Adwait

After some time, I reach home, directly entering my room. I close the door behind me and make my way into the bathroom, starting a shower while reflecting on my mistakes.

What if I had never planned the attack on Vansh? But I was blind in my hatred. I always thought it was Vansh helping that Akriti out. I always had that hatred for him, thinking he was financing her. Then came the loopholes my team never knew about—everything was manipulated by that Akriti from the file on Vansh, which stated he had no siblings. Everything was a lie. She made me act the way I did, but what can I say? I did such a foolish thing, blinded by hatred. Now, my whole life has become hell.

Flashback

The day when Adwait, Devisha, and Vansh were meeting for the first time.

I was waiting in the café where Devisha had asked me to wait for her. When my eyes fell on her, looking as always, pretty, my gaze shifted to the man beside her—Vansh.

As soon as I saw him, my mind drifted back to the past.

I get it now. The name Vansh sounded too familiar to me that day.

But I never knew he was Devisha's brother. And besides, the file on Vansh stated that he had no siblings.

I can't understand how I never knew Devisha was his sister.

I know I don’t know much about her family yet, even after dating for years, but I only knew she had an elder brother and her parents. She lives with them in a nearby locality, in a massive mansion.

I was trying to figure out these things while glaring at Vansh because he is the one who supported Akriti in her plans.

I can't deny the fact that he is the person who tried to harm my family.

But no worries—at the end, he did pay off. I ruined him before he could have tried to ruin me.

But now, will he agree to me marrying Devisha? If he does, it's good, and if he doesn’t, I have my ways. 😌

---

After a few months

The day of Adwait's and Devisha's engagement.

I convinced Vansh to agree to my marriage with Devisha. It’s good that he agreed without creating too much fuss.

Now, today is my engagement. I made my way towards the rooftop. I hope Devisha will be there because she likes watching nature, and this venue has one of the prettiest views.

As soon as I entered the rooftop, I saw Vansh. He was sitting there silently, looking at the stars and crying.

I felt bad for him. I don’t know why, but I felt a little cruel about hiding the reality about Sakshi from him.

I guess he should know it now because he’s already suffered a lot. I shouldn’t make him suffer anymore.

I see him making his way out, and I decide it is time to reveal the truth.

"Arre, tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?" (Hey, what are you doing here?) I ask Vansh, even though I already know the answer.

"Kuch nahi, ja hi raha tha. Tum kya kar rahe ho yaha?" (Nothing, I was just leaving. What are you doing here?) Vansh replies.

"Mujhe laga Devi yaha hogi," (I thought Devi would be here,) I reply, trying to play it cool.

"Acha, main jaata hoon. Tum Devi ka wait karo," (Okay, I will leave. You wait for Devi,) Vansh says and starts to leave when my words make him halt at his place.

"Tumhe pata hai 5 saal pehle jo hua tha woh sach nahi tha," (Do you know what happened five years ago wasn’t true?) I say.

"Kyaaa keh rahe ho tum?" (What are you saying?) Vansh stammers, trying to form a sentence.

"Sach keh raha hoon. Woh zinda hai par shayad—" (I’m telling the truth. She’s alive, but maybe—) I continue, not sure how things might turn out.

"Shayad kya? Adwait, bolo, shayad kya?" (Maybe what? Adwait, tell me, maybe what?) Vansh demands an answer, almost on the verge of crying upon hearing that she was alive. I feel guilty for hiding the truth.

"Woh pichle 5 saalon se coma mein hai. Bas mujhe itna hi pata hai. Main uss masoom ki jaan nahi le paya." (She’s been in a coma for the past 5 years. That’s all I know. I couldn’t take the innocent’s life.) I say because that's true. If I had left everything to happen on its own that day, maybe Sakshi would have died.

"Kya keh rahe ho tum? Mujhe batao, Sakshi kahan hai?" (What are you saying? Tell me, where is Sakshi?) Vansh asks, grabbing my collar and punching me. Instantly, making me feel the rage I felt five years back, I punch him too, and our fight starts getting intense. Suddenly, I push him. It wasn’t intentional, but it did happen.

As soon as I turn my face to the other side, I see Devisha watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. But as soon as our eyes meet, she runs downstairs.

And that’s when I realize I’ve actually ruined Vansh’s life a little too much. I don’t regret it, but I made Devisha cry because of it. I broke the promise to never hurt her. I did hurt her, and now I feel guilty for hurting Devisha.

It’s not like I care about that Vansh, but I care for Devisha. And now, here in the hospital, Devisha is standing in front of me, asking me questions. The eyes that were once filled with love when they used to see me are now filled with accusations and hurt.

I don’t know how to answer her questions. Will she understand me or not? My hatred for Vansh is still there, and it will be there forever, but will Devisha accept me with the fact that I am what I am? A person who lives in an identity crisis. A person whose past haunts him. Especially a person who destroyed her brother's life.

Will she accept me with all these flaws?

Thinking it’s not the right time to answer her questions, I ask her to wait until Vansh gets better. She agrees, hopefully everything will be fine.

---

2 months later

I was sitting in my cabin, working on some project, but I can’t focus on it. I haven’t been able to focus on anything for the past two months. My team has been working on Vansh’s case since the day I met Devisha and Vansh in the café. But still, no response.

Devisha isn’t even talking to me. She doesn’t pick my calls, nor does she reply to my messages.

She is busy with Vansh’s condition, and I know it, but the feeling of her leaving me because of whatever happened makes my heart ache.

I was brought out of my thoughts when a sudden knock interrupted me.

"Come in," I say as normally as I can.

My PA enters the room, carrying a file. His expression states that he’s scared to give me the information he has, worrying about my reaction.

"Sir, this file is about everything that happened in the past. It states that Vansh Ahuja never knew Akriti’s intentions. She faked her identity, and the meetings between them were related to some kind of investments in a plan," my PA says, making my blood boil.

"So what were you people doing, giving me wrong information about everything? Is this why you’re being paid?" I shout, my anger rising.

"Sir, it was all manipulated by Ms. Akriti. Some people in our team during that time were hired by her," he says.

"Who the hell was funding that lady then?" I say, trying to keep my composure.

"Sir, Mr. Yadav," my PA says.