Aarya leapt off her bed and decided to take a shower, feeling the hot water cascade over her. Despite trying to forget it; she remembered the incident with Bhola a few days ago where he had violated her with his hands and mouth, attempting to rape her.

Every night, she laid awake with the memories flooding through her mind, hoping sleep would make them disappear.

Some moments can change us forever, some pains become a part of us, her experience will remain unforgettable, and time may pass, but its imprint remains.

Her fear of men stemmed from him, but she had faith and trusted Aarav, who saved her and Anuj, who she considered a sibling; they were able to help her.

She's not content with her current situation and is committed to having fun and uncovering more about her father.

Emerging from the shower, her hair was wet and flat against her head and neck, her skin rough from the heat. She wrapped a towel around herself and forced a smile.

She will maintain her sanity and thrive in a fulfilling life among those of her own kind while having complete authority over her abilities.

Anuj was on a winning streak during a card game with Kajal, Aarav, and Pramitra on the living room carpet.

"Brother-in-law, Anuj, must have been giving you a free pass whenever we played, Miti, " kajal claimed that Anuj had let Pramitra win in their past games just to please her.

"He's only fortunate this time," Pramitra opposed.

Anuj observed her while she lifted an eyebrow, daring him to dispute.

Anuj flashed her a half-smile, full of anticipation to show her his latest plan and resolved not to back out.

As he laughed at them, Aarav realized how much he cherished spending time with them and being true to himself, much like Aarya, who would go to great lengths for them.

Aarya walked out of her room and leaned against the doorframe, taking in the sight of her loved ones and Aarav, whom she adored.

On the day Bhola attempted to rape her, Aarav decided to spend the night in her room. He slept on the floor in case she needed anything, but she didn't wake him up.

He always assures her that he'll be there for her no matter what, even though she's strong and confident. He wants to be with her and protect her from anything that could hurt her, and he'll never leave her side.

He slept on her bedroom floor that night while she had cried silently into her pillow all night long until dawn, trying to stifle her sobs so as not to wake him.

He brought her breakfast and a steaming cup of tea in the morning and held her until she finally drifted off to sleep.

In the days that followed, he kept repeating the same words over and over; Aaru, You can count on me to always be here for you, I promise.

He left her with a spinning head and a humming heart in a good way.

After Kajal said something that made him laugh, Aarav turned towards her and filled her heart with warmth from his laughter.

"Aaru...," he uttered.

Everyone's attention shifted to her as she walked towards them with a smile and asked, "Having fun without me?"

We were waiting for you to go to the market." Kajal said, draping her arms around her neck.

A smile curved Aarya's lips as she said, "Then what are we waiting for now?"

The market was alive and thriving, bustling with life as the new sun illuminated the town and gave the people a renewed sense of hope. The market was a sea of stalls and carts.

Merchants and Farmers filled the market with their merchandise, selling their wares, as shoppers combed through the market eagerly searching for deals among the stalls and carts.

Aarya's attention was caught by a loud commotion, and she saw a farmer and an old woman in a scuffle before a town guard separated them.

Aarav took her hand and guided her to a Vendor's stall where shoes were arranged in rows and columns.

She was made to sit on the stool in front of the stall. She glanced at Kajal and Anuj and noticed Pramitra giving her a thumbs up and teasing smile. Anuj was trying to show Pramitra something out of her sight.

With a smile, Aarya watched with amusement as Pramitra and Anuj went, with Kajal trailing behind.

Her eyes went back to Aarav, and she smiled before asking, "I'm curious, Mr. Aarav, would you mind telling me why I'm here?"

"Madam, your husband suggested that I pick out one of my finest shoes for you,"

Aarya was on the verge of clarifying to the man that Aarav wasn't her husband when he intervened, expressing, "Allow me to handle this, not just for you, but also for the children—Kajal, Anuj, and Pramitra—everyone, Aarya."

"Sure thing, anything for you," Aarya responded with a smile.

He let out a hearty laugh that made her heart skip a beat.

Aarav had to hire someone to help with the bags because they continued shopping for the children and their friends until the end. A leisurely walk around the market was the plan for Aarav and Aarya after they were confident they had everything.

They stored all their belongings in the car, and Aarav compensated the man who helped them with the shopping bags.

While walking through an alley, Aarya's lips bore a sad smile when she saw many struggling beggars; She felt a deep sense of empathy for them.

Noticing her sorrowful expression, Aarav decided to donate to the beggars. He approached them, gave them money with a beaming smile, and received some smiles and expressions of appreciation.

Aarya's heart melted when she saw the effort he made, causing her to smile half-heartedly, and she tilted her head and fixated her stare on him.

Having given cash to all the beggars, they continued to explore another section of the market. They crossed several stalls and carts, but Aarav's eyes were glued to the confection stall; Arriving at the stall, they found a variety of candies displayed in boxes in an attractive way.

Aarav scanned the sweets, unsure of which one to pick. Eventually, he opted for a white, ball-shaped confection in the end and took a bite.

"Give this a shot," he said, holding the candy towards her mouth and encouraging her to give it a try.

She took a bite, tasted the sweetness, and nodded her approval.

Aarav couldn't help but laugh when Aarya spoke with the candy still in her mouth and said, "It's sweet,"

She playfully glared at him while pouting her lips.

They sampled all the candies and ultimately chose the ones that were the sweetest.

"Our plan is when we get home, we'll split them into three parts: one for us, one for them, and one for my parents,"

Aarya loved how he called the orphanage, home, because it is also home to her and loved it when he included Anuj, Pramitra, Kajal, and the children in everything.

Aarya asked, more like confirming, "Tanu and Shivansh?"

"We will buy them gifts before heading back to Mumbai,"

Aarya nodded, indicating understanding.

Aarav picked up the bag of sweets from the vendor, who had just finished packing the ones he had chosen and paid for them.

Aarav suggested distributing the sweets among themselves for the time being and purchasing additional ones to give away as presents when they went back to Mumbai.

Aarya's heart swelled with joy, and in an instant, her world spring back to life, banishing all her anxiety like mist in the sunlight.

She imagined a world where no more pain, no more hunger, no more fear, no more sorrow, no more crying, and no more Bhola!

****