I returned only for you...

Mumbai City...

Night had already fallen.

Standing by the window, Avni gazed silently at the moon shining in the dark sky. The world outside was peaceful, but inside her heart, countless questions refused to fade.

"Why, Dad...?" Her eyes turned moist.

"Why do you hate me so much? What mistake did I make? I just want to ask you once... just once. But you don't even look at me."

Lost in her thoughts, Avni was startled when a gentle knock echoed on her bedroom door.

Knock... Knock...

She snapped out of her thoughts and slowly walked to the door before opening it.

The moment she saw her nanny standing outside with a plate of food in her hands, a faint smile appeared on Avni's lips.

"Dai Maa, why have you come to my room so late?" she asked softly.

Without saying much, Dai Maa held the plate out to her and said with a loving scold,

"My child, does getting scolded fill your stomach?"

Avni smiled faintly. She took the plate from her hands, invited Dai Maa inside, and placed it on the bedside table.

The very next moment, she wrapped her arms around Dai Maa in a warm hug.

"You know, Dai Maa," she whispered, "if Mom sees you bringing food for me, she'll get angry at you. Besides... this is the punishment for my mistake."

The moment those words left Avni's mouth, Dai Maa's face darkened with anger.

"Your mistake?" she said sharply. "You did nothing wrong, my child! That woman, Somita, does all this to you on purpose. And as for her getting angry at me... let her. She doesn't have the courage to do anything to me. Your grandmother was the one who kept me in this house, and she did it only so I could take care of you. I am here because of you."

Seeing the anger on Dai Maa's face, Avni quickly pulled away and gently held her hand.

"Please let it go, Dai Maa," she said with a soft smile. "I don't want you to get upset because of me."

Dai Maa took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

The two of them sat down on the bed together.

Dai Maa picked up the plate and lovingly began feeding Avni with her own hands.

For a few moments, silence filled the room.

Then, after gathering her courage, Avni looked at Dai Maa and spoke in a hesitant voice,

"Dai Maa... I want to ask you something."

Dai Maa picked up another bite of food and gently brought it to Avni's lips.

"Yes, my child," she said lovingly. "Ask me whatever is on your mind."

Avni quietly ate the bite. She stared at Dai Maa's face for a few moments, gathering the courage to ask the questions that had been weighing on her heart for years.

Finally, in a soft voice, she spoke,

"Dai Maa... you know everything, don't you?"

Her eyes filled with countless unanswered questions.

"Why does Dad hate me so much? Why has he never made me feel his love? And Grandma... why doesn't she live here with us? Why do Dad and Grandma seem so distant from each other? What exactly happened between them?"

After asking all those questions in one breath, Avni fell silent. Her eyes remained fixed on Dai Maa, hoping that today, she would finally learn the truth.

For a moment, Dai Maa became quiet. A trace of sadness flashed across her face, but she quickly hid it behind a gentle smile.

Picking up another bite of food, she lovingly fed Avni and said,

"There is no such thing, my child. First of all, remove this thought from your heart. Your father does not hate you. Believe me, he never has."

She paused for a moment before continuing,

"And as for your grandmother and your father... everything is fine between them. It's not that they have any misunderstanding or resentment toward each other."

Avni listened to every word with complete attention.

Dai Maa continued,

"Your grandmother doesn't live in this mansion because she loved your grandfather more than anything in this world. And your grandfather loved every child living in the NGO as if they were his own family. Their smiles were his greatest happiness."

Her eyes grew moist as she recalled those memories.

"After your grandfather passed away, your grandmother decided to stay at the NGO and dedicate her life to giving those orphaned children a better future. Even today, she is fulfilling your grandfather's dream... making sure those children never feel the absence of a family."

As Dai Maa continued feeding her, a faint smile appeared on Avni's lips.

With excitement in her voice, she said,

"Dai Maa... I'll work very hard too. Together with Grandma, I'll take Grandpa's NGO to even greater heights. I'll take care of every child there as if they were my own family. I don't want Grandpa's dream to ever remain incomplete."

Hearing Avni's words, Dai Maa's eyes filled with pride. A warm smile spread across her face.

Gently stroking Avni's head, she said,

"Yes, my child... I have complete faith in you. One day, you'll definitely make that dream come true."

Avni smiled at her words, but the smile didn't stay on her face for long.

Within moments, the light in her eyes faded.

In a soft, trembling voice, she said,

"But, Dai Maa... I know Dad doesn't love me. If he truly did... he would have looked at me with love at least once. He would have caressed my head... or made me feel that I am his daughter."

Her voice cracked with emotion.

"I want to know everything, Dai Maa. What really happened that my life turned out like this? Even if you don't tell me today... one day, I'll uncover the entire truth myself."

For a brief moment, Dai Maa's hands froze.

She took a deep breath before continuing to feed Avni with the same affection.

"Every truth has its own time, my child. When that time comes, you'll know everything. And I truly believe that when that day arrives... everything will finally be alright."

She gently cupped Avni's cheek.

"Now don't think too much about all this. Finish your dinner and get some rest. Your results will be announced tomorrow. Although I already know that, just like every year, my little princess will top the college once again."

Hearing Dai Maa's words, an innocent smile returned to Avni's face.

She hugged Dai Maa tightly and asked with hopeful eyes,

"Dai Maa... if I top the school again this time... will Dad finally be happy?"

Hearing Avni's question, Dai Maa fell silent for a few moments.

She simply looked at Avni before gently stroking her forehead with affection.

"Yes, my child," she said with a warm smile. "Not just this time... your father is always happy whenever he hears about your achievements."

Hearing those words, Avni slowly pulled away from Dai Maa. A trace of sadness settled over her face.

In a quiet voice, she said,

"But... I've never seen him happy because of my results. He has never smiled at me... not even once. He's never praised me."

The pain hidden in her voice was impossible to miss.

Dai Maa lovingly caressed her head and replied,

"Not everyone expresses their emotions the same way, my child. Your father doesn't show his feelings... but that doesn't mean he isn't proud of your achievements."

Then, with a gentle smile, she changed the subject.

"Now, enough thinking about all this. Finish your meal and go to sleep. You know Somita very well. If you oversleep tomorrow morning, you'll be the first one to witness her fierce side."

Hearing that, Avni's expression turned slightly serious.

In a calm yet respectful voice, she said,

"Dai Maa... no matter what she's like, she's my father's wife... and she's my mother. So, please don't say such things about her."

Dai Maa immediately puffed out her cheeks like a child and made a sulky face.

"Alright, alright... I won't say anything anymore," she replied with fake annoyance.

Seeing Dai Maa pouting like a little child, Avni couldn't help but smile.

A beautiful smile spread across her lips as she said,

"Now you should go and get some sleep too... and I'll do the same. Otherwise, what you just said might actually come true tomorrow morning."

The moment Avni finished speaking, both of them burst into laughter.

After a while, Dai Maa gently stroked Avni's head, kissed her forehead lovingly, and left the room.

Avni slowly lay down on her bed.

It was already 11:00 p.m.

Exhausted from the day and burdened by countless unanswered questions, she eventually drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Meanwhile...

After several hours of travel from America, Raj's private jet finally landed on Indian soil.

A few moments later, the aircraft door opened.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored black three-piece suit, Raj stepped down the stairs with his usual cold and commanding aura.

Every step he took carried an effortless elegance and authority, enough to make anyone realize his status without him uttering a single word.

Outside the jet, several bodyguards and his personal assistant, Aarav, were already waiting for his arrival.

The moment Raj stepped out, all the bodyguards lowered their heads respectfully and greeted him in unison.

"Welcome back, Sir."

Just then, an ultra-luxurious car pulled up in front of him.

One of the bodyguards immediately stepped forward and respectfully opened the rear door.

Without saying a word, Raj got into the car.

Aarav took the front passenger seat beside the driver.

The driver started the engine, and the convoy soon left the airport.

Leaning back against his seat, Raj gazed silently at the moon through the car window.

A strange longing flickered in his deep eyes.

"Two years... a whole two years have passed."

"Yet you're still living in my thoughts. There was definitely something about you... something that made you stay in my heart and mind even after all this time."

A faint, mysterious smile curved on his lips.

"I've finally returned... only for you."

Silence filled the car for a few moments.

Without taking his eyes off the moon, Raj spoke in his calm yet commanding voice,

"Did you find out everything she has been doing over these past two years?"

Aarav, Raj's personal assistant, immediately straightened his posture.

"Yes, Sir."

Without wasting another second, he began his report.

"Ma'am has completed her MBA, and her final results will be announced tomorrow. She has always been the topper of her college, so there's a strong possibility that she'll secure the first rank this year as well."

Before Aarav could finish, Raj interrupted him with absolute confidence.

"Not a possibility..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"She will be the topper."

The certainty in his voice was so strong that it sounded as if he already knew the result.

Hearing Raj's confident words, Aarav fell silent for a brief moment.

Then, clearing his throat, he continued carefully,

"Sir... there's one more thing."

Raj finally shifted his gaze from the moon.

"What is it?"

Aarav took a deep breath before answering,

"Ma'am... has a boyfriend."