Swara stared at the ring which adorned her finger for 2 years and 7 months. As much as she had despised the ring for it always reminded of how her dreams were chopped right in front of her and how she stood like an emotionaless person when it was slide on her finger yet she also had days where she had even forgotten the metal's existence on her skin as if it has become a part of her. Swara embraced the bittersweet emotion years ago and now that she had to let go of such a possession, gave her mixed feelings.

Sighing out heavily, Swara entered the cafe only to spot both, Laksh's and her mother who were already present having a conversation. She momentarily closed her eyes to attain some calmness before she willingly give herself to the storm.

"Let's go."

On hearing a familiar voice, Swara opened her eyes and shifted her gaze only to see Laksh standing beside her, facing straight probably watching over the elders. She hadn't expected Laksh to come by and stand with her, infact Swara didn't want him to do this and end up getting more wounded. Even before she could speak out, Annapurna already saw both them and signed to come closer.

With no other go, Swara walked along with Laksh and sat down with him. Both the woman were actually curious to know what their children wanted to talk that they had called them alone. Either of them informed about the matter and all they received was a call from Swara to meet in the cafe an hour ago.

"So what's it that both of you wanted to talk about?" Annapurna broke out the silence as she sipped her coffee eyeing at both the younger ones. Sharmistha stared at Swara for a minute and looked away. She knew staring at Swara wouldn't not gain her any information earlier from her facial expressions, afterall it was her who taught Swara to master that department.

"Aunty, Mom actually--"

"We want to break the engagement." The ladies were shocked with the announcement while Laksh sipped the beverage his mother had already ordered after he broke the news like it was nothing. Swara glanced at Laksh and shifted away, it was supposed to be her call.

"Is there any problem?" Sharmistha retorted.

"Let us solve it for you." And Annapurna too urged to know what was wrong all of a sudden.

"It's done maa. We will not be able to go back to the place we were before. Things aren't working out." Laksh once again took the lead to answer with his straight, expressionless face. Swara's heart only pricked more with his every word. He didn't have to hurt himself for this, it was because of her they couldn't work out and Swara wanted to take the blame but Laksh seemed to leave no steps for her to do so.

Sharmistha and Annapurna were actually buffled at the news since they didn't expect to have such an heart breaking information in the meet. And the fact that neither Laksh nor Swara showing up their emotions on their faces made them wonder what had really happened.

"This ring belongs to someone who's worthy of it aunty. It belongs to your future daughter in law, not me." Swara removed the ring with a little push since it had turned a little tight and took a glance of the ring. She would no more have this ring with her anymore, quickly mumbling a small goodbye that no could hear she placed the piece infront of Annapurna.

Now that he saw her finger which no more adored the ring which he slide, he remember a conversation they had after Swara came back from abroad and she questioned him with what hope he was waiting her and he confidently answer it was the ring. And now that it was no more in her finger, a lump formed in his throat. All he could see was the red marks left behind as an impression-- Maybe that how he too was in her life. He was quite tight to fit in her world that instead of leaving quietly he had left her with marks, just like the ring. Laksh watched his own ring that still stayed on his finger, he had no guts to even think of removing it.

"Is your decision final?" Sharmistha directed the question at them but Swara knew it was actually meant for her. Swara knew her mother was referring to the consequences she would face because of this act.

"It is." Laksh and Swara answered at the same at time and the ladies knew both were too adamant on their decision that they would not change even if they try to, "We're leaving, excuse us." With that Laksh left the place and so did Swara leaving Annapurna and Sharmistha behind.

Laksh walked out with long and fast steps and Swara followed him. She did want to ask why he had to do something brutal to himself when he's already hurting. Sensing her presence behind him, Laksh paused his walk.

"Laksh!"

"I finally gave want you always ask for--" Laksh turned to face her and continued, "Freedom! Isn't that what you wanted from the start Swara? here you go." Swara's eyes softened hearing those words. She did want freedom but not at any cost of hurting him like this, it only made her feel guilty. Laksh momentarily closed his eyes to shut off the voice of the conversation they had last night which has been wailing in his mind in loop like a broken recorder.

Swara had no words to ease off his pain. He looked terrible and those pained orbs of his didn't let her have even an ounce of sleep last night. She didn't know with what she could ever compensate for the pain he was undergoing, "Would you think of giving us a chance if we have met-- in a different way, Swara?"

Laksh hadn't expected to have such an abrupt ending to them nor he even dreamt of having one. It came up too sudden and unannounced that he couldn't tame his ranging heart nor save himself from drowing into the pool of agony. Last night, he came up with so much stupid analogies just because he could not accept the raw, bitter truth- this was just one of them.

To be very honest, Swara still didn't know if she would have accepted Laksh if they met in a different place, different circumstances. It wasn't like she hadn't tried to accept Laksh this way, she had tried so much but she just couldn't. Saying a no to him even now seemed too cruel. She was about to speak but then Laksh held a hand to stop her from almost immediately.

"Don't." He was being too stupid now and Laksh already wanted to stop. Just because he was burning along with his hidden ballads in the secret pages of his heart he had for her nor being with shards that pricked him often and a numbing pain taking all over his entire soul, Laksh didn't want to hurt her with his spouting non-sense.

"Can I hug you? One-- last time?" Even before Swara would answer, Laksh had already wrapped his arms around her. Though Swara didn't expect the sudden action, she let him stay and infact reciprocated the hug. Laksh had never asked anything from her, even to reciprocate his feelings and now that he had asked, she would do it for him hoping it would atleast wipe off a percentage of his pain, "Just because we didn't work out it doesn't mean you weren't the best thing that ever happened to me, Laksh." Swara said as she slipped something into his pocket.

Tears brimmed his eyes as he felt her warm hands on his back, her melodic voice whisper words that hit another pang of anguish in him. Laksh held her tighter in between his arms and let his broken heart savor their last moment together. He placed his head on her shoulder blades and the unshed tears slipped away from his eyes, letting her shoulder drench, "Let's ignore-- each other when we-- meet next time for-- a while." Laksh painfully whispered against her ear and Swara stiffened at his broken words and tears.  And even before she could react, he already let go of her from his arms and instantly started walking away from her since he knew he wouldn't be able to hold on his broken walls any longer.

As much as Swara wanted to stop him, her mind halted her from doing so. Laksh was broken and he needs time to settle with the truth even if that's harsh for him. He needs to lament and weep out his grief till the bottom to start healing all by himself and raise up again. And her presence will only push him down more.

Swara gazed up at the the sky and saw the dark, gloomy clouds. She really hoped the lashing rain that was pouring on Laksh and letting him whimper in pain, moves away soon so that he could see the sun with a smile, again!

~

Sanskaar served another customer with a smile and regained his straight posture as he watched Swara stand by the glass wall, lost in deep thoughts while gazing at the surroundings and sipping her black tea often. Swara seemed very disturbed about something and Sanskaar wondered what really made her stress so much that she looked too serious. Maybe, he should pick on a light topic and try to set back her mood for a while.

"The sky looks too still unlike usual." He stood by Swara and watched the blank sky. It was neither breezy or windy but too calm. Swara still haven't shifted her gaze to him nor acknowledged his presence like she usually does.

"It's just the deadly silence before the storm." She sipped her black tea. Swara couldn't think of anything except for the storm that would hit her anytime and this stillness only reminded about it more. She would be pulled into the eye of the storm any minute.

Sanskaar knew something was wrong. Her words differed from what he was talking about, it had an inner meaning which he was still unaware of. Just as she had mentioned about the deadly silence, she was oddly silent too, "Swara, You're ring's missing!" Sanskaar gasped when he found no ring which usually adorns her finger but even then Swara showed no reactions.

"It has gone back to it's owner. You will not find it with me anymore." Swara casually sipped her tea and finally shifted her gaze to Sanskaar who looked surprised and taken a back, "You mean--"

"The engagement broke." She placed the empty mug on the table and settled down on the chair with Sanskaar who sat opposite to her, "You, what? how?" Just 2 days before Swara had told him about it and now she's back again, without the ring.

"I ended up telling Laksh about it yesterday in an unexpected way and today we announced it to our mothers." Swara sighed, "You know Sanskaar, I never expected Laksh to come along today to convey the news yet he came, told them despite he himself was hurting." She still couldn't believe Laksh actually let go of her like that and the thought of how much hurt he would have bared while breaking the news was making Swara more worried.

Sanskaar now knew why he saw Laksh gloomy almost for the entire day back at school and even ended up getting scoldings in the accounts class because he was not attentive. He knew Laksh had a strong liking for Swara but never knew his liking ran this deeper that he willing put her first despite his affliction and sufferings and let her go. It should have been painful.

"Your family knows?" He asked and Swara let out a dry chuckle, "And you think I would be sitting here if they already knew?" She retorted back as she drew patterns on the table, "Only mother knows and I'm sure by now father would have heard about it too. A huge tornado is waiting in my house for me and I would be called to it anytime." She whispered softly and only then her mobile rang up. Knowing who it would be Swara attended the call and agreed to reach back to the house the very moment.

"See." She showed her mobile before dropping it back into her sling bag, all set to get hit by the storm. Sanskaar was already worried about Swara that he didn't want to let her go but then he knew it was her personal issue and he cannot interfere in such private matters of her family.

"Wish me luck." His eyes softened at that. Sanskaar took Swara's palms in his and let his thumb go in circular motion against her soft skin to soothe her a bit and he found her tensed shoulders relaxing a little.

"Let me escort you."

~

Swara stood beside her father who was sitting on the single couch, busy looking into the documents. Sharmistha was also present adjacent to the father and daughter a bit tensed at Shekhar's calmness. Swara knew she was right, the silence only alarmed her about the devastating storm that was all about to crash on her anytime. She was tensed but not scared irrespective of the dark aura her father always had on people that would always make them go down on their knees in fear.

"So my dearest daughter had broke the engagement without informing to her father, huh?" Shekhar closed the document and placed it back on the table. The deep voice brought chills to Sharmistha but Swara stood still, unaffected but didn't bother to answer that question. Swara knew if she had invited her father, things wouldn't be easier like how she had managed theur mothers.

"What's the reason?" Shekhar put forth another question when he hadn't got any reply except for silence.

"Laksh and I don't find a future together." Swara answered after breaking the thick ice of nervousness that held her back and in return Shekhar only laughed at the reply.

"Future is supposed to be made with actions and built with efforts, not to be foreseen with mere predictions, my dear daughter." He mused in a calm yet dangerous voice as he shot a glare at Swara. Shekhar couldn't believe they just broke the engagement with such silly reasons, "Are you willing to bare the loss our company would face if they get back their shares?" He yelled and Swara shut her eyes momentarily at the sudden intensity and Sharmistha didn't know how to calm the furious man.

"I would work on it but no way I would go back to gain the ring. It's over, once and for all." She said and Shekhar gritted his teeth in anger. His daughter was way too stubborn and confident about her words. Only he knew how hard it was for him to convince his friend to get such a deal.

"I was just helping you to have a secured future and all you want is to ruin it by yourself isn't it?" Swara left out a dry chuckle 'secured future'? was her father talking about securing her future just by getting her married to businessmen's son?

"If the world ever finds that I am an-- illegitimate child do you think your 'secured future' will help me get out of it?" Sharmistha's eyes became wide at the commentary and so did Shekhar's, "No matter what if the world wants to crash me down it will. Even if I get married to Laksh, it would make no difference! I would only be called an illegitimate child of Shekhar Gagodia married to a Maheshwari. It makes no change." Swara equally raised her voice and made her points clear. If she was supposed to be called a bastard child, then she would remain one and no could ever change it. She wondered why father didn't understand the logic.

"Swara!" Shekhar roared when he heard his daughter calling herself an illegitimate even though she is one. That only word was enough to wake up the monster in him and he raised his hand to slap. Swara knew this was on her way, anyways she would gladly accept it. She fisted both her palms tightly and lowered her gaze to the floor to accept the hit.

"Leave." Swara shuttered a bit when she realised another dangerous voice commanding her. Not giving another glance at anyone, She rushed out of the room.

Aditya watched his little sister leave the study. He shifted his eyes back at his father and left his father's hand from his firm hold. Shekhar closed his eyes in frustration and reopened.

"How easy it is to hit the innocent and get your mistakes nullify right?" Aditya bored his glare into father's while Shekhar huffed at it,

"You made sure Bua wasn't there in India, made me handle your business empire and Mrs. Gagodia had no idea about your doings until she reached the party, only to know it was an engagement. Good play father! but now the cards have shifted sides and you won't be able to do nothing-- I'll make sure you do nothing about it this time." His intimating voice boomed in the study that Shekhar was left speechless and Sharmistha all worried. Aditya always carried the regret of not able to save Swara on time and now that he had finally got a chance to rectify and clear his regret, he'll use it well.

Aditya wouldn't have known about the called off if not Reema informed him about it. He was surprised when he heard his father roar his sister's name and he reached the study he saw his father about to hit and in the nick of time he held his hand from hurting Swara who stood still without any defence. Ofcourse he knew Swara loved their father a little too much that she would do everything he wanted to but he was actually happy that she finally raised her voice.

All he needs to do now was to be her knight in the dark and make sure their father doesn't hurt her, he'd personally take care of it.