“No worries. I will introduce myself. Aaradhya Ahuja. Daughter of Dr Gagan Ahuja and Durga Ahuja” Aaradhya said
The brothers sucked in a sharp breath, when their suspicion was confirmed
“And I am here to meet my elder brothers and get to know them” Aaradhya said cheerfully.
“There are no brothers for you here” Armaan said coldly.
“Of course I have. I am staring at them now” Aaradhya said, looking at both Armaan and Aadesh.
“Leave” Armaan growled.
“Bhabhi, you should give him honey everyday to sweeten him. He didn’t speak one tender word since I arrived” Aaradhya said, looking at Janani and Janani’s eyes widened at the direct attack.
“Listen, we have no idea why you are here. You should leave” Aadesh said, more calmly than Armaan.
“I am not going anywhere” Aaradhya said and pushed past them towards the couch. She sat there and looked around the house.
“Nice home. Where are my niece and nephew?” Aaradhya asked, ignoring the scowl on her elder brother’s face.
“Khanna” Armaan called out loudly and the chief security head came running in.
“Who let her in?” Armaan asked, pointing at Aaradhya.
“Uh Mr Verma, she said she is from Janani’s hometown” Khanna said and Armaan shot another glare at Aaradhya.
“You lied?”
“A simple white lie” Aaradhya said with a casual shrug of her shoulders.
“Khanna, I want this girl out of my compound within the next five seconds” Armaan ordered and Khanna moved towards the girl.
“I don’t have anywhere else to stay. I didn’t make arrangements for stay here” Aaradhya said
“Why didn’t you?” Aadesh asked wearily.
“Why should I? When I have a home here?” Aaradhya asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
“This is not your home” Armaan bit out furiously
“Armaan, it’s quite late. It is not good to throw a young girl out at this time of the night. You know how it is. She will not be safe” Janani said softly and Armaan shot an exasperated look at his wife who has a heart big enough to accommodate anybody and everybody.
“Fine. Tonight, she can stay. The first thing in the morning, she should leave” Armaan said and left from there with brisk steps. Aadesh followed his elder brother.
“Poor little me. Growing up hearing the stories of two elders brothers, I have considered myself a little princess who will be pampered by her elder brothers” Aaradhya said dramatically, earning an eye roll from her sister in law.
“Khanna ji. You also leave. I will take her to her room” Janani said and Khanna left.
“You prepared a room for me?” Aaradhya asked excitedly.
“Of course” Janani mumbled.
She hurried Aaradhya to her room and helped her get settled.
“Why are you in a hurry?” Aaradhya asked with a frown.
“My husband just got a shock. And he must be dwelling in his painful past. Forgive me if I want to get to him quickly.” Janani said sarcastically.
“Okay. You may go” Aaradhya said magnanimously, making Janani chuckle.
“That attitude Aaru. You have inherited that from your elder brother” Janani said and hurried to their bedroom.
Armaan was on the balcony, looking up at the sky.
“Armaan” Janani called out softly.
“Why? Why now? When we finally found happiness and started living, why does she have to come now?” Armaan asked painfully.
“She is your sister” Janani said softly.
“She is that woman’s daughter” Armaan said coldly.
“So are you and Aadesh” Janani said softly and Armaan looked at her in disbelief.
“What?”
“Just like how you and Aadesh are not culprits for whatever crime your mother did, Aaradhya isn’t either. She is just eighteen, Armaan. As soon as she reached her legal age, she came searching for her brothers. What does that mean?” Janani asked softly.
“Her mother realised we made it good in life. Now she wants to get back to this luxurious life and send her daughter here” Armaan said with a scoff.
“According to what your grandmother said, she left because she chose a man richer than your father. If she has that wealthy life, why would she want to come back now?” Janani asked and Armaan frowned.
“It doesn’t matter,” Armaan said with a shrug.
“Is this man really wealthy like your grandmother said?” Janani asked, because Aaradhya had told that her father is a middle class man.
“I don’t know. Never thought it necessary to find out” Armaan said.
“All I want to say is, don’t punish Aaradhya for her mother’s crime. Maybe she is here because she genuinely wants to know her brothers” Janani said.
Armaan didn’t know what to do. He had never imagined he would have had a sister all these years. He knew his mother had remarried. Why didn’t he think of the possibilities of half siblings?
“Did she go to sleep?” Armaan asked, a sprout of affection forming for the new found sister. She was more than ten years younger to him. If he were there when she was born, he would have pampered her like crazy. Even Aadesh would have.
“Yes. She is in the room next to that of the kids” Janani said.
Armaan shook his head when unwanted thoughts crept up his head.
Janani pulled Armaan towards the bed and they lay down. Janani fell asleep quickly, but sleep was far away for Armaan.
A sister? A little sister?
He twisted and turned for a couple of hours and when he realised he was not going to get any sleep that night, he got up from the bed and walked out of the bedroom.
And without knowing what he was actually doing, his feet took him to the room where Janani made Aaradhya sleep.
“Armaan?” Armaan looked up in shock when he heard Aadesh’s voice.
Even Aadesh was standing in front of Aaradhya’s room.
“What are you doing here?” Armaan asked sternly.
“What are you doing here?” Aadesh shot back, raising an eyebrow at his elder brother.
“I came to check upon my kids” Armaan said defensively, pointing at the kids’ room.
“Me too” Aadesh said
“You can just admit that you guys came to check up on me”