Chapter 84 :

After chatting for a few more minutes, Advay finally glanced at the time and stood up.

"I should get going," he said, stretching slightly. "I'll pick you all up tomorrow around 5:30 PM."

Bhavana smiled warmly. "That sounds perfect, dear."

Chunky nodded. "Looking forward to it."

Before leaving, Advay turned to them with a grateful smile. "Thank you for tonight. It really meant a lot."

Bhavana patted his arm gently. "You're family now, Advay. You're always welcome here."

Chunky smirked. "Just make sure you keep hitting those sixes. And, of course, take care of our daughter."

Advay nodded sincerely. "Always."

Just as he was about to leave, Rysa practically jumped in front of him. "Wait, wait! Before you go, we need to take a picture together!"

Advay chuckled. "Of course."

Rysa excitedly pulled out her phone, standing next to him as they posed for a quick selfie—her beaming widely while Advay smirked at the camera.

A few minutes later, as he got into his car, he opened Instagram and posted the picture, captioning it:

"My new sister and my biggest fan. ❤️🔥"

Within seconds, the comments started rolling in.

@yuzi_chahal23: "Does that mean I'm disowned? 💔😂"

@virat.kohli: "This guy is collecting siblings now."

@rysa.pandey: "YESSS. BEST CAPTION EVER. Also, I AM your biggest fan. FACTS."

Smirking, Advay put his phone away and drove off, already looking forward to tomorrow.

At 3 PM, Advay made his way to the supermarket, weaving through the aisles with practiced ease. He grabbed fresh meat, vegetables, sauces, and all the essential ingredients he needed for dinner. Unlike his usual routine of letting someone else handle food, today was different—he had decided to cook.

By 4:50 PM, he returned home, placing the bags on the kitchen counter.

His family, already gathered in the living room, stared at him in disbelief.

"You're… cooking?" Aditi's voice was full of shock.

Arjun raised an eyebrow, looking up from his newspaper. "Since when do you cook?"

Ilana, more amused than surprised, smiled. "That's wonderful, dear. But… you've never stepped into the kitchen before."

Advay casually rolled up his sleeves. "First time for everything, right?"

Aditi gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "First time?! First time?! This is your first time cooking, and you're doing it for Ananya? I feel betrayed! I have been your sister for years! Where was this energy for me?"

Advay smirked, leaning against the counter. "You never asked."

Aditi let out an exaggerated gasp. "I never asked? Oh, the audacity! Mom! Did you hear that?!"

Ilana chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, Aditi, let your brother be. I think it's sweet that he's putting in the effort."

Arjun, still skeptical, smirked. "Let's see if this effort is even edible first."

Little did they know, Advay had a secret weapon—his Michelin-star chef template from the system, which he had bought to cook for Ananya on one of their dates.

He wasn't just going to cook.

He was going to impress.

Got it! Ananya already knows how good of a cook Advay is because he had cooked for her before.

Here's the fixed response:

At 5:25 PM, Advay slid into the driver's seat of his black Mercedes-Benz V-Class, a spacious luxury MPV that could comfortably fit everyone. The evening sun cast a warm glow over the streets as he drove toward Ananya's house, the soft hum of the engine the only sound in the otherwise quiet ride.

At exactly 5:30 PM, he rang the doorbell.

The door opened within seconds, and Rysa peeked out first. "Oh wow, Mr. Punctuality. Right on time."

Advay smirked. "Of course. Champions don't run late."

Rysa rolled her eyes playfully and stepped aside as Chunky and Bhavana walked into the living room, greeting him warmly.

As everyone gathered their things, Ananya led him to the couch, sitting beside him.

"So," she said, raising an eyebrow as she studied him. "You look way too smug. What's up?"

Advay leaned back, his smirk widening. "I'm cooking tonight."

Ananya tilted her head, amused. "Oh? And what's the occasion?"

He chuckled. "Just felt like it."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I hope you realize that you can't surprise me with this. I know you're amazing in the kitchen."

Advay smirked. "Still, tonight's special."

Rysa, who had been eavesdropping, poked her head in. "Oh my god, Advay is cooking? Didi, tell me he's making that pasta dish you went on and on about last time."

Chunky, overhearing the conversation, grinned. "Son, if you manage to pull this off again, I think I'll be more impressed than I was with your last-ball six."

Bhavana chuckled. "It's lovely that you're putting in the effort."

Ananya, still amused and intrigued, nudged him. "Alright, let's see what you've got, MasterChef."

Advay smirked. "Oh, trust me. You're going to be impressed."

After chatting for a while, Advay led them outside to his black Mercedes-Benz V-Class, where they all settled in comfortably.

As the car pulled up to the Rai Estate, the grand entrance gates slowly swung open, revealing the massive estate sprawling before them. The lush gardens, the multiple buildings, and the sheer scale of the place left Rysa completely stunned.

She practically pressed her face against the car window, eyes wide. "WHAT. THE. HELL. This is your house?"

Ananya chuckled, already expecting this reaction. "Yeah, welcome to the Rai Estate."

Rysa turned to Advay, still in shock. "Dude. This is not a house. This is an entire city. I think I just saw a different time zone on the other side of the property."

Advay smirked as he parked the car. "It's not that big."

Rysa scoffed. "Are you kidding me? I feel like I need a passport just to walk from one end to the other."

Chunky and Bhavana, while much calmer, were still clearly impressed by the sheer size of the estate.

Bhavana smiled, nodding approvingly. "It's beautiful, Advay. Truly."

Chunky grinned. "No wonder you play so well. You probably have a full stadium in the backyard to practice in."

Advay chuckled. "Not exactly, but close."

Rysa, still taking in everything, leaned toward Ananya. "Didi, why didn't you tell me it was this big?!"

Ananya laughed. "I tried. You just didn't believe me."

Rysa dramatically shook her head. "Nope. This place is unreal. Are you sure we're not in a Bollywood movie?"

Advay chuckled, stepping out of the car and opening the doors for them. "Alright, enough sightseeing. Let's go inside."

Still muttering in awe, Rysa followed them inside, already excited for what was next.

Advay parked the car in the garage before leading Ananya's family toward the main house.

As they stepped into the grand yet welcoming living room, Advay's family—Arjun, Ilana, and Aditi Rai—were already waiting for them with warm smiles.

Ilana was the first to step forward, greeting Bhavana with a kind expression. "It's so lovely to finally meet you properly."

Bhavana smiled back, shaking her hand. "Likewise. We've been looking forward to this."

Arjun, ever the lively one, grinned as he shook Chunky's hand. "So, we meet at last! I have to say, your daughter is an absolute gem. And your future son-in-law? Well, I think he's turning out alright too."

Chunky laughed. "I think we got lucky with both of them."

Meanwhile, Aditi had her eyes locked on Rysa, who was still slightly in awe of everything around her. Smirking, Aditi walked up to her.

"You must be Rysa," she said, offering her hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

Rysa snapped out of her amazement and grinned. "And you must be the Aditi Rai. The woman who had no idea her brother was going to propose on live TV."

Aditi groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me. I'm still not over that betrayal."

Rysa laughed. "Oh, we're going to get along just fine."

As the two girls hit it off, the rest of the families settled into conversation, getting acquainted with one another. The atmosphere was warm, filled with laughter and easy conversation—just like two families meant to become one.

As the families sat comfortably in the living room, chatting and getting to know each other, Advay stood up, stretching slightly.

"If you'll excuse me," he said casually, "I need to get started on dinner."

Arjun raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Still not over the fact that my son is actually cooking today."

Chunky chuckled. "Same here. I have to see this for myself."

Advay smirked. "You'll see when it's done."

Just as he was about to leave, Ananya got up as well. "I'll help."

Ilana smiled knowingly. "Of course, dear. Go ahead."

Aditi crossed her arms, smirking. "Ohhh, so when we ask for food, you pretend you don't know how to cook, but when Ananya walks in, suddenly, you're a MasterChef?"

Advay rolled his eyes. "I already told you—she's special."

Aditi groaned. "Ugh, disgusting. I'm losing my brother to romance."

Rysa leaned toward her, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear. "We'll survive this, Aditi. Stay strong."

Ignoring them, Advay smirked at Ananya and led her toward the kitchen, the sounds of laughter from both families fading behind them.

In the kitchen, Advay grabbed two aprons from the drawer, tossing one to Ananya.

She caught it effortlessly, tying it around her waist. "Alright, Chef Rai, let's do this."

Instead of responding, Advay smirked, stepped closer, and kissed her—slow and teasing, his hands resting lightly on her waist.

Ananya smiled against his lips, rolling her eyes as she pulled back. "Okay, okay, I get it. You're confident."

He chuckled, his smirk never fading. "I don't need confidence. You already know how good I am."

She huffed playfully. "Please, I already know you're an excellent cook. I just think the world needs to see it too."

She suddenly perked up with an idea. "Wait… let's go live on your Instagram."

Advay raised an eyebrow. "Live?"

She nodded excitedly. "Yeah! Just for fun. We can show everyone the cooking, chat with fans—it'll be a good time."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You just want to see the comments explode, don't you?"

She grinned. "Absolutely."

After a moment of mock hesitation, Advay sighed dramatically. "Fine. Let's do it."

Ananya quickly grabbed his phone, opening Instagram and starting the live stream. Within seconds, fans flooded in, comments rolling in at lightning speed.

@RCBForever: "WAIT ADVAY RAI IS LIVE?!"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "Cooking? Oh, this is gonna be fun."

@yuzi_chahal23: "OH MY GOD. This is history. Someone screen record this NOW."

@virat.kohli: "Advay… in a kitchen? This I have to see."

Advay shook his head, laughing. "Alright, alright, calm down, guys. We're making dinner. Yes, I do know how to cook."

Ananya smirked, leaning into the frame. "And trust me, he's amazing at it. I should know."

Fans went wild.

@RCBFanboy: "ANANYA FLEXING THAT SHE GETS PERSONAL CHEF ADVAY LMAO"

@SpicyCricketGossip: "If he doesn't open a restaurant after cricket, I'll be disappointed."

Advay rolled his eyes. "Alright, let's get started before you distract me too much."

She laughed, grabbing the first set of ingredients. "Let's see what magic you're about to cook up this time."

As Advay started prepping for the appetizers, he focused on finely chopping the herbs while Ananya managed the ingredients beside him. The soft sizzle of butter melting in the pan filled the kitchen as the live chat continued to flood with messages.

@RCBForever: "Congrats on the engagement, legends! ❤️🔥"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "Bro really hit a six to win the IPL and then dropped to one knee. Absolute cinema."

@CricketFever07: "Proposal was elite, but I still can't believe you actually did it live."

@AdvayTheGOAT: "Advay Rai. Man of the Match. Man of the Moment. Man of the Year. 😂🔥"

Advay, glancing at the comments, smirked slightly. "You guys are never gonna let this go, huh?"

Ananya, stirring a sauce beside him, laughed. "Nope. Never."

The chat immediately exploded.

@RCBFanboy: "ANANYA AGREES. WE WIN."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "Not even five minutes into the live, and he's already getting roasted. We love to see it."

@Rysa.Pandey: "DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN THAT I WASN'T WARNED ABOUT THE PROPOSAL EITHER. JUST SAYING."

Advay shook his head, smirking. "Alright, alright. Yes, I did it live on TV. Yes, I planned it. And no, I don't regret it."

Ananya grinned, nudging him. "Good. Because I loved it."

Chat exploded again.

@WeStanLoveStories: "STOP THIS IS SO WHOLESOME."

@Cricket_Fanatic99: "Okay fine, forgiven. But only because Ananya said so."

@StraightDriveKing: "I'm still expecting a full explanation at some point, just saying."

Advay chuckled, shaking his head as he flipped the prawns in the pan with precision. "You guys should be paying attention to the food, not just my love life."

Ananya raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, I think they can handle both."

As Advay finished plating the appetizers and moved on to prepping for the main course, the chat started blowing up with fans panicking about his future in RCB.

@RCBForever: "Advay, will you stay in RCB next season?!"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "Bro, please don't leave. RCB without you is unthinkable."

@CricketFever07: "Tell us right now—are you staying?!"

@AdvayTheGOAT: "Loyalty test time. RCB or not?"

Advay, carefully seasoning the steak, smirked slightly as he glanced at the chat. "Guys, listen, it's not in my hands. The franchise has to retain me for that."

The moment he said that, chaos erupted in the chat.

@RCBDiehard: "NO NO NO NO. RCB RETAIN HIM RIGHT NOW."

@StraightDriveKing: "I'm not emotionally stable enough for this conversation."

@RCBFanboy: "I refuse to live in a world where Advay Rai is not in RCB."

@RedAndGoldArmy: "Advay leaving? I'd rather delete my cricket memories."

Ananya, watching the comments fly by, bit her lip to keep from laughing. "You really love making them panic, don't you?"

Advay grinned, flipping the steak in the pan. "What's life without a little drama?"

Then, smirking at the camera, he casually said, "Virat, if you're watching, please retain me. I love RCB."

And that's when it happened.

A new comment popped up in the chat, instantly sending the entire live into a frenzy.

@virat.kohli: "Haan haan, abhi live pe bolke pressure daal raha hai. 😂 Don't worry, you're going nowhere. #RCBforLife"

The chat absolutely exploded.

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "VIRAT HAS SPOKEN. EVERYONE RELAX."

@RCBFanboy: "GET MANAGEMENT ON THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY."

@CricketGuru: "RAISE HIS SALARY. GIVE HIM A STATUE. JUST DO SOMETHING."

@StraightDriveKing: "I can breathe again. But barely."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "Virat casually dropping a bomb like it's nothing."

Ananya, reading the comment, burst out laughing. "Oh my god, Virat literally just reassured everyone in one line."

Advay grinned. "That's the captain for you."

The chat was still going crazy, spamming red and gold hearts, memes, and celebrations.

@RCBDiehard: "I NEED THIS CLIPPED. ADVAY AND VIRAT BOTH STAYING. PEACE RESTORED."

Advay, finally shaking his head at the sheer madness of it all, went back to cooking. "Alright, now that we've established I'm not leaving, can we talk about how perfectly I'm about to cook this steak?"

But the chat wasn't ready to move on just yet.

@CricketMemesDaily: "Nah bro, we're still celebrating. Cook your steak, but let us scream."

As Advay expertly flipped the steak in the pan, the chat took a new direction—fans were now asking Ananya questions about their relationship.

@RCBForever: "Ananya, how did you two even meet?"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "Yeah, tell us the full story! We need details!"

@SpicyCricketGossip: "Did you fall for him at first sight? 👀"

Ananya glanced at Advay, who was fully focused on the steak, smirking as he waited for her to answer.

"Okay," she said, smiling. "The first time we met was actually at a restaurant when he was still playing for Karnataka. We just talked briefly and left. That was it."

The chat immediately exploded.

@RCBFanboy: "WAIT WAIT WAIT. JUST TALKED AND LEFT??"

@StraightDriveKing: "NO DRAMATIC MEETING? NO SPARKS? NO LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?"

@CricketFever07: "You're telling me the Advay-Ananya love story started with a casual chat and that's it?"

Ananya laughed. "Yeah, that was literally it. No crazy story. Just two strangers crossing paths."

Advay, smirking as he plated the steak, finally spoke up. "You forgot to mention that you were the one staring at me first."

Ananya narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

The chat lost it.

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "OH HE'S CALLING HER OUT LMAO."

@RCBFanboy: "ANANYA EXPLAIN YOURSELF."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "This live is giving us EVERYTHING."

Ananya rolled her eyes but smiled. "Anyway. The second time we met was during his first IPL season."

@CricketMemesDaily: "OKAY NOW WE'RE LISTENING. WHAT HAPPENED?"

@AdvayTheGOAT: "DID HE IMPRESS YOU WITH HIS BATTING OR BOWLING?"

Ananya tilted her head, pretending to think. "Hmm… honestly, neither."

Advay paused, staring at her. "Wow."

The chat erupted in laughter.

@RCBForever: "BRO JUST GOT HUMBLED ON HIS OWN LIVE."

@StraightDriveKing: "Advay, are you okay? 😂"

Ananya grinned. "Relax. I was already impressed before the match even started."

Advay smirked again. "Knew it."

As the chat continued buzzing with excitement, the questions quickly shifted focus again.

@RCBForever: "Okay but HOW did Advay approach you? Who made the first move?"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "Yeah, we need the full story. How did he get your number? 👀"

@CricketFever07: "Did he just walk up and ask? Or was there some legendary Advay Rai tactic involved?"

Ananya smirked, glancing at Advay, who was still calmly plating the steak.

"Alright, so the second time we actually met wasn't at an IPL match," she said, watching the comments roll in. "It was at the MRF shoot. We were both there for different reasons, and that's where we properly spoke for the first time."

The chat immediately blew up.

@RCBFanboy: "WAIT WAIT WAIT. THE MRF SHOOT?!"

@StraightDriveKing: "Bro, this man was out here securing brand deals AND his future wife at the same time."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "Advay casually winning on and off the field."

Ananya laughed. "After that, I was in the stands watching one of his matches—and that's when he actually came up to the stands to meet me."

The chat exploded again.

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "HE WENT TO THE STANDS?! DURING A MATCH?!"

@RCBFanboy: "Man has ZERO FEAR."

@CricketFever07: "Okay but smooth move. Carry on."

Ananya smiled, shaking her head at the memory. "So we were just chatting, and somewhere in between, he asked for my number."

@StraightDriveKing: "And you gave it? Just like that?"

Ananya grinned mischievously. "Nope. I made a bet with him."

The chat was now losing it.

@CricketMemesDaily: "OH THIS JUST GOT INTERESTING."

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "WHAT WAS THE BET?! TELL US."

Ananya smirked. "I told him that if he scores a hundred in his next match, I'll give him my number."

The chat went crazy.

@RCBForever: "ANANYA YOU MADE HIM EARN IT?! RESPECT."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "Girl set elite standards."

@AdvayTheGOAT: "Bro took it personally, didn't he?"

Advay, finally speaking up, smirked as he leaned against the counter. "Of course, I did."

Ananya laughed. "Oh, and he wasn't done. He added another clause to the bet."

@RCBFanboy: "WHAT CLAUSE?!?!"

@StraightDriveKing: "Advay out here negotiating contracts mid-flirt."

Ananya smirked. "He said that if he scored the fastest hundred in IPL history, I would go to dinner with him."

The chat immediately erupted.

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "OMG WAIT WAIT WAIT—YOU GUYS REMEMBER HIS 29-BALL HUNDRED, RIGHT?!"

@RCBFanboy: "NO. NO WAY. DON'T TELL ME THAT WAS FOR THIS?!"

@CricketFever07: "BRO SCORED A RECORD-BREAKING HUNDRED FOR A DATE?!"

Ananya grinned. "Yep. That 29-ball hundred? It was for this bet."

The chat absolutely lost it.

@RCBForever: "NAH THIS MAN WAS ON A MISSION."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "You're telling me one of the greatest IPL innings EVER was because of a number and a dinner date?! ICONIC."

@StraightDriveKing: "HE REALLY SAID 'CHALLENGE ACCEPTED' AND MADE HISTORY."

Ananya turned to Advay, shaking her head with a smirk. "You really had to go that far, huh?"

Advay smirked back. "Well… I wasn't going to lose."

The chat was still losing their minds, spamming fire emojis, memes, and pure shock as the live continued.

As Advay finished plating the final dish, he wiped his hands on a towel, glancing at the screen—only to see the chat had completely shifted topics.

@RCBForever: "Okay, serious question now… when's the wedding?!"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "Yeah, enough teasing. GIVE US A DATE."

@CricketFever07: "Bro went from record-breaking centuries to record-breaking romance. When's the big day?!"

@SpicyCricketGossip: "If the wedding isn't at Chinnaswamy, we riot."

Ananya, who was finishing up arranging the table, turned to look at Advay, raising an eyebrow. "Well, go on. Tell them."

Advay smirked, leaning against the counter. "Oh, so I'm the one answering this?"

Ananya grinned. "You proposed in the middle of a stadium, live on TV. You knew this was coming."

The chat exploded again.

@RCBFanboy: "SHE'S RIGHT, YOU ASKED FOR THIS."

@StraightDriveKing: "BRO SET HIMSELF UP FOR THIS MOMENT."

@CricketMemesDaily: "Advay, no dodging. WHEN?!"

Advay chuckled, shaking his head. "We haven't decided yet."

The chat flooded with protests.

@RCBForever: "NO. THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER."

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "GIVE US A TIMEFRAME AT LEAST."

@SpicyCricketGossip: "IS IT THIS YEAR? NEXT YEAR? WE NEED TO PLAN OUR FAN CELEBRATIONS."

Ananya laughed, shaking her head. "Relax, guys. When we decide, you'll definitely know."

Advay grinned. "Yeah, and who knows? Maybe we'll announce it live again."

The chat went absolutely wild.

@RCBFanboy: "THIS MAN LEARNED NOTHING. HE'LL DO IT LIVE AGAIN."

@StraightDriveKing: "We are witnessing the most entertaining couple in cricket history."

@CricketMemesDaily: "Advay and Ananya giving us content every time they go live. We love to see it."

Ananya smirked at Advay. "Now that you've said that, we have to do it."

As the chat continued buzzing with excitement, filled with endless wedding predictions and fan theories, Advay and Ananya exchanged amused glances.

Advay chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, guys, I think that's enough chaos for one night."

Ananya smiled, leaning closer to the camera. "Thank you all for joining! This was fun."

@RCBForever: "NOOO DON'T GO YET!"

@WeBleedRedAndGold: "One more question! Just one more!"

@CricketFever07: "We need a Part 2. Maybe live from the wedding? 👀"

Advay laughed. "Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that. But for now, we have a dinner to serve."

Ananya grinned. "And trust me, after all this teasing, I deserve this meal."

The chat went wild again.

@RCBFanboy: "ANANYA JUST FLEXING SHE GETS MICHELIN-STAR CHEF ADVAY AGAIN."

@StraightDriveKing: "We lost. She won."

Advay smirked. "Alright, that's it. We're signing off."

Ananya waved at the screen. "Bye, guys! Thanks for all the love!"

With that, Advay ended the live, shaking his head at the sheer madness of the chat. As Ananya reached for the plates, still grinning from the chaos of the live, Advay suddenly pulled her into a hug. His arms wrapped around her tightly, his chin resting lightly on her shoulder.

She froze for a second before melting into his embrace, smiling softly. "What's this for?"

Advay exhaled, holding her a little closer. "Just felt like it."

Ananya smirked, resting her hands on his back. "Feeling emotional, Mr. Rai?"

He chuckled against her hair. "Maybe."

Then, in a quieter voice, he murmured, "I love you."

Ananya smiled, turning her head slightly so their faces were just inches apart. "I love you too."

Advay smirked. "Good. Now let's go before Aditi and Rysa start a riot over the food."

Ananya laughed, shaking her head as they finally pulled away, ready to serve dinner.

As everyone finally picked up their forks and took the first bite, the reactions were immediate.

Aditi, who had been dramatically skeptical all evening, froze mid-chew. Her eyes widened, and she slowly put her fork down. "What… the actual hell?"

Rysa, her fork still in her mouth, stared at Advay like he was an alien. "Bro. What is this?!"

Chunky, after taking a bite of the perfectly cooked filet mignon, leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "I don't know whether to be impressed or personally offended that you've been hiding this talent."

Bhavana, savoring the truffle risotto, smiled warmly. "Advay, dear, this is incredible. I feel like I'm at a fine-dining restaurant."

Arjun, cutting into his steak, let out a hum of approval. "I'll admit, I was expecting something good. But this? This is next level."

Ilana, after tasting the salmon, tilted her head, studying her son suspiciously. "Okay, now I'm really confused. When did you even learn to cook like this?"

Advay smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "Trade secret."

Aditi, still staring at her plate like it had personally betrayed her, pointed her fork at him. "No. No, no, no. You don't get to just say 'trade secret' after cooking this. You better start talking."

Rysa nodded furiously. "Yeah! How? When? Why have I never eaten this before?!"

Ananya, watching the chaos unfold, laughed. "I told you all he's amazing, but no one believed me."

Aditi threw her hands up. "BECAUSE HE NEVER COOKED FOR US BEFORE!"

Rysa groaned. "This is betrayal. Pure betrayal."

Advay, clearly enjoying the reactions, took a bite of his own food, smirking. "Maybe if you're nice to me, I'll cook for you next time."

Aditi narrowed her eyes. "I am always nice to you."

Ananya snorted. "That's a lie."

The table burst into laughter, the shock slowly turning into admiration as everyone continued eating. Even after a few more bites, the reactions didn't stop—everyone was too stunned at just how ridiculously good the food was.