Mahir Sehgal's pov-
It had been three years since I left India, three years of building the Sehgal Empire overseas. The branch in the New York wasn't just flourishing now-it was dominating. But my return to Delhi wasn't driven by triumph or a longing for home. No, it was my father's demand, delivered through a curt phone call that brooked no argument.
"Your responsibilities as a son outweigh your ambitions as a businessman, Mahir. Come back. If not, then I'll use my powers son, just wait and watch"
And so, here I was, stepping out of the private jet, my tailored three-piece suit immaculate as always, my phone buzzing with notifications.
The car ride from the airport was uneventful, except for the dull ache in my chest I couldn't quite shake. Home. It didn't feel like home anymore.
For three years, I had lived a life detached from everything-family, traditions, and...... her. Siara.
The thought of her brought a flicker of discomfort. I didn't hate her anymore. Although her past makes a discomfort emotion to me but that emotion had dulled into something else-acceptance, perhaps? No, resignation.
We were two people bound by a promise neither of us had made willingly. I left her behind, thinking it was right but I hadn't spared her a thought in years.
Once I reached our mension, The gates of the Sehgal mansion loomed large, as if reminding me of the weight of expectations waiting within. As the car pulled up, I spotted my father and dadi standing by the entrance, arms crossed, their expression as severe as ever.
"Welcome back," Papa said tersely, but there was a hint of relief in his eyes.
"Papa," I nodded, stepping out and straightening my jacket.
"Dadi" I touched her feet
My mother appeared next with a arti thaal in her hand, her face lighting up briefly, "Mahir beta, you've been gone too long."
"I've been busy, Ma. Look now I'm here, please don't cry" I replied, my voice even.
"Mahir bache you become soo thin" chachi said dramatically
" It's called fitness wifey, how are you beta", said my chachu.
"Good chachu" i replied
"we've been waiting," maa said after performing her rituals, her tone carrying more than one meaning.
As I stepped through the grand doors of the Sehgal mansion, I could hear muffled voices coming from the living room. My younger cousins and siblings, the "Younger clan" as they liked to call themselves, were clearly in the middle of a heated discussion.
Divya's voice rang out dramatically "I'm telling you, Mahir Bhai is going to walk in like one of those cold-hearted heroes from a daily soap-dark sunglasses, perfectly gelled hair, and all."
"You mean like he hasn't aged a day? Newsflash, Divya, men like us only get better with time." kabir laughed
"Kabir Bhaiyya, please, you're still stuck in 2015. This isn't about you. We're talking about Mahir Bhai, the multi- billionaire, CEO, the most eligible bachelor..... sorry the mysterious husband who abandoned his wife for three years. The tension is going to be insane!" Avya teased him
Shivay joined in, feigning horror "Do you think he'll even remember Siara Bhabhi? Or will he casually mistake her for the staff?"
The room burst into laughter, though it was laced with a hint of unease.
When I finally stepped into the living room, their laughter abruptly stopped. Every eye turned to me. Divya's dramatic gasp was the first thing I noticed.
Divya,"Oh my God! I was right! Look at him-he's the literal definition of 'brooding billionaire.' Someone cue the intense background music!"
I raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at my lips. "Good to see nothing's changed. Still as dramatic as ever, Divya."
"Welcome back, Mr. Sehgal. Or should we bow and address you as 'The Great Mahir Sehgal' now?" said kabir while grinning
Shivay laughed out "Or better yet, 'The Invisible Husband.'"
The jab was light-hearted, but it hit a little too close to home. I brushed it off with a chuckle. "Keep practicing your stand-up routine, Shivay. You might just make it big someday."
"Bhai I missed you soo much" avya cried out and hugged me tightly which I reciprocated. I love my sisters more than anything in this world. This time I won't leave. I can't.
As the older family members entered the room, the energy shifted. My father's stern face, my mother's expectant gaze, and just then I had an eye contact to the women who is now my wife.
When I first saw her before she left malhotras she used to be a chubby girl but at the wedding and now she looks ...totally different. She has beautiful eyes, wait what am I doing.
Siara's silent presence in the background made the air feel heavy.
She stood near the dining table, blending into the background like she always seemed to do now. She didn't rush forward to greet me, nor did she avoid me. Her expression was unreadable, her posture poised but distant.
"Well, the prodigal son returns. Let's hope you're here to stay this time." Devansh said breaking the silence
"Nice to see you too, Dev," I replied evenly, ignoring his sarcastic tone.
Myra said with mock excitement "Someone pinch me. Is this real? Mahir Bhai in the flesh? Should we throw a party?"
Through it all, Siara remained quiet. When her name was mentioned by my mother, she turned and looked at me briefly. Her nod of acknowledgment was polite but devoid of warmth.
For a moment, I wondered if I should say something to her-anything to break the ice. But the wall between us felt too thick, too impenetrable.
"Forget drama. This is like watching a glacier and a desert try to have a conversation." kabir said whispering to Shivay
I overheard him, but I let it slide. The truth was, they weren't entirely wrong.
As we all sat down for dinner, the younger ones did their best to lighten the mood.
"Bhabhi, do you think Mahir Bhai will let us raid his wardrobe again? Or is he still possessive about his suits?" divya asked to siara
Siara glanced at me briefly before replying, her voice measured. "You'd have to ask him."
I looked up from my plate, meeting her gaze for a fleeting second. "You'll find the key to my wardrobe in the study drawer," I said.
Divya's eyes widened. "Wait, really? No witty comeback? No 'stay out of my stuff' speech?"
"The man's mellowed out. Three years abroad does that to you." devansh spoke
Or maybe it was guilt. No it wasn't, it's not like I like her or something.
I found myself watching her, noting the way she avoided everyone's gaze. She was polite, yes, but there was an invisible wall around her. It bothered me more than I cared to admit.
âTomorrow, I want us all to visit the kuldevi temple together.â dadi said
Our family had grown used to these announcements, and a few nodded in agreement. But then Dadi paused, her eyes sweeping over the room, taking in each family member one by one, before settling on Siara and me.
The air shifted, thickened. I felt the weight of her words before they even left her mouth. She smiled warmly, but there was a quiet seriousness in her tone.
âI want all married couples to join. It's time to honor the familyâs bond, and all of youâeach of youâmust go as a married couple, to seek the blessings of our kuldevi. It's a tradition formed by our ancestors and I better not hear any complaints,â dadi said
Her words lingered in the room, and I could see the discomfort ripple through the family. My eyes briefly flicked to Siara, sitting silently beside me, her posture stiff. I could feel the familiar tension between us, unspoken and untouched by time.
But Dadi wasnât finished. Her eyes now bore into me and Siara, as if there were an understanding between us that was invisible to everyone else.
âMahir, Siara, you two should be the ones leading this. Your union, though it may be different than expected, is no less sacred. You must visit as a married couple, as your duty to both this family and the divine.â she said gently
The room fell completely still, as though everyone was holding their breath. The significance of Dadiâs words was not lost on anyone.
The younger members looked uncomfortable, exchanging furtive glances. Divya, ever the dramatic one, raised an eyebrow and whispered to Kabir, just loud enough for the room to hear.
âWell, this will be fun. Who will play the role of the reluctant bride and who the cold groom? Maybe theyâll take turns?â divya said teasingly
There was a moment of uncomfortable laughter, but no one dared to comment further. The silence hung in the air again, thick and unyielding.
I could feel the weight of every gaze on me and Siara, as if they were waiting for one of us to respond. But Siara said nothing, her face unreadable, her expression frozen in that same mask of indifference.
I could see the subtle shift in the way everyone looked at us. No one spoke, but I could feel their eyesâtheir pity, their judgment. This wasnât just a visit to the temple; it was a reminder of everything we had lost and could never reclaim.
Siara remained still, not responding, not reacting. The silence between us grew, thickened like a wall I wasnât sure could ever be breached.
I opened my mouth, not to say anything specific, but to break the tension. Yet, before I could speak, my motherâs voice broke through.
âMaa, I think Mahir and Siara understand. Weâll all go tomorrow. Itâs an important tradition.â maa told her softly
The family nodded in agreement, and the conversation moved on, but I could feel the weight of what had just been said.
As the room slowly resumed its chatter, Siara and I remained silent. I couldnât stop myself from glancing at her, but her gaze remained fixed on the floor, her face devoid of emotion. She wasnât angry, but she wasnât hurt eitherâ
I wasnât sure why I had expected anything different. The truth was, we had never been given the chance to have a real marriage. The kuldevi visit, this simple tradition, had never been part of our livesâonly a distant dream that we had never been allowed to realize.
Dadiâs words had been kind but firm, and they left me with a bitter taste. It was too late for any of it. The bond between us had been broken long before today. All we had now was the obligation to pretend.
I looked at Siara again, but this time, she caught my gaze. For a fleeting second, there was something in her eyes. Not warmth, not loveâbut something deeper, darker. Something I couldnât place. She blinked and looked away, as if her emotions had shifted into a place where I couldnât follow.
In that moment, I realized that we werenât just strangers in a marriage. We were two people who had long since stopped pretending we could make this work. I wasnât even sure we ever could.
But as Dadiâs announcement hung in the air, I couldnât help but wonderâif we were forced to go tomorrow, as a married couple, to the temple, would it be the last straw? Would it finally break what little was left of us? Or would it be a small chance, an infinitesimal opportunity to mend what had never been allowed to heal?
I didnât know. All I knew was that Siara had stopped being a part of my life a long time ago. And the temple, the kuldevi, the family ritualsâthey were all just a backdrop to the quiet, painful truth that neither of us was ready to face.
Later that night, as the younger ones continued to joke and laugh, I excused myself and headed to my old room. The house was just as I'd left it, but it felt foreign now.
Once I reached the room I had thought that everything would have been changed as she is living here now but to my surprise not a slight change was visible except her things placed over but she didn't removed my things. Everything is just as it was.
I stood by the window, staring out into the dark garden. My thoughts drifted to Siara, her quiet demeanor, and the lifelessness in her eyes.
I didn't hate her anymore. But that didn't mean I loved her. I can be a husband who will respect her, will provide her with comfort. Anything but love. I loved only one person and she left me broken so now I don't trust in love.
Later my father Called me in his study.
"We need to talk," he said, his tone firm.
"About?" I asked, though I had a feeling I knew.
"Your marriage," he said bluntly.
I sighed, loosening my tie,"Papa, we've been over this. Siara and I-"
"Siara has done everything expected of her in this family," he interrupted. "She's been the perfect daughter-in-law, the perfect companion to your mother and grandmother. And you've been absent."
"I've been building our empire," I argued.
"You've been running away," he countered, his gaze piercing "From her. From your responsibilities."
I didn't have an answer to that.
"You may not love her, Mahir, but she deserves better than this indifference. I know you can't love her but atleast accept your responsibilities towards her"
That night, I stood by the window in my old room, looking out at the sprawling gardens.
Siara's face kept flashing in my mind-her silence, her lack of reaction, her hollow eyes.
I didn't hate her. Not anymore. But that didn't mean I loved her. She pushed her pregnant sis-in-law through stairs and she slept with someone even when she always claimed to be in love with me but looking at her now seems like her family abondoning her made a huge impact on her life.
And yet, something about her haunted me. The girl I had married, the girl who once wore her emotions on her sleeve, was gone. In her place was someone who seemed like she was just... existing.
I didn't know why it bothered me.
But it did.
And for the first time in three years, I wondered if walking away from her had been the right decision.