I usually get around 2k reads, but only around 400 votes, so I'm setting a target. If I get more than 800 votes and 70 comments, I will upload the chapter on Wednesday. I will not delay much but please give your votes. Pleaaasssssseeeeeee....Setting a target also pushes me to write and deliver on time; otherwise, I tend to slack off. So, it's up to you guys when you want the update.

I hope you will like the chapter. Do give your comments, I love them. ❤️❤️

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SHIVANSH'S POV :

A sharp, throbbing pain slices through my skull as I pry my eyes open, wincing at the sunlight streaming through the blinds. 

Each beam feels like a dagger, intensifying the relentless pounding in my head. 

I groan, the sound echoing painfully in my ears, and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to will away the dizziness and nausea swirling in my stomach.

My mouth feels like sandpaper, and I can barely swallow. Desperate for water, I force myself to sit up, every movement sending waves of discomfort through my body. 

The room spins around me, and I have to grip the edge of the bed to steady myself. Disoriented, I glance around, struggling to piece together my surroundings. Where am I? How did I end up here?

Flashes of the previous night flicker in my mind, disjointed and hazy. The bar, the anger, the endless stream of drinks. Inayat's words echo in my head, each syllable a fresh wound.

"I don't love you, Shivansh. Just put that in your fucking head, I. LIKE. VEDANT. & I will be with him, do whatever you want."

"Please stop it. No, she loves me, she is lying."

I reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, but my head was spinning, and my vision blurred.

 The glass slipped from my fingers, crashing to the floor and shattering. The sharp, tingling sound intensified my headache.

Struggling to get out of bed, I saw Advay and Rhea rushing towards me. Advay helped me back onto the bed, and my head sank into the headrest.

Rhea handed me another glass of water, which I drank like a man dying of thirst in the desert. When I finished, Advay, who had sat beside me, asked, "Are you okay, Bhai? How are you feeling now?"

I nodded and hummed in response, not wanting to speak. I didn't want to talk to anyone; I just wanted Inayat.

"Shivansh," Rhea called softly.

I looked at her. Her eyes were filled with empathy.

"Everything will be okay," she said gently. "I'll talk to Inayat. Hm? Now get up and freshen up, I'll bring your breakfast. Okay?"

"I don't want to eat anything," I replied, my voice heavy with exhaustion.

I lowered my head, but from the corner of my eye, I saw Rhea and Advay exchanging glances, communicating silently.

"Bhai, kal se aapne kuch nahi khaya hai," ( Brother, you didn't eat anything from yesterday) Advay said quietly, reminding me I hadn't eaten since yesterday.

"Just leave me alone," I replied, too drained to argue or engage in conversation.

Rhea got up from the bed, her concern evident.

I lowered my head and became lost in my thoughts.

They insisted for some time, but I lacked the energy to deny them repeatedly. I just wanted to be with Inayat, to see her, feel her presence, and hear her assure me that she still loved me and that her harsh words were born of stubbornness.

They left, leaving the breakfast on the coffee table.

I didn't even have the energy to get up and freshen up. I just sat there, staring at the ceiling of my room, recalling every moment we had spent together here. The memories were consuming me.

A tear slid down my cheek, and I didn't even realize it until it dropped from my chin.

"Fuck, I just wanna die," I whispered, wiping the tears with the back of my hand before getting up from the bed.

I went to the bathroom and took a hot shower. When I got out and saw the time, I realized I had been in there for an hour. I am really fucked up. I sighed deeply, feeling disconnected from my surroundings.

While dressing, my eyes wandered to the dressing table where I saw Inayat's rubber band and other essentials. I took her rubber band and tied it on my wrist, caressing it gently. 

I'll keep her things close to me until she comes back. But what if she doesn't? Her harsh words replayed in my mind.

"I don't love you, Shivansh. Just put that in your fucking head. I. LIKE. VEDANT. And I will be with him, do whatever you want."

"No, no, no, no, don't lose hope, Shivansh,"

 I repeated to myself. "She loved you for so many years; she won't unlove you this easily. SHE LOVES ME! She'll come back. I'll wait for her." 

I felt my cheeks wet again and wiped away my tears.

My eyes fell on the couch where her pillow lay. I sat on the couch, took her pillow, and hugged it. Her scent was still there, calming my nerves.

 I held the pillow close, feeling a small, fleeting sense of comfort in its familiarity.

I had no idea how the day passed; it just slipped away without my noticing. Aryan came by at some point and blabbered about something, but I can't recall the details.

 I do remember him saying he'd talk to Inayat. Her name was the only thing that registered, the only name I wanted to hear, the only person I needed. 

Without her, everything felt meaningless.

The hours drifted by in a haze. The room was silent, but my mind was anything but. Thoughts of Inayat consumed me, her absence a gaping void in my life. 

The memories we had made together haunted me, each one a painful reminder of what I had lost. The ache in my chest was relentless, a constant reminder of my longing and despair.

I clung to the hope that she would come back, even as her harsh words echoed in my mind. My thoughts were a whirlwind of pain, hope, and desperation, each emotion fighting for dominance.

Without her, everything felt incomplete, like a part of me was missing. She was the only woman I needed, the one who made everything else in my life make sense.

And like this, two days passed. Everyone came into my room, trying to cheer me up, to take me out of this place, to make me feel better. 

But only I knew that if I stepped out of this room, I would die, because the things keeping me alive were here.

Inayat's belongings, scattered around the room, gave me hope. Her rubber band on my wrist, her scent on the pillow I hugged every night—these were the things anchoring me to life. 

They were the reminders that she might come back, that this wasn't the end.

Everyone else thought they knew what was best for me, but they didn't understand. They couldn't feel the emptiness inside me, the void that only Inayat could fill.

 Every attempt to pull me out of this room felt like an attempt to pull me away from her, and I couldn't bear it.

So I stayed, surrounded by the pieces of her that she had left behind. Each day was a battle to hold onto hope, to convince myself that she would return. 

I waited for her here, in the only place that still felt connected to her, clinging to the belief that she would come back to me.

My hope was flickering, but I didn't let it extinguish.

I heard a knock on my door again. Tired of telling them I wouldn't leave this room, I shouted in frustration.

"I will not come out until Inayat comes and calls me. Leave me fucking alone, Advay!"

"Shivansh, bahar aao." (Shivansh come out)

The soft voice outside my room made my head snap towards the door. Tears welled up in my eyes, and a smile crept onto my lips. It was the voice I had been dying to hear. 

Hearing her voice was like the dawn breaking through an endless night, filling my soul with a light I thought I'd lost forever. It was my Inayat. She had come back.

I ran to the door and flung it open. There she stood, my life, my Inayat.

The sight of her was overwhelming. Her presence filled the void inside me, and for the first time in days, I felt a glimmer of hope. My heart raced as I looked at her, the woman who meant everything to me.

"Inayat," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion.

She looked at me with those eyes I had missed so much, and I felt like I could finally breathe again. 

Tears streamed down my face as I took in the reality of her return. She was here, and that was all that mattered.

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ADVAY'S POV:

When I opened the door, I was stunned. Standing there, as unexpected as a bolt of lightning on a clear day, was the last person I ever thought I'd see.

Vikrant.

My heart raced, and a whirlwind of emotions flooded my mind. Anger surged through me, hot and fierce, while shock froze me in place. Why was he here? What did he want? 

My eyes widened in disbelief as I noticed Trisha standing beside him, and next to her, Inayat. My mind reeled with confusion. What the hell was going on? Had Vikrant discovered our plan to trap him?

A million questions spiraled through my head, but I was about to unleash my fury when Trisha subtly shook her head. Her eyes pleaded with me, silently urging me not to say anything foolish in my anger.

 It was a desperate attempt to convey a message without words, and I could see the tension in her gaze. My jaw clenched, my fists tightened, and I fought to keep my emotions in check.

 The mix of anger, confusion, and fear swirled within me, threatening to overwhelm my composure.

I took a deep breath, struggling to interpret the situation and Trisha's silent plea. Each emotion was a battle in itself—anger at Vikrant's unexpected presence, confusion about his intentions, fear of our plan being exposed, and a desperate need to protect those involved. 

The weight of the moment pressed down on me, but I knew I had to stay calm, for all our sakes.

Finally, I couldn't hold it in any longer. My voice trembled with barely contained rage as I demanded, "What are you doing here?"

Vikrant's eyes met mine, a smirk playing on his lips as if he was relishing my turmoil. "Relax, Advay," he said smoothly, his tone oozing with false calm. "I just came to talk."

"Talk?" I spat out the word, my anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

He took a step forward, his gaze flicking to Trisha and Inayat before returning to me. "I think it's better if we discuss this face-to-face. Some matters require a personal touch."

Inayat looked at me and nodded in 'yes' to continue this talk with him.

I took another deep breath, fighting the urge to lash out. "Fine," I said through gritted teeth.

Vikrant stepped inside, his presence suffocating the room. I glanced at Rhea, who stood frozen, mirroring my shock.

 She moved beside me, her eyes questioning without words. I exchanged a glance with her, a silent confirmation of our shared disbelief. 

The kids, blissfully unaware of the tension, watched us with innocent curiosity. I quickly told them to go back to their rooms, and they obeyed without question.

Vikrant took a seat, his demeanor annoyingly relaxed. "Let's get to the point, shall we?"

"So, where is your heartbroken brother?" He asked, his voice dripping with mockery.

My anger flared, threatening to consume me. I struggled to keep my composure. "He is in his room," I replied, forcing my voice to stay calm.

"Then do the honor, little brother, and call him down here."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I went towards Inayat as Vikrant was busy in his phone and turning to her, whisphered, "Inayat."

"Hm?" she responded innocently, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Bhai hasn't come out of his room for two days," I explained, my voice heavy with concern. 

"He's not listening to any of us. He said that he won't come out until you come and get him."

Inayat stood there, processing my words, her face a mask of confusion and worry.

Vikrant coming out of his phone and clearly enjoying the drama, interjected, "Okay, hurry up and wind up your drama here. Go, Inayat, call your boyfriend—I mean, ex-boyfriend."

Inayat's jaw clenched visibly, her fists tightening with barely contained rage. Her anger was palpable, simmering just below the surface as she turned and walked upstairs to call Bhai.

Every step she took echoed with the weight of unspoken emotions—her anger at Vikrant's taunts, her frustration with the situation. I watched her go, my heart aching for all of us caught in this tangled web of deceit and desperation.

As the tension in the room thickened, I turned back to Vikrant, my resolve hardening. This was just the beginning, and I knew I had to stay strong, not just for myself, but for everyone I cared about.

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INAYAT'S POV :

I had just come back from the office. It had been two days since I confronted Advay Bhai, and two days since I had seen Shivansh at work. 

Not that I wanted to see him, but I was concerned. Why had Advay Bhai confronted me in that manner? More troubling was the fact that Rhea was taking Shivansh's side. 

Neither of them had spoken to me since that day.

I wanted to apologize to Advay Bhai for how I had spoken to him, but I never got the chance. Whenever I approached him or even Rhea, they would ignore me and walk away. 

Their words from that day still troubled me deeply.

Am I really ruining our lives? Am I doing wrong to both Vedant and Shivansh? Do I still love Shivansh?

These questions kept repeating in my head when my phone rang, an unknown number flashing on the screen. I answered it, confusion evident in my voice. "Hello?"

"Inayat?" A strong, deep, familiar male voice responded.

"Yes? Who is this?" I asked, curiosity mixing with apprehension.

"Vikrant."

My eyes widened at the unexpected name. Why would he call me? Did he find out about our plan? Anger flared within me, and memories of him hurting Shivansh flashed before my eyes, blinding me with rage.

"Why the fuck did you call me? What more do you want now?" I demanded, my voice shaking with fury.

"Cool down, little kitten. I just wanted to have a talk with you and Shivansh," he replied mockingly.

 "Just come to Ashiyana—Shivansh's home. We'll talk, just talk, Ms. Verma."

I scoffed, incredulous. "And you think I'll trust you? Why would I do that?"

"That's why I'm directly asking you to come to Ashiyana, Inayat. If you want to know, why I am after you and Shivansh, come there and you'll get to know about everything."

I hesitated, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Could this be a trap? But the thought of not knowing gnawed at me. 

I had to find out what Vikrant was up to, if only to protect the ones I cared about.

"Fine," I said, my voice steely with determination. "I'll be there. But if this is some kind of trick, Vikrant, you'll regret it."

He chuckled darkly. "I wouldn't dream of it. See you soon, Inayat."

I hung up, my heart pounding. The questions still swirled in my mind, but now, there was a new urgency. 

I had to face whatever was coming head-on. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, ready to confront whatever awaited me at Ashiyana.

As I drove, worst-case scenarios played out in my mind. I had to make things right, understand what was happening, and protect Shivansh from whatever Vikrant had planned.

When I arrived at Ashiyana, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. There, in front of the house, was a black car with its headlights blinding me.

 A figure emerged from the car, initially indistinguishable. I squinted, adjusting my vision, and saw Vikrant walking towards me. My instincts kicked in, and my hand went to the gun concealed at my side.

I drew the gun and pointed it at him, my grip tight and my anger simmering just beneath the surface. 

Vikrant smirked and raised his hands mockingly, pretending to be scared, which only fueled my anger further.

As I tightened my grip around the gun, another figure stepped out of the car—a woman, her face pale with horror. As she came into view, I recognized her. It was Trisha.

 Confusion clouded my mind as she hurriedly approached Vikrant and shook her head, silently pleading with me not to shoot. Seeing her, I hesitated and reluctantly lowered the gun.

"Ms. Verma, I told you, I'm here just to talk to you and Shivansh," Vikrant said with another infuriating smirk.

I glared at him, my anger still burning but tempered by the uncertainty of the situation. "Talk," I spat, my voice laced with barely controlled rage. 

"But know that I'm not here to play games, Vikrant."

He chuckled, clearly enjoying the tension. "Of course, of course. Let's go inside, shall we?"

Reluctantly, I followed them into the house, my mind racing with questions. Why was Trisha here? What was Vikrant planning? 

And most importantly, how could I protect Shivansh from whatever trap Vikrant was setting?

Inside, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Advay Bhai and Rhea were already there, their expressions a mix of concern and anger.

 Advay Bhai's eyes met mine, a silent question lingering in his gaze. I nodded slightly, hoping to convey that I was ready for whatever was about to happen.

Vikrant turned to Advay Bhaiya, a mocking smile playing on his lips and ordered him to call Shivansh.

Advay Bhaiya looked at me, his face tense with worry, and explained that Shivansh hadn't come out of his room for two days. He wasn't listening to anyone and had said he'd only come out if I got him.

I was stunned. Why was Shivansh doing this? What was wrong with him? And why was he waiting for me to come and get him? Questions swirled in my mind as I made my way upstairs, each step heavy with anxiety.

I took a deep breath and knocked on Shivansh's door. There was no answer. I knocked again, my heart pounding harder each time. Still nothing.

 Panic started to creep in. What if something had happened to him? My knocks grew louder, more urgent.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard him shout that, "I will not come out until Inayat comes and calls me. Leave me fucking alone, Advay!"

Relief washed over me at the sound of his voice, but it was quickly replaced by a mix of anger and concern. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and composed myself. 

I knocked softly once more, calling him gently. "Shivansh, bahar aao." ( Shivansh come out.)

There was a pause, then I heard movement from within the room. My heart was still racing, the emotions swirling inside me almost too much to bear.

 Why was he doing this? What had driven him to such desperation?

The door opened slowly, and there stood Shivansh. He was in a vulnerable state, his eyes bloodshot and swollen, with dark circles underneath.

 His hair was dry and disheveled, and his beard was slightly grown out. He looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days.

When his eyes met mine, a flood of emotions crossed his face. At first, there was surprise, followed by a flicker of hope. 

Then came a mix of pain and longing, his vulnerability laid bare. He looked like he had been through hell, and my heart ached for him.,

He whispered my name, "Inayat" his voice hoarse, expressing surprise that I had come.

A tear escaped from his eyes, trailing down his cheek. I was shocked and deeply hurt to see him in such a state. Every ounce of my being ached for him.

He slightly smiled, a fragile expression that tugged at my heartstrings. His trembling hands reached out and cupped my cheeks, as if to assure himself that I was real.

"You're here," he whispered, his voice trembling and barely audible, like a breath escaping his lips. 

"I knew, you'll come back" It was as if he needed the physical touch to confirm that I was truly there, standing before him.

I closed my eyes briefly, overwhelmed by the intensity of his emotions and the rawness of the moment.

 Gently, I placed my hands over his, holding them against my cheeks, offering him comfort and reassurance.

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