chapter 6 : Her Videos

The evening was quiet, but there was an underlying tension in the air. We had returned from college early, waiting for Daksh to arrive. Tanu was busy rummaging through Aaradhya’s old belongings, looking for the laptop and memory cards she used for vlogging. The doorbell rang, and Daksh entered, his usual energetic self. He greeted Tanu with a warm, brotherly hug, and then his eyes landed on me. His expression shifted, a hint of surprise crossing his face.

“Wow, you look different. Got a new look?” he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

I gave a small smile and nodded, not sure how to respond. Tanu, always quick on her feet, jumped in, “So, you want something?”

Daksh shook his head. “Nothing for now,” he replied, and we all made our way to the couches.

I hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “I need a little help, Daksh,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I want to delete a video from everyone’s phones… and teach me how to do it, too.”

Daksh chuckled, a knowing look in his eyes. “What happened to you, Aaradhya? You never took an interest in hacking before. What video are you talking about?”

I nervously laughed, avoiding his gaze. “It’s the video… of me proposing to someone. It was just a dare, but Tanu handled it.”

Daksh raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me you’re worried about that video? And you want me to help you delete it?” He sounded amused, but I could sense the underlying concern.

Okay here it goes. I couldn't see his concern . It was for aaradhya not me .

I nodded, but then something in me snapped. “I’m not Aaradhya, Daksh,” I blurted out.

He stared at me, confusion clouding his features. “What? Did I hear that wrong?” He chuckled nervously, thinking I was playing a prank.

Tanu sighed, her face a mix of worry and frustration. I didn’t want to do this, but I had to make him understand. I pulled out the knife I had kept hidden—a reminder of who I truly was—and showed it to him.

“See? This is who I am, Daksh. I’m not her,” I said, my voice shaky but firm.

Daksh’s face faltered, his amusement quickly turning into something else. “When did you learn to do this?” He was starting to get angry, thinking this was some elaborate prank.

“I’m not joking, Daksh,” I snapped, my frustration bubbling over. “Aaradhya died the first night she reached Varanasi. I’m Aaradhyanshi, and I don’t know how I ended up in her body.”

There was silence. Daksh stood frozen, his eyes wide in disbelief. He took a step toward me, his hands reaching out as if to comfort me, but I instinctively pushed him away with a little force . He stumbled, looking both hurt and confused.

“I don’t like being touched by strangers, Mr. Daksh Rathore,” I said coldly, my heart racing.

Tanu looked at me, her eyes wide with shock, but I didn’t care. I had to make them believe me.

“Trust me, Tanu,” I said, my voice low. “Your sister, Aaradhya, didn’t know how to swim. And I opened my eyes to find myself in her body, drowning in the middle of the Ganga River. I didn’t know anything about this modern world, this era. It wasn’t mine.”

Daksh still didn’t seem convinced, but Tanu, ever the practical one, suggested, “Maybe there’s something in the memory card. Something in Aaradhya’s vlogs might explain all of this.”

I nodded, and she handed Daksh the laptop and memory cards. He hesitated for a moment before opening the laptop and, with his hacking skills, unlocked it. We all gathered around as he connected it to the TV, the screen flickering to life.

The videos started playing, and I watched them, my heart sinking with every passing moment. Most of them were of Aaradhya crying, talking about how she had been bullied by  school bullies. Then college bullies – Pratik and Simon. Tanu and Daksh both looked heartbroken as they watched, their tears mirroring the pain in those videos.

But then something caught my attention. In every video, she mentioned me. She talked about how she dreamed of me, Princess Aaradhyanshi Raghavendra. How she admired me, and how she wished she could be like me.

Tanu’s tears flowed freely now, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. Aaradhya had always looked up to me, even when she was going through her own torment.

The videos continued, showing her struggle, her torment. She was so proud of me, but at the same time, she felt guilty. She felt like she had failed.

I couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears came, and I wiped them away angrily. I had to stay strong.

The videos ended, and the room was thick with silence. Daksh was the first to speak, his voice hoarse. “Maybe we should take her to a doctor. She’s been through so much. This can’t go on like this.”

I stood up, my mind racing. “No. I’m fine. I’m not her. I don’t need a doctor.”

Tanu, grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs.  And showed me the pool and I got it. Without saying a word, I jumped into the pool, my clothes clinging to my body. Daksh followed me in the water , but I was faster, cutting through the water with ease.

We both reached the deck, and Tanu wrapped me in a towel, her eyes filled with concern. I looked Daksh in the eye, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

“Mr. Daksh Rathore,” I said, my tone cold. “You can’t learn to swim just because you feel like you’re your dream character.  We are different people. Aaradhya Rathore was her, and I am Princess Aaradhyanshi Raghavendra.”

I paused, my voice softening. “I remember every technique, every skill that I could use to kill without hesitation, without tears. But I respect the life I have now. I promised myself I would fix Aaradhya’s life, and I will.”

I left him standing there, my words hanging in the air. Tanu followed me, and we both tried to make sense of everything that had happened.

A week passed in silence. College felt normal, but something had changed. Vikrant kept glancing at me, and though it wasn’t creepy, I could feel the weight of his gaze. I didn’t confront him about what had happened with the rose boy. I didn’t have the energy for it. I was already angry with myself for revealing the truth to Daksh like that. I had broken a brother’s heart, and I couldn’t undo it.

Then, one day, I got a call. It was Daksh. He was waiting for me downstairs. I was shocked. What was he doing here? I looked at Tanu, and she was just as confused.

I went downstairs to find him sitting on a bench, looking exhausted. I stood in front of him, my heart racing. He looked up at me, his eyes red from crying.

Without warning, he hugged me tightly. I struggled at first, unsure of how to react, but then something in his embrace felt familiar, brotherly. I stopped fighting it. He sniffled, his tears soaking into my clothes.

After what felt like an eternity, he pulled away. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice hoarse.

I was taken aback. “Sorry? Why are you apologizing to me?”

“I’m sorry for not believing you,” he said, his voice breaking. “And I’m sorry for everything that happened to you.”

I took a step back, confused. “But why are you being nice to me now? Shouldn’t you hate me? I’m using your sister’s body.”

He opened Aaradhya’s laptop and showed me something. “Maybe you should see this,” he said.

I didn’t want to look, but something told me I had to. I called Tanu, and we went back home together. We changed  into comfortable clothes as we were both exhausted and needed to freshen up  while Daksh was waiting for us in the living room. He connected the laptop to the TV, and we all sat down to watch.

The video that was played was from five years ago. Aaradhya was younger, but she looked just as lost. She talked about how she dreamed of me, Princess Aaradhyanshi Raghavendra. How she lived my life, made my choices.  What ?

That's why I didn't have some memories of my childhood maybe Aaradhya lived those days  in me . I remembered how some times were forgotten from my childhood memories. But I never revealed it to anyone as i didn't want to  be a liability but worthy of the throne and a warrior princess . But how did she do that ? How our souls got changed ?

The more we watched, the more I realized the truth. Aaradhya hadn’t just dreamed of me—she had lived my life , like I was living hers . She had become me in  somehow . And in doing so, she had suffered too because of the mistake she did live my life and that led her to some circumstances  that led me to my death . She had lived in pain, in guilt .

And when she died, she had left me with her body, her life, and her mistakes.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to process all of this. But I knew one thing for sure I had to find out.

The final video was a farewell. Aaradhya, emotionless, apologized for her mistakes, asking Daksh and Tanu to forgive her. She admitted she couldn’t bear the guilt anymore and prayed that I, Princess Aaradhyanshi, would find peace . And maybe a new life.

The room was silent, the weight of her words suffocating. Tears streamed down our faces as the truth settled in.

Daksh broke the silence. “I checked her medical records. She saw countless psychologists, but none found anything wrong. She was right—you two were connected.”

I looked at him, my voice trembling. “Hate me. Both of you should hate me.”

But Daksh shook his head. “I can’t. She gave you her body because she believed you deserved a second chance. She wanted you to fix her life.”

I couldn’t respond. The guilt and pain were overwhelming. Daksh left shortly after, his face a mask of grief.

It was the middle of the night, and the world outside was silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the faint hum of passing vehicles. I stood on the balcony, the cool breeze brushing against my skin, trying to calm my restless mind. My thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions—Daksh’s reaction to the truth, Aaradhya’s videos, and the weight of everything I had learned about her life.

The sound of my phone vibrating broke my trance. I glanced at the screen. Disaster . It was him. Vikrant.

I declined the call without hesitation, irritated by his persistence. A few moments later, another call came through. I let out a frustrated sigh and picked up, my tone sharp.

“What do you want?” I demanded.

His voice was calm, yet there was an edge to it. “Come down in five minutes, or I’ll start honking the horn. Let’s see how you explain this to everyone.”

I froze, my grip tightening around the phone. The audacity of this man! My teeth clenched as I glared down from the balcony, and sure enough, there he was, leaning casually against his car, looking up at me. The streetlights illuminated his figure, making him appear both smug and commanding.

I wanted to scream, to tell him to leave, but I knew he wasn’t bluffing. I couldn’t risk waking the entire neighborhood. With a huff, I stormed back inside, grabbed a shawl to cover myself, and headed downstairs.

As soon as I stepped out of the building, his eyes locked onto mine. His expression softened for a moment, but I was too angry to notice.

“What is your problem, Vikrant?” I snapped, walking up to him. “Why are you here at this hour? Do you enjoy creating chaos?”

Instead of answering, he stepped forward and, to my utter shock, pulled me into a tight embrace.

“What are you—” I struggled against his hold, my fists pounding weakly against his chest. “Let me go, Vikrant!”

I was hitting his back, but he held me tighter, his grip unyielding. "Vikrant," I hissed, my voice low but firm. "Let go of me. What do you think you're doing?"

He finally loosened his grip but didn’t step back. His eyes bore into mine, a mix of anger and desperation. "What am I doing? What are you doing, Aaradhya? "

My breath hitched, but I quickly masked my surprise. "What are you talking about?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

He smirked, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Don’t play games with me. I’ve been watching you. You’re not the same girl I knew before Varanasi. Your demeanor, your skills, the way you carry yourself—it’s like you’re a completely different person."

I crossed my arms, trying to keep my composure. "So? People change, Vikrant. That’s what life does to you."

He shook his head. "Not like this. Not overnight. And definitely not to the extent of becoming someone who can outmatch me in strategy and wit. You’re hiding something, and I want to know what it is."

I took a step back, needing space to think. His words were too close to the truth, and I couldn’t afford to let him dig deeper. "You’re imagining things. If you have nothing else to say, leave."

But he didn’t move. Instead, he leaned against his car, his expression softening slightly. "I’m not here to hurt you, Aaradhya— I just want to understand. Why are you pushing everyone away? Why do you act like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders?"

His words struck a nerve, and I clenched my fists. "You wouldn’t understand, Vikrant. You can’t. This isn’t your battle."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe not. But I can’t stand by and watch you destroy yourself. Whatever it is you’re hiding, it’s eating you alive."

I looked away, my resolve faltering. For a moment, I considered telling him everything—about Aaradhya, about the locket, about the guilt that haunted me. But then I remembered the pain in Daksh’s eyes earlier, the disbelief and heartbreak. I couldn’t go through that again. And i couldn't tell anything to this face , what if he ?  Bully  me , make fun of me  , my situations , my pain ?

"Go home, Vikrant," I said quietly. "This conversation is over."

He stared at me for a long moment before nodding. "Fine. But this isn’t over. I’ll find out the truth, Aaradhya. One way or another."

He got into his car and drove off, leaving me standing there, my mind racing. The night was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves in the wind. I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling more alone than ever.

As I turned to go back inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control. The secrets, the lies, the unresolved guilt—it was all too much. And now, with Vikrant suspicious and Daksh still reeling from the truth, I knew it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down.

But for now, all I could do was survive. One day at a time.