After the haldi ceremony ended, the guests slowly retreated to their rooms, exhausted but content with the joyful event. Tomorrow would bring the mehndi ceremony, and everyone was eager to rest before the festivities resumed. However, amid the calm, Anmol's anxiety grew. Her mind raced with fears of Ruhi trying to disrupt the wedding, and she couldn’t shake the suspicion that Ruhi might do something drastic. She turned to Vidhant, feeding him more of her worries, painting Ruhi as a threat to the peace of the family.

Pihu, equally distressed, sought comfort in her brother's arms. She was on edge not only because of Ruhi’s unexpected presence but also because Abhay's beloved elder sister, her own bhabhi, was the very person responsible for the breakdown of her and Vidhant's marriage. The complicated web of relationships weighed heavily on her mind.

"Bhai… what if Ruhanika does something?" Pihu’s voice trembled as she clung to Vidhant, her eyes filled with tears.

"No, no, mera bacha," Vidhant reassured her, pulling her close and gently stroking her hair. "She won’t do anything. I’m here, and if she even tries to, she'll see a side of me she won’t forget," he said, his voice laced with a fierce protectiveness. His jaw tightened, and the promise of confrontation simmered in his tone.

Anmol, her worry far from eased, then asked the question that had been eating away at her. "But Vidhant… what about the kids? Ruhanika knows about the twins. What if—"

"Mom," Vidhant interrupted firmly, his eyes hardening. "She can’t do anything. The twins are mine. They have nothing to do with that woman anymore. I’ve raised them, loved them, and protected them. She has no place in their lives, and I won’t let her disrupt this family, especially not Pihu’s wedding." His voice was steady, but the underlying rage was evident.

Vidhant took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension in his chest. "I promise you, Mom, Pihu’s wedding will go off without a hitch. That woman holds no importance in our lives, and especially not in the lives of my children."

Anmol nodded, though the worry lines on her face didn’t completely fade. Vidhant forced a small smile, trying to reassure her. "Please, focus on the upcoming functions. This is Pihu’s moment, and we need to make sure it's perfect for her. Don't waste another thought on Ruhi."

Vidhant’s words carried conviction, but deep down, a storm of unresolved emotions still churned. Ruhi’s presence was a thorn in his heart, one he couldn’t easily ignore, no matter how much he wanted to. But for now, his priority was clear—protecting his family and ensuring Pihu’s wedding happened without any drama. He wouldn’t let Ruhi ruin this, even if it meant confronting the past head-on.

****************
Ruhi returned to her room, weary from the long day. The Hitchhiker’s crew had wanted to keep the party going, urging her to join them for drinks and dancing at the bar. Part of her wanted to let loose and forget the emotional whirlwind she was experiencing, but there were more pressing matters she had to attend to. An important video conference awaited her—one with a highly influential client whose family wanted to discuss business. This wasn’t an opportunity she could afford to miss, so she politely excused herself and left the venue.

Once in her room, she quickly changed into formal attire, though her body ached from the exhaustion of the day’s events. Her mind, however, was restless. As she waited for the meeting time to arrive, Ruhi sat down, scrolling through the pictures she had taken earlier at the haldi ceremony. Her heart warmed as she saw the smiles of Rishu and Reet—her children. A bittersweet smile crossed her face as tears silently began to fall.

They were her children—her flesh and blood. Despite everything that had happened, the bond of motherhood enveloped her, filling her heart with both joy and unbearable sorrow. She had brought two beautiful souls into the world, but she hadn’t been there to witness their first steps, their first words, their laughter, or their tears. She hadn’t been the one to hold them close when they needed comfort or to celebrate their milestones.

The weight of guilt and regret pressed down on her chest. In her pursuit of success and ambition, she had left behind the most precious parts of her life. She had chosen her career over her children, blinded by her hunger for achievement. And now, as she sat alone in this quiet room, she felt the full force of the consequences of that decision.

Her tears fell freely, and though she tried to suppress them, the emotions were too strong. She had missed out on so much—on being their mother. Ruhi knew that no amount of success could ever replace the moments she had lost, and the ache in her heart grew with every picture she scrolled through.

In the silence of the room, with only the soft glow of her phone illuminating her tear-streaked face, Ruhi realized that while she had gained everything she had ever wanted in her professional life, she had lost the one thing that truly mattered—her children. And that realization cut deeper than any rejection or failure ever could.

**************

Ruhi’s heart softened the moment she saw her two munchkins standing at the door, their innocent smiles lighting up her dark mood. She had been lost in her self-pity and tears, but the sight of her children made all that vanish, if only for a moment. Rishu, holding Reet's hand protectively, looked up at her with those wide eyes that reminded her so much of their father. Reet clutched her bunny, looking just as eager.

"Rishu, Reet... mere bachche," Ruhi whispered, instantly kneeling down to pull them into a tight embrace, holding them as if she would never let go. The warmth of their small bodies against hers filled the empty space inside her heart.

Ruhi smiled warmly at her two munchkins as they jumped on the bed, their innocent banter bringing light to her otherwise heavy heart. Her heart ached when Reet asked with innocent eyes if she could call her "friend" instead of "Mom." It was bittersweet, but Ruhi understood that Reet needed time to accept her. She nodded, hiding her emotions behind a gentle smile, even though every part of her longed to hear that single word, "Mom."

"Why, Reet? She’s my mom, so technically she’s yours too," Rishu protested, tugging at Reet's hair playfully, which made her wince and frown.

"Rishu, stop it! She’s your sister," Ruhi gently scolded, but it made Rishu pout in frustration. He pushed Reet, and before Ruhi knew it, the two were locked in a playful scuffle, laughing and pulling at each other.

After calming them down with a lot of effort, Ruhi sat them on the bed and explained softly, "It’s Reet's choice, Rishu. She can call me whatever makes her feel comfortable, okay?" Rishu frowned, but Reet giggled, feeling a little victorious. Rishu glared at her but eventually gave in.

Ruhi decided to change the topic to avoid another round of playful bickering. "So, what would you guys like to have?" she asked, leaning forward, her eyes sparkling with love for them.

"Pizza!" they both said in unison, their faces lighting up.

Ruhi laughed, their excitement infectious. "Pizza it is, then! Let me order it for my two little troublemakers," she said, pulling out her phone, glad to have these small moments of joy with them. For a while, everything felt almost normal, and she held onto that feeling, even knowing how fragile it was.

*****************

"Guys your dad must be worried", Ruhi enquiry.

"We want to sleep here today. Rishu bhai told you are a cool lady", Reet gave a high five to Rishu.

"It's not good idea", Ruhi sigh in disbelief.

"Mom please... only today", Rishu pouted with puppy eyes followed by Reet which she nodded and both chirped in excitement. They all settle down on bed while their Pizza arrived.

Ruhi asked them to inform his father about their well being as they said their father will not allow. Ruhi did not want Vidhant to worry so upon insistence Ruhi called him as Rishu gave her his dad no.

Vidhant did not pick up after 2-3 rings.  Ruhi sighed after sending the message, hoping Vidhant wouldn’t be too upset. She didn't want to disrupt the peace of the evening, especially with how the day had already been emotionally charged. The kids, however, were oblivious to her worries, happily munching on pizza and enjoying their time with their mother.

In admist Ruhi forget about her video conference. She instantly asked kids to watch TV and don't disturb her as she need to handle some important things to which kids nodded and engrossed in movie with Pizza.

Ruhi got on video conference with Romans as they discuss about the wedding and all stuff which will be held in six months. In between Rishu voice brought Ruhi out.

"Mom.. I am sleepy come nahhhh", Rishu in his sleepy voice came inside dining room as he yawned while rubbed his eyes.

Ruhi became alerted as she told them not to disturb as Romans seem to have everything prefect which it felt like it lost. One mistake can cause her so much loss.

"Oh.. that's your boy Ruhi??", Mrs Roman asked with smile.

"Yeah..", Ruhi said.

"Hi.. boy", Mrs Roman said

"Rishu come here", Ruhi picked up the sleepy boy in his arms while he greeted the people on video conference.

"He is so cute", Mrs Roman smiled widely.

"Rishu bhai..", Reet too joined. Mrs Roman was surprised.

"Ohoo Ruhi. The girl is also yours", She asked and Ruhi nodded with smile. Ruhi made them settle in front of laptop while Mrs Roman talked with the children with so much smile.

Ruhi, slightly flustered but smiling, introduced Rishu and Reet to Mrs. Roman, who was charmed by the children. Rishu, still half-asleep, gave a sleepy wave while Reet excitedly greeted everyone. The sight of her two kids interacting so naturally with Mrs. Roman warmed Ruhi's heart, even though she knew this wasn't the ideal situation for a serious business meeting.

"Yes, they are my kids," Ruhi confirmed with a soft smile, trying to balance between her role as a mother and a businesswoman.

"They are adorable," Mrs. Roman said warmly, engaging the children in light conversation for a few moments. "You must be very proud, Ruhi. Balancing work and motherhood isn’t easy."

Ruhi nodded, her smile a bit bittersweet. She was grateful for Mrs. Roman's understanding, but the weight of her past decisions still hung heavily on her. "Yes, it can be challenging," Ruhi replied, gently stroking Rishu's hair as he snuggled closer to her.

"And I hope you get to visit soon. Next time visit with your kids. They are full of life." Mrs. Roman said cheerfully.

Ruhi quickly refocused the conversation, knowing she had to wrap things up. "Thank you, Mrs. Roman. I’ll finalize everything and make sure the wedding plans go smoothly."

After a few more pleasantries, Ruhi ended the video call, feeling both relieved and a little overwhelmed. The kids had settled comfortably beside her, their presence filling her with a sense of peace she hadn't felt in years.

"Okay, munchkins," Ruhi said, kissing their foreheads, "Time for bed now."

Rishu and Reet curled up next to her, and despite the chaos of the day, Ruhi felt a glimmer of contentment. For now, her world was right where it needed to be—with her kids, even if only for tonight.

****************

Vidhant was so exhausted after all events all he want to sleep but he has became insomnia over time. His headache gets worse but he thought to have a look after him kids as he got busy with project on laptop but his gaze at his Iphone and all the temper brust.

Vidhant clenched his fist so tightly his knuckles turned white. His breath was shallow as he struggled to contain the fury brewing inside him. He didn’t want to yell—he couldn’t afford to lose control, but the mere fact that Ruhi had his kids with her, without his permission, drove him to the edge.

"Ruhi," Vidhant growled into the phone, his voice low and dangerous. "Where are my kids?"

Ruhi, still groggy from sleep, took a second to process the question. "They’re with me, Vidhant," she replied softly. "They came here themselves and wanted to stay—"

"You had no right," Vidhant interrupted, his voice trembling with rage. "No right to keep them without telling me. You think you can just walk back into their lives and pretend to be their mother?"

Ruhi sat up now, fully awake. "Vidhant, calm down. I tried calling you, I even left a message—"

"I don’t care about your message!" he barked, pacing the room. "You don’t get to make decisions about them. You lost that right a long time ago."

There was silence on the other end, and for a moment, Vidhant heard nothing but the sound of his own heavy breathing.

Ruhi’s voice, when she spoke again, was calm but firm. "I understand you’re upset, but the kids wanted to be with me tonight. I didn’t force them. I didn’t trick them. They came because they felt safe."

"Safe?" Vidhant repeated, incredulous. "They barely know you. You disappeared from their lives, Ruhi. I had to tell them you were gone because you couldn’t be bothered to be a mother."

"I made mistakes, Vidhant," Ruhi whispered, her voice cracking. "But I’m trying to make up for them now. Can’t you see that?"

"Make up for them?" Vidhant laughed bitterly. "You think spending one night with them changes anything? You think it makes up for abandoning them?"

"I’m not asking for forgiveness," Ruhi said quietly. "But I am asking for a chance. Just a chance to be in their lives. I’m not here to take them from you."

Vidhant slammed his hand against the wall, trying to rein in the storm of emotions crashing through him. He had spent years building walls around his heart, convincing himself that Ruhi didn’t matter anymore—that she never would as he just loathe thus woman. But now she was here, and she was a threat to everything he had built with his children.

"I’m coming to get them," he said coldly. "And this is the last time you pull something like this. Do you hear me?"

Ruhi closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. "We will talk Vidhant and i am not letting them go away from me."

Without another word, Vidhant ended the call, his heart racing as he made his way to Ruhi’s room as she informed him about the stay. All he could think about was getting his kids back, and keeping Ruhi as far away from them as possible.

Tillthengoodbye
moonwithflames_