"तुमसे मिलने के बाद, अब किसी ख्वाहिश की चाह नहीं,

हर सुबह तुमसे शुरू हो, हर रात तुम पर ख़त्म हो जाती है...

कहते हैं मोहब्बत अधूरी रहती है,

पर हमने तो उसे मुकम्मल कर लिया — तुम्हारे नाम से।" 💫❤️

The morning sun filtered through the gauzy curtains of a cozy, sun-dappled home. The air was laced with the comforting aroma of sizzling spices and warm toast.

Mahi stood at the stove, carefully flipping parathas—her movements fluid and familiar. Just then, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her into a tender embrace. She felt the press of warm lips trailing soft, wet kisses along the nape of her neck.

"Ahh, Atharv..." she breathed, a soft moan escaping her lips, betraying her delight.

Smiling, Atharv turned her around, his eyes filled with quiet adoration. He leaned in to kiss her—but before he could, a small, chirping voice shattered the spell.

"Mumma! Papa!"

Startled, they sprang apart, laughter dancing in their eyes. Their five-year-old son, Advait, stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes and clutching his soft plush elephant.

"He's our little alarm clock,"
Mahi muttered under her breath, playfully shoving her husband away. Atharv pouted dramatically, sulking like a scolded child.

"Mahi, ayer...!"

Her glare silenced him.

"Yes, baby," she cooed, walking over to Advait and scooping him into her arms. The little boy nestled against her chest, his tiny frame still warm with sleep. He opened his eyes slowly and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning, Mumma," he mumbled, his voice gravelly and sweet.

Atharv beamed and held out his arms. Advait reached for him instinctively.

"Papa," he whispered.

Mahi handed the boy to his father. Atharv kissed both his chubby cheeks, inhaling the scent of baby shampoo and dreams.

"Good morning, champ. Did you sleep well?"
he asked, ruffling Advait's hair.

"Yes, Papa. I sleep very well," the boy replied with a sleepy nod.

Mahi returned to the stove, but her ears stayed tuned to the exchange behind her. The gentle murmur of father and son made her heart bloom with quiet happiness. She loved how Atharv answered each of Advait's endless questions with patience and wonder, never brushing him off.

"Adu, did you brush your teeth?"
she asked, placing plates on the dining table.

Advait looked up at her, wide-eyed, and quickly hid his face in Atharv's chest. Atharv chuckled and hugged him tighter.

"Adu, how many times have I told you to brush your teeth first thing in the morning? Don't you know, if you don't, a sneaky rat might come and take your teeth away!"

Advait pulled back, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"But Papa, rats already have teeth. Why would they want mine?"
Atharv bit back a laugh.

"That's a very good question, little detective..."

But before he could answer, Mahi interrupted with a mock-stern look.

"Atharv, go brush—both of you. Breakfast is almost ready."

With a wink and a groan, Atharv stood up.

"Let's go, Adu. Today, Papa will help you brush like a big boy."

Advait squealed with delight and jumped into his father's arms. Mahi watched them with a chuckle, the image etching itself into her memory like a photograph.

After a few playful minutes, Atharv returned, freshly dressed in a crisp suit, hair slicked back, his presence radiating quiet strength. He approached Mahi, who was now wiping down the counter.

"Adu is ready," he said softly.

Mahi turned, catching the glint in his eye. Placing her palm on his chest, she whispered with a smirk:

"Adu, close your eyes. Papa's going to kiss Mumma."

Atharv raised an eyebrow in amused surprise. Advait giggled and obediently covered his eyes, peeking between his fingers.

Seizing the moment, Atharv leaned in, brushing his lips over Mahi's in a gentle, lingering kiss that spoke volumes—love, gratitude, desire. Mahi smiled against his lips, her fingers lightly brushing the lapel of his jacket.

Pulling away, he whispered,
"Bye. Take care... love."

"You too," she replied, pressing a warm lunchbox into his hands.

"You're sweating already," she added, brow furrowed with concern.
"Are you sure you want to wear that suit? It's going to be hot today."

He gave her a tired smile.
"I have to, love. My boss would go ballistic otherwise."

She sighed, her eyes softening.
"I hate seeing you like this. You work so hard..."

From the living room, a tiny voice rang out.

"Papa, Mumma! Are you done?!"

Atharv laughed, striding over to his son.
"Yes, baby. You can open your eyes now."

Mahi facepalmed playfully.

"What will this boy grow up to be like with a father like you?"

"I hope... someone who loves with all his heart," she murmured under her breath.

Atharv lifted Advait into his arms, holding him close for one last hug.
"Be good, okay? I'll be back soon."

Mahi watched them from a distance, her heart swelling.

"Have a good day at work, love."

"Always,"
Atharv replied with a wink, stepping out into the sweltering city.

Later that day...

The panoramic skyline of the city shimmered through the towering glass facade of Khurana Industries—a modern fortress of steel and silence. On the 32nd floor, everything moved with precision. Assistants spoke in hushed tones. Heels clicked, papers shuffled—but no one lingered. No one dared.

At the head of the sprawling boardroom sat Atharv Khurana, the man behind the empire. Tailored in a crisp navy suit, posture unyielding, eyes sharp as steel—he was a presence, not just a person.

The room was immaculate. Polished oak table, chrome accents, a massive digital screen humming with data. Around it sat board members, senior executives, and division heads—each hyper-aware of their words, each weighing their tone.

No one truly knew Atharv. They knew his reputation, his genius, his impossible standards. They knew that under his leadership, Khurana Industries had gone from survival to dominance.

But his personal life?
A mystery.

He arrived early. Left late. Attended no social events. Changed phone numbers often. No interviews, no birthday posts, no paparazzi shots.
Not even his closest advisors knew where he lived—or if he had family at all.

He was the enigma who built an empire.

Mr. Patel, stood cautiously.

"Sir, the quarterly profits have more than doubled. The strategies you introduced haven't just stabilized us—they've redefined the market. No other firm is even close."

A brief silence. A few exchanged glances. Then, murmurs of agreement.

Mr. Shah, one of the older shareholders, cleared his throat.
"Atharv... this level of growth is unprecedented. You've changed the game."

Atharv leaned back slightly, folding his hands together. His face betrayed nothing but calm intellect.

"Growth is never the goal. Control is. Sustainability is. Vision is."
His voice was low but sharp, slicing clean through the tension in the room.
"Remember, gentlemen—empires don't fall because of outside threats. They rot from within."

A quiet unease settled over the table.

Ms. Kapoor, head of the tech division, spoke next, a little more cautiously.
"Our AI integration has outperformed every projection. We're leading in predictive modeling and automation."

Atharv nodded once.
"Push harder. Speed is our only advantage. Comfort is our biggest enemy."

He turned his gaze slowly across the room. One by one, board members straightened their backs.

Every word he spoke felt deliberate—measured, yet impactful.
There were no wasted movements. No excess.
Only strategy.

The meeting stretched on—renewable ventures, expansion, global patents, tech pipelines. Atharv remained razor-focused, dissecting every number, correcting assumptions, shutting down fluff with a single look.

But then—his phone buzzed, screen down.

Without drawing attention, he flipped it, only briefly.

A message from Mahi:

"Advait says he's missing you. Come home soon."

For a fleeting moment, something shifted in his eyes. Barely noticeable. A softening.

Two faces filled his mind—the only place softer than the edge he wielded here.

But only for a moment.

The steel curtain returned. He adjusted his cufflink, then spoke.

"Let's keep moving forward. The empire we're building depends on it."

The room nodded as one. Obedient. Impressed. Awed.
And still... slightly afraid.

Because Atharv Khurana wasn't just the CEO.
He was the shadow and the spotlight.
The man they couldn't read—and couldn't afford to underestimate.

And as the meeting carried on, he straddled two worlds:

The empire he ruled by day—
and the kingdom of love he returned to by night.

Later that afternoon...

The engine of the black Mercedes-Maybach S680 purred softly as it glided through the city's congested heart, its tinted windows hiding the man within.

Atharv Khurana sat in the backseat, gaze fixed out the window, jaw sharp, eyes calculating. Even in silence, his presence filled the car like gravity.

Beside him sat Rohan Batra, his personal assistant—a man who wasn't just a gatekeeper but a vault. Rohan knew every detail of his boss's life, every secret hidden beneath the empire's polished surface.

He was loyal.
Unquestioning.
Efficient.

But even loyalty has questions it dares not ask.

"Sir," Rohan said, adjusting his tablet, eyes flicking through the day's itinerary.
"We're heading straight to the Central Harbour Site. Your inspection has been scheduled for 3:30 PM."

Atharv gave a short nod, still not speaking.

Rohan continued,
"After that, we have lunch with the Paris delegation at La Maison. They're eager to discuss the Euro-Asian smart infrastructure deal."

At the mention of Paris, something flickered in Atharv's expression. He didn't speak. But he wasn't listening anymore either.

He was remembering.

Years ago...

The envelope was crisp. The logo on the top left said it all—École des Ponts ParisTech, one of the most prestigious engineering colleges in the world.

A golden ticket.

Atharv, barely in his twenties then, held the offer letter with trembling hands. His eyes scanned it over and over.

Full admission.
Partial scholarship.
Opportunity of a lifetime.

But opportunity didn't mean access.

He was already working—day shifts at a construction site, night shifts tutoring local kids. There was no family to fall back on. No savings. Just silent dreams... and survival.

The letter lay forgotten on the bed when the door creaked open.

"Atharv?"

It was Mahi—hair windswept, apron still on, cheeks flushed from the double shift. She looked exhausted... and radiant.

She smiled softly, holding up a paper bag.
"I brought brownies. Your favourite. They were fresh out of the oven."

Atharv's throat tightened.

Before he could hide the letter, she noticed it.

Her smile didn't falter—but her eyes did flicker.

He pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Sit. I'll get you water."

While he stepped into the kitchen, Mahi's fingers brushed against the paper. She read it.

When Atharv returned, she looked up with the calm of someone who had already made a decision.

The next morning, he found an envelope on the table. Inside was a cheque. Enough to cover his tuition gap and travel.

"What... what is this?" he asked, stunned.

Mahi avoided his eyes.
"It's nothing. Just... some money I had kept aside."

Atharv narrowed his eyes, seeing right through her.

"Mahi, what did you do?"

She stayed silent.
So he said coldly,
"If you don't tell me, I'm not going."

Mahi sighed, biting her lip.
Then whispered:
"My boss... he's moving to Singapore for a year. He needed someone to manage both his flower shop and the accounts. I signed a contract. I'll be working double shifts for the next 12 months."

Atharv stared at her, overwhelmed.

"Why would you—"

She cut him off, tears pricking her eyes.

"Because you belong there. You belong somewhere the world sees what I already do. You build things, Atharv. Go build something that changes the world."

Now...

The car came to a soft stop.

Atharv blinked back into the present, the cool detachment returning to his face like a mask snapping into place.

Outside, the Central Harbour Project loomed—his most ambitious site yet. Towers rising. Cranes slicing the sky. Blueprints turning into skyline.

He straightened his cufflinks and adjusted his Rolex.

"Let's go," he said quietly.

Rohan glanced at him sideways.

He didn't ask.
Didn't mention the silence.
Didn't ask why his boss still kept Mahi a secret from the world.
Didn't ask why a man who ruled empires... still carried the weight of an old memory like a keepsake in his chest.

But he wondered.

As Atharv stepped out of the car, the construction site fell into sudden, reverent silence. Helmets were adjusted. Backs straightened. Conversations stopped.

The boss had arrived.

Gone was the boy who held a dream in trembling hands.

In his place stood a man who built cities...
But still kept his heart tucked away in a small flower shop.

AUTHOR NOTE

Hii my loves 💕
Okay be honest... did this chapter make your heart do that weird fluttery thing? 😭💫
Because same. The way they love each other — softly, deeply, without even saying much — ughhh my heart can't handle them 😭💖

There's so much peace in their love, right? Like every look, every silence just means something.
But also... you felt it too, didn't you? That little tension underneath all the warmth — like Atharv's hiding something big 👀💔
(And Mahi has no idea what's coming...)

Now tell me 👇
🌙 What did you feel reading this one?
💭 Which moment made you stop and just breathe it in?
🔥 Did you sense that quiet storm building behind his calm smile?
💌 And which line hit you the hardest?

Go ahead and pour your hearts in the comments — I love reading what you guys feel 🥹❤️
Your reactions make every late-night writing session so worth it ✨