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Shaurya and Nandini looked at each other, not sure where this was headed.

“But I was wrong,” Grandpa said quietly, looking at Shaurya. “Today, I sat under that old mango tree and asked her Daadi if I was doing the right thing by taking Nandini away from you. I begged her for a sign.”

He smiled faintly, almost to himself. “And that’s when it happened—a single leaf fell from above. It floated down from the mango tree and landed right in your pool, Shaurya. I don’t even know why, but I got up to follow it, and that’s when I saw Nandini step out of a cab and walk straight to your door. It felt like the universe,my wife Ambikaherself, had answered my plea for a sign. She had guided me in the direction I needed to go.”

He looked at them both, his eyes soft but firm.

“She gave me that sign. She led me here, to Nandini. And thank God she did. Otherwise, I would have never known it. I would have never seen it with my own eyes. The sacrifices you two were willing to make for each other. How you were bothready to give up parts of yourselves, just to protect one another. This kind of love… it’s not temporary. It’s not just a phase.”

He gave a soft, unexpected smile to Shaurya. “You were ready to set aside your pain, to let go of your bitterness towards your ex-wife, to put it all in the back corner for Nandini’s sake. All because you knew doing so would be the best forherfuture, forherdreams. And Nandini… today, she chose to hold back those very dreams, because she knew going forward with it would cost you your peace. If that isn’t love, then I don’t know what is. And I’d have been an old fool to keep standing in its way.”

Shaurya turned to Nandini, stunned. She looked just as shaken, as though unsure if they’d heard him right.

“Love,” Grandpa said, his own eyes tearing up, “isn’t about grand gestures or dramatic declarations. It’s about sacrifices. It’s about standing by each other when it’s easier to walk away. It’s about holding on when everything weighs you down. True love is built on compromise, resilience, and unwavering belief in each other.”

He smiled again, this time with warmth in his eyes. “And you two… you’ve proven that what you share isn’t a fleeting emotion. It’s real. It’s deep. It’s worth fighting for.”

He nodded slowly, realisation settling in. “I was wrong. This wasn’t some temporary infatuation. What you two have… it’s real. I see your love now. It’s strong, the kind people strive for. You two are meant to be together, and you have my blessings.”

That was all it took for Nandini to break. A choked sob escaped her lips as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her grandfather. “Daadu…” she whispered, clutching him tightly. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

He held her close with quiet affection, his earlier anger melting into acceptance, his hand gently stroking her hair.

Shaurya stood frozen, too overwhelmed to move. He could barely process what had just happened. His heartbeat echoedin his ears. After everything, after all the silence and resistance, Grandpa had finally given them his blessing.

When Nandini finally pulled back from their embrace, Grandpa reached up and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. His touch was tender, almost hesitant, as if he was still coming to terms with what had just unfolded between them.

“All these days,” he continued, “since your relationship came into light... I’ve been struggling, Nandu. I couldn’t make peace with it. My fears, my instincts as a parent—they kept holding me back. My love for you, and my desire to see you with the absolute best clouded my judgment.”

He looked between her and Shaurya. “But today... I see things clearly. No man could ever love my Nandu the way you do, Shaurya. And she—” he paused, his eyes softening, “—she’s your sunshine.”

He reached out and patted Shaurya’s arm with tender affection. “You’re both lucky to have found each other.”

Shaurya’s chest swelled with disbelief and gratitude. His lips curved into a smile, relief evident on his face.

Grandpa chuckled and added, “Well, what are you waiting for? Come here and give me a hug, son.”

This was what he had been aching for. To be accepted. To be acknowledged not just as Nandini’s partner, but as a part of the Raichand family. Shaurya didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the older man in a tight, emotional embrace. Grandpa clapped him on the back, like one would welcome a soldier who’d finally returned home.

When they pulled back, Shaurya looked him in the eyes, his voice choked with emotion. “Thank you, Grandpa… Thank you.”

Grandpa smirked and tapped him lightly on the cheek. “You’ve been promoted again. No more ‘Grandpa’ for you. From now on, it’s ‘Daadu.’ Just like Nandini calls me. Welcome to the family, my boy.”

That brought a wide smile to Shaurya’s face. Those words meant everything to his lonely heart.

Grandpa grinned through misty eyes and, without a word, pulled Shaurya into another hug, this one even tighter than the first.

When they finally pulled back, Nandini stood watching them, glowing with happiness, her heart bursting with joy at the sight of the two most important men in her life finally connected by a deep, loving bond.

“I knew locking you in that room and giving you the full ‘man-to-man’ speech would work,” Shaurya teased, flashing a playful grin.

Grandpa raised an eyebrow. “Don’t flatter yourself,” he replied, dryly. “I had my selfish reasons too. Marrying you means Nandini stays right next door. That’s all the incentive I needed.”

Shaurya chuckled, shaking his head. The old man may have given his blessing… but that stubborn Raichand streak? That was still very much intact.

“Exactly!” Nandini piped up, slipping her arms around Grandpa’s shoulders again. “You really think I could ever live far away from you? Never happening, Daadu.”

They all laughed. But then Nandini turned to Shaurya with a mock frown. “By the way, I still don’t approve of how you locked Daadu in the room. He was practically shouting for you to open it, and you didn’t even listen to him.”