The night settled softly over Aarush’s ancestral home, wrapping the old haveli in velvet shadows and warm gold from the lanterns that hung from wooden beams. The winter air wasn’t brutal here; instead, it carried a gentle nip, cool enough to make Noah tuck his hands into his jacket pockets, his breath fogging lightly as they walked through the courtyard.
Aarush walked beside him, his steps slow, deliberate—as if he wanted the moment to stretch. Noah felt it too. For the first time in days, the weight around his chest was lighter. The scandal, the betrayal, the hurt—it all seemed muted in this place where history whispered from every wall and comfort existed in every corner.
Aarush glanced sideways. “You’re quiet tonight.”
Noah shrugged. “I’m just… taking things in. Your home is beautifu
