### Chapter 12: A Child Between Us
448 Words
---
Aaryan had never felt so restless in his life.
The past few days had shaken his entire identity — first, the weight of Rhea’s death… then Kiara’s betrayal… and now, this:
**A son.**
A part of him, lost in the world, waiting to be found.
Anjali had quietly arranged the visit.
Thanks to the letter Rhea left behind and a private investigator, they located the boy — Aarush — in a quiet orphanage on the outskirts of Coimbatore.
---
The car ride was long and silent.
Aaryan kept his gaze outside, lost in thoughts of what to say, how to feel.
“Are you ready?” Anjali finally asked as they approached the iron gates.
He turned to her.
“No. But I have to be.”
---
The orphanage was modest, clean, and quiet.
Children were playing in the yard when the matron welcomed them. “Aarush is a lovely child. Smart. Reserved. He doesn’t talk much.”
When Aaryan finally saw the boy, his breath caught.
Aarush was sitting under a tree with a book, his eyes wide, curious, and unknowingly familiar.
“Hello,” Aaryan said softly, kneeling down.
Aarush looked up. “Who are you?”
“I… I think I’m someone important to you.”
The child tilted his head. “Are you here to take me away?”
Aaryan hesitated, then nodded. “If you want me to.”
Aarush stared at him for a moment. Then — unexpectedly — smiled.
“Okay.”
---
Before they could begin any legal process, the matron interrupted.
“There’s someone else who’s claimed guardianship.”
Just then, a woman in her thirties stepped forward from the office door.
Elegant, calm, with a sharp stare.
“I’m Meera. I raised Aarush for three years. His mother, Sara, was my cousin.”
Anjali and Aaryan exchanged glances.
“I’m not here to fight,” Meera continued. “But I need to know: what are your intentions?”
“I want to be his father,” Aaryan replied without hesitation.
Meera narrowed her eyes. “He’s been through enough. No broken promises.”
Anjali stepped forward. “He won’t break any.”
For a long moment, there was silence.
Then Meera finally nodded. “We’ll talk. And if he agrees… we’ll move forward together.”
---
That night, as Aaryan stood watching Aarush sleep through the glass window, he whispered to Anjali,
“I didn’t know I could love someone so instantly.”
Anjali smiled gently.
“Maybe this is the beginning of something new.”
And for the first time, the mansion that once felt cold and haunted…
…had the soft heartbeat of hope.
---
- Writer
