Veins of Power, Threads of Fate

The morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the lavish Raghuvanshi bedroom. But there was no warmth in the air. Not after last night.

Dev opened his eyes slowly, a pounding headache and a dry throat reminding him of the alcohol that had clouded his mind the night before. He turned slightly, expecting to see Ekta asleep beside him.

But she wasn't there.

The other side of the bed was untouched - cold, distant. Just like her.

Fragments of the night returned in flashes: the roughness, his frustration, the anger... and then the name that slipped out.

Niyati.

He closed his eyes, shame rolling over him like a tidal wave. His fists clenched the bedsheet.
He had used Ekta. And worse - he had hurt her. Not just physically... but emotionally, deeply.

Yet, when he finally stood and walked out of the room, he said nothing.

The Silence That Screamed

Dev spotted her in the garden. Ekta was dressed in a pale saree, hair tied in a low bun, watering plants with the same calm, delicate grace that she always carried. From afar, she looked normal.

But he saw it now - her smile was missing.

There were no soft hums, no gentle talking to the plants, no laughter with the help. Just a heavy, strained silence that surrounded her like a shield.

She hadn't even glanced in his direction.

Guilt twisted in his chest.

He wanted to say something - "I'm sorry," maybe.

But the words remained frozen in his throat.

Instead, he walked away.

Coward.

Veer Notices

Veer Raghuvanshi had always admired his elder brother. But it was Ekta who had quietly won over his respect - her simplicity, her kindness, and the way she handled everything with so much dignity, even in a house that never gave her the warmth she deserved.

But lately... something was off.

She barely smiled anymore. Her eyes - once soft and bright - looked tired. Lost.

Veer found her one evening sitting by the courtyard, staring blankly at the setting sun.

"Bhabhi?" he called gently.

Ekta turned slowly. "Yes, Veer?"

"You okay?" he asked, frowning. "You've been quiet. More than usual."

She smiled. But it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," he said, sitting beside her. "You can tell me, you know that, right?"

Her throat tightened. For a second, Ekta wanted to just cry - to fall apart, to scream, to let someone in.

But all she said was, "There's nothing to say."

Veer didn't push her. He just nodded and stayed beside her in silence. But his concern grew. He would not ignore it like his brother did.

Dev's Conflict

That night, Dev stood outside their bedroom door, hand hovering over the handle.

He had been there for ten minutes.

He couldn't walk in.

He couldn't face her.

She must hate me.
She should.

But what terrified him more was the possibility that she wouldn't hate him - that she would continue living with the pain in silence, like always... until there was nothing left of her.

And yet... he said nothing.

He walked away again.

Niyati's Poison

At breakfast, Niyati sat beside Dev, laughing loudly, occasionally brushing his arm with hers. She acted like she belonged there. As if Ekta didn't exist.

Ekta served the food quietly.

Niyati smirked and loudly commented, "Dev, your shirt's wrinkled. I used to iron it perfectly, remember?" Her voice dripped with innuendo.

Dev didn't reply.

But he didn't stop her either.

Ekta's fingers trembled as she poured tea. She didn't look up. She didn't react. But her heart... cracked a little more.