By evening, it was finally time for Pranav's arrival.

His flight landed in Lucknow just before sunset. From there, he drove straight toward the Rathore Mansion.

As the familiar gates came into view, he slowed the car down.

For a moment, he simply sat there, staring at the house.

Home.

Five years.

Five long years.

The mansion looked exactly the same, yet somehow different.

As he stepped out of the car, his eyes wandered across the grand structure. Every corner carried a memory. The driveway where he and Aryaman used to race each other. The garden where family gatherings stretched late into the night. The balcony where countless conversations had taken place.

One memory after another flashed through his mind.

Laughter.

Arguments.

Celebrations.

Family.

For a brief moment, he was lost in the past.

Then suddenly—

"Chachuuuu!"

A tiny voice shattered his thoughts.

Pranav blinked and returned to reality.

The mansion gate stood open, and running toward him at full speed was Kush, clutching a toy car in his little hands.

A wide smile instantly spread across Pranav's face.

Even though they mostly spoke through video calls, Kush knew exactly who he was. Aryaman and Riddhi often visited London with him, so the little boy had spent enough time with his uncle to adore him.

Before Pranav could say anything, Kush crashed straight into his legs and wrapped his tiny arms around them.

Pranav laughed.

"Arre, look at you!"

He bent down, scooped the little boy into his arms, and lifted him high into the air.

Kush burst into giggles.

Pranav caught him securely before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"How's my champion boy doing?"

Kush grinned proudly.

"Good, Chachu! Good!"

"Very good?" Pranav asked.

"Very good!"

Pranav laughed and hugged him again.

Just then, his gaze shifted toward the mansion entrance.

Riddhi stood there, smiling warmly.

Without hesitation, she walked over and pulled him into a hug.

"Finally."

Pranav smiled.

"Hello, Bhabhi."

As they stepped apart, he looked at her carefully.

"You look exactly the same."

"Oh, really?" she said dramatically. "And you think that's a compliment after five years?"

He chuckled.

"Fine. You look even better."

"Much better answer."

Both of them laughed.

Then Pranav asked softly,

"How are you, Bhabhi?"

Riddhi folded her arms.

"I should be asking you that."

A hint of mock annoyance appeared on her face.

"Do you even realize how many years it's been? We keep coming to visit you, but whenever we do, you're either busy, traveling, or buried under work."

Pranav rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Guilty."

"You should be."

"I know."

"Five years, Pranav."

His smile softened.

"I know, Bhabhi."

For a moment, both of them fell silent.

Then Riddhi reached forward and lightly hit his shoulder.

"Anyway, you're home now."

Something warm settled in Pranav's chest.

Home.

After five years...

He was finally home.With Kush still clinging to him, Pranav finally walked inside the mansion.

The house was unusually quiet.

It was afternoon, and most of the family members were resting in their rooms. The only sounds were the distant hum of the air conditioner and the occasional chatter of the household staff.

Riddhi glanced at him.

"Go freshen up first," she said. "I'll have your lunch served."

Pranav shook his head.

"You don't have to do that, Bhabhi. I already ate on the way."

"No."

The firmness in her voice made him pause.

"Bhabhi—"

"No arguments."

Pranav sighed.

She pointed a finger at him.

"You've been traveling all day. You're eating something. Even if it's just a little."

A smile tugged at his lips.

"Fine."

"Good."

"And after that?"

"After that, you can do whatever you want."

Satisfied with her answer, Pranav headed upstairs.

The moment he stepped into his room, he stopped.

Everything was exactly where he had left it.

The bookshelves.

The study table.

The old photographs.

The guitar resting in the corner.

For a few seconds, he simply stood there.

Five years.

And yet it felt as if no time had passed at all.

A flood of memories rushed through his mind.

Late-night study sessions.

Arguments with Aryaman.

Family dinners.

Endless laughter.

The countless moments that had shaped him before he left for London.

Slowly, he walked toward the window.

As he pushed it open, a cool breeze entered the room.

The familiar scent of the garden drifted inside.

For some reason, that simple breeze hit him harder than anything else.

Another wave of memories crashed into him.

The evenings spent sitting by this very window.

The dreams he had once spoken aloud.

The version of himself that had lived here.

For a moment, he closed his eyes and let himself feel it all.

Then he took a deep breath.

He was home now.

No more looking back.

After freshening up and taking a shower, he changed into comfortable clothes and headed downstairs.

The aroma of freshly prepared food immediately greeted him.

Just as expected, Riddhi had ignored every excuse he had given earlier.

The dining table was already set.

Pranav looked at the spread and then at her.

"Bhabhi..."

"What?"

"This is not 'a little food.'"

Riddhi pretended to be innocent.

"It looks little to me."

Pranav laughed.

"You haven't changed at all."

"And you still complain too much. Sit."

Knowing there was no winning against her, he finally took his seat.

A few moments later, Riddhi placed another bowl in front of him.

"Eat properly."

Pranav smiled softly.

For the first time in a very long time, he wasn't eating alone.

For the first time in years, he was sitting at his family's dining table again.

And somehow...

That simple feeling made the food taste even better.By eight o'clock that night, Aryaman finally returned home.

As he stepped out of his car and walked toward the mansion, he was still on a call with his personal assistant.

"Move all of tomorrow's first-half meetings," he said while loosening his tie. "Keep the morning completely free."

There was a brief pause as the PA responded.

"Yes, sir."

"I'll be spending some time at home. Whatever is scheduled before lunch, shift it to the second half of the day."

"Understood, sir."

Aryaman ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket as he entered the mansion.

The moment he stepped inside, he froze.

A smile immediately appeared on his face.

In the middle of the living room, Kush was running around excitedly with a toy car in his hands while Pranav chased after him.

The sound of their laughter echoed throughout the house.

For a second, Aryaman simply stood there, watching them.

It felt familiar.

Complete.

Like something that had been missing for years had finally returned.

Pranav noticed him first.

Their eyes met.

A grin spread across Pranav's face.

Aryaman shook his head and laughed.

"So, you're finally here."

Without wasting another second, Pranav walked over and pulled his brother into a tight hug.

"Bhaiya."

Aryaman hugged him back just as firmly.

"You took your sweet time."

Pranav chuckled.

"I know."

As they stepped apart, Aryaman placed a hand on his shoulder.

A hint of emotion flickered across his face before he quickly masked it with his usual teasing tone.

"Now you're not going anywhere."

Pranav laughed.

"Bhaiya—"

"No. I'm serious."

Aryaman pointed at him.

"You've spent enough years abroad. This time you're staying here."

Pranav smiled.

"That's the plan."

Aryaman raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"I'm ready to build something here now."

"Your startup?"

Pranav nodded.

"Yeah. I want to establish it in India."

For the first time that evening, Aryaman looked genuinely relieved.

"Good."

Then he wrapped an arm around his younger brother's shoulders.

"Because I wasn't planning on letting you leave again."

Both brothers laughed.

Just then, Riddhi appeared from the dining area.

"Are you two done being emotional?"

Aryaman immediately stepped back.

"We were not being emotional."

"Of course not."

"We weren't."

"Sure."

Pranav laughed while Aryaman glared at his wife.

Riddhi ignored him completely.

"Dinner is ready. Everyone come before the food gets cold."

At the mention of food, Kush immediately abandoned his toy car.

"Food!"

The adults burst into laughter.

Together, they walked toward the dining room.

For the first time in years, the entire family was under one roof again.

The mansion felt warmer.

Livelier.

Complete.

And somewhere deep inside, each of them felt it.

A new chapter of their lives had just begun.