Advait walked into the house with his usual quiet confidence. The moment he stepped into the foyer, his eyes quickly scanned the room. Not seeing Samaira, his gaze hardened, and he moved toward the hallway.

“Where is she?” His voice was calm but sharp, betraying his impatience.

Naksh was about to answer when Samaira’s father, with a reassuring smile, placed a hand on Naksh’s shoulder. He turned to Advait and said, “She’s in her room.”

Advait didn’t respond, but without another word, he headed down the hallway. He knew exactly where she would be, and nothing would stop him from seeing her.

When he reached Samaira’s room, he didn’t knock. He simply opened the door and stepped inside. The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately. Samaira, Aahana, and Anay were laughing, but as soon as Samaira saw Advait, her smile faltered, and the room fell silent.

There was a brief moment of awkwardness before Samaira finally spoke, trying to keep her composure. “You were supposed to come tomorrow, right?”

Advait didn’t answer her question immediately. Instead, his gaze swept over her face, noticing the slight redness around her eyes. His expression softened for a fraction of a second before he stepped closer.

“Have you been crying?” His voice was gentle but filled with concern.

Samaira froze, caught off guard by the question. “It’s nothing,” she replied quickly, brushing it off. “Just a misunderstanding. It’s all fine now.”

Advait’s eyes didn’t leave her face. He could tell she was trying to hide something. Then his gaze shifted to her phone on the table, still vibrating slightly from missed calls.

“Why was your phone on silent?” he asked, his voice steady, but the edge of worry was unmistakable. “I’ve been trying to reach you, Samaira. Why weren’t you answering?”

Samaira looked at her phone and then at Advait, realizing that she’d left it on silent unintentionally. “I didn’t hear it,” she said softly, trying to sound nonchalant. “It was on silent. That’s all.”

Advait didn’t seem convinced. He studied her for a moment, as if trying to figure out what she wasn’t telling him. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his tone gentler now.

“I was worried about you,” he said quietly. “You weren’t answering your calls. I thought something might have happened to you. I had to come.”

Samaira’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected him to admit he was worried. There was something about his words that struck her, but she quickly shook it off.

“I’m fine,” she said, offering a weak smile. “It’s really nothing.”

But Advait wasn’t letting it go. He stepped closer, his eyes not leaving hers.

“Did you find anything about that mysterious caller?” he asked, his voice low, with an intensity that made Samaira’s stomach tighten. “ Who is it?”

Samaira hesitated. She had expected this moment, but hearing him ask so directly made her uneasy. The mysterious caller—Anay—was someone she couldn’t explain, not to Advait, and not now.

“Let the mysterious caller stay mysterious,” she said, her voice light but firm. “If you really want an answer, maybe you should start unraveling your own mysteries first.”

Advait’s expression hardened for a moment. He was frustrated, but he didn’t push it. He had learned over the years that Samaira wasn’t going to give in easily.

“I’m not here to argue,” he said, his tone now firm. “But I need you to be ready tomorrow. At 9 AM. We’re leaving together. You’re coming back with me.”

Samaira’s stomach tightened. She hadn’t expected him to show up today, and now that he was here, there was no escaping the inevitable.

“I’ll be ready,” she said, trying to sound confident. But a part of her resisted. She didn’t want to go back with him. Not yet. “But I don’t want to go back with you.”

Advait didn’t respond to her protest. He didn’t even seem surprised by it. His eyes softened just slightly, though there was still an undercurrent of authority in his voice.

“Enjoy the time you have left here,” he said, his voice calmer now. “But be ready tomorrow.”

With that, Advait turned and walked out of the room, leaving Samaira to absorb everything he had said. He left her with a lingering feeling of uncertainty.

After Advait left, Samaira’s family gathered in the room, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. Her uncle stepped forward, his face concerned.

“What’s going on, Samaira?” he asked gently. “Who was that man, and what’s all this talk about a mysterious caller?”

Samaira smiled, trying to keep things light. “It’s nothing,” she said, her voice steady. “Just a few misunderstandings, but everything’s fine now. Don’t worry.”

Before anyone could ask more, Samaira’s stomach growled loudly, cutting off the questions. “I’m really hungry,” she added with a grin. “Let’s go have lunch, okay? I promise we’ll talk later.”

Her family, relieved that there was nothing serious going on, nodded in agreement. They all headed toward the dining room.

After Lunch:

The lunch was filled with easy conversation, but Samaira couldn’t help feeling the weight of Advait’s visit hanging over her. She hadn’t expected him to show up today, and his concern for her was something she didn't expect. Though he told her that he loved her and she will get all the answers soon but she just thought that he was again playing some twisted games of his, playing with her emotions and decided to ignore it and hold on to our guard, but the emotions she saw today in his eyes felt nothing but genuine.

As they all gathered in the living room after the meal, Aahana leaned closer to Samaira with a teasing grin. “So,” Aahana said, her voice filled with mischief and her voice only audible to samaira. “Tell me, is Advait always this overprotective? I mean, I’ve never seen him act like that. It’s like he’s genuinely concerned for you.”

Samaira laughed, though there was a hint of nervousness in her voice. “Don’t start, Aahana,” she warned playfully. “You know how it is with him. He married me for revenge, remember?”

Aahana raised an eyebrow, still smiling. “Yeah, that’s the story. But the way he came all the way here, looking so serious and worried about you... I’m starting to think there’s more to it.”

Samaira felt her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t expected Aahana to be so perceptive. “No,” Samaira said quickly, shaking her head. “It’s all business, Aahana. Nothing more.”

Aahana wasn’t convinced. She crossed her arms, her grin widening. “Maybe it’s more than just business. I don’t know. But I do know that a man who cares enough to show up uninvited and make sure you’re okay... That’s not just revenge.”

Samaira didn’t know how to respond to that. Aahana was right in some ways, but she couldn’t let herself get distracted by it. “Don’t make me change the subject,” Samaira said, laughing a little to break the tension.

Aahana didn’t press further but gave her a knowing look. “Alright, alright. But you should be careful, Samaira. You’re not fooling anyone with that ‘revenge’ story. Not even me.”

Samaira rolled her eyes, but inside, a wave of unease washed over her. Was Aahana right? She wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain—things were changing, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.