"By the way, Mr Oberoi, what shampoo and conditioner do you use?" Suha asked, looking admiringly at Omkara's long silky hair.

"MOM!" Amar exclaimed in shock. He turned to his mom with pleading eyes.

"What? I just wanted to know.." Suha said innocently.

"Please keep a control on your tongue, mom. Don't scare them away on the very first day." Amar whispered to his mother in a pleading tone, earning a glare in return.

"AMAR VEDANT! How could you say that to your Momma? The momma who carried you inside her womb for nine months? The momma who changed your dirty diapers when you were a kid? The momma who kissed your boo boo's away?" Suha asked, hands on her hips. She was fired up.

Amar closed his eyes in disbelief. They were supposed to impress the Oberois. Not scare them off.

Omkara and Shivaay exchanged a glance.

"How the hell did we land here? Now there would be nothing stopping Anika and Gauri. This woman seems just like them. They are going to get on like a house on fire." Shivaay whispered in Omkara' ears.

"I know right.." Omkara murmured back.

"You know what! I did my post graduation studies in Mumbai. The Oberois were a big name even then. I have heard so much about the handsome Oberoi brothers during my college days. After the studies, I returned to Delhi. Never thought I would see them for real one day." Suha gushed happily as she looked at the three Oberoi brothers.

Meanwhile, Anika and Gauri exchanged a glance that screams their excitement.

Suha looked positively thrilled as she led Gauri, Anika, and Bhavya inside, chatting as if they were all long-lost friends.

"You have to tell me everything about life in Mumbai. " she gushed, linking arms with Gauri. "I never got a chance to come over to Mumbai again after studies. Dhruv is so busy with his businesses that sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out."

"We know right.." Gauri chuckled.

"Well, you should come and visit, and you must stay with us! And Anika bhabhi here will tell you all the hidden gems. She is an absolute expert on the best places to shop and eat!"

"Suha, you and I could do some serious shopping damage. Trust me; my husband's credit card may start crying when we are done!" Anika leaned in conspiratorially.

"Oh, we are going to get along splendidly, Anika!" Suha replied, her eyes lighting up as she imagined the shopping trips ahead.

"And don't even get me started on Mumbai's latest fashion scene. It would be so much fun to plan a little tour—girls' day out, perhaps?" Bhavya chimed in.

"Oh, you have to count me in!" Suha grinned. "We will leave the boys to themselves and paint the town red!"

The four of them laughed like they had been friends forever. Amar stood to the side, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. His mom had found her tribe, and by the looks of it, the Oberoi ladies had too.

Meanwhile, the younger crowd gathered around the outdoor seating area near the pool. Neha and Khushi were helping set out drinks when Gauri spotted them. Her eyes lit up, and she nudged Suha.

"Is that Khushi? And Neha?" She whispered with excitement, her voice barely contained. Suha nodded, noting her interest.

"Yes, Khushi and Neha. They are cousins!" Suha said.

Gauri clasped her hands together.

"Oh, they are even more beautiful than in the photographs!" She sighed dreamily. "I remember little Khushi from way back when Zahir had his first crush on her in kindergarten."

"Really? Oh, this is getting better and better!" Suha's clasped her fingers in excitement.

Gauri watched as Zahir glanced over at Khushi, his usual expression melting into something gentler. Khushi caught his gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly before looking away.

Neha, meanwhile, had linked arms with Zian, who laughed at something she was blabbering to him.

"Those two are head over heels," Anika noted, following Gauri's gaze. "Zian absolutely adores her. And she is such a cutie pie. I have been watching her for a while now. She hasn't closed her mouth since the moment I saw her and Zian is simply watching her talk."

"My boys have finally met their match. It's adorable, really." Gauri chuckled knowingly.

Nearby, Zaif and Anya were deep in conversation, planning how they would "commandeer" the barbecue. Zera, sitting on Zada's lap, clapped her hands happily as Aastha brought over a tray of homemade lemonade, handing one to each of them.

As laughter and chatter filled the air, Amar suddenly felt a heavy hand clap down on his shoulder. He turned to find Omkara and Shivaay standing on either side of him, both wearing identical expressions—serious and stern.

"Amar, can we have a word?" Omkara's tone was polite but laced with an underlying intensity.

"Uh... sure," Amar said, feeling a sudden sense of dread as they guided him to a more secluded corner of the garden. Shivaay crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked Amar up and down.

"Listen here, young man," Omkara began, his voice low. "Zada is our baby. She is very precious to us, and we won't tolerate anyone mistreating her."

"You seem like a decent guy, Amar, but let's be clear. If you ever hurt Zada, you'll be taking a one-way trip to the Oberoi Haveli in our native village a bit away from Mumbai. And trust me, we have a dungeon there that would make you very uncomfortable." Shivaay said, his gaze even sharper.

Amar swallowed, trying not to let his nerves show.

"Understood, sirs," he replied, his voice a bit shaky but determined. "I care about Zada a lot. I love her. I wouldn't ever dream of hurting her."

The two men shared a glance, then nodded, their expressions softening just slightly.

"Good," Omkara said. "Because our girl deserves the best, and if you are the one she has chosen, well, we will keep an eye on you."

"Very closely," Shivaay added with a faint smirk that somehow made the warning even scarier.

As they walked back toward the rest of the group, Amar let out a long, quiet breath, feeling the intensity of the warning settle deep into his bones. It was clear that loving Zada meant stepping up—and that he had just been handed the challenge of a lifetime.

A/N

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SF❤️