The sun dipped down into the ocean, painting the sky in hues of amber, crimson, and soft gold, fading into violet twilight. Shreya stared at the beautiful, serene view, the birds flying back to their homes where someone was waiting for them, wings tired yet hearts certain of belonging, and some simply hovering mid-air, circling endlessly, in the hope of finding a place they could finally call their own.
Her heart ached in ways she couldn’t even begin to comprehend or put into words. Soon, she would be engaged to Jaideep Kaur, one of the most well-established businessmen in the city. The man was walking on a path of success and stability, someone her parents instantly approved of.
She had met him a few weeks back after her parents’ constant pestering; they wanted her to find a man and settle down. She was an independent woman who ran her own boutique that ranked among the top three in the city, with different stores all around the world. Every single success she earned, every recognition, was won by her hard work, passion, and unwavering determination.
Eventually, her parents wanted her to focus on her personal life too. Her father was getting old; he was already suffering from last-stage lung cancer, his days slowly slipping away, and his last wish was to give her hand into a safe and capable man.
And she couldn’t bring herself to deny it after the tears her mother shed, even if it hurt to say yes to someone she didn’t know, for someone she had met just once or twice, a stranger she was expected to build a lifetime with. She had to agree for her parents’ sake.
Jaideep was a nice man, but he was nothing like the one she loved. Mahir was everything Jaideep could never be, not in status, but in the way he existed in her world, effortlessly, deeply, irreplaceably.
Mahir was that calmness in her chaos, the quiet anchor that steadied her without even trying. His dark orbs held a depth that spoke louder than words, pulling her in, making her feel seen in ways she never knew she needed.
A man who could fight the world, even the almighty, for his siblings, for bonds that went beyond blood, a man who loved fiercely, protected silently, and stood unshaken when it came to the people he called his own.
She hadn’t just fallen for Mahir’s charm or his quiet strength; she wanted a man like Mahir in her life, one who understood love without conditions, who valued family above everything, who built relationships with loyalty and not convenience.
But fate doesn’t work the way you want it to. Maybe Mahir was just her unwritten chapter, a love meant to be felt but never lived, maybe he would find a better woman for himself who would stand beside him as his equal, someone destined to be his forever in ways she never could be.
She knew he didn’t love her, not the way she loved him, and it would be a lie if she said it wouldn’t rip her apart seeing the man she was head over heels for become someone else’s in every way that mattered, heart, soul, and forever.
The sound of a car pulling up and its engine shutting off abruptly snapped her out of her thoughts. She spun around only to find Mahir stepping out of it. She had called him there to say her final goodbye.
After her engagement is fixed with Jaideep, it will be a betrayal of a new bond and unfair to both of them if she keeps meeting Mahir. Her heart yearned for him, but her fate was tied to someone else. She couldn’t break the sanity of the bonds she was tied to, one that her heart chose and the other that her parents chose.
It was better she walked away before she crossed the lines, snatching away whatever crumbs were left of her self-control and dignity.
Mahir approached her slowly, his steps measured yet heavy, his eyes taking in her appearance with quiet intensity. That was the second time he had seen her in a saree.
The first one was on the prom night years ago, she was draped in a black and red silk saree that hugged her perfectly, her hair left open, cascading down in soft waves over her shoulders. That was the first attraction, the first undeniable pull he ever felt for the woman standing before him, an image so vivid and alive engraved on his soul that he never found himself staring at any other woman the same way again.
Today, seeing her draped in a plain yellow saree, her hair curled down softly framing her face, under the fading golden sky, his heart skipped a beat. Her almond orbs held a quiet storm of emotions, unspoken, restrained, yet breaking through the surface.
It would be a lie if he said he didn’t feel anything for Shreya. He felt for her in ways a man felt for the woman he couldn’t have. He felt for her in ways a heart full of restraint felt for a love it was never allowed to claim.
He admired her strength, her intellect, her ways of thinking so clear and fearless. There was a time when he couldn’t gather himself, when everything around him felt like it was falling apart, but she guided him without even making it obvious, just a few words of honesty and quiet reassurance, and he was back on his feet.
Mahir Dhanrajgir never let himself break before a stranger or even a friend, but he let Shreya see that side of him, the vulnerable, unguarded part he hid from the world, letting her witness his tears, his silence, his battles, trusting her with his unspoken pain.
He loved the way she carried herself with grace, confidence, and a quiet authority, unapologetically owning every part of who she was, her success, her flaws, her independence, and her strength.
Loving doesn’t always mean confessing or claiming someone; it also means letting them go when holding on would break them, and that’s how he fell in love with Shreya, inevitably, deeply, and helplessly, but couldn’t bring himself to confess.
“Hii,” Shreya murmured, averting her gaze, staring at the horizon.
Suddenly, the air between them felt heavy and awkward in ways it never had before.
Mahir stood beside her, his gaze fixed on the dipping sun. “How are you?” he asked, hesitant.
Shreya nodded. “Fine... Radha thik hai abhi? (Is Radha okay now?) I didn’t get a chance to meet her.”
“It’s okay,” Mahir reassured. “She is fine. She is becoming just like Arjun and Abhi... a brat! Soon I will have grey hair, all thanks to her.”
Shreya chuckled softly. “Itna toh banta hai, Mahir. (You deserve that much, Mahir.) You can’t complain about that now.”
“I won’t dare to,” Mahir shook his head amusingly, “or her overprotective bodyguards will have my head. First, they fight and whine before me, and when I try to scold any of them, they gang up on me. Impossible!”
Shreya raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. “Don’t tell me you are jealous or something, that they don’t include you in their adventures rather than making you collateral damage.”
Mahir shot her a sharp glare. “None of that! I am done with their stupidity.”
“Yet you love them for that,” Shreya countered smoothly.
Mahir sighed; he couldn’t win against her in arguments or logic, no matter how hard he tried.
Shreya’s phone rang, cutting through their light talk. She glanced at the screen and then at Mahir, who had already noticed it. It was Jaideep.
His smile faded away. He stepped back, realising he was too close to a woman who was never his to cherish.
Shreya disconnected the call, sending a quick call you back later text. The air tensed between them.
“Congratulations,” Mahir broke the silence. “I heard from dad. You are getting engaged.”
Shreya looked at him, the words stinging. “You... you are fine with it?” She asked, unable to hold back.
Maybe a closure she was looking for, a hurt she wanted to carry forever before she left and never returned.
Mahir looked away, nodding his head. “Yes. Why will it bother me?” His tongue burned with truth he refused to speak aloud, “Jaideep Kaur... I have met him a few times. He... he is a nice man. He will keep you happy.”
Shreya frowned. Something didn’t feel right. There was a crack in his tone; he sounded calm, but the pain beneath it she caught instantly. Was she overthinking, or was her heart playing games with her hopes?
Her phone pinged with a notification, breaking her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and stilled, her heart pounding in her chest as she read the message.
She looked back at Mahir, who stood near the railing, staring at the sky. For the first time in years, she crossed the lines she never dared to cross before, fearing she might lose his friendship, but today she wouldn’t back down.
Mahir froze like ice in his place as he felt a pair of arms wrapping around his torso. He looked down at her hands gripping him tightly, as if he were her last anchor.
“Shreya...” He whispered softly, trying to pull away, but she didn’t let him.
“Aapko sach mein fark nahi padta? (Does it really not affect you?)” Shreya murmured against his back. “You don’t care if I get married to anyone? What if that Jaideep is an alcoholic? An abuser? What if he raised his hand against me...”
“I will kill him!” Mahir cut her off, his words laced with fierce rage and protectiveness.
Shreya smiled through her tears. The intensity in his words gave away the feelings in his heart. If he had said he would beat Jaideep, she would have considered it as a friend’s concern, but killing him was something far deeper, something personal, something that came from love.
She pulled back, turning Mahir to face her, her hands cradling his face gently. “Itna pyaar karte hai aap mujhse? (Do you love me this much?)”
The denial was on the tip of his tongue, but Mahir couldn’t utter it. Gently, he lowered Shreya’s hands from his face and stepped back.
His gaze locked on hers. “I can’t offer you what you deserve, Shreya. Jaideep will keep you happy, fill your life with everything I never could give you, a future without compromises.”
Shreya frowned. “I didn’t ask you to decide for me, Mahir. I asked you... Do you love me or not?”
Mahir stared into her eyes. “There are feelings that don’t need words because they exist in every silence we share, Shreya... in the way I look for you first in a crowded room, in the way your absence unsettles me more than your presence ever could. I feel uneasy when we don’t talk on calls every day. What I feel for you is not something I felt in one day... each and every corner of my heart yearned for you quietly, deeply, becoming a part of me before I even realised it. And now it exists in a way just like a constant star in the sky, no matter if it’s day or night, the light within it doesn’t change.”
Shreya’s eyes stung; she had been dying to hear just that from him for so long, holding onto hope despite knowing better. She stepped forward toward him, but stopped as Mahir stepped away from her.
“Mahir...?” Her tone was barely above a whisper.
Mahir smiled sadly. “But... there is also a truth that you should know about. I am a man who can’t marry anyone. It’s not you, Shreya... It’s me. I-I am an incomplete man, who can’t offer one of the most beautiful feelings a woman dreams of.... the joy of becoming a mother.”
Shreya stilled, her breath hitching for a moment; she didn’t expect to hear that. However, even that truth didn’t waver her, nor did it shake the feelings she had for the man standing right in front of her.
She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Mahir, resting her head on his chest. “That doesn’t make me love you any less, Mahir.”
Mahir pulled back, shaking her by her shoulders. “Wake up, Shreya. Tum samajh bhi rahi ho main kya keh raha hoon? Main baap nahi ban sakta... (Do you even understand what I’m saying? I can’t become a father.) I can never give you that happiness. I am an incomplete man. I can never...” He trailed away as Shreya covered his mouth with her palm.
“Just because you can’t become a father doesn’t make you any less of a man, Mahir.” Shreya’s words were laced with conviction. “You are still the same Mahir Dhanrajgir I fell for years back, the one who saved my dignity, my self-respect. The same man who loves his family beyond limits and conditions. You not being able to have a child doesn’t make you weak or incomplete. You are still enough for me. You are still the man I chose with my whole heart, without a second thought. Nothing changes who you are in my eyes.”
Mahir let the words sink into his system, but they still didn’t break through the walls of his insecurities. He held Shreya’s gaze; maybe she didn’t fully understand what he was saying.
“I was 20 when I got into a bike accident.” His voice was calm and composed as he began. “My bike collided with a truck on a highway late at night. The impact on my lower body was unbearable; I couldn’t even feel my legs for hours. According to the doctor, I would have been permanently paralysed, but fortunately, the therapy worked... but I suffered severe pelvic trauma with irreversible damage to my reproductive nerves. I... lost the ability to father a child ever again.”
Shreya reached out, holding his hands in hers. The way he said it, without any trace of emotion, as if reciting lines his mind had saved and memorised over the years to avoid feeling anything at all, didn’t sit well with her.
She cradled his face with one hand gently. “Not feeling anything for your own pain and pretending it doesn’t exist is wrong, Mahir. Aapne apni bhen ko uske dard ko accept karna sikhaya hai. Aapne dard ka samna karna sikhaya hai. Usse bhagna nahi. (You taught your sister to accept her pain. You taught her to face it, not run away from it.) Then why are you choosing to suppress your own pain like it never mattered? You have the right to feel every bit of it,to grieve, to break, to question why it happened to you… to cry when you are hurt and not hold it all inside. Just because you are a man doesn’t mean you have to carry everything alone without breaking. Let it go, please…” she pleaded softly.
Mahir shut his eyes tightly, his jaw clenching as he tried to hold himself together. He tried to push away the storm rising inside him, swallow down the tears that burned at the back of his eyes, but couldn’t bring himself to do so.
Unable to hold back, he gave in, his body reacting on instinct before his mind could process. He moved forward, wrapping his arms around Shreya, burying his face in her curls, letting the tears drop freely, silently, soaking into her presence that felt like home.
Years of agony finally found a way out of the walls he had built around himself. When the doctor told him the truth, he accepted it bravely back then, without taking his father’s comfort.
Even when Ronit came to soothe him that there was an option, he himself denied it after seeing the real façade fading. The way his parents were treating Radha, he was already fighting many battles with his family, so taking comfort in the arms of a man he stood against was not his way of coping or something he could allow himself to do.
It took him a few months to recover properly. Arjun was always by his side, and that made the recovery easier and him more determined. But he never let the secrets, the hurt he carried within him, pass on to his younger brother, who was fighting his own battles with Sakshi. In a way, he suppressed everything alone just to stay strong for the people who depended on him, never letting his weakness become their burden.
So now, in the arms of the woman he loved, he couldn’t stop himself, not after her honesty, her declaration, her acceptance, not after she chose him despite knowing everything he had been hiding from the world.
✨✨✨
Radha clutched Arjun’s arm from one side and Abhi’s from the other as they walked up the slope toward the sunset, all thanks to Arjun, who dragged her and Abhi out of the house, suddenly wanting to see the sunset after the sun was already down, the sky already painted in fading hues of dusk. If that wasn’t enough, then his car betrayed them, shutting down just before they could ride up to the actual point.
Radha’s first instinct was to book a cab and go back home, but again, Arjun didn’t let her. God knows what kind of treasure was waiting for them up there. She was plain annoyed by all the climbing.
“I am done!” She left their arms. “Ahhhh...”
Abhi and Arjun held her instantly, breaking the fall before she could slip back down the slope.
“Have you lost it!” Arjun chided. “I told you not to leave our hands. You could have fallen badly.”
Radha sighed lazily. “Bhaiyu, when you know the risks we are taking, why the hell on earth do you want to take us there then? Let’s just go back. I am tired.”
“I second that,” Abhi chimed in, tired. “Please na, Bhaiyu. Let’s go back. I am hungry, yaar.”
Arjun shook his head firmly. “I have a surprise there for you. Come on now.”
“What surprise?” both Abhi and Radha asked excitedly.
Arjun dragged them up the slope. “Once we reach up, do check the definition of surprise,” he deadpanned without a hint of emotion.
Abhi and Radha exchanged knowing glances. He is crazy! The message passing between the duo was loud and clear without words.
“By the way, why didn’t we bring Bhaiya here?” Radha asked, curious.
“Yes, you didn’t even let us call him to ask where he is,” Abhi added suspiciously, “do you know where he is?”
Arjun remained silent. He knew where his Bhaiya was, and he was taking both of them just there. Abhi at least heard him and Mahir talking about Shreya a few weeks back.
He was pissed at his Bhaiya for still suppressing his feelings, suddenly creating distance with Shreya. Abhi heard their conversation and later asked him; having no choice, he had to tell his brother a few bits and pieces. And as smart as Abhi was, he joined the puzzle easily.
However, Radha… she had no idea about this. She didn’t even know that Shreya and Mahir felt more than friends for each other. He just hoped his sister would take the news well. He just wanted to surprise his Bhaiya in a better way, not impose or force their wishes on Radha to accept anyone suddenly.
Radha looked around as they reached the sunset point. “Suraj doob gaya, ab kya chaand ko taadne aaye hum yaha? (The sun has already set. Did we come here to stare at the moon now?) She huffed, annoyed. She hated physical exercise of any kind, and her brother was keen on making her do all that rather than giving her a piggyback ride.
Before she could say anything further, a familiar sound of laughter cut through the silence, echoing softly through the quiet hilltop.
She frowned, stepping ahead. The trees blocked the view, making her strain her eyes to look beyond them. Her eyes widened as she noticed Shreya and Mahir sitting on the brick ledge, staring at the sky.
What shocked her was the proximity between them, the closeness, the way Shreya casually rested her head on Mahir’s shoulder and Mahir’s hand rested on her waist, supporting her from falling back in a way that spoke of something far deeper than friendship.
“BHAIYA!” Abhi exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.
Mahir and Shreya rose to their feet abruptly. They turned, and Mahir braced as Abhi threw himself at him in a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around his brother, chuckling softly.
“Okay, that’s not what I was expecting,” Mahir said, amusedly.
Abhi pulled back, looking between the duo. “So… did you both say what you didn’t have the courage to say before?”
Shreya and Mahir nodded without missing a beat.
Shreya looked on, surprised, as Arjun stepped forward, pulling her into a hug.
“Now I can call you bhabhi,” he whispered quietly.
Shreya smiled through her tears. “Thanks, Arjun.”
It was he who messaged her earlier, a simple text letting her know that Mahir loved her just like she loved him.
They were reluctant to speak of what their hearts screamed, not wanting to break the bond they shared. It was Arjun who made her realise that sometimes confessing your feelings can bring out the best outcome instead of regret, and she just did that, all thanks to him.
Mahir looked up. He stilled as he noticed Radha standing in the same spot, frozen. He stepped forward. “Radha?”
Radha blinked, startled. She turned away to leave. That was not what she was prepared for; it should have been a surprise, but it was a shock for her. Both her brothers knew, yet no one shared it with her.
Even her Bhaiya didn’t once share such big news with her, and Shreya too kept it a secret. Suddenly, it felt like they just pushed her away out of their moment.
Mahir rushed to her, holding her hand as she tried to leave. “Radha… baache please. Ek baar Bhaiya ki baat toh sun. (Please, listen to me once.) He pleaded desperately.
It was never his intention to hide anything from his sister. It was just that he held back due to his own insecurities. Arjun picked up on his feelings and then told Abhi. He thought he might have shared it with Radha too, but the hurt flashing in her eyes made it clear that she didn’t know anything.
Radha tried to pull back, but Mahir didn’t let her. He turned her toward him, lifting her chin, making her look at him. “Naraz hai mujhse? (Are you upset with me?)”
Radha looked at him, hurt. “Everyone knew except me. Aapki zindagi ke itne bade faisle ko jaane ka haq nahi hai mera? (Don’t I have the right to know such a big decision in your life?)”
Mahir cradled her face gently. “Sabse pehla haq tera hai, Radha. Yeh kaisi baatein kar rahi hai tu? (You have the first right, Radha. What are you saying?) I thought Arjun brought you here; he might have told you.”
“I wanted you to tell her yourself,” Arjun’s voice floated from behind.
Mahir shook his head. He kissed Radha’s forehead tenderly. “Earlier, I wasn’t ready to accept my feelings; that’s why I didn’t tell you.”
“So now what changed?” Radha asked, hugging him, burying her face in his warmth. She was tired from all the walking.
“I just learnt that I shouldn’t hold back from feeling vulnerable,” Mahir murmured quietly. “It’s okay to be weak sometimes.”
Radha looked up at him with a frown. “You taught me the same, Bhaiya.”
“But I never applied it to myself,” Mahir admitted softly, “today I did, and here we are. I am happy.”
Radha smiled faintly. If he was happy, then she was happy too.
Shreya cleared her throat hesitantly. She didn’t want to impress anyone or gain brownie points. She was blessed to be loved by Arjun, Abhi, and even Radha; the three of them cherished her, respected her, and even trusted her.
However, she felt compelled to ask one important question of Radha. The brothers accepted her as Mahir’s partner; their beaming faces were answer enough. It was just Radha she wanted to talk to now. She was not just Mahir’s partner; she would be sharing a bond with each one of them, and it was on her to clear the air between them before moving forward.
“Will you accept me as your bhabhi?” She asked softly as Radha pulled back, glancing her way.
Radha thought for a second. She glanced at her brothers, all three of them staring at her in anticipation as if she were some kind of judge waiting to declare the final decision.
She looked back at Shreya. “Will you bake chocolate cookies for me every day?”
Shreya nodded instantly.
Radha stepped away from Mahir cautiously. “Will you save me from Godzilla if I get into trouble?”
Shreya chuckled softly. “That depends on what kind of troubles you cause.”
Radha pouted, shaking her head. “You should say yes, di.”
“Can’t lie, baacha,” Shreya replied gently.
Radha sighed. She had her brothers to play her saviours anyway.
She looked at Mahir and Shreya. Being partners meant way too much; it was marriage, a lifetime commitment of trust, respect, and understanding.
She knew both her Bhaiya and Di weren’t the kind who were looking for time pass or adjustments; they were their own people. Her eyes stung; she remembered the kind of fights her parents had, at times those cruel words echoed in her ears, or even that loud ringing slap.
She trusted her Bhaiya would never cross that line. She also knew Shreya would never follow her partner blindly; she would walk beside him, shoulder to shoulder, as it should always be in a relationship. Yet somewhere in the corner of her heart, fears lingered, doubts refusing to fade completely.
She glanced at Mahir. “You both will never fight?”
She looked back at Shreya. “You will not change after marriage?”
Mahir held her hand in his. He understood where those questions came from and chose to give her honesty rather than fake reassurance.
“We will fight, Radha.” His voice was calm yet firm. “Every single couple fights, that’s how they grow and strengthen their bond. If we won’t fight when things aren’t right, suppressing our emotions might make us bitter or distant. Adjusting in a relationship with your partner is good, but there should be a limit to that. If adjustment happens both ways, it’s understanding. I can’t accept everything Shreya does, nor can she accept everything I do. But we will learn to meet each other halfway and respect our differences.”
He cradled her face gently. “But I promise our fights will be silent, but never hurtful words that can leave scars for a lifetime, nor will there be actions that hurt or disrespect, crossing boundaries. We will always respect each other for who we are as individuals and partners.”
Shreya stepped forward, taking Radha’s hand in hers, “I promise nothing will change. The sister you knew will be the same even after the marriage. I will love you the same way I always did, Radha. Maine pehle bhi kaha tha, tu jitni apne bhaiyon ki bhen hai, utni hi meri. (I have said this before, you are as much your brother’s sister as you are mine.) Me being your brother’s partner will not change what we share.”
She continued softly, “neither will it change what you share with your Bhaiya. Jitne Mahir tere bhaiya aaj hai, utne hi woh mujhse shaadi ke baad honge. I will be your saviour or partner in crime, whatever you want. But I will never come between the two of you. He has and will always have more right to you. So will you. Nothing changes just because I am going to marry your brother.”
Radha chuckled through her tears; their words touched the right part of her heart, leaving her overwhelmed with warmth and reassurance.
“You guys are being way too serious.” She muttered playfully, wrapping her arms around both Shreya and Mahir together.
“I want a party,” she mumbled excitedly, “don’t forget to add my favourite paneer in the menu.”
“How about we open a factory for paneer just for you?” Abhi teased lightly. He didn’t understand his sister’s obsession with that white thing.
Radha’s eyes narrowed at him, “How about we open an animal shelter for all the chickens? You and Bhaiyu both can have that in tons.” She never understood her brothers’ obsession with that annoying animal.
Arjun frowned, “How did I end up in between?” He didn’t even take sides, just standing there quietly. Life was so unfair to him.
The stars sparkled in the dark velvet sky after the dawn, a quiet calm settling around them, finally bringing peace. Laughter filled the air as the weights of fears, insecurities, guilt, and pain finally lifted up, leaving behind a new beginning in the Dhanrajgir siblings’ lives.
Comments
Post a Comment