After dinner, the Rathore household slowly drifted into its nightly rhythm, like a symphony of warmth settling into softer notes. The clinking of dishes from the kitchen gradually quieted, the TV’s hum melted into bursts of soft laughter as Veer and Shalini bickered light-heartedly over which film to rewatch for the hundredth time, and the golden lights dimmed into a cozy glow across the living room.

Ivaan, meanwhile, had declared full rebellion.