𝐆𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬

The cell door creaked open, and Aisha stepped out first—silent, steady, her baby panther trailing by her side like a shadow. One by one, the others exited the adjacent cells, wordless, following her lead as if drawn by an unspoken gravity.

She ascended the narrow staircase, the dim yellow lights above casting flickers across her blood-splattered clothes. Her path led them into her cabin.

Without a word, she reached the bookshelf and pulled out a single book—just enough to trigger the hidden switch. A soft mechanical hum followed, and the wall beside them shifted, rotating slowly to reveal a board covered in pinned photographs, strings, scribbled notes, and markings in red and black.

Her revenge board.

Gasps were swallowed. Curiosity gleamed in every pair of eyes—except Saad and Neha's. They had seen this before. The others hadn't.

Aisha stepped forward, uncapped a red marker, and without hesitation, slashed a heavy X over the photo of the man she had just killed.

"That chapter ends today," she murmured. Her voice was low but firm. ""Saad bhai will explain. I need to get rid of this man's filth from my skin."

She disappeared into the bathroom, the door shutting quietly behind her.

Rajendra took a slow step forward, eyes locked on the board.
Dozens of pictures. Some faded. Some new. Some... defaced with a harsh red cross.

His gaze landed on the freshly marked one.
The ink was still wet, bleeding slightly into the photo.

He exhaled. "This is the man she killed today."

Saad stood silently behind him, arms folded. He gave a small nod. "Yeah."

Arjun's eyes were cold, but curious. "Do you know why?"

Neha answered this time, shaking her head slowly. "She never told us."

Veer's eyes locked on two other pictures already marked with red crosses. "And these two?"

Saad's voice dropped, heavy with weight. "They're the ones who raped her Kaki. Murdered her in cold blood in front of Aisha's eyes."

A stunned silence settled. Some had already heard this part of her 온라인카지노게임. But seeing the faces on a wall... made it real. Tangible.

Rivaan frowned, confused. "But... wasn't she only four at that time? How did she recognize them?"

Saad exhaled deeply. "She didn't remember everything. Just flashes. Screams. Barely remembers her Kaki—she was too young. But trauma leaves marks deeper than memory. She never forgot their faces. She had an artist sketch what she remembered. Then used AI to generate proper images."

A few eyes misted. Rage mingled with heartbreak.

Divyansh pointed to a photo that remained untouched by the red marker. "What about this one? Do you know who he is?"

Saad slowly shook his head. "No. I don't know who the man today really was... or who this one is. But Aisha once told me—between the two of them, one molested her at Joshi Mansion."

A stunned silence shattered.

Vikram's voice was low, controlled, but heavy with concern. "Since when has she been doing this?"

Before Saad could answer, the bathroom door creaked open.

Aisha stepped out as she dabbed her wet face. Her voice cut through the thick silence—quiet but unshakable. "It's been four years."

Every head turned to her.

She didn't falter under the weight of their gazes. "It started with Kaki's assaulters," she continued, walking to the board, her tone composed, like she had rehearsed these words a thousand times in her mind. "I found them in Switzerland... when Rivaan took me there."

Rivaan took a step forward, eyebrows furrowed. "When?" he asked, disbelief lacing his voice.

Aisha looked at him, a faint, tired smile on her lips. "The second day. We were playing in the snow, remember? I asked you to get us hot chocolate. I saw him... recognized the face. I sent his picture to bhai immediately. And through him... I tracked the other one too."

Realization dawned in Rivaan's eyes. The others nodded slowly, speechless.

Aisha turned back to the board, her gaze lingering on the crisscross of strings and photos. "When STAR came into the dark world... I sent them warnings. Subtle at first. Then louder." Her smirk was cold, chilling. "They ran. Hid like cowards. That's when I realized... they weren't random men. They were gang. Protected by very powerful people. People who are still behind me."

Her voice hardened. "But I like the fear they have when they hear my name. Why wouldn't they? I became their nightmare."

Arjun's voice, though calm, held a sharpness. "And the man you killed today... who was he?"

Aisha's smile disappeared. She stared at the freshly crossed-out photo on the board, her expression hollow, unreadable.

"When I was eight," she said slowly, "he was hired as my tutor. He was only seventeen. Seemed nice to everyone else... but he wasn't. He was twisted. He found joy in punishing me. In abusing me. And he made me recite that poem... over and over... the one I was forced to sang when Kaki was getting raped. Because he knew." Her voice cracked slightly on that last word, but she didn't let it break her.

Gasps were swallowed. Jaws clenched. Everyone stared at the photo like they could bring him back to life just to make him suffer again.

Divyansh's voice trembled. "If he was your tutor... then the last one left—he's the one who..."
His words faltered.

Aisha nodded silently, her eyes not leaving the board. They all knew what he meant.

A heavy, suffocating silence descended. Rage. Sorrow. Guilt. The weight of it all pressed down on them like a storm cloud. Every time they thought they knew the depth of her pain, it turned out there was still more—more horror, more hurt, more strength.

And through it all, Aisha stood there—small, silent... shaking ever so slightly.

Rajendra's gaze never left her. He saw what the others couldn't. The way her fingers trembled. The quiet struggle in her breath. She wasn't okay. Not really. She was still living those memories... still fighting to stay upright.

And that was enough.

"That's enough for today," Rajendra said suddenly, his voice laced with gentle authority.

Everyone turned to him. He opened one arm toward her. "Come, princess... let's go home."

Aisha's eyes softened at the word—home. Her walls crumbled in that moment. She stepped forward, faster, until she was wrapped in his embrace. Safe.

Her head rested on his chest, and the breath she released trembled as it left her. Like she'd been holding it for too long.

The others watched in silence—respectful, protective, aching for her.

And together, they left the warehouse. Quiet. United. Changed.

I sat on the cold concrete slab of the terrace, legs loosely dangling over the edge, head bowed under a night that looked just as hollow as I felt. The sky was a heavy shade of black—no moon, no stars. Just emptiness.

A cigarette rested between my fingers. Unlit.

In the other hand, a silver lighter kept flicking open and shut. Click. Flick. Click. Ten minutes, maybe more, I'd been at it. My fingers ached. My jaw clenched. I couldn't light it—wouldn't—but God, I wanted to.

Not for the high. Not for the addiction. But for control.

Because the weight of everything tonight was pressing too hard on my chest.

Too much happened.

I killed him. Another monster. Another ghost from my past buried six feet deep with my silence.
I cornered Kashish. Saw the Joshis. Tasted the rage. Swallowed the ache.
And all through it, one thought kept drilling into my mind like a relentless hammer:

Who the hell is behind this?

Who keeps pulling the strings? Who's still hunting me like I'm nothing more than unfinished prey?

If all of this had happened a year ago, or before I ever stepped foot into the Oberoi office—before I met my family, before I met Aan—I wouldn't have cared. I would've laughed. Gone with the flow. Danced with danger the way I always did.

But not anymore.

Now I'm scared. Too scared.

Not of dying. No. Death is peace.
But of what I'd leave behind.

The people who just found me... who opened their hearts and made me part of theirs...
If I died—if I got taken—what would happen to them?

They would shatter.

The thought alone is enough to make my lungs burn more than this cigarette ever could.

I squeezed the lighter shut with trembling fingers, knuckles pale. My breath hitched—because then there's her—my mother.

What if she's involved?

What if she is the woman behind all this?

The thought makes me cold inside. But... no. I don't want to believe that. I can't.
Dad described her like an angel, didn't he? So pure. So warm.

Maybe she had reasons for what she did.
Maybe those reasons weren't wrong.
Maybe...

God, please. Let that be the truth.

Because if not.

I don't know if I'll survive that truth.

My hands were shaking now.

I wanted to scream.
Or maybe vanish.
Or maybe cry.

But I did none of it.

Because just then, the cigarette was gently plucked from my fingers.

I looked up, startled.

Arjun bhaiya.

Arjun bhaiya stood there, eyes soft, unreadable. He didn't scold me—didn't ask why.
Just one gentle question, "Cigarette?"

I shook my head. "I was craving... but I didn't light it."

He nodded once. No lecture. No judgment.

He sat beside me on the slab. The wind brushed my skin but couldn't chill me more than my thoughts already had.

I leaned into him without thinking, and his arm came around me instinctively.

His hand lifted to my cheek, thumb brushing lightly.

Only then did I realize—
I was crying.

Not loud. Not gasping.
Just quiet tears trailing down without permission.
I hadn't even felt them fall.

"What happened, Shya?" His voice was low, steady—like the calm before a storm. But I could hear the panic hiding beneath it.

I didn't answer right away. My throat tightened, my lips trembled. The tears were already pooling, blurring my vision.

When I finally spoke, my voice came out broken. "I'm scared, bhaiya."

That was all it took.

He pulled me tighter into his arms, so gently, like he was afraid I'd shatter. "Scared of what, bacha? Huh? Talk to me."

His words were soft, but his hold was fierce. Protective. Desperate.

"What if... what if they take me away again?" I whispered, my fingers clutching his shirt. "What if they kill me this time?"

He stilled for a second.
Then he exhaled slowly and began rubbing my arms, his touch trembling just slightly.

"Nobody—" his voice had steel now, "—nobody can take you away from us again. Not in this lifetime. Not in any damn lifetime."

I felt him bury his chin into my hair, his voice trembling between anger and love.
"If anyone tries, we won't spare them. We'll burn the world down if we have to. You know that, na?"

I nodded through my tears.

He pulled back slightly, cupping my face in both hands.
"But honestly?" he smiled, a small, fond one. "Before we even get a chance, our little STAR will probably handle them herself."

That made me laugh—soft and broken—but real.
I clung to him tighter, my voice barely audible now.

"Bhaiya... I'm not just scared of being taken again. I'm more scared of what is something happened to you all after me? What if I lose you all again?."

My chest ached.
"I don't think I could survive losing you all. Not again. I don't think I can take that, bhaiya. I... I don't know why they're after me. I haven't done anything. Still, they..."

He closed his eyes for a second, breathing in like he was holding the pain back.
Then he kissed my hair, and his voice dropped—raw, stripped of all armour.

"We don't know why they're after you, bacha. But whatever the reason is..."
His hand moved to my cheek.
"You're not alone anymore. You have us. This time, you don't fight alone."

I nodded, but the heaviness wouldn't leave me.

After a moment of silence, I looked up.

"Bhaiya... do you think she was innocent? Our... mother?"

The air shifted.

His entire body stiffened. I saw his jaw clench, and his eyes—so full of warmth a second ago—darkened.

"I... I don't know." His voice was quieter now, weighed down.
"Maybe she was. Maybe she had her reasons."
A bitter laugh slipped out.
"But even if she was innocent... it doesn't undo what she did. It doesn't bring back the years we lost."

His voice cracked—not loudly, but like glass under pressure.

"She let us mourn you. Bacha, I used to scream in my sleep because I saw you dying over and over again. Every night."
He blinked, his eyes shining.
"Even if the whole world forgives her... I don't think I ever will. Not unless her reason could explain why my entire childhood felt like a funeral."

I didn't speak. I couldn't. I just pressed my forehead against his chest, holding him like he was the only thing anchoring me to the ground.

He sighed, then continued, softer now.

"Kavya once told me..." he smiled bitterly, "that I only smile in my sleep. And even then, it's when I'm dreaming of you."

His hands trembled slightly as he pulled me closer.
"I used to whisper your name at night, like it was the only way to make you real again. Like maybe if I said it enough times, you'd come back."

My heart shattered.

That pain—that quiet, unspoken agony—had lived inside them all these years. While I thought I was the only one drowning, they had been choking on the same storm, silently.

I remembered what Kavya bhabhi once told me.
That after I was gone, Bhaiya hadn't smiled genuinely for years.

She said the only time he looked at peace and smiled... was in his sleep.

Because that's when he dreamt of me.
Murmured my name like a prayer, like it was the only way to make me real again. Like maybe if he said it enough times, I'd come back.

Even I hadn't been there.
But somehow, even in the deepest parts of him—I never really left.

And that realization didn't bring comfort.
It shattered something inside me.

Because while I had fought to survive alone...
They had lived every single day grieving someone who was still breathing.

Me.

I hesitated before whispering, "Bhai... can I ask you something?"

He nodded without a word, eyes already bracing for whatever weight I was about to drop.

"How did... how did Veeru end up in a coma? I mean... he was unconscious for so long. He only woke up after I was born. After... after my fake death."

A silence followed—thick, heavy—before he finally spoke, voice low, like peeling back a wound that never really closed.

"Veer and Vikram had gone for a school camp in the hills. It was supposed to be safe. Dad had assigned our top security—he never took chances when it came to us. But... something went wrong. Still don't know how it got that messed up."

His jaw clenched, hands fisting lightly. "The camp was attacked. Not random. It was planned. The kids weren't targets. Just twins were. Vikram... he was their aim. But Veer—" His voice cracked for the first time. "Veer shielded him. He stood in front like a damn wall. Took every blow. Every single one."

My breath hitched.

"Vikram was knocked unconscious. Veer... he got the worst of it. They beat him. Bad. Head injury. It... it led to the coma. Vikram had some physical wounds but the trauma—mentally—it changed him. He barely spoke after that. And through it all, Mom—she broke in ways none of us had ever seen before."

He looked away, blinking rapidly. "Then she found out she was pregnant—with you. That baby... you... became her only reason to breathe."

I swallowed hard, chest caving in.

"We used to sit by Veer's bed and talk to him about you. Tell him stories, whisper updates about you growing inside mom. We hoped he'd hear us, somehow. That he'd fight harder to come back."

Then his voice went hollow. ""Then... you were born. And then you were... gone... everything shattered. Again."

My hands curled around my knees.

"We told Vikram the baby was lost. That mom had left. He was too little. Too traumatized already to question it. Unknown to us he knew. He always knew. Even if he didn't speak it."

"And Divu?" I asked.

"Div was just a toddler. All he understood was that mom was gone. But he kept looking for her everywhere. He didn't know what he was searching for apart from Mom. But his little heart knew something was missing."

His voice broke slightly, but he didn't let the tears fall. "We were so scared, Shya. Veer wasn't waking up. A year going to be passed. Almost lost hope. But then—one day, he just... woke up. And after that, we promised we'd never be separated again. That nothing would touch us. Within three years, we left Mumbai."

My eyes stung. I didn't blink.

I didn't speak. I just let it all crash over me like waves.

Then I whispered, "When did Dadu die?"

He paused, like he wasn't expecting the question. "Around the time our parents told him about you. About the baby girl. He died a week later."

"How?" My voice was hoarse.

"He wasn't well. But that wasn't it. There was stress... business mess, family tension, Veer... it all piled up. He had a heart attack. It was sudden. One night he was fine—laughing, even. Next morning... gone."

That word—sudden—rang in my ears.

I nodded slowly, but something tugged at the edges of my thoughts. Everything felt... vague. Disconnected. But not really. Like pieces of a puzzle I'd never been shown were finally being dropped in front of me. Crooked, unclear—but there.

They hadn't dug deeper. They were surviving. I understood. But I couldn't shake it.
Something was hiding beneath all this. A thread connecting everything to me.

Bhai suddenly looked up, eyes fixed on nothing in particular. "You know," he murmured, "when Dadu died... it was strange. Like, really strange. The night before, he was glowing. Joyful. Stronger than he'd been in days. And then—morning came—and he was gone."

A chill slithered down my spine.

I sighed, forcing air into my lungs, nodding more to myself than him.

I needed to go through this. Deep. Layer by layer.
Because something wasn't adding up.
And my gut had never screamed this loud before.

Bhaiya suddenly stood up from the slab, brushing the dust off his sweats, and gently patted my back.

"Let's go, Shya. It's late—you need to sleep," he said softly.

I let out a dramatic sigh, flopping my shoulders exaggeratedly. "I'm not sleepy," I whined, dragging the word like a stubborn child.

He chuckled under his breath, probably about to say something teasing when—

"THEN LET'S GO FOR A NIGHT OUT!"

A voice boomed behind us.

I clutched Bhaiya's hand like my life depended on it—because, spoiler alert, it kinda did.

That sudden voice behind us? Nearly launched me off the edge from four floors high. Just like that. Boom. Aisha pancakes on the pavement. What a poetic death—killed by shock, not enemies.

I whipped around, glare locked and loaded—already knowing, knowing exactly whose voice it was.

And there they were.

The rest of my brothers, casually standing like they hadn't just ambushed us from the shadows.

But I knew that voice. That was definitely Divyansh. No one else has the talent to yell like a foghorn during an emotional breakdown.

I scowled at Div like he was the reason global warming existed. "Ever heard of an inner voice, or did your brain miss that feature update? What if I'd slipped, huh? That too from the fourth floor? Would've been a flying squirrel moment—with no landing."

He just rolled his eyes, like I'm the dramatic one in this scenario. Sure, blame the girl casually hanging on the edge of life.

Before I could go full lecture mode, Vikkie walked up and thwacked my head—no warning, just straight-up sibling abuse. "Who told you to sit like this?"

I blinked, flashed him my most angelic, sarcastic smile, and replied sweetly, "ME. MYSELF. MY HEART. MY MIND. MY—"

Before I could finish my Oscar-winning monologue, Veeru calmly slapped his palm over my mouth. "We get it. We get it."

Arjun Bhaiya sighed, like the universe personally offended him by giving him siblings, and effortlessly picked me up like I weighed nothing and plopped me down safely. Ten points for overprotective brothers.

Then came Div, again, like a walking Red Bull ad. "SOOO... Night out?"

I didn't even blink. "YES."

Vikkie and I instantly chorused, "YES!"

Veeru and Bhaiya? Party poopers. "No."

I gave them a dazzling smile that usually means danger. "Well, majority wins."

And I ran. Fast. Screaming, "WHOEVER REACHES FIRST DRIVES!"

What followed was... musical chaos.

"AISHA, I'M DRIVING, THAT'S IT!!!"
"SUNSHINE, DON'T RUN, YOU'LL GET HURT!"
"AISHHHH, YOU CHEATER! YOU SHOULD'VE SAID FIRSTTT!!"
"I HAVE IMBECILES FOR SIBLINGS," came Bhaiya's voice—low, defeated, full of 'why did I have to be their elder brother?'

And me?

I just fucking laughed.

Because honestly, the whole damn day felt like the universe had it out for me—one blow after another, like I signed up for some cosmic joke no one told me about. Every second dragged like nails on my skin, every thought screaming loud enough to make my head explode, where every turn made me want to scream, punch a wall, or just vanish.

But somehow... at the end of it all, when the storm settles, I have them.

My brothers. My chaos. My peace. My home—who somehow always show up when everything else falls apart.

They don't fix the world.
Hell, they don't even try.
But they fix me.

So yeah, throw your worst shit at me—life, fate, destiny, or whatever the fuck is playing puppet master behind the scenes.

I'll survive. I'll fight. I'll bleed and still get back up.

Because at the end of all the shit—
They're there.
And that's all I'll ever need.

Morning light tried its best to blind me through the damn curtains. Did I open my eyes? Nope. Not happening. I was way too comfortable, perfectly cocooned under my duvet like a burrito of peace.

I mean, come on. The world can wait.

My limbs are heavy, my room is warm, and the silence—God, the silence—is almost romantic. It's one of those rare mornings where the universe decides to not screw with you. And I? I am choosing peace. Solitude. Bed.

And maybe a little cuddling with Ayush. Just us, tangled together like emotionally unavailable spaghetti.

So naturally, I blindly stretched my arm across the bed and caught someone. Jackpot. Without even checking, I jerked him towards me, comfortably digging my face into his neck like I owned the man. My Ayush. My comfort human. Without thinking, letting out a soft, satisfied sigh as I bury my face into his neck.

My voice is rough with sleep, borderline seductive without trying. "Good that you're here," I murmur, eyes still closed. "Let's just stay like this forever. No work. No people. Just me, you, and—"

"Saad. Leave me, man."

But did I care? Nah.

I snuggled closer, absolutely committed to ignoring reality. My arms locked in place like I'd paid rent on this cuddle. Then came the panic in his voice—

"Saad, what the hell, dude?! Are you out of your mind?! Leave me!"

What did I do in response?
Pressed a kiss to his cheek with all the sleepy sass I could gather and mumbled,
"Shut up. Let's sleep more, love."

Face? Dug back into his neck like I belonged there.

A shriek. Pure panic.
"SAAD, WHAT THE HELL DUDE?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! LET GO OF ME!"

I blinked... once. Twice.
Then... giggles.
Wait... giggles? Plural?

Why are there giggles? Ayush doesn't giggle.

And then it hit me.
That voice.
That's not Ayush.
That's definitely not Ayush.

This... this isn't Ayush's voice.
It was too whiny. Too dramatic. Too Kaustav.

Now, after what felt like a solid five minutes of illegal cuddling, my brain finally sent a memo to my eyes—"OPEN. NOW."

And oh, they did. Wide.
Mouth too, by the way—open like I'd seen a ghost.

I slowly, very slowly, lifted my head...
And there he was.

Kaustav.
Who was looking scarred for life and about two seconds away from therapy.

I blinked once. Twice.
Then screamed, "WHAT. THE. FUCKKKKKK!"

Pushed him away like I was exorcising a demon.
Because honestly? That's exactly what it felt like.

Then—because the universe wasn't done humiliating me—I heard laughter.
Not just any laughter.
Hyena-level, can't-breathe, rolling-on-the-floor type laughter.

I turned my head, slow and full of dread.
And there they were.

Aisha and Teja.
Sitting on bean bags like two devils, absolutely losing their shit.
Aisha had tears in her eyes, slapping Teja's arm, while Teja looked like she was about to ascend to comedy heaven.

I glared.
They laughed harder.
Kaustav sniffled dramatically behind me like he was the victim here.

I stood up, glaring at them like a sleep-deprived demon. And just like that—poof—the peaceful lazy day I had manifested with all my heart?
Dead. Slaughtered. Burned.
Gone. Absolutely vanished.

And why?

Because apparently, privacy is just a myth in my life.

I glared at the three clowns in front of me like they owed me rent.

"What the hell are you all doing in my room this early?" I growled, voice still coated with sleep and very real hatred.

Aisha, sitting there with the smuggest grin known to mankind, had the audacity to say, "Well, good afternoon to you too, bhai."

I blinked. Afternoon?

I looked at the clock. 12:46 PM.
Alright, fair. I was practically in a coma. Whatever.

Teja casually added, "You told us to come today, remember?"

No, I didn't.
Or maybe I did.
I dunno—past me clearly hated present me.

And then, Kaustav, the drama queen himself, clutched his chest like I'd broken his heart. "If I had known this was the plan, I would've stayed in bed. Far, far away from trauma."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Even if you were gay, I still wouldn't have touched you, you dramatic fucker."

And yes, I officially regretted letting these three into my life, my home, and apparently now, my bedroom.

Oh fine it's a lie.

Before I could manifest a hole to crawl back into, the door creaked open behind me.
I didn't even need to look. The energy shift was enough.

Enter: Neha.

Wearing an apron, holding a ladle like a weapon, and with a death glare that could roast a chicken faster than her oven.

She didn't even blink. "Oh, look who finally decided to wake up."

"I'm awake, not alive," I muttered.

She snapped. "Now drag your ass to the bathroom and get ready. I made lunch."

I opened my mouth to explain how I was emotionally not ready to exist yet, but she wasn't done.

"And Saad, if I find that kitchen messed up again—just once—I will personally perform psychological warfare on your soul. Don't test me."

I shot her a deadpan look. "Then just kill me. It'll be faster."

She started a rant—about cleanliness, responsibility, the 'sanctity of shared spaces'—sounding exactly like Monica Geller with a headache.

And me? I stood there, internally screaming, externally too tired.

I snapped, "SHUT UP! I DON'T EVEN LIVE HERE, OKAY?! IT'S JUST FOR TODAY!"

Which, yes, is true. Ever since Aisha and I practically moved into Oberoi Mansion, this place is more like a backup shelter.

Before anyone else could breathe in preparation for another attack on my peace, I opened the door and kicked all three of them out.

Literally pushed them out one by one.

Of course, they didn't go quietly.
No, no.

They walked out flipping me off in perfect synchronization, like they rehearsed it.
Middle fingers up. Proud.
Kaustav even threw in a dramatic gasp for flavor.

And as the door finally slammed shut, I stood there, hair vertical, soul shattered.

One thought:
Should've just stayed in a coma.

I rushed to the bathroom like my life depended on it — which, considering Neha's wrath and my growling stomach, wasn't entirely untrue.
If I didn't move fast, either she'd start breathing down my neck or those food-vultures outside would polish off everything before I even got a bite.

And now that I actually noticed... yeah. I was starving.

I stripped off my clothes and jumped into the shower, hoping for a moment of peace.
Wishful thinking.
Because the second the water hit my skin—boom. There he was.

Ayush invade my thoughts.

Scratch that—he doesn't invade my thoughts.
He lives there.
Permanent resident. No rent. No notice.
He's in my mind, my bones, my every damn heartbeat.
Just... never physically near me.

And the day he finally stops hiding, finally opens up to everyone?
I swear, I'll glue myself to him.
No tape required. No strings. Just me—right there.

He spent most of his life pretending he was only into girls.
And okay, that wasn't a lie. He is.
But he's also into me.

Bisexual, yeah.
But what hit me hard—what twisted something deep inside me in the best possible way—was when he said he never let anyone close before me.
Not even once.
Not emotionally. Not physically.

Just me.

And I'd be lying if I said that didn't mess me up.
Because when someone like Ayush—guarded, scared, stitched together by silence—chooses you?
It hits your soul like a whisper you never knew you needed.

And that night...
If he hadn't run...

If he'd just stayed—
God, I would've wrapped every ounce of safety around his fear,
peeled every insecurity off his skin like lace, soft and slow,
until all that was left was him—bare, unafraid, and mine.

But can I blame him?

No.
You can't blame someone who was taught to see love as a threat.
Ayush didn't grow up with a family.
He grew up with a stage performance.

From the outside?
They looked golden—shining, flawless.

Inside?
Rotten.

Hollow smiles. Cold stares. Walls so quiet, they screamed.
They don't raise kids—they break them.
And then they wonder why their children bleed silence.

I've seen it before. Too many times.

But some kids...
Some broken kids—like Ayush—they bloom anyway.
They gather their shattered pieces, glue them back with stubbornness and soft rage,
and create something better. Something new. Something brave.

Ayush is one of them.

So am I.
So is Aisha.
And some others too.

I got out of the shower, dried off in a rush, yanked on my sweatpant and a t-shirt and rubbed a towel through my hair while my stomach threatening to start a protest.

As I walked down the stairs, already dreading whatever chaos was waiting, I saw her.

Aisha.

Sitting there on the couch, laughing at something Teja must've said.
Not giggling. Not fake smiling.
Laughing.
Like really laughing — head thrown back, eyes crinkled, joy punching out of her chest like she didn't carry the weight of a thousand heartbreaks.

And I just... stopped.

Like some part of me needed to freeze this second and remember it. Bottle it up. Carve it into my ribs.

Because I know her.

I know the broken version. The tired version. The "I'm fine" with shaky hands version. The one who used to flinches a little too quickly when someone raises their voice, or pulls away when a hug lasts too long.
I know the silence she wears like armor.

So seeing this version?
This soft, loud, open, messy version?

It gutted me.

And then it hit me — God, I wish I'd found her sooner. Before all the shit. Before life got its hands on her and wrung her dry.

If I had known her back then, I would've fought the world for her.
No hesitation. No second thought.
I would've wrapped her in my arms and kept her safe, shielded her innocence., even if it cost me everything.

But the truth is, back then... I couldn't even save myself.

I was just a scared kid watching his own sister break apart piece by piece and doing nothing.
I didn't able protect her.
I didn't able fight hard enough.

And she's gone now.

So maybe this is the universe giving me another shot.
Another sister.

Another chance.

I will not fail this one.

Not Aisha.
Not her.

✨

I poured Kaustav a drink and asked quietly, "So... you guys are really back?"

He turned to me, nodded once. "Yeah. We're back. For real this time."

I took a slow sip from my glass, watching the couch across the room. Neha and Teja were deep into some heated gossip, voices overlapping with their usual banter, while Aisha rested her head in Neha's lap, clearly enjoying the moment.

Me and Kaustav had taken the bar area. Safer here. Especially when those they're in full swing.

"So," I said, turning back to him, "was there a reason? Or did you just decide to come back randomly? You and Teja barely step foot in India."

He exhaled, long and tired. "We're heading back to Delhi. To the organization."

I blinked. "Wait—you're joining back?"

He nodded, took a long sip of his drink. "Didn't have much of a choice. Things are falling apart, Saad. You have no idea... it's a mess now. A dangerous one."

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of mess?"

"Boss is stepping down. He's about to retire. And when he does, that place—" he shook his head, "you know the kind of vultures that've been circling. Even though the organization was built as a refuge—for the broken, the shattered, the lost. People shaped by cruelty. But not all of them were just victims. Some were dangerous in a much darker way—ambitious, manipulative, hungry for power. Not inhuman, no... but definitely not good."

I nodded slowly.

Yeah, I knew exactly what he meant.

That's the main reason I walked away.

That's why Isha left.

Vaishnavi barely had any interest in it.

Shivanya always kept her distance.

Even Teja and Kaustav walked out too, but... that wasn't the whole 온라인카지노게임.

He nodded. "He does. And he will take over. But that's not the real problem, Saad."

I frowned. "Then what is?"

He looked down for a beat. And when he finally looked up—and I wasn't ready for the expression in his eyes. There was longing. Guilt. Regret so raw it made me sit up straighter.

"She's turning twenty-one next month," he said, voice low. "She's going to be free."

I froze.

My hand instinctively came up, covering my mouth as a wave of memories crashed through me. "Oh god," I whispered. "She grew up fast, man."

He let out a small, bitter chuckle. "Too fast."

I looked at him, realization dawning. "Wait—she's turning twenty-one. That means..."

He nodded grimly. "Yeah. No more contracts. No more guardianship. No more chains. Legally, emotionally, in every damn sense—she'll be untethered."

I exhaled sharply, unease settling in my chest. "Which means..."

"Which means the blood's going to start spilling, Saad," he said, his tone tightening. "The underworld, the organization, even the outside world—none of them are ready for her. And the ones who think they are? They're already plotting. They'll try to strip her of power, take her place, or wipe her out entirely. Because they all know the truth about what she is."

He paused, his eyes dark.

"That girl... Saad, she's not just powerful. She's unhinged. And now, she's free. Not just capable—she's stronger than any of us ever were. Even Aisha. They kept her hidden all these years like a secret weapon, locked away, silenced. But now?"

He leaned back, his expression cold. "Now the weapon has a mind of its own."

Silence fell over us like a shroud. I took another drink, needed something to ground me.

He shook his head slowly. "We're not just looking at underground bloodshed. This is going to spill everywhere."

A silence stretched between us.

Finally, I asked, "You really think you can stop her?"

He didn't answer right away. Just stared at his drink like it held answers he didn't want.

Then he said, "No. I don't think I can stop her. She'll hate the sight of me. And Teja? She'd rather slit her throat than be in the same room as her."

"She doesn't hate you," I said quietly. "She's just... she's just wounded. You were all she had, and—."

"I abandoned her, Saad." His voice was low, rough. "I was all she had. I knew what they were turning her into, and I still walked away. She was just a kid. A fucking child. And we let them sharpen her into a weapon."

He took a shaky breath, his hands clenched.

"I wasn't just a bystander. I helped break her. I was part of it. And trust me, Saad—I wish to God I hadn't done what I did. I wish I'd told her the truth, all of it. Because of me... she has no one."

He paused, voice trembling with the weight of what he'd buried for years.

"I lost a piece of my heart, yeah. But she? She lost everything. And I don't even know what's left of her now. But if there's even one small part—just one fucking part—that still remembers me..."

His voice cracked, and for a second, he didn't try to hide it.

"I have to try."

I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of it all. I remembered the girl he spoke of. Quiet. Sharp-eyed. Always watching, never blinking. You could feel something off about her even back then—like she was built out of broken glass and gunpowder.

"She's not the same anymore," I said quietly. "Last I heard, she doesn't speak unless it's necessary. Doesn't laugh. Doesn't trust. She doesn't just hide her heart, Kaustav... I think she carved it out."

Kaustav let out a bitter chuckle. "That's how she is. But I know... there's still a little girl deep inside her. She caged her long ago. I just wish—one day—that little girl could be free."

I looked over at Aisha again, still curled up, unaware. "You think she's worse than Aisha?"

Kaustav laughed quietly, but there was no humor in it. "Aisha has scars. But that girl? She is a scar. And now she's free."

A long silence stretched again.

Then he added, "If I can't reach her... no one can. And if no one does... we're going to see what happens when the devil they made breaks off her leash."

I looked at him, voice low. "What if someone can ground her?"

He gave me a half-smirk. "Then it'll be fun to watch."

I smirked back, but neither of us really believed it would be that easy.

Suddenly, Aisha walked over, scowling like a storm cloud. Just as her hand reached for the beer bottle, I grabbed it first and glared at her.

She blinked up at me, eyes narrowing. "Are you serious right now?"

I matched her look. "Do I need to remind you that you're not allowed? Or should I call Veer?"

She groaned, dropping her hand with exaggerated frustration. "Ugh, you're all such killjoys."

I raised a brow. "Your heart condition already wasn't great, and now you, Miss Wanted-to-Drink thought I'd let it slide? Absolutely not."

She huffed and stomped like a child, then dramatically flopped into the chair next to us, mumbling under her breath like we'd just taken away her candy.

Kaustav chuckled. "What happened to you?"

She crossed her arms and pouted. "I was peacefully enjoying their stupid banter until it turned into a roast-Aisha session. Ughhh."

Kaustav and I exchanged a look, trying not to laugh.

Just then, Neha and Teja walked over.

"Oh, come on, we were just having fun," Neha said, amused.

"Yeah? Well, your 'fun' sucks," Aisha grumbled.

Teja slung an arm over Kaustav's shoulder and took a sip of his drink, then turned to Aisha. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

She popped a candy into her mouth and shrugged. "Sure. This better not be dumb."

Teja smiled. "Why did you leave Kartik after that marriage fiasco? I mean... he's no saint, but still."

I nodded too. "Yeah, I always wondered. You're very clear about not letting us harm him. We can threaten or corner him, but no actual damage. Why?"

Neha added with a frown, "I mean, yeah, he's such a fucker. I thought he at least cared about his sister. But what he did? That was cruel."

Aisha exhaled slowly, a strange smile playing on her lips. "Kartik? Cruel?" she repeated, voice quiet. "Maybe now. But back then? No. He wasn't."

We stared at her.

She leaned forward, eyes serious now. "He wasn't born a monster. He became one. Because no one gave a damn about him. Not really. Not until they needed him."

Kaustav tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

She looked away for a second, choosing her words carefully.

"I found about him. Kartik is Rastogi's illegitimate son," she said finally. "Same mother as Kashish, yeah—but he wasn't planned. He wasn't even wanted. Rastogi sent him away to live with his grandmother and forgot he existed."

My eyebrows shot up. "What the hell..."

Aisha nodded. "He grew up in a small town, far from everything. And his grandmother—she was the only good thing in his life. She raised him right." Her voice softened a bit. "He was the kind of guy who gave his lunch to strays."

Then her tone turned bitter. "And then... when Rastogi needed an heir as he has a daughter only, suddenly Kartik was 'useful.' So they dragged him back into their mess. Took everything away—his freedom, his dreams. They didn't raise him. They tried to reprogram him."

Neha frowned. "That's messed up."

"It gets worse," Aisha said, her voice flat, almost numb. "In high school, Kartik fell in love. With a middle-class girl—smart, kind, a little quiet. He wanted her to be his forever. To be better for her."

She paused, her eyes distant.

"But Kashish and the rest of the family didn't approve. So they framed her. Made it look like she was cheating on him. Spread lies, ruined her reputation. Turned her world upside down."

She clenched her jaw before continuing.

"And despite all that, Kartik still trusted her. That's how I know he truly loved her. But her family started receiving threats—from the Rastogis. They pressured her to leave him. Her own parents turned against her. She was alone."

Aisha's voice faltered for a second. Then she pushed through.

"Kartik didn't know. He'd been sent away by his father. By the time he found out what really happened... it was too late. She'd killed herself."

The silence that followed was heavy. Even the wind seemed to stop.

"When Kartik learned the truth, he was shattered. Wanted to leave everything behind. But Rastogi—his so-called father—threatened to kill Kartik's grandmother if he ever tried."

Kaustav's voice was barely a whisper. "Why didn't he fight back?"

Aisha looked at him, eyes sharper now. "He did. Every single day. He fought by not becoming them. He refused to join the Rastogi business. Built his own—clean, legal. He tried to stay different."

Then she looked at me and Neha.

"That's when I met him. In college. I was his junior. We became friends. I didn't know any of this back then—I just thought he was quiet, mysterious... safe. And whatever anyone says now, one thing was true—he respected women. Even when everything else in him was falling apart."

Her voice dropped.

"And that was my mistake."

Teja leaned forward slightly. "What happened?"

Aisha exhaled, slow. "He fell for me. Hard. At first, I thought it was just a crush—harmless. But then it turned into something darker. Desire. Obsession. Possession."

She gave a bitter smile.

"So I cut off the friendship. Kept my distance. I even scared him a little—he was scared of what I might do. Still is, to some extent. But now? That obsession is making him cross lines his old self would've never touched."

She leaned back in her chair, gaze unreadable.

"And you still protect him?" I asked, unable to hide the disbelief in my voice.

Aisha looked away, voice low. "Because I know what it took for him to survive. What he endured just to keep breathing."

After a long pause, she added quietly, "But I also know this—he's crossed the line. Even after I warned him. And now... he'll pay for it. Not because I hate him. But because someone has to stop him... before he becomes exactly like the people who broke him."

We were silent for a long time.

It was Neha who finally whispered, "He was broken long before you came along."

Aisha nodded. "Yeah. But now, he's breaking others too. And that's where it stops."

Then she looked at us—calm, but there was something unshakable in her gaze.

"So now tell me—do you still think he was cruel for leaving Kashish?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the silence like a blade. And for a moment, none of us said anything.

Shock didn't even begin to cover it. Everything we thought we knew about Kartik—every assumption, every judgment—it all felt... hollow now.

I found myself replaying her words, the weight of them pressing down hard.

Kartik hadn't just been some possessive asshole. He'd been hurt—deeply, repeatedly. He was twisted by the very people who were supposed to protect him.

And still, he tried to be different. He'd built a life away from their sins, tried to carry himself with some kind of honor, even if it was messy. But now? Now it felt like he was slipping—driven by obsession, or maybe just grief disguised as desire.

That quote floated through my mind—don't judge a book by its cover. Damn right.

Kartik had endured more than we ever realized.
And the tragedy of it? He might've survived all that cruelty, only to be undone by the one thing he wanted most.

His wish for love... might be the very thing that destroys him.

Target 🎯 - 330 votes & 120 comments

✴✴✴✴✴✴✴

Hey guys!!

How was this chapter? 

I really hope you liked it 💫 

Tell me—what was your favourite part of the chapter?

 ✨ And surprise! ✨
Kaustav and Teja are guest characters in Glided Sorrows! They're actually from my upcoming book (yes, it's happening 👀), and you'll be seeing more of her too—the one briefly mentioned with Kaustav and Saad.
Curious? Stay tuned 😌

SPOILER OF NEXT CHAPTER - Aisha will get attacked.

 Don't forget to vote and drop your thoughts in the comments 🩷Your support means everything to me! 

Next chapter will be up after Target 🎯 (I hope this time you all complete it)

 Till then, catch all the spoilers and updates on my Instagram: @ishi.066 🎀 Go follow, so you don't miss anything! 

Thank you and Love You readers❤️