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“Does Aksh bhai know?” Meher asks, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Devika nods sheepishly, biting her lip. “I told him that night.”

“And what was his reaction?” I lean forward, eager to hear the answer.

Devika smirks. “At first, he just stared at me, completely expressionless. Then he said,‘Devika, it’s fine.’And then the man had the audacity to tell me,‘By the way, do you even know how to cook Moong Dal Halwa, or do we have to keep ordering it from Shamsher Sweets every time Pratap uncle asks you to make it?’”

Meher and I burst into uncontrollable laughter, nearly doubling over as we imagine Aksh’s deadpan delivery and Devika’s mortified expression.

“And you callmedramatic!” I tease Devika, holding onto the counter for support.

“Oh, Aksh bhai can be so savage sometimes,” Meher adds, shaking her head. “But you know what? He probably already knew and just wanted to tease you.”

Devika groans again but can’t stop the smile creeping up her face. “Probably. But I’m never going near a pot of Moong Dal Halwa again. It still haunts me!” she literally shudders.

The three of us laugh harder, the sound filling the room with warmth. For the first time in a while, the tension that had been simmering between us seems to melt away, leaving only the comfort of old friendship behind. But as the laughter dies down, an awkward silence settles in, reminding us of our current situation. I put down the spice jar and turn to face them both.

I set the spoon down and take a deep breath. “I miss this,” I say softly, breaking the silence. “I miss us. I know I’ve hurt you both terribly, and I’m so, so sorry. I can’t tell you how much I regret the choices I made, the lies I told, the distance I created between us.”

“The day I found out I was pregnant,” I confess, my voice cracking slightly, “the first thing I wanted to do was call you both and tell you the good news. I swear, that was my first thought. But then I remembered… you were both Vishnu’s family.” I pause, swallowing hard, trying to keep the tears at bay.

“And I panicked,” I admit, my hands trembling as I grip the edge of the counter. “I was scared. My dreams were waiting for me in New York, and my career was finally taking off. I knew Vishnu would want this child as much as I did, but I… I became selfish. I thought if I told him, everything I’d worked for would come crashing down. But it wasn’t just that...”

I take a shaky breath. “I’d seen Meher’s life—the constant security, the bodyguards, the loss of freedom. I got cold feet. The thought of being trapped in that golden cage, no matter how luxurious... I wasn’t ready. It was immature of me, I know that now. Instead of trusting Vishnu, instead of talking to him about my fear of losing my independence, I just... ran. From him. From you. From everyone who mattered.”

Devika shifts uncomfortably, and Meher’s gaze softens, but neither of them says a word. I wipe away a tear, my gaze alternating between them.

“You don’t know what it’s like growing up without a real family, without that kind of love. Having you both as friends... it was the first time I felt that kind of pure love. And during the pregnancy, God, I missed you two so much. I missed sharing the ups and downs of carrying Veer, the joy, the fear, everything. I wanted to pick up the phone so many times just to say, ‘I need you,’ but… but I didn’t. Every little flutter, every kick, every worry about what was happening with the baby inside me—I wanted to share it with you two.”

I press a hand to my chest, trying to steady my breathing.

“I still remember how much I cried after each phone call with you, coming up with an excuse every single time about why I couldn’t come back to India or why I avoided video calls, especially during the later part of the pregnancy, so you wouldn’t see my baby bump. I hated myself for it. I hated that I was doing this to my best friends. It felt like I was betraying myself. And when Veer was born, I felt like I had robbed you of something that should have been ours to share. It just… broke me.”

Tears stream down my cheeks now, but I make no move to wipe them away.

“I don’t expect things to go back to how they were overnight. But please… I need my friends back. I need you both back.”

The silence that follows feels like it stretches on forever. I can’t bring myself to look up, too afraid of what I might see on their faces. But then I hear Devika sniffle, and Meher lets out a shaky sigh, as though she’s trying to hold back her tears, but they spill out anyway.

“You know what hurts the most?” Devika says softly, her anger melting into understanding. “Not that you hid Veer from us, but that you went through all of this alone. That you were scared and couldn’t come to us.”

“You call us your best friends, and then you do this. Hide something so big from us,” Devika says, her voice thick with emotion. “You really hurt us, Simran. We shared everything with you, and yet, you didn’t trust us enough to tell us about Veer or what you were going through.”

I swallow hard, tears threatening to spill.

“Simran,” Meher finally speaks, her voice trembling. “Do you even realise how much you have hurt this family? And Vishnu? We only found out from Dad once he returned from New York that my best friend and my brother already had a son. A son... out of wedlock, something that’s been the hardest part of Vishnu’s own past, shaping his identity. I promised myself I’d never ever see your face, not after what you hid, Simran. This is not the friend we need in our lives.”

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” I say quickly, nodding. “If I could go back, I’d do everything differently. Once Veer was born, it was just me and him together… and that’s when I understood the importance of family. Of having people around who love you unconditionally. I know I can’t change the past, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure I never let you down again.”

“We get it, Simran,” Meher adds, wiping her tears. “More than you know. The Walia lifestyle... it can be overwhelming. The constant scrutiny, the loss of privacy, the bodyguards...” She reaches for my hand. “I grew up in this world. But for someone who’s built everything on her own, who’s fought for her independence... I understand why you ran.”

“You’ve lived a different life,” Devika joins in, her voice gentle. “Built an empire with your own hands, made your own decisions. The thought of losing that freedom...” She shakes her head. “Anyone would be scared.”

“But you won’t lose yourself here, Simran,” Meher reassures me, squeezing my hand. “Yes, things will be different. Yes, there will be adjustments. But you’ll still be you—the fierce, independent woman we love. We’ll help you go through this. Together.”

“And your ambitions matter,” Devika adds firmly. “Your career, your dreams—they’re important. We’ll figure out a way to make it all work. That’s what a family does.”

“You are a part of us, Simran,” Meher adds, stepping closer. “You always have been. Even when we were angry, even when we felt betrayed... you never stopped being our best friend.”