7. A Fractured Reunion

A/N:

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Thank you for hopping on to try this book.

Happy reading!

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As the car rolled down the highway, Kiara couldn't contain her excitement. "Abhir, you know, your song 'Raat Ki Awaaz' is my absolute favorite! I swear, I've listened it a hundred times already!"

Abhir offered her a polite smile, though his mind was miles away, lost in thoughts of Charu. "Thanks, Kiara."

Kiara's cheeks turned pink, misinterpreting his brief response as a personal compliment. Abhira, sitting between them, gave her a teasing glance.

"Kiara, he's also my brother now, not just some rockstar for you to swoon over," Abhira teased, rolling her eyes.

Kiara pouted playfully. "Brother for you, bhabhi. For me, he’s Rudra, my favorite singer—and maybe even more," she whispered the last part, her cheeks flushing even more.

Abhir gave her a small smile, enjoying the light-hearted banter. At least one of his sisters was sane enough to appreciate him beyond the rockstar persona.

Charu observed Kiara blushing and diverted her gaze to look out of the window  muttering curses about Abhir in her mind "Why is my sister so obsessed with this jerk? Not just jerk he is a psycho rockstar with anger issues , ek toh khudh itne mere kareeb aaya aur mujhe bolra tha stay away from me. He is such a bipolar guy."

His gaze, however, shifted back to Charu, whose attention was still elsewhere. She stared out the window, lost in her thoughts. The more he observed her, the more his confusion deepened.

Why did it bother him so much when other men looked at her? Why did he feel this inexplicable urge to protect her? Why did he care so much about how she perceived him? And why, in this moment, was he yearning for her attention?

Charu, oblivious to his inner turmoil, couldn't deny his charm. He was undoubtedly magnetic, but she refused to let herself be drawn into his world. To her, he was just another man who thought the world revolved around him. And more importantly, he was her bhabhi's brother, so she would at least make an effort to be civil with him, nothing more.

Breaking the silence, Abhira asked, "Bhai, why did you change your name to Rudra?"

Kiara and Charu both turned their heads to look at Abhir, their curiosity piqued.

Abhir smiled softly, as though the question was a familiar one, but it held deep meaning for him. "Bachpan mein, main Shiv ji ka sabse bada bhakt tha, bilkul apne dada ki tarah. But when life separated me from Maa and Papa, I was forced to face a reality I wasn’t prepared for. Once, I was the light of everyone’s life—loved, cherished. Then, in a moment, everything changed. Everyone I loved was gone, and life pulled me into darkness. Every single day became a battle to survive."

He paused, his voice lowering as if he were reliving the weight of those days. "Abhir Sharma- he was innocent, too soft for this cruel world. Just like Shiv ji embraced his Rudra roop to show the world the power of strength and fearlessness, I had to find my own Rudra. That name, that identity, gave me the strength and resilience I lacked as Abhir. Rudra wasn’t just a name—it became my armor, my power.”

Kiara looked at him with newfound admiration, impressed by the depth and strength of his words. "That’s... really brave of you," she murmured, feeling a surge of respect for him.

Charu, who had been silent, felt a soft stirring in her heart. She couldn’t help but admire the vulnerability that Abhir had shown in that moment.

It was a side of him she hadn’t seen before, and though she couldn’t bring herself to speak it aloud, a small part of her heart softened toward him.

Abhira, who had been listening intently, felt a lump form in her throat.

She gazed at Abhir, her eyes moistening with unshed tears. "Bhai... I can’t even imagine how hard life must have been for you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "But you're so strong now."

Abhir shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, though a small, bittersweet smile tugged at his lips. "I had no choice, Abhira. Life doesn’t give you many options."

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By the time they reached Udaipur, the sun was setting, casting an orange glow. The grand facade loomed ahead, a mix of luxury and nostalgia.

Finally, they arrived at Goenka House, the sprawling estate that once felt like home. The gates opened, and as they drove up the long driveway, Abhir’s breath hitched.

His heart hammered in his chest as he saw the familiar sight of the mansion, with its tall pillars and grandeur. Everything he had left behind, everything he had tried to forget.

When the car came to a stop, Abhira immediately got out, her energy infectious as she waved excitedly to the people gathered at the entrance.

Abhir hesitated, unsure whether he should even step out. But then he saw them—Manish, Swarna, and a girl of his age —waiting with open arms and some  unfamiliar faces their smiles warm and welcoming.

His heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, he almost felt like he was stepping into a dream.

Manish was the first to approach, his eyes glistening with emotion. "Abhir," he said, his voice thick with a mix of disbelief and joy. "We never thought this day would come. We’ve waited so long for you."

Swarna’s eyes were wet with tears, but she held her composure as she stepped forward, embracing him gently. “My Abhi…” she whispered. “We missed you so much beta, tere aane ki aans naa jaane kabse laga baiti thi main”

Ruhi, standing beside them, couldn’t contain her joy. She rushed forward and hugged him tightly. “Finally my Billa boy you're back! you're home! ”

Abhir stood there, motionless for a moment, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. He hadn’t expected this kind of welcome. He hadn’t expected Ruhi to forget their bitter past conflicts and  want him as brother after all these years.

He looked at Abhira, who was standing beside him, her eyes shining with tears of happiness.

She succeeded.

She had brought him back where he belongs.

“Welcome home, Bhai,” she whispered, her voice full of hope and joined the hug.

Abhir swallowed hard, his throat tight. He hadn’t realized how much he needed this moment—this connection.

Maybe, just maybe, this was the closure he had been looking for in his life all this while.

"Roohi choohi.."

He smiled faintly, patting her head. For a moment, his walls lowered.

Charu watched from the side, her brows furrowing at the mix of pain and warmth in his expression towards his sisters. She couldn't figure him out.

Abhir sharma was an enigma.

Abhira and Ruhi broke the hug and started pulling him with them to come inside.

He chuckled at their persuasion and walked in.

But as he looked at the faces of the people who had waited for him, a part of him couldn’t shake the lingering pain.

The years he had spent away from them had shaped him into someone entirely different.

And yet, coming here felt like he was closer himself they were, welcoming him back as if no time had passed.

Swarna, his badi maa, and Surekha, his badi chachi, were waiting at the entrance with aarti thali in hand, their faces beaming with the hope of a reunion that Abhir had no intention of embracing. The fragrance of incense filled the air, but it did nothing to ease the tension that hung around him like an invisible shroud.

Abhir stood stiffly as they performed the aarti, their hands moving with practiced grace, offering him the traditional welcome.

Their smiles were genuine, but he couldn’t bring himself to reciprocate. His gaze remained distant, his body rigid as he endured the ceremony for Abhira’s and Roohi's sake.

The smile on her face as she watched him was the only thing that softened his exterior, but even that couldn’t erase the churning anger within him.

As the aarti ended, Swarna and Surekha exchanged an expectant look, their eyes brimming with unspoken emotions. Abhir, however, gave them neither a smile nor words of gratitude.

He simply nodded curtly before moving past them. His mind was far from these people, trapped in a maze of bitter memories and resentments.

That was when his gaze locked with Manish, his bade papa.

The man who had been the closest buddy to him—once. But now, the years of abandonment, the pain, and the silence between them weighed heavily on Abhir’s chest.

The joy that radiated from Manish’s face faltered the moment their eyes met, but he didn’t falter. Instead, he stepped forward, his hand extended in a gesture of reconciliation.

“Abhir mera buddy…” Manish started, his voice thick with emotion, though it was clear he was struggling to find the right words. “Im so glad you’re finally here.”

Abhir’s jaw tightened. He wanted to respond—wanted to lash out at the falseness of the welcome—but he held it in, his temper barely contained.

His eyes flicked to Abhira, who stood beside him, the only one who seemed truly happy to see him.

Turning his gaze away from Manish’s outstretched hand, Abhir shot him a look that was colder than the mountain air outside.

“Main ab aapka kuch nahi lagta” he said, his voice blunt and unwelcoming. There was a hardness in his words, a barrier that Manish could not cross, no matter how much he longed for it.

Manish’s smile faltered slightly, but he didn’t back down. “Beta main bass—”

“Mujhe beta kehna ka hakh kho chuke hain aap... Main yahaan sirf apni behen ke wajah se khada hoon" Abhir interrupted, cutting him off with an abruptness that was startling.

His gaze flickered briefly to Swarna, who stood beside Manish, but he didn’t offer her any more than a fleeting glance.

Manish, seeing Abhir’s cold reception to him and Swarna, shifted uncomfortably. He had been hoping to see Abhir smiling face, but the reality of the situation was clearer than ever. The guilt of the past, the guilt of wronging Abhir and Akshara made his gut churn.

Still, he didn’t let it show. He was ready to face Abhir's wrath the whole life but he wouldn't let Abhir  go away from their lives ever.

Swarna, too, felt the sting of his disregard, but she held her peace, knowing that any attempt to bridge the gap between them would be met with resistance. They were grateful for his return, even if it was a complicated and painful to process he resents them now.

"I'm done with this family drama for the day"

Abhir said nonchalantly sensing the weight of the moment, turned away from them, his back to the family as he began to walk inside the house.

His footsteps were deliberate, but they carried the weight of years of silence and resentment.

His words hung in the air, echoing around the grand walls of the house. Everyone could feel the chill of his words, but none dared to challenge him.

This was Abhir—distant, cold, and unwilling to be part of the family he once knew.

The Goenkas didn’t know how to reach him, but for now, they could only hope that in time, the barriers he had built would begin to crumble.