"I want to tell Di and Jiju first before anyone else," Naira declared as she walked toward the garden, her voice steady yet laced with apprehension. Kartik followed closely behind, his expression unreadable.

"Di," Naira called out softly. Nandini, who had been resting her eyes, opened them upon hearing her sister's voice. Manik and Nandini exchanged a glance before rising from the swing and moving toward the two.

"What happened?" Manik asked, his sharp gaze flickering between them, sensing the tension in the air.

Taking a deep breath, Kartik spoke, "We have decided to file for divorce. However, we will co-parent the children together." His voice was calm, but the weight of his words sent ripples of shock through Nandini and Manik.

For a long moment, silence loomed, thick and heavy. Then, Manik spoke, his voice tinged with incredulity. "And do you truly believe parenting your children separately, without being husband and wife, will be easy?"

Before either of them could respond, Nandini let out a scoff, her eyes flashing with frustration. "You know what? You both are nothing but stubborn, impulsive, and entirely too self-absorbed. That's your only real problem."

Kartik and Naira looked at her, bewildered.

"I mean, how can two people be this selfish?" Nandini's voice rose with fervor, her disappointment evident. "I honestly question if you two were ever in a real relationship to begin with. Despite having a love marriage, the two of you lack the very foundation of a strong bond—trust. Have you even taken a moment to ask yourselves if you can truly live without each other? More importantly, will you be happy apart?"

Kartik and Naira turned to each other, their eyes brimming with unspoken emotions.

Nandini pressed on, unwavering. "Kartik, so you divorce her. Fine. Then what? You'll eventually marry someone else, have children with her—then what about these two little souls? How will you juggle both families? And you, Naira—will you be able to live with the knowledge that your children will have to divide their world between two homes? Who will they call their parents in the truest sense? Do you both even realize the gravity of what you are about to do? Are you seriously adults?"

Her words sliced through the air, each syllable weighted with raw emotion. Manik, sensing her distress, reached for her hand, squeezing it gently as if urging her to calm down. He turned to Kartik and Naira, his voice steady yet firm. "Listen, take a moment and think this through. All of us are inside. Come in, gather your thoughts, and once you've made your final decision, tell us. No one will interfere after that. But be certain—it will be final."

With that, Manik led Nandini inside, leaving Kartik and Naira standing in contemplative silence.

A few moments passed before Naira spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Kartik, Di wasn't wrong. You might move on someday, build a new life, a new family—"

"I won't, Naira," Kartik interjected, his gaze fixed elsewhere. His voice carried a certainty that made her heart constrict.

There was another pause before he turned to her, his eyes sincere. "Naira, I know I've made mistakes, but so have you. Both of us allowed our egos to take precedence over our love. We stopped making the efforts that relationships demand. And for that, I am deeply sorry. But I don't want to walk away from us. I want to fight for what we had. I want to give us a real chance."

Naira inhaled sharply, searching his eyes for any trace of doubt. But there was none—only an unyielding honesty. "I agree. We were both at fault. We should have talked, we should have tried. I won't say it will be easy—I will need time, and so will you. But if we're willing to try... let's try."

A small yet hopeful smile graced her lips. Kartik nodded, relief washing over him. For their children and, perhaps, for themselves, they decided to rebuild what they had lost.

———————————————

As they stepped back inside, Nyonika observed them with a discerning gaze. "Both of you have behaved incredibly immaturely, to be honest. Just remember—it's no longer just about the two of you. Think wisely."

Kartik and Naira nodded solemnly.

Satisfied, Nyonika turned to her daughter-in-law. "Nandini, we're heading home. Are you coming?"

Manik intervened before Nandini could respond. "Haan, Mom, you guys go ahead. Nandini and I will follow soon."

He understood. She needed time with her family. Between her relentless schedule and their trip to Bali, she hadn't been home for a while. Nandini shot him a grateful smile, silently thanking him. Nyonika gave a nod before leaving with the Malhotras.

Ishita glanced at Naira. "Go to your room and rest."

She then turned to Kartik, about to offer him the guest room, when he interrupted, "No, it's okay. I had to leave LA urgently, and my work there is still pending. I have a flight in an hour. I should leave."

Naira stole a glance at him, her heart conflicted. Kartik was already looking at her.

"I'll come with you," she said suddenly.

"Are you sure?" Abhimanyu asked, surprised.

"Yes, Bhai," she said resolutely. "If we've decided to work on our relationship, we need to start somewhere."

The room filled with quiet approval as their family exchanged knowing smiles.

As Naira and Kartik left for LA, Nandini couldn't shake the concern gnawing at her. Too much travel wasn't ideal for Naira right now, but she would have to go eventually.

Turning to her parents, she suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "Mom, Papa, I'm sorry."

Raman smiled warmly before pulling her into a tight embrace, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. Soon, Ishita and Abhimanyu joined the hug, surrounding her with warmth and comfort. The moment of reconciliation brought a rare sense of peace to Nandini's heart. She rested her head against her father's chest, finally feeling at home.

Standing at a short distance, Manik watched them, a soft smile playing on his lips. His eyes remained fixed on his wife, her happiness reflecting in her radiant smile. When she turned to look at him, her smile widened even further.

With open arms, she beckoned him to join them.

As he walked forward, one thought lingered in the air—things seemed to be settling. But were they really?