The Beginning of Trouble

It was another typical morning at the Oberoi mansion. The sun had just risen, and the house was slowly coming to life. The breakfast table was bustling with activity, and Arnav and Anirudh were discussing business matters while the younger siblings seemed lost in their own world.

But then, Avni walked in, her face flushed with frustration and anger.

"What's wrong?" Aryan asked, looking up from his phone, noticing her tense expression.

Avni slammed her bag on the table, causing everyone to turn their attention to her. "I got into trouble at school!" she snapped, clearly upset.

The others stared at her, surprised. Avni, the girl who was usually the picture of confidence and mischief, rarely found herself in such situations.

"What happened?" Ayush asked, genuinely curious but also wary.

"I got into a fight with one of my classmates," Avni said, her voice rising. "It was all over something stupid, but I’m sick of being treated like an outsider at that school. I'm tired of people thinking they can walk all over me!"

The Fallout

Arnav raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "A fight, Avni?" His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it. "That’s not like you."

Avni's eyes flashed with frustration. "You don’t understand, Arnav! It’s always the same! People bully me, make fun of me for no reason, and I’m supposed to just take it?"

Anirudh, who had been silent up until this point, looked at her thoughtfully. "Avni, fighting won’t solve your problems. You have to learn how to handle situations with control."

"But I did handle it!" Avni shot back. "I didn’t start it, but I finished it."

The Confrontation

Before anyone could say anything else, Arnav stood up from his chair. His eyes were cold and piercing, his expression firm. "You’re not a child anymore, Avni. You need to think before you act. This behavior is unacceptable. I’m disappointed in you."

Avni’s jaw dropped in disbelief. "What do you mean, you’re disappointed? I’m not a robot who follows your orders all the time. I’m allowed to make my own decisions!"

Arnav’s gaze never wavered. "Fighting at school, especially over something as trivial as words, will only make things worse for you. You’ve put yourself in a position where I’ll have to step in now."

Avni crossed her arms. "I don’t need your help. I can handle my own problems!"

The Punishment

But Arnav wasn’t done. He walked over to Avni, his expression serious. "No, Avni. You’re not handling this. You’re making things worse. And because of your actions, there will be consequences."

Avni felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She had known that Arnav didn’t tolerate such disrespect—but this was far more than she had anticipated.

"Get up," Arnav commanded.

Avni frowned. "What do you want me to do now?"

"You’ve earned a punishment for this behavior. You will spend the rest of the day doing something productive. I don’t care if you don’t like it. I’ll decide what you’ll be doing."

The Strict Lesson

Avni’s eyes widened. "You can’t possibly be serious!"

But Arnav wasn’t one to back down. "Yes, I am. You need to understand that there are consequences for every action. Discipline is something you’ve been lacking, and I’m going to make sure you learn that lesson."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "You’ll start by cleaning the entire library—top to bottom. And then, you’ll help the staff with dinner prep tonight. This is your punishment, and it will continue until you show me that you’ve learned how to behave in a way that reflects the values of this family."

Avni felt her blood boil. She wasn’t used to being treated like this—especially by her own brother. But the anger simmered beneath the surface as she reluctantly nodded.

"Fine," she muttered.

The Long Day

As the hours passed, Avni found herself doing something she had never thought she’d be doing: scrubbing the floors and dusting the shelves in the mansion’s grand library. Her hands ached, and the smell of dust and old books made her head spin.

She had been fuming the entire time, but deep down, she knew Arnav had a point. This situation wasn’t just about the fight—it was about her lack of control, her impulsiveness, and her inability to truly understand the weight of her actions.

At the end of the day, when she was finally finished, she couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of accomplishment. The library had never looked better, and the fact that she had done all the hard work herself made her realize that discipline wasn’t as bad as she had thought.

But the realization didn’t come easy. She still resented Arnav for putting her through such a tough day.

The Confrontation with Arnav

Later that evening, when dinner was being served, Avni sat across from Arnav. There was no avoiding him now.

"Arnav," she started, her voice softer than before, "I know I messed up. I was wrong to fight, but you could’ve handled it differently. You didn’t have to make me scrub the entire library."

Arnav looked at her calmly. "I’m glad you’re finally understanding. Punishment isn’t about making you suffer—it’s about teaching you responsibility, Avni. You’re not a little girl anymore."

Avni met his gaze. "I get it. I should’ve thought more before I acted. I’ll try to do better."

Arnav gave a small nod. "That’s all I wanted to hear. Remember, actions have consequences. But I also know you’ll come through this stronger."

Avni gave a small smile, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She had learned the hard way, but perhaps that’s exactly what she needed.