2600+ words

Tumhare bina zindagi mein kuch bhi nahi,
 tumhari har ek baat mein khushiyan chhupi hain,
tum ho toh zindagi rangin hai,
tumhare bina sabhi rangon se pyaari hai.

Ashwin's POV

I ran out of the hospital, the suffocating air inside feeling unbearable. My heart was pounding in my chest, a storm of emotions raging within me—fear, guilt, anger. How did everything fall apart so quickly? Anshika, my parents, Vikram... it was as if life had become a battlefield, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't protect the people I loved.

The cold night air hit my face as I stepped outside, trying to catch my breath. I could feel the weight of the world pressing down on me. Everything was unraveling, and I didn't know how to stop it.

I stopped running and leaned against a tree, my hands on my knees, trying to steady my breathing. Flashes of the past filled my mind—Vikram's face, once my best friend, now the man hell-bent on destroying my life. Why? Why had he chosen this path of hatred and revenge?

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me back to the present. It was Viyaan.

"Where are you?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm outside," I replied, trying to sound calm, though my voice wavered. "I needed air."

"Come back in," he said softly. "We'll figure this out together."

"I can't... I can't just sit there while everything's falling apart," I said, feeling overwhelmed. "Vikram's playing with us. He's always one step ahead."

"We'll get her back, Ashwin," Viyaan reassured me. "We have to keep fighting."

Fighting. That word echoed in my mind. How could I fight when I didn't even know where to begin? Every move I made felt wrong, every decision a step further into chaos.

As I stood there, staring at the dark sky, I felt a tear slip down my cheek. The helplessness was eating me alive. I had always been the one to protect, to lead, to keep everyone safe. But now? Now I felt powerless.

I wiped my face, straightened up, and took a deep breath. No. I couldn't afford to break down. Not now. Not when Anshika was out there, possibly in danger. Not when Vikram was tightening the noose around my family.

Just then, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Noha, my sister, walking toward me, her face etched with worry.

"Ashwin," she said softly, placing a hand on my arm. "You need to come back inside."

I looked at her, seeing the fear in her eyes. I hated that she had to go through this too. I had to be strong for her, for Viyaan, for everyone.

"I will," I said, my voice steadying. "But first, I need to think. Just for a minute."

Noha nodded, understanding. "We'll figure this out together," she said, echoing Viyaan's words. "We'll bring her back."

I nodded, though inside, I felt far from certain. As Noha walked back toward the hospital, I stayed there for a moment longer, letting the cold night air numb the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind.

Vikram had always been smart, always one step ahead. But why Anshika? Out of everyone in my family, why was he targeting her? The thought of her in his clutches made my stomach turn. He was playing a sick game, and I was the unwilling pawn.

My mind drifted back to when Vikram and I were friends, back to a time when the world hadn't yet turned bitter and dark. We had been inseparable, brothers in all but blood. How had we ended up here, on opposite sides of a war that was tearing us apart?

I closed my eyes, trying to shake off the memories. It didn't matter anymore. The past was gone, and the present was all that mattered. Anshika needed me. My family needed me. And I wouldn't rest until I had her back.

With renewed determination, I pushed myself off the tree and headed back toward the hospital. It was time to stop running. Vikram might have the upper hand now, but I wouldn't let him win. Not this time.

As I stepped back inside the hospital, I saw Viyaan waiting for me. He gave me a small nod, understanding passing between us without words.

"We need a plan," I said, my voice firm. "And we need it fast."

But inside the hospital I was not able to breath! my head was going round and round! so I again ran outside so that I can finally think of solid and final plan this time to finish the whole root of this drama.

The night air outside the hospital felt heavy, filled with a suffocating weight as I ran out, leaving behind the chaos inside. My heart was pounding, thoughts racing in every direction. Viyaan was close behind, calling out to me, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.

"Where are you going?" Viyaan asked, catching up and grabbing my arm, forcing me to stop.

I turned to look at him, and I could see the confusion in his eyes, the same confusion that mirrored my own thoughts. "He still thinks I'm the one who killed her, Viyaan. He thinks I hurt Tanaya," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Vikram's belief that I was responsible for Tanaya's death and the betrayal that had torn us apart was still fueling his rage. He had built his entire vengeance on a lie. And the only way to get through to him was to dig deep into the past—into the very person who knew the truth all along but had disappeared from my life. I had to face Riya, my ex, Tanaya's best friend.

"Riya?" Viyaan's confusion deepened. "What does she have to do with any of this? She's been out of the picture for years, Ashwin."

I nodded, knowing how strange it sounded. But Riya was more than just a distant memory. She was the key to everything—Tanaya's best friend, the one who was closest to her, and the only person who could possibly explain what happened all those years ago. She knew the truth. If there was any chance to clear my name, to make Vikram understand that he had been wrong, it started with Riya.

Viyaan stepped back, his hand running through his hair in frustration. "You're saying you want to dig up the past? After all these years? Bhai, that part of your life is over. You left it behind. She left it behind."

"That's the problem, Viyaan. I never left it behind. Not really." I swallowed the lump in my throat, my thoughts pulling me back to the painful memories. "And clearly, neither did Vikram. As long as he believes I killed Tanaya, he'll never stop. This will never end."

I saw the hesitation in Viyaan's eyes. He was protective of me, always had been. But he knew I was right. Vikram's rage was born from a deep misunderstanding, and I couldn't let it destroy everything anymore. Not Anshika, not my family, and not the fragile peace I had tried so hard to build after that tragic day.

Viyaan let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging. "Alright. Let's do it bhai. Let's go find Riya. Let's end all this"

We arrived at Riya's apartment complex just before midnight. I hadn't seen her after our last meeting in London, since our relationship had ended shortly after Tanaya's death. We had drifted apart—not out of anger or bitterness, but out of necessity. We had both been too closely tied to the trauma of what had happened.

Standing outside her building, I felt the tension rise in my chest. Old wounds were about to be reopened, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it. But if this was the only way to stop Vikram, then I had no choice.

"Are you sure about this bhai? I mean you distanced herself from her after that incident of Vikram and Riya sleeping together." Viyaan asked, sensing my hesitation as we stood by the entrance.

I nodded, taking a deep breath before I pressed the buzzer to her apartment. The seconds that passed felt like hours until finally, her voice crackled through the speaker.

"Who is it?" she asked, her voice sounding cautious and tired.

"It's Ashwin... and Viyaan. We need to talk. It's about Tanaya."

There was a long pause on the other end, and for a moment, I wasn't sure if she would even respond. But then, the door buzzed, and we were let in.

Riya opened the door to her apartment, looking as though she had just woken up. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw me standing there, but she quickly masked any emotion.

"Ashwin," she said quietly, stepping aside to let us in. "It's been a long time. I knew you would surely come to me. I missed you baby."

I nodded, feeling the weight of the months between us. "I- But I need your help, Riya. I need to know the truth about what happened with Tanaya. Vikram—he still thinks I'm the one who hurt her, the one who... caused everything that happened after."

Her eyes flickered with recognition, and for a brief moment, I saw a flicker of guilt cross her face. She knew something. I had always suspected it, but I had never pressed her before.

"Sit down," she said, motioning to the small living room.

Viyaan and I took a seat on her worn-out couch, and Riya sat across from us, folding her hands in her lap. There was an uncomfortable silence, the kind that only comes with unresolved pain.

"I don't know how much you remember, Ashwin," she began, her voice steady but soft. "But that day—at the farewell party—Tanaya wasn't herself. She had been dealing with a lot. She didn't loved Vikram but you and just to get close to you she said yes to Vikram."

My throat tightened. "I remember," I replied quietly. "But that doesn't explain what I saw that night. What happened in that room with Vikram. She said I... that I took advantage of her."

Riya exhaled slowly, her gaze falling to the floor. "She didn't know what to do, Ashwin. She was scared—of losing Vikram, of what she thought she had to do to protect herself. She made a terrible mistake and also she knew that you don't really like her nor she wanted her relationship with Vikram but also she didn't wanted Vikram to think wrong about her as she knew how he loved her!."

I stared at her, trying to make sense of her words. "What are you saying, Riya? Did she lie to Vikram? About me? About this whole love and shit?"

"She thought it was the only way to push him away from her. She loved you, but she didn't feel like she could be with him anymore. She wanted out, but she didn't know how to break things off but at the same time she didn't wanted to end up being a bitch. So she blamed you." Her words hung in the air like a dark cloud.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The girl I had loved, the girl I had trusted with everything, had not only betrayed me but had set off a chain of events that destroyed my friendship with Vikram. And now, years later, that lie was still tearing us apart.

Viyaan leaned forward, his expression tight with anger. "So she made Bhaithe villain, and Vikram's been holding onto that lie for all these years?"

Riya nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "She regretted it, Ashwin. She wanted to tell the truth, but before she could... well, you know what happened."

I felt my hands clench into fists, the old wound tearing open even wider. I had spent years wondering why my life had fallen apart, why Vikram had turned on me so viciously. And now, after all this time, the truth was finally out. But it didn't change the fact that Vikram believed I had hurt Tanaya—and that belief had poisoned everything.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I didn't know how," Riya admitted, her voice breaking. "After Tanaya died, everything spiraled out of control so fast. I didn't know who to trust, and I didn't think you'd ever forgive me for not telling you sooner."

I rubbed my face, trying to make sense of everything. "So Vikram's revenge... it's all been based on a lie."

Viyaan stood up abruptly, pacing the room. "We need to tell him. We need to stop this before it gets any worse."

Riya looked up at me, fear in her eyes. "Be careful, Ashwin Love!. Vikram's not the same person you remember. He's changed. He's dangerous now."

I met her gaze, a heavy determination settling in my chest. "I don't have a choice. I have to stop him. For Anshika my better half. For everyone."

Riya nodded slowly, standing up as well. "I'll help however I can. Just... be careful."

As we left Riya's apartment, the weight of the revelation settled heavily on me. I had spent years wondering why my life had been torn apart, and now I knew. It didn't make the pain any easier, but at least I had something to fight for. I had the truth on my side.

"We need to find Vikram," I said to Viyaan as we walked back to the car.

He nodded, his jaw tight. "Do you think he'll believe you?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But we have to try."

The streets were quiet as we drove, my mind racing with everything that had happened. The path ahead was dangerous, but I knew there was no turning back now. Vikram had set everything in motion, and it was time to confront him with the truth—whether he was ready to hear it or not.

As we drove away from Riya's apartment, the revelation of Tanaya's lie weighed heavily on my mind. It felt like everything I knew about the past had been ripped apart and reassembled, but the pieces still didn't quite fit. Something else was nagging at me—something I hadn't allowed myself to think about for years.

Tanaya's death and Vikram's parents' accident—they had both happened on the same day.

It had always seemed like a cruel twist of fate, a devastating coincidence that shattered Vikram's life completely. But now, with everything that had come to light, I couldn't help but question it. Could it really have been just an accident?

Vikram had always blamed my family for his parents' deaths, believing they were involved in the car accident. I had never understood where that suspicion came from, but maybe now, with everything in the open, there was more to the story.

"Viyaan," I said suddenly, my voice low but tense.

He glanced at me, sensing the shift in my tone. "What's up?"

"Something doesn't add up," I replied, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past us. "Tanaya and Vikram's parents died on the same day. It's not a coincidence, it can't be. There's more to it."

Viyaan frowned, processing what I was saying. "You think the two are connected?"

"I don't know, but I'm starting to think it wasn't an accident." My mind was racing now, the puzzle pieces rearranging themselves into something darker, something more intentional. "Vikram's parents were in that accident, but what if someone else was behind it? What if someone wanted them dead?"

"And you think it has something to do with Tanaya?" Viyaan asked, his brows furrowed. "But why? Who would've wanted to kill both of them?"

"I don't know," I admitted, frustration bubbling up inside me. "But it can't just be a coincidence. Tanaya was killed, and his parents died the same day. That's too much for it to be random. What if someone set all this up to destroy Vikram's life?"

Viyaan went silent for a moment, clearly running through the possibilities in his head. "But if that's true, then who? Who would have done this?"