(2 years ago)
:Author's Pov:
The car stops in front of a huge building and the driver said,"We have arrived, Miss."
She nodded without a word,her eyes locked on the imposing house in front of her.It was too pristine almost as if nothing had ever happened.Taking a deep breath,she reached for the door handle.Her fingers brushing the cold metal as the engine quieted.
Stepping out of the car,she straightened her jacket,her boots clicked sharply against the stone path,each step deliberate, measured. As she neared the entrance the guards stationed around the estate watched her intently,their gazes wide with surprise-as if seeing a ghost return from the dead.
She ignored their stares,her focus unwavering, her focus only on one thing- getting what she came for.She reached the large front door her hands outstretched to knock,when to her surprise,it swung open before she could touch it.
Standing there in the doorway was her mother well, step mother to be precise,eyes wide,her breath catching in her throat as she looked at Ahvi for the first time in years.
"You..." Her mother's voice cracked,a mixture of disbelief and something-- maybe regret.
She forced a smile.Before Ahvi could say another words the distance between them vanished,she stepped forward,and engulfed Ahvi in a tight hug.
"You are here..." Her mother said keeping Ahvi close to her but she broke the hug and replied,"Of course..... It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
She held Ahvi's hand and squeezed," I never thought I would see you again..... You have changed so much..."
Ahvi said nothing,keeping her expression neutral.
Pulling back slightly Ahvi met her gaze," I am here,now"
"I never thought this day would come..." She whispered caressing her cheek.
She didn't respond.She wasn't here to relive the past nor to heal the wounds of a life long gone.
"I am here now" Ahvi repeated firmly,the finality of her words hanging in the air.
Before her mother could say anything,a sharp gasp echoed from the hallway.
They both turned and there stood her brother-eyes wide,mouth slightly open in disbelief.
"You?...." His voice cracked as he took a hesitant step forward.His confusion was palpable.The years had erased any memory he might had of her.He was only five when they were separated and maybe the woman standing before was nothing like the sister he had forgotten.
Ahvi paused,the sting of not being recognised biting deeper than she expected.Her gaze wandered along the hallway,the weight of the past pressing on her as her eyes flickered over the familiar surroundings.
Finally her eyes settled on him-her father. He was standing off to the side, silent, observing,his gaze cold and calculating.There was no warmth in his eyes,no recognition of a daughter returned.
He would have preferred she was dead.She knew that much.
She didn't say anything,her jaw tightening at the sight of him.He didn't move only watched her,from the corner of his eye,offering nothing but a judgement she was all too aware with.
Her mother,still caught in the moment,asked with a mixture of concern and confusion,"Where were you all these years?"
Ahvi didn't answer immediately.Instead,she allowed the silence to stretch,her eyes still fixed on her father.
"Now I am home"she said coolly completely ignoring her mother's reaction,her tone was final,as though the matter was already settled in her mind.
Her father, maintaining his stoic act, approached her,a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. He reached out,patted her head in a gesture that was far too familiar.
"I want to know where you have been all these years." He said,his voice smooth,but she could hear underlying menance in it.
Without missing a bit,she lifted her chin slightly, har gaze piercing as she shot back,"Have you tried?"
The tension in the air thickened,and her father's smile faltered for the briefest second, it seemed as the flicker of something-anger,regret,perhaps-passed through his eyes.But he didn't respond,he only stood there-still as stone.
Her mother,sensing the growing tension,stepped forward,her face filled with concern. She glanced between her daughter and her husband, the unspoken conflict between them almost too much to bear.
"Come inside,dear" he mother said softly,her voice,full of warmth,trying to smooth over the silence." You must be tired"
Ahvi didn't argue. She noded once,her gaze never leaving her father's as she moved past him,each step heavier than the last.As she crossed the threshold,the door closed behind her with a faint click,signalling her father and her brother are gone to do their work.
Her mother guided her inside,but Ahvi's eyes were everywhere but on her mother.She took in the surroundings-every inch of the house that once had been her home, the place where the memories of a life long gone echoed in the corners of each room.
The walls.... The old,faded wallpaper that once seemed comforting,now felt like cage.Every corner, each piece of furniture carried ghosts of past. There,the staircase once she and her sister once run,laughing,chasing each other.Over there the hallway,they had once played games,before their world came crashing down.
She could almost hear the echoes of their laughter,feel the warmth of the rooms they had shared,before it all turned to dust. Every step she took felt like a walk through her own personal graveyard,each memory a reminder of what had been stolen from her.
She stopped for a moment at the old family portrait on the wall. A photo of her sister,her and her father-smiling together before the teh separation. It was like looking at strangers. A part of her wanted to rip it off the wall and destroy it,but she held herself back.
Her mother stood beside her, watching quietly as her daughter processed the memory that the house had brought back to Life.
"Do you remember?" Her mother asked softly,her voice almost a whisper.
Ahvi didn't respond immediately, her throat felt tight, emotions see had buried for years threatening to rise. She turned her gaze away from the portrait and walked farther into the house, forcing herself to focus on the present.
"I remember" she said finally, her voice distant, as though she was speaking of different life." But that was along time ago"
She could still feel her sister's presence in the house- the way they had once relied on each other, the bond they had shared before it was torn apart. And now,here she was again, standing in the place where it all began.
They reached the living room and her mother motion her to sit, but she remained standing, her posture rigid as she took the familiar surroundings.
Her mother said down first, her eyes soft, searching for her daughter's gaze. There was a hesitation in her expression, as though she didn't know how to ask what had been in her mind since the moment she saw her.
Finally her voice broke the silence, gentle but laced with concern,"And Savi....How is she?Is she with you?I have been worried about her for so long..."
The question struck the female lead like a blow to the chest. She froze,her breath catching for a moment as the weight of the memory flooded her.Her sister - her protector, her closest ally,the one person she had lost in a way that still haunted her.But now,to speak about it..... She couldn't.
She forced herself to shallow the emotions rising within her, suppressing the need to say something that would betray the truth. Instead,she kept the face neutral, her voice cold, hiding the storm of feelings beneath the surface.
Her hands clenched into fists,"I don't know"she said flatly, her tone empty,distant. It wasn't a lie, not really,but it wasn't the full truth either.
Her mother's gaze faltered slightly, confusion and worry clouding her expression "But.... You two always had each other.Where is she now? Please I need to know -"
Ahvi's heart twisted, but her face remained stone cold. She couldn't bring herself to tell her mother the truth-not now.Not when she was still trying to come to terms with the memories herself.
She took a step back, glancing toward the door, anywhere but at her mother's pleading gauge."I don't know"she repeated, her voice sharper this time."I haven't seen her in years.And you need to stop asking."
Her mother's eyes filled with sorrow,but she wisely kept her distance,sensing the finality in her daughter's words."I just want to know if she's okay-"
"I don't know"Ahvi said again, her voice soft, barely above a whisper, yet her tone was final - sealed."And it doesn't matter.I'm here now"
She turned away from her mother,her gaze drifting toward the window,her face hardening as she tried to shift the focus"Which is my room?"
Her mother sensing the sudden shift in her demeanour,didn't press further. With a soft, understanding look, from her seat and gestured towards the stairs"Come let me show you to your room."
Abhi followed her mother of the stairs,her mind still clouded with the unspoken words she had to suppress.The house had changed in some ways,yet it felt just as cold and impersonal as it always had.The white walls,the same plus furniture,the air filled with the scent of fresh flowers - everything was too pristine just like the lies they had both lived.
When they reached the guest room,her mother turned to her,her voice soft but filled with the touch of warmth."Rest now,dear.You have been through a lot.Main mandir ja rahi hoon Shiv Ji ki darshan karne,unhone meri beti ko ghar wapas joh bhej diya hai."she said her voice filled with gratitude
(I am going to the temple to thank the god for bringing you back)
Ahvi nodded without a word,her face unreadable."I'll rest.You go ahead" she replied,before her mother left the room.
Once alone, Ahvi went to the bathroom to freshen up. After her bath, she dressed quickly, preparing for what came next.Now, she was ready.
After her bath,Ahvi quickly changed into fresh clothes, her mind already focused on what needed to be done. The house was eerily quiet—her father had gone to the company for work and her brother must have gone to his university, and her mother had gone to the temple.
This was the perfect opportunity. The silence of the house was like an open door, one that would let her carry out her plan undisturbed.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself. Now was the time. Her mission was about to begin.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Ahvi silently made her way to her father’s office. She knew this house too well. Moving past the familiar furniture, she approached the hidden cupboard—her secret place. As a child, she had stumbled upon it by accident while trying to hide. But now, it was her sanctuary, the place where she could search for answers without interruption.
She reached the secret compartment and pressed the hidden latch. With a soft click, the locker opened. A small, satisfied smile curled on her lips. She had done it.
Inside, she quickly rifled through the contents, snapping pictures of a few files with her phone. They weren’t the ones she was looking for, but they could be useful later. She continued searching, feeling the urgency growing inside her.
Then, she heard a sound. It came from outside the hidden room—her father’s study. The unmistakable rustling of paper. She froze, tension gripping her chest.
Who must have come at this time? she thought.
Ahvi's heart raced as she crouched down, quickly shoving the files back into the compartment and closing the locker.
The female lead quietly emerged from the hidden room, making sure to lock the door behind her with a soft click. Her steps were light as she moved toward the hallway, but she paused when she saw her brother in the study. He was sitting at the desk, intently looking at something in a file. His focus was so absolute, he didn’t notice her presence.
She couldn't let him catch her off guard, so she decided to create a distraction. She took a deep breath, then deliberately knocked over a small object on a nearby table, causing a loud clatter. Her brother jerked his head up, startled.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice cold but casual, masking the tension she felt. “Why are you looking through Mr Sharma's things?”
The sudden noise caused him to flinch, and in his hurry to cover up, he dropped the file. It fluttered to the floor, its contents spilling out. She moved quickly, picking up the file before he could react, and as she flipped through it, her eyes caught something— a photo of a girl.
He stood there wide-eyed in horror.
Her heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t just any photo. This was a face she didn’t recognize, but the shock of seeing it sent a chill down her spine.
She stared at the photo, confused, but she forced herself to remain calm. No reaction. She didn't want her brother to suspect anything. With a steady hand, she placed the file back on the desk, covering the photo as she handed it back to him.
"Can't you knock softly" she raised her eyebrows amused."Umm... I mean.....ok you did nothing,sorry....I,I am just a little sensitive....please remember that"he said.
“Here,” she rolled her eyes and said casually, her voice void of any emotion. “It slipped.”
Her brother gave her a suspicious glance but didn’t say anything, quickly tucking the file under his arm.Ahvi turned toward the door, intent on leaving the study and heading to her father’s room.
But her brother’s voice stopped her.“May I know your name?” he asked, his tone low, filled with an unspoken question.
She paused, her hand on the door handle, and glanced back at him with a neutral expression.
“Hasn't Mr Sharma told you yet?” she responded coldly, her voice laced with an edge. Then, without waiting for a reply, she stepped out.
Her brother's response came quickly, his voice steady. “Yes, he has, but I just wanted to hear it from you besides it's ok if you don't want to talk to me but remember it's difficult for me too...I know maybe you are too depressed for whatever happened to our sister,I mean she was one who left you,but I think it's what God wanted."
She turned to face him again, her expression neutral, but her eyes cold. “If Father has said it all,then why do you need to hear it from me?” she replied sharply.
He didn't seem deterred, his gaze searching hers. “I know you’re my sister. But what’s your name? I want to hear it from you. I know we haven’t exactly been close, but... it’s different now, isn't it? You’ve changed.”
Her heart tightened at his words, but she didn’t let her emotions show. She gave him a long, unreadable look before answering.
“Call me whatever you like,” she said, her voice low and steady, 'but I’m not here for old memories or new beginnings.' she thought keeping it to herself.
She turned away once more, heading for the door, leaving her brother to absorb her word.
Her brother, not giving up,followed her and said, "Can't we start by being friends? We can take it slow, just friends first, and then maybe we can do everything a brother and sister do."
Ahvi stopped for a moment, turning her head slightly toward him, her expression unchanged. She scoffed quietly before responding, "Friends?" She gave a small shrug, her voice flat. "I suppose that's okay."
She didn’t linger on the conversation and walked but her brother not backing off said,"Can't we talk now?"She halted in her tracks and turned to him.
He scratched his neck nervously,"I am sorry..... this is all new to me,I just discovered I have a sister and.....also a late sister who I don't know where rahe is." he hesitated,"I....I just wanted to bond with my sister that's all."
She smiled and said,"Okay."
"Okay?" He repeated with a frown."yes okay!"Ahvi chuckled and continued."Okay,I will try."
He suddenly came towards her and hugged her,she froze,she was beyond shocked and he said,"Thank you,thank you so much, you don't know how much I wanted a big sister who can take care of me,who can love me,who can support me,you know!"
He paused frowning he asked "You won't leave again,right?"she chuckled and replied,"Nope" and he again hugged me and chirped,"Thank you so much,Di"
[Di means Elder Sister]
:-)>.<:-)
•How was the chapter?
•What do u think about Ahvi?
•Is she a good sister?
•What do u think about her brother?
Let me know :)
Thank you!!❤️
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