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Ruhanika sat quietly in Yug's car as the engine started. The car slowly moved towards the Suryavanshi Mansion.

For a few moments, silence filled the car.

Then Yug glanced at her and asked softly,

"Ruhanika... did he harm you?"

Ruhanika lowered her gaze.

"He hates me, bhaiya," she whispered. "I don't know why... but everyone there hates me."

A painful smile appeared on her lips.

"But you know what?"

Yug looked at her.

"Today I'm very happy."

"Hmm? Why?"

"Because now I can finally continue my studies. I'll become a lawyer one day."

The excitement in her voice made Yug smile.

"That's my brave sister. And trust me, you'll become an excellent lawyer."

Ruhanika's eyes sparkled with happiness.

Soon the car entered the Suryavanshi Mansion.

At the entrance, Sunidhi stood waiting with an aarti thali in her hands.

A warm smile appeared on her face as she saw Ruhanika.

"My baccha has come."

Ruhanika immediately hugged her.

A few minutes later, everyone settled in the living room.

Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense.

Ananya entered.

A mocking smile appeared on her face.

"Oh look... who's here."

She slowly walked towards Ruhanika.

"Mrs. Ruhanika..."

Then she pretended to think.

"Oh sorry... Manika Rudraksh Singh Raizada."

Ruhanika's smile instantly disappeared.

Before Ananya could say anything else, Sunidhi quickly intervened.

"Ruhanika baccha, come with me. Let me show you the mansion properly. Last time you didn't get the chance."

Without waiting for a response, she took Ruhanika away.

✨✨

Sunidhi showed her every corner of the mansion.

The huge corridors.

The beautiful gardens.

The family gallery.

While walking, Ruhanika's eyes suddenly stopped at a wall covered with photographs.

Every frame had Manika in it.

Manika with Veer Pratap.

Manika with Ananya.

Manika with the entire family.

Ruhanika quietly stared at them.

Her chest tightened.

Not a single photograph existed where she stood beside her father.

Not one memory.

Not one moment.

Nothing.

Sunidhi noticed the sadness in her eyes.

"What happened, baccha?"

Ruhanika looked at her.

Her eyes had become moist.

"Why do they hate me, Chachi?"

Sunidhi froze.

"Why does Rudra hate me?"

"Why does everyone look at me as if I committed some crime?"

Her voice broke.

"Please tell me the truth."

Sunidhi closed her eyes.

She knew this day would come.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"Okay."

"I'll tell you everything."

✨ FLASHBACK ✨

"Manika was never like you."

"She was rich, arrogant and spoiled."

"She believed poor people were beneath her."

One night, Manika went to a pub with her friends.

She drank heavily.

Far beyond her limits.

Everyone stopped her from driving.

But she didn't listen.

She took her luxury car and drove away.

Music blasted loudly through the speakers.

The roads were almost empty.

Then suddenly—

A biker appeared in front of her.

Instead of slowing down...

She accelerated.

BOOM!

The impact threw the biker several feet away.

Blood covered the road.

The young man struggled to breathe.

"H-help..."

"P-please..."

He begged weakly.

But Manika simply looked at him.

Without guilt.

Without fear.

Without humanity.

Then she smirked.

"Rest in peace, honey."

And drove away.

Leaving him to die.

✨✨

Ruhanika's face turned pale.

Sunidhi continued.

"The next day, the police arrived."

"Manika was arrested."

"But Ananya arranged fake witnesses."

"They changed the entire case."

"The blame was shifted onto someone else."

Everyone thought the matter was over.

But the nightmare had only begun.

Because that biker wasn't an ordinary person.

He was Harshit Awasthi.

Rudraksh Singh Raizada's best friend.

His brother in everything except blood.

The person he loved more than his own life.

When Rudraksh found out how Harshit died...

Something inside him broke forever.

✨✨

"The day he came here..."

Sunidhi's voice trembled.

"We were sitting peacefully in the garden."

Suddenly dozens of luxury cars stopped outside the mansion.

The sound of horns echoed everywhere.

Before anyone could react—

A black Bugatti crashed through the main gate.

Bodyguards surrounded the entire mansion.

Guns pointed at every member of the family.

Then he stepped out.

Black suit.

Black glasses.

Danger written all over him.

Rudraksh Singh Raizada.

He walked straight towards Manika.

Everyone was terrified.

Then he stopped in front of her.

His eyes were colder than death itself.

"Be ready."

He said calmly.

"Because tomorrow you'll become my wife."

"And after that..."

His voice became deadly.

"I'll make you pay for every tear Harshit suffered."

Then he walked away.

✨✨

"Manika was terrified."

Sunidhi continued.

"That night she ran away."

"Rudraksh searched for her everywhere."

"But he couldn't find her."

Before leaving, he gave us one warning.

"If Manika isn't found within one year..."

"I'll destroy the entire Suryavanshi family."

One year passed.

Then one day...

Ananya found you.

Ruhanika.

The forgotten daughter.

The innocent twin sister.

The perfect replacement.

Tears rolled down Ruhanika's cheeks.

"So..."

She whispered.

"I'm suffering for someone else's crime?"

Sunidhi nodded helplessly.

"Rudraksh doesn't hate you."

"He hates Manika."

"The girl who killed Harshit."

"He doesn't know the truth."

✨✨

Suddenly a slow clap echoed through the room.

Both women turned.

Ananya stood at the doorway.

A cruel smile rested on her lips.

"Wonderful."

She looked at Sunidhi.

"So you finally told her everything."

Fear appeared on Sunidhi's face.

Ruhanika stood up immediately.

"So this is the truth?"

"You brought me there to save your criminal daughter?"

"You ruined my life for her?"

Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes.

"I'll tell Rudraksh everything."

"I'll tell him what you people did!"

She turned to leave.

But Ananya's cold voice stopped her.

"Did you forget about your so-called family?"

Ruhanika froze.

Ananya slowly walked closer.

"My men are already watching them."

"If I want..."

She smiled cruelly.

"I can kill every single one of them."

The color drained from Ruhanika's face.

"No..."

"Please..."

"They are innocent."

Her voice trembled.

"Don't hurt them."

"I'll do whatever you want."

"Please leave them alone."

A victorious smile appeared on Ananya's lips.

"Good girl."

She turned towards Sunidhi.

"Leave."

Immediately.

Sunidhi hesitated but finally walked away.

Now only Ananya and Ruhanika remained.

Ananya grabbed her chin forcefully.

"Listen carefully."

"Kill the Ruhanika inside you."

"From today..."

"You are Manika Suryavanshi."

"If you dare reveal the truth..."

"You know exactly what will happen to your family."

Ruhanika stood frozen.

Tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

And for the first time...

She realized she wasn't living her own life anymore.

She was trapped inside someone else's sins.

RUDRAKSH POV

As I entered the mansion, my eyes immediately fell on her.

She was standing in the kitchen with Vimla Kaki and the other staff members, talking to them happily. The sound of her laughter echoed through the room.

A small smile unknowingly appeared on my lips.

The way she treated them surprised me every single day.

As far as I knew, Manika Suryavanshi never liked people who belonged to a lower status than her. She never respected servants and often insulted them for no reason.

But this girl...

She talked to them like family.

She laughed with them.

She cared about them.

Every day, she showed me a completely different side of herself.

A side that confused me.

A side that made me question everything.

And her smile...

For God's sake, her smile was becoming my weakness.

I clenched my jaw.

"Stop thinking about her, Rudraksh."

"She's your enemy."

I reminded myself firmly.

Just then Mom entered the living area.

"Rudraksh beta, when did you come?" she asked.

"Just now, Mom."

"Go freshen up and come for dinner."

I nodded and headed towards my room.

✨✨

After taking a shower, I came downstairs for dinner.

Everyone was already seated around the dining table.

I took my seat while the servants started serving the food.

The aroma itself was enough to make anyone hungry.

Aarvi took a spoonful of kheer and her eyes widened.

"Wow! This kheer is delicious."

Everyone looked towards her.

"Who made this?" she asked.

Before anyone could answer, Vimla Kaki spoke proudly.

"Choti Maim, aaj ka poora dinner Ruhanika bitiya ne banaya hai."

Everyone's eyes shifted towards Ruhanika.

Mom looked surprised.

"You made all this?"

Ruhanika nodded shyly.

A strange feeling settled inside me.

I tasted the kheer.

For a moment, I forgot everything.

It was perfect.

Exactly the way Dadi used to make it.

I looked at her unknowingly.

She was quietly serving food to everyone with a gentle smile.

Why does she feel so different?

Why does she not behave like Manika at all?

My thoughts were interrupted by Shivansh.

"By the way, bhabhi, how was your day with your family?"

The moment he asked, her smile faltered.

The happiness vanished from her face.

A shadow of sadness crossed her eyes.

But within seconds, she forced a smile.

"It... it was good."

I noticed it.

She was lying.

And somehow, it bothered me.

"Manika, sit with us and have dinner," Dadu said warmly.

Ruhanika smiled respectfully.

"No thank you, Dadaji. I'll eat later with Vimla Kaki."

Everyone looked surprised.

No one from this family had ever chosen servants over family.

Yet she said it so naturally.

As if there was nothing wrong with it.

The more I observed her, the more confused I became.

✨✨

"By the way Aarvi, how's college?" I asked.

"It's good, Bhai."

"And Purvi?"

Purvi smiled proudly.

"As usual, good. My fashion designing course is going great."

I nodded.

Then Aarvi suddenly became excited.

"Oh, Bhai! You know what?"

"What?"

"There is a girl from Uttar Pradesh who topped the entire state. She's become famous in our college."

Everyone listened curiously.

"Her name is..."

Aarvi tried to remember.

"R... Ruhanika Sharma!"

The spoon in Ruhanika's hand froze.

My eyes immediately shifted towards her.

She looked shocked.

No.

Not shocked.

Happy.

Her eyes sparkled for the first time tonight.

A smile appeared on her lips before she quickly hid it.

Why?

Why was she happy after hearing that girl's name?

And why did I feel like there was a story hidden behind those eyes?

A story nobody knew.

Not even me.

For the first time in years...

I wanted to know the truth.

And for the first time...

I wasn't looking at her with hatred.

I was looking at her with curiosity.

Something about her wasn't adding up.

And sooner or later...

I was going to find out what it was.

✨✨

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