Kiara walked into the mansion, a smile playing on her lips, but it faded away the minute she glanced at the soul sitting on the couch in the living area.

Dhruv had a pleased smile on getting a sight of Kiara, but it turned into a frown, seeing her smile fading away. Kiara attempted to mask a smile as she walked towards him, but Dhruv could see through it.

"From when you started hiding your emotions?" He commented as Kiara stood before him. Kiara was taken aback by his response but soon grabbed herself.

"Years of friendship allowed me to learn that skill from you." Kiara mocked back making Kajal interrupt.

"Kiara!" Kajal scolded but Kiara ignored her presence.

"What are you doing over here, Dhruv?" Kiara came directly to the point.

Dhruv stared at her for a minute, and Kiara averted her gaze. "I wanted to talk to you," he was almost pleading.

Kiara gazed at him for a second, sighing heavily she whispered back. "What is it?"

Dhruv eyed Kajal's presence, "aren't you free? Can't we just watch a movie together or what about an ice cream party?"

Kiara glanced at Kajal, "come..." she walked upstairs without sparing a glance at Dhruv.

"Thanks for taking my offer. So, what shall we watch? Have your preference changed from the last time we..." Dhruv had started off but Kiara interrupted him in between.

"I didn't want mom to have bad opinions about you." Kiara sounded distant.

"Are you mad at me?" Dhruv inquired sounding upset.

"Do you think I am mad at you?" Kiara chuckled, "I thought you knew me better."

"Kiara, I am aware ..."

"You said, you wanted me to move on with Harshad." Kiara reached her door, as she pulled it, and walked inside followed by Dhruv. "I will soon learn to like Harshad and I might forget your existence. Then what are you doing here? Why have you entered my life if you wanted me to forget you?" Kiara growled at him in fury. "You have decided what's better for me than let me leave with my present. Why do you keep jumping and attempting to destroy me further?" She was accusing him, her eyes fuming in rage accompanied by tears.

"Kiara," Dhruv attempted to take a step forward but Kiara gestured for him to stop.

"You have played enough with my feelings, Dhruv." Kiara sounded serious, her orbs were stern. "I would have forgiven you if you hadn't felt a thing for me because I understand you can't force your heart to feel things but you lied to me. You betrayed me." She pointed a finger at him with accusing orbs, she was attempting to brush off those tears. A sign of the agony she had undergone for months.

"Do you have any idea, how broken I was when each time you pulled me away? How it shuttered me into pieces?" Kiara was attempting hard not to break down in front of him. To keep herself together. "You made me question my worth, Dhruv. I kept repeating to myself that you weren't at fault because you didn't love me the way I did. And maybe you didn't..." she shook her head. "Because if you loved me, your heart won't have ever allowed you to treat me in such a manner."

"You too might have been as broken as I am on the mere thought of you in pain." Kiara averted her gaze from him in disgust.

"You're aware why I did it," Dhruv pleaded. "I... was afraid that history might repeat itself. What if... What if..."

"Are you listening to your fear?" Kiara groaned, "how could you imagine that you were anything like your dad?" Kiara shook her head, "do you believe that you could ever humiliate me in that manner? The person who keeps the entire world above himself could ever hurt me?"

"But I had hurt you," Dhruv mumbled and Kiara's orbs soften at that comment. "You're staring at me with the hate, I was trying to avoid. You hate me, Kiara." Dhruv took a step backward. "The one thing that I wanted to avoid and I am receiving it."

"Don't you dare, Dhruv!" Kiara warned him, taking a step forward toward him. "You aren't putting this thing on me at the end. I don't want to deal with any more guilt of hurting you. I had enough of my selfless nature, I no longer want to behave like such..." she shook her head. "I want to start living for myself again."

"Are you indirectly asking me to leave you?" Dhruv sounded emotionless as he was shielding his emotions from her.

Kiara stared at him for a second, "you're an amazing friend, Dhruv. But I don't know if I am that strong to keep you as a friend after this."

Dhruv smiled at her confession, "history does repeat itself." He commented masking a smile. "So, this is the end?" He raised a brow in a playful manner. "I hope you will remember me with happy memories."

"You are sounding like this is a farewell, I am just saying..."

"I am going to Canada," Dhruv announced. "I was here to inform you about my departure."

"You! What!" Kiara exclaimed in shock. At the information her heart started aching again, was she never going to see him again?

"I didn't want to leave a grudge behind." He expressed pressing a smile.

Kiara shook her head trying to register his words. "Have a beautiful future," he muttered as he took a step forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I wish you be offered with only happiness."

Kiara was dazed to react. She felt as if finally she was in control. He was so longer ruling her life but she was wrong. There was closure but it wasn't from her, she hadn't decided it but it was decided by him.

Kiara wasn't letting her heart win. She had enough of it. She had only experienced pain due to the path her heart had chosen. She was going to act practical, she was going to allow him to leave.

___

Rajeev had locked himself in the study room. He had finished numerous cups of coffee from the past few hours. Kajal had knocked on the door at frequent intervals getting scared of his health.

He was reading the flies Harshad had mentioned a few days back. The incident hadn't let him sleep. Those words uttered by him would constantly flash in his mind and latterly he was observing the people around him. The way Kiara would shrink to herself the minute Ranbir entered the screen. Kajal's frequent attempts to keep Kiara as far away from Ranbir's presence as possible.

Kajal would constantly mention to Kiara to visit one or the other friend at times asking her to invite people into the house. Kajal seemed restless around Rajeev as if she was holding something from him.

Rajeev didn't want to believe a word mentioned in the file. Each word scribbled down was making him believe that he was wrong. He had judged her daughter, he had hurt her with his words. He didn't believe her. Rajeev felt exhausted with the numerous thought concurring in his heart. He felt guilty for his deeds. The pleading face of Swara flashed before his eyes. Those eyes were filled with tears pleading to him to allow her to meet Kabir for once. And next, he knew was that she died.

Rajeev leaned on his armchair, closing his eyes for some amount of peace but Swara's face constantly tortured him. He needed to find the truth. He had to talk to Kabir. He was going to know the entire truth, he was determined as he took the car keys and rushed out of the study room.

___

"What!" Avni exclaimed and Kiara ignoring her reaction, concentrated on the coffee mug before her.

"Dhruv is leaving for Canada?" Yami sounded surprised, her eyes darting to Aditi.

"We had broken up a few months back," Aditi informed sounding guilty for keeping it away from the rest.

"What!" Yami shouted, staring at the rest two. "Was I kept hidden?"

"I thought Harshad might have informed you," Kiara muttered sounding surprised.

"He hardly calls me nowadays," Yami shrugged her shoulder. "As we are no longer working under the same firm, so we hardly meet."

"Ohh..." Kiara could feel Yami wasn't happy with the change in event.

"But why is Dhruv planning to move?" Avni wasn't pleaded with the information.

Kiara stared at Aditi for the answer. She was more aware of Dhruv's life than Kiara was. "I don't know..." Aditi shrugged her shoulder. "I attempted to inquire but he shoved it off."

Kiara shook her head. What did she expect from him? He won't ever change, keeping things to himself.

"So?" Avni stared at Kiara with concern.

"So?" Kiara shrugged her shoulder. "I was shocked, to be frank, but fine. The only problem was... he never gave me to decide. The closure was planned by him as well."

"You're not upset that he walked away?" Yami inquired, staring keenly at Kiara.

"He had walked away long back, Yami," Kiara muttered taking another sip of the coffee. "But maybe finally I have stopped waiting for him."

"Does it make you feel better?" Aditi inquired getting concerned.

Kiara dried a laugh, "I am not feeling a thing. That makes me feel glad, that finally, I am getting over him."

___

Kiara was staring at the dark sky with a smile playing on her lips. Harshad stared at her with curiousness as he joins her on the roof of the car with an ice cream cone reaching to her.

"Here we go, a chocolate cone." He bowed in a gesture of respect bringing a sweet smile to Kiara's face. "What were you thinking about?" Harshad inquired as he wrapped his arms around her.

Kiara leaned towards him as the cold winds weren't helping her sensitive skin. Harshad frowned seeing her shivering. "Don't you think we should get into the car?" He asked getting concerned.

Kiara grabbed the ice cream from him and pointed a finger at him. "This doesn't suit you." She pointed out making faces. "You don't look nice while acting sweet."

Harshad laughed at the comment. "So, you adore when I mock you?" He raised a brow in a mischievous manner.

Kiara gave it a thought, "maybe not..." she paused. "But I got used to it... so when you act sweet, it seems odd."

"But you still like it," Harshad pinched her cheek. "So?" Harshad waited for Kiara to unfold her troubles.

Kiara had a smile as she stared back at the open, black sky. Things had changed so much within a year and a half. A person who was a stranger back then had become the person she was comfortable sharing her troubles.

"Dhruv left for Canada and I wasn't upset about the matter. So, I was just thinking if I had moved on?"

"Is moving on not making you feel better?" He inquired further.

"It isn't like that. I am just sad that it had to end in this manner. I wanted to remember him with a smile on my face. To never blame him for anything that happened to me but my heart holds grudges and I feel bad about it."

Harshad pulled her closer as he pecked her hair. "You will forgive him soon as you have forgiven Aditi. Just provide yourself with time."

Kiara smiled listening to his words, she glanced at him. "Stop, acting sweet." She groaned at him making Harshad chuckle.

"Are you afraid that you will fall for my charm?" He winked teasing her for which he was rewarded with a punch.

"In your dreams," she rolled her eyes concentrating on the sky.

"You rule it," Harshad commented making Kiara confused, as she stared at him. "My dream," he pointed out while Kiara rolled her eyes and Harshad had a heart-warming laugh, melting Kiara's heart but she was smart enough to hide it from him. 

^^^

Extra chapter because it took me a long to complete this book, just three more chapters.