Six months later.
The warm sunlight of Mumbai filled the large glass windows of Mehra Group's new headquarters.
Outside, the city moved with its usual chaos.
Inside the office, Kashvi Mehra stood near the window, looking down at the busy streets.
India.
She had come back.
For years she believed she would never return. London had become her escape, her protection, her battlefield.
But life had its own strange ways of bringing people back to where everything began.
Behind her, the office door opened.
Ved walked in casually, holding two cups of coffee.
"You've been staring outside for ten minutes," he said.
Kashvi turned slightly.
"I'm thinking."
"That's dangerous," Ved replied with a faint smile as he handed her the coffee.
Kashvi rolled her eyes but accepted it.
Across the office, a smaller chair was dragged loudly across the floor.
Kriday sat there with a tablet in his hand, completely focused.
"Mumma, Papa… can you both stop being dramatic?" he said without even looking up.
Ved laughed.
"Ten years old and already judging us."
Kriday shrugged.
"You both act like characters from my history book."
Kashvi shook her head.
Some things had changed.
Some hadn't.
But life had definitely moved forward.
After everything that happened in London, Kashvi had made a decision that surprised everyone.
She shifted the main operations of Mehra Group back to India.
Back to where her father had built it.
Back to where her story had truly started.
Ved had also returned.
The Oberoi legal firm now had a strong office in Mumbai, and most of his cases kept him busy across the city.
Both of them had their own work.
Their own responsibilities.
Their own identities.
But this time—
They were not enemies.
They were partners.
Not just in business.
But in life.
Kashvi looked at Ved for a moment.
"Do you remember the day we got married?" she asked suddenly.
Ved sighed dramatically.
"How could I forget?"
Kriday looked up with curiosity.
"Wait… your marriage story is still confusing."
Ved leaned back in his chair.
"That's because it started badly."
Kashvi smirked slightly.
"Very badly."
Kriday frowned.
"So… what happened?"
Ved glanced at Kashvi before answering.
"It was a forced marriage."
Kriday's eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
Kashvi nodded.
"There was no love. No choice. Just family pressure and business politics."
Ved added calmly,
"We barely liked each other."
Kriday looked shocked.
"You guys fight now and still love each other."
Kashvi laughed softly.
"Exactly."
For a moment, the room went quiet.
Then Ved looked at Kashvi again.
"Funny, isn't it?"
"What?"
"A marriage that started as a deal…"
He paused slightly.
"…ended up becoming real."
Kashvi didn't reply immediately.
But her eyes softened.
Because it was true.
Their story had started with anger.
With misunderstandings.
With betrayal and distance.
They had spent years fighting each other.
Years staying apart.
Years believing their relationship had completely failed.
But somehow—
Life had brought them back together.
Not because they were forced.
Not because they had to.
But because they finally chose each other.
Kriday suddenly stood up.
"Okay but I still think the knight is the strongest chess piece."
Ved smirked.
"Wrong. The queen is."
Kashvi raised an eyebrow.
"Obviously."
Kriday sighed dramatically.
"You two are impossible."
Ved pulled Kashvi slightly closer as they both laughed.
Outside the office window, the city of Mumbai continued moving.
Busy.
Alive.
Just like their lives.
A marriage that once felt like a mistake…
Had slowly turned into something real.
Something steady.
Something stronger than all the battles they had fought.
And this time—
There was no game left to play.
Only a life to live.
Together.