The Anand Family Mansion
Tanya sat beside her mother, her hands resting lightly on her lap as the voices of their longtime family friends filled the living room.
She had met the Malhotras before at business gatherings, family events, and celebrations where her father and Veer Malhotra talked about their college days. But beyond polite conversations and brief interactions, she had never been close to them.
"Ah, Tanya beta." Gayatri Malhotra, Avinash's grandmother, greeted with a warm smile as she took a seat. "It's been a while since we last saw you."
Tanya stood up politely, offering a soft smile, bent down to touch her feet. "It has, Dadi. I hope you've been well."
"Better now that we are here. Jeeti raho, beta. You always have our blessings." Gayatri said fondly ,placing a gentle hand on Tanya's head before pulling her into a warm hug.
Then she bent down to touch Raj Malhotra , Avinash's grandfather's feet.
Raj placed his hand to Tanya's head and said warmly with a soft smile"Stay happy and blessed always, beta"
Tanya then turned to Veer Malhotra and Diya Malhotra, taking their blessings as well.
Veer gave an approving nod. "Jeeti raho, Tanya.You've grown into quite an accomplished woman. Harsh always speaks proudly of you."
Tanya smiled softly and said. "Thank you, uncle."
"Of course, Tanya always made me proud." Harsh , Tanya's father ,said proudly.
Diya's smile deepened as she cupped Tanya's cheek."Yes, she has we can see and hear that everywhere.You look beautiful, beta. I still remember you as the quiet little girl standing beside your father at those business parties."
Tanya gave a small, polite chuckle. "I suppose I've changed a little since then, Aunty."
She then turned to Avinash's Chacha Chachi ,Dilip and Shreya Malhotra bending down to touch their feet to take there blessings.
"Bless you, Tanya. May you always find happiness." Shreya Malhotra said warmly.
"Bless you , beta. You have not changed too much." Dilip , teased. "You're still as composed as ever."
Tanya met his amused gaze with a small smile but didn't respond.
As Tanya finished greeting the elders, she walked to sit beside her mother.
Her father glanced around and frowned slightly. "Where are Aarav and Darsh?" He asked, looking at Veer with mild curiosity.
Dilip let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Oh, Avinash didn't let them come" he said with an amused sigh. "He made them go to the office instead."
Tanya's brows lifted in surprise. "Really?"
Gayatri ji smiled knowingly. "You know how he is, beta. Work always comes first for him. He must have thought they'd get distracted here and send them off before they could escape their responsibilities."
"Oh, and where is Avinash?" Harsh asked curiously
Veer replied "He is directly coming from office." Harsh nodded
The atmosphere was warm but restrained just familiar enough to be comfortable, yet formal enough to remind her that these weren't people she had ever shared a deep bond with.
She wasn't sure whether that made the situation easier or harder.
Before she could think on it, Veer checked his watch. "Avinash should be here any moment."
In a second, the door opened.
And then, she saw him.
Avinash Malhotra.
Tall, neatly dressed, and forming a aura of quiet authority. His presence commanded attention effortlessly, but what struck Tanya most was the way his sharp, unreadable gaze met hers.
For a second, the world seemed to still.
She had seen photos of him before, heard his name in business circles, but standing before him now felt different.
There was an intensity to him something quiet yet powerful.
"Avinash, finally." Avinash's father ,Veer said, gesturing toward him. "Come, meet Tanya properly."
Avinash's gaze didn't waver as he stepped forward, offering a small nod. "Avinash."
Tanya straightened slightly, her voice calm. "Tanya."
Their first exchange was simple.
But something about it felt like the beginning of something neither of them could yet define.
He had seen countless people in his life, but something about Tanya Anand was different.
She wasn't overly done up, wasn't trying to impress. Yet, there was an effortless beauty about her, a quiet strength in her posture.
Family talk continued, the conversation weaving between laughter and nostalgia. Old memories surfaced, blending seamlessly with the present.
Then, Harsh clapped Veer on the back, breaking the silence. "Look at them. Who would've thought we'd be sitting here discussing their future?"
Tanya's mother smiled warmly. "Tanya, beta, why don't you and Avinash talk for a bit?"
Tanya hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure."
Avinash inclined his head slightly. "Of course."
They stepped into the garden, the cool night air brushing against them.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Tanya looked at the stars above, then at the man beside her. "So," she finally said, "how many times have you been forced into meetings like this?"
Avinash smirked slightly. "If I say this is the first, will you believe me?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Not at all."
His smirk deepened. "Then I won't bother convincing you."
Tanya chuckled, shaking her head. "You don't talk much, do you?"
"I speak when necessary."
The quiet night wrapped around them, yet there was an odd sense of comfort in it.
Tanya glanced at him, curiosity flickering in her gaze. "You're not what I expected."
Avinash turned to her. "And what did you expect?"
She considered him before saying, "Someone who is colder and more detached."
His lips curled slightly. "I can be, if you prefer."
She laughed, shaking her head. "No, thanks."
Before Avinash could reply, a sudden blur of white fur came racing across the grass.
Coco.
Tanya's fluffy pet came running toward her, his tail wagging wildly.
"Coco!" Tanya knelt down just in time to catch him as he jumped into her arms, licking her face excitedly.
Avinash watched, his sharp eyes softening ever so slightly.
Tanya looked up at him, grinning. "Meet Coco. My personal bodyguard."
Avinash raised an eyebrow. "Your bodyguard?"
She nodded seriously. "He takes his job very seriously."
At that moment, Coco turned his attention to Avinash, tilting his head curiously before sniffing at his expensive shoes.
Tanya bit back a laugh. "I think he's inspecting you."
Avinash crouched slightly, observing the dog. "Does he approve?"
Coco gave a small huff before suddenly nudging his head against Avinash's knee.
Tanya's eyes widened slightly. "Well... that's rare. He doesn't warm up to strangers easily."
Avinash ran a slow hand over Coco's fur. "Smart dog."
Coco gave another happy wag of his tail before getting down between them.
Tanya looked at Avinash, amusement in her eyes. "Guess you passed the test."
He met her gaze, a hint of something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "Seems like it."
As they stood under the soft glow of the garden lights, Coco curled up at their feet, and an unspoken understanding settled between them.
Neither of them had expected this.
But neither of them could ignore it, either.
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Later, In the Car,
When Avinash's family was returning home
As Avinash sat in the backseat of his car, watching the city lights blur past, his thoughts drifted back to Tanya Anand.
She was nothing like he had expected.
She was confident, yet warm. Strong-willed, yet easy to talk to. He had gone into this meeting prepared for a formal conversation, something predictable.
Instead, he found himself intrigued.
And that was something he didn't experience often.
He tapped his fingers against his knee, deep in thought.
The low hum of conversation filled the car, but Avinash remained silent, his fingers tapping absently against his knee.
His mother's voice broke through his thoughts. "So, Avinash" she said, turning slightly to look at him. "What do you think of Tanya?"
All eyes were suddenly on him. His father, his grandmother, his chachi waiting for his response.
He exhaled slowly, keeping his gaze fixed outside the window. "She was fine."
His mother scoffed. "Fine? That's all you have to say?"
He glanced at her, expression unreadable. "What do you want me to say?"
His dadaji smirked. "Maybe something other than a one-word answer? You spent a lot of time talking to her."
Avinash clenched his jaw. "She's... different."
His mother's eyes lit up with interest. "Different how?"
He hesitated. That was the problem. Tanya wasn't the kind of woman he could categorize neatly into a box.
But for some reason, as the car moved through the city, his thoughts kept circling back to her sharp gaze, the way she spoke with quiet confidence, the way she had surprised him.
Avinash didn't believe in distractions. He never entertained them.
Yet, Tanya Anand was already in his head.
And that was a dangerous thing.
---
Meanwhile, In Tanya's Bedroom
Tanya lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Coco, her pet dog, curled up beside her, sleeping.
But Tanya wasn't feeling sleepy at all.
She kept thinking about him.
Avinash Malhotra.
There was something about him something undeniable.
She had expected someone stiff, someone who spoke only in business terms. Instead, she had met a man who, despite his composed exterior, had a certain depth to him.
He was serious, yes but there was something else beneath that surface.
And for the first time, she found herself wondering about him.
What kind of man was he outside of work?
Did he ever let his guard down?
A soft knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts.
"Tanya, beta." her father's voice came through the door. "Can I come in?"
She quickly sat up, smoothing her blanket. "Of course, Papa."
Her father stepped inside, his expression gentle yet thoughtful. "I wanted to talk to you about today."
She nodded, already knowing what was coming.
"So?" he asked, sitting on the edge of her bed. "What did you think of Avinash?"
Tanya hesitated for a moment before saying, "He's different from what I expected."
Her father smiled. "Different is good."
She looked down, absently running her fingers through Coco's fur. "I don't know. He seems..." she searched for the right word, "...reserved."
"That's just the surface." her father said knowingly. "Men like him don't reveal themselves easily. But that doesn't mean there isn't more to them."
She bit her lip, unsure how to respond.
Her father patted her hand. "Just keep an open mind, Tanya. That's all I ask."
She nodded slowly. "I will."
As he left the room, she lay back down, pulling the blanket over herself with a sigh.
"I should not think that much."
Yet, the thought of Avinash didn't leave her mind.
And as sleep finally took over, one thing was certain this meeting had changed something.
For both of them.
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Hey, lovies!
(This chapter got a little too big but it's fine, right?)
So, what do you think about Tanya & Avinash's first meeting? Did it go how you expected, or did Coco totally steal the show? (Let's be honest, he kinda did.)
This was just the beginning things are about to get even more interesting between these two. Will Avinash's cold exterior start to melt? Will Tanya let herself get closer to him? And most importantly... will Coco approve of their love story?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Your feedback keeps me going, and I love hearing what you think.
See you in the next chapter!
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