owe you more than dinner, but that'll do for now."

"Vritika," Dhoni put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think you realize just how much you've done for us tonight. You've given us a fighting chance when we thought all hope was lost."

Vritika looked up at him. "Mahi bhai, I just did what needed to be done. Ab kal jitna aapka kaam hai."

Dhoni chuckled. He turned to the team"Alright, boys! It's been a long night, and we need our rest. Tomorrow, we have a game to win."

The players nodded. Rishabh yawned loudly, stretching his arms. "Bhai, aaj toh sach mein neend achhi aayegi," he joked, the room breaking into laughter.

Dhoni raised a hand, signaling for their attention one last time. "Kal ka match sirf game nahi hai, it's a statement. We've shown tonight that nothing can break us, not even what they tried to do. They tried to keep us off the field, but tomorrow, we'll show them exactly what Team India is made of."

"Yes Captain!" The room erupted in a chorus.

****

Vritika closed the door softly behind her and made her way toward the couch. Magic wagged his tail eagerly at her feet.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Vritika laughed, reaching for Magic's food bowl. She filled it with his favorite kibble. "Enjoy, buddy. We've had a long day too."

Magic dug into his food with enthusiasm while Vritika turned off the lights and headed towards the bed. Rohit was already lying down, his eyes following her as she slipped under the covers beside him.

As she nestled into his side, Rohit wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. She let out a deep sigh. "You know, what happened today—it was insane. You don't expect this kind of nonsense from international teams. Trying to sabotage you all like that. It's pathetic."

Rohit nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "I know. But you handled it like a pro, Ritz. You saved us all tonight."

" I was happy to help." She leaned in, her lips finding his in a soft kiss. All the tension of the day melted in each other's arms.

But just as they pulled back, a sudden knock on the door startled them both.

 "Who could that be at this hour?"

Another knock. "Vritika?" a familiar voice called out from the other side. It was her mother.

Vritika bolted upright. "Oh my God, Maa yaha kya kar rahi hai?" she hissed, scrambling out of bed. "Ro, I think Maa knows I am staying here with you. Shit"

Rohit raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you didn't tell her? Seriously, Ritz?"

"Shit, shit, shit," Vritika muttered, pacing nervously. "No, she doesn't even know that you're my boyfriend."

Rohit smirked. "You've got some guts, Ritz. So, all this time, she just thinks I'm just your friend?"

Vritika shot him a glare. "Shut up, Ro! This is serious. Do something! Hide or... I don't know, act normal!"

He chuckled "Just tell her the truth."

"I have no idea how she will react!"

"But your mom likes me. I am sure it will be alright!"

"She likes you as my friend and Veer's teammate, not as her daughter's secret boyfriend!" Vritika hissed, her eyes darting towards the door.

There was another knock, louder this time. "Vritika, beta, are you in there? Why is the door locked?"

Vritika shot Rohit a look of pure desperation. "Ro, I swear if you don't help me right now, I'm going to kill you."

"Okay, okay, what do I do?" Rohit whispered.

 "Hide!" she whispered urgently, throwing off the blankets.

Rohit blinked in surprise. "Hide where?"

"Mere sar par chupo! Kya matlab kaha chupu?" she snapped sarcastically, glaring at him. "Go under the bed or something!"

Rohit looked down at the bed, raising an eyebrow. "In case you did not notice, this bed is open from all sides.

Vritika slapped her forehead. "Oh God, fine! Go in the washroom then!"

Rohit shook his head, glancing towards the bathroom. "And what if your mother decides she needs to use it? Tumhare maa ko kuch bhi karne ka mood aa sakta hai!"

Vritika groaned, running her hands through her hair. "Uff, tum bhi na! Just... okay, hide in the pile of clothes!" She pointed to the large heap of laundry at the foot of the bed.

Rohit looked at the clothes and back at her incredulously. "You want me to hide under that? Ritz, tum kitni pagal ho, yeh toh dirty laundry hai!"

She gave him a shove. "Zyada nakhre mat karo! Just get in there before we both get caught!"

Rohit barely managed to stifle a laugh as he wriggled into the clothes. "This is your big plan? Hide me under your dirty laundry?"

"Shut up!" Vritika hissed.

With no other options, Rohit dived into the pile, muttering, "Yeh ladki mujhe ek din maar dalegi." She tossed a hoodie over his face for good measure. Just as she stood up, the door swung open, and her mother, Mrs. Kohli, entered the room.

"Maa!"

"What the hell is this mess, Vri?" Her mother frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "Mere bina pata nahi kaise rehti hai tu waha akeli. Kitna ganda kamra hai tera!"

Vritika laughed nervously, stepping in front of the pile as casually as she could. "Oh, you know, maa, it's just... stress. I didn't have time to clean up. Thoda time do, I'll clean up!"

Her mother clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Bas bahane! Let me help you put all these clothes away. Kitna ganda kamra hai. Kaise reh rahi ho tum yaha pe?"

Mrs. Kohli bent down and reached towards the pile of clothes.

"NO!" Vritika shrieked, startling her mother.

"Kya hua? Kyun chillai?" Mrs. Kohli stared at her, baffled. "Main bas help kar rahi hoon." 

Vritika quickly stepped in front, blocking her path. "No need, maa! I mean, I was just about to clean it up myself!"

Mrs. Kohli raised an eyebrow. "Ha, ha. You?  Aaj suraj kahaan se nikla hai?"

"Maa, seriously! I'll do it later," Vritika insisted as she felt Rohit squirm under the weight of the clothes. She gave the pile a discreet shove with her foot to keep him still.

Mrs. Kohli narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Why are you acting so weird, Vritika? Let me at least fold this one..." She leaned down to pick up a pair of jeans when suddenly, Rohit let out a tiny sneeze from beneath the heap.

"Ye kya tha?"

Vritika's eyes widened in horror. "Bless you! B-Bless me, I mean!" she quickly faked a sneeze of her own, trying to cover up. "Uh... wo... allergy, maa! So much dust in here!Achhoo!"

"Kuch zyada hi drama nahi kar rahi tu? Main bas help kar rahi thi!"

Vritika gave a nervous laugh, stepping in front of the pile again. "Nahi maa, it's fine, really. Main kar lungi. Aap chinta mat karo."

Her mother looked at her suspiciously. "Kuch toh gadbad hai," she muttered, but eventually shook her head. "Theek hai, par kal subah dekhti hoon. Agar yeh mess wapas dekha, toh tumhe kuch sunna padega."

"Bilkul, maa! Clean ho jayega," Vritika promised, smiling brightly as she practically pushed her mother out the door.

Just as the door closed, Vritika let out a sigh of relief. She turned back to the pile of clothes. "You can come out now, laundry boy."

Rohit sat up. His hair was sticking up wildly with a T-shirt hanging over his ear. 

 "Yeh tumne mujhe kya bana diya, Ritz? Pehle secret boyfriend, ab tumhara dirty laundry model. How about lingerie boy next?"

Vritika giggled, pulling the T-shirt off his head. "You did great, Sharmaji. But next time, remind me to tell maa you're my boyfriend before she shows up unannounced."

But before Rohit could even sit up properly, the door swung open again.

"Ek baat toh reh gayi," Vritika's mother said, walking back in.

Vritika's eyes widened in horror. "Maa!" she shrieked. She frantically shoved Rohit back into the clothes pile, her foot landing squarely on his chest to push him down as she spun around to face her mother.

"Kya kar rahi thi tu?" Mrs. Kohli asked, eyeing her daughter suspiciously. "Aur yeh kya paagalpanti ho rahi thi yahan?"

Vritika desperately trying to block the pile of clothes with her body. "Kuch nahi maa! Main bas... stretching kar rahi thi!"

"Stretching?" Her mom gave her a look like she'd just sprouted a second head. "Tumhe stretching ki kab se itni fikar hone lagi?"

Rohit shifted slightly, causing the pile to move. A sneaker fell off, hitting the floor with a soft thud.

Mrs. Kohli's eyes narrowed. "Yeh kya awaaz thi?"

"Uh, wo... chuha!" Vritika blurted out, her face breaking into a wide, fake smile. "Ek bada sa chuha hai yahan. Main bas usko bhaga rahi thi."

"Chuha?" Her mother's eyebrow shot up. "Aur wo yahan kaise aaya? Mujhe dikhao," she said, stepping forward.

"NAHI!" Vritika nearly screamed. "I mean... maa, chhodo na. Tumhara blood pressure high ho jayega chuha dekh kar."

"Main dekhna chahti hoon!" Mrs. Kohli pushed past her, bending down towards the pile of clothes.

Rohit panicked. In a last-ditch effort, he buried himself deeper into the heap, but his leg stuck out awkwardly, covered by a bright pink kurta.

"Vritika," her mother said slowly, staring at the distinctly man-shaped lump in the clothes. "Yeh kya hai?"

Vritika's brain worked at lightning speed. "Uh... maa, yeh... yeh mera yoga dummy hai!"

"Yoga dummy?" Mrs. Kohli repeated, clearly not buying it. "Aur yeh dummy itna zinda kyun lag rahi hai?"

The jig was up. Rohit understood that when Vritika's mother pulled another cloth right from his head. Out popped Rohit's head, his eyes wide and a pair of Vritika's bright pink pajamas hanging around his neck. The room went completely silent. For a moment, no one moved. 

"Namaste, aunty," he said sheepishly.

Mrs. Kohli's mouth dropped open. "ROHIT?! Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?"

Vritika slapped her forehead. "Shit."

Rohit awkwardly sat up, dislodging several shirts and a pair of jeans that were draped over his head. "Hi, aunty," he said with a nervous smile. "Main... laundry machine test kar raha tha."

"LAUNDRY MACHINE TEST?" Mrs. Kohli exclaimed, her hands flying to her hips. "Kya tum dono mujhe bewakoof samajhte ho?"

Vritika threw her hands up. "Maa, let me explain—"

"Explain karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai!" Her mother's eyes were wide as she pointed at the two of them. "Mujhe pata chal gaya hai tum dono ka chakkar."

"Aunty, please listen, it's not what it looks like!" Rohit blurted out.

 Mrs. Kohli shot him a glare so sharp it could slice through butter. "Haan, haan, mujhe sab pata hai yaha kya ho raha hai."She turned to Vritika. " Aur tu? Mujhe itne time se ullu bana rahi thi, haan?"

Vritika bit her lip. "Maa, it's not like that. I was going to tell you... eventually..."

"Eventually?" Mrs. Kohli's voice shot up an octave. "Eventually matlab kab? Jab tum dono ghar ke kapde bhi dhone lag jaoge? 

Vritika swallowed hard. "Maa..."

"Vritika, tum mere saath chalo. Tumse akele mein baat karni hai."

Vritika gave Rohit one last apologetic glance as her mom stormed out of the room. She mouthed a quick "Sorry" to him, before hurriedly trailing behind her mother. Rohit just gave a helpless shrug. He hoped she wasn't in too much trouble.

Vritika stepped out of the room, she found her mother marching straight towards the hotel garden. Seriously? The garden? At midnight? Vritika thought. Couldn't we have just talked inside? But there was no time to process her irritation, she was too worried. Pataa nahi ab kya hoga..... 

 Her mom turned sharply on her heel.

"Kabse chal raha hai yeh sab?" her mom asked.

Vritika hesitated, twisting her fingers nervously. "Maa, main toh bas kal hi aayi hu yaha—"

"Main yeh nahi pooch rahi hoon," her mom cut her off. "Tumhara chakkar kab se chal raha hai? Tum aur Rohit... ?"

Vritika felt her throat tighten. Her voice came out small and shaky. "Chaar mahino se," she admitted.

Her mom's eyes widened in shock. "Chaar mahine?!" She put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head in disbelief. "And you didn't tell me?"

 "Maa, I was too scared," she said "I didn't know how you'd react. I... wasn't sure how to tell you. Main soch rahi thi ki shayad aap gussa ho jaogi..."

"Gussa? Vritika, beta, I am not angry that you love Rohit. I am angry because you hid everything from me. You didn't even consider me in your decision."

Vritika's eyes welled up with tears. "Maa, it's not like that... I just... I didn't want you to be disappointed. Aapko pata hai na, aap mere liye sab kuch ho."

Her mom sighed "Beta, disappointment aur gussa tab hota agar tumne koi galti ki hoti. Tumne bas pyaar kiya hai. But you hiding it, that's what hurts."

"I'm sorry, maa. Main sach mein bohot dar gayi thi. I thought you wouldn't approve."

Her mom let out a huff, almost laughing at her naivety. "Beta, Rohit koi road ka lafanga nahi hai jo main mana karungi. He's a good man. Itna toh mujhe bhi pata hai." She paused, eyeing Vritika seriously. "Bas mujhe yeh bura laga ki tumne mujh par bharosa nahi kiya."

"I didn't think you would approve of such relationships. You know boyfriend, live-ins.....

"Beta, you know I grew up in Delhi myself. Mere bhi bohot sapne the. And I was a very modern girl myself before I was arranged to your father. I know these things."

Vritika looked at her mother, wide-eyed. Did she just say that? It was like discovering a hidden chapter of a book she'd read a hundred times.

Her mom rolled her eyes playfully, almost as if reading Vritika's thoughts. "Haan, beta. Delhi mein college kiya tha maine. I used to wear jeans and tees and hang out with friends till late night. Maine bhi apne fair share of adventures kiye hain. Tumhe kya lagta hai, mujhe pata nahi boyfriend kya hota hai?"

Vritika was still trying to process this new version of her mother. "Maa, are you serious? I never imagined—"

Her mom gave a knowing smile, placing a hand on her hip. "Tum sochti ho tumhara maa kuch nahi jaanti, par beta, mujhe sab pata hota hai. And for your information, I had a few crushes of my own back then."

Vritika's jaw dropped. "Maa! What are you saying?"

"Haan haan, beta. Tumhe lagta hai main bas ek strict maa hoon jo saree pehne ghar me baithti hai? Main bhi ek time par modern thi. University of Delhi ki top student thi main, aur mujhe bhi apni zindagi jeene ka shauk tha."

Vritika's eyes widened. "Wow, maa. Matlab, aap bhi boyfriend-voyfriend type scene mein thi?"

Her mom smirked playfully. "Beta, mere bhi kuch college crushes the. Ek do proposals bhi mile the."

Vritika gasped, laughing. "Maa, I never thought you'd be so... chill about all this!"

"Beta, I might have been arranged to your father, but I was modern in my own way. I know times have changed, and so have relationships. Tumhara aur Rohit ka pyaar dekhkar mujhe bhi khushi hoti hai. It's just that I expected you to trust me enough to tell me."

Vritika's eyes filled with tears, and she stepped forward to hug her mother tightly. "Maa, I promise. I will never hide anything from you again."

Her mom hugged her back, squeezing her gently. "Theek hai, beta. Now wipe those tears. Tumhare boyfriend ke saamne roti hui achi nahi lagogi," she teased.

Vritika laughed, sniffing. "Maa, you're unbelievable."

Her mom pulled back, giving her a playful smack on the head. "Unbelievable toh tum ho! I mean, clothes ke pile mein chhupa diya us bechare ko."

Vritika grinned sheepishly. "I panicked, maa! Mujhe samajh nahi aaya kya karu."

Her mom chuckled, shaking her head. "Aur tum usse bol rahe the washing machine test karne aaye ho. Bohot hi badi nautanki ho tum dono."

Vritika giggled. 

"Well, I will say this," her mom sighed with a smile. "Despite being wrapped in a pile of clothes, Rohit handled it well. I think he passed the test."

Vritika's eyes lit up. "So... you approve?"

Her mom winked. "As long as he keeps you happy, mere taraf se no objections. Ab chalo, it's late. Kal subah main usse officially interview lungi, toh uske kapde dhang se pehnwa dena."

Vritika burst into laughter. "Yes, maa. I'll make sure he's well-dressed for the interview."

Her mom gave her a final pat on the cheek. "Goodnight, beta. Aur haan, room clean karwa dena us ladke se. Tumne toh sab upar uske daal diya."

Vritika nodded, still laughing. "Goodnight, maa. I will."

Vritika felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. She went back to the hotel room and stopped at the sight that met her.

Rohit was sprawled across the bed, completely passed out with his mouth slightly open and a faint snore escaping his lips. His hand rested comfortably on the pillow, and beside him Magic was snuggled. 

"Lo karlo baat. Mujhe waha akela chodkar ye dono ghode bhechkar so rahe hai."  She rolled her eyes but couldn't resist the urge to take a quick picture with her phone. 

As she approached the bed, Magic's ears twitched, and he opened one eye to peek at her. When he saw it was Vritika, he gave a small wag of his tail, but didn't move from his comfortable spot.

"Traitor," Vritika mouthed. "Mujhe chor ke iske saath so raha hai, haan?"

She knelt beside the bed, brushing a stray curl away from Rohit's forehead. Rohit stirred slightly, letting out a soft mumble but didn't wake up. Magic, on the other hand, stretched his legs a little then promptly settled back down, as if to say, "Don't disturb us, hooman. We're having a moment."

She carefully climbed onto the bed, making sure not to disturb either of her sleepy boys. Nestling herself beside Rohit, she gently placed her head on his shoulder and drifted off to sleep.

 ******

A/N

I loved writing this chapter. Maja aaya ki nahi bhai log 🤣🤣🤣 

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