"I'm not your brother," I spat, the words tearing out of my throat like a wild animal unleashed. "You're nothing to me!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the room.

Abhira's face crumpled in shock and pain, her eyes welling up with tears. But I didn't care.

 I was beyond reason, beyond compassion. All I could feel was the searing agony of betrayal and rejection, a burning rage that threatened to consume me whole. 

I turned away from her, my heart hardened into stone.

 I couldn't bear to look at her, to see the pain and hurt that I had caused.

 I just wanted to escape, to get away from the toxic emotions that were poisoning me.

As I stormed out of the room, I could feel Abhira's eyes on me, boring into my back like a knife. But I didn't look back. I just kept walking, fueled by my anger and my hurt.

..........

"Kya main itni buri hun, Armaan, ki koi mujhe apni life mein nahi chahta?" Abhira asked, her voice cracking with emotion as she fell to her knees.

Armaan rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her as she dissolved into sobs.

 Abhir, who had been storming out of the room, stopped dead in his tracks, his back still turned to the scene unfolding behind him. 

For a moment, he stood frozen, his ears ringing with Abhira's anguished words. He could feel the weight of her pain, the crushing blow of his rejection.

 But he didn't turn around, didn't look back. He just stood there, his heart heavy with the knowledge of what he had done.

"First, Ruhi didn't accept me as her sister, just because she thought my mom killed her mom," Abhira said, her voice shaking with emotion.

 "And now, bhai is not ready to accept me either. But what's my fault in all of this? I wasn't even born when everything happened in the past!" 

She looked up at Armaan, her eyes pleading for understanding and support. 

"I'm not responsible for what my mom did, or what happened between our families. I'm just a victim of circumstances, just like Ruhi and bhai. Why can't they see that?"

Abhira's words hung in the air, a poignant reminder of the pain and suffering that had been inflicted upon her. 

Abhir, who was still standing frozen in the doorway, felt a pang of guilt and regret.

 He knew that Abhira was right - she wasn't responsible for the past, and she didn't deserve to be punished for it.

"Mumma never told me about her past," Abhira said, her voice cracking with emotion. "Why am I always blamed for something I don't even know about? It's not fair!"

She looked up at Armaan, her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm tired of being punished for someone else's mistakes. I'm tired of being judged and rejected by people who don't even know me. When will it stop?"

Abhira's words were laced with pain and frustration, and Armaan's expression softened as he looked at her. 

He could see the hurt and vulnerability in her eyes, and he knew that she was telling the truth. She was just an innocent victim of circumstances, and she didn't deserve to be blamed for something she didn't do.

Abhira's body shook with sobs as Armaan held her close. He stroked her hair, trying to comfort her as she poured out her emotions. 

The weight of her family's secrets and the pain of being rejected by those she loved had finally become too much for her to bear.

As Abhira cried, Abhir stood frozen in the doorway, his heart heavy with regret. 

 He realized that he had been wrong to blame her for their painful past, wrong to reject her without giving her a chance.

Armaan's eyes met Abhir's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. 

Armaan's expression was a mix of sadness and understanding, while Abhir's was etched with regret and uncertainty. The air was thick with tension, the silence between them palpable. 

Slowly, Abhir turned and walked away, leaving Abhira in Armaan's arms. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew that he needed to make things right with Abhira.

 He needed to find a way to heal the wounds of the past and forge a new path forward, one that included Abhira as a part of his life.

............

Abhir's eyes fell on Abhira as she sat on the bench in the garden, her back to him.

 It was the same bench where they had met for the second time, and a flood of memories came rushing back to him. 

He took a deep breath and walked towards her, his footsteps quiet on the grass. 

Abhir's eyes fell on Abhira as she sat on the bench in the garden, her back to him.

"Jaanti ho, Mumma kehti thi jab dil bhaari lage toh kisi se baat karke halka karlena chahiye," he said, quoting their mother's words.

 "You know, Mumma always said that when the heart feels heavy, we should talk to someone to make it feel lighter." 

Abhira looked at him, her eyes searching for something. Abhir's gaze held hers, his expression soft and sincere.

 He knew he had hurt her, but he wanted to make it right. He wanted to be the one she turned to when her heart felt heavy.

Abhira's voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes welling up with tears again. "Lekin aap toh mujhse baat hi nahi karna chahte hai!" she said, her words laced with pain and hurt.

Abhir's expression faltered, and he looked away, unable to meet Abhira's gaze. 

He knew she was right - he had been avoiding her, pushing her away. But he didn't know how to bridge the gap between them, how to make things right. 

"I'm sorry, Abhira," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was wrong to shut you out. I didn't know how to deal with everything, and I ended up hurting you instead."

Abhira's eyes flashed with anger and sadness, but she said nothing, her lips pressed together in a tight line.

 Abhir knew he had a long way to go to regain her trust, but he was willing to try. He took a deep breath and reached out, his hand hovering over Abhira's before he finally touched her arm.