The Rathor mansion was filled with an unusual silence, the kind that precedes a storm. Aarav, Ishika, and Shalini had just returned from their trip, their faces etched with worry and tension. It was Shalini who broke the silence first, her voice firm and cutting through the room like a whip.
"How could you all?" she began, her tone a mixture of disbelief and anger. "How could you trust Riyaâthe woman who left us all humiliated, left Arjun standing at the mandap in front of the world to get shamedâover Sia? Over the girl who has been nothing but a blessing to this family?"
Her words struck everyone like a slap. The elders looked away, ashamed, unable to meet her fiery gaze.
Shalini wasn't finished. "And you, Arjun," she continued, pointing an accusing finger at him. "The man who promised to protect her, to stand by her no matter what from his childhoon to adulthood, you didn't even think twice before letting doubt cloud your judgment. Is this how you treat your wife? The woman who left her world behind to become a part of ours?"
Arjun opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Aarav's simmering anger boiled over. He slammed his hand on the table, his voice rising in a furious outburst.
"You've all lost your minds!" Aarav shouted, his eyes blazing with fury as he turned to Arjun. "How could you, bhaiya? How could you even let Riya get close to you again after what she did? And now you're standing here, blaming Sia, without a single shred of proof beyond some conveniently timed photos?"
Arjun's jaw tightened, but Aarav didn't stop.
"Are you all stupid, or are you living in some soap opera which badi mumma and mom watches?" Aarav snapped, pacing the room. "Doesn't anyone here think it's strange that Riya that chudail had those pictures? Why was someone following Sia, your wife, bahu of Rathor's and taking photos of her with someone else? And how does Riya know Mayank is your rival, Arjun bhai?"
The room fell deathly silent. Aarav's words cut through the fog of doubt and suspicion like a razor. Everyone looked at one another, their expressions shifting from confusion to realization.
Devika nodded, her voice trembling but firm. "He's right. None of this adds up. Why didn't we see it before?"
Before anyone could respond, a small sob broke the silence. Ishika, the youngest and most fragile of the family, stood near the doorway, tears streaming down her face.
"You're all terrible," she whispered, her voice cracking as she looked at each of them, finally resting her gaze on Arjun. Her small hands clenched into fists as her sobs grew louder. "You're all so, so bad. Especially you, bhaiya! How could you not trust her? How could you hurt my bhabhi like this?"
Her words hit Arjun like a punch to the gut. Ishika, who had always adored him, now looked at him with pure hatred.
"I hate you!" she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I hate you for what you've done to her!"
With that, Ishika turned and ran toward Sia's room, her sobs echoing down the hall.
Arjun stood frozen, his chest heaving as guilt clawed at him. The weight of his actions, his doubts, and his blindness crashed over him like a tidal wave. For the first time, he truly realized the depth of his mistake.
Arjun's Regret
Arjun found himself wandering aimlessly through the house later that evening. Every corner reminded him of Siaâher laughter, her presence, her warmth. But now, all that remained was an emptiness he couldn't bear.
He finally made his way to the balcony, where the cool night breeze did little to calm the storm within him. His mind replayed every moment: the accusations, Sia's tears, Ishika's heartbreaking words. He had failed her. He had failed them all.
In his pocket, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and stared at the screen, where Sia's latest poem from her Rhythm account still lingered. The lines that had haunted him since he first read them now took on a sharper meaning.
"In the shadows, we find our light,
A love that struggles, but holds tight."
Arjun closed his eyes, the words cutting through him like a knife. He knew she was speaking of them, of their love, and how it had been tested. But he also knew he had let her down. His own insecurities and doubts had pushed her away.
Sia's Reluctance
The next morning, Arjun made a decision. He couldn't let things stay this way. He couldn't let Sia slip away without trying to make amends.
He approached her cautiously, finding her sitting in the garden with a notebook in her lap. She looked up when she saw him, her expression unreadable.
"Sia," he began, his voice soft, almost pleading. "Can we talk?"
Sia closed her notebook, her gaze unwavering. "What's left to say, Arjun? You didn't trust me. You didn't even give me a chance to explain. Do you know how much that hurt?"
Her words were calm, but the pain in her eyes was unmistakable.
"I know," he said, his voice thick with regret. "And I'm sorry. I was wrong, Sia. I let my doubts get the better of me, and I hurt you. I hurt us. I want to fix this. Please, just tell me how."
Sia shook her head, standing up and clutching her notebook to her chest. "It's not that simple, Arjun. Trust isn't something you can just rebuild overnight. And right now, I don't know if I can give you that."
As she walked away, Arjun stood there, feeling the weight of her words. He knew this wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to earn back her trust, no matter how long it took. For now, he could only hope that their love, though battered and bruised, was strong enough to survive.
Arjun's Revelation
As Sia walked away, leaving him with her piercing words and the weight of his guilt, Arjun stood frozen in place, lost in his turmoil. Her words replayed in his mind like a haunting echo, each one cutting deeper than the last.
Suddenly, the sound of pings broke through the silence. It wasn't his phone. He noticed Sia's phone on the garden bench where she had been sitting. Picking it up to return it to her, his eyes inadvertently caught the screen, which was unlocked.
His breath caught as he saw the content displayedâa message thread from an unknown number. He was about to look away when an image caught his attention, and his blood froze.
There, glaring back at him, was a picture of himself with Riya. The angle, the proximity, the intimate poseâit was unmistakable. Her hand was on his chest, her body close to his, as though they were locked in an embrace.
"This never happened," Arjun muttered, his voice shaking.
His fingers trembled as he scrolled through the messages. More images followedâeach one showing him and Riya in compromising situations. The timestamps were staggered, carefully selected to make it seem like an ongoing affair.
His heart pounded as he read the accompanying captions:
"See what he's been up to? This is who you trust?"
"Your husband's loyalty is a joke, just like your marriage."
"Open your eyes, Sia. You're nothing to him."
Arjun's chest tightened with every word. These messages weren't just an attack on Sia; they were a calculated, cruel attempt to destroy her trust in him. Someone had been targeting her for months, feeding her insecurities, preying on her vulnerabilities.
And yet, despite this torment, Sia had chosen to stay. She had still trusted him enough to question him directly. Meanwhile, he had failed her at the first hurdle, believing Riya's lies without pause.
His jaw clenched in anger and shame. "What have I done?"
Sia's Resolve
Upstairs, Sia sat on the floor of her bedroom, her face wet with tears as she stared at her half-packed suitcase. Her hands moved mechanically, folding clothes and placing them inside with a quiet finality.
"They don't need me anymore," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.
She picked up a framed photo from her bedside table. It was from her wedding dayâher and Arjun, their smiles radiant, their eyes filled with hope. Sia's fingers traced the frame's edge before she placed it facedown on the table, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
The house that once felt like home now felt suffocating. The family she had tried so hard to be a part of now seemed distant. And Arjun...he had believed Riya over her. That thought alone was enough to break her heart all over again.
"I'll leave," she decided. "They don't need me here anymore. Riya is back. Their real daughter-in-law. Their real bride."
She moved to the closet, gathering the last of her things when she heard a soft sound on the door. She froze, her breath hitching.
Sia sat on the floor of her bedroom, gently stroking Snowy's soft fur as the fluffy dog nuzzled her hand. Beside them, Candy, Once the mischievous little pup, wagged his tail excitedly, their tiny barks filling the heavy silence of the room.
Snowy licked her palm as if sensing her turmoil, while Candy playfully tugged at the edge of her dupatta. Sia smiled faintly, her heart aching at the thought of leaving them behind.
She hugged Snowy tightly and whispered, "I'm sorry, Snowy. I can't take you with me. Ishika loves you so much, and I know she'll take good care of you. You have to stay here with her, Aarav, and... Arjun. Don't fight with Candy too much, okay?"
Snowy tilted her head as if she understood, her big eyes filled with innocence.
Sia turned her gaze to Candy, who had started nibbling on the corner of her suitcase. She chuckled softly and picked hin in arms. "Candy, you have to behave, alright? Don't growl at Arjun anymore. He loves you. and even you do, even if you don't show it. And please, no more being naughty, okay?"
Unbeknownst to her, Arjun stood at the door, unnoticed. He had come to confront her about the messages but was now rooted to the spot, listening to her soft words.
Her voice was tender, but there was a finality to it that made his chest tighten. The thought of Sia leavingânot just him but their home, their family, and even the dogs she cared for so deeplyâwas unbearable.
He felt soulless, hollow, as if the life was draining out of him with every word she spoke.
Sia placed Candy gently on the floor and wiped her tears. She sat back down and began folding her clothes again, her movements slow and deliberate.
Arjun couldn't stay silent any longer.
"Sia," he called out, his voice barely above a whisper.
Startled, she turned to see him standing at the door, holding her phone. His face was pale, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and pain.
"What do you want, Arjun?" she asked, her tone weary.
"I..." He took a hesitant step forward, lifting her phone. "Your phone was on the bench. It was unlocked, and I saw something. Something you need to see too."
"I don't want to hear it," she said, turning back to her suitcase. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"It does," he insisted, his voice trembling. "Sia, those picturesâthose messagesâthey're lies. I saw everything. Someone has been manipulating you for months."
Her hands stilled, her breath hitching.
"The pictures of me and Riyaâthey're fake. Fabricated to make you believe I was unfaithful. I didn't know, Sia. I didn't know someone was tormenting you like this."
"And yet you believed her," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You didn't even hesitate."
He stepped closer, his desperation evident. "I know, and I was wrong. I let my insecurities and my past cloud my judgment. But Sia, I see it now. I see how much you've been hurting, and it's killing me."
She turned to face him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Why should I believe you now, Arjun? Why should I trust you after everything you've put me through?"
"Because I'll prove it to you," he said, his voice firm despite the anguish in his eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to show you that I trust you, that I believe in you. Just don't leave, Sia. Don't leave me."
Her heart wavered, but the pain of his betrayal was still too fresh. She shook her head, her tears falling freely. "It's too late, Arjun. I can't stay where I'm not wanted. Where I'm not trusted. I'll leave tomorrow morning"
As she turned back to her suitcase, Arjun felt the ground beneath him crumble. He dropped to his knees, his hands clutching at the edge of the bed.
"Sia, please," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Don't leave me. Don't leave us."
But Sia didn't respond. The silence that followed was deafening, a chasm that seemed impossible to bridge.