Author pov...

Rahul stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the path where Ishani had just disappeared.

The moment she went out of his sight, it felt as if the world around him had gone silent.

His vision blurred with tears, and he wiped them again and again, but they refused to stop.

He didn’t understand what he had done so wrong.

All he had done was love her.

Since childhood… since the days when they were too young to even understand what love meant.

For Rahul, Ishani had never been just a person she was a habit, a memory, a feeling that had quietly grown with him through the years.

Every day of his life somehow revolved around her presence.

Only he knew how difficult it was to pass a single day without seeing her face.

How he would wait for just one glimpse of her.

How his heart would beat faster the moment she appeared in front of him.

And when she looked at him even for a second with softness in her eyes, it felt like his entire world had come alive.

He had never tried to learn the world the way other people did.

Instead, he had spent years unknowingly learning her.

He knew the way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was nervous.

The way her smile slowly spread across her face when she was truly happy.

The way her eyebrows frowned when she was angry.

He even knew the secret she thought no one knew.

The way she wrote ghazals late at night and hid them carefully, afraid that someone might read the emotions she poured onto those pages.

Rahul loved every part of her the loud laughter, the silent sadness, the stubborn anger, and even the things she tried to hide from everyone.

But today…

Today, when he finally gathered all the courage he had and spoke the truth of his heart the love he had carried for years she looked at him with disgust and called it filth.

That one word shattered something deep inside him.

It echoed again and again in his mind like a cruel reminder.

Filth.

Was his love really that dirty in her eyes?

The thought made his chest ache so badly that he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

His heart pounded painfully, as if it was breaking with every beat.

Rahul stood there helplessly, tears rolling down his face, completely lost.

He didn’t know how to prove that his love was pure.

He didn’t know how to make her understand that loving her had never been wrong for him.

All he knew was that the girl he had loved with all his heart since childhood had just walked away… leaving behind a silence so painful that it felt like his entire world had collapsed around him.

Rahul stayed there for a long time, crying helplessly. He didn’t even

realize how much time had passed.

His tears kept falling as he stood on that empty road, staring at the direction where Ishani had disappeared.

The pain in his chest refused to fade, and the silence around him only made his heartbreak louder.

Meanwhile, Ishani reached home.

Divya had been waiting for her for quite a while.

She kept glancing at the door every few minutes, curiosity and excitement written all over her face.

The moment she saw Ishani enter the house, she quickly walked toward her with a bright smile.

“So?” Divya asked eagerly. “Deeksha finally proposed to Rahul, right? And Rahul must have accepted it too?”

Ishani stopped.

She slowly looked at Divya, but instead of excitement, there was clear anger in her eyes. Without answering a single word, she turned away and walked straight toward her room.

Divya frowned in confusion.

“What happened to her?” she murmured.

Something clearly felt wrong, so she followed Ishani to her room. Ishani had already entered and sat on the bed when Divya walked inside.

“Ishani,” Divya said softly, “tell me what happened. Why are you so angry? Is something wrong?”

Ishani pressed her fingers to her forehead as if trying to ease the heaviness in her head.

“No… nothing,” she replied quietly. “I just have a headache. Please leave. I want to rest.”

Divya watched her carefully. She could tell that Ishani was hiding something, but she also knew that forcing her to speak would only make things worse.

“Okay,” Divya said gently. “Rest for a while.”

With that, she quietly left the room.

The moment the door closed, Ishani’s expression changed.

Anger filled her mind again, and the more she thought about Rahul, the more upset she became.

How could he even think like that about me?

Ishani was six years older than Rahul.

Since the day she had met him, she had always treated him like a younger brother.

She had cared for him, scolded him, supported him, and loved him with the innocent affection of an elder sister.

For her, Rahul had always been the younger boy she needed to protect.

Her entire life she had given him that kind of love.

And today… he misunderstood that love completely.

The thought made her clench her fists in frustration.

Just then, her phone started ringing.

She picked it up and looked at the screen.

It was Abhay.

Without thinking, she cut the call.

But within seconds, the phone rang again.

Ishani sighed in irritation before finally answering it.

“Hello, Ishani,” Abhay said from the other side.

“Yes,” she replied shortly.

“So tell me,” Abhay said curiously, “how did it go? Did Deeksha’s proposal work?”

Ishani paused for a moment before answering.

“No,” she said calmly. “Rahul loves someone else.”

There was silence for a second.

“And Deeksha?” Abhay asked slowly.

“She left,” Ishani replied. “She went somewhere crying. You should go and find her.”

Abhay was completely shocked.

“What?!” he said in disbelief.

Ishani simply hummed in response.

Without saying anything more, Abhay ended the call.

Ishani placed her phone aside and walked to the washroom.

She splashed water on her face again and again, hoping the cold water would calm the storm inside her mind.

But even after that, the irritation and confusion inside her heart didn’t disappear.

Finally, feeling mentally exhausted, she lay down on her bed.

She closed her eyes tightly, forcing herself to sleep, hoping that a little rest might quiet the chaos in her thoughts.

Rahul somehow gathered himself after breaking down.

The pain in his chest was still there, heavy and sharp, but he forced himself to breathe normally.

Then suddenly, another worry crept into his mind.

Deeksha.

The thought of her crying and running away made guilt rise inside him. No matter what had happened, he knew he had hurt her deeply.

That entire night, Rahul kept calling both Deeksha and Deepak again and again.

His phone screen lit up countless times in the darkness, but neither of them answered.

Every unanswered call made the uneasiness inside him grow stronger.

He barely slept.

As soon as morning came, Rahul tried again. This time he called Deepak.

After a few rings, the call was finally answered.

“Deepak… is Deeksha okay?” Rahul asked immediately, his voice filled with worry.

Deepak was quiet for a moment before replying, “Hmm… she’s fine.”

Rahul let out a small breath of relief. The tight knot in his chest loosened a little.

“Take care of her,” Rahul said softly. “She probably won’t come in front of me again. I… I broke her heart after all.”

There was a brief pause on the other side before Deepak replied, “Yeah… okay.”

Rahul nodded silently even though Deepak couldn’t see him. Then he ended the call.

After getting ready, Rahul stepped out of the house to go to college.

But the moment he came outside, his footsteps slowed.

Ishani was standing near the gate, waiting for Vaibhav.

The morning sunlight fell softly around her, but the moment Rahul saw her, memories of everything that had happened the previous day rushed back into his mind like a storm.

Her angry eyes.

Her harsh words.

That one word that had shattered him.

Filth.

Rahul’s chest tightened again.

Just then, Ishani looked up and noticed him standing there.

For a brief second, their eyes met.

But the very next moment, Ishani looked away and ignored him completely almost as if he didn’t even exist.

As if his presence meant nothing.

That silent indifference hurt Rahul far more than her anger.

Something inside him sank.

Without saying a word, Rahul walked to his bike, started it, and rode away toward college, leaving behind the silence that lingered between them.

That day at college, neither Deepak nor Deeksha came.

Rahul somehow managed to get through the day, but everything felt empty.

The classrooms felt quieter, the corridors strangely dull.

He kept glancing at the door again and again, as if hoping Deeksha would suddenly walk in or Deepak would appear beside him like usual.

But neither of them came.

The next day, Deepak finally started coming to college again. Yet something about him had changed.

He looked dull and distant, as if the spark inside him had faded. He spoke very little and mostly kept to himself.

Rahul understood the reason.

He knew Deepak loved Deeksha deeply. Seeing her suddenly disappear from college without any explanation had clearly hurt him.

Both of them missed her terribly.

Sometimes they would sit silently in class, both lost in their own thoughts.

But Rahul’s pain didn’t end there.

When he returned home every evening, another ache waited for him.

Ishani.

Every single day she ignored him as if he didn’t exist. She would walk past him without even looking at him, without speaking a word.

And every night, Rahul would lie awake, his heart restless and heavy, silently crying in the darkness.

Days passed like that filled with silence, distance, and unspoken pain.

Then one night, Rahul’s phone suddenly rang.

He picked it up and looked at the screen.

It was Rajni aunty, Deepak’s mother.

Rahul quickly answered the call.

“Hello, aunty?”

“Rahul beta… is Deepak with you?” Rajni aunty’s voice sounded anxious and shaky.

Rahul frowned in confusion.

“No aunty, he’s not with me. Why? What happened?”

Rajni aunty sounded frightened as she replied, “Rahul beta… Deepak left the house in the afternoon, and it’s already night now. He hasn’t come back yet. He didn’t even take his phone with him. I’m feeling very scared.”

Rahul immediately grew worried.

“Aunty, where would he go like that?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said helplessly. “I told him that Deeksha has gone to London… and he got very angry at me. He shouted, asking why I didn’t tell him earlier, and then he ran out of the house.”

Rahul’s eyes widened in shock.

“What? Deeksha went to London?”

“Yes,” Rajni aunty replied sadly. “She left this morning.”

Hearing this only made Rahul more anxious.

“Aunty, please don’t worry,” he said quickly. “I’m coming to your house right now.”

Rajni aunty sighed softly. “Hmm… okay, beta.”

Rahul immediately got ready and rushed out of his house.

It was already late at night as he started his bike and drove toward Deepak’s house.

But while passing through the street, his eyes suddenly fell on a familiar sight.

Ishani.

She was walking outside with Abhay.

Rahul slowed down slightly in surprise.

Ishani had never been someone who wandered outside late at night like this.

For a moment, he just looked at them.

Ishani and Abhay also noticed Rahul passing by.

But instead of reacting, both of them simply ignored him as if he wasn’t even there.

Rahul felt the sting of that indifference again, but this time he didn’t stop.

He tightened his grip on the bike handle and sped away toward Deepak’s house.

His mind was a tangled mess of thoughts—Deepak… Deeksha… Ishani.

Everything felt confusing, heavy, and painfully complicated.

Rahul reached Deepak’s house late at night.

The entire street was quiet, but Rajni stood outside the gate, restless and worried, her eyes constantly searching the dark road.

The moment she saw Rahul’s bike stop, a small hope appeared in her tired eyes.

Rahul parked his bike and quickly walked toward her.

“Aunty…” he said softly, trying to sound calm even though worry filled his own chest. “Please don’t panic. Deepak must be somewhere nearby. Maybe he just needed some time. He’ll come back.”

Rajni’s eyes filled with tears. She shook her head slowly.

“No, Rahul beta… if he was nearby, he would have come back by now.” Her voice trembled with guilt. “It’s already so late. The way he shouted at me before leaving… it’s echoing in my ears again and again. I didn’t even know that something was wrong between him and Deeksha.

Rahul gently said, “Aunty, please come inside. Don’t stand out here like this.”

Rajni nodded weakly. Rahul guided her into the house and made her sit down.

Her face looked pale with worry.

He quickly brought a glass of water and handed it to her.

“Please drink some water, aunty,” he said softly.

Rajni held the glass with trembling hands and slowly drank the water.

Rahul watched her quietly, trying to calm the storm of fear in her heart.

After a moment, Rahul said gently, “Aunty… can I have your phone for a minute?”

Rajni immediately handed him her mobile without asking anything.

Rahul took the phone and reassured her,“Please don’t worry. Deepak will come back. Nothing will happen to him.”

Rajni nodded silently, though the worry in her eyes hadn’t faded.

Rahul then stepped outside with the phone in his hand.

Standing alone in the quiet night, he dialed Deeksha’s number, hoping she would answer.

Rahul knew very well that if he called Deeksha from his own phone, she would never answer.

That was why he dialed her number from Rajni aunty’s phone instead.

The phone rang only once.

On the other side, Deeksha picked up immediately, unaware of who was calling.

“Hello, aunty…?” she said softly.

Rahul closed his eyes for a second before speaking.“It’s not aunty… it’s me, Rahul.”

The moment she heard his voice, Deeksha froze. Her fingers tightened around the phone. Her heartbeat suddenly felt louder than everything else.

For a few seconds, she couldn’t say anything.

Rahul spoke again, his voice filled with worry.

“Deeksha… where are you? Please tell me honestly… did Deepak come to meet you? Aunty is standing outside the house, waiting for him like a helpless mother. She’s extremely worried.”

Deeksha took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“Yes… he came to meet me in Delhi.” Her voice was faint. “But he left after meeting me. He didn’t stay… he just left. He should reach Banaras by morning.”

Rahul slowly exhaled, relief washing over him.

After a small pause, he asked quietly,

“Is it true… that you’re leaving for London?”

“Hm…” Deeksha replied softly.

Rahul’s voice broke slightly.

“Why, Deeksha…? Why are you leaving like this? You’re going away from both of us so easily. Do you have any idea how empty Banaras will feel without you? How empty will we feel?”

Deeksha forced herself to stay calm.

“I have to go, Rahul. My mother isn’t

well… she needs me.”

Rahul gave a bitter, painful laugh.

“I know you too well, Deeksha. You’re not just going for your mother… you’re running away. Running away from me… from all of this.” His voice softened. “Tell me honestly… can’t we just forget everything? Can’t we go back to the way we were before? Just Best friends… like we always were?”

“There’s nothing like that,” she said quickly, but her voice trembled. “I just… I don’t feel good in Banaras anymore. Every corner reminds me of things I want to forget. That’s why I have to leave.”

Rahul stayed silent for a moment.

When he spoke again, his voice carried deep regret.

“I’m really sorry, Deeksha… truly sorry. I never realized how badly I hurt you. I broke your heart without even understanding it.” His voice cracked. “And… the same thing happened to me. Someone broke my heart too.”

Deeksha’s eyes widened.“What…? Did you… did you finally propose to the girl you love?”

“Yes,” Rahul whispered. “I gathered all my courage and told her everything… every feeling I had hidden for so long.” He paused. “But she rejected me.”

Silence filled the call.

Deeksha didn’t know what to say.

Rahul continued, his voice heavy with pain.

“Now I finally understand what you must have felt that day… the way your heart must have shattered.” He took a deep breath. “But please… don’t punish Deepak for my mistakes. He loves you, Deeksha. More than anyone ever could.”He added softly, “And honestly… he’s a far better man than I am.”

Deeksha closed her eyes, her heart aching.

“It’s not your fault, Rahul,” she said gently. “You’re such a good person that any girl would be lucky to fall in love with you.” Her voice broke slightly. “These feelings… they were mine. I let them grow, and now I’m learning how to control them.”

She continued quietly,

“If I stay in Banaras… I’ll only break again and again. I don’t have the strength for that anymore. That’s why leaving is necessary and as for Deepak, I have already explained everything to him… and he has understood..”

Rahul finally understood.

Deeksha had already made her decision.

After a long silence, he spoke softly.

“Alright… if that’s what your heart has decided… then go.” He tried to smile through the pain. “Maybe someday we’ll meet again… when all this pain becomes a distant memory. When we can look at each other without carrying these broken pieces inside us and become friends like before.”

Deeksha’s eyes filled with tears.

“Thank you, Rahul,” she whispered. “Friends like you are rare. I don’t think I’ll ever find someone who understands me the way you do.”

Rahul looked up at the dark sky.

“Take care of yourself, Deeksha.”

“You too.” Deeksha replied

“Good night.”Rahul said

“Good night, Rahul.”Deeksha said

The call ended.

Rahul walked back inside the house and looked at Rajni, who was still sitting there with worry written all over her face.

“Aunty, please don’t worry,” Rahul said gently. “Deepak has gone to Delhi to meet Deeksha. He will be back by morning.”

Rajni’s eyes widened in shock.

“What?” she exclaimed. “He didn’t tell me anything! He doesn’t even have money with him, nor his phone. How could he just run away to Delhi like that?”

Rahul tried to calm her down.

“Aunty, please don’t take tension. He’s fine. He has already met Deeksha, and he’ll be back by tomorrow.”

But Rajni still looked confused and worried.

“But why did he go all the way to Delhi to meet her?” she asked slowly. “Why didn’t they meet here in Banaras? Did something happen between them… did they have a fight?”

Rahul sighed and sat down on the chair beside her. After a moment of silence, he quietly told her everything.

As Rajni listened, her expression slowly turned into shock.

“Deepak… loves Deeksha?” she asked softly, hardly believing it.

Rahul nodded. “Hmm.”

Rajni looked at him again and said with disbelief, “But… Deeksha loves you.”

Rahul lowered his eyes and nodded again.“Yes… and that’s why all of this happened. She’s going to London because of it.”

Rajni felt a deep sadness in her heart for all three of them. For a moment, she didn’t say anything. Her thoughts were heavy, but her biggest worry was still her son.

After a while, she looked at Rahul and said softly, “It’s very late now, Rahul. You should go home.”

Rahul immediately shook his head.

“No, aunty. I can’t leave you alone like this. Not until Deepak comes back. I’ll stay here.”

Rajni looked at him with affection in her eyes, touched by his concern.

“Alright,” she said gently. “But tell me one thing… have you eaten dinner?”

Rahul nodded lightly. “Hmm.”

Rajni sighed with relief. “That’s good then.”

The two of them kept talking quietly through the night about Deepak, about old memories, about small things to pass the time.

Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, exhaustion slowly took over.

Without even realizing it, both of them eventually fell asleep, waiting for Deepak to return.

On one side, Divya was busy preparing breakfast. In the morning light,Divya skillfully flipped golden aloo parathas on the tawa.

She was lost in the rhythm of the morning until a shadow fell across the doorway.

Vaibhav stepped in, his eyes softening as he watched his wife work.

Moving like a silent predator, he slipped behind her. Before she could react, his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her back against his chest in a firm, possessive embrace.

"Vaibhav!" Divya gasped, her heart leaping. She tried to squirm away, her voice a frantic whisper. "You scared the life out of me! Let go Maa or Ishani could walk in any second!"

Vaibhav didn't budge. Instead, he leaned down, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Let them come," he murmured against her skin, his breath warm and teasing. "You’re my wife. If I don't have the right to hold you, who does?"

"You’ve become incredibly shameless since the wedding," Divya retorted, though a blush was already creeping up her cheeks.

In response, Vaibhav gave her neck a playful, sharp nip.

Divya turned to glare at him with mock indignation, but as she tried to break free, he pressed a lingering kiss just below her ear.

An involuntary moan escaped her lips a sound that made Vaibhav’s lips curl into a triumphant grin.

"You’re terrible! Go away," she huffed, trying to regain her composure. "My parathas will burn because of your mischief."

Vaibhav finally let go and took a bite of a paratha.

When Divya asked how it was, he kissed her cheek and said, "Nothing beats the food made by my wife’s hands."Divya smiled.

Suddenly, Vaibhav suggested, "Divya, you should really take cooking classes. You cook so well that you could become a chef! You should teach everyone how to cook on YouTube."

"No, I don't cook that well," Divya demurred.

"Yes, you do! It's amazing," Vaibhav insisted.

Just then, Ishani walked into the kitchen with a smirk. "Wow, what's going on here between Bhaiya and Bhabhi?"

Divya blushed instantly. Vaibhav turned to his sister, "Ishani! You tell her doesn't your Bhabhi cook incredibly well? Shouldn't she start cooking classes?"

"Yes, Bhaiya is right!" Ishani agreed. "That's a great idea. Divya, you should definitely do it."

"Okay, I'll think about it," Divya replied, making both Ishani and Vaibhav happy.

Then, Ishani’s expression shifted. "Actually, Bhaiya, Bhabhi... I need to talk to you both and Maa about something."

"What is it?" Vaibhav asked.

"Come to the hall, I'll tell you there," Ishani said.

Divya and Vaibhav shared a look, nodded, and followed Ishani out of the kitchen.

The cozy warmth of the kitchen evaporated as they stepped into the hall.

Ishani called out for Malini, and soon, the four of them stood in a tense circle.

The air felt heavy, as if a storm was

brewing just beneath the surface.

"Alright, Ishani," Vaibhav said, his voice laced with concern. "We’re all here. What is so important?"

Ishani’s hands trembled, and she looked down at the floor, her voice barely a whisper. "Bhaiya... Maa... I’m in love with someone."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Vaibhav and Malini exchanged a look of pure shock. Before Malini could speak,

Vaibhav stepped forward, his protective instincts flaring. "Who is he? Tell me his name."

Ishani took a shaky breath. "It’s... Abhay Thakur."

The name hit the room like a physical blow.

Divya felt her breath hitch in her throat, her heart momentarily stopping.

Vaibhav’s face transformed instantly the brotherly warmth vanished, replaced by a dark, simmering rage.

"Abhay Thakur?" Vaibhav thundered, his voice echoing through the house. "Of all the people in this world, Ishani, you chose him? Have you forgotten what his brother did to you? The way he harassed you? Do you have any idea what kind of family that is?"

Ishani flinched at his shouting, tears already welling in her eyes.

"Vaibhav, stop!" Malini intervened, placing a hand on his arm. "Lower your voice. You’re scaring her. Let her speak." She turned to her daughter, her voice trembling slightly. "Ishani... you never told me there was someone in your life."

"Abhay was in London, Maa," Ishani sobbed, the tears finally breaking free. "He came back, and yesterday... he proposed. He said he’s bringing his parents today to officially ask for my hand."

The shock deepened. Divya stared at Ishani in a daze, a sting of betrayal mixed with her fear. They were best friends as well as sisters-in-law Ishani used to tell her everything. How could she hide something this massive?

"Tell him not to come!" Vaibhav snapped, pacing the room like a caged tiger. "Tell him there is no need for a rishta. I will never, under any circumstances, let you marry into that house."

"Bhaiya, please..." Ishani pleaded

through her sobs.

"Vaibhav, beta, at least listen to her," Malini urged, though her own face was pale. "Why are you being so stubborn?"

"How can I listen, Maa?" Vaibhav turned to her, his eyes blazing. "Don't you remember what their son did to Ishani? Don't you remember how his mother threatened Divya? That family is poison!"

"I remember, beta," Malini said softly, trying to be the voice of reason. "But maybe Abhay isn't like them. He’s lived in London all this time, perhaps he's different..."

But Vaibhav wasn't listening.

He turned away, his heart hardened by the past, while Ishani collapsed onto the sofa, her heart breaking as her dream of a future with Abhay began to crumble before it even started.

"But Bhaiya, I love him!" Ishani cried out, her voice cracking with desperation. "Abhay isn't like the rest of his family. He loves me, too. We’ve been together for years..."

The word years hit Vaibhav like a physical strike.

He recoiled, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Years? You mean to tell me you’ve been sneaking around with him, right under my nose, for years?"

A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room.

Suddenly, Vaibhav turned his gaze toward Divya. She flinched as his eyes searched hers, sharp and demanding.

"Did you know about this, Divya?" his voice was dangerously low now, a sharp contrast to his earlier shouting.

Divya trembled, her throat tight with fear.

She couldn't find her voice, paralyzed by the raw fury in his expression.

"Divya!" Vaibhav barked, stepping toward her. "I am asking you a question. Did you know Ishani was seeing him?"

Unable to lie to him anymore, Divya gave a small, hesitant nod.

Vaibhav let out a hollow, bitter laugh.

The betrayal stung worse than the secret itself. "And you didn't think it was important to tell me? You didn't think to warn Ishani that she was losing her heart to a man whose

family tried to destroy ours?"

"Vaibhav, stop it!" Malini snapped, stepping between them. "Why are you screaming at Divya? This isn't her fault. Don't take your anger out on her."

Vaibhav looked around at the three women in his life, feeling like a stranger in his own home.

His protective love had turned into a cold, hard wall of resentment. He looked back at Ishani, his face set like stone.

"There will be no rishta," he declared, his voice final and cold. "I would have married you off to anyone else, Ishani anyone. But as long as I am breathing, you will never step foot into that Thakur house as a bride. This discussion is over."

The atmosphere in the house shifted from the morning's warmth to a chilling, suffocating silence. Without another word, Vaibhav turned on his heel, his footsteps heavy and echoing with unspoken rage as he stormed into his room and slammed the door shut. The sound vibrated through the walls, leaving a lingering ring of finality in the air.

Ishani buried her face in her hands, her body shaking with violent, uncontrollable sobs.

Malini immediately rushed to her side, pulling her daughter into her lap.

She stroked Ishani’s hair, whispering broken words of comfort, though her own eyes were clouded with worry.

Meanwhile, Divya remained frozen in the middle of the hall.

She felt like a stranger in her own home, caught between the sister-in-law she had tried to protect and the husband whose trust she had just shattered.

Her hands trembled at her sides, and she stared at the closed bedroom door with a sinking heart.

The memory of Vaibhav's cold, disappointed eyes burned in her mind.

Another household, where the morning sun has brought no relief only growing anxiety.

Rahul and Rajni had been awake for hours, the silence of the house echoing with Deepak’s unexplained absence.

Rajni paced the floor, her eyes fixed on the door, her heart heavy with a mother’s dread.

Finally, in the middle of the afternoon, the door creaked open.

Deepak stumbled in, looking like a ghost of himself. His hair was disheveled, his clothes were rumpled from a night without sleep, and his face was swollen and stained with the salt of many tears. He looked utterly broken.

The moment Rajni saw him, the fear that had been suffocating her turned into a flash of white-hot maternal rage. she rushed toward him and delivered a stinging slap across his face.

"Where did you go?" she cried, her voice trembling. "Leaving the house without a word! Do you have no concern for your mother? Do you even care if I'm alive or dead?"

At the sound of her voice, the last of Deepak's composure shattered.

He collapsed into tears right there in front of her.

Seeing him crumble so completely, Rajni’s anger evaporated instantly, replaced by a sharp pang of terror.

She pulled him into a fierce embrace, her own eyes filling with tears.

"I’m sorry, beta," she whispered, stroking his hair. "I was just so scared... I shouldn't have hit you. Please, forgive me."

Deepak clung to her, his voice muffled against her shoulder. "No, Maa... it was my fault. I’m so sorry. I promise, I will never put you through this again."

Relieved, Rajni pulled back and cupped his face in her hands. She gently wiped away his tears and pressed a lingering, tender kiss to his forehead.

"Go now, take a warm bath. I’ll go to the kitchen and make your favorite food. And Rahul, beta," she turned to the loyal friend standing nearby, "you should bathe here too. Don't leave without eating."

"Sure, Aunty," Rahul replied with a small, weary smile.

As Rajni headed to the kitchen, Deepak looked at Rahul, his eyes full of guilt. "I'm sorry, man."

Rahul shook his head, offering a brotherly shrug. "Why are you apologizing to me, you idiot?"

"I dragged you into my mess. I worried you for nothing," Deepak muttered.

"Forget it," Rahul said firmly. "You didn't worry me. Now go, get cleaned up. I'll go after you."

Deepak nodded tiredly and headed toward the bathroom.

Just then, Rahul’s phone buzzed in his pocket. It was his mother, Rani.

"Rahul? Is Deepak home?" she asked the moment he picked up, her voice laced with worry.

"Yes, Maa. He just walked through the door," Rahul reassured her.

Rani let out a long, audible sigh of relief. "Thank God. I was so terrified that something terrible had happened."

"There’s no need to worry anymore, Maa. He’s safe. He's okay."Rahul said

"I'm glad to hear that," Rani said, her voice finally steady. "And when are you coming home?"

"Rajni Aunty is making lunch for us," Rahul explained. "I’ll head back once we've eaten."

"Alright, beta. Take care."

The call ended, leaving Rahul alone in the living room.

The atmosphere at the table was heavy with an unspoken silence.

Both boys showered and sat down to eat the meal Rajni had prepared.

Sensing Deepak’s fragile state, neither Rajni nor Rahul pressed him with questions, allowing him to eat in peace.

Once the meal was over and Rajni had returned to her chores, Rahul stood up to leave. "Alright, I should head out now. Take care of yourself, okay?"

But as Rahul turned to go, Deepak suddenly grabbed him, pulling him into a desperate embrace and breaking down into fresh tears.

"Deeksha left for London... and it’s all because of me," he sobbed.

Rahul sighed, trying to comfort him. "I know she left, but it wasn't because of you. It was because of me because I rejected her."

"No!" Deepak cried, his voice trembling with guilt. "It was me. I made a terrible mistake."

Rahul pulled back, sensing something darker beneath the surface. He gripped Deepak’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "What did you do, Deepak? Tell me exactly what happened."

Deepak looked down, unable to meet his best friend's gaze. In a broken voice, he confessed everything.

He described how, after Rahul had rejected Deeksha, he had found her at a club, drowning her sorrows.

He admitted that he had been drinking too, and in the blur of loud music and heartbreak, they had danced.

A kiss led to more, and they ended up physically intimate.

"I took advantage of her," Deepak wailed. "Her heart was shattered, she was at her weakest, and instead of stopping her or being a true friend, I...

I let it happen."

The silence that followed was chilling. Rahul’s face contorted with a mixture of shock and pure, unadulterated rage.

Without a word of warning, he swung his fist, landing a powerful punch across Deepak’s face.

"I never thought you could fall this low," Rahul spat, his voice shaking with disgust. "You knew what she was going through, and you used that moment to satisfy yourself? You didn't care about her at all."

Deepak just sat there, weeping, offering no defense.

"Don't ever show me your face again," Rahul growled, his eyes cold. "As of this moment, we are no longer friends. You’re dead to me."

Rahul stormed out of the house, leaving the door swinging behind him.

Deepak collapsed onto the floor, his cries echoing in the empty room, knowing he had lost both the girl he cared for and the best friend he looked up to.

Rahul rode his bike home, his knuckles white against the handlebars.

His mind was a storm of fury; he couldn't wrap his head around Deepak’s betrayal.

How could a man who claimed to love Deeksha treat her like that in her most vulnerable hour? The anger burned in his chest, hot and suffocating.

But as he stepped through the front door, the atmosphere changed instantly.

Rani came rushing toward him, her face glowing with a radiant, joyous smile.

Before he could say a word, she popped a piece of mithai into his mouth.

"Eat this, Rahul! I have the most wonderful news," she chirped, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Ishani’s marriage has been fixed! I am so happy for her!"

The sweet taste of the Mithai suddenly felt like dry ash in Rahul's mouth.

He froze, his heart skipping a beat as a cold dread washed over him.

"Fixed?" he managed to choke out, his voice trembling. "Fixed with whom?"

Rani beamed, clasping her hands together. "With Abhay Thakur Deeksha’s brother! Can you believe it? It turns out Ishani has been in love with him for a long time. I’m just so glad she’s getting to marry the person she loves."

At that moment, Rahul felt his heart shatter into a million jagged pieces.

The world around him seemed to blur.

Abhay Thakur? The name echoed in his mind like a death knell.

He had loved Ishani in silence for so long.

He had poured his feelings out to her, hoping, waiting, dreaming of a future together. But she had never acknowledged his heart.

To find out she had been in love with someone else all along and that someone was from the very family causing so much chaos.felt like a knife being twisted in his gut.

Rani continued to talk, her voice filled with details about the match and how happy the families would be, but

Rahul couldn't hear a word.

The sound of his own pulse thundering in his ears drowned her out.

He felt like the air had been sucked out of the room his lungs burned, and his body felt heavy, as if his very blood had turned to lead.

He stood there, a hollow shell of a man, watching his mother celebrate the news that had effectively ended his life's greatest hope.

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