chapter 23

Maan, who had been standing silently by the door, watched the scene unfold, his own emotions a turbulent mix of relief and lingering anger. He had fought for Shrii, stood by her when no one else did, and the sight of her finally awake, finally able to speak and forgive, brought him a sense of peace he hadn’t felt in years. But the pain of the past was still fresh, and the trust broken was not so easily mended.When Suhas finally pulled away, his face was a mess of tears, but his eyes held a resolve that Maan hadn’t seen before. “Shrii,” Suhas began, his voice thick with emotion, “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know I failed you. But if you can find it in your heart to give me a second chance, I promise you, I will do everything I can to make it right.”Shrii’s eyes searched his face, her own emotions swirling within her. She had spent years in darkness, her mind lost in the depths of a coma, but now that she was awake, she knew she had a choice. She could hold on to the anger and the pain, or she could try to rebuild what was left of her life, with the people who were still there, who still loved her, even if they had made mistakes.She took her father’s hand, her grip firm but gentle. “I’ve been given a second chance, Daddy. I want to use it to heal, to move forward. But I can’t do it alone.”Her words were a lifeline for Suhas, a beacon of hope in the sea of his despair. He nodded, squeezing her hand in return, silently vowing to be the father she needed him to be.Maan stepped forward then, joining them in the quiet embrace. He looked at Suhas, his expression softer now, though the pain was still evident. “We can do this together,” he said, his voice steady. “For Shrii.”The three of them stood there, bound by the weight of the past but also by the fragile hope for the future. The road to healing would be long and difficult, filled with challenges they couldn’t yet foresee. But in that small hospital room, for the first time in seven years, they felt the stirrings of a new beginning.As they left the hospital later that day, the sun was still shining, its rays no longer feeling like punishment, but rather a warm embrace—a reminder that life, though harsh and unforgiving, also offered moments of grace and the possibility of redemption.