The first few days, Naina felt like a ghost herself. She moved through the unknown halls silently, unsure of her place in this grand haveli filled with memories that didn't yet include her.

But with Devika and Rajesh's warm, affectionate nature, she slowly began to blend in. Rajesh himself went to fetch the admission forms for medical colleges nearby, proudly declaring he couldn't wait for the day someone would call him "doctor's father."

Naina found herself following her mother-in-law like a lost child during those early days... almost clinging to her pallu, earning affectionate chuckles from Devika.

As she grew comfortable with her new family, a gentle routine began to take shape. Every afternoon, Naina would sit with Devika and Rajesh for tea. Some days they watched old movies together, other days they simply chatted about everything and nothing.

Even the servants, who at first avoided eye contact and tiptoed around her presence, began to loosen up. As the dense grief slowly lifted from the haveli, it seemed to breathe again—lighter, warmer.

But even amidst this comfort, there were moments Naina couldn't explain.

Once, while helping Devika in the kitchen, she turned to fetch something and returned to find the teacups already set on the tray—perfectly arranged, even though no one else had been there.

Another time, as she walked past the closed study door, she heard faint footsteps inside. She paused, frowning, and reached for the knob—only to find it locked. Rajesh and Devika were both in the backyard then. She shook her head and told herself it was just the old house creaking.

And late one night, while searching for her dupatta, she found it draped neatly over the back of a chair—a chair she hadn't gone near since morning.

She chalked it all up to her forgetfulness or tiredness. After all, grief did strange things to people.

And then there were the roses.

Every morning, like clockwork, a single red rose would appear beside her pillow. Dew-kissed. Fresh. Untouched. At first, she thought it was her mother-in-law's doing—perhaps a gesture to help her feel loved. But when she finally asked Devika about it, the older woman looked genuinely surprised.

"No, beta. I thought maybe one of the maids in the house brought it. I've never seen anyone," she had said softly, a trace of unease flickering behind her smile.

But to Naina, it never felt scary. Just... strange. Unseen, but not unfelt. Like someone was watching. Protecting. Adoring.

Some neighbors still whispered two weeks later, gossiping behind closed windows about the unusual wedding and Shikhawat's new daughter-in-law. But the Shikhawat family paid them no attention.

Within the haveli, life was slowly moving forward.

It was Naina's first day at medical college. Her nerves were frayed, her palms cold with sweat. Rajesh tried to reassure her that everything would be fine, while Devika gently coaxed her to speak with her parents on the phone, hoping their familiar voices would help. But no matter how much she tried, Naina couldn't quiet the fluttering chaos in her stomach.

Rajesh had planned to drop her off himself, but seeing how anxious she was, Devika decided to come along too.

As Rajesh helped his wife into the passenger seat, Naina lingered on the driveway, clutching her bag tightly. A strange sensation prickled the back of her neck—a heavy, inexplicable feeling that she was being watched.

She looked up.

Her eyes scanned the tall façade of the haveli until they locked on a window... her bedroom window.

For a fleeting moment, she saw him.

Rajveer.

Standing still, half-hidden in the shadows of the curtain. His eyes were fixed on her, unreadable, intense. Just as she'd seen them in every photograph hanging on the haveli's walls.

Naina blinked, her breath catching in her throat.

The window was empty.

No movement. No figure. Just the flutter of the sheer curtain in the breeze.

She stared for a few more seconds, heartbeat thudding in her ears. Had she imagined it? Was her anxious mind conjuring up his presence, simply because she wished he were there?

Maybe. Probably.

With a shaky breath, she climbed into the back seat at Rajesh's call, brushing it off as a figment of her nervousness. As the car rolled away, she avoided looking back.

Unaware that in the shadows of the empty room, the curtain had stilled.

And a faint whisper echoed, unheard. "Good luck, Naina."

... --- ...

Time passed, quietly but surely.

Naina had started to love medical school. She found comfort in the hum of lectures, the scent of antiseptic, the weight of textbooks in her hands. And amidst all that, she had found a family—Devika and Rajesh, whose warmth had slowly mended something inside her.

But there was something else, too.

She began to notice it during the quiet hours, when the world outside the haveli had gone still. That feeling... that unmistakable sensation of being watched. At first, it unnerved her. She would turn around sharply, her heart racing, only to find no one. Nothing but the soft rustle of curtains or the creak of old wooden floors.

Sometimes, from the corner of her eye, she'd catch a flicker—a tall shadow disappearing around a corner, or standing still at the end of a hallway. But whenever she turned to look directly, it was gone.

What surprised her was the way the feeling changed. This presence—whatever or whoever it was—didn't chill her anymore.

It began to feel... familiar.

Like a silent companion, walking beside her in the quiet, unseen but always there. On nights when she paced the corridors studying aloud from her books, she didn't feel alone. In fact, she sometimes found herself explaining concepts out loud, as though someone was listening patiently.

She never mentioned any of this to Devika or Rajesh. She didn't want them to think she was imagining things or making light of their grief.

But in her heart, she was certain.

This quiet, lingering presence—this unseen shadow that never strayed too far—was none other than her late husband, Rajveer.

And somehow, it felt like he hadn't left at all.

... --- ...

... --- ...

Six months later.

Rajesh and Devika had gone out of town for a relative's wedding. With her midterms just a week away, Naina had decided to stay behind. The haveli felt much quieter without them—but she didn't mind. She buried herself in her textbooks, her notes spread across the haveli's library table, her pen tapping rhythmically as she studied late into the night.

Time slipped past unnoticed.

It wasn't until her stomach let out a loud growl that she startled and looked at the clock.

"Past midnight already?" she murmured to herself, blinking at the time. She chuckled softly, realizing she'd completely forgotten to have dinner.

Stretching her sore limbs, she pushed the books aside, headed downstairs, and warmed up some leftover food. After eating in silence and checking all the doors like Devika had reminded her to, she climbed back upstairs.

In the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower. Slipping into a red silk nightdress, she crawled into bed, turned off the lights, and let sleep take her.

Naina woke with a start.

There was someone in the room. She didn't hear anything—didn't see anyone at first—but every hair on her body stood up. A chill ran down her spine as a wave of awareness washed over her.

She sat up abruptly, heart pounding. Her eyes darted around the room, adjusting to the darkness.

The old wall clock on the nightstand ticked softly. 3:00 a.m.

The shadows in the room shifted subtly in the corners. Pale moonlight slanted in through the half-open curtains, adding a cool blue to the golden light, casting long shapes across the walls.

And then she saw it.

A figure.

Standing in the far corner of the room—where the moonlight didn't reach. It didn't move, didn't speak. Just stood there, tall and still, half-soaked in shadow.

"Who's there?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. Then louder, trembling, "Who are you?"

No answer.

But the figure moved.

Slowly. Stepping out from the deeper shadows, toward the bed.

Naina's breath hitched. Her back instinctively pressed against the headboard. She reached for the lamp, but it flickered once... and went out.

Now only the moonlight remained.

And then... something strange happened.

The closer the figure came, the less afraid she felt. Her fear began to melt, replaced by an odd calmness. Familiarity.

The shape was clearer now. It wasn't monstrous, nor menacing.

He had broad shoulders... tall frame... the outline of a face she had memorized from countless photographs.

Her lips parted in disbelief.

"Rajveer?" she whispered.

Logically, she knew he was dead. He had been for more than nine months now.

And yet—there he was.

Standing in front of her, dressed in his army uniform. The same one he wore in the photograph hanging on the wall just behind him. Only now, he wasn't a frozen memory. He was real. Or close enough to it.

He hadn't aged. His face was the same—strong jaw, high cheekbones, and those deep, hauntingly intense eyes. But that man in the photo was still.

This one? This man?

He was watching her.

His dark eyes locked with hers. Not mournful. Not haunted. They were alive—intense, curious, and burning with an almost unnatural focus. His gaze skimmed over her face, her lips, her throat, like he was drinking her in. Like he'd been starving.

Naina couldn't move. Couldn't even think. Her breath caught, but she didn't look away.

He stepped closer.

Silent. Controlled.

She was still sitting up in bed, covered in her red silk nightdress, the sheet tangled around her hips. Her heart was pounding, but it wasn't fear. Not really.

It was him.

He reached the edge of the bed. Didn't ask. Didn't hesitate. He sat down beside her.

Close enough to touch.

Close enough to feel.

Her voice came out as a whisper. "Ra–Rajveer... why are you—"

He leaned in, placing a finger on her lips. The gesture was commanding, gentle, and full of something primal. A rush of heat shot through her veins at the touch of his cool skin.

He didn't speak. His eyes never left hers.

Then, slowly, deliberately, he took her hand in his.

She felt his grip—strong, steady—and then he brought her hand to his lips. He kissed her knuckles, holding her gaze the entire time.

Her breath hitched.

He flipped her hand over, palm up. And then... he began kissing her fingertips. One by one. His lips were cold but soft. Each kiss lingered a heartbeat too long. Then came the brush of his teeth—light, teasing. Almost like he was tasting her.

Her whole body shivered.

A soft moan escaped her lips before she could stop it.

He heard it.

His gaze shot back to her face, eyes burning now. There was nothing gentle in them anymore... only hunger and heat. Like she'd just confirmed something he needed to know.

And then—

He stood.

Naina was disappointed at the loss of contact but couldn't tear her gaze away from him. The air around them felt electric, humming with something unspoken.

Rajveer stood still for a moment, as if deciding whether to move closer or vanish again. But then his fingers went to the buttons of his uniform.

Her breath caught in her throat.

He began to unfasten them—slowly, deliberately—his dark, passionate eyes never leaving hers. The fabric parted, revealing smooth bronze skin stretched taut over a sculpted chest. His torso was a masterpiece, every muscle defined, carved through years of disciplined training. His six-pack abs rippled subtly with every breath, proof of the countless dawns he must've spent running drills and lifting weights under the harsh army regime.

His shoulders were broad and powerful, and his biceps flexed as he slid the jacket off and let it fall to the ground. Veins ran down his muscular arms, threading like lightning under his skin. His thighs, visible now as he stepped out of his uniform pants, were thick and strong, every inch of him radiating power, purpose... control.

He looked like a warrior carved out of moonlight and shadows—commanding, magnetic, and utterly beautiful.

Naina's face flushed crimson. She should've looked away. She didn't.

He stood bare before her, unashamed, silent. Not out of arrogance, but out of trust. His intensity never faltered, his stare unrelenting. There was no shame, no hesitation. Only connection. A quiet intimacy that spoke louder than words.

Naina's eyes widened as she noticed that he was completely hard already. A wave of fear surged through her, tightening in her chest. She barely knew him. Everything she had come to understand about Captain Rajveer Singh was secondhand—stories whispered by grieving relatives, fragments of memory pieced together from old photographs and, most intimately, the pages of his secret diary she'd stumbled upon months ago. 

Those entries had stirred something in her—a reluctant sympathy, maybe even a quiet affection. but she didn't know him truly. Yet here he was suddenly in the night, seducing her.

As if he could feel her hesitation, he moved quickly back to her—almost too fast... inhumanly fast. He took her face between his hands, tightly but still gently, and said, "My wife, Naina. In life... and even beyond it." Then, he placed a deep, lingering kiss on her forehead.

"I want to love you tonight...but if you don't want that... tell me to stop, and I will go. But if you feel even a flicker of what I feel... then let me... please." His words were a plea, murmured against her skin.

Naina closed her eyes, her cheeks burning as her breath hitched. Her silence wasn't hesitation now—it was surrender. Slowly, she nodded her head, making him smile.

He leaned down a little and kissed her passionately, a deep, open-mouth kiss. His tongue invaded her mouth, and she responded hesitantly by lightly sucking on it. Rajveer patiently reciprocated by letting her tongue explore his mouth. Lost in the sensual kiss, Naina felt warm all over and she could feel herself growing wet, her fear melting away with the kisses. 

He pulled away again and reached his hands down her hips to grab hold of her nightdress. He briskly pulled it up over her head, leaving Naina naked with only her panties on. 

Startled, Naina shyly covered her breasts, embarrassed by her sudden nudity.

"You're beautiful... and mine." Rajveer stated huskily and he moved her arms away and pushed her down onto the bed with him. 

He kissed her again, just as passionately as before. He trapped one of her hands with his own, alongside her head, letting his long fingers intertwine with hers. His other hand moved to one of her breasts, exploring it, lightly squeezing and molding. Naina whimpered against his lips as he moved his thumb over her nipple, the friction causing it to pucker and rise.

Naina moaned quietly, becoming more aroused by the second. Rajveer broke the kiss again, and let his lips travel down her neck, then over onto her breasts. He kissed and licked the sensitive flesh there, and then gently took each nipple into his mouth, sucking, flicking his tongue over the pink buds. She arched her back at the sensation and wove her hands through his hair.

Rajveer smiled against her skin as he continued to move down her body, licking and kissing and sucking as he went, leaving Naina panting. He stopped before he reached her core, and quickly removed her panty that covered her there. He kissed her starting at her knee, moving his way down the inside of her thigh.

Naina gasped realizing her completely nakedness, but he continued anyway, stopping just before he reached her vagina, and then did the same with her other leg.

She was in ecstasy. "Please... Rajveer.... please" she begged him. Her mind was so cloudy and confused, she didn't know what she was begging for, but she knew she wanted it now, from him.

He gazed up at her, his eyes flashing white, and brushed the back of his knuckles against the delicate, swollen nub between her thighs. Naina nearly came undone with his touch and cried out loudly.

Taking her lustful cry as an invitation, he leaned in and gave one long, lazy lick across her wet slit.

"Aahhh" Naina cried out, and thrust her hips up towards him.

Rajveer made quick work with his mouth: licking, sucking and kissing the soft folds and the sensitive bud hidden between them. He put his fingers to good use too, slowly thrusting first one and then two fingers inside her cleft. She was very tight as she was a virgin. It took her some time to relax enough for him slide his fingers in and out effortlessly.

Naina moved her body against his mouth, grinding against him to reach her climax faster. It didn't take long with Rajveer's skillful ministrations and her body exploded. Wave after wave of pleasure consumed her, and she called out his name she didn't know how many times. 

He didn't give her much time to recover. He stood up and hurriedly moved over top of her. "Taste how wonderful you are" he growled lustfully and leaned in again for another deep kiss. Naina wrapped her arms around him tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Stay focused on me, okay?" he instructed affectionately.

Naina nodded, understanding that it was time.

He entered her then, pushing in so very slowly, so slowly it made them both moan. Naina cried out sharply when he tore through her hymen. He pause, letting her get used to the invasion.

After a while, Naina nodded against his neck and whispered, "I'm okay..."

"Hold on to me," Rajveer instructed before he began a slow and steady rhythm.

Naina instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing her hips up each time to meet his thrusts. "Oh..... Raj... Rajveeer... please... please don't stop" she begged.

He moved her legs back toward her head, allowing himself to push deeper inside her. He picked up speed, and Naina could feel that she was close. 

"Ah God.... yes... please.... just like that...more please... Rajveer..." she began to cry out nonsensically, the pleasure overwhelming her.

She could think of nothing else but him, and the exquisite sensations he was giving her. Rajveer could sense she was close and bent his head to take one of her nipples into his mouth.

It was the tipping point she needed. "Ahhhhh I'm so close...puhhhlease Rajveer, I'm going to...AAAHHHH!!!" Naina let out a feral scream she didn't know she could make, her body shaking violently with her orgasm.

The muscles inside her vagina contracted around his cock, sending him over the brink with her. He groaned loudly and spilled himself inside her. He laid on top of her while they both caught their breath. Naina absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair.

Suddenly he seemed very vulnerable, and Naina felt oddly protective of him. After a short while, he looked up at her, his black eyes wide almost with wonder. He gave her another passionate but tender kiss, and picked himself up off her, his cock sliding out of her. He pulled the blankets up over her, almost tucking her in like a child.

As he reached for his clothes, Naina's heart clenched. She wasn't ready for him to disappear—not yet. Not after what they had just shared. "Please... don't go," she whispered, clutching his hand like he might slip through her fingers if she let go.

Rajveer paused, then turned back to her with a soft, knowing smile. He didn't speak, but his eyes, intense and full of something that felt like forever, said enough. He leaned down, kissed her forehead with a reverence that made her chest ache, and then quietly settled back beside her.

Naina let out a tiny breath of relief and nestled closer to him. Her eyelids grew heavy, the weight of the night finally catching up with her. Rajveer traced his long, beautiful fingers over her face and through her hair, the pale blue moonlight reflecting off them both.

... --- ... 

... --- ...

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

"Mmm..." Naina groaned, blindly reaching out to silence the alarm. Her body protested as she sat up—heavy with exhaustion, her limbs aching with a soreness that didn't make sense.

Her brows knit together. 'Sore?' she thought, puzzled.
And then—
Like a tidal wave—it all came rushing back.

Last night.

Rajveer.

Her eyes snapped open as she turned to the other side of the bed.

Empty.

The sheets were smooth. Cold. Undisturbed. No trace of anyone else ever having been there.

She stared for a long second, her heart thudding in her chest.

Had he really been here? 

"It had to be a dream," she whispered to herself, trying to inject logic into her thoughts. "Dead people don't..." she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

But when she pulled the blanket aside and looked down, her breath caught.

She was naked.

And not just undressed—her body bore subtle signs of a night she couldn't have simply imagined. Her skin tingled with phantom touches, and her lips still felt swollen from kisses she wasn't sure were real.

Confused and breathless, Naina pressed a hand to her chest.

Was it really a dream... or had her dead husband come back for her, just for one night?

The whole day, Naina couldn't shake the memory of the previous night. It had felt so real—too real to simply be a dream. Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel him again... his touch, his breath, the way he had looked at her. The sensations lingered, trailing along her skin like a ghost she couldn't see.

She shivered suddenly and rubbed her arms as if trying to erase it all. "No," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. "It wasn't real. It couldn't have been."

It had to be her imagination. Stress, maybe. An overworked mind weaving fantasies from old diaries and whispered stories.

But the doubt refused to fade.

By the time she returned home that evening, she was completely drained—physically and emotionally. She couldn't remember a single word spoken in any of her classes, or how she'd even made it through the day.

After a long, hot shower, she changed into a soft silk nightdress and let herself collapse into bed. The moment her head touched the pillow, a deep sigh escaped her lips. She curled beneath the covers, pulling them up to her chin like a shield, and allowed sleep to take her.

A soft hand caressing her cheek stirred Naina from sleep.

Her eyes fluttered open—and there he was again.

"Rajveer," she whispered, barely believing it. "You came back."

He smiled tenderly and leaned in to kiss her.

"Wait," she said quickly, placing her hand on his chest to stop him. She pushed herself up, eyes searching his face. "You have to explain everything to me. Why are you here? How are you here? Am I dreaming?"

Rajveer chuckled softly as he sat beside her, the moonlight casting a silvery glow on his features. "So many questions, Mrs. Shikhawat?" he teased gently.

"Answer me," Naina insisted, a slight whine in her voice.

He smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "No, love. You're not dreaming. And I'm here... because of you. Isn't that obvious?"

She stared at him, her brows furrowed. "But why me? Why can't Maa or Baba see you?"

His gaze turned wistful as he ran his fingers along her cheek again. "I've been around since the day I..." His voice faltered, and he gave her a small, sad smile. "I tried to reach out to them—talk to them, even touch them—but it was like I didn't exist."

He paused before continuing. "Then we got married. That night, I saw you fall asleep sitting up. Instinctively, I reached out to help you lie down... and to my shock, I could. I could touch you."

His fingers brushed hers gently, as if to prove the point.

"I didn't know what to do with this new... connection. So I kept my distance, watching over you. But somehow, you always sensed me. You'd glance toward where I was standing, even when I made no sound." He smiled at the memory. "When I overheard Maa and Papa planning their trip, I realized I finally had the chance to come to you properly. If you screamed... no one would come running, and I'd at least get a chance to explain."

Naina looked down, her face flushing crimson. "But we didn't talk last night... we... we just..."

Rajveer laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Yeah, that... wasn't exactly part of my plan."

He looked at her sheepishly.

"It's just... you're my wife. I saw you, felt you, and everything I'd been holding back just..." he sighed, "... it all came rushing out. I guess emotion took over." His voice was gentle now, honest. "But if it was too much... if I crossed a line..."

Naina's hand reached for his, lacing their fingers together. "You didn't," she whispered, cheeks still warm. "I just needed to know I wasn't going crazy."

Rajveer smiled, the tension melting from his features. "You're not crazy," he said softly. "But you are mine."

Naina reached out and gently cupped his face, her thumb brushing along his jawline. She guided his gaze to meet hers and leaned in, kissing him softly, with quiet intensity.

"Thank you," she whispered as she pulled back, her forehead resting against his. "For trusting me."

Rajveer smiled and turned his face to place a tender kiss on the hand still holding him. "Who else would I trust?" he murmured, his voice low and warm.

Their eyes locked again, and in the silence between words, he leaned in.

This kiss was deeper—hungry and searching. His hands found her waist, pulling her gently toward him. Naina moved without hesitation, rising onto her knees. Her fingers tightened around his shoulders as his lips moved against hers.

He slowly slid the straps of her nightdress down her arms, his touch reverent. The silk slipped from her body like water, pooling at her knees. He took his time, brushing his fingers down her spine, then lifting her slightly to slide her panties off with quiet care. He tossed the garments aside, but his gaze never left hers.

Naina's breath hitched.

There was no rush between them. Only aching closeness. Skin on skin. Spirit to soul.

She wasn't sure what this was—how it was even possible—but in this moment, nothing mattered except that he was here.

That he had chosen her.

That despite all the logic screaming otherwise, her heart whispered: This is real.

And so she gave in.

To the night.

To the love.

To him.

That night, they made love with a passion that blurred the lines between the living and the dead. And just like the night before, Rajveer vanished with the first light of dawn.

This is how their love endured — fleeting moments wrapped in moonlight, stolen touches in the quiet of night — for the next seven years.

Naina never spoke of it to anyone. The world saw a widow dressed in soft hues, who smiled gently and lived with quiet grace. But her heart belonged to a man who returned only under the cover of stars.

Worried for her future, both families gently urged her to consider remarriage. Rajveer's mother, Devika, tearfully said, "You're still so young, beta. Life shouldn't stop for you here."

But Naina held her head high and answered with a calm smile, "I am still Rajveer's wife. And I don't think I'll ever be lucky enough again to find such a loving family. So I'll stay."

Her mother tried to reason with her, her voice softer, tinged with pain. "But what about motherhood, Naina? Don't you want to hold a child of your own one day?"

A week later, Naina walked into Shikhawat Haveli with three children, siblings, all under the age of six. They were orphaned after both of their parents had tragically passed in an accident. Their mother had been Naina's patient at the ER. She introduced them as her children.

Devika had gone silent for a long moment. Then she walked over, pulled the children close, and hugged them tight. "Welcome home," she whispered.

Rajesh signed the adoption papers the very next day, giving them the Shikhawat name. Naina became not just their mother in heart, but on paper too.

That night, Rajveer appeared in her room with eyes full of emotion and pride. He knelt beside the bed where their new children lay fast asleep and pressed a kiss to each of their foreheads.

"I've never loved you more," he whispered, voice heavy with feeling.

Naina smiled through her tears. "They're ours, Rajveer. And they always will be."

From then on, the Haveli echoed with laughter again — tiny feet running down ancient hallways, bursts of giggles behind curtain folds, drawings taped onto old furniture.

Love had found a way. Not in the way anyone expected — but in the way that mattered most.

As years passed, the presence of Rajveer became woven into the quiet rhythms of their home.

In the Shikhawat library, the children would sit cross-legged with open books. Rajveer, unseen to most, would crouch beside them, guiding little fingers across words and gently correcting their pronunciation.

He'd vanish the moment Rajesh stepped in to check on them...  always just in time, always just a whisper too late to be caught. Rajesh would shake his head with a confused smile, wondering how the children had already mastered lessons far beyond their age.

The youngest of the three, Meher, just two years old when she came to the Haveli, was always found laughing in corners, babbling to "Baba."

One afternoon, Devika found Meher in the garden, giggling as she reached out to something... or someone. Her little hands were stretched toward thin air, her eyes sparkling.

"Who are you playing with, Meher?" Devika asked curiously.

"Baba," Meher chirped, running toward the empty swing that had just begun to sway gently on its own.

Devika blinked, unsettled but strangely comforted. She didn't say anything, but that night, she lit a diya in the prayer room and whispered, "Is it really you, Rajveer..."

Naina never tried to hide the truth. She simply told the children, "Your Baba comes to you when no one else is around. Because he's very special... and very shy."

They believed her, with the innocent faith only children can carry.

But when Aarav, the eldest, turned twelve, things began to shift. He started noticing the little oddities others missed — how Baba was never around when guests visited, how the room always grew a few degrees cooler just before he appeared, how shadows seemed to bend around him like they recognized him.

One afternoon, while searching for an old sketchbook, Aarav stumbled upon a wedding photo tucked deep in Naina's drawer. It showed his mother in bridal attire, radiant and smiling... but standing alone, holding a framed photo of a man — Rajveer. There was no groom beside her, only his memory.

Confused, Aarav brought the picture to Naina.

She looked at it quietly for a moment, then patted the space beside her. As he sat down, she gently began to explained her ghost marriage. 

And suddenly, everything made sense.

The man who coached him through his exams, who kissed Meher's forehead goodnight, who once sang a lullaby when his sister was ill.... their Baba wasn't just special. 

He was a ghost.

That night, Aarav looked straight into Rajveer's eyes and asked, "You're not alive... are you?"

Rajveer smiled softly. "Not in the way others are. But I've never felt more alive than when I'm with you three."

Aarav nodded. He didn't cry. He simply hugged him and whispered, "Thank you for staying."

And Rajveer stayed. As long as they needed him. As long as Naina waited for him.

Their love — strange, strong, and true — had built something no grief could ever break.

The End

... --- ...

... --- ...

... --- ...

A/N::: And that's the end of Spectral Delight 💫

Thank you so much for joining Naina and Rajveer on this unusual, emotional, and deeply magical journey. I hope their love — which defied logic, distance, and even death — touched your heart in some way. ❤️

If you enjoyed this story, please don't forget to vote, comment, and let me know your favorite moments! Your support truly means the world and keeps me going as a writer. ❤️