"Uff... ye mohabbat bhi badi kamaal ki cheez hai. Jise mil jaaye, woh uski kadar nahi karta... aur jise kadar karni aati hai, usse mohabbat nahi milti. ❤️‍🩹”

AUTHOR POV..

It was evening.

Ekamira sat alone on the balcony, watching the sun slowly disappear beyond the horizon. The golden rays painted the sky in shades of orange and red, but somehow the view failed to bring her peace.A strange heaviness settled inside her chest. A feeling she couldn't understand. A feeling she had never experienced before. Without realizing it, a single tear slipped down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and lowered her gaze.

"Vo humse ek baar milkar bhi nahi gaye, aur hum hain ki unke baare mein hi soche ja rahe hain."

("He didn't even meet me once before leaving, and here I am, unable to stop thinking about him.")

The realization frustrated her. Why was she thinking about him? Why did his absence bother her so much? She shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------

downstairs, the entire family had gathered in the dining hall for dinner. The

The atmosphere was lively.Conversations flowed freely.Laughter echoed through the mansion. Everyone seemed relaxed as they chatted and shared stories.

Suddenly, one of the guards entered the dining hall. His serious expression immediately caught everyone's attention.

Walking directly toward Rajveer, he leaned down and whispered something into his ear. Rajveer listened carefully before nodding.

"Unhe andar bhejo."

"Send them inside."

The guard nodded and left.Seeing the sudden change in his expression, Swaragini, Rajveer's mother, frowned.

"Kaun hai?"

"Who is it?"

Rajveer looked at her before answering.

"They are here to investigate Aarohi's death case."

The moment those words left his mouth, the entire dining hall fell silent.The laughter disappeared.The smiles faded.A heavy tension settled over everyone.

At that moment, Ekamira entered the dining hall and quietly took her seat. She had no idea what was happening and simply remained silent. A few moments later, several officers entered the hall.

Dressed in official uniforms, they walked toward Rajveer.One of them stepped forward and handed him a file.

"Sir, this is the file Abhimanyu sir asked for."

Rajveer accepted the file.

"Kuch pata chala us ladki ke baare mein?"

"Did you find anything about that girl?"

The officer sighed heavily before shaking his head.

"No, sir. However, we discovered that she was also seriously injured in the accident. That was one of the reasons the judge dismissed the case, stating that both parties had suffered severe injuries."

The officer's words had barely ended when Janaki slammed her hand on the table.

"Injured?" she repeated, her voice trembling.

"Officer, hamari beti is duniya se chali gayi hai aur aap use injured keh rahe hain? Humein aaj tak apni beti ki laash tak nahi mili."

("Officer, our daughter is gone from this world, and you're calling it an injury? We never even got to see our daughter's body.”)

The hall fell completely silent.No one had an answer to her pain.Ekamira sat quietly, listening to every word.Something about this conversation felt strange.Something she couldn't explain.Trying to calm the situation, Ishani looked toward the officer.

"Aapke paas us ladki ki details toh hongi na?"

("You must have that girl's details, right?")

The officer nodded.

"Yes, ma'am. I have included all her details in this file."

He paused before continuing.

"Unfortunately, after coming out of the coma a few months later, she disappeared. According to the reports, she never returned to her house. Some people believe she ran away with someone, while others think she simply wanted to leave her past behind."

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.

Rajveer closed the file and placed it beside him.For a few moments, nobody spoke.

The silence itself felt suffocating.

Finally, Rajveer looked around the table.

"Please, everyone. Eat your dinner."

Slowly, everyone nodded.

The conversations resumed, but the warmth that had once filled the dining hall was gone.And throughout it all, Ekamira remained silent, unaware that the truth sitting inside that file was far more connected to her than anyone in that room could ever imagine.

After the conversation ended, Rajveer quietly headed toward his room. The file remained tightly clutched in his hands. His expression was unreadable, blurred by years of pain and unanswered questions. No one dared to stop him. No one dared to speak.Because everyone in that house knew one thing. Rajveer Rajvansh carried a pain that could never be healed.

Before the accident, he had been completely different. He was known for his charming personality, his loud laughter, and his ability to lighten any room he entered. He was the life of every gathering.

But everything changed the day he lost his daughter.The grieving father buried the cheerful man forever.Now all that remained was a cold, distant version of him.Slowly, he stopped outside a room at the end of the corridor.

Aarohi's room.

His trembling hand pushed the door open.

The room looked exactly the same as it had years ago.Nothing had been touched.

Nothing had been moved.The walls were painted white, decorated with glowing stars. Every corner of the room carried traces of Aarohi's presence. One entire wall was covered with her photographs.

In every picture, she was smiling.

Bright.

Happy.

Full of life.The eldest daughter of the Rajvansh family.Intelligent,Mature,Loved by everyone.Rajveer stared at those photographs for several moments before his legs finally gave up.He sat down on the floor.The strong man who never cried in front of others could no longer hold himself together.His eyes filled with tears.With shaking hands, he opened a small box placed beside the bed.Inside wereAarohi's belongings.

Her bracelets.

Hair clips.

Watches.

Small accessories she once loved.

Things that held no value for the world.

But meant everything to a father.

Rajveer picked up one of her framed photographs and hugged it tightly against his chest.His tears finally escaped.

"I love you, mera baccha..." he whispered brokenly.

"Papa ne tumhe kabhi nahi bhulaya."

("Papa never forgot you.")

"Please wapas aa jao... apne papa ke paas wapas aa jao."

"Please come back... come back to your papa."

His voice cracked.

His shoulders trembled.

And for the first time in years, the cold and powerful Rajveer Rajvansh completely broke down.The room echoed with the grief of a father who had spent years waiting for a miracle that would never come.Nearly an hour passed before Rajveer finally wiped his tears.Taking a deep breath, he opened the investigation file.The first few pages contained official reports.

Statements.

Court documents.

Medical records.

One line immediately caught his attention.

Case Dismissed.According to the report, Aarohi Rajvansh was presumed dead.

The vehicle involved in the accident had been completely destroyed by fire. Search teams had spent weeks looking for remains, but nothing conclusive was ever recovered. Only burnt fragments and scattered evidence were found near the crash site.

Rajveer's jaw tightened.

Even after all these years, reading those words felt like losing his daughter all over again.He continued flipping through the pages.

Then suddenly—

His hand froze.

His eyes landed on a name.

A name he had never expected to see.

Written clearly in bold letters.

EKAMIRA TRIPATHI

For a moment, Rajveer thought he was imagining things.But the name remained there.The report stated that she was the second person involved in the accident.

According to the officers, her vehicle had been found in terrible condition near the end of the bridge. She had been discovered unconscious and critically injured.

Multiple fractures.

Severe head trauma.

Heavy blood loss.

She had remained in a coma for months.

Rajveer's eyes narrowed as he continued reading.What happened that night was still unclear.The investigation had failed to determine who was responsible for the accident.There wasn't enough evidence to prove whose mistake had caused the collision.

No witnesses.

No clear footage.

No final conclusion.

Just assumptions.

And years of unanswered questions.

For the first time since opening the file, uncertainty crept into Rajveer's heart.

Because if the officers themselves couldn't determine who was responsible...

Then what if the truth was different from what they had believed all these years?

And for the first time, the name Ekamira Tripathi no longer looked like the name of a culprit.It looked like the beginning of a mystery.

Rajveer stared at the file in complete shock. His hands tightened around the papers as his eyes remained fixed on the name written before him—Ekamira Tripathi. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. His mind refused to accept what he had just read. "Yeh nahi ho sakta... Ekamira meri beti ki maut ki zimmedar kaise ho sakti hai?" (This can't be true... How can Ekamira be responsible for my daughter's death?) A part of him refused to believe it. The girl who had brought life back into his silent home couldn't possibly be connected to the tragedy that had destroyed his family. Yet the evidence was right there in front of him. The reports, the investigation details, and the accident records all pointed toward the same horrifying truth.

Rajveer's first instinct was to confront Ekamira immediately. He wanted answers. He wanted to know what had really happened that night. But just as he was about to stand up, a memory from earlier that day flashed before his eyes.

He remembered walking toward the stairs when he had accidentally overheard a conversation between his wife, Janaki, and Aakriti. Neither of them knew he was there. Janaki's voice had been soft and emotional as she spoke. "Pata hai Aakriti, mujhe nahi pata kab main Ekamira se itna jud gayi." (Do you know, Aakriti? I don't know when I became so attached to Ekamira.) She had smiled sadly before continuing, "Uske aane se pehle meri zindagi kitni khamosh thi, par uske aane ke baad sab badal gaya." (Before she came, my life was so empty, but after she arrived, everything changed.) Rajveer still remembered the warmth in her eyes when she had said, "Vo bilkul meri beti jaisi lagti hai." (She feels just like my daughter.) Then her voice had trembled. "Mujhe darr lagta hai ki kahin vo hume chhod kar na chali jaye. Main use nahi khona chahti." (I'm afraid that one day she might leave us. I don't want to lose her too.)

The memory made Rajveer close his eyes. For years he had watched Janaki suffer in silence. He had seen her blame herself for Aarohi's death, seen her cry when no one was around, and watched her slowly lose the happiness she once carried so effortlessly. But after Ekamira entered their lives, something had changed. Janaki smiled a little more. She talked a little more. For the first time in years, she seemed alive again.

Rajveer looked down at the file. If he revealed the truth now, everything would shatter once more. Janaki would break. The family would break. And perhaps Ekamira would too. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he slowly closed the file. "Abhi nahi..." (Not now...) he whispered to himself. For the first time, he chose silence over answers. Not because he didn't want the truth, but because he loved his family more than his desire for it.

After wiping away the tears that had escaped his eyes, Rajveer stood up. Once again, the cold and emotionless mask returned to his face. The broken father disappeared behind the image he showed to the world. Taking one last look around Aarohi's room, at the photographs covering the walls and the memories preserved inside them, he quietly switched off the light. Then he stepped outside, closed the door behind him, and walked away, carrying the burden of a truth that no one else knew.

The morning tea felt special It was a peaceful Sunday morning, and the entire Rajvansh family had gathered in the living room, enjoying tea and light conversations. For the first time in a long while, the atmosphere felt warm and cheerful.

"Aur Abhimanyu kab aayega, bhabhi?" (And when will Abhimanyu return, bhabhi?) Aakriti asked while taking a sip of her tea.

Janaki smiled faintly and shook her head. "Pata nahi. Shayad kaam mein thoda aur waqt lag jaye." (I don't know. Maybe his work will take some more time.)

The moment Abhimanyu's name was mentioned, something stirred inside Ekamira's heart. Her fingers tightened around the teacup. She hated to admit it, but his absence had begun affecting her. A strange ache settled in her chest, and she immediately looked away, trying to ignore it.

Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere was interrupted.

"RADHA!"

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

The housemaid stood there holding a file in her hands—the same file Rajveer had hidden the previous night.

A strange smile played on her lips.

"Wah..." she laughed mockingly. "Jis ladki ne aapke parivaar ki beti cheen li, usi ko aap log sir aankhon par bithaaye hue hain." (Amazing... The girl who took away your family's daughter is the very same girl you've placed above everyone else.)

The entire room froze.

Aakriti immediately stood up.

"Yeh kya tareeka hai baat karne ka, Radha? Aur tumhara matlab kya hai?" (What kind of way is this to speak, Radha? And what exactly do you mean?)

Confusion spread across everyone's faces.

Without answering directly, Radha walked toward Ishani and handed her the file.

"Ishani di, yeh padhiye... aur sabko batayiye ismein kya likha hai." (Ishani di, read this and tell everyone what's written inside.)

The smile on Ishani's face disappeared as she opened the file.

Rajveer immediately stood up.

His face turned pale.

"Radha..." he tried to stop her.

But no words came out.

It was too late.

Radha pointed toward Ekamira.

"Subah Aakriti ma'am ne Aarohi ma'am ka kamra saaf karne ko kaha tha. Wahi se yeh file mili." (This morning Aakriti ma'am asked me to clean Aarohi ma'am's room. That's where I found this file.)

Then she looked directly at Ekamira.

"Yahi hai woh ladki."

(She is the girl.)

"Yahi Aarohi ma'am ki maut ki wajah hai."

(She is the reason behind Aarohi ma'am's death.)

The room fell into a terrifying silence.

Nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody breathed.

Ekamira looked around in confusion.

She didn't understand what was happening.

What file?

What accusation?

Why was everyone staring at her like that?

Meanwhile, Ishani's hands trembled as she read the contents.Every page revealed another painful truth.And with every passing second, the expressions on the family's faces changed.

Shock.

Disbelief.

Pain.

Betrayal.

"No..." Janaki whispered.

The file slipped from Ishani's hands and fell onto the floor.Everyone's eyes moved toward Ekamira.For the first time since entering the Rajvansh mansion, she felt truly alone.

"Yeh jhooth hai naa?." (This is a lie?...) she whispered.

But nobody listened.

Nobody wanted to.

Janaki slowly walked toward her.Tears streamed down her face.The same woman who had treated Ekamira like her own daughter was now looking at her as if she were a stranger.

"Tumhe humne apna maana..." (We accepted you as our own...)

Her voice broke.

"Tum toh..." (But you...)

She couldn't complete the sentence.The pain was too much Ekamira felt her heart shatterAll the love.

All the acceptance.

All the warmth she had received in this house.

Everything disappeared within seconds.

Before she could explain herself, before she could even understand what was happening, Janaki pushed her away in anger and heartbreak.

"Chali jao!" (Leave!)

"Hamari nazron ke saamne se chali jao!" (Get out of our sight!)

Ekamira stumbled backward, tears filling her eyes.The people she thought were her family now looked at her with hatred.And standing among them, Rajveer remained silent Because he knew the truth was incomplete.Yet he was too late to stop the damage. Too late to stop the storm that had finally arrived.

Ekamira stood alone on the side of the road, her face completely blank. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold her emotions back anymore. Everything had happened so suddenly. Just a few hours ago, she had a family, a home, and people she thought loved her. Now she had nothing. She didn't even know where she was supposed to go. The rain poured heavily from the dark sky, soaking her clothes and hair, but she didn't care. Her mind kept replaying the same painful words again and again. "Chali jao... Hamari nazron ke saamne se chali jao." (Leave... Get out of our sight.) Janaki's tearful face appeared before her eyes, making her chest tighten painfully. The woman she had started seeing as a mother had thrown her away without even listening to her. A broken smile appeared on her lips as tears mixed with the rain. Lost in her thoughts, she stepped onto the road. The loud horns of approaching vehicles echoed around her, but she couldn't hear them. Her mind was too occupied with the pain inside her heart. Suddenly, bright headlights appeared before her eyes. Before she could understand what was happening, a speeding car came from behind and hit her. Her body was thrown onto the wet road. A sharp pain spread through her body before everything around her turned dark.

On the other side of the world, Abhimanyu was busy with work. Several files were spread across his desk while reports from different branches demanded his attention. Hours had passed before his phone suddenly rang. Seeing Advit's name on the screen, he answered the call. For several minutes, they discussed company matters and ongoing projects. After finishing the business conversation, Abhimanyu hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"Tune maa se baat ki thi?" (Did you talk to Mom?) he asked.

Advit leaned back in his chair and replied, "Nahi." (No.)

ABHIMANYU sighed. "Mujhe lagta hai tujhe ghar jana chahiye. Sab tujhe miss kar rahe honge. Aur haan, apne saath chhoti ko bhi le jana. Vo khush ho jayegi." (I think you should go home. Everyone must be missing you. And yes, take the little one with you. She'll be happy.)

The moment Ekamira was indirectly mentioned, something strange flickered across Abhimanyu's face. Advit immediately noticed it and smirked.

"Waise, tune Ekamira se baat ki?" (By the way, did you talk to Ekamira?) he asked teasingly.

Abhimanyu frowned immediately. "Main usse baat kyun karunga?" (Why would I talk to her?) he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Advit chuckled softly. "Come on, man. Main tujhe tujhse zyada jaanta hoon." (Come on, man. I know you better than you know yourself.) For the first time, Abhimanyu remained silent. Advit smiled and continued, "Chinta mat kar. Main ghar jaunga aur Ekamira ko dekh lunga. Dekhta hoon vo thik hai ya nahi." (Don't worry. I'll go home and check on Ekamira. I'll see whether she's fine or not.)

Something inside Abhimanyu felt uneasy, though he couldn't understand why.

Advit then spoke again. "Bura mat manna, par ek baat puchun?" (Don't mind, but can I ask you something?)

"Bol." (Ask.) Abhimanyu replied.

Advit's smile widened. "Kahin tu usse pyaar toh nahi karta?" (Don't tell me you're in love with her?)

The question instantly darkened Abhimanyu's expression.

"Just shut up."

His voice turned cold and emotionless.

"Qatil hai vo." (She's a murderer.)

"Meri behen ki maut ki wajah hai vo." (She's the reason behind my sister's death.)

"Nafrat karta hoon main usse." (I hate her.)

His jaw clenched tightly as he continued.

"Aur jab tak main usko puri tarah se tod na du, mujhe chain nahi aayega." (And until I completely break her, I won't find peace.)

Silence followed his words. Advit nodded slowly, but for some reason, Abhimanyu's anger didn't sound convincing anymore. It sounded like a man trying to remind himself why he should hate someone he was slowly failing to hate.

Neither of them knew that while this conversation