LIFE AS WE KNEW IT

EPILOGUE

"Do you know what day it is?" Sathvik asked Devangana teasingly as he bent his head to kiss her on her lips.

She was in his late mother's rose garden, which they had turned into a safe play area for the children, and Sathvik had just returned from a business meeting out of state.

"Of course, I do remember," she said, laughing and kissing him back.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the children playing.

Seven-year-old Ishwari, Vedhika and Ishwar's daughter, had come over to play.

Their twin daughters, who had been born eighteen months ago, were there, and of course, her secret favourite, Muskaan, who was firmly preventing the twins from fighting over the toys.

Like all children, theirs were individual and unique, and that was how she loved them, individually and uniquely, just as she could love the new baby who was due to make his or her arrival in another four months' time.

The new baby was not planned, but he had come along, and that was a happy accident. They would love the new addition nevertheless.

But Muskaan would always be extra special to her, just as the bond of love between them was extra special.

When she had risked her own life to protect Muskaan's, Devangana had reacted as a mother, putting her child's safety before her own.

And somehow, in that split heartbeat of time, a bond had been forged between the two of them that was just as strong as the umbilical cord that had bonded her to her birth children.

Whenever strangers remarked on how alike she and Muskaan were, they always shared knowing special smiles.

No mother should have favourites, but sometimes a mother could just not help herself!

"So? What date is it?" Sathvik demanded with a smile.

"The date on which you impulsively declared to Mrs. Iyyer that I am your fiance. The date you asked me to marry you," Devangana replied promptly, laughing as she added wickedly, "For Muskaan's sake."

"For Muskaan's sake," Sathvik agreed wryly.

"And the best decision I have ever made," Sathvik added, releasing her as Muskaan left the twins to their own devices and ran across to join them, lovingly cuddling into Devangana's side.

"I hope this isn't going to be more twins," she told Devangana feelingly as she patted her growing bump.

Devangana laughed.

Both she and Sathvik already knew that the baby she was carrying was a son. They had travelled abroad for a business meeting, where Sathvik suggested that they could know the gender of the baby if they wanted.

But that was going to be their secret.

"I think it's time to take the twins upstairs for their nap," Devangana told Sathvik as she hugged Muskaan lovingly.

"Mmm," Sathvik agreed, watching as Zoya attempted to hit her twin with the doll she had wrestled from her. "I think I'll come with you."

"Oh, you two aren't going to get all soppy, are you?" Muskaan protested, rolling her eyes in seven-year-old disgust.

"Mmm. Sounds like a good idea to me," Sathvik murmured to Devangana as they watched her run back to join Ishwari.

"And to me," Devangana agreed softly.

If someone, anyone, had tried to tell her five years ago just how her life was going to turn out, she would never have believed them, never have dared to believe she could be so loved or so happy...

But she was, and according to Sathvik, he fully intended to make sure that she remained so for the rest of their lives together!

Sathvik watched as his girls slept, all cuddled against one another.

They had taken the twins up for a nap. Zoya and Zara, their eighteen-month-old twin girls, had created a fuss before going down for the said nap.

It is really very rare that the two of them go to sleep at the same time. Usually, one stays awake while the other sleeps. That way, they get to sleep very rarely.

Now that the twins had fallen asleep together, Devangana decided to take advantage of the situation and laid down with them. Muskaan had joined the lot sooner, and now his girls are in peaceful slumber, and he could watch on for however long he wants and wouldn't get bored.

He had lost his sister, and in return, God had given him this lovely family.

Recently his parents moved into his old penthouse. But they visited at least four days a week. Devangana's parents, too, dropped by every week to spend time with their grandchildren.

Ishaan had recently gotten married to Aliya Chavan. Aliya was Muskaan's nursery school teacher, whom Ishaan met two years ago when he had gone to drop Muskaan at school one day.

After that day, Ishaan had kept on insisting to drop his niece off at school. Soon they fell in love, and they got married recently.

Muskaan and Ishwari had forged a bond so very like that of Sathvik and Ishwar.

And the evil that lurked in their life five years ago was completely removed from their life.

Now retired, Harsh used all his power and locked the woman away for good.

Kidnapping two people warranted two seven-year sentences. And attempted murder of the same two gave her two life imprisonments. And in total, her imprisonment would be for thirty-eight years. Plus the fine, which her living son refused to pay, added another year to rot in the prison.

The woman, who was already fifty-plus, would most probably die in the prison. And nobody could care even a little. She deserved that.

With a smile on his face, he climbed on the bed and laid beside his girls.

"Forever Mine," his heart whispered as he looked at his girls.

A/N

That's it guys! Sathvik, Deva and Muskaan are bidding their goodbyes! I hope you loved them all..

Please share your feedbacks with me..

Check out my other ongoing books - Billionaire's Irresistible Temptation and Punarvivaah - Arranged to love. They have regular updates too..

Love,

SF❤️