The winter sun spilled softly through the tall French windows of the Raichand dining room, bathing the long oak table in a mellow gold. Steam rose gently from the silver coffee pot, the faint clink of china and cutlery echoed in the otherwise quiet room. On the surface, everything was as it always had been, dignified, orderly, serene. But beneath the calm, something heavier lingered in the air.

Shekhar Raichand walked in, still slightly disheveled from the previous night. His shirt sleeves were rolled carelessly to his forearms, his hair tousled, and a faint trace of whiskey still clung to his breath. He bent down to touch his grandmother’s feet, then his mother’s, and finally his father’s feet and then offered a polite nod before sinking into the chair across from him.

“Good morning, everyone.” he mumbled, reaching automatically for the steaming cup of black coffee.

Jagdish Raichand didn’t look up from the newspaper. “How’s the head?”

“Manageable,” Shekhar muttered, taking a long sip. “Sober enough for whatever lecture you’ve been rehearsing since last night.”

Rajlaxmi shot her son with a sharp look, the kind that could silence armies. But Shekhar only responded with his trademark crooked smile, the one that always softened her scolding heart.

Jagdish folded the newspaper neatly, setting it aside with surgical precision. “Good,” he said calmly. “Because this isn’t a lecture.”

That made Shekhar pause mid-sip. He frowned slightly. “Then what is it?”

“A conversation,” Jagdish replied, his voice steady, deliberate. “An important one.”

The shift in tone drew the attention of both women. Kalyani lowered her spoon. Rajlaxmi, stopped mid-pour as she refilled her husband's cup. Something in Jagdish’s voice told them this wasn’t just another morning discussion.

“This is about Aaradhya, isn’t it?” Shekhar asked, leaning back in his chair, his tone casual but his eyes alert.

“Not entirely,” Jagdish answered. “But yes… in part. It’s about… your future.”

“My future,” Shekhar repeated slowly, setting the cup down. “Alright. I’ll bite. What about it?”

“Marriage.”

The word dropped between them like a stone in still water.

Kalyani's eyes flickered upward. Rajlaxmi’s hands stilled in midair, the coffee jug hovering above the cup. And Shekhar… simply sighed, leaning back in his chair with a quiet, resigned murmur.

“Here we go.”

“Tell me something honestly, beta.” Jagdish’s voice was calm, but there was a firmness beneath it, the kind that left no space for jokes. “Have you ever actually given it any serious thought?”

“To marriage?” Shekhar raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk curling his lips. “I’ve been a little busy building an empire, if you haven’t noticed.”

“That empire,” Jagdish replied evenly, “means very little if there’s no one to inherit it. And I don’t mean the wealth, Shekhar. I mean your name. Your legacy. The foundation of this family. A man’s life isn’t complete when he builds, it’s complete when he leaves behind something, someone, to carry it forward.”

Shekhar exhaled, his fingers drumming on the table. “I knew this conversation was coming. I just didn’t think it would come this soon.”

“It’s not soon,” Jagdish countered. “You’re twenty-seven. You’ve accomplished more than most men twice your age. And while you’ve mastered the art of running a company, you’ve done very little to build a life.”

“I’m twenty-seven, not fifty,” Shekhar shot back, a hint of irritation creeping into his tone. “I have time.”

“Time,” Jagdish said quietly, meeting his son’s gaze, “is the one thing we all think we have… until it runs out. And when it does, all the empires, all the power, all the wealth mean nothing if there’s no one to share it with.”

The silence that followed was thick, suffocating, filled with all the words neither father nor son had spoken aloud before. Then, after a long pause, Shekhar gave a dry, humourless laugh.

“And I suppose you already have someone in mind?”

Because he knows his father very well. He didn't just bring it out of the blue. There must be someone already in his mind.

Jagdish didn’t answer immediately. He took a measured sip of coffee, his eyes fixed on the steaming cup, as if choosing his next words with military precision. “Maybe,” he said finally.

That one word was enough. Shekhar’s brow furrowed, the amusement gone from his face. “Who is she?”

Because he knew if his father had someone in mind, this wasn’t just idle talk. Jagdish Raichand never floated ideas. He executed them.

“Someone I met recently,” Jagdish said at last. “Someone I believe is everything this family needs.”

“That’s not an answer.” Shekhar’s tone hardened. “Who is she? What does she do? Where is she from?”

“Her name…” Jagdish said, his voice softening just a fraction, “is Naintara.”

“Naintara…” Shekhar repeated, the unfamiliar name rolling awkwardly off his tongue. “And?”

“She’s from a respectable family, that should be your only concern even if you are in doubt.” Jagdish said simply, deliberately avoiding the details “And what she does is live with grace, humility, and strength. Which, frankly, is more than I can say for half the people I meet in boardrooms and parties.”

Shekhar leaned back again, letting out a sharp breath. “So that’s it? You meet her once, and suddenly she’s the one?”

“I didn’t decide,” Jagdish said quietly. “I knew.”

His voice had shifted deeper now, resolute. It was the same tone he’d once used to issue commands on a battlefield, and now commanded boardrooms with equal authority.

“I knew the moment I saw her,” he continued. “That this is the woman I want to welcome into our home. The woman I want standing beside you and behind you when the world gets too loud. The woman who will hold this family together long after I’m gone.”

Kalyani’s eyes softened at those words, and a faint, hopeful smile tugged at Rajlaxmi's lips. But Shekhar’s face remained unreadable, a war raging quietly behind his eyes.

“Dad…” he said after a long silence, his voice lower now, almost pleading. “Marriage isn’t about what you want. It’s about what I feel. And I don’t even know this girl.”

“You will, and when you do, I believe you’ll see what I see.” Jagdish said simply. “Trust me son. Even arranged marriages aren't that bad.” he turned to look at Rajlaxmi for a brief moment before saying, “and I am telling you with experience.”

The finality in his voice silenced the room. Even Kalyani, who had opened her mouth to speak, closed it again and stared at the table instead.

“How old is she?” Shekhar asked after a pause, his tone clipped, controlled, but curious as he wanted to know if that woman was mature enough to stand beside him.

“More mature than any woman you’ve ever met,” Jagdish replied without missing a beat.

“Dad, why won’t you give me a straight answer?” Irritation crept back into Shekhar’s voice now.

“Because I haven’t asked her age,” Jagdish replied with maddening calm.

“Seriously?”

“But I’d guess she’s around Niharika’s age.”

Shekhar froze. “Niharika? Dad! Niharika will be twenty-one in a few months!”

“So what?” Jagdish said with a shrug. “Age is just a number. Your mother and I have a ten-year gap.”

The words hung between them like an unspoken challenge. Rajlaxmi exchanged a worried glance with Kalyani. The boy who had always obeyed his father without question was resisting now and the man who had always valued his son’s choices was refusing to yield.

“And what makes you think,” Shekhar said quietly, his jaw tightening, “that I’d ever agree to marry someone you chose?”

“Because I know you, Shekhar,” Jagdish said, his voice soft but unwavering. “I know you better than you know yourself. You are my son. My Blood and I know the kind of woman who will make you stronger. A woman who won’t distract you but ground you. Who will bring balance to your fire.”

Shekhar gave a hollow laugh, shaking his head. “And here I thought you raised me to make my own choices.”

“I raised you,” Jagdish corrected calmly, “to make the right ones.”

The remark hit harder than Jagdish intended. Shekhar stared at his father across the table, defiance flashing openly in his eyes now.

“And trust me Naintara is the right choice.”

“Fine,” he said after a long pause, the faintest trace of mockery in his voice. “We’ll talk about this later when I get back from New York.”

Jagdish didn’t stop him. He simply nodded once. “We will.”

“New York?” Rajlaxmi’s voice rose, alarmed. “When are you leaving? And why haven’t you told us?”

“Relax, Maa.” Shekhar forced a smile. “I’m going to sign a deal with Robert Brown. I’ll be back before Vikram’s wedding. Please don’t make a drama out of it, it’s work.”

He pushed his chair back and stood. As he passed his grandmother, she reached out and touched his hand gently.

“Your father only wants what’s best for you, beta,” she said softly.

“I know, Dadi,” he replied, his lips curving into a faint smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “I just wish he’d remember that what’s best and what’s right aren’t always the same thing.”

And with that, Shekhar turned and walked out, leaving the room heavy with unspoken tension.

Jagdish sat back in his chair, the morning sunlight spilling across his face. His eyes followed his son’s retreating figure, not with anger, not with disappointment, but with the quiet resolve of a man who had made up his mind.

‘This time,’ he thought silently, ‘I will choose the daughter-in-law of this house, not the headlines, not the politics, not the power. A girl who will hold this family together, even when I’m gone.’

And in that resolve, there was no hesitation.

Only certainty.

“What was that, Jagdish?!” Kalyani’s voice was sharp, the kind of tone that usually only surfaced when she was deeply unsettled. “This isn’t the way to talk about something so serious. Who is this girl? What family does she come from? You refuse to tell us anything. What exactly is going on?”

“Where did you even meet her?” Rajlaxmi asked softly, confusion lacing her words.

“The kind of girl you and Mother want for Shekhar. Naintara is exactly that. For now, that’s all the information you need.” With that, Jagdish rose from his chair and walked away, leaving the two women staring after him.

“I’m worried, Maa ji…” Rajlaxmi murmured, her brows knitted in anxiety as she watched her husband disappear down the hall.

“Don’t worry, Laxmi,” Kalyani said calmly, taking a measured sip of her tea. “Jagdish never takes decisions lightly. If he’s made up his mind, he must have thought it through.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Shekhar arrived at the Rathore Haveli. Before leaving for New York, he wanted to meet his oldest friends and partners.

Even after becoming Chief Minister, Vikramjit Singh Rathore had refused to move into the official CM residence. Instead, he continued living in his ancestral haveli, which was exactly why Shekhar came here first.

“Good morning, Aunty. How are you?” Shekhar greeted warmly the moment he stepped through the door, bending to touch the feet of Ragini, Yogeshwar’s mother.

“Bless you, beta,” Ragini said with affectionate warmth, placing her hand on his head.

“Hello, Shekhar bhaiya! How have you been?” a cheerful voice called out from the staircase. It was Padma, Vikram’s younger sister, hurrying down the steps with a bright smile as she ran toward him.

“I’m the same as always,” Shekhar replied with a soft laugh, placing a brotherly hand on her head. “You tell me, how’s your studying going?”

“Really well,” Padma replied, her smile widening.

Ragini was Vikram and Padma’s choti maa (Chachi/aunty). She is Yogeshwar’s mother and Vikram’s aunt. Their own mother had passed away a few years ago after a long illness.

After that, tragedy struck the family again, Ragini’s husband, Yogeshwar’s father, died in a road accident, and later Vikram’s father passed away too, unable to recover from the grief of losing his wife.

Since then, Ragini had raised all three children ... .Yogeshwar, Vikram, and Padma without a trace of bias in her heart.

Although Vikram was younger than Yogeshwar, who was the son of the younger brother in the family. This had always made Vikram’s mother anxious, by birthright, the inheritance and family legacy should have gone to the elder son’s child, but because Yogeshwar had been born first, it wouldn’t pass to her son.

So, Ragini made a solemn promise to her late sister-in-law, one that Yogeshwar was now honouring, that the reins of power and legacy would always rest with the elder brother’s son, no matter the difference in their age.

And that is why, despite being more capable and politically shrewd, Yogeshwar chose to become the kingmaker instead of the king himself, fulfilling a promise made decades ago.

“Where’s Yogeshwar?” Shekhar asked.

“He’s probably upstairs in the terrace garden,” Ragini replied with a knowing smile. “Go…. and help your friend make yet another big decision in life, just like you always do.”

There was something about her smile, too amused, too deliberate and the slight teasing tone in her voice didn’t escape Shekhar’s notice. He raised an eyebrow, smiling back suspiciously.

“What decision, Aunty?”

“Go to him,” Ragini said, still smiling. “You’ll find out yourself.”

With that, she took Padma by the hand and walked away, and the younger girl followed her, laughing softly as they disappeared down the hallway.

Shekhar frowned in confusion but eventually made his way upstairs to the terrace garden.

There, under the soft winter sun, he found Yogeshwar sitting alone on a chair, completely lost in a photograph he was staring at with a distant, dreamy smile.

Shekhar understood what Ragini meant.

“What’s this?” Shekhar teased as he walked toward him. “Who’s managed to bring a smile to the face of the stone-hearted Yogeshwar Singh Rathore?”

“No one,” Yogeshwar muttered quickly, attempting to hide the photograph. But before he could, Shekhar snatched it right out of his hands.

“Shekhar! Give it back,” Yogeshwar said, reaching for it.

“Come on, let me see,” Shekhar said, holding the photo just out of reach. “I want to take a look at my future bhabhi (sister-in-law.)”

“What bhabhi (sister-in-law)? Don’t talk nonsense…” Yogeshwar grumbled, standing up to grab the picture.

“Of course, nonsense is what I speak,” Shekhar shot back with a grin. “The one meant to play sweet music by her melodious voice in your life is clearly someone else.”

Before Shekhar could look at it properly, Yogeshwar managed to snatch the photo back.

“Come on, man. Don’t be so insecure,” Shekhar teased, dropping onto a chair. “I won’t steal her. After all, my future sister-in-law will be like a mother to me.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’m not even sure myself,” Yogeshwar admitted as he sat down opposite him.

“What do you mean?”

“Maa gave me this photo this morning,” Yogeshwar explained with a sigh. “She wants me to see the girl she’s chosen for me. She also wants my wedding and Vikram’s to take place together, in the same mandap.”

“Oh God…” Shekhar groaned, leaning back. “What’s gotten into all our parents this morning? My father dropped the same bomb on me. I’ve been running from that conversation ever since.”

Yogeshwar looked up sharply, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Oh-ho! And what about poor Aaradhya?” he teased with a smirk.

“Don’t you dare go there,” Shekhar warned with a look that could kill. Yogeshwar burst out laughing.

“Jokes apart,” he said, leaning forward, “tell me honestly, are you ready for this?”

“Are you?” Shekhar shot back instead.

“Yes, absolutely,” Yogeshwar replied without hesitation. “It’s time to build a family. And honestly, I’ve never found anyone I liked. If Maa chose her, she must be good. Apparently, she’s the daughter of one of her close friends.”

“Exactly. Easy for you to say,” Shekhar muttered under his breath. “She’s from Aunty’s circle, so what are you even afraid of? Unlike me.”

“What do you mean?” Yogeshwar frowned.

“I mean,” Shekhar said, frustration creeping into his tone, “my father doesn’t like anyone from his circle. For the record, Aaradhya, who I absolutely do not like in that way, is the daughter of one of his closest friends, and he still despises her. So if this man, General Jagdish Raichand, suddenly likes someone on a first meeting, how do you think that makes me feel? Shouldn’t I be worried?”

“If you don’t want to get married, just tell him,” Yogeshwar said simply. “And if you like someone else, tell him that too.”

“That’s the problem, brother.” Shekhar let out a hollow laugh. “I’ve been so busy chasing power and building my empire that I never stopped to figure out what my heart wants. I always thought I had time, that one day, I’d figure this part out too. But the way Dad dropped this on me… and after Aaradhya’s latest stunt… I know he’s serious now. If it were up to him, he’d have me walking around the holy fire today.”

He leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes and tilting his head toward the sky with a deep sigh.

Yogeshwar sat quietly, just watching him, as Shekhar kept speaking.

“I don’t even know who she is or what she does. How can I just say yes like that?”

“Then just give me the name and address,” Yogeshwar offered with a teasing grin. “Your brother here will dig up her entire horoscope.”

“Retired General Jagdish Raichand…” Shekhar said, sitting up straight and fixing his gaze on Yogeshwar. “...If he doesn’t want me to know more than just the girl’s name, then I could use every ounce of power I have, and I still wouldn’t find out, not until she’s my wife.”

“Why are you so scared of your father?” Yogeshwar asked with a laugh.

“I’m not scared,” Shekhar corrected him calmly. “I just know that his crazy military brain is unpredictable. That’s why I prefer staying quiet.”

“Alright then, leave all that. Tell me at least, what kind of girl do you want? We all know it’s definitely not someone like Aaradhya,” Yogeshwar said, laughing.

“I don’t care what she’s like,” Shekhar replied honestly, getting to his feet. “I only care about one thing that she’s not with me for my money or my status.”

Yogeshwar smiled quietly, understanding the weight behind his friend’s simple words.

“And one more thing,” Shekhar added as he walked away. “Apologize to Vikram for me. I won’t be around for the oath-ceremony.”

“Why not?” Yogeshwar asked.

“I’m going to New York,” Shekhar said.

Yogeshwar silently extended the photograph towards him.

Shekhar lowered his gaze to look at the girl in the picture, a gentle, innocent face with eyes that seemed to hold a quiet kindness. Then he looked up at Yogeshwar again.

His expression was neutral, unreadable.

“She’s sweet. Innocent,” he said with a teasing smirk. “Your life is about to change for the better… but hers? Poor girl… her fate’s about to be ruined marrying a beast like you.”

Before Yogeshwar could react, Shekhar took off running.

“You little…!” Yogeshwar shouted, laughing as he chased after him across the terrace and the old Rathore haveli echoed with these grown up kids' laughter and teasing.