Shiva never expected his life to turn out like this.

Not after everything that had happened. Not after years of revenge, misunderstandings, and cold stares.

But here he was-a happily married man.

And the best part? Kalpana proposed to him first.

It was supposed to be a normal evening. He had just finished a long day at work when Kalpana showed up at his office, hands on her hips, looking as dramatic as ever.

Kalpana: "Listen up, Mr. Ice King!"

Shiva: "...What?"

Kalpana: "I have decided something very important."

Shiva: (raising an eyebrow) "Should I be worried?"

Kalpana: "Yes. Because you're going to marry me."

Shiva almost choked on his coffee.

Shiva: "Excuse me?"

Kalpana: (crossing her arms) "You heard me. You love me. I love you. Let's get married. Simple."

Shiva: (blinking) "And what if I say no?"

Kalpana: (smirking) "Then I'll marry your best friend, Yash. He's quite handsome, you know."

That was it. That was the moment Shiva decided he wasn't going to let this crazy woman go.

A week later, they were married.

Now, every morning, he woke up to Kalpana stealing his blanket. Every evening, she would force him to watch terrible romance movies. And every night, he would listen to her ramble about the most random things before falling asleep mid-sentence.

And he loved every second of it.

Because this was his happy ending.

Shiva sat in the quiet of the night, staring at the empty side of the bed.

Kalpana was gone.

The accident had stolen her from him in the cruelest way possible. One moment, she was there-arguing, laughing, teasing him about his grumpy face-and the next, she was just... gone.

He couldn't do anything.

For the first time in his life, Shiva felt truly powerless. No amount of money, power, or revenge could bring her back.

But he couldn't break.

Not when Ravi, Arjun, and Suriya were still looking at him with their mother's eyes, carrying her fire, her stubbornness, her love.

Ravi, the eldest, tried to act strong, just like him. But Shiva could see through the act-he had Kalpana's hidden softness.

Arjun, the troublemaker, carried her mischief. He could never sit still, always finding ways to annoy Ravi and Suriya, just like Kalpana used to do to him.

And Suriya... Suriya was her exact copy. The same bright eyes, the same reckless courage, the same way of making him feel alive even when he wanted to disappear into his grief.

One night, as he tucked them into bed, Suriya sleepily held his hand and whispered, "Papa, don't be sad. Mommy is still here."

Shiva's breath caught.

Suriya smiled, tapping his chest. "She's in here."

That night, he finally allowed himself to cry-not because he was weak, but because he had a reason to keep going.

For his children.

For the love Kalpana had left behind in them.

_____

Shiva placed a comforting hand on Suriya's shoulder. "Just wait a little, dear. Even for a while... you too will find a good partner."

Suriya gave a small nod but remained lost in thought. Love? Could she really hope for something like that?

Just then, the door opened, and a doctor in his late 20s walked in. His presence was calm yet confident.

Ravi smirked. What a timing.

The doctor glanced at Supriya. "Are you okay?"

Supriya quickly nodded. "Yes, doctor..."

Shiva's eyes widened slightly. "Kevin... you're Soniya's son, right?"

Kevin smiled politely. "Yes, sir. And you are...?"

Shiva leaned back. "I'm like her brother-in-law."

Kevin extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."

As the two men engaged in conversation, Suriya sat in silence.

Her father's words echoed in her mind-you too will find a good partner.

She sighed, stealing a glance at Kevin.

Did she really have someone waiting for her in this life?

Unbeknownst to her, Kevin had also glanced her way... and smiled.