Author's pov-
Two days had passed since the grand celebration turned into an inexplicable nightmare for Siara. From the outside, everything seemed to have returned to normal. The Sehgal mansion bustled with its usual chaos-the younger clan sparring over trivial things. orchestrating a flawless household.
For two days, Mahir watched her move around like a ghost of herself, her cold, composed mask firmly in place. But he had seen beneath it. He had seen the cracks.
She hadn't spoken to him about it. Not a word. And it was driving him insane. He couldn't shake the image of her, barely able to breathe. What had she seen that night? Or... was it someone, Who had she seen? These were the only thoughts lingering in his mind.
He needed answers. But he couldn't force them out of her. He can't ignore the matter, he is not ready to give up. Not now, not ever.
----
The Sehgal clan, dressed to the nines, was bustling around the grand living room, Tonight, the whole Sehgal family were heading to the Malhotras' for Ekansh and Riya's anniversary dinner, but getting there without losing their collective sanity seemed like the real challenge.
Shivay and kabir were busy complaining about their shoes not matching their outfits.
Avya rolled her eyes as she adjusted her bracelet. "Can you both stop being 12 for a second? We're late, and Riya's probably already sent us passive-aggressive texts."
"Let her text," Myra chimed in. "She knows we bring life to her otherwise dull anniversary. We're not just guests-we're the main event."
Dadi's voice boomed from the hall. "Why are you all still here? Mahir! Siara! Come out, we're getting late!"
Mahir strolled into the living room, perfectly dressed, exuding his usual cool authority. Behind him was Siara, her icy demeanor matching her flawless outfit.
Shivay raised an eyebrow, smirking. "And here comes the viral couple. Do you guys even know that your photos are flooding the Internet?"
"Do you know what else is flooding Shivay?" Asked siara
Shivay leaned forward, intrigued by Siara's unusually direct response. "What else, Bhabhi?" he asked, his smirk widening.
Siara's gaze was cold, her tone sharp and calculated. "Your hopes of going on a Non-Icy hangout with me. It has almost reached minus infinity now- right alongside Kabir's sense of humour"
The room roared with laughter, Kabir mock-applauding. "Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the undefeated queen of comebacks!"
"One look from her, and you will be confessing sins you didn't even commit!" Divya jumped in, gesturing dramatically toward Siara.
Myra added, trying to suppress her laughter.
"Even global warming's like, 'Sorry, ma'am, we'll steer clear.'"
Kabir took over, grinning.
"Rumor has it that if you say her name three times in a mirror, you get a prescription for damaged brain cells and a lecture on why your life choices are medically unsound!"
As Mahir shot them a sharp, warning glare, the younger clan instantly froze mid-laughter. Kabir, always the quickest to react, straightened up like a soldier and muttered under his breath, "Mission Abort! I repeat, Mission Abort!"
As the group fell in line like obedient kids, Shivay muttered to Avya, "New mission: survive this night without getting disowned and not get ridden out of the will!"
As the cars honked to signal their departure, the younger clan collectively burst into laughter, scattering toward their seats while Siara simply shook her head, her lips twitching in what almost looked like amusement which didn't go unnoticed by mahir.
Little did he know that tonight he'll witness much more than just that reaction.
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Once they reached the Malhotras' residence, it was a cozy affair-just the Malhotra and Sehgal families, no extra guests. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with the soft glow of chandeliers casting a welcoming light over the dining area. Despite the simplicity of the evening, there was an air of grandeur, with the impeccable elegance of both families on display.
The men, dressed in sharp suits, exchanged pleasantries, while the women settled into comfortable conversation, their laughter filling the room. Yet, amidst all the chatter, one thing remained-Siara, as composed and cold as ever, still the focal point of curious glances.
The palpable tension in the air grew heavier as the evening progressed. Siara, though participating in the banter, kept her distance-her body language still cold, almost as if she were floating above the conversation, observing rather than engaging.
Her mother's eyes lingered on her, a mixture of concern and sorrow in her gaze. Siara caught it, but didn't acknowledge it. Her father, too, glanced at her occasionally, as if silently wishing she would return to the lively self she once was. It was these subtle moments that spoke louder than words.
Mahir, who had spent most of the evening observing her from a distance, noticed every subtle shift. Her eyes, normally so composed, seemed faraway, distracted, as if the laughter around her wasn't quite enough to reach her. She was a world unto herself, and it left Mahir with a lingering ache in his chest.
After dinner, everyone retreated to the living room. The clink of glasses and the soft hum of conversation continued as Riya, ever the sentimental one, brought out an old family photo album. She had the idea to show it to the younger clan, hoping to share a more personal side of the family. Well, her main motive was to break the ice between siara and her family.
"I don't understand why they can't bridge the gap they've created themselves," Riya thought, her eyes lingering on Siara and her family.
"I've seen them all silently crying so many times. They still treasure everything Siara left behind, as if holding onto those things will somehow bring her back. Papa never smiles-it's as if they've all forgotten how to live. Maybe, just maybe, after tonight, even if it's just a little, some of that gap will start to fill."
The room quieted as Riya flipped through the pages, one by one, showing memories of the Malhotra family through the years. Laughter echoed around the room as they pointed at familiar faces.
But as Riya turned to the next page, the room fell silent. It wasn't a picture of the family that grabbed attention-it was a picture of Siara, a much younger version of her, smiling brightly with her family on what looked like a vacation. The sight of her-lively, carefree, and full of energy-sent a wave of silence through the group. Her brothers stood beside her, laughing, one of them with his arm around her shoulders in a protective, yet teasing way. Her parents were behind, looking proud, almost like they were in a different world altogether.
Mahir, who had been quiet the entire time, observed her closely. He saw the brief flicker of pain in her eyes, the way her shoulders seemed to sag under the weight of her past.
Something was bothering her. More than the memories of the family photos, he suspected there was something deeper-something she wasn't ready to share. It was a moment of vulnerability, and no one could miss it. The younger clan looked at her-some of them hesitant to speak, unsure of how to respond. Riya caught Siara's eye and immediately sensed the change in her.
Siara stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Everyone fell silent, turning towards her.
"Excuse me," Siara said in a calm, controlled voice, though the tension in her body was evident as she began to walk toward the door.
Before she could leave, a voice cut through the stillness-Avyaan's voice, shaky but determined. "You didn't do it? Haina?(Right?)"
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Siara stopped in her tracks and turned, her cold gaze locking onto him. The sentence was enough for her to know what he was talking about,"Took you long enough," she replied, her tone as icy as ever.
The room was thick with confusion. The family members exchanged bewildered looks, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Avyaan, clearly emotional now, stepped forward. "You didn't kill Bhabhi? YOU DIDN'T KILL HER?" His voice cracked as he continued, "Then why didn't you come back? Why didn't you answer our calls, Siara? Why? It was just one day. Just one day! We called you, we texted you, but you said, 'No, I won't come back. Never.'... Papa almost died that day, Siara, he had a heart attack! We begged you to come back home, but your ego took over. Even after that, we gave you space, thinking maybe you needed time. But when we tried again, you told us to never contact you again. Why? Why so much anger? Things could have been fixed!"
Tears welled up in Avyaan's eyes, his voice cracking with every word. His emotions spilled out, raw and unfiltered, leaving the entire room in stunned silence. The weight of his pain hung heavily in the air, thickening the tension, and for a long moment, no one dared to move.
Siara's mother, unable to bear the weight of the truth, collapsed to her knees, her sobs echoing through the room. It was as though the ground had shifted beneath her, and the walls she had built around herself came crashing down. The entire family stood frozen, their faces etched with shock and disbelief.
The realization of how wrong they had been about Siara-about everything-hit the Sehgal family like a wave. They had misjudged her, painted her with the same brush as someone cold and distant, someone incapable of care. And now, watching her stand there, her silence cutting deeper than any words ever could, they felt the weight of their own mistakes.
Siara, standing motionless, was stunned. Her eyes widened in realization as the truth hit her like a cold wave. Her phone had been missing that day-she hadn't seen it since waking up. It wasn't her who sent those messages to her family, How can she do that when she was fighting for her life that time, that means those men, they sent those messages. They had been the ones to fabricate those responses, to make it seem like she hated them.
But even with that realization, Siara remained standing there, her cold aura unwavering, as if she were untouched by the emotional outburst.
If they thought this was the worst of it, they were gravely mistaken. Tonight, they were about to witness something far deeper, something that would shatter every illusion they had about Siara. They hadn't seen anything yet. As Siara Malhotra stood before them, her heart encased in years of scars and secrets, her silence was just the calm before the storm.
The younger clan had always been curious, had always teased her, expecting her to break at the slightest provocation. They wanted to see their ice queen showing some emotions, to witness her coldness crumble, to hear her speaking more than just a few lines. But what they didn't know-what none of them could anticipate-was that Siara's breaking would be a spectacle far darker than they could handle.
Tonight, she would reveal herself not just as the woman they knew, but as someone far more complex, more fragile, and infinitely stronger. Her pain, her rage, her years of silence-all would come crashing down. And when it did, it wouldn't just break Siara. It would break everyone in that room, shattering their perception of her and everything they thought they knew.
The younger clan, who had teased and laughed, would soon wish they'd never pushed her to this point. They'd wish they'd never stirred the storm inside her, because when it came, it would leave no one untouched. The calm façade they'd seen up until now was nothing compared to the fury and heartbreak that had been simmering beneath the surface.
Siara was about to show them what true vulnerability looked like-raw, unfiltered, and completely terrifying. And when she will break down, every single one of them would feel it. Would regret it. And they would never forget this night. Because Siara Malhotra wasn't the woman they thought they knew-she was the storm they never saw coming.
.......