The evening air inside the house felt calm.
Too calm.
Ayaan was in the living room, reviewing documents on his tablet. Everything around him was organized — files aligned, silence controlled, life structured.
Then—
footsteps.
Kriti walked in slowly, hands in her pockets, looking completely unbothered.
She stopped right in front of him.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just confidence.
? The Bold Statement
"I don't want to work."
Ayaan didn't look up immediately.
"…What?"
Kriti sighed like she had already thought this through very deeply.
"I said I don't want to work."
Ayaan slowly lowered his tablet.
Now she had his attention.
Kriti's "Logic"
She sat on the armrest like she owned the place.
"I mean… we only have one life, right?"
Ayaan stayed silent.
"So I want to enjoy it."
She leaned back casually.
"There are already people working and making money… so obviously someone should spend it too."
A small pause.
Then she added, in a completely casual, almost playful tone:
"And I'm very good at spending."
Silence in the Room
For a moment…
Nothing moved.
Even the air felt like it paused.
Ayaan just stared at her.
Expression unreadable.
Kriti blinked.
"…What?"
Ayaan's Reaction
He finally spoke, calm and firm.
"So your life goal is to spend money?"
Kriti smiled.
"That sounds nicer when you say it like that."
Ayaan closed the tablet slowly.
"Kriti."
His tone dropped slightly.
Not loud.
But serious enough to erase her smile a little.
"You are not a child anymore."
Kriti's Defence (Funny but Nervous)
"I know… but adulthood is overrated."
Ayaan didn't respond immediately.
So she quickly added:
"I'm just being honest! At least I'm not pretending!"
Ayaan leaned slightly forward.
"And honesty without responsibility is just laziness."
Kriti Gets Slightly Stuck
"…That sounded very motivational speech-like."
Ayaan stood up now.
Fully serious.
"You will work."
Kriti immediately raised her hands.
"No negotiation?"
"No."
She sighed dramatically.
"This is dictatorship."
Ayaan didn't react.
Final Warning
"You either work," he said calmly, "or you will stop receiving anything you depend on."
Kriti froze.
Then frowned.
"…That's emotional blackmail."
Ayaan looked at her.
"It's reality."
Kriti crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.
But also slightly thoughtful now.
"…Fine. But I'm still going to complain every day."
Ayaan turned away.
"That I can tolerate."
Kriti blinked.
"…Wait, really?"
But he had already walked off.
She stood there for a second.
Then muttered to herself:
"He's so strict… it's honestly unfair."
But deep down—
she knew something had shifted.
For the first time, someone wasn't letting her escape life so easily.