Shubman's world crumbled around him, he turned to Ishan with rage burning in his eyes. "Ishan, what is Abhishek doing here?" he demanded, his voice trembling with anger and disbelief. "Why is he in your apartment?"

Ishan backed away from Shubman,
standing beside Abhishek with a defensive stance. Abhishek wore a sinister smirk as he replied, "Why wouldn't I be? Technically, we didn't break up, so I am still his boyfriend. And you didn't officially propose to him. So, you are nothing to him. Think twice before touching or coming here next."

Shubman's laughter was bitter, laced with mockery. "Right, Abhishek," he retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You didn't break up, you just vanished from his life the very next day you got an offer of a secured life. I backed out from your life, didn't I? Then why did you accept my father's offer?"

Abhishek's smirk faltered, his gaze shifting uncomfortably under Shubman's accusing stare. "Nothing is going to justify how you hurt Ishan,"

But Ishan intervened before the tension between them could escalate further. "Shubman, you should go now," he said firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "And don't come back here."

"Why is Abhishek staying here?" Shubman pressed, his voice tinged with desperation.

Ishan's anger flared as he snapped, "It's my choice."

Shubman's heart sank at Ishan's words, the finality of his rejection cutting deeper than any words could express. "Ishan, I love you," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "Please, let me make things right."

Abhishek, with a sneer, chimed in, "Make things right? Shubman, you've done enough damage. Ishan deserves better."

Shubman's frustration boiled over as he turned to Abhishek. "And what about you, Abhishek? Vanishing from Ishan's life the moment you got a better offer. You think you can replace me suddenly? You left him alone."

Ishan, caught between the two, raised his voice. "Enough! Shubman, you need to leave. And Abhishek, stay out of this."

Shubman, defeated, took a step back. "I won't give up, Ishan," he declared, his voice echoing in the corridor. "I'll do whatever it takes to win you back."

"What else is left to do for you, Shubman?" Ishan shouted, his voice filled with frustration and hurt. "What am I to you, a prize to be won? Please, just for once, let me be happy."

Shubman recoiled at the venom in Ishan's words, feeling the weight of his own actions bearing down on him like a crushing burden. "Ishan, please," he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. "Just don't snatch away the privilege of being loved by you. I... I..."

But his words faltered as he looked into Ishan's eyes and saw only emptiness staring back at him. The love he had once seen there was gone, replaced by a cold indifference that pierced his heart like a dagger.

Without another word, Shubman turned and fled from the apartment, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor as he escaped from the painful reminder of his own mistakes. Each step felt heavier than the last, burdened by the weight of his shattered dreams and the realization that he had lost the one person who had ever truly mattered to him.

As he emerged into the cool night air, Shubman felt a sense of overwhelming loneliness wash over him, engulfing him in its suffocating embrace. Tears blurred his vision as he stumbled blindly through the streets, the ache in his chest growing with each passing moment.

In the midst of Shubman's despair, Abhishek couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. Ishan's mercy towards Shubman gnawed at him, a frustrating reminder that all his efforts and confessions seemed to be in vain.

As Shubman left apartment, Ishan felt the weight of Abhishek's presence beside him. He flinched as Abhishek reached out to touch his shoulder, his muscles tensing at the contact. "You didn't mention that Shubman backed out," Ishan said sharply, his voice tinged with bitterness. "YOU said they forced you to take the offer."

Abhishek stammered, his expression faltering for a moment. "Um... I forgot the backed out part," he said sheepishly, his eyes darting away from Ishan's accusing gaze. "But Shubman is the one for whom we were separated."

He reached out again, his fingers brushing against Ishan's arm, but Ishan recoiled, his voice firm. "Don't," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I am Shubman's now."

Abhishek looked at him in disbelief, hurt evident in his eyes. After all Shubman had done to Ishan, how could Ishan choose Shubman over him? "But why?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation. "After everything, how can you still love him?"

Ishan sighed, his gaze turning inward as he searched for the words to explain the tumultuous feelings raging within him. "The heart is the most traitorous organ in your body, Abhishek," he said softly, his voice filled with resignation. "It understands no logic. And I know Shubman did awful things, but I can't just unlove him. It's not as simple as flipping a switch."

"But you loved me too," he reminded Ishan.

"Six years ago, before you left without a closure. If Shubman is to blame, then you are too."

Abhishek reached out to touch Ishan again, his fingers gentle against Ishan's cheek.

"So please,"Ishan pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. "Don't do anything that you have no liberty doing.Shubman doesn’t like sharing what his"

"Ishan," Abhishek began tentatively, "you're still showing mercy to Shubman. After everything, why can't you just let go?"

Ishan sighed, his gaze distant as he considered Abhishek's words. "Abhishek, I appreciate you telling me everything," he said slowly, "but that doesn't mean you can act boyfriendly with me. We can't just erase six years of history, no matter how painful they were."

Abhishek, undeterred, stepped closer to Ishan, a determined glint in his eyes. "I can make you happy, Ishan," he declared, his voice earnest. "Leave Shubman, and let me be the one who takes care of you."

Ishan's expression hardened as he took a step back. "You can't replace him, Abhishek," he said firmly. "No one can."

Abhishek's frustration bubbled to the surface as he retorted, "Why are you holding onto him, Ishan? He hurt you, and he'll do it again. I can offer you a stable and loving relationship."

But Ishan's gaze remained unwavering. "Love doesn't work that way, Abhishek. It's not a transaction. And despite everything, I still love Shubman."

Abhishek scoffed, unable to comprehend Ishan's stance. "Love? After all he's done?"

Ishan's eyes softened as he spoke, his voice filled with a mixture of pain and determination. "Love is complicated, Abhishek. It doesn't disappear just because someone hurts you. I can't turn off my feelings for Shubman, no matter how much I want to."

Abhishek, frustrated and hurt, took a step back. "I can make you happy, Ishan," he repeated, his voice softer. "Give me a chance."

But Ishan shook his head,"I can't, Abhishek.Also what makes you think I can trust you again!"

Abhishek left Ishan's house with the determination of trying again.

As the days stretched into a week, Shubman found himself engulfed in a haze of depression so thick it seemed to suffocate him. Each morning brought with it a crushing weight of despair, as he woke up to the harsh reality of Ishan's absence. Despite his relentless efforts to reach out, Ishan remained steadfast in his silence, refusing to answer Shubman's calls or respond to his texts.

The thought of Ishan with Abhishek, possibly sharing the same apartment, gnawed at Shubman's soul like a festering wound. It was a constant source of anguish, a relentless reminder of the love he had lost and the pain he had inflicted. The mere idea of them together sent waves of nausea crashing over him, fueling his insomnia and exacerbating his depression until it became almost unbearable.

Night after night, Shubman found himself tossing and turning in bed, unable to escape the torment of his own mind. Sleep eluded him, its comforting embrace replaced by the haunting specter of Ishan's absence. The darkness seemed to swallow him whole, leaving him adrift in a sea of lonelines.

In a desperate attempt to find solace, Shubman turned to Sebastian, his trusted friend and confidant. But even Sebastian's attempts to cheer him up fell flat in the face of Shubman's overwhelming despair. "Come on, Shubman," Sebastian urged, his voice tinged with concern. "You need to get out of this funk. Why don't you start to practice? It'll take your mind off things.Besides, Test match coming up."

But Shubman shook his head, his movements slow and lethargic. "I can't," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I cant.."

Sebastian sighed, his frustration evident as he watched his friend retreat further into himself. "You can't keep wallowing in self-pity, Shubman," he insisted, his tone growing more urgent. "You need to fight for what you want. And if you want Ishan back, you need to show him that you've changed."

But Shubman remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on some invisible point in the distance. "I've already lost him, Seb," he said quietly, his voice heavy with resignation. "I don't think there's anything I can do to get him back."

Sebastian's heart ached for his friend as he watched him sink deeper into despair. He knew that Shubman was in a dark place, one that he couldn't simply snap out of overnight. But he refused to give up hope, determined to help Shubman find his way back to the light, no matter how long it took.

"Listen, Shubman," Sebastian said gently, his voice filled with compassion. "I know things seem bleak right now, but you can't give up. You have to keep fighting, no matter how hard it gets. And if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you, okaIshan'ubman nodded, a faint glimmer of gratitude flickering in his eyes. "Thanks, Seb," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

A

s days turned into weeks, Ishan's silence weighed heavily on Shubman. The absence of communication took a toll, affecting not just his personal life but also his cricket career. Shubman's performance plummeted, leading to shock and speculation in the cricket community. Eventually, he found himself benched, a stark contrast to his once-promising form.

Sebastian tried to uplift Shubman, but the darkness within him seemed insurmountable. His struggles on and off the field left everyone puzzled, and Shubman, once a vibrant cricketer, became a shadow of himself. Despite Sebastian's efforts, Shubman's world crumbled, not just in matters of the heart but also on the cricket field.

On the other hand, Ishan embarked on a new journey as he stepped into his new job.On his first day,in the midst of his haste, Ishan collided with someone in road, prompting a sharp reaction from him.

"Hey, watch it, man!" Ishan exclaimed, his frustration evident in his tone.

The stranger paused, his expression shifting from annoyance to urgency as he turned towards Ishan. "I'm so sorry," he began, his voice tinged with desperation. "My father is really sick... it was an emergency... So, I..."

In that moment, time seemed to stand still for Ishan as he caught a glimpse of the stranger.

It was his elder brother,his Raj bhaia.