A month passed before anyone knew it. Everyone was so busy with their work and life that they hardly sat down for an evening with drinks in their hands. Vidha returned to Jaipur with Vedant as their business meeting was successful. Atulya decided to come home for a week. He was doing his residency programme in Amsterdam.

Vidha wrapped her arms around Nalani as they decided to have drinks. "Awe, I missed you too." They pulled away from the hug and sat down on the floor mattress. "How's it going?"

"Hectic, less time and long hours," Nalani replied, she sat beside Atulya. Vedant returned with the beer case and snacks. "Where are auntie and uncle?"

"They went on a vacation and will be returning next week," Atulya said, handing the snacks to Nalani. Nalani looked around, they were called Hridyanshu as well. It's been a while since she saw him. He wasn't present at the breakfast table as he kept leaving early in the morning. So she hasn't seen him after the lunch they had together."

"Where is your brother? Didn't you guys tell him?"

Vidha shrugged her shoulders. "We did but he had plans and he was in a rush." Nalani glanced at Vedant, there was an unknown expression on his face and she saw tension on his face before he blinked it away. Vedant knew where Hridyanshu went, both the brothers were best friends. They don't hide anything from each other, like Atulya and Vidha.

"Heard that you have pranked my brother?" Vedant gave Nalani a sly smile. Nalani rolled her eyes. "He changed my pin and removed my biometric."

"I don't believe that," Atulya said. Nalani gave him a shocked look. "Why wouldn't you believe that? Oh, because your brother is the sweetest one?"

Atulya gave her a toothy grin. "We cannot disagree on that. Among all of us, he is the sweetest and calmest one." Nalani shook her head. "He isn't the sweetest guy when he is with me. All he does is agitate anger in me."

Vidha laughed and the siblings joined. "Babe, that's because you always do one thing or the other thing that shakes his calm." Nalani smirked, nodding her head. "I cannot disagree with that. I love to shake your brother's sweet ass."

Atulya made a cringy face. "Don't call my brother's ass sweet." Nalani threw her head back and laughed.

It was Vedant who opened his mouth and asked the question. "But why do you like to shake his calm? Or love to prank him?" Nalani took a lengthy sip as she thought about it. She didn't answer the question right away. "Yeah, why do you love to prank him? I mean I love to prank him because he is my older brother, but you?" Atulya added.

"I never understood him." Nalani looked at the siblings as they looked at her. "You know when we were kids, he was always that sweet and obedient kid. While we ran around and played in the mud, he was always standing and looking after us. Though he was older than us, he was a kid too. We cried, laughed, fought and even got scolded by our parents."

"Maybe when I was younger I didn't like the fact that he was always obedient. While we got scolded, he got praised. Honestly, I didn't understand that. But when I turned thirteen, I started seeing your brother differently. Don't get me wrong, I felt like he wasn't opening up and something was wrong with him. Like how can a person ever get angry or fight with his siblings? Well, I don't have siblings and yet I fight with you guys. He always gave us his things when we asked him. He never put up a fight and I didn't like it a bit."

"You didn't like that my brother didn't fight with you," Vedant asked. "Exactly!" Nalani took a sip of her drink. "I wanted to provoke him and get underneath his skin. So I started pulling his leg, started with pranks and whatnot. There was a change and I loved it. When he gets angry or throws daggers at me, I feel accomplished. Oh, even Vrishali auntie helped me and together we tried to bring different emotions out of him. Not that he knew about this."

"I love it when Hridyanshu and I fight. He is different to me and I'm happy about that. Though he is the sweetest." Nalani smiled and the siblings smiled, understanding everything.

"I was over the moon when he said he was in love and brought Mitali home. I believed Hridyanshu would choose to arrange a marriage. I was genuinely happy when I saw him with Mitali. He truly loved her," Nalani said.

"He did, he wasn't able to recover from it. It shattered him badly and he cried in dad's arms," Vedant said. Nalani's eyes widened. "We were surprised too. We never saw him break down. Though Atulya and I went to him when we had breakups, we never saw him so broken."

"Yeah... He was planning their wedding but everything just didn't work out."

Nalani had an international performance on the same date as Hridyanshu and Mitali's private engagement party. She wasn't able to attend it but her parents did. She never thought it would turn out sad.

"Anyway, let's talk about you," Vidha said, pointing her gaze at Vedant. "Me?" Vedant raised his brow.

"Yeah, you. You don't think I haven't seen you throwing diggers at that lady at the party." Vidha tried to recollect the woman's face. "I cannot exactly remember her but I knew I had seen her somewhere before and the way you were looking at her the whole party just made me sure that we knew her."

"Nothing important to discuss."

"Uh-Huh..."

*

Hridyanshu closed his eyes and a shaky breath left his mouth. He was nervous as he stepped out of the car and walked towards the entrance. The manager was already waiting for him. When he stepped into the restaurant, the manager took him to the private dining area.

Hridyanshu stopped walking and took a minute to admire the lady sitting at the table with her gaze fixed towards the sky. Happiness and relief flowed as he watched Mitali. He took his seat and Mitali turned her gaze on him. "Mitali."

"Yash." Hridyanshu didn't say anything, just kept watching Mitali. He missed her immensely. "How are you?"

Mitali smiled, "I'm good, how are you doing?" Hridyanshu couldn't tell her the truth. If he did, that would make her uncomfortable. He gave her a nod.

They didn't talk as the waiter greeted them. They had ordered food before they were left alone. "How is California? Do you love it there?"

Mitali's eyes sparkled in happiness. "California is amazing. I have made friends and the hospital staff are sweet and welcoming."

"Good to hear."

Mitali met Hridyanshu last year after ignoring him for two years. She was in Delhi for a year before leaving for California. He tried for two years to get in contact with her and to ask her directly for the reason. He had every right to know the reason for her breaking off their engagement. They were together for five years. One year engaged and on edge of tieing the knot when everything came crashing down.

"Are you planning to settle down in California?" Mitali stiffened but kept her cool. She could see how broken he was and how much he loved her, but she wasn't reciprocating the same. "Yes." Hridyanshu stayed quiet, he had heard from their mutual friends and from his best friend that Mitali was going to marry someone.

"Yash, I do not want you to keep waiting for me. I know things didn't work out the way we wanted them to." Hridyanshu waited for her to finish whatever she was going to say. "It would be better for us to leave the past behind." She gave him an assuring smile.

"Mitali, do you not think I deserve the truth? The reason why you had to break off our engagement or where it went wrong?"

Mitali's hands shook and she closed them together in nervousness. "Mitali, I will never be angry with you. I―I just need to know the truth."

"Yash, I was scared. I loved you, I really did, but I wasn't ready to settle down in India." An anxious sigh left Mitali's mouth. "I know you said that you would shift to New York with me and I was happy when you bought the apartment there." Hridyanshu clenched his jaw upon hearing that. When Mitali mentioned that she wanted to do her residency in New York, he supported her and bought an apartment for them to live together.

"I had different plans and you were okay with everything. I couldn't do it, Yash. I wanted to marry you but I never planned on having kids." Hridyanshu's brows frowned in confusion. "Mitali, I never forced you to have children. I didn't even mention children when you mentioned not having kids."

"I know you will never force me into it, but your parents." Hridyanshu knew his parents were practical people. They would never force Hridyanshu and his partner to give them grandkids or to have children. "What about my parents?"

"You might agree with me, but your parents would ask us about the kids. I couldn't live with that pressure." Hridyanshu was shaken up hearing that. Their parents loved Mitali and treated her equally and as one of the family. They never made her uncomfortable, though his mother loves to tease, that's it. It was always healthy teasing.

"Mitali, you could've told me. My parents are practical people, they would never force us into something that we don't want. They respect the boundaries and will allow us to make our own decisions. Even if they want grandkids, they could have grandkids from my other siblings as well."

Hridyanshu stopped talking when the waiter brought their food. "Thank you," Hridyanshu said as the waiter wandered off immediately. Mitali looked at Yash with horror-filled eyes. Hridyanshu controlled his emotions. "Is it true that you are getting married?"

Mitali shut her mouth as she looked at her cold coffee. She doesn't have to answer his question. Her silence gave out the answer. Hridyanshu closed his eyes before looking at Mitali. "Mitali, you don't have to be silent or feel remorse about it. I wish you happiness. I just want you to know that I'm upset and sad that it didn't work out, but I'm not angry at you."

Mitali looked at Hridyanshu. "You do not have to hide from your friends. Raveena and Kushan miss you, don't ignore them just because of what happened between us."

Mitali gave the nod. "You are not angry with me?" Hridyanshu gave a sad smile. "How would I get angry with you when I love you?"

"Yash― I."

"Mitali, it is fine. You don't have to be upset or feel anything." Hridyanshu stood up from his seat. "I will take my leave. Have a good life, if there's any need. You can contact me when in India. Bye, take care, Mitali."

Hridyanshu didn't wait for Mitali as he turned and started walking away. He stopped at the reception and paid for their drinks before driving away. He couldn't stop the tears that threatened to fall. He drove around the city aimlessly as he didn't want to go home knowing his siblings and Nalani were having a party. He doesn't want to crash their party and upset them.

*

Hi, I will be updating the next chapter if I get 25 likes on this chapter.

I don't expect you all to answer my question but I want to know where my readers are from. I'm from Hyderabad, India!