Dear Readers,

The next update after 350 votes and comments. Tomorrow. Same time. (If the feedback comes on time.)

The restaurant buzzed with the evening crowd as Dhriti made her way into the kitchen. She could see Dhruv shooting orders at the staff. Fridays were the busiest days of the week. Dhriti wished she did not have to disrupt her twin, but she did not have a choice. Dev wanted Dhruv to consent for the Audition. He made it clear that he would not participate if Dhruv did not sign the forms.

Never before had Dev insisted on such a thing. It was she who signed everything related to the boy's studies. She was always the active guardian for Dev's schoolings. It was she who took all decisions, Dhruv never questioned her, trusting her judgement. She knew what was best for Dev, but she also understood what the boy desired.

"Dhriti Ma'am." One of the chef's assistants greeted her with a warm smile. "Long time no see. How are you?"

Dhriti nodded her head, returning his smile. Dhruv looked up and paused with his work. For a second he was worried that something must have gone wrong, Dhriti never came to the restaurant unless she needed to discuss something important or vent. But the moment passed. It was months she had come looking for him. It was obvious that his twin did not have anything to discuss with him.

Dhriti made her way to Dhruv when she realized he would not stop his work for her. His stubbornness did not surprise her, rather she was prepared for it. She had seen her mother struggling with Dhruv. As much as she loved her twin, there were some things that she found hard to handle.

"Can we talk?" She set her ego aside and confronted him.

Dhruv nodded his head, but a new order came up. He passed on the order to Raman, only for the man to send the dock back to him.

"Its' a chef special request, Sir." Raman called out.

Dhruv sighed and reached for the docket again. The dish would take him twenty minutes. Dhriti did not like waiting, but the client who requested the order was an elderly businessman and a long time patron of the restaurant. He could not turn down the request.

"Can you wait for twenty minutes?"

"Why are you doing this, Dhruv?" Dhriti grabbed his hand. "You cannot push us away. You have to let me talk. How long are you going to block me out? Don't you...."

"We are at the restaurant, Dhirti." Dhruv hissed under his breath. He could see the assistants trying hard not to eavesdrop. He could not blame them, it was human nature to be curious. They were creating a scene.

"Then let's go somewhere private. I need to talk."

More orders poured in. Dhruv called a waiter and asked him to stop taking Chef's orders. That was the only way he could leave the kitchen.

"Give me twenty minutes, I need...."

"If you don't cook will someone die?"

Dhruv froze. "This is my work place, Dhriti. I may not be a doctor, but my work is important to me."

Dhriti felt frustrated. That was not what she meant. "Stop putting words in my mouth, Dhruv. You know that is not what I meant."

"Chef, how long?" The manager popped inside to check. They had too many guests waiting. The service was very slow. They needed a sous chef to speed up the process.

"Twenty. Serve complimentary wine." Dhruv tried to play it cool. One mistake in their line of work and it could spell a disaster for the business. They thrived on word of mouth and repeat customers. Dhruv could not gamble it away. The manager rushed out to do his bidding.

Dhruv looked back at Dhriti. If things were diffneed he would not have hesitated to ask her to wait in his room, but now he was not sure how she would take the simple statement.

"Fine!" Dhriti hissed. "You can put me off forever. I will wait until midnight if I have to, but we will talk this through. I have had enough of your silence. We will talk."

Dhruv did not argue and got back to cooking. He was not the one who stopped communicating. For once he did not appreciate Dhriti's anger. They were in it together. After they lost their mother they only had each other to hold on to. Every decision related to their home or business was taken after a mutual discussion. They made it a point to take each other's opinion into consideration. Be it a new wallpaper for his restaurant, or a new appliance for their home, they discussed it first. The only thing that they never discussed was Dhriti's work.

Dhruv knew nothing about hospitals, and he never advised her on her career. He knew his limitations and accepted them. That was why he trusted her to take care of Dev's education. She was the one who was more capable and smart. He trusted her to keep him in the loop. No matter how hard he tried he could not let go of the hurt. He had a right to know about Dev's admission. He had the right to know what Dev was doing with his life.

Dhruv pushed the resentment away and concentrated on the dish. The more he mulled over it the more bitter he felt and was not proud about it. Bitterness only destroyed relationships, he knew that better than anyone else. He had to find a way to move ahead.

Dheer paced the room restless. The more he mulled over the accident the more restless he became. He needed to keep his mind occupied. His counsellor had taught him ways to overcome the depressive thoughts. Usually music helped. He wished he had his guitar with him, or his laptop.

He was thinking about getting his laptop when the subtle tunes of the violin drifted through his window. Dheer walked to the french windows and opened them wide. The music was soothing, and gentle, like a mother's touch. Dheer's eyes filled up remembering his mother.

"Mera accha bacha hai, Dheer. (You are my good baby, Dheer.) Be a good boy for Gammy."

He could still hear her gentle voice. She always wanted him to be a good boy. She wanted him to make the right choices in life. She encouraged him to be gentle and kind.

"We get what we give, Bachacha. Love makes life beautiful. If you love, then you will only get love back. Never hurt anyone.'

Dheer leaned against the railing. He had tried hard to live up to her advice, but life taught him that hard way that love was not always returned back. He lost the parents he loved. The brother he looked up to stepped back when he needed him the most. Those few years he cried himself to sleep, he realized that his mother was wrong. Love was not a strength, it was a weakness. It renders you helpless and dependent. Dheer was terrified to be hurt again. In his desperation to protect himself, he built a shield around himself, refusing to let anyone get through.Only his Gammy and Daadu could ever come closer. The rest of the world was off limits.

Dheer felt foolish now. Only after coming back to his cousins did he realize that every story had two sides. He spent a decade resenting his bhaiya, but the man he was required with was nothing like the man he imagined. He was the same kind and giving person he had always been. Dheer did not know why Dhruv stepped back, but he knew beyond doubt that there must be some reason. But what? That was the one question he wanted answered.

The notes changed from subtle to bold and challenging. Dheer's fingers itched for his guitar. He needed a means to channelize his emotions. When he heard the sound of footsteps he schooled his features and forced a smile, but the smile faded when he saw Dev's sad face.

"What happened? You didn't go to Bhaiya?"

Dev shook his head. "Di said she would talk to Bhaiya first." Dev thrust his hands in his pockets.

"Will she tell him about the audition?"

Dev bobbed his head.

Dheer looked away, he wished Dev was the one to talk to Dhruv, had he been in Dhruv's place he would have taken the news a lot better from Dev then Dhriti.

"You think I should have gone?"

Dheer remained silent.

"Bhai..."

"You are seventeen, Dev. You do not need validation from a third person." Dheer could not hold back the anger. He was already dealing with too many emotions, and could not play it cool even if he wanted to.

Dev flinched as if he had struck him. Dheer realized his mistake immediately and placed his hands on Dev's shoulder. "I am sorry. I am not in a great mood today. I didn't mean to yell."

Dev nodded his head, but leaned into Dheer's warmth. The music in the background provided him comfort. He knew Dheer was not wrong. He did seek validation. Dhruv often told him that he should speak out boldly, but he was worried about hurting anyone's feelings.

"I will talk to Bhaiya when he comes back home."

"Do that!" Dheer looked back at their neighbors house. He could hear the cheers of the kids. Aisha was teaching kids. Their excitement was contagious.

"Your teacher has great talent."

Dev bobbed his head. She was the best.

"Can I borrow your guitar?"

Dev's eyes widened in surprise. "You know how to play?"

Dheer nodded his head. "I am not an expert, but I can manage a few notes. I need to get the frustration out of the system."

Dev rushed inside to get his guitar. It was a little worn out but it worked perfectly. He had held on to the instrument for a decade. It was a part of him.

"Will this do?"

Dheer reached for the guitar. It was not the model that mattered. Music was always about emotion and honesty. The one he owned at home belonged to his late uncle. His father treasured it, and his grandmother passed on to him. He was taught to respect the art, not the instrument.

A hauntingly beautiful melody drifted through the terrace gaining the boy's attention. They turned around and found her with her eyes closed, lost in the music, as her fingers danced expertly over the violin.

Dheer could not take his eyes off her. She looked like an angel, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he recognized the challenge in her notes. He waited until the last note of her piece lingered in the air before he responded. His fingers moved deftly over the guitar strings, answering her melody with a soulful tune of his own.

Ayisha stopped playing and looked around. She spotted him almost immediately and a soft gasp escaped her lips. She did not know he could play and as a professional herself she recognized the skill. Her heart soared in joy as she saw him stop for her. He bowed his head in a subtle challenge. Ayisha responded with a melody of her own. Two acknowledging each other's talent.

The rich, warm tones of the guitar intertwined with the haunting strains of the violin, creating a mesmerizing harmony that filled the evening. Dev's eyes widened in shock. Dhruv called himself an amateur, but what he saw was pure professional.

They continued this musical duel, each taking turns to challenge and respond. The music flowed seamlessly between them, each note a conversation, each melody a story. He played with passion and intensity, his guitar singing with emotion, while Ash answered with a gentle, yet powerful, resonance from her violin. It was music at the very best.

Neighbors peeked out from their windows, captivated by the concert. On opposite terraces, under the dazzling moonling, Dheer and Ash forged a connection that bound them to each other. It was not love, nor was it friendship. It went deep, a soul connection that only an artist could understand.

As the final notes faded into the evening, they shared a moment of silent acknowledgment. Dheer bowed in respect and Ash did the same. Their eyes met, the respect was all the connection they needed.

The children cheered for them, breaking the spell. Dev bowed down to Dhruv, completely mesmerized with the performance. For those twenty minutes he had completely forgotten about his problems. Such was the power of music.

The sound of claps startled Dheer and Dev. They turned around and saw the Shekhawat twins applauding. Neither had realized that they had come inside. Akshu crossed the distance between them and engulfed Dheer in a deep hug. Dheer buried his face into her curls, her warmth always lifted his spirits. He did not know how much he needed to be held until she pulled him into her arms.

"That was a great performance, Dheer." She pulled back and gently cradled his face. "Are you sure you choose the right profession?"

"He did!" Aman answered before Dheer could come up with another answer. The boy was his golden goose, he refused to let him soar to a different field. "But the kid is a pro at everything. That was hands down the best music I have ever heard, Kid."

Dheer nodded his head in silent acknowledgement.

"I will get coffee for everyone." Dev offered.

"I will help you." Akshu said with a smile. She did not wish to inconvenience the kid, and she knew her brother needed to talk to Dheer. She did not know what happened, but Aman was restless all evening. She only knew it was about Dheer. Aman Shekhawat and worry in one sentence did not go well. It was best if they talked about it though.

Aman waited until he heard the footsteps fade away and turned to Dheer. The boy was staring at the guitar, refusing eye contact.

"Are you okay?"

Dheer tensed. He knew Aman would find out. The man had his means.

"It's nothing, Aman..."

"Let's not be dumb about this, Dheer. You are the Randhawa Heir, any attack on you cannot be overlooked."

Dheer ran his fingers through his hair. He knew that well, but they were not in New York. He was a threat to no one in India. "Maybe it was an accident."

"And if it was not?" Aman challenged.

"I will go back." Dheer met Aman's gaze. There were no two decisions about it. If someone attacked him, he needed to get back to New York. He could not put his family at risk. Whatever danger came with him would leave with him. His problems would never touch them.

"And what about your mission?"

Dheer looked away. "Some things are not worth hurting the people we love, Aman."

The regret in his voice made Aman pause. The boy who told him that he would be back to New York in 30 days was not the same one he was talking to. The arrogance was long gone. Aman crossed the distance between them and leaned against the rail, a little closer to Dheer. He wanted to put a comforting arm around the boy, but he knew they were not friends. At least not yet.

"Do you want to tell me why you came here?"

Silence.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You already helped." Dheer acknowledged reluctantly. "I never thanked you for that."

"I am not looking for thanks, Kiddo."

"I will finish the aap. Akshu took the laptop...."

"Not everything is about business, Dheer. You still need rest." Aman shook his head. He did not wish to come across as overbearing, but he was no slave driver. "You are no use to me dead. So, get back to good health and stay away from trouble. I will have the security tightened."

Dheer did not protest. Since the day he joined Shekhawat group he was assigned a different security team from Aman's end. Though his own security did a great job, Aman always believed in protecting his investments. Dheer respected that.

Aman sighed when he did not receive a stinging reply. The boy was really down.

"The bond between siblings is forged through trust, Dheer." Aman found himself saying. "Love is very essential for any relationship, but it is trust that forges the connection. You cannot earn trust with lies. What you told me at the beginning was the truth. Deception will only destroy trust."

Dheer looked up. He did not know why Aman was saying that. The man knew nothing about his agenda.

"From what I have seen Dhruv has enough on his plate now. I don't know why you are here, but your brother has been deceived enough."

Dheer eyes lowered.

"There is only so much a man can take, Dheer. Remember that always." Don't add yourself to the list of people who hurt him. Aman left the words unspoken but Dheer heard it clearly. With each passing day he was realizing the depth of his deception. He had dug himself so deep that there was no getting out. The only way out was to confess the truth, but like Aman said, Dhruv had enough on his plate. It was time he walked away. Dhriti already hated him, he at least got to experience Dhruv and Dev's companionship. Dhere could live with that.  

Twenty minutes later Dhruv walked into his office as he had promised. He left Raman incharge of the service, but knew the man could only do so much. At that second the service did not matter. They had enough to deal with.

Dhrti saw the door open and sighed in relief. She almost convinced herself that Dhruv was not going to come.

"Dhruv" Dhriti tried to touch his hand, but Dhruv stepped back.

"You wanted to talk?" Dhruv looked her in the eye.

"Yes! You know exactly what I want to talk about."

Dhruv nodded his head and reached for the bottled water. He barely got to take a sip the entire evening. Out of habit he poured the juice and offered it to Dhriti.

She set the juice away and made him sit. "Did you atleast take a break?"

"I am understaffed, Dhriti. Let's not worry about me now. Tell me why you are here." The usual warmth was missing from his voice. Dhriti hated it. He was making it difficult for her.

"Don't you think we need to talk about what happened."

"If you wanted to talk about it, you could have done so long ago. What is there to talk about now?"

Dhriti took a step back. She was expecting an angry outburst, even accusations, not the controlled anger.

"Don't you want to know why I kept it from you?"

"Because you believed that I would stop Dev?"

Dhriti nodded her head. Hurt flashed in Dhruv's eyes but he masked it quickly. "Then we have nothing to talk about, Dhriti. We know exactly where we stand with each other. You know what is best for Dev. At least Dev is lucky to have one understanding sibling."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Dhriti's eyes glinted. Dhruv was a very direct person. The sarcasm did not sit well with her.

"It means that Dev is lucky to have you. Nothing more nothing less. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"You hate music, Dhruv. You have made your feelings very clear."

"I know. Honesty is overrated. I should have pretended to like something I don't. Believe me I learned my lesson. Anything else?"

"Why are you being so difficult? You were always like this with Mumma. You did everything she asked for and yet you made her feel guilty for her actions. The way you are trying to make me feel guilty."

Dhruv froze. "I am trying to make you feel guilty? I tried to make Mumma feel guilty."

"You did!" Dhriti accused. "Everytime Dheer called you and Mumma asked you not to answer the call, you locked yourself in the room for days. You did not give in to Mumma's pleas. You made her suffer by shutting her out. If anyone asks you to do something that you don't want to do, you do it, but then make them feel guilty. I am not Mumma, Dhruv. I don't have her patience. I know lying to you was a mistake, but I had to do it to give Dev what he needed. The boy is only seventeen. He does not deserve to give up his dreams. I could not let you destroy his best chance. Had you known about the admission, you would have given Dev a tough time. The boy only has us. I could not let him suffer."

"So you protected him from me?"

Dhriti remained silent. That was the truth.

"I did not know that my child..." Dhruv shook his head. "That your child needs protection from me."

"He is yours too" Dhirti shot back. "The boy looks up to as a father figure. Don't you dare deny him his right."

"If you had to step in to protect Dev from me, then it is obvious that the boy does not need me."

"I never said that. You are blowing this out of proportion. Mujhe ache se pata tha tha ke tu yahin karega. (I knew you would react this way.) You are too set in your beliefs Dhruv. I. I am sorry for hurting you, but I am not sorry for keeping the truth from you. Had you known the truth, you would not have given the money for admission."

Dhruv took a step back, hurt. "You think I will deny Dev the opportunity he craved?"

"You did it once. Mumma had to fight tooth and nail to get Dev those music lessons."

"The lessons costed 5 lakhs per annum." Dhruv's eyes widened in disbelief. "We were bankrupt. We did not have money to pay for Dev's school fee. The mansion was being auctioned. How could I not fight Mumma over it? Those lessons could have waited a year, she could have convinced Dev...."

"And denied him the opportunity? Not everything is about money, Dhruv. You never got Mumma's point of view. She only wanted the best for us. She was trying her best to make ends meet. You did not have to make things difficult for her. She was already feeling guilty because she could not afford your college fee. How much more guilty did you want her to feel? Did you want her to feel like a failure? Just because she chose our safety over that boy, you made everything difficult for her. Do you even realize that the boy is not your blood? You put yourself at risk to save him, and yet you deny your own blood the opportunity?"

Dhruv felt hurt. She knew about their condition and yet accused him of denying Dev the opportunity.

"We could not afford those lessons then" He tried to make her understand. It hurt that she misunderstood him for years. Looking back he realized that she was never a part of those discussions with his mother. She was always at college when they argued and by the time she was back he was at work. He thought she understood their situation.

"Mom was ready to sell her jewellery, but you did not let her."

"That jewelry was the only thing she had for herself, Dhriti. It was her parents' last memory."

"For a mother, a child's happiness comes before anything else. That jewelry did not matter to her."

"It did!" Dhruv shot back. He remembered how much his mother cried when she gave him the jewellery and asked him to sell it off. It was only then he learned that the jewelry was her parents' last gift to her. After learning the truth he couldn't let her sacrifice.

"It did not! Mumma told me herself."

Dhruv took a step back in shock. "Mumma told you?"

"Mumma had no secrets from me. I know everything. You gave her the money but you made her shed blood tears." Dhriti blinked away her tears. "She never blamed you Dhruv, but she did not deserve to be treated that way. She had to be always careful with you. Like dad you always choose others before her. Dad married her, but he always regretted hurting his family. He made her feel guilty for the marriage. And you made her feel guilty for protecting us."

A few tears slipped from her eyes but Dhriti quickly wiped them away. "She only wanted the best for us, Dhruv. Kaunsi maa apne bacho ke safety nahi chatey? (which mother does not want her children safe?) You never understood her. And you will never understand my emotions. Music was never the problem. You always blamed dad, but the real culprit was the Randhawa's. If they had helped us out when we needed the funds, none of this would have happened. Dad would have had his dream. You would not have had to struggle. Mom could have the life she deserved. We would still be happy, but those people never forgave Mom. Had she been a wealthy Heiress her every mistake would be overlooked. Since she belonged to a humble family she was ostracized and humiliated. You never understood any of this. She tried to tell you..... "

"Mom was in trauma and terrified for us." Dhruv shook his head. "I never blamed her for stepping back. A mother always wants her children safe, but I could not blame Dadi for what happened. She lost her son and daughter in law, Dhriti. When we should have helped her grieve we shut ourselves out. A relationship goes both ways..."

"And they never did anything for us."

Dhruv took a deep breath. He always knew Dhriti hated their grandparents. She always blamed them for not responding to their mothers calls. Dhruv could never forget all those calls Sheetal made pleading with Shanti to come and visit them. Their grandfather had fallen sick after his uncle's accident. The couple needed their son, but Shanti was worried that if they went to New York, it would engender their family. Her worries were justified, but one could not step back and expect the other to reciprocate, but his mother never got that. He loved her very much, but he was not blind to her faults. She was an amazing mother, but she was not without faults.

"Go home, Dhriti. This conversation is not doing us any good."

"Why? Because you have to face the truth?" Dhriti shook her head. "Atleast abhi to maan le ke sare galti us family ke hai. (At Least now accept that the Randwas are to be blamed.) Your hatred for music is misplaced. You are hating the wrong things, you are hunting the wrong people. Please, you hurt Mumma enough. Don't hurt Dev. Let him live his life the way he wants. The boy respects you a lot. He will never go against your wishes"

She pulled out the forms from her bag and set it on the table.

"I fought so hard because Dev was willing to give up his dreams for you. The day he got admission into RMS, I was ready to tell you, but then Dev told me that he would give up music, if that is what you wanted. That boy doesn't know how to fight for himself. He has no one to stand up for him. If Mumma was there she would have made sure that he had his chance. Now he only has us, Dhruv. Yes I lied to you, because I was scared you would say no. I could not let Dev suffer. I though with time Dev would learn to stand up for himself, but even today he is putting you before his wishes."

She put the papers in Dhruv's hand.

"There is an audition for playback singing in the daytime. His teachers believe that he can make it. This is his golden opportunity, but the boy wants your consent. If you don't sign these papers, Dev will not attend the audition."

Dhruv stiffened,

"You are holding his future in your hands. Don't destroy it. I forgave you for hurting Mumma, but you hurt Dev, you will lose me forever. I love you Dhruv. You are a part of me, but I will not let you hurt anyone else I love."

Dhruv's eyes filled up. He did not know what to say. She thought of him as a monster and he had been clueless for years. Dhriti gently cupped his face. "Tu bohot achha hai, Dhruv. Lekin bohot ziddi hai. (You are a very good man Dhruv but you are stubborn.) You make sure your family is taken care of, but you want to do it your way. For once, put our emotions before yours. Give Dev what he wants without making him feel guilty about it. Your child needs you now, don't fail him. Hate me all you want. It was me who deceived you. Dev had nothing to do with it. I don't expect you to forgive me for the lies. I am not even asking, but I want Dev's happiness. That is all that matters. Make the right decision. You chose Dheer over your life once, now choose your child over your hatred. If you love him you will do it."

Dhriti walked away with a heavy heart. With every accusation she hurled at Dhruv a part of her soul was ripped away. Dhruv's tears were her punishment, but things needed to be said. Had she been brave enough to confront her twin before, things would not have escalated to the level. After they lost their mother, they only had each other to hold on. Dhruv always made the right choices for them, but when it came to Dev she was worried that he would falter again. As a twin she could forgive Dhruv anything, but as a daughter and sister she could not ignore Dev and her mother's distress. Now that everything had been said, it was upto Dhruv. If he still insisted on being stubborn, she did not know what she could do. Despite what she said, she could not live without Dhruv. All she felt at that moment was helpless.

1- Will Dhruv sing the forms?

2- Dhruv and Dhriti share opposite perceptions of the same situation. What is your take on this.

3- How was Aman and Dheer's moment?

4- Dheer wants to walk away. What is your POV on that.

5- How according to you can the siblings bridge the gap?

6- Whose bond do you want to see more in the next episode?