2200+ words

Tere bina zindagi mein koi bhi rang nahi,
tumhare saath ho toh har pal ek nayi umang hai,
tumhi ho meri zindagi ka asli maza,
tumhi ho meri duniya ki sabse badi khushi.

Author's pov:

Ashwin collapsed to his knees, his entire body trembling as the weight of everything came crashing down. The rage, the grief, the guilt—it all poured out of him in a torrent of uncontrollable sobs. He buried his face in his hands, the tears streaming down his cheeks as the enormity of Anshika's absence struck him like a force he couldn't withstand. The strong, vengeful façade he had maintained shattered in that moment, leaving only a broken man.

Vikram and Viyaan rushed to his side immediately, pulling him into their arms, trying to console him. "Ashwin," Vikram murmured, his voice low and gentle. "You're not alone in this. We're here. We're all here."

Ashwin didn't respond at first, his body still racked with sobs, his fingers digging into the floor as if he could anchor himself there. The rest of the family slowly gathered around him—his parents, Dadu, Noha—each of them watching in silent anguish, not knowing how to heal the raw, open wound that had torn through Ashwin's heart.

Dadu, though still shaken from the earlier events, placed a trembling hand on Ashwin's shoulder. "Beta," he said softly, his own voice filled with emotion, "it wasn't your fault. You did what you could. You loved her in the end, even if it was too late. We all saw it."

Ashwin finally lifted his head, his eyes red and swollen, his face streaked with tears. "I didn't... I didn't realize how much I cared for her until she was gone," he whispered, his voice broken. "We didn't even want to be together. We fought, we hated each other... but now... now I can't stop thinking about her."

Noha knelt beside him, her own eyes filled with tears as she reached out to hold his hand. "It's alright," she said gently. "We are with you bhai"

Ashwin's breath hitched, and for a moment, he hesitated. But then, as if the floodgates had been opened, the memory came rushing back. With tears still glistening in his eyes, he began to speak, his voice soft but filled with a deep, aching regret.

"It was before the marriage... before everything. We didn't know each other then," he started, his voice trembling. "I was out on the road, heading to meet some clients. It was a normal day, I didn't think much of it. But then... I saw her."

He paused, his chest heaving with emotion. "She was helping these kids who had been stranded on the street. They looked so helpless, and she—she was doing everything she could for them. But I—I didn't see what was happening at first. I was on the phone, arguing with someone. I was angry, frustrated... and I said something I didn't mean. I didn't even notice she was nearby."

Ashwin closed his eyes, the memory still fresh and painful. "I said, 'You freaking jerk! How dare you do that? Let them die!' But I wasn't talking about the kids. It was about something completely different, but Anshika... she overheard me. And she thought... she thought I was talking about her and those kids."

The family listened in stunned silence as Ashwin's words hung in the air.

"She stormed over to me, furious. She called me every name in the book, accused me of being heartless, of wanting to let those children die. She didn't know... she didn't understand. I tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen. She thought I was this awful person, and I couldn't blame her. The way I was acting... she had every right to believe that."

He wiped at his eyes, his voice thick with emotion. "That was our first meeting. We hated each other from that moment on. And then... the proposal came. Our families pushed us together, even though neither of us wanted it. We fought, we argued... and now... now she's gone."

His voice broke again, and he lowered his head, the tears falling freely. "I hated her for so long. And now I'll never be able to tell her that I'm sorry... that I didn't mean it. That I didn't want any of this."

Viyaan, his face tight with sympathy, squeezed Ashwin's shoulder. "You were both forced into something you didn't want. But that doesn't mean you didn't care for her in the end."

Ashwin shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "It doesn't matter anymore, does it? She's gone. And it's all because of Yuvan."

Noha, still holding his hand, spoke softly. "She knew, Ashwin. In the end, she knew you didn't hate her. And that you cared. You just didn't have the time to realize it."

Ashwin's father, standing nearby, finally spoke. "What matters now is what you do from here. You have to live with this, son. And if you let this revenge consume you, you'll lose yourself."

Ashwin looked up, his eyes filled with a deep resolve. "I've already lost everything. But Yuvan... he's not going to get away with it. I'm going to make sure he pays for what he did. To Anshika, to all of us."

The room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Everyone knew that Ashwin was on the brink, standing at the edge of a path that could either bring closure or destroy him entirely. But no one spoke against him. They knew this fight was personal, that it was something Ashwin needed to see through.

Ashwin wiped his tear-streaked face, trying to catch his breath, but the memories kept flooding back. Each one was a knife twisting in his chest, making the loss of Anshika more unbearable. He stood up, pacing the room, his hands trembling as he spoke, unable to contain the torrent of emotions surging through him.

"There was this one time," Ashwin started, his voice raw, "not long after we got married. I was so cold to her... I didn't care how she felt. I was blinded by my pride and the fact that neither of us wanted this marriage. I looked at her, and I said, 'Don't expect anything from me.'" His voice broke as he repeated the words. "I told her not to expect anything..."

He paused, shaking his head as if he could somehow undo the past. His hands covered his face, and his voice softened. "But now... now, I want her to expect everything from me. I just want her back. I need her."

Noha and Viyaan exchanged glances, their hearts breaking for Ashwin as they listened. His father clenched his fists, the weight of his son's pain almost too much to bear.

Ashwin turned toward them, his eyes wide, pleading. "You know how she was... always strong, always keeping her feelings to herself. But the way she'd taunt me, indirectly. God, the way she'd make these small remarks... she wasn't cruel, she just wanted me to see her, to notice her. And I ignored it."

He let out a shaky breath. "She never asked for much, but I see it now. The way she'd stand close, just for a second, letting her perfume linger in the air. That fragrance... it would stay with me long after she'd gone. It haunted me even then, and I didn't realize what it was."

Ashwin's voice lowered as if the next words were too painful to say aloud. "Her touch... whenever she brushed past me, or when her hand would accidentally graze mine... I used to pull away, but now... now, I'd give anything for that touch. I want everything from her, everything she had to give."

Tears welled up again in his eyes, but this time they were filled with a mix of yearning and guilt. "I want her back. I want everything. The things I didn't see... the things I pushed away. Her sarcasm, her quiet strength... even the way she fought with me. I'd take it all back if I could."

Noha stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on Ashwin's arm. "Ashwin, we know... we know you didn't mean it. But it's not too late for you to make this right. You can honor her memory. You don't have to be destroyed by this."

Ashwin shook his head. "But I am destroyed, Noha. She's gone, and I can't undo what I did. All the chances I had to fix things... I wasted them. I want her back, but she's gone."

Viyaan, always the steady voice of reason, stepped forward. "You loved her, Ashwin. Maybe not at first, maybe not in the way she needed... but in the end, you did. She knew that. Don't torture yourself with what you couldn't say. It's time to take the love you have for her and do something about it."

Ashwin wiped at his eyes, trying to steady his breathing, but the pain of her absence was still too fresh. He looked around at his family, each of them grieving with him in their own way, yet none of them could fill the void she left behind.

Vikram's face was etched with a mixture of sorrow and determination as he stepped closer to Ashwin. Without a word, he enveloped him in a firm, supportive embrace, his arms wrapping around Ashwin's shoulders in a gesture of solidarity.

"I'm with you, Ashwin," Vikram said, his voice steady despite the heaviness in the air. "Every step of the way. We'll do whatever it takes to make sure Yuvan pays for what he's done. For Anshika... and for all of us."

Ashwin's breath hitched at the unexpected show of support. He could feel the warmth of Vikram's body against his, a small comfort amidst the storm of his emotions. It was a rare moment of connection, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, he wasn't alone.

"Thank you, Vikram," Ashwin whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you."

Vikram gave him a reassuring squeeze before pulling back slightly to look Ashwin in the eye. "You don't have to go through this alone. We're family. We fight together, and we win together."

Next Morning

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Ashwin's room, casting a warm glow that felt almost surreal given the turmoil of the past days. The house was quiet, save for the muted sounds of activity downstairs. Ashwin sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his hands, which still trembled from the emotional and physical toll of his confrontation with Yuvan.

Vikram and Viyaan, ever steadfast, had managed to secure Yuvan's arrest and ensure that he was safely in custody. The war that had consumed so much of their lives was finally over, but the peace they had fought for felt distant, overshadowed by their grief and the scars of the battle.

Viyaan knocked gently before entering, his face a mix of relief and weariness. "Ashwin, how are you holding up?" he asked, taking a seat beside him.

Ashwin looked up, his eyes hollow yet resolute. "It's over, isn't it? Yuvan is in prison. We've won."

"Yes," Viyaan replied softly. "But the cost has been immense. We all need time to heal."

Vikram appeared in the doorway, his own expression a blend of exhaustion and hope. "Ashwin, we've done everything we can. Yuvan won't be able to hurt anyone again. We've made sure of it."

Ashwin nodded, the weight of their words settling heavily on him. "I know. But it doesn't feel like a victory. Not when Anshika isn't here to share it with us."

The room fell into a somber silence, the grief of loss hanging palpably in the air. Vikram stepped forward and placed a hand on Ashwin's shoulder. "I understand. None of us can undo the past, but we can honor Anshika's memory by moving forward, by being the family she believed in."

Ashwin's gaze fell to the floor, his voice trembling. "I keep thinking about how things could have been different. How I could have been different. I wanted to tell her everything... how much I needed her, how much I wanted her to expect everything from me."

Viyaan looked at him with empathy, understanding the depth of his pain. "You told her, Ashwin. In your own way, she knew. The love you had for her was clear, even if it was often unspoken."

Ashwin's eyes filled with tears again. "I remember when I told her to not expect anything from me, how she used to tease me about it. I wanted to make her expectations reality. I wanted to show her... I wanted her to know how much I cherished her."

Vikram gave him a comforting squeeze. "You're honoring her memory by acknowledging those feelings now. It's a part of healing, and it's important to remember the love and the good moments, even amid the pain."

As the day progressed, the atmosphere in the house began to shift. The initial rawness of their grief started to give way to a sense of cautious hope. Family and friends gathered, offering their support and beginning the process of rebuilding their lives.

Noha approached Ashwin later, her face a mask of determination. "Ashwin, I know we've been through so much. But we need to start finding a way to live with this. Anshika would want us to find happiness again, to live fully."

Ashwin looked at her, nodding through his tears. "I know. It's just going to take time."

Vikram and Viyaan continued to support Ashwin as he faced each day. They worked together to honor Anshika's memory, setting up a foundation in her name to help children in need, a cause she had been passionate about.

The days turned into weeks, and though the pain of Anshika's loss remained, Ashwin found solace in the knowledge that Yuvan could no longer cause harm. He focused on healing, both for himself and for his family, determined to keep moving forward, even as he carried Anshika's memory with him.