Advika's POV

Silence.

That’s all there has been between us since we left Mumbai. Or rather, it’s only me who’s silent. Shravan talks to me when he needs something, but my replies are limited to “hmm” or “okay.” The week I spent in Mumbai will always hold a special place in my heart, but I can’t let myself get too attached to Shravan. I need to remember the reality of this relationship.

When we left the resort, Lucky cried like a baby, saying he would miss us a lot. I’d started to enjoy his fun-loving personality, and now, I’m back to dealing with this “Akdu Maharaj” (Mr. Grumpy).

The mansion felt so silent and dead when we entered. We were informed that Mom and Dad had gone on a long trip. But where was the lively, chirping bird of this house?

Arya was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is Arya?” Shravan voiced my unspoken question to one of the house helpers.

She looked down and fiddled with her fingers. Sharavan and I shared a look.

"Where is she?" Shravan asked again, this time in a stern voice.

“Sir… actually… Ma’am has locked herself in her room since yesterday. She hasn’t come out or eaten anything,” the maid stammered.

Before she could finish, Shravan rushed off, disappearing briefly before returning with a set of keys. Without wasting a second, he bounded up the stairs, taking two at a time, I also ran behind him.

Shravan looked like a man possessed as he fumbled with the keys and unlocked the door to Arya's room. My heart was also pounding in my chest, breaths coming out shallow.

Arya is such a lively person. What happened to her all of a sudden?

The moment, Shravan pushed open the door, my breath caught in my throat.

Arya was not only in a mess but she was looking so broken. The room was in complete disarray. Everything was scattered around haphazardly. Half of the bedsheet was crumpled on the floor. Arya lay on the edge of the bed, her arm dangling off the side, clutching a withered flower. But more than the flower, it was she who looked completely wilted, as if all the light and life had been drained out of her.

My gaze flicked to Shravan and I found his eyes glistening slightly. He swallowed hard as he watched his broken sister.

"Arya" Shravan called out softly.

Slowly, she lifted her body and looked at Shravan over her shoulder. Her face was a swollen mess—puffy eyes, red nose, blotchy cheeks indicating that she was crying constantly.

"Shravan" she cried softly

Shravan immediately ran to her and she sat up. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably and soaking his shirt with her tears.

"He left me Shravan, he left me"

My heart was shivering in my chest, my own throat felt heavy with emotions looking at Arya crying like a baby.

Shravan stroked her back gently, murmuring soft reassurances, but it seemed to make her cry harder. But beneath his soft and concerning form, I could see the anger bubbling inside him. His jaw twitched.

"Stop crying, Arya!" He pulled her back "Just look at yourself!"

Another loud sob escaped Arya's throat. Shravan grabbed a glass of water from the nearby table and offered it to her, but she shook her head, refusing.

Arya doesn't deserve this!

Whosoever has broken her heart is the unluckiest person. He lost a gem.

"Arya, don't punish yourself. You know I can’t stand to see you like this. What do you want? Just say it, and I’ll make it happen. Do you want me to talk to him?" Shravan asked wiping her tears off with the pads of his palms.

"NO!" Arya shouted, shaking her head. "Mujhe uska pyar Khairat mai nahin chahiye!"
(I don't want his love out of obligation)

"Then why are you crying like this? Huh? He doesn't deserve you, Arya. I promise I’ll find someone worthy of you—a prince, just like the one you dreamed of when we used to play house."

Arya collapsed against Shravan’s chest, her sobs quieter now but still steady. Shravan gestured for me to bring food and water. Without a word, I rushed out, prepared a plate, and hurried back. I immediately rushed out, made a plate, and came back up to find Shravan muttering sweet nothing in her ears.

Shravan loves his family a lot. I just wonder how lucky the girl will be whom he would actually love.

"I don’t want to eat," Arya mumbled as soon as she noticed the plate in my hand.

"Arya, you’re my brave sister, aren’t you?" Shravan said, trying to coax her.

Arya kept her gaze down, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Fine!" Shravan placed the plate down "No one will eat. We were born together so let's die hungry together"

Arya’s tear-filled eyes darted to him, her lips trembling before she weakly punched him on the nose.

"Ouch, that hurts" Shravan rubbed his nose.

He then picked up the plate and started feeding small bites to Arya while I cleaned the room. Once Shravan was done feeding her, he turned to me.

"Stay with her" he ordered before leaving the room.

I sat beside Arya, who immediately wrapped her arms around my arm, placed her head on my shoulder, and started telling me everything to lighten her heart while I listened patiently.

~~~~~~~

Shravan's POV

The moment I got to know that Aditya left Arya, anger boiled in my veins. By doing this, he has not only his relationship with Arya but also his friendship with me.

And I knew exactly why he had done it.

I punched the doorbell relentlessly until the door swung open, revealing Ayesha’s smug face. My anger only intensified.

"I knew it, Shravan," she smirked. "I knew that one day you’d come to me. You’d eventually get bored with your wi—"

"Where is Aditya?" I cut her off sharply. I wasn't here to deal with her.

Her smile faltered as her brows knitted together in offense, but I couldn’t care less.

"I asked, WHERE IS ADITYA?!" I roared.

The tear-drenched face of Arya came in front of my eyes, and I felt like killing both of them right in their house.

"I am here"

My head snapped toward the stairs, where he stood at the top, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as if he hadn’t just destroyed someone’s life. My vision turned red.

Without thinking, I charged toward him, brushing past Ayesha so roughly that she stumbled back with a hiss of pain. I didn’t spare her a glance.

Aditya stepped aside and gestured for me to follow him into his room. He closed the door behind us.

"What the hell is all this, Aditya?" I demanded, my fists clenched at my sides.

"What’s all what?" he replied, his tone mockingly innocent.

"Don’t play dumb! You know exactly what I’m talking about."

"Oh, Arya!" He took her name as if she was just a normal person "You were the one who told me our families would never agree to this relationship, weren’t you?"

My eyes narrowed as I stepped closer to him. How dare he twist this onto me?

"And didn’t I warn you not to play with my sister’s feelings?" I hissed, my teeth gritting as I fought the urge to smash his face in.

"What happened Shravan?" He asked mockingly "Itni tadap kyun?" (Why are you so worked up?)

I couldn’t believe this was the same Aditya I’d known since childhood. I had accepted his relationship with Arya because I thought he was a good man. Clearly, I had been wrong.

"I never thought you’d stoop so low, Aditya,"

"And I never thought you’d stoop so low, Shravan!" he fired back, his voice rising. "Mujhe pata chal gaya hai ki tum Advika se koi pyar vyar nahi karte. Tumhari usse shaadi ek samjhota hai."
(I know now that you don’t love Advika. Your marriage to her is just a compromise.)

My blood ran cold. How did he know?

"If there was no one in your life, then why didn't you give one chance to my sister? Do you have any idea how much she loves you?"

"There’s no comparison," I spat, my voice hardening. "My sister loved you with her whole heart. And your sister…" Gritting my teeth, I took a deep breath. "... Forget it, Aditya. You won’t be able to handle the truth about what your sister has become."

There was no point in telling him anything. He won't understand.

"And not only your sister but I believe that your real face was also hidden from all of us. Ahh! I can't believe that to take revenge you destroyed everything. You broke my sister so badly that I barely recognize her now."

He blinked, gulping down. Guilt passed through his eyes but it was now too late.

"And don't worry Aditya, I haven't come here to beg you to accept my sister, instead I have come here to give you the last warning"

I took a step ahead, standing at a breath distance from him. My eyes bored into his with so much intensity that he took a small step backward.

"STAY. AWAY. FROM. ARYA!"

I emphasized each word to make him clear.

"I will take care of my sister on my own, but if I found you around her ever again, then you know the real me ..."

I held his gaze for a moment longer, making sure my words sank in, before storming out of his room. Aditya may have broken Arya once, but I’d make damn sure he’d never get near her no matter how much he begged.

~~~~~~~

Thank you so much, guys, for successfully killing my excitement to write this story. After the low response to the previous chapter I couldn't make myself write even a single word in the last week. And on top of that, I lost followers as well which made me feel stuck.

Thanks for making me once again regret my decision.