66. Efforts

Early update...

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The next morning, as the girls were still recovering from the previous night, the house phone rang loudly.

Ishika was the first to answer, her voice groggy. “Hello?”

“Ishika, it’s your chachu,” came the curt voice from the other end. Ishika instantly straightened up, her heart skipping a beat.

She hated hearing his voice; it brought back memories she desperately tried to forget.

“Yes, chachu?” she replied hesitantly, her fingers gripping the phone tightly.

“There’s a puja tomorrow at our house. You and Divya are expected to attend. Bring Rudraksh compulsorily and all the Raghuwanshis,” he said, the fake politeness in his tone making her stomach churn.

Before she could respond, Divya’s phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen—it was her grandmother. A wave of dread washed over her as she picked it up.

“Divya,” her grandmother’s shrill voice greeted her, “there’s a puja at the house tomorrow. All of you must come.”

Divya exchanged a look with Ishika, their silent communication conveying the same thought: they didn’t want to go.

After the calls ended, the elders—Geeta, Rukmini, Ishwar, Shravan, and Neelima dadi—gathered the girls in the living room.

“You should leave today,” Neelima dadi said gently. “If the puja is tomorrow, you can go and help your family with the preparations.”

Ishika’s eyes widened. “Dadi, it’s not really necessary for us to—”

“Beta, it’s family,” Rukmini interrupted softly but firmly. “These are your elders. It’s your duty to be there for them.”

Divya hesitated. “But… we could go early tomorrow instead. We don’t need to stay overnight—”

Ishwar placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s only one night, Divya. You girls will be fine. And it’s important to show respect to family.”

The girls exchanged uneasy glances. Ishika opened her mouth to protest again, but Daksh and Rudraksh spoke up.

“You should go,” Daksh said, his tone calm but reassuring. “We’ll join you as soon as we can tomorrow. We just have some work to wrap up here.”

Rudraksh nodded. “We won’t be far behind. Promise.”

Amrita crossed her arms, her expression guarded. “Do you really want to go?” she asked Ishika and Divya directly, cutting through the polite discussion.

Ananya chimed in, her voice cold but concerned. “If you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to—”

“No, it’s fine,” Ishika interrupted, forcing a smile onto her face. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Divya mirrored her smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Exactly. It’s just one night. We’ll be back as soon as the puja is over.”

The elders nodded approvingly, their smiles warm and encouraging. “That’s the spirit,” Geeta said.

The girls headed to their rooms to pack, their cheerful facade dropping the moment they closed the door.

Ishika sat on her bed, staring at her suitcase. “One day,” she whispered to herself, trying to gather her courage. “It’s just one day.”

Divya folded a few clothes, her hands trembling slightly. “We’ll leave first thing after the puja,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

Amrita and Ananya entered the room, their concern evident. “Are you sure about this?” Ananya asked quietly.

Ishika nodded without looking up. “We don’t have a choice.”

Amrita sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “Just… call us if anything happens. We’ll come get you.”

“Yeah,” Ananya added, her voice firm. “No matter what.”

The girls finished packing quickly, taking only what they needed for the night.

Their hearts were heavy, their minds racing with memories of the past. But they put on brave faces as they walked downstairs, their suitcases in hand.

“We’re ready,” Ishika said, her voice steady despite the knot in her stomach.

The elders waved them off with warm smiles and gentle goodbyes. “Take care,” Neelima dadi said, blessing them as they left.

As the car pulled away, Ishika and Divya stared out the window, their expressions unreadable.

Their hearts were heavy, but they knew they had to face this together. One day. They just had to survive one day.

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Mahima woke up with a pounding headache, the aftereffects of last night’s drinks hitting her hard.

Groaning softly, she dragged herself out of bed, freshened up, and headed to the kitchen to make herself a glass of lemon water.

Sipping the tangy drink, she felt the tension in her head ease slightly.

Determined to shake off the hangover completely, she got dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit, her usual confidence returning.

Just as she stepped out of the house, she noticed a car parked right outside her gate. Her brows furrowed.

Who could it be?

Curiosity tugging at her, she walked over, her sharp eyes scanning the car.

Inside, she spotted Rishi, slumped over in the driver’s seat, sleeping in the most uncomfortable position imaginable.

His head leaned awkwardly against the window, his arms folded tightly across his chest.

Mahima raised an eyebrow. What is he doing here?

She rapped her knuckles against the glass window, startling him awake.

Rishi’s eyes flew open, his face disoriented for a moment before recognition dawned.

He quickly opened the door and stepped out, straightening his posture even though he looked utterly exhausted.

“What are you doing here?” Mahima asked, her voice cold and clipped, the way it always was when she was trying to hide her emotions.

He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his gaze meeting hers with a surprising softness.

“I was here... making sure no one got into your house,” he said, his voice raspy from sleep. “Your door was unlocked last night.”

Her heart skipped a beat, though she refused to let it show. “You stayed the whole night here?”

Rishi nodded, his tired eyes sincere. “Yeah. I didn’t want to leave until I knew you were safe.”

Mahima stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the slump in his usually confident posture.

He wasn’t lying. The realization made something in her chest tighten.

“Get in,” she said abruptly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“What?”

“I said, get in. I’m driving you home.”

Rishi hesitated for a second before obeying.

He got into the passenger seat, and Mahima slid behind the wheel, her expression neutral but her mind racing.

The drive to his apartment was quiet, the air between them charged with unspoken words.

When they arrived, she parked the car and got out, walking with him to his door.

“You didn’t have to do this,” he murmured as they reached his small, modest apartment.

“Don’t argue,” she replied, her voice softer than usual. “Just get some sleep.”

Rishi unlocked his door and turned to face her. “Thank you, Mahima. Really.”

She nodded, a hint of warmth flickering in her usually guarded eyes. “Sleep tight. And thank you... for staying last night.”

Rishi hesitated before speaking again. “Can you do me a favor?”

Mahima raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“My phone’s dead,” he said sheepishly. “Can you let Aarush know I’m not coming to the office today?”

She nodded curtly. “Fine.”

He watched her turn to leave, but just before she stepped away, she smiled—a real, genuine smile that lit up her face.

Rishi, standing behind the door, peeked through the peephole as she walked away.

He caught that rare smile, and his lips curved into one of his own.

I know you’re not as rude and tough as you seem, Mahima, he thought, his heart strangely light.

With that, he closed the door and finally allowed himself to rest, the image of her smile etched into his mind.

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Mahima drove straight to the Raghuwanshi office, a gleaming building with the name Raghuwanshi Empire emblazoned across its glass facade.

She walked into Aarush’s office with her usual confident stride, not bothering to knock.

Aarush looked up from his desk, his brows raised in surprise. “Mahima? What are you doing here?”

“Rishi won’t be coming today,” she said, her tone clipped.

Aarush frowned. “Why not? Is he okay?”

“He needed sleep,” Mahima replied simply, turning to leave.

But Aarush wasn’t done. “Wait, how do you know that, and I don’t? I’m his best friend!”

She paused, glancing at him over her shoulder. “I just know,” she said cryptically, walking out without another word.

Aarush leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her retreating figure.

“Guess my buddy’s in love,” he murmured to himself, shaking his head with amusement.

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She didn't realise, but he was already hers. 💝