AUTHOR'S POV:

Aryan, Shivansh, and Advay were sitting in the hospital waiting room. Shivansh had explained everything to Advay about why he behaved the way he did and Advay was highly disappointed.

He said, "Bhai apko pata hai mein kabhi apke khilaf nahi jaunga aur apke har decision ko support karunga lekin aaj mujhe esa lagta hai ki aapne galat kiya hai." (Bhai, you know I will never go against you, and I will support every decision of yours, but today I feel that you have done something wrong.)

Shivansh was shocked to hear this. He thought, until today, Advay had never opposed him and today he was being labeled wrong because of that girl. He wondered what kind of spell she had cast on his family.

While Shivansh was lost in these thoughts, Aryan called him out and said, "Shivansh, do you know what he told me when I went outside?"

Shivansh just raised his eyebrows indicating him to speak and then Aryan started,

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Flashback:

Inayat quickly ran out of the hospital, and Aryan followed her. He was calling out to her, but she wasn't listening. Finally, she decided to hear him out. Aryan approached her and asked," Inayat tum thik toh ho na?" (Inayat, are you okay?) Inayat simply nodded.

Aryan then said "Inayat mein Shivansh ki taraf se tumse maafi mangta hun. Aaj usne jo kiya wo bahut galat kiya. Lekin wo aisa nahi hai aaj takk usne kisi bhi ladki pe haath nahi uthaya tha par pata nahi aaj kya hogaya. Tum sach mein thik toh ho na?" (Inayat, on behalf of Shivansh, I apologize to you. What he did today was very wrong. But he's not like this; until now, he has never raised his hand on any women. I don't know what happened today. Are you really okay?)

Inayat let out a deep sigh and said " Han bhai mein thik hun aur apko maafi mangneki koi zarurat nahi hai. Shayad galti meri hi thi that maine socha ki mein unka dil apne pyar se jeet lungi par shayad mein galat thi hum ek dusre ke liye bane hi nahi hain. (Yes, bhai, I'm fine, and you don't need to apologize. Maybe the mistake was mine; I thought I could win his heart with my love, but perhaps I was wrong. We're not meant for each other.)

Then Aryan cupped her face and said "Inayat aisi baat nahi hai dekho usko misunderstanding ho gayi thi mein tumhe sab batata hun, tum andar chalo hum baithke baat karte hain." (Inayat, it's not like that. Let me explain everything to you. Come inside; let's talk.)

Inayat held his hand, brought it down, and said, "Bhaiya, if he had trusted me, there would have been no misunderstanding. And even if there is, I don't want to know about that because after what he did and said today, I don't want to be with him. He made fun of my feelings. I can't tolerate this, bhai."

Aryan then said trying to handle her,"Acha thik hai lekin tumhari tabiyat thik nahi chalo mere ghar chalte hain tum thoda aram karlo." ("Alright, but you're not well. Come to my house, and you can rest.")

Inayat replied, "No, bhai, I won't go with you. I don't want help from anyone related to Shivansh. I don't want to be blamed for anything else. I can't handle it again."

With this she turned and started to leave, but Aryan insisted,"Inayat mein tumhe apni behen samajhta hun. Meri family nahi hai aur nah hi koi bhai behen, mein bachpan se Shivansh ke saath hun lekin aaj takk kisike bhi liye mujhe itna apna pan mehsus nahi hua hai jitna tumhare liye hua hai. Aur agar tum mujhe apna bhai manti ho toh please meri baat maano aur mere saath chalo." (Inayat, I consider you my sister. I don't have a family, no siblings, but I've been with Shivansh since childhood. However, I've never felt as close to anyone as I feel to you. If you consider me your brother, please listen to me and come with me.)

Emotionally moved, Inayat hugged Aryan and began to cry. Aryan gently caressed her hair, his eyes filled with tears.

After breaking the hug, Inayat said, "Bhai, we've known each other for a short time, but I also consider you my brother. However, along with that, you're Shivansh's friend, and my self-respect won't let me take help from you. Haven't you heard what he said inside? Tell me, bhai, what should I do after hearing all that? How can I go with you?"

Aryan asked in a worried tone, "So, where will you go now? Your health isn't well too. How can I leave you alone?"

Inayat replied, "Bhai, don't worry about me. Rhea has a flat nearby; I'll stay there, and you can come to meet me anytime. But when you come, come as my brother, not as Shivansh's friend."Aryan nodded still not fully convinced.

Inayat turned to leave but looked back, saying, "Bhaiya, tell Shivansh not to inform anyone at home about what happened today, or else everyone will be angry with him. Just tell him to say that I'm going out for some urgent work and will return soon. I just hope that in that time, they forget about me."

Tears rolled down her eyes as she said this. Aryan wiped her tears and nodded, unable to find any words.

Inayat added, "And tell Advay bhai to always stay with Shivansh and not to worry about me. I'm fine. Also, take care of Aahana and look after Advik and Adwit, they are children."With that, she ran off before Aryan could respond.

Flashback ends:

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Aryan then looked at Shivansh and asked, "Yeh sab sunne ke baad bhi tujhe lagta hai ki wo ladki galat hai?"(Even after hearing all this, do you still think that the girl is wrong?) By now, both Aryan and Advay had tears in their eyes, but they composed themselves.

After hearing all this, Shivansh took a moment to ponder, wondering if he had misunderstood Inayat. He thought maybe she was genuinely good. However, his thoughts were interrupted by the flashbacks of Inayat's call where she was plotting against him, bringing him back to reality.

He started to consider again that maybe she was just acting, creating emotional drama to make everyone think she was a good person. While he was lost in these thoughts, the doctor entered and informed them that Aahana had regained consciousness. The three of them rushed to her room.

Upon entering, Shivansh saw Aahana half sitting on the bed and he immediately ran to her, hugging her tightly. He then held her face in his hands and anxiously asked,"Aahana bacha are you okay? Tumhe kahin chot toh nahi lagi na ? Kahin dard ho raha kya?" (Aahana, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere? Are you feeling any pain?)

He kept checking her for any signs of injury. Aahana just hugged Shivansh and reassured him, saying, "Bhai, I am fine. But can we please leave from here? I don't feel good here. Let's go home."

Shivansh agreed, saying, "Yes, princess, let's go. The doctor said once you regain consciousness, we can go home." He made Aahana sit properly, gave her water, and affectionately caressed her hair and Aahana again hugged him.

Advay and Aryan, who had been watching the emotional scene from the door, entered the room. Advay kept his hand on her shoulder and asked Aahana, "Are you sure you're okay, bacha?"

Aahana nodded, still in Shivansh's embrace. Advay kissed her head and then turned to Shivansh and said, "I'll go and take care of the paperwork, brother." Shivansh nodded.

Then Aryan came and patted Aahana's head, saying, "Take care, baby girl. Remember to take your medicines on time and take proper rest." Aahana nodded and with that, he left the room.

Aahana was still hugging Shivansh, expressing her fear, she said "Bhai, do you know how scared I was? I thought something bad would happen to me." and then she started crying.

Shivansh broke the hug, wiped her tears, and kissed her forehead, saying, "You don't need to be afraid, bacha. I am always here to protect you. As long as I am here, nothing will happen to any of you."

Aahana continued sobbing, and Shivansh comforted her, saying, "Okay, let's go home."

He held her hand to help her stand, but she stopped him and said, "Bhai, wait a minute. Where is Inu di? Do you know she told me not to do anything in the kitchen, but I didn't listen to her. She said she would bring some groceries, and then we would cook together. But I didn't listen and turned on the gas, and then a cloth caught fire, and I got scared, and I fell. It's all my fault. Did she get hurt? Is she okay?" Shivansh was in total shock hearing this revelation.

Aahana continued to inquire about Inayat, expressing her concerns, while Shivansh was mentally pre-occupied. He couldn't comprehend what Aahana was saying. How could it be possible? Inayat had been chasing wealth from the beginning; she had a whole plan in place. Then how could she willingly go into the fire to save Aahana? She wasn't that good. However, a conflicting thought arose - maybe she is genuinely good, and he misunderstood her.

Suddenly, he remembered the moment he slapped her, and her pained eyes flashed in his mind. He realized that regardless of whether she was right or wrong, what he did today was wrong. He shouldn't have raised his hand against her.

He was lost in his thoughts, Advay and Aryan entered the room. Hearing the door's opening sound Shivansh snapped out of his contemplation and saw that Aahana was still blaming herself. When he saw her in this condition he could not control his mind or think properly. He again thought that this was because of Inayat. She must have manipulated Aahana into doing anything like this and Aahana being innocent must have got into her words. But he didn't wanted to stress out Aahana so he didn't say anything.

He just knelt down, held her hands, and said, "Aahana, let's forget what happened. Inayat is perfectly fine; she's just gone out for some work."

Aahana, still worried, asked, "Out, but where? She doesn't know anyone here, and we don't know anything about her family."

Advay stepped forward and suggested, "Don't worry Aahana. She has a friend here and she is living with her. Let's discuss this at home. For now let's leave."

Aahana released a tired sigh and nodded. They all left, and Aahana was settled in the car. It was already 10 pm. Shivansh drove, Aryan sat in the passenger seat, and Advay and Aahana occupied the back seat. The car ride was silent, with Aryan occasionally casting angry glances at Shivansh. Advay had closed his eyes, leaning back in his seat, and Aahana had drifted off to sleep, resting her head on Advay's shoulders. Shivansh stared at the road but remained lost in his thoughts. Eventually, they reached their house.

Shivansh got out of the car, followed by Aryan. Advay also exited, and Aahana was still sleeping. Shivansh leaned on the car door, pressing his temples.

Aryan approached him with anger evident in his voice,"Aaj tune jo kia hai uske baad tension toh hoga hi abb ghar jaake sabko face karna padega tujhe. Jab sab puchenge ki Inayat kahan hai toh kya jawab dega tu, abhi toh boldega ki bahar hai par uske baad kya karega jab Inayat wapis hi nahi ayegi toh?"(After what you did today, you'll have to face tension at home. When everyone asks where Inayat is, what will you say? Right now, will you simply say she's gone out? But then what will you do when Inayat doesn't come back?)

Shivansh, already tensed, became more irritated, replying frustratedly "Our house was running even when Inayat wasn't here. It will continue to run without her. I am enough for my family. They don't need anyone else. They will forget her soon."Aryan shook his head in disappointment.

Advay, who had been silent until then, finally spoke up. He said in a bit raised voice, "Aap itni asani se kaise bol sakte ho ki hum sab Inayat ko bhul jayenge. Han? ("Brother, do you really think we'll forget Inayat so easily?")

"In the last two years, you might not have spent much time with Advik, Adwit, and Aahana, but Inayat has become an integral part of their lives in just a month. Do you even know about their lives? No you absolutely know nothing, because you were always too busy with your work. But Inayat knows every small detail about them.

Aahana sees Inayat as her elder sister. Advik and Adwit have received motherly love from her. Have you ever noticed that for the past month, she has always put them to sleep, heard about their entire day - good or bad - and provided solutions to their problems?

Every morning, she wakes up early to pack their lunch, cooking their favorite dishes while neglecting her own. I have never seen her taking care of herself even once. Inu has become as important to me as Aahana. Forget about anyone else even I can't imagine our lives without Inayat, and those three...they are just children bhai....Aur abb aap chaho bhi toh Inu ki jagah humari zindagi mein nahi le sakte." (Even if you want, you can never replace Inayat in our lives.")

Tears welled up in Advay's eyes as he finished speaking. Shivansh's face lost its color, and Advay continued, "Bhai apne yeh bahut galat kiya hai.. Aap dekhna abb ghar mein wesi khushiyan dubara nahi dikhengi jaisi pichle 1 mahine se apne dekhi hai." ("Brother, what you did today is very wrong. You'll see; the joy that has been present in our house from the past 1 month won't be there anymore. You've made a big mistake.") S

aying this, Advay left, heading inside the house. Shivansh stood there, numb, unable to comprehend what he had just heard.

Aryan approached Shivansh, placing a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Shivansh tune galat kiya hai lekin abhi yeh sab sochne ka waqt nahi hai. Aahana gaadi mein hai abb takk...usko andar leke jaa aur, uska khayal rakh. Mein chalta hun." (Shivansh, you've made a mistake, but now is not the time to dwell on it. Aahana is still in the car; take her inside and take care of her. I'll leave now.")

With that, Aryan left, leaving Shivansh to carry Aahana into the house.

Inside, Advik and Adwit were waiting in the hall. They inquired about Aahana's condition, and Shivansh reassured them, saying that she was fine and just needed some rest. When they asked about Inayat, his face paled, but he managed to compose himself and replied, "She's gone out for some work; she'll be back in a few days."

He then instructed them to go to sleep, and they nodded before heading to their rooms with dissapointment evident in their face. Then Shivansh, with Aahana in his arms, went to her room, layed her down on bed and turned to leave to his room giving a final look at her before closing the door.

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INAYAT'S POV:

I returned to Rhea's flat from the hospital. We used to live here before I went to the USA. Today, everything that happened at the hospital has just drained me both physically and emotionally. I didn't want to cry in front of Shivansh there, but now, here alone, I couldn't control myself. I kept crying for hours, sitting near the main door. I didn't even have the strength to go to the bedroom.

I was thinking about all the happenings of today. I loved him so much, and all he did was kick me out of his life. But now, I have decided that I won't cry for him anymore. If he doesn't want me, then staying here and ruining my life thinking about him makes no sense. I will go back and completely focus on my life and business. Yes, I will definitely miss Aahana, Advik, Adwit, Advay bhaiya, Aryan bhaiya, but right now, I can't stay here. After what he did today, I will never forgive him. I fell asleep on the floor while thinking about this.

The next day, I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. It was Aryan bhai calling. He asked for the address, and I gave it to him. I went to freshen up, and luckily, there were some of mine and Rhea's clothes already here, so that wasn't an issue. Within 30 minutes, Aryan bhai arrived with breakfast and groceries.

I was really hungry, so I took the food from him and started eating hurriedly. He just laughed at my reaction. We talked for a bit, and I told him about my plan to shift back. At first, he didn't agree, but eventually, he reluctantly agreed. After an hour, he left for his office, and I went back to sleep. I was very tired. Mentally, I thanked Aryan bhaiya for not bringing up the issue of Shivansh. He actually came here as my brother, not as Shivansh's friend.

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SHIVANSH'S POV:

It's been a week since that incident, and after that Inayat has never came before me nor she tried to meet Aahana, Advik or Adwit and about Advay and Aryan I know that they go to meet her. I dont know why but now I want to see her once. I am missing her. I am missing her falling into my arms and I am missing our eyelocks. And I hate myself for feeling like this. I tried to make my siblings forget about Inayat but everyone is still longing for her.

I tried my best to give everyone my complete attention, to spend time with them and take them out, but everything just went in vain. Still, they ask me every day when Inayat will come back. That day when Advay told me everything, I realized that I had never really given them my time and proper attention. I was always busy with work, never making an effort to understand what was going on in their lives.

Earlier, they used to come to me with their problems sometimes, but since Inayat came, they started sharing everything with her, and she used to solve their problems. I felt very guilty, realizing that I had become so busy in my own life that I couldn't understand my siblings.

Since a week, there hasn't been any puja(prayer) at our house because Inayat is not here. The morning after the incident when Advay and I got ready and came downstairs, no one else was there.

I asked him why everyone was late and why there was no puja going on. He looked at me emotionlessly and said, said "Bhai Inayat ko toh apne nikal diya toh abb unn teeno ko uthayega kaun..puja karega kaun? "(Brother, if Inayat is no longer here to wake them up, who will wake them up? Who will perform the puja?)

And then he left. That's when I realized that it was Inayat who used to wake everyone up every morning and perform the puja.

These days, there is no laughter or joking around the dining table. Everyone silently eats their food, with Advik and Adwit complaining about the taste. Honestly, I had gotten so used to Inayat's cooking that even I didn't like the food prepared by the maid.

Everyone at home is very sad. I think Advay was right; since Inayat left, this house has lost its charm. Advay is behaving normally with me, just like before, but I still know that he is also very upset, and Aryan hasn't spoken to me since that day.

Seeing all this, realizing how important Inayat was in their lives, I feel like I might have done something wrong. Maybe Inayat is actually innocent? Maybe there is some misunderstanding between us. I was thinking about this when Aahana came to me and said she wanted to have ice cream. So, I said, "Okay bacha wait a bit, I'll get it for you." With this, I went out.

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INAYAT'S POV:

It's been a week now, and since then I stayed in the flat without venturing outside. I miss all the kids and Shivansh terribly, but I won't contact with them. I don't want to go through that drama again. For the past week, Aryan bhai comes home every morning, and we have breakfast together.

In the evening, both Advay bhaiya and Aryan bhaiya come, and we spend a lot of time talking. But they never talk about Shivansh or anyone else from the family. And I am very happy for that. Becasue if they would have started talking about Shivansh or the kids I would have definitely started crying.

I know I'll miss them a lot when I leave. Just thinking about it makes me emotional. They leave around 8 pm, and then I prepare my dinner, eat, and go to sleep. This has been my routine for the past week.

My flight is tomorrow, so today I decided to treat myself before leaving. I thought of visiting my favorite ice cream parlor in the area. I quickly got ready, and it's 5 in the evening. I booked a cab and went to the ice cream stall.

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SHIVANSH'S POV:

I bought ice cream for Aahana and made the payment. As I turned to leave, my legs stopped automatically when I saw someone entering the shop. My heart started beating fast, and it felt like my heart would drop out. Yes, I saw Inayat standing near the entrance in a crop top and jeans - the first time I had seen her in such attire.

Inayat's Look:

She looked really pretty, and it felt like my breath had returned after many years. My gaze couldn't move away from her. Her hair, open and falling to her waist, made her look ethereal. However, I noticed a sadness in her eyes, not the usual sparkle. I felt guilty, thinking that maybe I was the reason for it.

Seeing her in front of me, I forgot to breathe, and my mind was not in my control. I wanted her to come and talk to me, to hug me. I thought she would at least inquire about the kids if not about me. But she did something unexpected. Upon seeing me, she turned and left. She left!

How could she leave like that, especially if she likes us so much and loves me? I wanted her to notice me, but instead, she ignored me. And that's when my mind played the scene where she talked about my money on the phone, and my perspective changed again.

Maybe she was after my money; perhaps she never loved me, or else she wouldn't have left like this today. But now I was angry on myself because after all that happened, what she did to my sister, I should hate her. Then why does her ignorance bother me? Why does it hurt like someone stabbed a knife in my heart? Why do I want her to notice me?

I stood there for almost 15 minutes, lost in these conflicting thoughts. Then someone pushed me a bit, entering the shop, and muttered a slow sorry, and I just nodded. Then I went to my car, closed my eyes, and leaned my head down on the steering wheel, contemplating the conflicts in my heart and mind.

My mind says Inayat is after my money, but my heart says she actually loves me. I don't know what to do. After a few minutes, I decided not to think about her. Right now, my family needs me, and that's what I'm going to focus on. No one else is allowed to disturb my heart. I will forget her and go with the flow.

With this decision, I started the car, went home, gave Aahana her ice cream, had a brief chat, and she went to rest. I went to my study. That's when I received a call from Aahana's doctor, asking me to take her to the hospital again tomorrow morning for a routine checkup. I thanked her, ended the call, set a reminder for tomorrow, and immersed myself in work.

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INAYAT'S POV:

I reached the ice cream shop and was delighted to see it. It's my favorite place, offering the best quality ice cream with a wide variety of flavors. With a broad smile, I approached the shop and stood near the door. I noticed someone specific standing near the counter, and yes it was Shivansh but he was not in his usual formal attire.

Shivansh's Look:

He wore a white t-shirt with a jacket, jeans, and shades, holding a bucket of ice cream. Until I was in that house, I had never seen him in casuals or eating ice cream. Perhaps he was celebrating being rid of me. I chuckled in my mind at my fate. All the emotions rushed back upon seeing him, and tears welled up in my eyes. I wanted to hate this guy, but love is something that just doesn't seem to end.

I locked eyes with him, and he, too, was staring at me. However, his gaze held emotions that weren't hate or anger; instead, there was a hint of guilt and perhaps confusion. I felt myself giving in to him once again. I really wanted to go up to him and ask about his well-being and how everyone at home was, but the hospital incidents flashed before my eyes.

Before I could reconsider my decision, I left abruptly. I could still feel his gaze on me, but I didn't turn around. I left, took an auto, and hurried back to my flat. On the way, I cried again, but I decided not to waste my tears on him and composed myself.

Once I got in my room, I started packing because my flight was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. I was trying hard to distract myself from thoughts of him, but it proved challenging. However, I made a firm decision not to think about him, to focus entirely on my work, and not let anyone disturb my heart and move on with the flow.

With determination, I took out my laptop and began working on business-related tasks. Moreover, Aryan bhai and Advay bhaiya would be arriving at any moment; after all, it was their usual time. Tomorrow is going to be a very emotional and hectic day.

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