The morning sun spilled over the private beach resort in Goa, painting the golden sands in shades of amber and rose. Two years had passed since the family had last gathered for a long vacation, and life had moved at a dizzying, beautiful pace.

At four years old, Aarav and Adhira were full-scale whirlwinds of energy. Aarav was growing up to be a miniature version of his father, Aryan—though unlike his usual chaotic self, when it came to his dad, Aarav was a complete papa's boy, constantly trailing behind Aryan like a tiny shadow. Adhira, on the other hand, was the undisputed queen of Reyansh's heart. She was a fiercely loyal papa's girl. If Reyansh was in the room, Adhira didn't care about the rest of the world.

Then came the new additions to the family tree.Reyansh and Aadhya had welcomed their second child a year ago—a adorable, chubby baby boy named Ayansh. At one year old, Ayansh was the ultimate mumma's boy. While Adhira claimed her father, Ayansh refused to leave Aadhya's hip, burying his face in her neck whenever anyone else tried to hold him.

Disha and Aryan had recently welcomed their baby girl, Aisha three months ago. Tiny, wide-eyed, and pampered, Aisha was already wrapped tightly around Aryan's little finger. Between Aarav and Aisha, Aryan had his hands completely full with his two "papa's babies."

And finally, Krish and his wife had also welcomed their very first child—a sweet baby girl—completing the lively family troupe that had taken over the seaside resort for a much-needed week-long trip.

"Aarav, put the shoe down!" Aryan called out, chasing his four-year-old son across the resort lawn. Aarav giggled hysterically, clutching Aryan's oversized sneaker to his chest like a prized trophy.

"No! Papa's shoe!" Aarav squealed, ducking behind a palm tree.

"Aryan, please don't let him run into the mud," Disha warned from the shaded cabana, gently rocking three-month-old Aisha in her arms. Aisha cooed softly, her tiny hand wrapped around Aryan's pinky finger before he had stepped away.A few feet away, Aadhya was attempting to feed one-year-old Ayansh his morning porridge. The little boy was sitting firmly on Aadhya's lap, his small hands clutching the hem of her kurti.

"Just one more bite for Mumma, Ayansh," Aadhya coaxed softly, holding up a small spoon.Ayansh happily opened his mouth, leaning his head against Aadhya's chest right after swallowing. He didn't care about the beach, the pool, or the toys nearby; as long as he was glued to Aadhya, he was content.

"He really is glued to you, isn't he?" Krish chuckled, walking over with his wife and their newborn baby girl nestled in a bassinet stroller. "I thought Aarav was clingy with Aryan, but Ayansh is on another level."

"Don't even start," Aadhya laughed gently, kissing Ayansh's fluffy hair. "He won't let Reyansh hold him for more than five minutes without looking around for me. Meanwhile, look at those two over there."She pointed toward the edge of the pool.Reyansh was sitting on a lounge chair, wearing sunglasses and a casual linen shirt. Sitting comfortably on his lap, wearing a matching pink sun hat, was four-year-old Adhira. Reyansh was carefully adjusting her tiny sunglasses, talking to her like she was the only person in the entire resort.

"Is my princess comfortable?" Reyansh asked softly, bopping her tiny nose."Yes, Papa! But I want the pink juice with the little umbrella," Adhira demanded, resting her head proudly against his chest.

"Your wish is my command, sweetheart," Reyansh smiled, kissing the top of her head.Adhira wrapped her little arms tightly around his waist, casting a triumphant look around the deck. She was Papa's absolute favorite, and she knew it.

Long wooden tables were pushed together under a thatched roof, offering a stunning view of the crashing waves. The scent of roasted spices, fresh seafood, and hot soup filled the air.The seating arrangement reflected the family dynamic perfectly.

Aadhya sat with Ayansh securely resting in her lap, feeding him bits of soft bread. Reyansh sat next to them, but Adhira was firmly planted in the chair right beside him, holding his hand while he ordered food.

Disha and Aryan were managing Aarav (who was hanging off Aryan's arm) and baby Aisha in her portable crib glaring at her father to pick her up who was stuck with aarav... Aryan pleadingly shown his eyes to disha who was controlling her laugh.. "aaru beta come to mumma i will feed you yummy food." At first he didn't agree but eventually had to because of her cuteness. Then aryan had picked aisha who giggled and jumped happily. Aryan's heart swelled seeing this. He kissed her forehead and chubby cheeks.

Krish was taking photos of his wife and their baby girl.While they waited for the hot dishes to arrive, Reyansh stood up from the table to step toward the outdoor railing, pointing out a passing sailboat to Adhira."Look there, Adhira. See the big white boat?" Reyansh pointed out.Adhira clapped her hands.

"Papa, can we go on the boat?"

"Anything for you, my sweet girl," he murmured, picking her up and kissing her cheek before setting her down on her feet so she could run back to show Aarav her seashell wristband.Reyansh leaned against the railing for a moment, waiting for the waiters to set the appetizers down.Just then from a neighboring table—a girl of 5 years. She stopped in her tracks when she caught sight of Reyansh standing by the seaside railing, looking effortlessly handsome in his relaxed resort wear.Smiling warmly, the girl stepped closer to Reyansh."Excuse me uncle," she said with a casual flirtatious giggle. "I just had to say... you are so handsome."Reyansh looked up, slightly surprised, but kept his expression politely professional. "Oh. Thank you baby," he replied with a courteous, polite nod, immediately taking a subtle step back toward his family's table.

The exchange took less than five seconds, but five seconds was more than enough time for four-year-old Adhira to witness the entire thing.Adhira froze midway through showing her seashell bracelet to Aarav. Her big brown eyes narrowed sharply on the strange girl talking to her Papa. When she heard the words "you are so handsome," a wave of possessive fury and deep betrayal washed over her tiny heart.That was HER Papa. Nobody else was allowed to talk to her Papa like that!Her lower lip began to quiver, but instead of throwing an immediate tantrum, her tiny pride took over.When Reyansh politely turned away from the tourist and walked back toward the family table, smiling affectionately down at Adhira, the little girl didn't smile back.Reyansh reached down to pick her up. "Come here, Adhira, the food is—"Adhira deliberately swerved out of his reach. Crossing her tiny arms over her chest, she stomped right past him, her face red and her eyebrows scowling deeply.

Without saying a word, she marched straight to Aadhya. Aadhya, who was holding one-year-old Ayansh, looked up in surprise as Adhira climbed aggressively onto her lap, forcing her way into the narrow space next to her baby brother. Adhira buried her face deep into Aadhya's neck, turning her back completely toward Reyansh. Reyansh blinked, utterly bewildered. He stopped mid-step, looking down at his empty hands and then at his daughter, who was practically trying to merge into Aadhya's clothes.

"Wait... what happened?" Reyansh asked, taking a seat next to Aadhya. "Adhira? sweetheart, what's wrong?"Adhira didn't answer. She just buried her face deeper into Aadhya's shoulder, letting out a heavy, dramatic pout. Krish, who had seen the whole interaction from across the table, burst out laughing. "Bro... I think you just got dumped by your four-year-old."

"Shut up, krish," Reyansh muttered, genuinely panicked now. His baby girl had never turned away from him like this. "Adhira? Rabbit? Look at Papa."

He reached out to gently touch her shoulder, but Adhira wiggled her body away, making a tiny angry noise."She saw that girl call you handsome," Disha said, chuckling softly as she cradled baby Aisha. "Reyansh, your daughter is possessive. She's jealous!"

"Jealous?" Reyansh repeated, his eyes softening instantly. He leaned down closer to Adhira's back.

"Adhira, my princess... look at me. Papa didn't even talk to her! You're my only favorite girl in the whole world."He tried to coax her out, making silly faces, pulling softly at her pigtails, and offering her favorite mango smoothie.

"Look, Papa brought your favorite juice," Reyansh pleaded softly, his voice full of warmth and distress. "Adhira, please jaan? Give Papa a smile?"Still, Adhira refused to budge. She remained buried in Aadhya's lap, holding onto her mother's kurti for dear life, though her tiny ears were stretched wide, listening to every single desperate word her father said.

"Rey, give her some time. She's just throwing a little drama," Aadhya whispered, smiling.At that moment, the waiter arrived at the table, placing a large, piping-hot ceramic bowl of seafood chowder soup right in the center of the wooden table, directly in front of Reyansh and Aadhya. The steam rolled off the boiling surface of the liquid.

"Alright, let's get everyone fed," Aadhya said. She had Ayansh sitting on her left thigh, eating his little snacks, while Adhira was still stubbornly squirming on her right side, her legs tangled up in Aadhya's lap.

"Adhira, sweetie, sit up properly so you can eat," Aadhya said gently, shifting her body to adjust both kids. "Papa loves only you, okay? Don't be mad at him."Reyansh reached across the table once more, leaning his forearm close to the edge of the table near Aadhya to brush a thumb over Adhira's cheek.

"Come on, Adhira... one kiss for Papa?"Adhira, still overwhelmed by her childish jealousy and trying to push herself even deeper away from Reyansh toward Aadhya's chest, suddenly throws a tiny, dramatic temper tantrum kick. She kicked her legs out blindly.Clack!Her small foot hit the edge of the large bowl of scalding hot soup.Everything happened in a fraction of a second. The top-heavy bowl tipped over violently, spilling the boiling hot soup straight across the table and splashing heavily onto Reyansh's right hand and forearm."Aaagh!"Reyansh hissed loudly in pain, instinctively jerking his arm back as the steaming liquid soaked through his linen sleeve and scalded the skin on his hand. Redness bloomed instantly across his flesh.The entire table gasped in shock."Reyansh!" Aadhya cried out, her heart dropping into her stomach.Aryan jumped up immediately, knocking his chair back. "Get ice! Get cold water now!" he yelled to the restaurant staff.

The loud clatter and Reyansh's sharp gasp snapped Adhira out of her jealous mood instantly. She turned around in Aadhya's lap, her tiny eyes wide with absolute horror.She saw the spilled soup, the red, smoking burn on Reyansh's hand, and the frantic looks on everyone's faces.Aadhya, shaken and terrified for her husband, looked down at Adhira. In the heat of the frantic moment, seeing Reyansh in pain, Aadhya lost her cool."Adhira! What is this?!" Aadhya scolded, her voice sharp and firm with distress. "See what you did?! Papa's hand got burned because of you! Why were you thrashing your legs like that?!"Those harsh, panicked words hit four-year-old Adhira like a physical blow.She looked at her mother's angry face, then at her father's red, burned hand. The realization that she had hurt her precious Papa—the person she loved most in the entire world—crushed her tiny heart into a million pieces.A split second of dead silence passed before Adhira's mouth opened wide, and a loud, heartbroken sob echoed across the entire restaurant."WAHHH! PAPA! PAPA!"

Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks like a waterfall. She didn't just cry; she sobbed with her whole chest, hyperventilating from the sheer guilt and terror of what had happened. She reached her tiny hands desperately toward Reyansh, her previous anger completely forgotten, replaced by pure, agonizing remorse."butterfly, don't yell at her!" Reyansh immediately snapped softly, completely ignoring the burning agony in his right hand.

Despite Aryan rushing over with a bowl of ice water and cloth, Reyansh ignored his injury entirely. He used his good left arm to reach right over, scooping Adhira out of Aadhya's lap and pulling her tightly against his chest.

"Shh... shh, baby. It's okay. Papa is okay," Reyansh murmured urgently, pulling Adhira's tiny, trembling body close to his heart.Adhira wrapped her arms around his neck like a vice, crying so hard her small body shook. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, her hot tears soaking into his shirt.

"I-I'm s-sholly, Papa! I'm sorry!" she whimpered through loud, hiccuping sobs. "Papa's hand... hurt... I'm sorry!"

"No, no, my princess, listen to Papa," Reyansh whispered lovingly. He leaned his head against hers, kissing her forehead, her wet cheeks, her tiny nose, and her hair repeatedly. Mwah. Mwah. Mwah."It was an accident, Adhira. You didn't do it on purpose. Papa isn't mad at you. See? Look at Papa, I'm okay," he lied smoothly, ignoring the stinging pain as Krish gently applied cold water and ice to his burned skin behind him.

Aadhya took a deep breath, realizing she had reacted out of shock. Seeing Reyansh cradling Adhira so fiercely despite his burn melted her anger into guilt."Rey... let Krish put the burn ointment on your hand properly," Aadhya said softly, leaning in to wipe a tear from Adhira's face. "Adhira, baby, Mumma is sorry for shouting. Papa is going to be fine."

"No! I hold Papa!" Adhira cried out, refusing to let go of Reyansh's neck. She clung to him with all her four-year-old strength, burying her face into his cheek, planting dozens of tiny, wet, tearful kisses on his face to make up for the burn.

Reyansh smiled through the lingering pain in his hand, holding her securely with his uninjured arm while Krish applied cooling cream and wrapped a loose bandage around his forearm."See?" Reyansh whispered, nuzzling Adhira's nose with his own. "Papa is completely healed now because of your kisses. No more crying, my sweet girl."Adhira sniffled softly, her tiny fingers gently touching the edge of the bandage on his wrist. "Papa... only my Papa?" she asked in a small, shaky voice, her big eyes looking up at him filled with lingering possessiveness.Reyansh's heart swelled with so much love he thought it might burst. He kissed her cheek one more time, holding her tight.

"Always," Reyansh promised softly, smiling down at his little girl. "Only,  your Papa."

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Comment your favourite moment from this story guyss

I don't know how to say this...

Bound by Destiny has finally come to an end.

My heart feels so empty right now. I relate to every story I write because every emotion, every character, and every moment somehow becomes a part of me.

I honestly don't know how to express what I'm feeling. My God... this is so hard to say.

Maybe now you'll understand why I kept delaying the chapters. It wasn't because I didn't want to write. It was because I didn't want to reach this moment. Every chapter I posted brought me one step closer to saying goodbye, and I wasn't ready for that.

I feel like I've lost a small piece of myself.

Thank you to everyone who stayed with Bound by Destiny from the very beginning until the very last chapter. Thank you for every vote, every comment, every message, and every bit of love you gave this story. You made this journey unforgettable.

Even though this story has ended, Bound by Destiny will always have a special place in my heart. I hope it stays in yours too.

Thank you for loving my characters as much as I did.

With lots of love,

– Your Author Isha❤️