𝙲𝙷- 13: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚢 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝙰 𝙼𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚢🌹

Ouch~ She winced as the cotton dabbed against her lips."How's Ekagra?" she asked, her face full of concern.

"Ehh, seriously? Are you for real?" Tvesha made a weird face as he cleaned the cut on Rooh's lip.

"You are literally hurt, abducted, tortured, and in pain right now, and you're asking if my brother is okay?"

Tvesha spoke, rolling her eyes and mumbling something under her breath

Rooh's face saddened a little.

"I can't help but worry..." she spoke softly.

"What about that girl? Mr. Rajwardhan didn't do anything to her, did he?" she asked, worry clear in her voice.

"Things just turned interesting. I gotta meet that girl..."

Tvesha got up, sliding her hands into her pockets, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Rooh asked, her brows furrowing.

"Ughh, seriously? You still care about him, knowing he doesn't give a shit..." Tvesha spoke with annoyance.

"I wish I could tell that to my heart..." Rooh spoke softly mumbling to herself.

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

[ Flashback ]

"Rooh... Rooh... The class ended already. What are you staring at?"

Valentina's voice finally pulled her back as she turned to look at her.

"Oops, sorry. I didn't notice... Let's just go." Rooh hurriedly gathered her things before making her way out of the classroom.

"What do you think about Raaj, Rooh?" Valentina asked, a mischievous smile spreading across her face.

Rooh thought for a few seconds before speaking.

"He's a good person... Why do you ask?" she asked, walking alongside Valentina down the hallway.

"Oh, please. Don't act all naive. You know he likes you, and he's planning to propose to you before graduation..."

Valentina spoke, nudging her lightly.

"I-I..." Rooh tried to speak, but nothing came out.

It was true. She was aware of Raaj's feelings for her. He had never failed to show her how special she was in his life.

"What would you say if he proposed?" Valentina asked, watching her closely.

"I don't even know why he likes me... I'm nothing but a boring person. I think he hangs out with me because we're both Indian, studying at Queen Mary University, in the same class" Rooh spoke nervously, clearly trying to avoid the actual question.

Valentina stopped walking for a second and gave her a look.

"That was a very lame answer, Rooh. Because we're both Indian?" she repeated, mimicking her.

Rooh rolled her eyes, trying not to smile.

"And you are supposed to be my best friend."

"I am. That's exactly why I'm telling you, your answer was lame."

"Ugh, fine... I'd probably consider it. If I have the privilege, honestly..." Rooh said, letting out a sigh.

"What do you mean, privilege?" Valentina asked curiously as they both stopped walking.

"You know my grandfather... He's my everything and the only person I can truly call family. His approval matters to me the most..." Rooh spoke, her expression softening before a hint of sadness crossed her face.

"Ughh, the typical family dynasty..." Valentina rolled her eyes.

"At least you have someone who likes you and a grandfather you can count on. My parents kicked me out long ago because I didn't want to become a doctor and carry on their legacy."

Rooh's face softened at her confession. She gently squeezed Valentina's shoulder and gave her a small smile.

"Anyways, you have no classes for the next hour, but I have back to back classes. See you later, baby," Valentina said before walking away towards her classroom.

For a few moments, Rooh stood still in the hallway, lost in thought.

"Rooh... Hey... Whatcha doing here?"

She heard a familiar voice behind her.

Turning around, she spotted Raaj walking toward her, slightly out of breath.

"Done with your classes?" he asked, stopping in front of her.

"Yeah... I was thinking about heading to the library. What about you?" Rooh asked.

"You are Lucky. I have back to back classes," Raaj replied with a tired sigh.

Then his eyes brightened slightly.

"Come on, let's grab something. I'm starving."

Rooh smiled softly at him, Sometimes, she genuinely wondered why someone like him even liked her.

He was handsome, brilliant, the student president, and probably one of the most popular people at the university. Girls were always around him, yet somehow, he chose to spend his time with her.

"Rooh?"

She looked up.

"Are you okay?" Raaj asked, his expression changing as he studied her face.

"You seem a little distracted."

"Yeah... I'm fine," she said quickly, trying to convince him.

Raaj didn't look convinced.

Instead, he gently took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. Rooh couldn't help but smile.

Her phone suddenly started vibrating inside her bag.

She took it out, her brows furrowing at the unfamiliar number on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Am I speaking to Rooh Thakur?"

"Yes... Who is this?" she asked, confusion slowly creeping into her voice.

"Sorry to inform you, but your grandfather is seriously ill and is currently admitted to our hospital. He is in our care. If you would like to come, ma'am..."

For a second, Rooh couldn't hear anything else. The hallway

around her blurred. She couldn't think of anything... Her fingers slowly loosened around the phone.

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

"Mumma..." She sniffed, looking around helplessly.

"Mumma... Papa... Aap kahan chale gaye?"

Her small lips trembled as tears kept falling down her cheeks.

"Please, Vanshraj, accept her. What's her fault? She's just a child. What will happen to her? Where will she go?"

"Why would I accept her?" his voice boomed.

"She carries that bastard's blood. Vanshraj Thakur doesn't forgive anyone. Not even his own daughter, who betrayed her father and ran away with the son of our rival family."

For a second, the 7 years old girl clutched the fabric of her frock tighter and flinched. She stood there quietly while everyone tried convincing her grandfather to accept her.

She had already lost her parents in a car accident.

And now, she had nowhere to go.

It took days. Then weeks. Then months to break through the ice around him. He always acted cold, but somewhere beneath all that, he was softer than anyone knew. He would hug her when no one was watching.

He would stay beside her the entire night whenever she had nightmares.

He was her whole world. She couldn't lose him.

"Rooh... Hey, sweetheart, what happened? Who was on the phone? Is everything alright?"

Rooh felt Raj's warm hand gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Tell me, Rooh. Is everything alright? I'm here... Please," Raj said, gently squeezing her shoulder as she leaned against him.

"I'm scared..." Her voice came out softly.

"My grandpa is admitted to the hospital, and he's in a serious condition..."

She quickly wiped her tears and straightened herself.

"I... I have to leave now. I have to go back to India," Rooh spoke desperately.

"I'm coming with you, Rooh. I'm not leaving you alone," Raj said immediately.

For a second, she just looked at him. No one had ever cared for her like he did.

"It's okay. I'll manage... And you have a very important interview on Wednesday. Did you forget?" Rooh said as she started walking.

Raj immediately followed her.

"Rooh, you can't be serious. You think I care about the interview? No. I just want to be with you right now..." Raj assured her.

"I understand, and thank you... But please, you've been preparing for it for so long. It's your dream job, and you can always come to India after your interview," Rooh reassured him.

The next ten hours felt like the longest of her life.

She had barely been able to sit still. The moment the flight took off, she just wanted to blink and find herself back in India.

She had been restless her entire life, but never like this.

Her mind kept taking her back to him.

"Dadu, do you hate me?"

Rooh sat on her grandfather's lap, looking up at him.

"I can never hate my princess," her grandfather said, gently patting her hair while quickly hiding the gun he was cleaning.

"Then do you hate Mamma?"

She looked at her grandfather hopefully, silently wishing he wouldn't say yes.

He let out a small laugh.

"I don't hate her. I never hated her... She's my daughter. My princess."

Rooh noticed the softness in her grandfather's eyes.

She had once seen him crying while holding her mother's picture when she had been peeking through the door.

"Mamma used to say you don't like her because she married Papa," Rooh said, playing with the edge of her grandfather's shawl.

"She was naive..." His voice softened.

"How can a father hate his own daughter? Instead of running away, she should've come to me. Trusted me for once..."

Rooh didn't really understand what her grandfather meant.

"I'll always protect you, my lil princess."

He kissed the top of her head.

"Dadu, your maths sucks. I got only nine out of thirty on my test. Next time, I'm not coming to you for help."

She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ahem... That... That was just because I wasn't really feeling well, okay?" He cleared his throat. "Fine. I'll hire a maths teacher for you. Happy?"

Both of them giggled.

A small smile appeared on Rooh's face.

"Ma'am, would you like some coffee, tea, or any other beverages?"

She flinched slightly at the air hostess's voice, pulled out of her memories.

Rooh quickly shook her head and gave her a polite smile

From the moment the flight landed to the moment she reached the hospital, everything passed in a blur.

She barely remembered getting out of the airport, rushing into the car, or the way her hands kept shaking the entire time.

The moment she reached the hospital, she hurried inside.

"Ms. Thakur?"

Rooh turned around.

"You're here to see your grandfather, right? Dr. Devdutt would like to speak to you for a moment before you see him."

The nurse led her toward the doctor's cabin.

"Your grandfather had a stroke yesterday."

Her heart clenched.

"He's out of danger for now and recovering, but at his age, we can't take things lightly. You'll have to be very careful with him."

Rooh slowly nodded, trying to take in every word.

"And there's one more thing, Ms. Thakur." The doctor paused for a moment.

"He's currently suffering from dementia."

For a second, she couldn't breathe.

"He may experience memory problems, confusion, difficulty remembering people or recent events, and changes in his thinking or behaviour. The symptoms can also affect his ability to manage everyday things on his own."

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

What if he forgot her?

What if one day she stood right in front of him, and he looked at her like she was a stranger?

Life had always been cruel to her. She had lost her parents. She had grown up with only one person she could truly call family.

And now life was trying to take him away from her too.

"We're trying our best," the doctor said gently. "You can go see him now."

She didn't remember how long she sat there, staring at nothing.

Before finally gathering every bit of courage she had left, she made her way to his room.

"Dadaji..."

Her lips quivered as she gently caressed his hand. Tears started pouring down her cheeks, her chest hurting as she looked at the man who once ruled the underworld of Asia, now lying there. And what scared her the most was the thought that he might forget the only family he had left.

"My princess... You're back?"

Her breath hitched at the trembling voice of her grandfather.

It had been a week since she returned from London, and she still hadn't decided when she would go back. Right now, she wasn't thinking about any of it.

As she sat writing an apology letter, cancelling her participation in next week's mathematics competition,

when she heard movement behind her.

"Princess... Have you thought about what I said?"

Rooh looked up.

Her grandfather was slowly making his way down the stairs.

She immediately stood up.

"Sorry, he wasn't listening at all," his caregiver said, looking apologetic.

"It's okay." Rooh walked toward her grandfather and gently held his arm.

"Can you please help shift his room to the ground floor?"

The caregiver nodded.

Rooh carefully helped her grandfather sit on the couch before the caregiver walked away.

"Grandpa..." She sat beside him.

"Right now, I'm not thinking about marriage. Please focus on getting better first."

"Hahaha... You're so different from your mom."

Her heart felt full hearing him laugh. She looked around the mansion she had grown up in. Life had taken a lot from her. But at least she still had her Dadaji beside her.

And she was blessed with a few good friends who never made her feel alone.

"I talked to Rajwardhan," her grandfather said.

Rooh slowly turned toward him.

"Before I die, an alliance wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Grandpa, not again." She rolled her eyes, but a small smile appeared on her face.

She wouldn't be here if her grandpa hadn't sworn on his life.

He knew her weakness.

She felt nervous, thank God it was noon and there weren't many people around in the cafe.

Her eyes shifted toward the entrance as a tall man stepped out of a Bentley and started walking toward the cafe.

Black pants. White shirt, the first three buttons open, sleeves rolled up.

"You are Kuhu, right?"

The man's deep voice rumbled as he stopped in front of her, suddenly making her feel small.

"I'm Rooh..."

She got up from her seat as he walked closer.

"Rooh, is it?"

Without waiting for her to say anything else, he pulled the chair in front of her and dropped into it, man spreading...

"Tell me. What do you want to talk about?"

Rooh glanced toward the man standing near the entrance, talking to someone on the phone.

She knew him.

Maan Raghuwanshi.

They had met once at a party.

"I have a request... Please."

Ekagra didn't even look at her. His attention was on his phone, casually scrolling through it, completely unfazed.

"I think the talk is already over. I rejected the alliance. I have no interest in marrying you."

"I know, and I'm extremely sorry for asking you to meet me. Please, just listen to me..."

She was literally begging him now.

And he looked completely uninterested.

She had just shared her entire life story with him for the first time, practically begged him, and all he did was look around the café, sip his black coffee, and make a face whenever someone passed by.

"My grandfather is everything to me." Her hands clenched on her lap. "He's dying, and I just want to fulfil his last wish. Please..."

She had never begged in front of a man before.

"No."

His answer was short.

Rooh stared at him.

"I love someone else. Till my last breath, I'll only love her."

Her eyes widened slightly.

She had heard people talk about him.

How unhinged he was. How unpredictable he could be.

But she had no idea someone like him, someone who killed people like killing mosquitoes, could love someone.

"I rejected the proposal long ago, didn't I?" he spoke before getting up.

"Wait..."

He stopped.

"It's just an act. I don't want to tie myself to someone without love either. Please..."

She spoke desperately, watching his back.

For a few seconds, he said nothing.

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

[ Ends of Flashback ]

"Does it still hurt?"

Tvesha's voice brought Rooh back to reality.

"Huh...? No... I'm fine," Rooh spoke.

"How's my grandfather? I want to see him..." she asked, looking at Tvesha.

"He's fine," Tvesha replied.

Rooh nodded before her thoughts shifted back to something else.

"About that girl... who is she?" she asked curiously.

"I have no idea, 'cause my maniac brother apparently doesn't want me getting involved," Tvesha spoke, sipping on her whiskey.

"But yeah, he killed our father's men and rescued her. She's been living in the main mansion."

Rooh's brows furrowed slightly.

"Why? Do you feel jealous?"

Tvesha spoke with a smirk, loosening her tie and unbuttoning a few buttons of her shirt.

"Why would I? No, that's not the..." Rooh stopped midway.

"You should be."

Rooh looked at her.

"Even though my brother doesn't love you and probably never will, he still didn't come to rescue you. But apparently, he saved a complete stranger."

"Are you trying to provoke me?" Rooh asked, narrowing her eyes.

That only made Tvesha laugh like a maniac.

Rooh sat on the sofa with her knees pulled against her chest, watching her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Mm-hmm," Tvesha hummed, leaning back against the cupboard.

"How was she?"

Tvesha looked at her.

"Aashvi... I once saw her photo. She was beautiful."

"Beautiful?" Tvesha repeated, her expression changing slightly.

"She was a living doll. The Raghuwanshi princess."

Her eyes softened.

Rooh had never seen Tvesha being soft for anyone.

"How was she?" Rooh couldn't help asking again.

"How was she?" Tvesha repeated, thinking for a moment.

"Umm... even though I didn't really meet her much or spend much time with her..."

She shifted slightly.

"She was the princess of the Raghuwanshi empire. You can imagine what her life was like when four brothers guarded her like their life depended on it."

A small smile appeared on Tvesha's face.

"Princess of four brothers... and for Ekagra?"

She paused for a moment.

"She was everything."

Rooh listened quietly.

"She wasn't spoiled or a brat. She was actually really nice to me." Tvesha's voice softened again.

"If she was alive, Ekagra probably would've left the country and settled somewhere in England. In some small village, running a bakery shop... exactly like Aashvi wanted."

She let out a small laugh. Unbelievable right?

"One pout from her, and everyone would be on their knees."

Rooh couldn't help but imagine it.

"She was damn obsessed with Ekagra. Proposing to him at such a young age and always bossing him around." Tvesha shook her head slightly.

"Maan, Kritarth, Aksnav, and Raghav... they were all pretty protective of her."

Tvesha's expression softened again.

"I didn't get to see her much, but she was always kind to me. She was the first person to accept me."

Rooh's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean by accept you?" she asked curiously.

"Ugh... you don't know?"

Rooh slowly shook her head.

Tvesha clenched her jaw slightly.

"I'm not a Rajwardhan."

Rooh stared at her.

"I was adopted by them when I was twenty one. I know it's pretty old to be adopted"

Rooh was completely stunned by the revelation.

"My father was killed by the Rajwardhans for betraying them..."

Rooh's eyes slowly lifted toward Tvesha.

"My mom was murdered in front of my eyes by the same people my dad thought were his close friends." Her jaw clenched slightly.

"I used to call them uncle... play with them."

Rooh's face slowly fell.

"They killed my mom that same night. Then they assaulted me for days and left me there, bleeding and to die."

For a moment, Tvesha's expression remained completely blank.

"I wanted revenge."

Her voice came out flat.

"And I got my revenge."

Rooh watched her closely.

"I killed them one by one. No mercy, no regret... nothing." She shrugged slightly.

"Then the Rajwardhans stepped in, saved me from going to jail, and apparently, after seeing my courage, they decided to adopt me."

A dry laugh escaped her.

"Pretty fucked up life, right?"

Rooh didn't even notice when tears started falling down her cheeks.

She couldn't say anything. Her throat felt dry. No one deserved to go through that kind of pain.

She had always admired Tvesha, but right now, all she wanted to do was hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

But she knew Tvesha.

She wasn't someone who liked being hugged or comforted.

"I'm sorry..." Rooh spoke quietly, wiping her tears.

"I shouldn't have asked."

"Hey, lil birdie... it's okay. I didn't fucking mind."

Tvesha came closer and sat beside her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I know my brother, Rooh..."

Rooh looked at her.

"If you're thinking you can heal him and one day he'll forget her... tsk tsk."

Tvesha shook her head.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's not happening."

Rooh wiped her tears again before staring blankly ahead.

"I'm aware..."

Her voice came out quiet.

"He doesn't like me. He never will. And I never thought that just because Aashvi died, I have any chance."

"I just wanted to give him the love he deserves." Rooh's fingers tightened together.

"I never wanted him to love me back. I respect his boundaries."

She paused for a second.

"I'm not desperate enough to beg a man to love me, and I don't have so little self respect that I'd forc

e myself into his life."

Her lips trembled slightly.

"But... the Ekagra I saw that night..."

Fresh tears started falling again, making her vision blurry.

"My heart breaks for him."

She quickly wiped her cheeks, but the tears kept coming.

"What was his fault that he has to suffer like this?"

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

[ Flashback ]

The thunder rumbled outside, making her flinch.

Rooh had been restless for hours, pacing around the mansion without knowing what to do with herself.

But the moment she heard the door open and saw him entering, she finally let out a breath.

"Where... where have you been? Are you alright?" she rushed toward him.

"I heard about the warehouse. Someone set it on fire and you went there... I was worried."

Her eyes quickly checked him from head to toe, looking for any injury.

Then her breath caught.

His shirt was stained with blood. And he was limping slightly.

"Are... are you hurt, Ekagra?"

"It's not mine. The blood."

Rooh looked at him for a moment.

"And what are you doing here?" he asked, walking past her. "I told you not to come here."

"Leave. Please."

Rooh stared at his back.

"Are you drunk, Ekagra?"

She could smell the alcohol.

"Yes."

His answer came without hesitation.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"

"I don't like repeating myself. Just leave already."

His voice made her flinch.

Not out of fear.

But because she suddenly wondered just how much her presence bothered him.

Her hands slowly clenched.

"Okay..."

She turned around to leave. A loud thud made her stop.

Rooh immediately looked back.

Ekagra was on his knees.

Trying hard to breathe.

"Ekagra..."

She ran toward him and crouched beside him, gently patting his back.

"Are you okay? Please breathe... Easy. Easy..."

"I'm missing her..."

Rooh froze.

"I need her..." His breathing became uneven. "I'm fucking missing her..."

For a moment, Rooh couldn't speak.

Then she quickly remembered.

"Did you take your medicine? Wait, let me get it for you."

She immediately ran toward his room.

The one place she had been strictly warned never to enter.

But she had no other option.

Without his medicine, his panic attacks would get worse, and his hallucinations could come back.

She pushed the door open. The room was completely dark.

Rooh carefully stepped inside, trying to find the switch. After a few moments, her fingers finally found it.

The lights came on.

Her eyes widened.

The room was full of photographs.

She slowly looked around.

Photographs everywhere. Single pictures.

Candid ones. Pictures of a girl with Ekagra.

With all his brothers.

It was easy to recognise her.

"So this is her... Aashvi."

Rooh's eyes stopped on one particular photograph.

The one Ekagra was smiling brightly looking at Aashvi.

He looked genuinely happy. Her heart clenched slightly.

Rooh stared at the picture for another second before suddenly slapping her forehead.

"The medicine..."

She immediately looked around the room...

· · ─ ·ʚɞ· ─ · ·

[ Ends of Flashback ]

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from falling.

The memory of that night came rushing back.

She had been terrified to see him so broken, missing the person he loved so much that he was having a panic attack. He had broken down in her arms, crying and calling Rooh Aashvi...

And she had let him.

While her own heart shattered into pieces.

"Are you seriously getting flashbacks like some tv serial?"

Tvesha's voice brought her back as she snapped her fingers in front of Rooh's face.

Rooh opened her eyes and looked at her.

"They looked so happy together..." she spoke softly.

"How did everything change?"

"It was Aashvi's birthday."

Tvesha's expression changed.

"Her dad, Mr. Raghuwanshi, gifted her an island and a mansion. Something happened there, and she never returned."

Rooh watched her closely.

"Only her body did."

Tvesha's voice cracked slightly.

"And that day... she wasn't the only one who died."

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

"I never liked that brat," Tvesha suddenly spoke.

"Yeah, my brother. I thought, and honestly, I still do, that he's just a pretty faced spoiled brat who only listens to his brothers."

Rooh looked at her.

"We barely had any interaction when I became part of the family. He used to avoid me, so initially, I thought he hated me."

Tvesha scoffed.

"But once, he cut off his uncle's fingers for touching me wrong."

Rooh blinked.

"What about Maan bhaiya?"

Her heart clenched, thinking about how much he must have gone through.

"No one ever understands his pain..."

Tvesha's voice became quieter.

"That night, he didn't just lose his sister. He lost his mother too."

Rooh's eyes widened slightly.

"I don't know much about it, but he didn't have a good relationship with his biological mother. His stepmother was the one he was really close to."

Tvesha looked down at the glass in her hand.

"She was on that ship too. With Aashvi and Mr. Raghuwanshi."

Rooh's face slowly fell.

"She died too."

Rooh couldn't say anything.

"Losing his little sister, the one he'd kill and die for in a heartbeat. Losing his mother. Watching his dad lose everything at once..." Tvesha shook her head.

"Even I think that's too much for one person."

Her jaw tightened.

"And he's still suffering, watching his best friend become a living dead."

Rooh's eyes started burning again.

"That night, he didn't shed a single tear."

Tvesha's expression hardened.

"But his eyes..." She paused.

"They were hollow. Terrifying."

She took a breath.

"He looked like he lost his soul."

Rooh lowered her gaze.

"He still takes care of his dad, Ekagra and everyone..."

Tvesha clicked her tongue, shaking her head slightly.

"I have mad respect for that brat."

Rooh sniffled. Sometimes, being an empath felt like a curse. Feeling everyone's pain.

Trying to understand it.

Trying to do something, anything, even when there was nothing she could do.

It didn't hurt physically. It hurt somewhere much deeper.

"And that night changed Ekagra completely."

Tvesha quickly wiped the tear before it could fall.

But Rooh had already noticed it.

"While everyone was preparing for her last rites, he still believed she'd come back."

Rooh's eyes slowly lifted toward Tvesha.

"He kept saying she wasn't dead. That she'd come back and he'd still fulfil her last wish."

Tvesha's lips pressed together.

"He was a wreck, Rooh."

Her voice dropped.

"A complete fucking wreck."

Rooh remained completely silent.

"He lost his voice for three years. His crying... his shouting..." Tvesha shook her head, her eyes slowly filling.

"It still horrifies me."

Rooh's heart clenched.

"He completely locked himself away. No doctor, no therapist... Nothing worked. I was terrified of him during that time."

Tvesha looked down at the glass in her hand.

"It was Maan, Raghav, Kritarth and Aksnav who somehow handle him."

She paused for another moment.

"But with time, he didn't heal."

Her voice cracked slightly.

"He got worse."

Rooh felt her throat tightening.

"He was admitted to a mental asylum for three months."

For a moment, Tvesha said nothing.

"That's where..." Her voice broke.

"That's where it started."

Rooh stared at her in confusion.

"The hallucinations."

Tvesha finally wiped her face, but this time, she didn't bother hiding the tears.

"The doctors said he wanted to see her so badly that his mind gave her back to him."

Rooh's breath caught.

"Not because he had forgotten what happened. Not because he didn't know she was dead."

Tvesha looked at her.

"He knew."

Her jaw clenched.

"He knew exactly what he was doing... but seeing her was the only thing that made him feel like she was still somewhere around him."

Rooh couldn't say anything.

"He's a maniac who has killed hundreds..." Tvesha spoke, her voice shaking.

"But her name?"

She gave a broken laugh.

"Her fucking name calms the monster inside him."

Rooh's eyes filled again.

"That's the power she still holds over him."

For a few seconds, Tvesha just stared ahead.

Then she wiped her tears again.

"You either hate Ekagra... or you love Ekagra. There's no in between."

Rooh looked at her.

"And not everyone can love Ekagra."

Tvesha shook her head.

"He's just a fucked up man..."

Her lips trembled.

"Who was once a boy full of dreams and love."

Rooh's chest tightened.

"If I could take away his pain, I would."

Tvesha's voice became quieter.

"Without thinking twice."

She let out a shaky breath.

"Because that motherfucker once hugged me while crying... calling me sis."

Rooh stared at her.

"And my heart..." Tvesha swallowed.

"The one I thought had died a long time ago... suddenly bloomed again."

Her face twisted slightly, almost annoyed by her own emotions.

"I thought I'd never love anyone. Honestly, I still think I can't."

She looked down.

"But him?"

A small, broken smile appeared on her lips.

"For him, I'm ready to sacrifice everything and anything if it means taking away even a little of his pain."

Rooh didn't hesitate this time.

She immediately wrapped her arms around Tvesha.

"Hey... what are you doing?"

"Doing what?"

"Pervert."

Rooh immediately pulled back, staring at her.

"Hey, don't say that. It's just a hug." She frowned.

"I was just trying to show you that I'm here."

"Hey, whatever..." Tvesha muttered, getting up from the sofa.

"Stop treating me like a human."

Rooh blinked at her.

Tvesha shoved both hands into her pockets before a familiar smirk appeared on her lips.

"Now..."

She glanced toward the door.

"It's time to find out who my dear brother has been hiding."

Rooh watched her walk away.

Did he not once try to find me?

The thought suddenly crossed her mind.

Rooh immediately shook her head.

This wasn't the time to think about herself.

It didn't matter whether he came to rescue her or not.

She had never been his priority.

Whatever they had was only an act until her grandfather was alive.

But despite telling herself that...

Something strange tightened inside her chest at Tvesha's words.

Something she didn't want to name.

♡ ◈━◈━◈━◈━◈ ♡

Hii everyone 💌

And that's a wrap for this chapter 😭🤌🏻

Honestly, this chapter was very important for me because you finally got to see a little more behind Ekagra. Not just the annoying, unpredictable man you've seen so far, but the people around him, the things that shaped him, and maybe a small glimpse of why he is the way he is.

But trust me...

The Ekagra you've seen till now? You won't even recognise him in the next chapter. 👀

A completely different side of him is coming, more revelations, mystery , lies are on their way, and now the story is slowly entering its brutal era.

Till now, what you've seen isn't even 1% of the darkness this story holds. 😭

And tell me honestly, what you guys think about this chapter, did you guys enjoyed? What do you guys think of tvesha ? And the past of ekagra ❤️

So... are you ready for what's coming next? 👀

And let's set a small target for this chapter