Ansh repeatedly read the email from Shivaay over and over. He desperately wanted to go and hug him, to cry on his shoulder. But he was torn—either he could stay with his dad or leave his mom. He slumped into the chair beside him, his mind completely blank. Now, he understood how his friend Rithwik must have felt when the judge asked him to choose between his parents. Even though Ansh had chosen his mom, he felt as if he were walking down a path covered in thorns.

He consoled himself, wiped his tears, and moved toward the ward, where he saw his mother smiling from outside the door. He quickly pressed the home button on his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

Masking his own emotions, Ansh walked into the room, where Mallika stood up from the bed as he approached Anika.

"Feeling better?" Ansh asked, gently caressing her. She nodded with a smile. That smile was enough to give Ansh the strength to face anything in life, but... what about Shivaay?

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm your mother or you're my father," Anika teased, seeing the care in his eyes.

"Of course, any doubts? I *am* your father," Ansh winked, but Mallika and Nisha could sense the pain in his voice, even if Anika couldn't.

After three days, Anika was discharged from the hospital and returned home with a clearer mind, thanks to Ansh and his comforting words. But Ansh, in the process of helping her heal, had broken his own heart. The words "don't forget your dad" echoed in his mind relentlessly.

Holding Ansh's hand, Anika entered the house. She felt an unfamiliar energy in the air, which confused her. Something felt different, and she decided to ask about it.

"Mallika," Anika called out.

"Yeah?" Mallika responded immediately.

"While I was away, did someone come here?" Anika asked. Ansh quickly replied "no," which only heightened her suspicion. But she soon let it go and walked back to her room.

The familiar scent of her favorite room spray hit her, and it surprised her. No one knew about her favorite scent—not even Ansh. She switched on the light and gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Her favorite Kashmiri carpet was neatly laid out, and the baby-pink chiffon curtains brought back memories. The bed was perfectly arranged. Her heart began to race as she recognized the familiar presence of someone dear to her.

Curiosity got the best of her, and she opened her cupboard. She dropped to the floor in surprise, seeing her clothes neatly arranged. A tear of surprise escaped her eyes. She could feel his presence everywhere. Her heart smiled for the first time in a long time, and the hope she hadn't noticed before started to bloom. Her heart kept telling her, *"It was him..."* and Anika silently hoped it was true.

"Maa," Ansh said, snapping her out of her thoughts as he approached her.

"Ansh, who decorated my room like this? The carpet, the curtains, the bed, the cupboard..." Anika bombarded him with questions, her curiosity piqued. Ansh, slightly nervous, lied, "I did everything after watching YouTube," not wanting to trouble her further, unaware of the emotions she had just released after 14 years.

Anika's brain believed his words, but her heart didn't. It sensed his presence throughout the room. With a heavy heart, she accepted Ansh's explanation and walked toward the balcony, where memories of her younger self flooded her mind.

She touched the rusted iron railing, freshly painted, and was about to touch a sharp edge when a voice called out, "Anika, careful!" She turned around instantly, only to realize it was her imagination. Smiling to herself, she stepped back and gazed at the blue evening sky. She spread her arms wide and let the cool sea breeze brush against her skin. She felt free, energized, and most importantly—happy.

As time passed, everyone had dinner and went to their respective rooms. Ansh said goodnight and headed to his new room, leaving Anika alone in hers. She couldn't help but smile at the beautiful decorations in her room. She moved carefully, not wanting to disturb anything, and once again found herself on the balcony.

To her surprise, she heard the honk of a car horn. Rushing to the edge, she spotted a teenage boy honking the horn of his red i10 while a teenage girl ran out of a house, hugged him, and kissed him on the cheek. Watching them, Anika couldn't stop her tears from falling, though they were accompanied by a wide smile. She saw herself and Shivaay in that young couple.

"Haven't slept yet?" Mallika's voice interrupted Anika's thoughts. She was too absorbed in the memory to respond immediately.

Mallika came to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. Anika turned to look at her briefly, then returned her gaze to the couple below.

"What are you watching?" Mallika asked, confused.

"Look at them..." Anika gestured toward the couple. "We were like them once... happy, caring, loving..." Anika added with teary eyes, surprising Mallika.

"We?" Mallika asked.

"Me and... Shivaay," Anika replied, her tone soft and nostalgic. The name brought happiness to Mallika's face—she couldn't believe her ears.

"I thought you hated him..." Mallika said.

Anika laughed softly and turned to face her friend. "Me? Hate Shivaay? I tried, but I could never hate him, no matter what he did. Even though he hurt me so much, I could never bring myself to hate him. That's the truth."

"I don't understand..." Mallika said, confused.

"Okay, let me explain with an example. You eloped with Sid, right? Against your parents' wishes?" Anika asked. Mallika nodded.

"And they cut you off from the family, right? You may not have forgiven them, but deep down, can you really say you hate them?" Anika asked, sitting down.

Mallika thought for a moment. "No... I guess I can't. Even if I'm angry, they're still my parents. They raised me, loved me."

"Exactly. It's the same with me. I can't hate Shivaay, even if I struggle to forgive him. It's too complicated," Anika explained.

"Why is it so hard to forgive him?" Mallika asked.

"Because he's the one who taught me what love really means. He didn't fake it; he truly loved me. I felt it, especially during the time when my parents didn't care about me. Dad was busy with business, and Mom was lost in her own world. I had convinced myself that I wasn't meant for love. And then, Shivaay came into my life like an angel. He wiped away all my insecurities with his love. He loved me like a mother, protected me like a father... and then he left me like a stranger," Anika said, tears escaping as she spoke the last sentence. She quickly wiped them away.

"Ansh was right... it's okay to still love him. I'll never stop loving him. His memories are enough to make me smile and blush like I used to. I'm content with that now. Thank God I didn't see him when we separated. If I had, that image would have been burned into my heart. Now, I'm happy with the memory of the 20-year-old Shivaay—the happy, caring one," Anika said with a smile, bringing tears to Mallika's eyes.

"That's such an intense love..." Mallika murmured, touched by her friend's words.

"It's getting late. Shall we go to bed?" Anika suggested, standing up.

"If my parents came and apologized, I think I'd forgive them," Mallika admitted as Anika was leaving.

"Some wounds can't be healed by a simple 'sorry'..." Anika replied. "It takes more than that," she thought as she walked away.

*************

Meanwhile, Shivaay stood at the edge of a cliff, holding a bottle of liquor. His eyes were red from hours of crying. He stared down at the abyss with tears in his eyes. Nothing was on his mind but Anika and Ansh. He closed his eyes, seeing their faces.

"I love you both," he whispered and jumped.

.

.

.

.

.

"Dad!" Ansh screamed, waking up from the nightmare.

********

"Ansh, what are you doing up at this hour?" Anika asked when she saw him gulping down water, visibly shaken by his dream. He tried to mask his fear and turned toward her.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Anika asked again, gently wiping the sweat from his forehead. He couldn't stop himself from hugging her tightly, pulling her closer.

"Hey, what happened?" Anika asked, sensing his fear.

"I had a terrible nightmare, Mom," he replied in a trembling voice. Anika sighed in relief and caressed his hair.

"It's okay... it was just a dream. It won't come true," she said, kissing his forehead.

"I hope so, Mom," he whispered, still scared.

Without saying another word, Ansh retreated to his room without looking back. Anika felt a small pang in her heart, sensing that Ansh was pulling away from her. But she was determined—no matter what, she wouldn't let him distance himself from her. She went to his room.

"Ansh, are you asleep?" she whispered.

Though Ansh was still awake, he didn't respond. Anika

climbed into bed and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Everything will be alright," she said, kissing his forehead. Ansh closed his eyes tightly as tears silently soaked into his pillow.