Dhruv's expression softened as he gazed at her, his eyes filled with an unspoken regret. "I know I messed up, Shan. I was foolish, and I hurt you. But please believe me when I say that I never stopped thinking about you all these years. You were always in my thoughts, and I never forgot the way you were there for me when I needed you the most." Shanaya felt a strange mix of emotions bubbling inside her chest, and she couldn't help but feel torn between the past and the present. Dhruv had been her closest friend for years, and she had shared everything with him. He had become a lot more to her, but when he had suddenly pushed her out of his life without any explanation, she had been left heartbroken and confused. What he was doing to her—whatever it was that he was saying to her at that moment was unfair. She felt rage course through her veins along with a sharp pain in her chest. How could Dhruv make her feel comfortable in one moment and angry in the next? How could she still let
A moment passed before Shanaya approached the bed, noticing the IV drip and other medical equipment that surrounded Ahail. She couldn't bear to see her brother like this. As she stood by his bedside, tears began to well up in her eyes. She couldn't believe that the person she loved so much was going through this. She knew she had to be strong for him and for her family, but she felt helpless. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see her uncle standing there with a concerned expression on his face. He looked at her and said, "I'm sorry you had to see him like this, but he's going to be okay. The doctors are doing everything they can to help him." Shanaya felt ashamed, having been found in the state she was in. She nodded, trying to keep her composure. She knew Harish was right, but seeing Ahail like this made her feel so powerless. When she glanced at Harish, she found tears in her eyes too. He began in a voice that was too painful to her ears, “I’m to be
When Shanaya walked out of the hospital room that morning, she found Dhruv sleeping on one of the metal chairs placed outside in the hallway. The back of his head rested against the smooth tiled wall behind, his hands clasped together in his lap. Her shoulders tensed when she saw the way he was sitting—his back arched, one leg crossed over the other, making for a bad posture. When she walked to him, his eyes fluttered open. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up,” she apologised softly, wondering what he was still doing there. His tongue flickered over his bottom lip as he folded his arms. “That’s too bad, Shanaya. I was having the best dream.”She did not fail to grasp the sarcasm in his voice; just like her, he had got no sleep the previous night. “What did you dream about?” she still asked. Dhruv sat up straight in his chair, finally fixing his posture. Her shoulders relaxed as she watched him come up with a response. “I’ll tell you while we’re having breakfast,” he finall
Shanaya only hoped her brother would welcome the change in appearance, the fresh air and bright light and that it would help him get better. She let her eyes take one last look at the room before walking down the staircase towards the kitchen. “Are you done decorating the room?” Aruna asked as soon as her eyes found Shanaya. There was no warmth in her voice, only a tinge of mockery. Shanaya gave her a curt nod and kept walking, not lingering to make any conversation. She knew the woman had never really liked her or her brother. They had only received crude remarks from her. Shanaya could not care less; she had never bothered finding out the reason behind Aruna’s behaviour. When the news of Ahail’s arrival finally reached her ears, she practically ran to see him. It took all her strength to not hug him right where he stood. Neil stood by his side, supporting him, although he did not seem like he needed any support. His eyes looked a little tired but otherwise, if he felt weak, he
The night air was harsh on Shanaya’s skin. Every breeze was a reminder of her grandmother’s words—cruel, sharp, and the sort to leave permanent wounds on her soul. She let out an exasperated sigh and closed her eyes, thinking about her parents. She wondered how things would have been if they were still there. Ahail would have never gone down the path of self-destruction, never lost Noor—he would likely have a high paying job somewhere in some cool city. He would go out on vacations to all the great places in the world like he always wished. She would have remained silly, never toughened up, never taken up responsibility. But instead, here she was, wondering how much truth was held in Suhala’s words. Had they given up on themselves? Whatever did she mean by that? For the last six years, Shanaya had done everything in her capacity and beyond to get to where she was. She had left no stone unturned. She had failed, fallen and then risen up, tried again until she had become successful.
A while later they were sitting on the cold tiled floor of the terrace, their backs against the ledge wall. The wind blowing ruthlessly a while back had calmed down. The night was filled with the chirping of cicadas, and Shanaya saw a moth fly over their heads. Then all of a sudden Ahail spoke something, his voice too low, inaudible to her ears. He let out a heavy sigh and set his cup on the floor, now empty. Looking up at the moonless sky, he closed his eyes as a gust of wind hit them. Shanaya knew he was thinking about something and likely even wanted to talk about it, but something was making him hesitate. After a brief debate within her mind, she decided to end the silence. She began with the most appropriate question, “Why didn’t you tell me this had happened before?” It had been very difficult to keep her voice from quavering, but looking away from him had helped. She could not truly meet his eyes in that moment, afraid she would not be able to hold back her emotions. “I wa
Shanaya leaned against the side of her parked car, her nervous gaze fluttering repeatedly towards the door of Dhruv’s new bungalow. She had been standing outside his house for ten minutes, but so far there had been no word from him. She had considered knocking on the front door or ringing the bell, but feared it would make her look too eager or desperate. Eventually she had concluded that it was best to wait for him. But for how long, she had no clue. It had been five days since Ahail had been discharged from the hospital. Five days since she had heard Dhruv’s voice. Five days since she had seen his face. Five days since she had looked into those brown eyes. Shanaya had missed him. But she would throw herself under a bus before she could ever let him know that. Over the past few days, thoughts of Dhruv had incessantly invaded her mind. She would dwell on the curve of his smile or the gentle stubble on his cheeks, which was gradually growing into a beard. Sometimes her thoughts wo
CHAPTER 56[DHRUV]“An orphanage?” Dhruv mumbled to himself, shifting in his seat. His lips curled into a frown as the air suddenly changed. He watched Shanaya’s grip on the steering wheel tighten, as she flexed her fingers—her knuckles turning white. Dhruv's excitement was momentarily overshadowed by a pang of sadness. The mention of an orphanage reminded him of Shanaya's own loss—the fact that she had lost her parents at a young age. He couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and concern as he asked softly, "An orphanage? Are you sure about this, Shanaya?"“Why did you get so serious suddenly?” she questioned him, adding a chuckle when he did not respond. Dhruv blinked, momentarily taken aback by Shanaya's response. He realized that his concern had seeped into his demeanor, causing her to question his sudden seriousness. He shook his head slightly, trying to find the right words to express his thoughts.The timing did not feel appropriate to mention Shanaya's parents, and beside
Epilogue *A year later* “I need two more minutes, Shan,” Dhruv said through trembling lips. He let out a loud exhale. “Today’s an important day. I’ve never felt this way before any of my business meetings.” Shanaya placed her hand over his in a reassuring manner, passing him a genuine smile. “Hey, silly. This is a lot more difficult than any business meeting you’ll ever have.” Leaning forward, she reached out her hand to touch his cheek. “I’m glad I’m doing this with you. When we see her, everything will feel great. All this nervousness is going to fade into joy which will last a lifetime.” He nodded. “Of course, babe. I know that.” He wetted his lips before letting out another sigh. “Wow, I’m so ready to do this with you. Just give me one minute.” Shanaya agreed, nodding. She had never seen him so nervous. It was surprising and amusing at the same time. The air carried with it the scent of petrichor, greeting her senses as stepped out of her car. It was still warm despite the re
Shanaya couldn’t get any words out of her mouth as she watched Dhruv easily knock against the door to her grandmother’s room before he walked inside with a smile. How could he do that so casually? What was Shanaya missing? When she turned around to see Kirti’s face, she found amusement on it—not confusion like she had expected. “Is this really happening right now, Kirti? Please pinch me!” she said hurriedly, her voice filled with panic. Kirti laughed in response, instead urging her, “Go inside. I bet he needs you by his side.” “He’s not just about to do what he said he was going to,” Shanaya mumbled more to herself than to Kirti, gently patting her chest that stirred in anticipation. “Please, tell me.” His sister inched closer, a look of understanding crossing her eyes. “Dhruv hasn’t mentioned it to you, but he has been secretly visiting Dadi ever since she got sick. Actually, she was the one who requested him to meet her.” “But why would she do that?” “She… she felt sorry an
Ahail cleared his throat, adjusting the tie around his neck before he persuaded himself to press the doorbell. The moment was exhilarating. He felt as though he was going on an adventure—even though confronting someone did not count as one. But that night, he was determined to set things right. He had delayed far too long already. The door opened with a jerk and Noor’s face fell as she spotted him. The curious look faded away into a frown before she quickly replaced it with a difficult smile. He knew her enough to see right through it. Right then, as the moment stood silent, he debated with himself. He could walk away, ending the conversation before it started. Noor was already uncomfortable, he could see that. But the annoying voice inside his mind—that had been bothering him for days—urged him to stay put. He had to do this. He had to do it for Shanaya. And for himself. “Hey,” he managed to say, his voice coming out thick despite clearing his throat seconds before. When he he
The conversation with Nazir swirled inside Shanaya’s mind long after he left with Shaheer. All through the day as she sat through meetings and walked around her office, she pictured how things would’ve been had Nazir found the courage to confess his love for her grandmother, Suhala. If fate had favoured him, Shanaya would not exist. And if Suhala had indeed rejected him, it would have likely ruined their friendship. Shanaya was more baffled than sorry for the old man. Not once had she sensed even the hint of unrequited love from Nazir despite seeing her grandmother with him for several years. He did a great job hiding his feelings, and she could only imagine how heavy it weighed on him. She realised how lucky she was to get a second chance with Dhruv. Where would she be had he not stormed back into her life? Everything was better with him. And she had missed that feeling for all these years never knowing she had been craving it. She sighed, an audible cue for when she was do
As the morning sun bathed her white cabin in warm hues, Shanaya sat at her desk, engrossed in her work. She had things to take care of that day and with Priya back to work, she was glad to have someone to rely on. After the previous night had ended, Shanaya was reluctant to leave Dhruv’s side. She wanted to continue being in his arms, his touch bringing her the comfort that she craved. But then when Dhruv told her that at the end of the day, she’ll be back in his arms, she smirked at her and laughed it off. She teased him, making him look like a lovesick person. Once more, the world was abuzz with discussions about them. The rumors surrounding their relationship intensified, particularly when Anjali confidently appeared in public with her high school sweetheart and declared their engagement. Speculations arose regarding the nature of the bond between Anjali and Dhruv, yet neither of them contributed to the gossip mill. Dhruv reassured Shanaya that if she wasn't bothered by people's
Hours later Shanaya was in Kabir’s clinic, staring at the pictures hung up on the walls with other posters that gave out important information about hygiene as she recited the incident to him. Kabir’s eyes were wide as saucers. “She really asked you that?” “Yes,” Shanaya said, chewing on her bottom lip. “Future husband.” Kabir shook his head, sighing in disbelief. “Are you sure you didn’t just hallucinate that?” he emphasized, placing his elbows on the table. “Kabir, come on. She has… changed. I think she believes she doesn’t have enough time to hold grudges anymore.” “I think,” her best friend began. “She realizes that he makes you happy. And that’s what she wants for you. She has seen you struggle, Shanaya. No one else has been an active observer.” Shanaya shrugged. “So, that’s a good thing, right? It means she approves.” Kabir checked his wristwatch, his eyebrows narrowing. He stood up and took off his whit coat. He tried to sound nonchalant but Shanaya sensed the curiosity
The sun was shining outside, casting a bright and warm glow into the room through the pushed-back curtains. After a continuous spell of rain that had almost got Shanaya worried, the sky had cleared. ‘Everything is fine,’ she told herself. ‘I’m happy.’ But that was the way to jinx it—admitting that things were good. And then her brain did all it could to dampen her mood. This time, however, Raunak was there to distract her. “Alright, one more step… Ah, that’s great. You’re doing good,” Raunak claimed, helping Suhala get back to her wheelchair. “You’ve made a lot of progress, Mrs. Arora. It won’t be long before you’re sprinting up and down these stairs.” Suhala laughed it off, the sound of her croaky laughter echoing in the room. She sat down with a sigh, leaning her head back. If the venture had exhausted her, that was the sign. However, Shanaya could see nothing on her face that implied any pain. Shanaya smiled to herself, acknowledging that Raunak’s words were an exaggeration
When the next morning dawned, Shanaya was eager to leave. She had begun regretting her decision of coming to her family house. She was sure nothing would’ve changed had her uncle revealed the truth to her on the phone call. But even then, a part of her knew she would not resist being away knowing her brother had been injured in a fight. Shanaya’s puffy eyes were noticed by everyone at the table during breakfast. Ahail was of course absent, so Suhala had sent breakfast over to his room. The old woman had let her go but not before giving her an emotional lecture, pleading at the end to find Ahail a job in their family business. Shanaya had no choice but to agree despite all the questions that had rushed past her mind. Did Ahail even want to work for the company? Suhala seemed not to care. Her only concern was to see him being busy yet again but everyone knew perfectly well what happened when he had nothing to do. Shanaya drove to her office that foggy morning after making sure
When Shanaya entered through the door of her family mansion, her doubt was confirmed. Something was definitely amiss. Harish, her uncle, sat with his hand holding his head. His face was covered with a worried expression. She could breathe the discomfort in the air—something grave had happened. Suhala was sleeping in her wheelchair. Well, at least her eyes were closed as her she leaned back, her head resting against the edge of the backrest. “Uncle,” Shanaya greeted, carefully treading forward. Harish jumped in his seat, startled by her approach. He held a hand against a chest before he stood up and nodded. “Shanaya,” he said. That was all he said. “Tell me what has happened,” she demanded, her voice unwavering. Suhala was awakened by their loud conversation. Her wearing eyes looked around the room in search of someone, before they finally landed on Shanaya. “Oh, my child. You’re here finally.” “Dadi,” she mumbled, facing her momentarily before she gazed at Harish again. She