ADARSH'S POV
When I came back from school, I carried a file with me-Aashvi's file. I needed to know who she was, why my heart refused to let her go. As I flipped through the pages, my hands trembled. My heart pounded. And then, I saw it-her name, her identity. She was my daughter. My Aashvi.
Meri aur Yashi ki ansh. Humari Aashvi.
But as that realization sank in, so did another-a bitter one. How could Yashi hide this from me? How could she keep my own daughter away from me for seven years? The anger inside me burned, and just then, the door to my office opened. It was her-my Yashi.
The moment my eyes met hers, every buried memory from seven years ago came rushing back. The betrayal, the pain, the questions that haunted me. And now, knowing she had hidden Aashvi from me only fueled my rage. Words spilled from my mouth-harsh, unforgivable words that I should have never said. But I couldn't stop myself.
And then she told me everything. The truth. The truth that shattered every misconception I held. The truth of that night, of what truly happened. My world tilted. I was shocked, guilty, and furious-but this time, my anger wasn't directed at Yashi. It was towards that bastard Yash. Somewhere deep inside, I had always known he was evil. But he was my mother's favorite. She treated him like her own son, and I... I let my judgment be clouded.
As Yashi ran from my office, sobbing, a hollow ache settled in my chest. My heart clenched painfully as I realized the gravity of my actions. I had broken her. Again. I, her Adarsh, had shattered her heart into pieces. How could I? How could I hurt the only woman I had ever loved?
Guilt consumed me. The weight of my own mistakes suffocated me. I let my emotions take over and punched the wall beside me, the sharp pain grounding me for a second. But it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough. I grabbed my car keys and stormed out, desperate to find her.
Third PERSON POV
Yashi sat on the park bench, her body trembling with the force of her sobs. Pain. That was all she could feel-raw, excruciating pain. Adarsh had broken her once again.
Her mind felt numb, her heart shattered beyond repair. After what felt like an eternity, she forced herself to stand. Her legs felt heavy, but she walked-mindlessly, aimlessly-until she spotted an auto. She stopped it, got inside, and let silent tears roll down her cheeks.
When she finally reached home, her hands shook as she pressed the doorbell. The moment the door opened, Shruti stood there, shocked.
"Kya hua, Yashi?" Shruti's voice wavered in concern. "Teri yeh halat... Kaise?"
Yashi didn't respond. She simply walked past her, straight towards her daughter's room. Standing at the doorframe, her teary eyes fell upon Aashvi's sleeping figure. And just like that, she broke down completely.
Was Adarsh right?
Was she really a bad mother?
The thoughts gnawed at her, suffocating her with guilt. She turned and walked to her own room, her legs giving out the moment she stepped inside. She collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Shruti rushed in and knelt beside her, pulling her into a tight hug. "Yashi, batao kya hua... You're scaring me," she pleaded.
But Yashi couldn't speak. She just held onto Shruti as if she was the only thing keeping her together.
"Tell me, Yashi," Shruti urged.
"A-Adarsh..." Yashi choked out, her voice barely above a whisper.
Shruti froze. For the first time in seven years, Yashi had spoken his name.
Shruti pulled away slightly, looking into her friend's teary eyes. "What about Adarsh, Yashi? What happened?"
And then, through gasping sobs, Yashi told her everything-the hospital, the confrontation, the accusations. Shruti held her tightly, whispering soft reassurances. Slowly, Yashi's body relaxed, and exhaustion overtook her. Sleep consumed her, but Shruti's anger only burned brighter.
She stood up, grabbed her phone, and dialed a number.
The Call Connected.
"Hello," came a deep, cold voice.
"Rudransh fucking Oberoi," Shruti snapped, her voice laced with fury. "Where is your fucking brother?"
"Shruti? What happened? Why are you so angry?" Rudransh asked, confused.
"Apne uss chutiya bhai se pooch! And listen to me, Rudransh-if anything happens to my bakloli, I swear, I will break up with you. Then go and marry that damn assistant of yours!"
"Arrey, aisa mat bolo! Aur yeh meri assistant kahan se aa gayi?" Rudransh tried to calm her.
"That stupid woman who's always hovering around you!" Shruti growled. "Tum sirf mere ho, aur mere hi raho ge. Samjhe?"
Rudransh chuckled despite the situation. "Calm down, my beautiful girl. I promise, everything will be fine in a few days."
"It better be."
"I love you, beautiful," he murmured.
"I love you too. Bye."
SHRUTI ENDED THE CALL
And returned to Yashi's room, only to find her still in her wet clothes. Just then, Riya walked in.
"What happened?" Riya frowned. "Why is she all wet?"
"Nothing much, don't worry," Shruti muttered. "I'll tell you in the morning."
Riya sighed. "Shruti, you should rest. You've been working all day. I'll change her clothes."
Shruti simply nodded, exhaustion washing over her. She walked to her room, but sleep didn't come easily. She couldn't believe that Adarsh had said such cruel things to Yashi.
As she lay in bed, her mind drifted to Rudransh. They had been together for nine years. They had fallen in love at a party-where Shruti had been Yashi and Adarsh's guest. Yashi and Adarsh had always known about them, but they had never openly spoken about it.
With those thoughts swirling in her head, Shruti finally drifted into a restless sleep.
MEANWHILE...
Adarsh had been searching for Yashi for hours, but he couldn't find her. Frustrated, he decided to go to her house in the morning.
He had lost her once. He wouldn't lose her again. But deep down, he knew it wouldn't be easy to make things right.
As he entered his home, his mother called out, "Adarsh beta, tu aa gaya? Jaldi fresh ho ja, main tera khana laga deti hoon."
"Maa, mujhe bhook nahi hai," he muttered.
"Kaisi bhook nahi hai? Subah bhi kuch nahi khaya tha-"
"Maa! Maine bola na, mujhe bhook nahi hai!" he snapped before storming up to his room.
Once inside, he slammed the door shut and started throwing things, rage and helplessness consuming him. He fell to his knees, gripping his head. Tears streamed down his face.
The door suddenly opened, and Rudransh stepped in, carrying food. He placed the tray on the table and walked toward his younger brother.
"Kya hua, AD?" Rudransh asked gently. "Why are you so upset? Tell your brother."
Adarsh looked up at him, his vision blurry with tears. Then, without a word, he lunged forward and hugged Rudransh tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.
"B-Bhai... I broke her... again," he choked out.
And for the first time in seven years, Adarsh let himself cry.
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Author's Note:
Hey, lovely readers! ❤️ I hope you enjoyed this chapter filled with friendship, emotions, and a hint of mystery. Things are about to get even more intense, so stay tuned!
If you liked this chapter, don't forget to like, share, comment, and follow for more updates! Your support means the world to me. Let me know your thoughts-I'd love to hear from you! ✨💖