Shivaay ran after Nisha, but she ignored him, quickly putting in her earphones. He stood numbly in the corridor for a moment before walking back to his cabin. Tia stood there with her arms crossed, clearly expecting an explanation from him.

"Shivaay..." she called out his name in a stern tone.

"Tia, please sit down first, and I'll explain everything," he said calmly, and though impatient, she took a seat. He sat across from her.

"Tia, do you know why I asked you to come here?" Shivaay asked.

"To choose our engagement ring," Tia replied in a low tone.

"No... not for that. I called you here to tell you that this marriage won't be happening," Shivaay informed her, shattering her heart. Tears began streaming down her face.

"I know this will hurt you, but I can't marry you. When Daadi asked me in front of everyone, I had to say yes—not for family pride, but because of Daadi's health condition. I'm sorry, Tia, for playing with your feelings," Shivaay apologized, and Tia quickly wiped her tears.

"But why, Shivaay? You know how much I love you. Why are you doing this to me?" Tia cried, helpless.

"Tia, I don't love you," Shivaay said, shaking her to the core.

"Why?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Because I've given my heart entirely to someone else. The girl you saw earlier—she's her daughter, my daughter," Shivaay revealed.

"Shivaay... you're lying, right? How could you... are you drunk?" Tia asked, her disbelief evident, while his eyes filled with tears.

"If I were drunk, I wouldn't have let my daughter leave me. I would have stopped her. But unfortunately, I'm not drunk. A coward like me doesn't deserve her pure love, and this is my punishment—a life sentence. Please tell your family that you're not interested in this marriage," Shivaay said and left the room without facing her.

He drove to the same bar where Anika had once confronted him with her feelings. But now, it wasn't a public bar anymore—he had bought it ten years ago, and he was the only customer allowed inside. Even his brothers weren't permitted unless he was completely passed out.

"Sir, the usual? Vodka neat?" the bartender asked. Shivaay simply nodded. The bartender served, and Shivaay drank. This happened countless times until he lost his balance. The bartender immediately called his brothers, who arrived within minutes, took the passed-out Shivaay, and put him in the car.

"I can't see Shivaay Bhaiya like this, Om," Rudy cried, seeing his condition.

"Neither can I. But we've always been helpless, and we still are. He thinks he's punishing himself for his mistakes, but unknowingly, he's punishing us even more," Om said with tears in his voice.

They carried Shivaay inside, his body limp. He regained some consciousness but stayed silent, unable to manage by himself as his brothers helped him.

"SHIVAAY!" Tej's thunderous voice rang out, making Shivaay force his eyes open.

"Dad, not now," Om pleaded.

"SHUT UP, OM!" Tej shouted back.

"Om, don't. Bade Papa is right. Respect his decision—that's what every Oberoi does. We leave behind our happiness and our responsibilities... just like I did," Shivaay mumbled in his drunken state.

"Like you? Look at yourself, Shivaay. You're destroying yourself—and all for that cheap girl!" Tej sneered, causing Shivaay's anger to flare.

"MIND YOUR WORDS, BADE PAPA!" Shivaay roared, as Om and Rudy tried to take him to his room, but he shook them off.

"How can you talk about my Anika like this? How can you? HOW CAN YOU?" Shivaay yelled, furious that Tej had insulted her.

"Om, Rudy... take him inside," Tej said, frustrated.

"Shivaay... let's go inside," Om pleaded, seeing the tears well up in Shivaay's eyes after hearing Tej's words.

"How can Bade Papa call her cheap? She's not cheap. I am! I'm cheap for leaving her alone when she needed me the most. I'm the one to blame!" Shivaay cried to Om and Rudy, while his mother, Pinky, gently touched his shoulder to comfort him.

"BACK OFF, MRS. OBEROI!" Shivaay yelled at her, jerking her hand away.

"Shivaay..." Pinky cried, heartbroken by her son's condition.

"Oh please, Mrs. Oberoi, save your crocodile tears," Shivaay snapped, hurting her deeply. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. He sat there, watching her with his hand on his cheek.

"Are you really hurt seeing me like this?" he asked sarcastically, his voice slurred by the alcohol. Pinky nodded, reaching to cup his face, but he pushed her hand away.

"You're hurt? You're hurt?" He laughed hysterically, the sound painful to hear for everyone present—except Tej, who stood indifferent. Everyone else in the room wept, watching Shivaay's downward spiral.

He stretched out on the floor and sighed heavily. "Omru, today I have two reasons to laugh... ask me what they are," Shivaay said, slurring. He waited for them to ask, but they just shook their heads, tears in their eyes.

He struggled to stand but stumbled, and Omru rushed to support him.

"Reason one... because I hurt Mrs. Oberoi... reason two... I saw my 14-year-old daughter in my office today," Shivaay said, leaving everyone shocked.

"But I have only one reason to cry... my Anika and the bleeding memories of what could have been," he sobbed as Omru helped him into his bed.

****

"What happened?" Nisha's aunt asked while driving her back to the airport.

"Nothing... just found out about his engagement," Nisha replied quietly.

"I expected this," her aunt said, shaking her head.

"I expected it too, but it hurts seeing it with my own eyes. Thank God I didn't bring Ansh with me," Nisha added.

"You should have brought him along," her aunt suggested.

"He would have been devastated," Nisha responded, her aunt gently patting her shoulder in support.

"Okay... thanks for your help, Bua. But please don't tell Anika Mom. Let's keep the chapter of Shivaay Singh Oberoi closed forever," Nisha said, her heart heavy with sorrow.

Nisha returned to Bangalore, where Anika and Ansh were waiting for her outside the airport. She tried her best to hold back her emotions, but when she saw them, she couldn't control herself. She ran to Anika and hugged her tightly.

"Hey... what happened?" Anika asked, confused by Nisha's behavior, but Nisha just shook her head and hugged her even tighter.

"Baby... did something happen?" Anika asked, concerned. Nisha composed herself and broke the hug.

"Nothing... I just missed you," Nisha said, covering up her feelings.

"Madam, you'll get an extra paratha for dinner, so stop your sugarcoated words and get in," Ansh teased her. Nisha shot him a glare and got into the car.

****