Shadows of the past, Flames o...

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The tension in the singhania mansion was palpable as the morning sun spilled through the windows. Raj sat at the dining table, flipping through the newspaper, though his mind was far from the words on the page. Across the table, Rashi quietly sipped her tea, her movements graceful but distant. 

It was the calm before the storm. 

Raj couldn’t help but steal glances at her. Her composed demeanor frustrated him. She wasn’t yelling, questioning, or even demanding answers. Instead, she sat there, exuding a quiet resolve that unnerved him. 

Finally, unable to bear the silence, Raj broke it. “Rashi.” 

She looked up, her expression neutral, her eyes giving nothing away. “Yes?” 

He hesitated, his voice sharp when he finally spoke. “Why are you acting like this doesn’t bother you?” 

Rashi blinked, taken aback by his tone, but she didn’t let her guard down. “Acting like what?” she asked, her voice steady. 

“You know what I mean,” he snapped, his frustration spilling over. “yesterday, i—” He paused, not wanting to give away his guilt. “i don’t know why that happened, but my actions weren’t acceptable. And now, you’re sitting here, calm, like none of it matters.” 

Rashi set her cup down gently, meeting his gaze with an unnerving composure. “It doesn’t bother me, Raj,” she said simply. 

Her words hit him like a slap. He didn’t know what reaction he was expecting—guilt, maybe, or anger—but not this. 

Her next words were softer, but they carried a weight that struck him deep. “I just want you to be happy.” 
 
The truth was, Rashi was far from calm. Her heart was breaking into a thousand pieces, but she refused to let it show. She had spent the entire morning replaying the events of the previous night in her mind—the bar, the café, and most painfully, the image of Raj with Maya. 

When she had seen him with Maya, something inside her had cracked. But what had truly shattered her was the lie. When she called him, hoping for reassurance, and he told her he was in his office, the betrayal was sharper than she could bear. 

Rashi wasn’t sure why she even cared so much. After all, Raj had made it clear that their marriage was just an arrangement. But despite her best efforts, she couldn’t control the growing feelings she had for him. 

Now, as she sat across from him, she vowed to keep her emotions in check. He didn’t need to know how deeply his actions affected her. 
 
Raj stared at her, his jaw tightening. Her calmness infuriated him, but not for the reasons he pretended. He wanted her to yell at him, to demand answers, to show him that she cared enough to be angry. 

But she didn’t. 

Instead, her quiet acceptance only deepened his guilt. She was trying to be selfless, and it tore at him because he knew the truth. He was keeping her at arm’s length not because he didn’t care, but because he cared too much. 

"She doesn’t know the dangers she’s in," he thought grimly. "If Vikram finds out how much she means to me, she’ll become a target."

That thought alone was enough to keep him from crossing the invisible line he had drawn for himself. No matter how much his heart pulled him toward her, he had to stay away. 
 
“Happy?” Raj repeated bitterly, standing abruptly. “Do you really think my happiness is what matters here?” 

Rashi flinched at the sharpness in his tone but didn’t break her composure. “It matters to me,” she said softly. 

Her words stunned him into silence. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of unspoken emotions hung heavy in the air. 

Finally, Rashi rose from her seat, gathering her cup. “If there’s nothing else, I have work to do,” she said, her voice cool and professional. 

Raj’s fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to stop her, to say something—anything—that would make her stay. But his pride, his guilt, and his fear held him back. 

As she walked away, he called after her, his voice harsher than he intended.

Rashi stopped in her tracks but didn’t turn around. “Understood,” she said quietly, and then she left the room. 

Raj watched her go, his chest tight with emotions he couldn’t name.

In the sanctuary of her room, Rashi allowed herself to feel the emotions she had kept bottled up. Tears streamed down her face as she leaned against the closed door. She didn’t understand why Raj’s words hurt so much, but they did. 

*Why does he keep pushing me away?* she thought. *Why does he act like he cares one moment, only to turn cold the next?* 

Her mind drifted back to the café, to the way he had looked at Maya. She remembered the easy familiarity between them, the softness in his gaze that she had never seen directed at her. 

*Why did I even call him?* she berated herself. *I should have known better.* 

But no matter how much she tried to convince herself that it didn’t matter, her heart refused to listen. 

In his study, Raj paced back and forth, unable to focus on anything. His mind was consumed by thoughts of Rashi. He replayed their conversation in his head, wincing at his own words. 

*Why do I keep doing this to her?* he thought. 

He remembered the hurt in her eyes when she said she wanted him to be happy. She had meant it, and that was what hurt the most. She cared about him, even when he didn’t deserve it. 

Sinking into his chair, he ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling inside him. He wanted to protect her, but in doing so, he was hurting her. 

*I’m such an idiot,* he thought bitterly. 

He picked up his phone, staring at her number. He wanted to call her, to apologize, to explain. But what would he even say? How could he tell her the truth without putting her in more danger? 

Instead, he put the phone down and buried his face in his hands. 

Meanwhile, Samaira sat in her room, fuming. She had overheard bits of the conversation between Raj and Rashi, and it frustrated her to no end. 

Her brother was being an idiot, and she knew it. 

Pulling out her phone, she dialed Raj’s number. 

“What is it, Samaira?” Raj’s voice was gruff. 

“Bhai, you’re an idiot,” she said bluntly. 

“Excuse me?” he said, his tone sharp. 

“You heard me. Why are you pushing Bhabhi away? Can’t you see she’s hurting?” 

Raj sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Samaira, this is none of your business.” 

“It is my business,” she shot back. “Because I care about both of you. And because I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She’s trying so hard, Bhai, and all you’re doing is tearing her down.” 

Raj’s silence was deafening. 

“I know you’re scared,” Samaira continued, her voice softening. “But you can’t protect her by pushing her away. You’re only making things worse.” 

“Samaira…” Raj began, but she cut him off. 

“No, Bhai. Just think about it. That’s all I’m asking.” 

With that, she ended the call, leaving Raj alone with his thoughts. 

As the day wore on, both Raj and Rashi found themselves consumed by their emotions. The distance between them felt insurmountable, yet neither could stop thinking about the other. 

For Rashi, it was a battle to protect her heart while still holding onto the hope that Raj might one day see her for who she truly was. 

For Raj, it was a struggle to keep her safe without pushing her too far away. 

But with every passing moment, the storm brewing between them grew stronger, threatening to shatter the fragile connection they had built. 

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