Page 124 of Right Where I Belong

“Yes…” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I am your dad. And you are my son.”

Ahaan’s face lit with a shy smile.

“I love you, Dad,” Ahaan said slowly.

Happiness burst through Aditya’s chest. He pulled Ahaan into a tight hug. “I love you too, my son.”

“Dad,” Ahaan repeated, as if testing the word again, before darting off toward Neil and Maya, whooping in joy. Aditya watched him go, his heart full in a way he’d never known before.

“You’re so good with him.”

Aditya turned to see Rithwik standing behind him, Keya and Raashi flanking his sides.

“He’s a good kid,” Aditya replied.

“And you’re going to be a great father,” Keya said, rising on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I like that you’re smiling.”

Raashi was next to give him a hug. “Seeing you happy makes us happy.”

“You’re finally married,” Rithwik said, patting his back. They all turned to look at Sabrina.

“You both are perfect for each other,” Keya said. “It’s like she’s calmed your restless streak.”

“And you’ve brought a spark to her that was never there,” Raashi added. “Look at her, she’s glowing.”

Aditya smiled. He’d always wanted a woman who would fit naturally with his friends and his family, and Sabrina had done exactly that. She’d always sat at the periphery of their circle, but now she fit right in. He watched as Sabrina’s attention shifted to him, and then she began to walk toward him.

Leaving his friends, he went to her.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said, on reaching her.

“Hello, handsome. You look happy.”

“You make me happy.” He took her hands in his. “And the fact that in a few hours it’s just going to be you and me… all alone again. I’m not letting you get out of bed for days.”

She laughed, the sound hitting him straight in the center of his chest, as always.

“I can’t wait either,” she said softly. She looked at Ahaan. “What was he telling you?”

“I like that you can’t get your eyes off me.”

She smirked. “Answer my question.”

“Ahaan asked if he could call me Dad…” he replied. “I said yes, obviously. And he said he loves me.”

Her eyes widened before they glimmered with joy. “Really?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Sabrina, I’d like to officially adopt him and give him my name. He will be my heir, after all.”

She gasped. “Oh my God, you can’t mean that.”

He frowned. “Till date, have you ever heard me say something I don’t mean?”

“But… but, what about the children we might have together?”

He tilted his head, a smile tugging at his mouth. “Do you want more kids, beautiful?”

Her cheeks flushed. “Yes, maybe in a year or so, if that’s what you want too.”