Something important in the end of chapter must read please 🥺 👉🏻👈🏻

The bathroom door creaked open softly.

Tiny footsteps followed.

Arnav was standing near the balcony, phone pressed to his ear, his back half-turned, his voice low and sharp as he handled something serious - numbers, threats, control. The night breeze brushed against the curtains behind him, moonlight slicing the room in silver.

And then-

“Giant uncle.”

His voice stopped mid-sentence.

Arnav turned.

And for the first time that night something inside him flickered.

Avanya stood there, freshly changed, looking nothing like the small storm she had been earlier.

She was wrapped in a soft pink night suit, bear-themed, the fabric fluffy and oversized. The cap rested on her head, two tiny ears stitched on top, wobbling slightly as she moved. Her cheeks were still pink from washing, hair a little damp, eyes big and bright.

She looked like a walking bedtime story.

Like something warm.

Like something, dangerously soft.

Arnav stared.

Not rudely. Not intensely.

Just paused.

Something crossed his face-too unfamiliar to name. Admiration, maybe. Or wonder. Or something he had never allowed himself to feel long enough to recognise.

He cut the call without another word.

Slid the phone into his pocket.

“Come,” he said, voice quieter now. “Let’s go downstairs for dinner.”

Avanya nodded immediately.

Then her eyes darted to the floor.

“Tuffy,” she said seriously, pointing, “come. Follow me.”

Tuffy barked once, loud and proud, like a soldier reporting duty.

She took two steps forward, then stopped.

Looked up at Arnav.

“Giant uncle...... hand.”

Arnav froze for half a second.

Then, without saying a word, he extended his hand.

She slipped her tiny fingers into his.

Just like that.

No hesitation. No fear.

And Arnav Rathore-who hated children, noise, mess, emotions-found himself leading a seven-year-old bear in a pink suit down the stairs, hand in hand, while a dog trotted behind them like it belonged there.

They walked slowly.

Her steps were small. His pace adjusted without him realising.

By the time they reached the dining hall-

Everyone was already seated.

Vikram sat at the head of the table. Arnav’s seat was beside him. Across was Rithvik. Beside Rithvik-Arin. Kabir’s seat was empty, momentarily.

And then---

They saw them.

Arnav. Holding a child’s hand.

Silence crashed into the room.

Vikram stiffened.

Kabir, just arriving, stopped mid-step.

For a moment, no one breathed.

Vikram’s chest felt too tight.

Arnav—with a child was a sight no one had imagined. Not anger. Not irritation. No visible rejection.

Just calm.

Why wasn’t he angry? Why wasn’t he pulling away? Why was he letting her hold him like that?

Rithvik’s jaw tightened.

Why is he holding her hand?

(A/N; Issko koi peeyo bhout negative banda hai)

Kabir’s lips curved upward, heart warming without permission.

Morning--she had called him bhaiyu.
Night--she was holding Arnav’s hand.

Maybe..... maybe this family was already shifting.

Avanya suddenly spotted Kabir.

Her face lit up like fireworks.

“BHAIYU”

She released Arnav’s hand instantly and ran.

Tiny feet.

Full speed.

Kabir bent down just in time as she collided into him, hugging his leg.

Kabir laughed softly, kneeling. “Hey, sunshine.”

Her dimples appeared.

Tuffy followed, barking loudly.

The sound echoed.

Rithvik and Arin’s expressions changed instantly.

“What the hell......whose dog is this?” Rithvik snapped, calling for a house helper.

Avanya froze.

Slowly turned.

Her brows furrowed. Eyes narrowed.

“He is not dog,” she said, voice small but firm. “He is my baby. Tuffy.”

(A/N; Aww my poor baby tuffy and her mumma)

The room stilled

Rithvik stood abruptly, irritation flashing in his eyes.

That movement -

Made Avanya flinch.

She gasped softly and hid her face in Kabir’s chest, fingers clutching his shirt.

Vikram stood instantly.

“Enough,” he said sharply.

Everyone froze.

“I allowed Tuffy here,” Vikram continued, voice cold, commanding.
“I hope none of you have an objection.”

Arin opened his mouth. “Dad, but—”

Vikram raised his palm.

Silence.

Then his gaze softened as he turned to Avanya.

“Little princess,” he said gently, opening his arms. “Come to baba.”

She peeked out from Kabir’s chest.

Saw Vikram.

Relief flooded her face.

She walked straight to him, head bowed, hands folded in front of her like a guilty angel.

Vikram scooped her up and placed her on his lap.

Carefully. Protectively.

He call househelper and said him to serve food to tuffy

Raju arrived with food for Tuffy.

Vikram lifted Avanya’s chin gently. “Let’s fill your little tummy.”

She nodded.

Dinner began.

The table filled with dishes—
Paneer butter masala, dal tadka, jeera rice, rotis.
And on the other side-grilled chicken, chicken steak, continental sauces.

Avanya stared.

Pointed.

“Baba…..what this?”

Vikram followed her finger. “That dish.”

“Why it look like animal?” she asked innocently.

Vikram paused. “Because it’s made of animal.”

Her eyes widened.

She gasped dramatically, covering her mouth.

(A/N: This is part of the story only. No food habits are judged or criticised.)

Kabir leaned forward. “What happened, sunshine?”

She whispered urgently, “Bhaiyu….. it made of animal.”

Kabir smiled. “Yes, princess.”

She shook her head hard. “No bhaiyu. That means animal.”

Kabir chuckled. “The animal is already dead.”

She looked horrified.

“No,” she said seriously. “We don’t eat animals. We eat food tree give.”

Everyone froze.

Avanya squirmed a little on Vikram’s lap, her tiny fingers clutching the edge of the plate like it had personally offended her.

She stared at the dish, then at Vikram, then back at the dish again, her nose scrunching in deep suspicion.

“No,” she said firmly.
“No eat.”

Vikram raised a brow, amused. “Why not?”

She gasped. An actual gasp.
Like he had just asked the most ridiculous question in the universe.

“Because,” she started, nodding to herself, “this animal is angry.”

Vikram blinked. “Angry?”

She leaned closer to the plate, whispering like it might hear her.
“Yes. See? It’s red. Red means mad. When food is mad, it goes inside tummy and does bad bad things.”

She placed a tiny hand on her stomach for demonstration.
“Then tummy cries. And tummy crying makes bhaiyu sad. And bhaiyu sad makes me sad.”

She paused, eyes widening dramatically.

“And when I am sad,” she added very seriously, “nobody is happy.”

Vikram bit back a smile. “That’s very scientific.”

She nodded proudly. “I know.”

Then she pointed at the spoon. “Also, this spoon touched monster uncle plate.”

Vikram froze slightly. “And?”

“And monster uncle didn’t say sorry that day,” she said with a huff, crossing her arms.
“So the spoon is also angry by association.”

She leaned back against Vikram’s chest, clearly done explaining, but then suddenly sat up again.

“AND,” she continued, wagging her finger now, “if you eat this, you won’t eat dessert.”

Vikram tilted his head. “Why not?”

“Because tummy will be full of wrong food,” she explained patiently, like he was five and she was forty.
“Wrong food pushes dessert out. Dessert gets lonely. Lonely dessert cries.”

She looked genuinely distressed at the thought.

“I don’t like crying dessert.”

Vikram finally laughed softly, pulling her a little closer. “So what should bhaiyu eat, hm?”

Her face lit up instantly. She grabbed another bowl and pushed it toward him.

“This one is good,” she said happily.
“It’s white. White food is calm. Calm food makes calm bhaiyu”

She patted his cheek with her tiny palm.

“And calm bhaiyu gives extra smiles.”

She smiled, proud and victorious, absolutely convinced she had just saved the world with her logic.

Vikram looked down at her, that quiet, heavy pride settling deep in his chest—
the kind that didn’t need words.

“Alright,” he said softly. “he will eat this one.”

Her eyes sparkled.

“Good choice,” she whispered, like a blessing.

And the room fell silent for just a second-
everyone stunned.

Everyone except Vikram.

He didn’t even blink.

He only smiled. 🖤

And for once—

The Rathore dining table wasn’t about power.

It was about a seven-year-old girl
trying to protect everyone from suffering
with her tiny, stubborn, beautiful logic.

___________TIME SKIP

The mansion had slipped into that rare, gentle quiet.

The kind that only existed late at night, when even the walls seemed to breathe slower.

Inside Vikram’s room, the lamps were dim, casting a warm amber glow over everything it touched.

Avanya sat on the bed, her legs crossed clumsily, a picture book resting on her lap upside down at first, until she turned it around with a tiny frown of concentration.

Beside her, Vikram sat against the headboard, spectacles resting low on his nose, a file balanced on his thigh. Papers rustled softly as he turned a page, pen moving with calm precision.

Near the sofa, Tuffy slept on his little bed, paws twitching occasionally as if chasing something only he could see.

Avanya cleared her throat.

Very dramatically.

She traced a finger over the first line of the poem, lips moving slowly.

“Tw….. twi…. twink…”
She paused.
“….tinkle?”

She looked at the word suspiciously, then tried again.

“Twin-kal…..twin-kul…”

Her brows knitted together.

“Baba,” she whispered without looking up, “this book is cheating.”

Vikram hummed softly, eyes still on the file. “How so, princess?”

She stabbed the page gently with her finger. “Words keep changing.”

He glanced sideways, a faint smile touching his lips.

“They don’t change. You’re just still learning.”

She huffed, clearly unconvinced.

Trying again, she read louder this time, confidence slightly forced.

“Twinkle twinkle…. leetel…. star.”

She beamed.

Then frowned.

“Why star is little?” she asked seriously. “Stars are big. Baba teacher said they eat darkness.”

Vikram closed the file just a little. “Poems don’t always make sense.”

She nodded sagely. “Hmm. Book is silly then.”

She went back to reading, whispering, stumbling, repeating the same line three times, sometimes skipping words entirely and replacing them with sounds of her own invention.

Just as she was about to proudly announce she had finished the poem
a knock echoed at the door.

Vikram looked up.

“Come in.”

The door opened quietly, and Arnav stepped inside.

“Dad,” he said, voice low, controlled, “something important came up. Please come to the study.”

Vikram’s expression shifted instantly. He removed his spectacles, placing them on the side table.

“I’m coming.”

Arnav nodded.

Avanya remained deeply focused on her book, lips moving silently, completely unaware of the conversation.

Arnav glanced at her.

She turned the page with intense seriousness, whispering, “How I wonder… what you—”

Arnav sighed internally.

Defeated, he straightened and turned toward the door.

His hand was just about to reach the handle when---

“Giant uncle.”

The voice was small. Calm. Certain.

Arnav froze.

He turned back slowly. “Yes?”

She didn’t look up immediately.

After a tiny pause, she said, very casually,
“Sleep well.”

Then added, like an afterthought,
“Shubhratri.”

Arnav blinked, caught completely off guard.

A soft smile touched his face. “Shubhratri, little one.”

She smiled too-just a tiny one and went right back to her book, as if that exchange was perfectly ordinary.

Arnav left the room.

Vikram watched everything.

Every second.

Something warm spread quietly in his chest—unspoken, heavy, proud.

He stood up and turned toward

Avanya.

“Princess.”

She looked up instantly. “Yes, baba?”

“Baba has some work in his work room,” he said gently. “I’ll come back soon.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“If you need anything,” he continued, “just go outside the room. You’ll find helper kaki or kaka.”

Another nod.

“And if you miss me,” he said, pressing a small button into her palm, “press this.”

She examined it like it was a treasure.

“Emergency baba?” she asked seriously.

“Yes.”

She nodded with full responsibility. “Okay baba. Take care.”

He leaned down, brushed a kiss into her hair, and left.

She went straight back to her book.

----------Forty-Five Minutes Later

The room remained quiet.

Too quiet.

Avanya turned a page.

Then another.

Her stomach made a very small, very clear sound.

She paused.

Placed a hand on it.

“Hm,” she whispered. “Hungry.”

Ice-cream.

Yes.

Ice-cream was the solution to everything.

(A/N; no doubt EAST OR WEST MY ICECREAM IS SABSE BEST)

She slid off the bed carefully, looking around like she was planning a secret mission.

Tuffy stood up immediately, tail wagging.

She crouched in front of him, finger to her lips.

“Shh,” she whispered. “No sound. Okay?”

Tuffy tilted his head.

Then sat.

She nodded proudly. “Good boy.”

She opened the door slowly, peeking out first. The corridor was empty.

She stepped out, Tuffy right behind her.

They walked a little then stopped.

She turned around.

Everything looked unfamiliar.

Her face scrunched.

“Uh-oh.”

She sighed. “Anya forget kitchen.”

She spotted a house helper a little distance away, talking on the phone.

Her eyes lit up.

She walked toward him confidently.

“Kaka.”

The helper turned. “Ji, baba?”

She shook her head seriously. “Me no no baba.”

She pointed vaguely. “Baba went work.”

Then clasped her hands together, making the saddest puppy face possible.

“I want to go kitchen,” she said softly. “But Anya forget kitchen.”

The helper melted instantly.

“Aree,” he said kindly, bending down, “main le chalta hoon na.”

Her face brightened like sunshine.

Dimples appeared instantly.

“Thank you,” she chirped.

They started walking.

Tuffy trotted behind happily.

But the moment Avanya reached the stairs-
she stopped.

Down below, several men stood together.

Their backs were to her.

She recognized them instantly.

Baba.

Giant uncle.(Arnav)

Monster uncle(Arin)

Scary uncle (Rithvik)

Bhaiyu(kabir)

Her face lit up.

She turned to the helper. “Kaka, baba there.”

Before he could say anything---

“BABA”

She ran.

Bare feet pounding against the floor.

Tuffy barked softly behind her.

The word echoed through the hall.

Every man froze.

Vikram turned.

The expression on his face changed dark, sharp, something unreadable flashing through his eyes.

Avanya slowed.

Then stopped.

Her smile faded.

Something was wrong.

She didn’t know what.

She only knew the air felt heavy.

Cold.

Her eyes moved past them.

She saw something she didn’t understand.

Something still.

Something quiet.

Her little heart skipped.

Her fingers curled into her dress.

The hall felt too big. Too silent.

Arnav’s jaw tightened.

Rithvik stiffened.

Kabir’s face drained of color.

Arin’s breath caught.

Vikram took a sharp step forward.

“Princess”

She didn’t move.

Her eyes stayed fixed.

Wide.

Silent.

Confused.

The world had suddenly stopped making sense.

And for the first time---

the mansion didn’t feel safe to her.

-----------------✨👉🏻👈🏻✨------------------

Anuvae’s Note

Okay so hi.
Before anyone asks yes, I am panicking.
No, I am not okay.
And yes, tomorrow is my first exam.

I honestly don’t even know why my heart is doing gymnastics.
I don’t know if I will do good or bad, I don’t know what will come in the paper, but every single time I step into an exam centre, my hands start shivering on their own like they have decided to betray me.
It’s cold, my body is tired, my brain goes blank, and suddenly I am questioning all my life choices.

On top of that, I have to travel three whole hours just to reach the centre.

I leave my house around 6, and by the time I reach there, it’s almost 9 or 9:15. I swear by then my soul has already given one resignation letter. It’s exhausting. Physically, mentally, emotionally ; everything tired.

And this is just the first exam
I have to do this for ten exams.

So yeah if I sound a little scared, that’s because I am. Very much.
Please wish me luck. I really need it. 🤍

IMPORTANT THING 🎤

Also, a small honest confession the upcoming chapters of Avanya: The Missing Warmth (Aka Avanya) are going to be very emotional. Like… heartbreak kind of emotional. The kind that sits quietly in your chest and hurts later. So if I get a little late in updating, please bear with me. I am really trying my best between exams, tiredness, and life.

But listen....

Your comments?

Your votes?

Your tiny messages like “thank you for the update, author” or even just a random emoji?

They literally make my whole day.

Some of my little cute readers  you know who you are  you comment every time. You talk about your college life, about yourselves, you hype me up, you send hearts, you say thank you and I swear, those things keep me going more than coffee ever could.

So please, at least for them  comment, vote, react. Let me know you’re here, reading, feeling things with me.

Also small pout incoming.

Yesterday I said I completed 1K, and some of you didn’t even say congratulations.

I won’t lie- it made me a little sad. I am still grateful, I am still happy, but yeah it hurt a bit.

So now, you have a mission.

Make me happy again.

Type “Congratulations”.

Type “All the best for your exams”.

At least that much, right? 🥺💗

And before I go important announcement.

Ice cream is the solution to everything.

Happy? Ice cream.

Sad? Ice cream.

Bad day? Ice cream.

Good day? Ice cream.

Winter, summer, rain, monsoon  doesn’t matter.

I’m extremely loyal to ice cream.

So loyal that my friends literally call me Miss Ice Cream. 🍦

This is who your author is. Please accept it.

Okay, enough yapping now.

Next update coming soon.
Till then, think..
Theorise…
prepare your hearts for what’s coming next in the chapter.

I love you, my Anuvians.
So, so much.

Stay with me.

Pray for me.

And don’t disappear on me, okay?

Your Anuvae 🤍

Bye bye, take care✨
SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW, DON'T BE SLOW — AUTHOR-ANUVAE & @anuvae._.here HAVE CHAOS TO SHOW.