The night was restless for Arjun. He lay awake, haunted by Sia's broken words, her tear-streaked face etched into his mind. Every taunt, every plea she had made replayed like a relentless echo, eating away at his heart.
Sia, however, had cried herself into an uneasy sleep. Her sobs had quieted, but her pain lingered in the air like an unspoken truth.
Unable to resist any longer, Arjun scooted closer to her, his arms tentatively wrapping around her fragile form. Her body, warm and soft, fit perfectly against him, even in her vulnerability. He held her close, his own heart aching with regret, and for the first time in a long while, he found solace in her presence.
Before the first rays of the sun painted the sky, Sia stirred. She blinked away the haze of sleep and turned to find Arjun still holding her, his face soft and childlike in slumber.
For a fleeting moment, her heart ached with a bittersweet tenderness. She reached out but stopped herself, her hand trembling as it hovered over his cheek. A small, wistful smile graced her lips.
"Goodbye, Arjun," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Sia carefully untangled herself from his embrace and slipped out of bed. After freshening up, she penned a note, pouring her heart into every word.
The Note:
"To my family,"
"I cannot express how grateful I am for the love you've given me. You made me feel like a part of something beautiful, and for that, I will always be thankful."
"But sometimes, love isn't enough. Trust is equally important, and without it, I cannot stay. And anyway I know I am not needed here now"
"I have two small favors to ask. First, please don't hate me for leaving. And second, Ishika, please take care of Snowy. She belongs with you now."
"Thank you for everything. I will cherish these memories forever."
"With love,
Sia."
The note sat on the dining table, waiting like a silent messenger to deliver her final goodbye.
Arjun's POV
Arjun woke to an empty bed, the lingering warmth of Sia's presence already fading. His heart dropped as his eyes darted around the room. She was gone.
He rushed downstairs, only to find the note on the table. As he read it, his hands trembled, and a cold sweat broke out on his brow.
"No..." he whispered, his voice cracking. "She wouldn't just leave."
The rest of the family gathered around, their faces mirroring his disbelief. Ishika clutched Snowy, her tears streaming as she sobbed, "Why did she leave us? Why didn't we stop her?"
Shalini's voice was sharp as she snapped, "This is all because of that Riya! She planted doubt in all of you, and now Sia is gone!"
Aarav's fury erupted. "Why didn't anyone question those pictures? Why didn't we stand by her?" His voice softened, laced with guilt. "Why didn't I stand by her?"
Vijay to Devika, "we failed her trust and love"
But Arjun couldn't hear them anymore. His mind was consumed with one thought: finding Sia.
Sia's POV
Sia sat in the cozy guest room of Neha's house, her childhood friend's family welcoming her with open arms. They had offered her a haven without prying too much, and she was grateful.
"Promise me," Sia had said to Neha and her parents, her voice firm. "Promise me you won't tell anyone I'm here."
Reluctantly, they agreed, though their worry for her was evident.
As the day wore on, Sia tried to find peace in her solitude, but her phone buzzed with a notification. Another message from the anonymous number.
Her heart sank as she opened it to see a picture of Arjun and Riya in what appeared to be an intimate moment.
Her chest tightened, but this time, instead of breaking, she steeled herself.
She typed back, her fingers flying over the keyboard:
"Who are you? What do you want from me?"
The response was swift:
"Just the truth. Arjun was never yours."
Sia's hands clenched into fists. She stood her ground, refusing to let the words pierce her armor.
"Why do you care so much about ruining my life?" she demanded.
No response came immediately, and Sia felt a rush of determination. Whoever this was, they would not control her anymore.
In another part of the city, Mayank grinned, satisfied with his efforts, but unaware that the woman he sought to break was no longer as fragile as he thought.
The Rathor mansion was eerily quiet, the air heavy with tension. The family, gathered in the living room, was still reeling from Sia's departure. Snowy sat at Ishika's feet, whining softly, as if sensing the sadness that had engulfed the household.
Before anyone could say a word, the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor broke the silence. Riya strode in, her confident smirk lighting up her face like she owned the place.
But it was short lived as Candy started barking at her, who was wrapped just like ball near Devika. and she pets him and asks him to not bark and he listens like a good boy, which he is.
"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with mockery. "It seems your innocent little Sia couldn't handle the pressure. Running off with her lover in the dead of the night? What a scandal!"
Her words were like a spark to dry timber.
Vijay was the first to respond, her eyes blazing. "You have the audacity to come here after everything you've done? How dare you!"
Riya feigned innocence, placing a hand on her chest dramatically. "What I've done? Oh, please. I didn't make her run away. That was all her doing. Maybe she finally realized she didn't belong here."
Aarav shot up from his seat, his fists clenched. "Shut up, Riya. Don't you dare speak another word about my bhabhi!"
Riya arched a brow, clearly enjoying the chaos she'd stirred. "Your bhabhi? Is that what you're calling her? A woman who sneaked around with another man while playing the dutiful daughter-in-law? How pathetic."
"Enough!"
The room went silent as Arjun's voice boomed, cutting through the tension like a blade. He stood, his jaw tight and his eyes cold, his usually calm demeanor replaced with unrelenting anger.
"You've said enough, Riya," he growled, stepping closer to her. "Don't think for a second that we're blind to your games. You came here thinking you could manipulate us, but you've only exposed how vile and desperate you truly are."
Riya blinked, caught off guard. "Arjun, Iâ"
"No!" Arjun's voice was sharp, his eyes boring into hers. "You thought I was wrapped around your little finger, didn't you? You thought I'd believe your lies, turn against my wife, and welcome you back with open arms?" He scoffed. "You don't know me at all."
Devika stepped forward, her gaze icy. "You left this family humiliated when you ran from the mandap, Riya. Sia picked up the pieces you shattered and became the daughter-in-law we could all be proud of. And yet, we doubted her because of you. But no more."
Riya's smirk faltered, replaced by a flash of panic. "I was just trying to help you all see the truth!"
"The truth?" Ishika's voice was shaky but resolute as she stood up, clutching Snowy in her arms. "The truth is that you're a liar! You set Sia up to make her look bad, but she's the only one who ever truly cared about this family." Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face. "I hate you, Riya. I hate you for making my bhabhi leave!"
Riya opened her mouth to retort, but Aarav cut her off. "Get out, Riya. You're not welcome here anymore. Or i should say never"
She looked around, searching for a shred of support, but found only cold stares. Even Arjun, whose loyalty she had once taken for granted, stood against her, his expression unforgiving.
"You heard him," Arjun said, his voice low and menacing. "Leave, and don't come back."
Riya's façade cracked, and for a moment, she looked like a child caught in a lie. But she quickly masked her vulnerability with anger, tossing her hair as she turned on her heel.
"You'll regret this," she hissed. "All of you will."
With that, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Arjun's POV
As the door closed, the weight of the situation crashed down on Arjun. His chest felt tight, his guilt suffocating.
"She was right about one thing," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. The family turned to him, confused.
"What do you mean?" Shalini asked.
"She was right that we made Sia feel like she didn't belong," Arjun admitted, his eyes glistening. "And now she's gone because of usâbecause of me."
Ishika sniffled, her voice trembling. "Then bring her back, bhaiya. Please bring her back."
"I will," Arjun promised, his voice firm. "I don't care how long it takes or what I have to do. I'll bring her home."
The family watched as Arjun's resolve hardened, a fire igniting in his eyes. Sia might have left, but he wasn't going to let her go without a fight.