As we entered the penthouse, Mishti headed straight to our room without a word. I watched her retreating figure, my heart heavy with concern. Standing there for a moment, I noticed Ishaan, Tara, and Abhimaan waiting in the living room. Their faces mirrored my worry.

Tara stepped forward and softly said, "Abir, bring Mishti so we can all eat something together. She needs to eat."

I nodded, feeling grateful for their support. I made my way to our room, my steps heavy with apprehension. As I entered, I saw the room was empty. Panic began to rise in my chest until I heard the faint sound of running water from the washroom. Realizing she was in there, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

I approached the washroom door and knocked gently. "Mishti, are you okay in there?" I asked softly, not wanting to startle her. There was no response, just the continued sound of water. My heart ached at the thought of her crying alone.

"Mishti, everyone's here. They've made some food for us. Why don't you come out and join us?" I tried again, hoping to coax her out.

Still, no response.

I leaned against the door, feeling helpless. "Mishti, please. We all care about you. I care about you. We just want to be here for you," I said, my voice breaking slightly with emotion.

The sound of water continued, but now I was more certain than ever that she needed this moment to herself. I took a deep breath, deciding to give her the space she needed.

I turned away from the washroom and walked back to the living room, where Ishaan, Tara, and Abhimaan were waiting. "She's in the washroom," I explained quietly. "She just needs a little time."

Tara nodded understandingly. "We'll wait. She'll come out when she's ready."

I sank into a chair, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me. I knew this was just the beginning of a long healing process for Mishti.

Unwanted !
Yes this is what I am unwanted .

I thought I was just unloved but never in my life I've thought that my own parents wouldn't want me .

I've killed my brother.
I've snatched my parents happiness.
I've snatched their second son .
I am the reason behind everyone's misery.
Today , I was the reason behind my mother's cry.
I made her cry .
My papa didn't want me.
No one wanted me .

As soon as I entered our room, I headed straight for the washroom, closing the door behind me. The silence in the room felt oppressive, and I needed a moment to myself. I turned on the faucet, letting the sound of running water fill the space, a feeble attempt to drown out the chaos in my mind.

Leaning against the sink, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red and swollen from crying, and I barely recognized the person staring back at me. The events of the day replayed in my head like a broken record, each word from my bua echoing with a painful clarity.

"You were unwanted... You killed your brother... You're a bad omen..."

I slid down to the floor, my body shaking with sobs. "Why?" I whispered to myself, hugging my knees to my chest. "Why did I have to be the one? Why couldn't it have been me instead of him?"

The guilt and shame were overwhelming. I felt like a curse, a living embodiment of everything wrong in my family's life. My parents' misery, my brother's pain, even Abir's worry – it all seemed to circle back to me. I buried my face in my hands, tears streaming down uncontrollably. The weight of their words crushed me, making it hard to breathe.

"I ruined everything," I sobbed, my voice barely audible over the sound of the water. "I took away their happiness. I took away their son. I should have never been born. They were right... I'm just a burden. A bad omen."

Each tear felt like it was carving deeper into my soul, each sob pulling me further into the darkness. My chest ached with the weight of all the accusations, the years of neglect, the constant feeling of not being enough.

"How can they ever forgive me?" I wondered aloud, my voice breaking. "How can Abir even look at me after knowing all this?"

I felt so small, so insignificant. The walls of the washroom seemed to close in on me, and I couldn't see a way out of the pain. The running water masked my cries, but nothing could mask the agony I felt inside.

"I don't deserve him. I don't deserve any of them," I murmured, my heart breaking with each word. "I'm just a curse."

The sobs wracked my body, and I wished for some way to escape the overwhelming guilt and shame. The washroom felt like a prison, and I was trapped in my own despair. I couldn't see a way out, couldn't imagine a future where I wasn't the cause of everyone's pain.

I stayed there, crumpled on the floor, letting the tears flow, hoping that somehow, someway, the pain would ease. But deep down, I feared it never would.

The memories started flooding back, each one a stab to my already broken heart. I remembered the day my bua slapped me at the hospital, her eyes filled with hatred and disdain. "You killed him," she had spat, the venom in her voice searing into my soul. "You took away our boy, our hope. You’re nothing but a curse."

Now I understood all the hate all the bad words that came from bua . She was right !!!

I remembered my parents standing there, not saying a word in my defense, their silence more painful than any words.

I was even the reason Kartik bhai's baby's death , maybe that's why he had been too devastated to even look at me. I had reached out to him, my heart aching for some semblance of comfort, but he had turned away, his face a mask of grief and disappointment.

I remembered standing in the rain outside the hospital, my clothes soaked through, my heart feeling like it was being torn apart. I had felt so alone, so completely and utterly abandoned. The world had seemed cold and unforgiving, and I had been left to bear the weight of my family's sorrow and anger all by myself.

"Why me?" I choked out, my voice barely a whisper. "Why couldn't I be the one to go instead?"

The guilt was like a never-ending torrent, drowning me in its relentless waves. I had tried to numb the pain with drugs, hoping to escape the constant reminder of my failure, but it had only made things worse. I had become a source of even more shame for my family, a living testament to their worst fears.

"I am a monster," I cried, my tears falling harder. "I took everything from them. I took their happiness, their joy. How can I ever make it right?"

The words of my bua rang in my ears, her accusations cutting deeper than any blade. "You were unwanted... You ate your own brother... You’re a curse..."

I clutched at my chest, the pain overwhelming. "I don't deserve to be loved," I sobbed. "I don't deserve Abir. I don’t deserve anyone."

The thought of Abir made my heart ache even more. He had been my rock, my support through everything, and yet here I was, dragging him down with me. How long before he realized that he deserved so much better than someone as broken as me?

"I should just disappear," I whispered, the thought of dark and consuming. "Everyone would be better off without me. Maybe then they can find peace."

Abir paced anxiously outside the washroom, the muffled sound of running water doing little to ease his worry. He had heard her sobbing through the door, and it tore at his heart to think of Mishti in so much pain. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. With a deep breath, he pushed the door open.

The sight that greeted him was gut-wrenching. Mishti sat on the floor, her clothes drenched, her hair plastered to her face. She looked utterly devastated, her eyes red and swollen, whispering something he couldn’t quite make out. The sheer helplessness in her expression made his heart ache.

“Mishti,” he said softly, crouching down beside her. Her eyes flickered up to meet his, but there was a distant, haunted look in them. Gently, he scooped her up into his arms, cradling her like she was the most fragile thing in the world.

She didn’t resist, her head lolling against his shoulder as he carried her out of the bathroom. Abir laid her down on the bed, grabbing a towel to dry her off. She was shivering, whether from the cold or from the emotional storm raging within her, he couldn’t tell.

“Let’s get you changed, okay?” he whispered, his voice full of tender concern. She didn’t respond, her eyes fixed somewhere far away.

After changing her into dry clothes helping her, he led her out to the living room where Ishaan, Tara, and Abhimaan were waiting. Their faces were etched with worry, but they masked it with forced smiles, trying to create a semblance of normalcy.

“Hey, Mishti,” Tara said gently. “We made your favorite dishes. Come, let’s have dinner together.”

Mishti sat down at the table, her movements mechanical. She barely touched her food, her gaze shifting between the worried faces around her. She looked at everyone who's trying to talk or make jokes .

The realization hit her hard – they all pitied her.

But They were trying to comfort her because they thought she was broken, because they believed she needed their pity.

The weight of their concern felt suffocating. She could feel her chest tightening, her breaths coming in short gasps. Without thinking, her eyes fell on the knife lying beside her plate. In a daze, she picked it up and held it to her wrist.

The room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Abir’s eyes widened in horror as he realized what she was about to do.

“Mishti, no!” he shouted, reaching out to stop her.

" No stay away from me abir Don’t you see?” she cried, her voice shaking. “I don’t deserve any of this. I don’t deserve your pity or your kindness. I’m just a curse. I should have died instead of him.No one loves me. I'm nothing just a burden on everyone. I know . I should have died . I don't deserve to live . I am the reason behind everything. And I shouldn't be doing this . Yes , if I'll be dead everyone will be happy , they will be at peace "

Tears streamed down her face as she pressed the knife against her skin. The pain in her eyes was unbearable, a raw and palpable agony that cut deeper than any blade ever could.

“Mishti, please,” Abir pleaded, his voice breaking. “You’re not a curse. You’re not unwanted. You’re loved, so deeply loved. Please, put the knife down.” Abir said softly going towards her as she looks at him with tears in her  brown eyes .
Abir looked at abhimaan who nodded at her as abhimaan moved behind mishti while Abir was trying to hold her .

Ishaan, Tara,  stood frozen, their hearts breaking at the sight of Mishti’s torment. Tara took a cautious step forward, her voice gentle and soothing.

“Mishti, we love you,” she said softly. “We’re here for you, not out of pity, but because we care. You’re not alone in this.”

Mishti’s hand trembled, the knife wavering. Abir slowly reached out, his fingers gently wrapping around hers, easing the knife away from her wrist.

“You’re not alone, Mishti,” he whispered, pulling her into his arms. “We’ll get through this together. I promise.”

She collapsed against him as abhimaan drugged her , they have given her an injection so that she can sleep . her face wracked with tears . The knife clattered to the floor, forgotten. All she could do was cling to Abir, the weight of her pain too much to bear alone.

The room was silent but their hearts aching for the girl they loved so much. They knew this was just the beginning of a long and painful journey, but they were determined to be there for her, to help her heal, one step at a time.
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Thanks to everyone who voted and commented on the last chapters.
I'm grateful to you 💌