10 months later

"But why are you going to Singapore?" My mother asked for what felt like the 17th time that day.

I was packing, preparing to leave for Singapore. Ever since Sohana had left, I’d felt restless, and now, I couldn't stop myself from going to see her. I was going there in my private jet.

"Ruhaan?"

"Ji, maa! I have some work, that’s why I’m going." I replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but she narrowed her eyes at me.

"You’re lying, aren’t you?" she asked, her voice full of suspicion, and my eyes widened.

How did she know?

"No, maa—

"Ruhaan, I spoke to your father. He told me there's no business-related work in Singapore. So why are you really going?" she asked again, crossing her arms over her chest, standing firm in her stance.

"Maa—

"If you don’t tell me the truth, I won’t let you go," she declared.

I sighed, walking over to her and gently guiding her to sit on the couch. Kneeling down in front of her, I looked up into her eyes.

"Aapki hone waali bahu ko wapas laane jaa raha hoon," I finally admitted, watching as her eyes went wide in shock. (I'm going to bring back your future daughter-in-law.)

"Whatttttt?????" she screamed in surprise, and I quickly hushed her, a smile creeping onto my face.

"It's a secret between us, maa," I whispered, and she nodded, though her face was full of excitement.

"But who is this lucky girl?" she asked, her eyes shining with happiness.

"You’ll know soon enough," I teased, hugging her tightly.

As I pulled back, I noticed tears streaming down her face. Concerned, I wiped them away.

"Kya hua meri maa?" I asked softly, but she shook her head, smiling through her tears.

"Kuch nahi, bass khushi ke aansu hain. Kitna tadap rahi thi main apne bacche ke liye. Aaj mera Ruhaan kitna badal gaya hai. Jaise woh pehle tha, waisa ban gaya hai. Ab mere liye bahu bhi layega. Isiliye main bahut khush hoon aaj," she said, and I smiled weakly, my heart aching. (Nothing, just tears of joy. I yearned so much for my child. Today, my Ruhaan has changed so much; he’s become the person he used to be. And now he’s even bringing me a daughter-in-law. That's why I'm so happy today.)

"Tell me, when will you leave?" she asked as she stood up.

"Tonight," I replied, and she glanced at the clock.

"Oh god! It’s already 5 p.m. I need to make something for you!" she said excitedly and hurried out of the room.

I stepped out onto the balcony, needing some fresh air. The evening sky was painted in shades of orange and pink, a beautiful sight that calmed my restless mind.

"I’m coming, Daisy," I whispered into the wind, closing my eyes as the cool breeze washed over me.

🧿

"Come soon, my child." I hugged my grandmother tightly as she blessed me with a smile.

"Jis bhi kaam main jaa rahe ho safal hoke aana, beta," my mother said, her tone teasing as she winked at me. I rolled my eyes and touched her feet for her blessings. (Whatever you are going for, return successful, my son.)

"God bless you. Have a safe journey," she said, patting my head and kissing my forehead.

"Mera bacha," she smiled, pulling me into a hug. (My child.)

I took the blessings of all my elders and hugged Ridhima, since Rivan hadn’t returned home yet.

"Bhai, call me if you need anything," she grinned.

"Hmm hmm!" I hummed, grabbing my luggage.

"I’m off, then," I said, and they all nodded, waving as I headed out.

I got into the car, and the driver started toward the private airstrip where my jet was waiting.

"Hello, Mr. Roy? Please book a room for me. I’ll be arriving in Singapore by morning," I said, hanging up after the brief call.

After a short drive, we arrived at the airstrip. As I grabbed my bags, I saw Kabir waiting with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"I’m going alone," I told him, watching his face fall.

"Mera bhai phirse badal gaya," he sighed dramatically. (My brother has changed again.)

"Don’t act so ridiculous in front of me," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, okay, okay. I wasn’t going to come anyway," he grinned cheekily.

"Then what's in that bag?" I asked, suspicious.

"Protection," he said with a mischievous smirk, widening my eyes.

"What??" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, protection. What if someone throws you out of your room? These pillows and blankets will help you survive the night on the streets," he teased, and I clenched my teeth.

"Shut up!" I muttered, storming onto the jet.

"Oye Ruhaan! Bhabhi ko leke aana, warna jab tujhe teri bhabhi milegi, to tujhe jhatka lagega!" he shouted after me, and I frowned, confused. (Bring my sister-in-law, or else when you meet her, you’ll be in for a shock!)

What does he mean by that?

"Bye!" he waved as the pilot started the engines. I waved back, settling into my seat.

Glancing at my wristwatch, I realized it would take around five hours to reach Singapore. I could barely contain my excitement.

I took out my phone and opened Avni’s photo.

"I miss you," I whispered with a smile, staring at the picture.

"Thank you for coming into my life, Avni. Thank you so much for showing me the right path. I never thought I’d be able to love anyone again, but Sohana… she found a place in my heart. I hope you’re happy with that. I love you, Avni, and I always will. I promise I’ll never forget you, but I also promise I’ll never hurt Sohana. She deserves all the happiness, and now, I’m deeply in love with her. I want to spend my life with her."

Tucking my phone back into my pocket, I decided to take a nap.

🧿

I arrived in Singapore early in the morning and checked into the lodge where I’d booked a room. After taking a shower, I still felt a bit tired, so I allowed myself another hour of sleep.

I woke up at 8 a.m., washed my face, and headed to a nearby café for breakfast.

"Hello, sir. Please place your order," the café attendant greeted me.

"One cup of cof—wait, is tea available here?" I asked, remembering that Sohana liked tea.

"Yes, sir."

"Great. One cup of tea and two toasts, please," I ordered.

As I sat by the window, sipping my tea, my eyes suddenly caught sight of a woman standing outside the café. She was wearing a white coat, but the sunlight obscured her face.

I squinted, trying to get a clearer view—and then my breath caught in my throat.

It was Sohana.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. She had gained a little weight, and it suited her. It made her look even cuter. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, but a few loose strands framed her face, obscuring it just enough to frustrate me. Her long lashes fluttered against her glowing skin, her rosy cheeks, and the little beauty mark on the side of her nose—all of it was perfect. But there was something missing. Her eyes weren’t sparkling the way they used to. Her smile didn’t seem quite real. Her eyes held a different kind of emotion.

Was she missing me?

She entered the café, taking a seat with her back facing me.

The café attendant approached her, and she ordered a cup of tea and a bread sandwich. Suddenly, she turned slightly, and I panicked, grabbing a magazine from the table to hide my face.

Lifeless.

That’s what I had become after leaving him. That’s what I became when he didn’t say anything that day, when his silence echoed louder than any words could have. That’s what I became when I couldn’t reach him, no matter how much I tried. That’s what I became when I realized, once again, that he didn’t love me.

I healed him, and he broke me.

Completely.

Everything was fine in Singapore. It’s not that I don’t love my work or that I want to leave this place to run back to him. But deep down, all I ever wanted was to be with him. To love him with all my heart, to be the most important person in his life after his family. But unfortunately, it seemed like God never wanted those things for me.

For the past ten months, I tried everything to forget him. I tried to move on, but it was all in vain. Instead of his memory fading, it only grew stronger, more vivid. It felt like I was more alive in his memories than in my present reality.

It’s as if life was playing a strange, cruel game with me. It didn’t let me be happy, but neither did it make me so numb that I couldn’t feel the sadness anymore. I was stuck in this in-between, a limbo of emotions I didn’t know how to escape.

Sometimes, I wondered if living like this was even worth it. If it was better to end it all than to keep enduring this pain, day after day. At least then, this endless sorrow would finally stop.

But then, I’d think of my dad. My family. My friends. And the patients who counted on me, the ones who had hope that I would save their lives one day. All those people who still believed in me—they were my reasons to keep going.

So, I kept pushing forward. I tried to embrace a new phase of life. One that didn’t include Ruhaan.

Now, here I was, standing near a café, waiting for my friend Preeti to arrive. My phone rang, and I answered it.

"Hello, Sohana? I’m so sorry, I can’t make it today. There’s an emergency at the hospital and I’m already on my way there," Preeti said, sounding rushed. "Go ahead without me and eat my share of the sandwich, okay?" she added, and I sighed.

"Okay, sure."

I walked into the café, though I couldn’t quite explain the strange sensation I felt the moment I stepped inside. Goosebumps prickled on my skin, and my heart felt oddly restless. I couldn’t figure out why.

I took a seat and settled in, still trying to shake off the weird feeling. The café attendant came over, and I ordered a cup of tea with two sandwiches.

After he left, I looked out of the window, trying to distract myself. But something was wrong. My body was reacting strangely, and I couldn’t ignore it. Why was I feeling like this? And why only inside the café?

When I was outside, everything seemed fine. But now… now it felt like someone close to my heart was nearby. I had this strange, unsettling feeling that someone was watching me.

I turned my head quickly, scanning the room. My eyes landed on a man sitting across the café, holding a magazine—except he was holding it in the weirdest way possible. His entire face was hidden behind it.

Who reads magazines like that?

Weird.

For a second, a crazy thought popped into my head. What if that man is stalking me? A new stalker? How dramatic. I almost laughed at myself.

But wait, wasn’t I also a little fictional in this situation?

I shook my head, disappointed with my overactive imagination. My tea and sandwich arrived, and I focused on eating, trying to brush off the uneasy feeling.

But I couldn’t shake the sensation of someone’s eyes on me. I turned around again. The man was still in the exact same position, still holding the magazine over his face.

And now, I was officially creeped out.

I quickly ate my breakfast, ignoring the growing unease. I paid the bill, grabbed my bag, and hurried outside. As I walked, I tried to calm down, but that strange feeling just wouldn’t go away.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, my heart racing—and there he was. The same man from the café.

My stomach dropped. I started walking faster, my pulse quickening with every step. I could hear his footsteps following me, matching my pace.

I began to run. Panic surged through me, and I couldn’t stop myself from screaming.

"Help!!! Helppppp! Someone help me, please! This man is following me!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, my voice desperate. A few men nearby rushed over to me.

"What happened, sister?" one of them asked, concern on his face.

"Th-that man… he’s been following me for a long time," I stammered, pointing toward the stranger.

"Don’t worry, we’ll handle it," they said, and started marching toward the man with determined expressions.

They grabbed the stalker by his collar and started beating him up. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I reached for my water bottle to take a sip.

"Leave me! She knows me very well! I know her too!" the man shouted as they roughed him up. "Please, I wasn’t following her with bad intentions! I’m not a kidnapper or stalker, I swear!" His voice grew more frantic, and something about it stopped me in my tracks.

It sounded familiar.

I walked toward the men, telling them to stop. The man was still facing away from me, but something tugged at my memory.

I stepped closer, grabbed his shoulder, and turned him around—and then my world froze.

"Ruhaan?" I whispered in shock.

🧿

Hey Daisies how're you all? I hope you all are fine.

And if you're not then don't worry, you will soon be fine. Because sad times don't stay forever. One day happiness will definitely come to your life. 💗

And I have updated this chapter today because you all were desperately waiting for this one. So I thought to update this chapter today.

Also, do tell me about the chapter. Do you all like it?

Love you all sm! 💗🧿

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@daisywrtss