Mafia's Heartbeat

bonus chapter 4

First Glance, Forever Home"

The moonlight spilled through the curtains like silver silk. The haveli had gone still, only soft night sounds remained — the creak of old wood, the hush of wind through the jharokhas.

Inside the master bedroom, Rahul leaned back against the headboard, his glasses pushed up, a photo album open on his lap.

Anjali walked in quietly, drying her hands with the towel from the kitchen. “Still awake?”

Rahul smiled, eyes still on the photograph. “Couldn’t sleep. The house is too full of love tonight.”

She chuckled softly and walked over, climbing beside him.

“What are you looking at?” she asked, peeking at the album.

He turned the page slowly — and there she was.

A grainy photograph. Younger. Simpler. Her hair braided, her salwar plain. A shy smile.

“My first glimpse of you,” Rahul whispered. “It was your cousin’s wedding. You were handing out chai. You didn’t even notice me.”

Anjali rolled her eyes fondly. “You were wearing sunglasses at night and acting mysterious. Of course I noticed you. I just thought you were full of yourself.”

Rahul laughed. “I was. Until you walked past and said, ‘Nice sunglasses. You look like a lost movie villain.’”

She burst into giggles. “I did say that!”

“And I fell for you that exact second,” he said softly, placing the album aside. “You weren’t like anyone from my world. You had sharp words and soft eyes. You made me want to prove I was worth something real.”

Anjali smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. “And I kept waiting for you to disappear.”

He looked down at her. “Why?”

“Because… girls like me didn’t get dreams like you.”

He kissed the top of her head. “You didn’t get me. You chose me. And every day since, I’ve thanked the stars for that.”

They sat in silence for a while.

Then Anjali murmured, “Did you see them tonight? Aarav and Tanuj?”

Rahul nodded, his eyes distant. “Yes. That moment when Aarav held Tanuj’s hands to his chest... it reminded me of you. Of when I used to hold your hands like I’d lose you if I let go.”

Anjali smiled. “Tanuj’s still such a little one inside. And Aarav… so gentle with him. I saw how Nikhil looked at them. Like he couldn’t believe love like that existed.”

“Our boys are safe,” Rahul whispered. “They’re happy. And that’s all we ever wanted.”

Anjali leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You gave them that. A home. A name. A forever.”

Rahul kissed her back on her temple, her forehead, her lips. Slow. Certain. Like there was no rush in the world.

“Not just me,” he said. “We did this. Together.”

She smiled, tears pricking her eyes.

Then she climbed under the blanket, pulling him with her. “Come sleep. Before you get even more romantic and I start crying.”

He chuckled, slipping in beside her. Wrapping her in his arms. Pressing his nose into her hair.

“I’ll never get tired of loving you, Anjali.”

“And I’ll never stop being surprised you still do,” she whispered.

They kissed once more. Gentle. Lingering.
And then curled into each other.

Two lovers who became parents.
Two hearts that made a family.
And in the quiet of the haveli, under a roof they built with love —
they drifted to sleep, wrapped in everything they never thought they’d deserve.

My love to JoohaIsMyPoha