Happy reading....

Ruhaan was getting ready to leave for his cafe when his phone rang. It was a call from his relatives and he's shocked.

Because they never called him.

He lifted the call in confusion and it's his paternal cousin, Ananth on other side. He didn't even greet before informing him that his grandfather had passed away from a heart attack the previous night.

The news hit him like a sledgehammer, leaving him devastated. His grandfather was the last family member he had, the only person who ever truly cared for him. Now, he was gone too.

Without wasting a second, Ruhaan grabbed his keys and rushed out, his heart pounding with grief and disbelief. The drive to his grandfather's house was a blur, a mix of frantic thoughts and a deepening sorrow that gnawed at him. It took an hour to reach, but it felt like a lifetime.

When Ruhaan finally arrived, the house was crowded with relatives-people he barely knew or recognized. They all turned to look at him as he entered, their faces blank, almost indifferent. It was as if they hadn't expected him to come, which confused and angered him.

How could they be so insensitive?

This was his grandfather, the only family he had left. Why wouldn't he be here?

Ignoring the cold stares and the whispers that followed, Ruhaan pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the place where his grandfather lay.

He knelt down beside the body, his heart shattering as the reality of the situation hit him like a wave.

Tears streamed down his face as he choked out, "Why did you leave me, Dada? Who will check on me now? Who will ask if I'm doing okay?"

He pressed his head against the edge of the coffin, his body shaking with sobs. His cousin Ananth approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's time to take him," he said quietly, trying to pull Ruhaan away. But Ruhaan felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

How could he let go?

As he wept, one of the older relatives spoke up in a cold, dismissive tone. "You're not a woman, Ruhaan. Stop crying like that. Behave like a man."

Ruhaan's head snapped up, his tear-stained eyes blazing with anger. He wanted to scream at them, to tell them how cruel and heartless they were. But before he could say anything, a voice rang out, cutting through the tension in the room.

"He just proved he's also a human being with a heart and emotions, unlike some pretenders here who only came for the property," the voice said, strong and clear. "He has every right to cry for his grandfather, and nobody will stop him."

Ruhaan looked up, confused and surprised. The man who had spoken up for him was someone he didn't expect. He looked familiar, but Ruhaan couldn't immediately place him. The man was standing tall, dressed in a white t-shirt with a black jacket hanging on his arm. As he turned around, Ruhaan's eyes widened in shock. It was the same man who had visited his cafe the day before.

The elder who had made the harsh comment about Ruhaan's tears scowled.

"Sameer, what are you saying? I didn't expect this from you. You know who he is, yet you-"

But Sameer raised a hand, cutting him off. "When I have no problem with him, then nobody else should either. I know what I am doing."

The elder man fumed, his face turning red with anger. "You forgot the insults your mother endured when your father married his mother-"

Before he could finish, Sameer's voice thundered through the room,

"Enough! Don't you dare insult Ruhaan!" His words were sharp, a warning to everyone present. "I won't give a penny to anyone who opens their bloody mouth against him."

Ruhaan, who had been in a daze until now, finally understood what was happening. His jaw clenched as he realized who Sameer was and the connection he had with this family. His heart burned with a mix of anger and pain.

Sameer had stepped forward, apologizing as he placed a hand on Ruhaan's shoulder, but Ruhaan pulled back, his eyes filled with hurt and betrayal.

"You don't have to pity me," Ruhaan snapped, his voice trembling with emotion. "You're just like them. Nobody to me. You have no right to include me in your words. Like from the beginning, I didn't exist in this family, nor in your life. Stay away from me."

Sameer's face fell, his eyes misting over at Ruhaan's harsh words. He hadn't expected such a reaction, and it shook him.

But before he could respond, the elder man seized the opportunity to attack Ruhaan again. "See his attitude? He's rude, uncultured just like his mother-"

This time, Sameer's patience snapped. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room.

The elder man stumbled back, shocked by the intensity of Sameer's anger.

"I've tolerated your nonsense out of respect for your age," Sameer continued, his voice trembling with barely contained rage, "but not anymore. The moment you chose to bring up an innocent woman, you lost all respect in my eyes. From now on, nobody will speak ill of Ruhaan or his mother. If you do, you'll answer to me."

Ruhaan couldn't bear to hear more of the cruel words about his mother. His heart shattered anew, and without another word, he turned and ran out of the room.

Sameer called after him, but Ruhaan didn't stop. He just kept running, trying to escape the pain.

As Ruhaan disappeared from sight, Sameer turned back to the room full of relatives, his expression filled with fury and disgust. "You people are here just to ruin relationships and enjoy the drama, right? Well, here's some news for you: Every penny my father and grandfather owned will be given to Ruhaan. I'm going to transfer everything to his name."

The room erupted in gasps and murmurs of disapproval. Some relatives immediately objected, claiming that Ruhaan had no right to the family's wealth because he wasn't a legitimate child.

Sameer, his patience completely worn out, slammed his hand down on a nearby glass table, shattering it. The loud crash silenced everyone as they stared at him in shock. His hand was bleeding, but he didn't seem to care.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves," Sameer hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "You have no humanity. I will keep my word and transfer the property to Ruhaan, whether you like it or not. If anyone has any objections, take it to court. I'll be there, waiting for you."

----

Ruhaan stood at a distance, watching as his grandfather was lowered into the ground. The tears that had flowed freely earlier had now dried up, leaving only a hollow ache in his chest. His legs gave way beneath him, and he fell to the ground, his body trembling as he tried to hold onto the last threads of his composure. He just sat there, staring at the grave, his mind flooded with memories of the man who had raised him, who had been his only family.

The sun began to set, casting long shadows across the cemetery. One by one, the relatives left, offering their half-hearted condolences before disappearing into the dusk. But Ruhaan remained, unmoved, his gaze fixed on the freshly turned earth. The world around him seemed to fade away, leaving him alone with his grief.

Sameer had been watching Ruhaan from afar since the moment he arrived. He knew Ruhaan needed space, time to process the loss in his own way.

But as the day wore on and the sky grew darker, Sameer's concern deepened. He couldn't leave Ruhaan like this. Slowly, he walked over to where Ruhaan sat, his heart heavy with guilt and worry.

He placed a hand gently on Ruhaan's shoulder, giving it a small shake. "Ruhaan, get up," he said softly, trying to rouse him from his trance. "Ruhaan, please get up. Let's go."

But Ruhaan didn't respond. He didn't even flinch. Sameer's worry turned into panic. He knelt down in front of Ruhaan, his eyes searching for any sign of recognition in the younger man's face.

Gripping Ruhaan's arm, he shook him more urgently. "Ruhaan, don't do this. You're scaring me. Please, get up!"

The shout seemed to break through Ruhaan's numbness. He blinked slowly, his gaze finally shifting to Sameer. But instead of relief, a fresh wave of pain washed over him.

His eyes welled up again, and Sameer, seeing the raw emotion in Ruhaan's eyes, couldn't hold back his own tears.

He cupped Ruhaan's face, his voice cracking with emotion as he pleaded, "Ruhaan, please... let's go. We can't stay here all night. I'm begging you, just get up."

Ruhaan's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with a mixture of grief and anger. With a sudden burst of fury, he pushed Sameer's hands away, shouting, "Stay away from me!"

Sameer stumbled back slightly but immediately regained his balance, reaching out to grab Ruhaan's arm. "No, Ruhaan. I won't leave you. Not again."

Ruhaan's voice shook with rage as he spat out, "You left me when I needed you the most. Now, I don't need you. I don't want you!"

Sameer felt a sharp stab of pain at Ruhaan's words, but he didn't let it show. He knew he deserved this anger, deserved this rejection after everything that had happened.

But he couldn't let Ruhaan go. Not like this. He tightened his grip on Ruhaan's arm, his voice breaking as he said, "I'm sorry, Ruhaan. I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me. I know I failed you, but please, let me make it right. Let me help you."

But Ruhaan wasn't ready to forgive. The wound was too fresh, the pain too deep. With a pained cry, he shoved Sameer away with all his strength, making Sameer stumble backward.

The sudden movement caused Sameer's wounded hand to scrape against the rough ground, reopening the cut and sending a fresh stream of blood trickling down his arm. But Sameer barely noticed the pain. His focus was entirely on Ruhaan.

Ruhaan stood up, his body trembling with a mix of exhaustion and raw emotion. Without another word, he turned and ran, desperate to escape the suffocating grief, the unbearable pain.

Sameer called out after him, his voice hoarse with desperation, but Ruhaan didn't stop. He just kept running, disappearing into the darkness.

Sameer stood there, his chest heaving, his hand bleeding freely onto the ground. But he didn't care about his injury. The only thing that mattered was Ruhaan.

He couldn't lose him-not like this. He would find him, no matter what it took. He had to make things right, to prove to Ruhaan that he wasn't alone, that he still had someone who cared, someone who wouldn't give up on him.

With determination burning in his eyes, Sameer took off after Ruhaan, his only thought being that he couldn't, wouldn't, let Ruhaan go through this alone. He couldn't live with himself if he did.

------

Tanya stepped out of her room, gripping her bag tightly as she prepared to head to the office.

The morning air was thick with tension, the kind that had become all too familiar to her. Just as she reached the front door, she was stopped by the slurred voice of her father, Dharmendra Singh.

He was drunk, as usual, despite it being early in the morning. The stench of alcohol clung to him like a second skin, and Tanya had to swallow her disgust.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, his speech slightly slurred. "Give me some money. I need it."

Tanya glared at him, her patience hanging by a thread. "I haven't received my salary yet," she replied coldly, trying to keep her voice steady. She began to move towards the door, eager to escape, but was stopped again-this time by her elder brother, Gaurav.

Gaurav was supposed to be her protector, the one to care for her. Instead, he had become her worst nightmare, teaming up with their father to bleed her dry. He grabbed her bag roughly, rummaging through it as if he had every right.

"Dad, she keeps it in her purse securely to avoid us stealing it," he said with a twisted grin.

Fury boiled within Tanya. This was her brother-her blood-treating her like an enemy. She lunged forward, trying to snatch her bag back, but Gaurav was stronger. He easily shoved her aside, causing her to stumble and fall to the floor. The impact sent a sharp pain through her body, but the emotional wound was far worse.

As she lay there, she watched helplessly as Gaurav and their father counted the money they had taken from her bag.

They laughed, sharing it as if it were their rightful spoil. "It's not much," Gaurav sneered, "won't even cover our bets."

Tanya's heart ached with a mixture of helplessness and rage. She pushed herself up, her eyes filling with tears as she shouted, "What kind of family are you? I'm working hard every day to earn money, to survive, to live a respectable life, and all you do is leech off me like parasites! I'm trying to escape this hell, but you keep pulling me back in!"

Her father turned to her, his face twisted in anger. "It's your responsibility to look after me! I raised you on my own, didn't I? You owe me!"

Tanya stared at him in disbelief. "You raised me? You didn't raise me! You sent me to live with relatives every year, to survive on their charity. And now you have the audacity to say you raised me?"

Gaurav stepped in, his voice cold. "That's not how you should talk to your father."

Tanya let out a bitter laugh, the sound echoing through the small, suffocating space. "Father? I'm nothing but a money machine to him-and to you! You're supposed to be my brother, to protect and care for me. But instead, you're abusing me, making my life a living hell."

She stood up suddenly, anger giving her strength. She shrugged off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves, revealing the bruises that marred her skin.

Her voice was shaky, but she pressed on. "This is your love for me," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I couldn't even hide these bruises with concealer."

She yanked down the collar of her shirt, exposing the red marks on her neck. "And these," she continued, her voice breaking, "these are your gifts to me."

Dharmendra turned away, shame etched on his face, while Gaurav's eyes widened in disbelief. His hands began to shake as Tanya stepped closer, showing him the red marks on her shoulder.

"Why are you shivering?" she asked, her voice cold. "This is what you did to me. You were drunk last night. You collapsed outside the doorstep, and I brought you to your room. But then..."

"Don't," Gaurav interrupted, his voice trembling. "Shut up."

Tanya's eyes were red with unshed tears as she stared him down. "Why? Are you feeling disgusted? I haven't even told you everything yet."

Gaurav turned away, shouting, "Don't talk! Please..."

His body was shaking with the weight of what she was saying. He didn't want to hear it. He couldn't bear it. The thought of what he might have done made him want to die on the spot.

But Tanya wasn't done. She stepped in front of him, forcing him to face her, her father's weak objections falling on deaf ears.

"You should forget it," her father muttered, his head bowed.

Tanya laughed again, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Forget it? That's what I've been doing my whole life-tolerating your abuse, your cruelty, your neglect. I'm dead inside because of you."

She turned to Gaurav, gripping his shoulders, her voice rising in anger and despair. "You forced yourself on me! You're worse than an animal, Gaurav!"

Gaurav looked stunned, his heart seeming to stop. He shook his head violently, denying it. "No... I couldn't have done that. I agree, I'm a bastard, but not to the extent of touching my own sister-" He couldn't finish his sentence. He gripped his head, crying out in agony.

Tanya stepped back, her voice flat as she pointed to the mark on her shoulder. "But you did. This is the proof. The mark your bracelet left on my skin."

Gaurav's knees gave out, and he collapsed in front of her, clutching at her legs, begging for forgiveness. "Tanya, please... forgive me. Kill me if you want. I can't live with this guilt. I swear, I never meant to hurt you. You're my little sister... I can't have done this. Please, Tanya... I'll die if you leave."

Tanya looked down at him, her face a mask of pain and bitterness. "I begged you to quit drinking, but you never listened. Now, this is your reality. You'll have to live with this guilt for the rest of your life."

She stepped back, her decision made. "I'm leaving this house," she said quietly, pulling her jacket back on. She took a credit card out of her bag and placed it on the table in front of her father. "This is the last bit of money you'll ever get from me. From now on, I'm not your daughter, not your sister-I'm not your family anymore."

Her voice broke as she looked down at Gaurav, who was still kneeling at her feet. "If you have any humanity left in you, don't search for me."

With that, she turned and walked towards the door. But Gaurav wasn't done yet. He grabbed her legs again, his voice breaking as he begged, "Tanya, please... please forgive me. I can't live with this guilt. I never wanted to hurt you. Please believe me, I could never do that to you. Please, Tanya... I'll die if you leave like this."

Tanya looked down at him, her heart heavy with sorrow. "I've been begging you to change, Gaurav. But you never listened. Now you have to live with the consequences."

She pulled her legs free and walked out the door, leaving behind the only family she had ever known, but also the source of all her pain. As she stepped into the sunlight, she felt a sense of freedom, tinged with deep sadness.

She had lost everything, but perhaps, in losing it, she had finally found herself?

------

Mahir was busy in the kitchen, his hands deftly chopping vegetables while Bela stood by, assisting with the prep work.

The warm aroma of spices and sizzling ingredients filled the air. As Bela hummed a tune, Mahir phone rang, breaking the rhythm of their cooking.

He glanced at the screen and saw his brother's name. A smile spread across his face as he answered, "Hey, how's it going?"

His brother's voice came through with a hint of excitement. "I'm good. Guess what? I'm coming to India."

Mahir's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? What's the occasion? You usually have an excuse ready whenever I ask you to visit."

His brother chuckled. "Well, Mom found a proposal for me. So, I'm coming over to check it out."

Mahir's eyes widened in mock disbelief. "Wow, it's a miracle you're finally considering marriage. We'll have to throw a party!"

Bela, who was chopping onions, couldn't help but laugh at Mahir's dramatic expression. Her laughter caught his brother's attention.

"Who's that laughing in the background?" his brother asked, his curiosity piqued.

Mahir hesitated, then said, "Oh, it's nothing. Just the TV."

His brother's tone turned skeptical. "Really? Is that your girlfriend?"

Mahir's eyes widened in alarm. He glanced at Bela, who had turned away, her face flushing. "Bhai, no. She's just a friend... my housemate."

"Housemate?" His brother's tone shifted to one of surprise. "When did this happen?"

Mahir rolled his eyes but was clearly relieved to shift the focus. "Let's get back to you. Tell me more about this future sister-in-law of mine."

His brother replied, "She's from Amritsar."

Both Mahir and Bela exchanged shocked glances. Mahir's voice betrayed his surprise as he asked, "What's her name?"

"Vishakha."

Mahir's mouth fell open, his expression mirroring Bela's shock. He blinked a few times, trying to process the information. "Wait, what? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'll fill you in on the details later. I need to go now. We'll talk soon."

The call ended abruptly, leaving Mahir and Bela staring at each other, both struggling to comprehend the coincidence.

Bela's eyes widened in realization, and she jumped in excitement. "Vishakha? My sister! We're going to be family soon if everything goes well!"

Bela's joy was infectious. She threw her arms around Mahir in a spontaneous hug.

Mahir, initially taken aback, hugged her back with a broad smile. They both laughed, their surprise and happiness evident.

"This is incredible!" Bela said, her face glowing with excitement. "I never imagined this connection. Destiny works in the strangest ways."

Mahir laughed along, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I guess so. This is definitely a twist I didn't see coming."

They stood there for a moment, embracing and laughing, savoring the strange and wonderful coincidence that had brought them closer. As they pulled away, their smiles remained, reflecting their shared delight and curiosity about the unfolding connection between their families.

Bela's excitement continued as they returned to their cooking. "We'll have to tell Vishakha and see how she feels about this. It'll be interesting to see how everything unfolds."

Mahir nodded, still smiling. "Yes, we should. Let's finish preparing dinner, and then we can discuss the next steps."

With renewed energy, they resumed their meal preparation, their conversation filled with enthusiastic speculation about the future and the unexpected turn of events that had brought their lives together in such an extraordinary way.

******

One is mourning, one is broken, one is happy. That's how life works.

My heart goes out to Tanya 💔

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