Chapter 13- Dadi Ya Barbaadi?

A/N: Prepare yourself because this chapter is a bit different. Let's go!

NEXT MORNING

ACP Amar Singh Chauhan leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips as he stared at the board in front of him. The white checkerboard was covered with pinned photos and red strings connecting names. At the center of it all was Ishika Sehgal.

His sharp eyes scanned the board. One string led to Mr. Mehta. Another connected Ishika to Yash Singhania. And now? They were conveniently living under the same roof.

"Interesting" Amar muttered, tapping his fingers against the desk.
His assistant and sub inspector, Raghav, stood beside him, holding a file. “Sir, we pulled up details from Sehgal Enterprises. Before her company went bankrupt, Ishika Sehgal had no criminal record. Clean as a whistle.”

Amar smirked. “You know who else had a clean record? Harshad Mehta before he didn’t.”

Raghav cleared his throat. “Right. Well, we also looked into Singhania Corps.”

Amar’s gaze flickered toward Yash’s photo. The man looked as smug as ever, even in a still image.

“Yash Singhania” Raghav continued, “has an untouchable reputation. The business world worships him. But his past? There’s barely any trace of it before he was twenty. As if someone wiped it clean.”

Amar’s smirk deepened. “Now that... is suspicious.”

He leaned forward, placing both hands on the desk. “Dig deeper. I want names, past connections, scandals—everything.”

Raghav hesitated. “Sir… Singhania has influence. If we go after him, it won’t be easy.”

Amar chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. “Raghav power is just an illusion. Break the right piece on the board, and even a king can fall.”
His gaze darkened.

“And I’m very good at breaking things.”

━━༻❁༺━━

Yash sat on the couch, his fingers drumming impatiently against the armrest as Ishika typed furiously on her laptop. The tension in the room was suffocating. They had spent hours trying to find a lead, yet every attempt had led them to a dead end.

“This isn’t working” Ishika muttered, rubbing her temples.

Yash exhaled sharply, leaning forward. “There has to be something we’re missing. Check the CCTV footage from your mansion. Maybe the cameras caught something.”

Ishika nodded, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she accessed her security system. The screen loaded, showing past footage of the Sehgal Mansion—except when she clicked on the night of the murder, an error flashed on the screen.

File Not Found.

Her heart skipped a beat. She tried again. Same result.

“No, no, no, this isn’t possible” she whispered, panic creeping into her voice.

Yash leaned in closer, eyes narrowing. “Try recovering it.”

Ishika’s hands trembled as she attempted to retrieve the lost files, but it was useless. The data was completely wiped out. Someone had erased it beyond recovery.

Her breath hitched. She turned to Yash, her eyes wide. “The footage is… gone.”

The words barely left her mouth before Yash snapped.

With a sudden movement, he grabbed the glass vase from the table and smashed it against the wall. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room, and Ishika flinched as tiny shards scattered across the floor.

His breathing was heavy, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked painful. His fingers curled into fists, his knuckles white from the pressure. “This isn’t a coincidence” he growled. “Someone planned this. Someone wanted to frame you.”

Ishika’s eyes flickered to his hand, and she inhaled sharply. Blood.
“Yash” she said, her voice softer now.
He didn’t respond. He was too lost in his frustration, his eyes still locked on the shattered pieces on the ground.

She sighed and stood up, walking out of the room. Yash barely noticed. But a minute later, she returned, a first aid kit in her hands.

Without saying a word, she sat beside him on the couch, took his injured hand, and began cleaning the wound.
He stiffened.

“Ishika, leave it—”

“Shut up.” Her tone left no room for argument.

For once, he did.

She dabbed at the wound with antiseptic, and he let out a small hiss, his fingers twitching in her grip. She ignored him, her focus unwavering as she wrapped a bandage around his hand.

The silence between them was thick, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was… something else.

Her fingers brushed against his skin, lingering for just a second too long. Yash felt the warmth of her touch, and for the first time since this nightmare began, something in his chest eased.

Ishika finally let go of his hand, but her eyes lingered on his face. “You can’t lose control like this” she muttered. “Breaking things won’t solve anything.”

Yash looked down at his hand, then at her. “You think I don’t know that?”
She sighed. “Then act like it.”

Their gazes locked—her eyes holding something unreadable, his still burning with the remnants of frustration.

A moment passed. Then another.
Ishika broke the eye contact first, standing up. “We’ll find the real culprit. But not if you keep punching vases like a lunatic.”

Yash smirked slightly. “I didn’t punch the vase.”

She rolled her eyes. “Same thing.”

As she walked away, Yash glanced at his bandaged hand, flexing his fingers.

For the first time in a long while, someone had calmed his storm.

And he wasn’t sure if he liked it.

━━༻❁༺━━

MEANWHILE

TARA'S POV

I laughed, shaking my head as Kabir and Dhruv bickered like five-year-olds. The mansion had been filled with nothing but chaos and madness since the moment I stepped foot in here, and honestly? I had no complaints.

But then—then Kabir turned to Dhruv, a teasing smirk playing on his lips, and casually threw out a line that I wasn’t prepared for.

"Waise Dhruv, tu Tara se kab confess karega?"

(My dear Dhruv, when will you confess to Tara?)

Time stopped.

The laughter around me faded into background noise. The room blurred. The air felt thicker, suddenly too difficult to breathe in. I swore my heart stumbled over itself, missing a beat before thudding back to life with an urgency that sent a strange heat crawling up my neck.

Confess? Dhruv? To me?

What nonsense—right?

My fingers twitched on my lap as I instinctively turned to look at Dhruv. His eyes widened. “Kabir, tujhe marna hai kya?”

(Kabir you wanna die?)

Kabir smirked. “I mean, come on, dude. Just confess you wanna kill her but you can't — yeh pyaar nhi toh aur kya hai?”

(What is this if not love?)

"Kuch bhi bolta hai!" Dhruv said with a laugh.

And just like that, I snapped back to reality.

I scoffed, quickly masking the whirlwind inside me. "Exactly! Main bhi yeh soch rahi thi!" I shot back, forcing my lips into a smirk.

(Exactly! Even I was thinking the same thing!)

I hoped no one noticed the way I clenched my hands.

I hoped no one noticed how Kabir’s stupid joke had done something to me.

But I noticed.

Because in that brief second—the mere suggestion of Dhruv having feelings for me—something fluttered in my chest. Something unfamiliar. Unwanted.

A feeling so foreign that it left me confused, breathless, and so damn frustrated.

This was Dhruv. The same Dhruv who stole my food, who argued with me over literally everything, who made the most insensitive jokes, and who had always been... Dhruv.

And yet, for the first time, I found myself wondering....

What if?

What if Kabir’s joke wasn’t so ridiculous? What if—

I shook my head, shutting the thought down immediately.

No. No way.

I refused to be affected by this. I refused to let one stupid comment mess with me.

So, I threw my head back and laughed—louder than necessary, sharper than intended. "Confess? Pfft! I’d rather marry a cockroach!"

Dhruv made a face. "Aur main bhi yahi soch raha tha!"

(And I was thinking the same thing!)

Good. Perfect. Just as it had always been.

But even as the conversation moved on, even as the teasing shifted to something else, I couldn’t shake the lingering warmth on my skin.

I couldn’t shake the way my heart had betrayed me, even for a second.

And I hated that it did.

AUTHOR'S POV

Before the conversation could move further, they heard a loud crash from upstairs.

The three of them turned to look in the direction of the sound.

Kabir frowned. “Was that… a vase breaking?”

Dhruv sighed. “I bet you ten thousand bucks it’s Yash.”

Tara rolled her eyes. “Why are we even betting? It’s always Yash.”

Just as they were about to investigate, Yash and Ishika walked in—Yash’s hand now wrapped in a bandage.
Kabir’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, did Ishika finally lose it and try to murder you?”

Ishika deadpanned. “Not yet.”

Dhruv pointed at Yash’s hand. “Did you punch a wall again?”

Yash exhaled sharply. “I did not punch a wall.”

Tara snorted. “Sure. And I didn’t just hear a vase shatter upstairs.”

Yash shot them all a glare before plopping down on the couch, exhausted.

Kabir smirked and sat beside him, nudging his arm. “So… how’s married life, Billu Bhaiya?”

The silence that followed was deadly.

Ishika burst out laughing.

Dhruv immediately joined in, Tara covering her mouth to stifle her own laugh.

Yash pinched the bridge of his nose. “I will kill all three of you.”

Kabir smirked. “That won’t change the fact that you’re Billu now.”

Yash groaned, officially regretting every life choice that led him to this moment.

━━༻❁༺━━

NIGHT TIME

The Singhania Mansion had never been this chaotic before. Dinner had been a battlefield, with Kabir, Dhruv, and Tara throwing sarcastic comments, stealing food off each other’s plates, and creating a mess while Yash and Ishika sat there, utterly exhausted. The weight of failing to discover even a simple lead weighed heavy on them.

Just when they thought the chaos was over, Dadi, with her ever-present mischievous smile, struck.

“Bas ho gaya? Accha ab jao, apne room mein so jao” Dadi said, sipping her water, her tone casual—too casual.

(Done? Then go to your room.)

Silence.

Ishika, who had just put down her fork, froze. Yash, who had been about to take a sip of water, stopped midway. Tara and Dhruv glanced at each other, suppressing their laughter, already knowing where this was going. Kabir? The menace was grinning like he had just won the lottery.

Ishika put on her best neutral expression and got up first. “Haan, I’m really tired. I’ll go to my—”

Before she could finish, Dadi’s sharp voice rang out.

“Kahan ja rahi ho, bahu?”

(Where are you going, daughter in law?)

Her steps halted immediately.

Yash looked up at Dadi, suspicious.

“Uh… apne room ja rhi hai woh?” he answered carefully.

(She's going to her room...?)

Dadi raised an eyebrow. “Apne?”

(Her room?)

A pause.

Dadi leaned forward slightly, her expression unreadable. “Matlab… alag-alag?”

(You mean... different rooms?)

Tension.

Kabir sucked in a dramatic breath. Dhruv was biting his lip, trying not to laugh. Tara had already buried her face in her hands.

Yash and Ishika exchanged a quick glance. They knew what this was. Dadi was testing them.

Ishika quickly forced a smile, shaking her head. “nhi… matlab humare room mein.”

(I mean, OUR room.)

Dadi’s smirk widened.

Yash’s hand clenched into a fist under the table.

“Haan, hum toh ek hi room mein jaa rahe the” Yash said smoothly, standing up, his expression blank as if he hadn’t just wanted to punch a wall with his already injured hand.

(Yes we were going to our room)

Kabir gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. “Oh my god, mere bhai ko pyaar ho gaya. Sach wala pyaar!”
Yash shot him a glare that could kill.
Tara grinned at Ishika. “Toh jao na? Itna tension kyun hai?”

(Then go. Why are you guys so tensed?)

Ishika gritted her teeth, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “Bilkul bhi tension nahi hai.”

(We're NOT tensed.)

Dadi, still sipping her water, gestured toward the hallway. “Toh jao.”

(Then go)

Yash and Ishika gave each other a last look before awkwardly turning toward the hallway.

“Billu aur Chuhiya ek saath ek hi kamre mein… haayee!” Kabir said dramatically, pretending to wipe a tear.

(Billu and Chuhiya in the same room, together.)

Yash turned back, his eye twitching. “Kabir, so ja warna tujhe zinda gaad dunga.”

(Kabir, sleep or else I'll bury you alive.)

Kabir winked. “Meri neend toh chali gayi bhai, ab toh soch ke bhi neend nahi aayegi.”

(I'm not sleepy.)

Dhruv leaned back on the chair, shaking his head. “Pyar vyar toh bas ek natak hai, par dadi ke aage dono kaanp rahe hain.”

Yash didn’t reply. Ishika kept her chin up, refusing to let anyone see how flustered she actually was.

"Bhai, suhagraat mubarak ho!" Dhruv said in a whispering tone, suppressing his laughter. While Kabir and Tara burst out laughing silently.

(Happy first night brother.)

"Mere haathon se pakka khoon hojayega ab." Yash thought thought passed Dhruv a tight lip sarcastic smile.

(I'll end up murdering him now)

With stiff movements, they finally walked away, both of them knowing this night was going to be an absolute nightmare.

Dadi was watching everything silently. Behind them, she simply smiled, her plan working perfectly.

"Oh to be the cupid." She thought.

━━༻❁༺━━

10 MINUTES LATER

Dadi, with her usual sharp wit, leaned back in her chair and let out a soft laugh. She then looked at Dhruv, Tara, and Kabir, all sitting in front of her.
“You three think I don’t know? Pfft. I know exactly what’s going on. Yash Ishika... acting like a married couple. But I want to see the real deal now” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Dhruv blinked, looking at Tara, then Kabir. “Wait, you knew? Since when?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Oh please, What do you think, I’m blind?” Dadi scoffed, laughing at their shocked expressions.

Kabir scratched his head, totally confused but going along with it. “So... wait... you want us to make Yash and Ishika a real couple?”

“Exactly” Dadi said, sitting up straighter.

“Yash and Ishika don’t know it yet, but they’ll need to act like a real couple. You three need to help them. You’ll help them bond, and make sure they get comfortable with each other. That’s your mission. Got it?”

Tara, still processing the whole situation, shot a confused look at Dhruv. “So, you’re telling me... we’re supposed to make them fall in love for real?”

Dadi gave them a sly smile. “I don’t care about their love life... I just want them to stop pretending. But yes, if love happens, good for them. You’re going to help them make it happen.”

Kabir, who was always up for some chaos, clapped his hands together. “Alright! I’m in. I’ll get the ball rolling. I’ve got some ideas.”

Dhruv chuckled. “Same here. I think I can handle this. Should be fun.”

Tara, still a little unsure, sighed. “Fine. But this better be worth it, or I’m out.”

“You’re all in. And don’t forget, this is for Yash’s and Ishika’s good” Dadi said, raising an eyebrow. “Now go. Plan it out. And remember, they’re married now. Let’s make it look convincing.”

The three of them, now on board with the plan, exchanged nervous glances but also smiles, realizing this was going to be a lot of fun... and probably a disaster.

And from here, they’ll start devising ways to get Yash and Ishika to act like a real couple, with tons of chaos and funny moments in the process.

WITH YASH AND ISHIKA

Yash and Ishika stepped into the room, the air between them thick with awkward tension. The door clicked shut behind them, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Ishika crossed her arms and exhaled, breaking the silence. "I'll sleep on the bed. You take the couch" she said, already walking toward the bed.

Yash scoffed, shaking his head. "Excuse me? This is my house, my room, and my bed. You sleep on the couch."

She turned to glare at him. "Oh please, Singhania. If you think I'm sleeping on that uncomfortable little thing, you're out of your mind."

Yash took a challenging step forward, arms crossed. "Not happening. I'm sleeping here."

"Over my dead body" Ishika shot back.

"Don’t tempt me, Sehgal" Yash muttered under his breath.
She narrowed her eyes. "Oh? What did you just say?"

"You heard me" Yash smirked, moving closer to her.

Ishika grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it. "Fine! Let's settle this my way!"

Yash, taken aback for a second, quickly recovered. He grabbed a pillow of his own. "Oh, you asked for it!"

And just like that, a full-blown pillow war erupted.

Feathers burst into the air as they swung at each other, shouting insults between blows. Ishika smacked Yash hard across the face with her pillow, and he responded by grabbing another and attacking her from both sides.

"You fight dirty!" Ishika accused, shielding herself.

"You started it, chuhiya!"

"Billu!"

"Chuhiya!"

"BILLU!"

They were so lost in their battle that they didn’t notice Ishika’s feet slipping on the smooth marble floor. She let out a yelp as she lost balance, her body tilting backward.

Before she could hit the ground, Yash’s reflexes kicked in. He reached out and caught her by the waist, pulling her to him in one swift motion.

The fight stopped. The room fell silent.

Ishika’s breath hitched as she found herself inches away from Yash’s face. Her hands clutched onto his shirt tightly, her heart pounding against her ribs. His warm breath fanned against her skin, and for the first time, neither of them had anything to say.
His dark eyes held hers captive, and for a brief second, it felt like the world around them had ceased to exist.

MEANWHILE

Dadi, along with Dhruv, Tara, and Kabir, had been making their way toward Yash’s room, drawn by the loud shouting and crashing sounds.
"What are they doing? Killing each other?" Kabir whispered.

"Sounds like it" Tara replied, trying not to laugh.

Dadi shook her head. "Nalayak bache!" She grabbed the door handle and pushed it open.

(Bratty kids)

As the door swung wide, the scene before them froze in time.

Yash and Ishika, still caught in their moment, turned in horror toward the doorway. Ishika's hands were still fisting Yash’s shirt, and his arms were securely wrapped around her waist.

Gasps filled the room.

Dhruv, Tara, and Kabir covered their mouths, their eyes wide in disbelief.

"HAWWWW!!"

And then, in an instant of pure panic, Yash dropped Ishika.

THUD.

A LOUD THUD.

Ishika hit the floor, hard. "OW! You idiot!" she groaned, glaring up at Yash.

The three at the door burst into laughter.

Dadi, however, was not amused. She strode forward and bent down to help Ishika up.

"Beta, tu theek hai?" she asked, brushing the dust off Ishika’s shoulder.

(You're okay?)

"I'm fine, Dadi" Ishika sighed, rubbing her arm.

Dadi then turned to Yash, eyes narrowed. Without warning, she smacked his arm.

"Ouch! Dadi?!" Yash yelped, rubbing his arm.

"Ladki ko girate hain? Yeh teri tameez hai?" she scolded.

(You drop girls? Is this your manners?)

"I didn’t do it on purpose!" Yash argued.

"Dafa kar, beta" Dadi ignored him and turned back to Ishika. "He should apologize, right?"

Ishika smirked, catching on to Dadi’s plan. "Oh, definitely."

Dadi crossed her arms, glaring at Yash.

"Sharma mat, sorry bol!"

(Don't act shy, say sorry!)

Yash clenched his jaw, shooting Ishika a deadly glare. He muttered through gritted teeth, "Sorry."

Ishika grinned. "Didn’t quite hear you, Billu ji."

Yash exhaled sharply, his patience snapping. "SORRY. Happy?"

Ishika pretended to think. "Hmm... I guess it'll do."

Yash rolled his eyes as Dadi patted Ishika’s cheek fondly and then left the room.

But Dhruv, Kabir, and Tara did not.

They ran inside, jumping onto Yash’s bed.

"PILLOW FIGHT PART TWO!" Kabir shouted, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at Dhruv.

Tara giggled as she hit Ishika, who retaliated instantly. Feathers flew everywhere as laughter and chaos filled the room.

Yash, arms crossed, watched from the side. "You guys are literally kids."

Dhruv grinned. "And you're an old man! Loosen up, Billu Bhai!"

Yash groaned. "Not you too, Dhruv!"
He grabbed a pillow and hit Dhruv back, his face graced with genuine happiness.

Amidst the playful chaos, for the first time in a long time, Yash and Ishika found themselves laughing freely.

KABIR'S POV

The room was a mess of flying pillows and uncontrollable laughter. Feathers floated in the air like snowflakes, voices overlapping with playful threats and exaggerated battle cries. I was too caught up in the chaos, dodging and swinging my pillow at Tara, who was just as determined to win this ridiculous war.

She was quick, annoyingly so, dodging every hit like a pro. “Kabir, stop running and fight like a man!”
she shouted, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

I smirked. “A man? Tara, I’m a warrior.”

Before she could respond, Ishika struck from the side, her pillow hitting Tara square in the back. Tara gasped, twisting to shield herself from the next attack. But in her attempt to dodge, she turned too fast—too close.
And suddenly… her face was buried in my chest.

Everything around me blurred.

Her warmth hit me first, then the way her breath fanned against my collarbone. My heart, which had been perfectly fine a second ago, stumbled—literally skipped a beat before hammering against my ribs.

I froze.

She wasn’t moving either. Her hands clutched the fabric of my hoodie slightly, her head still resting against me as if seeking protection.
What the hell?

This was Tara—The girl I had spent the past few days teasing and annoying. The girl I saw as a friend. But right now, my brain didn’t seem to process that information correctly.
All I knew was that she was too damn close, and for some reason, I didn’t want to move.

The scent of her shampoo—something light and floral—filled my senses, and suddenly, the noise of the room faded into the background. My hands hovered midair, unsure of what to do. Push her away? Step back? Say something?

Before I could decide, she pulled back abruptly, her eyes wide, almost startled. “I—” she started, but her voice trailed off, her cheeks dusted pink.

I quickly masked whatever the hell just happened inside me with a grin. “That scared, huh? Didn’t know I was that intimidating, Sharma."

She blinked, then scoffed. “You wish, Singhania.”

And just like that, the moment passed.
But my heart? Yeah, that damn thing was still racing.

TARA'S POV

I pulled away quickly, flustered by the unintended intimacy with Kabir.  “Sorry” I muttered, realizing how stupid I must have looked. Kabir just grinned, clearly enjoying the chaos, and we both dove back into the pillow fight without another word.

As the fight raged on, I was focused on staying in control, laughing and dodging the blows, but then I felt a sudden shift. Dhruv, with that signature grin of his, came charging at me, ready to land his next hit. I braced myself to counter, but he was too fast. In one swift motion, he grabbed my wrist, holding it with one hand while the other swiped the pillow, hitting me right in the face.

I froze for a moment.

His touch… it felt different. There was a warmth to it, a kind of quiet strength that I wasn’t used to. I couldn’t explain it, but in that split second, my breath hitched. The pillow fight, the laughter, everything else seemed to blur away as I realized that somehow, this moment felt more intense than it should have.

I snapped out of it, shaking my head and pretending it didn’t matter. But it did, a little. I quickly pulled my hand away and tried to smile, but it felt forced, almost as if I was pretending that the strange fluttering in my chest wasn’t real.

I glanced at Dhruv, trying to act normal, but my thoughts kept drifting. He didn’t notice, thankfully. He was too busy laughing with Kabir, clearly enjoying the moment.

I had to get a grip on myself. This wasn’t supposed to be complicated. It was just a pillow fight, just some fun. So why did it feel like something had shifted?

━━༻❁༺━━

AFTER SOMETIME [Author's POV]

Once the chaos settled, Dhruv, Tara, and Kabir finally left, leaving Yash and Ishika alone again.

The room was a disaster—pillows and feathers scattered everywhere. Sighing, both of them silently started cleaning up.

As they finished, an awkward silence filled the air.

Yash grabbed a pillow and tossed it onto the couch. "I’ll take the couch" he muttered, rubbing his temple.

Ishika nodded, climbing onto the bed. "Good. Because if you tried the bed again, I would’ve kicked you off."

Yash scoffed. "Right. Like you could."
Ishika smirked, adjusting her blanket. "Try me, Billu ji."

"Go to sleep, Chuhiya ji"

They turned off the lights, both secretly smiling to themselves.

Tonight had been pure madness.
And somehow, they didn’t mind it at all.

No more updates until Feb 20th! [Exams]