Anaya sat in the plush leather seat of the private jet, watching the clouds drift by as the aircraft ascended. The luxury around her was something she wasn't quite used to.

She broke the silence with a smirk, "Shi hai bhai, tum log ka." Her teasing glance flicked around the lavish interiors.

I tried not to wince at the word bhai, holding myself back from reacting too strongly.

"Kya shi hai?" I asked, keeping my voice casual, trying to stay curious rather than irritated.

"Yeh do-do planes, 3-4 bungalows... shi life hai tum log ki," she replied, leaning back into her seat, her tone light but impressed.

"Oh yeah, kamaya hai, mehnat se," I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "Tum bhi toh kama logi kisi din."

Anaya chuckled. "Haan toh, maine konsa kaha bhik mein mila hai. Kamaungi, dekh lena."

I held my breath again, feeling something tug at my chest every time she spoke with that fiery confidence. I let the conversation hang for a moment, unsure how to respond, so I just stayed silent.

The atmosphere in the jet shifted slightly as Anaya's expression turned more serious. "Mere papa..." she began, her voice quieter now, "Unhone kabhi mujhe kisi cheez ki kami mehsoos hone nahi di. Hamesha support kiya hai unhone. Jab bhi kisi musibat mein thi, wo hamesha mere saath the."

I listened carefully, noticing the change in her tone. She spoke about her father with a love and respect that ran deep, almost tangible.

"Ab... ab unhe iss halat mein dekhna bohot muskil hai," she continued, her voice almost trembling. "Papa ne mujhe yaha tak pahuncha diya, aur ab... unka yeh condition."

I didn't interrupt, letting her speak. I could sense how much she needed to get this off her chest.

After a moment, I asked softly, "Aur tumhari mom?"

Anaya's face suddenly paled, her expression unreadable for a moment. She sighed, her eyes shifting away.

"Mom..." she paused. "Jab mein paida hui thi, uske sirf 2 saal baad papa ka sab kuch almost khatam ho gaya tha. Financial problems... aur mom ne ye sab nahi jhela. She left. Papa ko, mujhe, sab kuch."

I frowned, feeling the weight of her words. The pain in her voice was unmistakable.

"Papa ne mining factories mein kaam kiya, jo milta tha wo sab karte rahe. Har tarah ki factory mein bas mere liye. Itna kaam kiya unhone ki unki health khatam ho gayi. Jab mein 20 ki thi, tabse papa ki yeh halat hai."

Her voice cracked slightly, and I could feel the gravity of her situation. I glanced at her, wanting to offer something comforting, but before I could speak, Anaya continued, her strength showing once more.

"Mein sab kuch scholarship se handle karti thi. Papa ne sab kuch mere liye kiya, aur tabse mein unke liye kar rahi hoon. But honestly... Fiza didu aur Rhea didu ne bhi bohot madad ki hai. Agar wo dono na hoti, toh pata nahi kaise manage karti."

I nodded, a deep respect for her filling my chest. "Bhot himmat hai tummei," I said quietly. "Itna kuch handle kiya, aur aaj yaha ho."

Anaya gave me a small, tired smile, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes but still carried her gratitude. "Kuch log hote hai na, jo aapko sambhal lete hain jab aap girne lagte ho. Mere liye papa, aur phir didi log, wo sab the."

I nodded again, lost in thought. I hadn't known Anaya for long, but hearing her story made me realize just how much strength she carried beneath that playful exterior.

As the plane continued toward Mumbai, the weight of her words lingered in the air, a reminder of the challenges and pain we all carried, no matter how much we tried to mask it with laughter or casual conversation.

After we landed in Mumbai, Haris had already arranged for a driver to pick us up. As soon as we stepped out of the terminal, the driver was waiting. He helped us into the car, and soon enough, we were on our way to Anaya's place. Once we reached, she got out first, taking the luggage with her. I stayed seated, thinking about heading to the hotel.

That's when Anaya turned around, raising her eyebrows. "Baithe kyu ho? Andar nahi aana?"

For a second, my mind wandered into its usual mischief. Maje hi maje... I just hate where my mind goes sometimes, but it's hard to control when she's around. I snapped back and replied casually, "Arey, mei hotel jaunga. Koi nhi."

She didn't miss a beat, replying with a simple, "Ok, koi nhi. Fiza didu ko bol dungi."

Hearing Fiza's name, I immediately straightened up. "Arey, koi zarurat nahi. Ara hu. Usse kyun takleef deni, ara hu madam!" I quickly grabbed my luggage and stepped out of the car, telling the driver he could go.

As I entered the building, I thought it was just going to be Anaya and me. But the moment we walked in, I froze in shock—Gurpreet ma'am was there, sitting comfortably in the living room. Wait... what? This is Fiza's building? I blurted out, completely confused.

Anaya gave me a small smile, almost like she'd expected my reaction. "Haan, Fiza didu ka hi building hai. Tabse jab wo incident hua tha, didu ne mana kiya tha mujhe akele rehne se."

Before I could process that fully, Gurpreet ma'am smiled warmly and greeted me, "Kaise ho, Raghav?"

I nodded, managing a polite reply, "Main theek hoon, ma'am. Aap kaise ho?"

Before the conversation could go any deeper, Anaya jumped in, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Aap dono ek dusre ko kaise jaante ho?"

Gurpreet ma'am chuckled softly, giving a casual wave. "Arey, ek baar video call pe baat hui thi jab Fiza se baat kar rahi thi. Tab Raghav bhi tha wahan."

Anaya's expression cleared up, a look of realization dawning on her face. "Oh, oh, ohhhho, accha, okay."

I couldn't help but chuckle at how she reacted, a mix of curiosity and amusement in her expression. The situation felt lighter, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew this was just the beginning of a long and emotional trip.

"Ma'am, abhi papa kaise hain? Hum abhi chale kya dekhne? Mujhe bohot tension ho rahi hai," I asked, my voice shaky with worry.

Gurpreet ma'am gave me a calm, yet concerned look. "Haan, bacche, abhi tumhare dad better hain. Kal unhe shock lag gaya tha, but he's fine now. Lekin abhi hum nahi jaa sakte. Raat ho gayi hai, aur wo hosh mein nahi hain because of the injections and all."

As soon as I heard that, it felt like the ground beneath me had vanished. My legs felt weak, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over me. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I felt myself beginning to lose balance, almost falling.

Before I could hit the floor, I felt Raghav's strong arms around me, holding me up. His voice was steady and comforting. "Anaya, papa thik hain. Kuch nahi hoga unhe. Tumhe strong rehna padega."

I wanted to believe him, but the fear was eating me up from the inside. "Par Raghav... unhone itna sab mere liye kiya, aur ab unki yeh halat... mein kya karu?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

He gently squeezed my shoulder, "I know, Anaya. Lekin tumhara abhi tootna allowed nahi hai. Tumhare papa ke liye tumhe yeh ladayi ladni padegi. Tumhe unke liye strong rehna hoga. Tumhari strength hi unko wapas le aayegi."

His words hit me like a wave of reassurance, but I could still feel the tightness in my chest. My mind was screaming with the worst possibilities, but Raghav's steady presence was the only thing holding me together.

"Main yaha hoon," he added softly, his gaze never leaving mine. "Tumhare saath, har kadam pe."

I nodded weakly, drawing strength from his words.

Gurpreet ma'am glanced between us, concern etched on her face. "Raghav, iska dhyaan rakhna. Aur Anaya, abhi sojao, rest karlo. Kal subah papa se mil lena. Mujhe thoda kaam hai, main chalti hoon. Aur tum dono ne ab tak khana nahi khaya hai toh table pe rakha hai, kha lena, yaad se," she instructed before heading out.

I nodded weakly, barely processing her words. My mind was elsewhere, consumed by the thought of my father's condition. I felt like I was sinking deeper into a fog of helplessness, unable to pull myself out.

Raghav and I went to freshen up, but my thoughts were far from settled. The anxiety was gnawing at me, making it impossible to focus. I sat on the edge of the bed, lost in my fears, staring blankly ahead.

"Anaya, khana khalo," Raghav's voice snapped me out of my trance. He was standing beside me, looking at me with concern.

"Mann nahi hai, Raghav," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He crouched down to my level, his face soft with understanding. Without saying a word, he pulled a chair close to me and sat down with a plate of food. "Agar tum nahi khao gi, toh kaise himmat aaegi? Tumhe apne liye khana hai, apne papa ke liye."

Before I could protest, he took a small spoonful of food and gently held it up to my lips. "Bas ek bite," he urged softly.

I looked at him, my heart heavy, but his eyes were full of quiet reassurance. Slowly, I took the bite, feeling a warmth spread in my chest—not from the food, but from his steady presence.

He continued feeding me, one bite at a time, all while speaking in soft, comforting tones. "Papa ko tumhara support chahiye. Tumhe unke liye strong rehna hoga," he whispered. His voice was like an anchor, keeping me from being swallowed whole by my worries.

After I had eaten enough, he helped me lie down on the bed. I wasn't in the state of mind to argue or resist anymore. My body felt drained, the emotional toll of the day weighing me down.

Raghav gently tucked me in, sitting beside me on the bed. "Tumhe abhi rest chahiye, Anaya. Kal ka din important hai." He brushed a strand of hair away from my face, his touch light and reassuring.

I closed my eyes, feeling him still there beside me, his presence the only thing grounding me. The silence in the room felt different now—not as heavy, but filled with a sense of quiet protection.

He didn't leave. Instead, he sat there, keeping watch over me as sleep slowly took over. His hand rested gently on mine, a silent promise that he wasn't going anywhere.

As I drifted off, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for him. Even in the middle of my turmoil, he was my calm.

As Raghav settled beside Anaya, sitting against the headboard, he couldn't shake off the thoughts swirling in his mind. He watched her, so strong yet fragile, holding herself together through years of pain and uncertainty. A surge of determination washed over him as he made a silent vow.

"Aaj se tumhe kuch nahi hoga, Anaya. Mei hamesha hoon tumhare sath," he promised quietly to himself. "Jitna bhi kuch sahna pada, wo sab ab nahi hoga. Tumhe is dard se akele nahi ladna padega."

He glanced at her peaceful face, the tension in her features easing as sleep took over. "Main tumhara saath doonga, har kadam par. Tumhe strong banna nahi hoga, kyunki main tumhare liye yeh karunga," he whispered softly, his heart full of resolve.

With that promise echoing in his mind, he finally allowed his own eyes to drift shut, knowing that from this moment forward, they would face everything together.

**************************************

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