Epilogue

Sky parted into dark grey clouds rolling across the horizon, rain poured in heavy, relentless sheets, drenching everything in its way. The earthy fragrance of wet soil wafted through the air, bringing along a strange sense of calm and nostalgia. A year passed just like that, quietly yet leaving behind a storm of changes in its wake.

Dhanrajgir siblings came a long way down the path of healing, acceptance, and finding themselves again after everything they had been through.

The silence that was once suffocating and haunting in each corner of the mansion a year back filled up with laughter, chaos, and usual sibling banter, spreading warmth in the place that was once nothing but cold and lifeless.

The household buzzed with daily hustle and cheerful chaos; today was different. Everyone was dressed up in traditional attire. It was Mahir and Shreya’s engagement.

Ronit and Sakshi had already left for the temple where the small ring exchange ceremony would take place according to family traditions, without any outsider or media flashes, just a cozy family gathering, for the luxurious party to let the world know. Ronit was prepared to throw a grand reception party after the marriage, just like his father did for Raghav, not him, due to the obvious reasons.

Within a year, Ronit changed a lot, his health deteriorating day by day, and he was isolating himself more than ever before. When Sakshi was supposed to be his support system, the siblings found it shocking that the couple wasn’t even on talking terms anymore.

Sakshi stayed out with her friends or was out of the city every other week, completely detached from everything around her, as if she didn’t care for her husband.

And Ronit let her be. He tried to rebuild a little bond with his sons in the last few months, but the brothers were always cautious. They simply didn’t want to get hurt by trusting the same man they once idolized; their fears were genuine and completely justified.

Ronit understood the precautions; it would have been a lie if he said they didn’t hurt, but he knew he brought that upon himself. So whatever moments he had, he wished to live them in peace and die in peace.

Radha rushed down the stairs, draped in a beautiful dark blue embroidered churidar, her hair flying over her face, tangled and messed up from her usual rush, and just as she reached the last step, she was pulled down harshly. Her mind was already bracing itself for the upcoming scolding.

“What is wrong with you, Radhika?” Mahir scolded worriedly, “How many times do I have to explain? Don’t run down the stairs? You can get injured. Break your neck. Can’t you listen to me for once? Why are you always so careless? And what’s with your hair? Why aren’t you ready yet?....”

Radha bit her inner cheeks as laughter bubbled inside her while Mahir went on and on with his endless lecture. It was nothing new to her; she was used to it by now.

Sometimes her bhaiya sounded like a strict father, then flipped to his overprotective mother mode, and then suddenly back to his annoyed elder brother. His ability to change his roles as if different souls were possessing him and leaving him confused yet amused, but she couldn’t say she didn’t like them.

Truth be told, she loved all of it, his care, his scoldings, his overbearing self, or even his protectiveness. She craved it each and every day without any guilt, fear, or hesitation.

“You...” Mahir stopped as he noticed her smile. She looked amused rather than guilty for giving him heart attacks every other day. Shaking his head in disbelief, he held her hand and guided her to the couch, grabbing the comb from her hands. He couldn’t waste his energy on his overly enthusiastic child.

Radha rose instantly as he made her sit, “Arrey, baal main bana lungi. Main toh bas dekhne aayi thi aap ready hue ya nahi. (I’ll fix my hair myself. I just came to see whether you were ready or not.) Give me the comb...”

“Will you sit quietly, or do I have to make you sit?” Mahir interjected calmly.

Radha stared at him for a heartbeat before huffing in annoyance. She sat back down, “Stop threatening me. Ab toh bhabhi aa rahi hai. (Now bhabhi is coming.) I will make sure to complain to her, and she will throw you out of her room.”

Mahir hummed, detangling her hair with the care of a delicate baby. He was used to those words.

“Why didn’t you wear the bracelet Abhi gifted you on Raksha Bandhan last year?” He asked softly, “You liked it, right?”

Radha sighed, “It broke. I told your idiot of a brother to take me to the shop... I will find a new one or at least buy the elastic used so that I can reuse the beads. But he told me I don’t deserve to wear that. So mean.”

Mahir chuckled lightly, “Well, he wasn’t wrong, Radha. Arjun is teaching you boxing, and you are taking out your frustration on the materials that come into your hands. What can he do now?”

Radha rolled her eyes. She was the one who should be blamed for that. She complained about her weight gain and stopped eating food abruptly, topping it off with her lies that she wasn’t hungry suddenly or that she had her meals, causing her to faint flat in her school.

All three of her brothers haunted her with their anger. Her bhaiya chose silence, Abhi chose confronting her, then her sweet dear bhaiyu chose torturing her in the gym to murder her diet-conscious self, and he was doing quite a good job. It had been three months, and she was suffering from his intense physical exercise.

When she lacked, he used that dumb cane to threaten her. The only escape from the madness was Abhi getting dragged along as much as she was. Her bhaiya’s sadistic self was openly displayed on Abhi, who was dying to learn boxing, and their bhaiyu never joked when it came to the gym; his best self came out in full force there.

Mahir carefully tied a beautiful loose braid in her hair before setting aside the comb.

Radha grinned widely, “So are you ready?” she asked, picking up the brooch that lay on the table, pinning it on him.

Her brother was dressed in a cream kurta and churidar, typical traditional attire. Her di… her bhabhi was lucky to have a man who wasn’t just handsome or charming, but also caring, responsible, and grounded... she could praise her bhaiya all day without a full stop.

Mahir cradled her face gently, “Tu khush hai? (Are you happy?).”

Radha shook her head in disbelief, “It’s your day, bhaiya. My happiness shouldn’t…”

“It matters to me, Radha,” Mahir cut her off softly, “your happiness, your sadness, your tears, every single emotion of yours matters to me. So are you happy?”

Radha hugged him tightly, “Aaj iss waqt iss duniya mein sabse zyada koi khush koi hai toh vo main hoon. (At this moment, if anyone in this world is the happiest, it’s me.)

Mahir kissed her crown, “Then I am also as happy as you are.”

Radha’s eyes shimmered with tears. A year passed by, and there were times when she found herself looking back, too scared to forget the lessons she had learnt. But even when she did look back, she found her bhaiya always standing by her side in each moment of her vulnerability.

He was finally getting engaged and, within a month, married to the woman he loved. She was happy for him. He finally found a companion who would love him as he deserved, who would cherish him like a partner should, who would stand by him through every phase of life without letting him feel alone.

Shreya had won her heart over and over again in the last year. She made sure to give her space with her bhaiya without intruding; she stepped back when siblings gathered in their own moments to spend time with their bhaiya, who was the only family they had in a big fat mansion.

She respected their bond and boundaries without making it obvious or showing any bitterness. Radha knew her bhaiya would always be her bhaiya; him today tying in a new bond with Shreya officially wouldn’t change anything between them all, and that lightened the weight on her heart.

“What happened?” Mahir asked, creasing her hair; he could sense the emotional shift in her demeanour.

Radha chuckled through her tears, “Aisa lag raha hai main apne bhai ki bidaai karne wali hoon. (It feels like I’m about to bid farewell to my brother.)

Mahir sighed, “Radha… I told you nothing will change…”

“Geez! Can you stop with that?” Radha pulled back, annoyed, “I know nothing will change. You are my brother and will always be. No need to repeat that. I am just getting emotional, which doesn’t suit well with my cool image. I am not a crybaby.”

Mahir nodded, “Yup, you aren’t a crybaby. Chal ab mujhe apni hi engagement main late nahi pahunchna. Tere dono bhai mera dimaag kha jayenge unki bhen ko wait karne ke liye. (Come on now, I shouldn’t be late for my own engagement. Your two brothers will eat my head for making their sister wait.”

Radha frowned, “Really? Seedha seedha bolo na bhabhi ko dekhne ke liye utawale ho rahe ho. (Just say it directly.... you’re eager to see bhabhi.).”

“You…” Mahir raised his hand to whack his brat.

Radha dodged the hit, stepping back, “Ab yeh sab nahi chalega bhaiya. (This won’t work anymore.) Just wait and watch, soon bhabhi will take over you, and I will make sure of that.”

Mahir took a threatening step towards her. Radha rushed out of the house, giggling loudly, her laughter lingering in the air, making him smile faintly. That’s what he had been yearning for, and finally, he got it, seeing Radha carefree in her own element without any fears.

She was being herself, sometimes clumsy, sometimes childish, sometimes way too mature for her age, and sometimes just his little girl, and he loved each version of his child unconditionally.

Within a year, a lot had changed. Radha’s ability to let go and trust him, her growing out of the shadows that trapped her, her journey of healing and finding herself again, he was grateful for each moment of it.

✨✨✨

The rhythmic chants of Vedic mantras echoed in the temple, creating a sacred and serene atmosphere, as Mahir and Shreya performed the pooja, with Ronit and Sakshi sitting on one side and Shreya’s parents on the other side, watching the ritual with quiet smiles and blessings.

Radha slowly rose to her feet, walking away at a distance, her gaze fixed on the pouring rain that had gentled its rhythm a lot more than earlier.

Memories flickered back, just like a year ago, on the first rain of the season, she cried, breaking the first rule her parents instilled in her, going against their strict control and expectations, she let herself break free from the cage she had trapped herself in for years.

Today, after a year, on the very first rain of the season, she was about to write a new chapter of her life. The journey from her past self-loathing self to her present self-loving version was long, each needle pierced through her feet with pain, when she decided to walk forward despite everything, but the constant support from her brothers, from her bhaiya, always encouraged her to step ahead, not backwards, holding her steady whenever she felt like falling apart.

Radha extended her hand, letting the rain fall on her palm, feeling the water trickle down softly.

There was a time she hesitated to even let that coolness touch her, let the bright lights shine within her, always choosing darkness over light, but today she found herself loving the dawn that brought warmth into her life.

She loved the sense of freedom, the water trailing down her hands, soothing her soul, the cool breeze kissing her skin, everything grounded her in the present moment.

She didn’t forget her past; she never would, as forgetting the past meant denying her own journey, but remembering it meant growing stronger with every step forward. That’s what Ajay taught her.

She would make sure to accept her past but never let it overpower her present. She loved herself too much to lose herself again in guilt and pain. She was happy with the version of her she had become, unapologetically.

“What are you doing here?” Arjun asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in a side hug.

Radha leaned into his touch, “The rain just feels like freedom.”

Arjun glanced at her. There were times when Radha said metaphors that came straight from her soul, and he had to pick up on her moods. What she just uttered, with that calm face and nothing but her hazel eyes sparkling with contentment, was enough to tell him she was fine, and he was relieved.

“Are you done killing me with anticipation?” Abhi’s voice floated from behind.

Radha laughed heartily, “Okay, fine. Give me my bag.” She took her sling bag from Abhi.

“I made this for bhaiya,” she murmured quietly, passing the card to Abhi.

Arjun frowned, glancing at it. As he took in the painting and the words poured down on it, he stilled, shocked, his eyes stinging with tears. The depth of her emotions reflected in every stroke left him overwhelmed; each word resonated with his heart loud and clear like an unspoken truth he always carried within himself.

“How is it?” Radha bit her lips nervously.

Arjun pulled her into his warmth, “Bhaiya will love it, Princess.” His voice shook with emotion.

What he felt for their bhaiya was not so easy to describe in words. Arjun could take a stand for his brother, he could fight with his brother for his happiness, he could protect his bhaiya in every way he could, no matter if it meant going against the mother who gave him birth. He could stand like a shield in front of him in every battle, but expressing his feelings in words was the hardest task for him.

Actions spoke louder than words; that’s what he believed in, too jumbled up in his head to voice out what his heart felt deeply for his bhaiya.

Abhi blinked away the tears that fogged his eyes. He glanced at his sister, “I knew you were smart. But this much… I didn’t know that.”

Radha frowned, “Was it a compliment or an insult?”

Abhi shook his head, “Compliment, Radha. He… he will love this. It’s the best gift you are giving him.”

Back then, Abhishek didn’t like his parents, too hurt by their actions when the curtains of their fake perfect family image fell. Slowly, as years passed and he grew up, he started to read into the scene a little bit more. By the time, his dislike turned into hate, and now he despised his parents for whatever they did.

But his bhaiya was always there. Abhi would have chosen to turn himself bitter, hateful, neglecting his studies purposely just to get on his mother’s nerves, fight with his father, disobey him, just because he wanted them to have the taste of their own medicine. They thrived on control, and he was ready to dismantle that control completely, even if it meant destroying his life.

But his bhaiya didn’t let him walk down that path. Mahir held him first, stopped him, explained to him that hate can consume a person from within, and forgiveness can set them free from that darkness, and Abhi chose just that. He didn’t feel anything for the parents who raised him, no love, hate, or despise; he just felt numb, and that was better than living with constant bitterness.

What Radha wrote and painted resonated with his heart in ways he could never describe in words. He believed in saying a simple ‘I love you’ that he did every other day, confessing the three words that held depths of emotion, respect, and even gratitude.

However, Radha was baring her heart and soul before the man who meant the whole world to her, just as he did to him and Arjun. Sometimes confessing deeply and expressing emotions through actions and art was also as important as saying them aloud, and he was proud that his sister chose what she found easy, just like what he found easy.

The couples exchanged rings, their smiles glowing as the sacred chants faded into soft murmurs of blessings. Arjun stepped forward, pulling his brother into a warm hug, followed by Abhi and Radha, their joy touching the sky, laughter spilling like sunlight after a storm.

Mahir’s smile dimmed as he turned towards Ronit and Sakshi. No matter how much he told himself it didn’t matter, he couldn’t deny the fact that there was still a ten-year-old curled up in his heart who yearned for his parents’ love and blessings. His father wasn’t there with him, but Mahir knew Vikrant might be happy with the choices and decisions he was making in his life.

He stepped forward, taking the blessings of those who were there. He could blame them all he wanted, but he was grateful for one thing in his whole life, which was Ronit bringing him into the Dhanrajgir family. Mahir was grateful beyond words; he found two younger brothers and one little sister, all three of whom he loved and vowed to protect with everything he had.

Ronit was taken aback as Mahir and Shreya touched his feet. He wasn’t expecting that, but then… it was not his blood that ran in Mahir’s veins; it was Vikrant’s teachings, his values, his integrity. Mahir was so respectful yet firm, all like his real father, not him.

His hands trembled ever so slightly as he placed them on Mahir’s head. “God bless you, son,” he murmured warmly.

Mahir straightened up instantly, stepping back before he did something as foolish as hugging his father, who was suddenly starting to act all calm, tender, and unfamiliar, as if he wasn’t the same man who once held onto his prejudices, his ego, and orthodox thinking. Mahir was confused by the sudden change but knew better than to give in.

Sakshi stepped back, turning on her heels and leaving. She came because her husband asked her to, and because of the media that, in some way or another, followed them. Otherwise, she was least interested in being there in the drama. Within a year, she had lost everything, the control, the authority, the dominance she once held, or even the blind influence over her family.

The unity between the siblings, the shield the brothers became for Radha, and the way that girl grew out of her fears, staring straight into her eyes without flinching every single moment, pissed her off beyond measure.

She hated losing, but for the first time, she had lost that, too, all because of her husband. The man who once followed her blindly, drowning in love, suddenly found out the truth and decided to leave her hand in the middle of the path.

She didn’t expect that from Ronit. He was supposed to walk by her, follow everything she said, but she knew she had lost it all now. There was nothing she could do but maintain distance, and she was doing just that.

“Beta, yeh…” Anvi, Shreya’s mother, asked worriedly.

She had been noticing Sakshi’s displeasure at her own son’s engagement, and that didn’t sit well with them. When Shreya came to her and her husband last year, letting them know about her feelings for Mahir, and even Mahir’s confession, they were happy for their daughter.

The engagement with Jaideep was called off after everything, as Shreya’s happiness mattered to them more than anything. All they wanted was for her to settle down before they closed their eyes peacefully.

But Sakshi’s disinterest worried them. They didn’t want to send their daughter into a family where her mother-in-law couldn’t accept her wholeheartedly.

“She wasn’t feeling well, Mrs. Sharma,” Ronit reassured calmly. “She went to visit the doctor. I will check on her later. Usse pehle hum pandit ji se muhurat ki baat kar lete hai? Bachon ne sagai kar hi li hai, ab shaadi bhi ho jaye. (Before that, let’s talk to the priest about the wedding date. The children are already engaged, now let the wedding happen too.”

He patted Shreya’s head lovingly, “I will be happy to welcome my daughter into this family.”

Mahir and the siblings stood still, as if struck by thunder. The honey-dipped words sounded genuine; it didn’t help that there were no traces of fake affection or manipulation. Everything Ronit said felt real; the honesty reflected in his eyes was crystal clear. What was happening? What changed the man so suddenly?

✨✨✨

Radha pulled Mahir away from the bickering brothers who were testing her patience. Here she was, waiting to give her bhaiya his present, and they were purposely keeping him engaged in talks, killing her with impatience and anticipation.

“Slow down, Radha,” Mahir chuckled as she dragged him towards a pillar in an empty corner. “You are definitely growing quite good muscles. I think I should ask Arjun to extend the sessions, it will help you…”

“No need!” Radha exclaimed. “I know, just like Bhaiyu, you too have your own sadistic version, but that doesn’t mean you will experiment on me. Use that on Abhi, leave me out of the list.”

Mahir raised his hands in surrender. “Fine! Now tell me, why did you have to drag me here?”

Radha glanced at the idol. She was about to do something her heart had been holding onto since last year, the day she began to heal and see her bhaiya not just as an elder brother, but as something far more.

Knowingly or unknowingly, her heart had started to compare each and every deed of Mahir with her parents. When her parents preferred imposing, Mahir chose to give her space and time.

When her parents hated being disturbed in their work or rarely had time for her, her bhaiya gave her his full attention, keeping aside everything else. When her silence went unnoticed, he understood what she couldn’t put into words; when she broke under her own fears, he held her together without making her feel weak.

At every step, Mahir brought warmth into her life, where she didn’t feel like a burden, unwanted, unworthy, or useless. She felt loved, cared for, nurtured, safe, accepted, understood, and protected.

And today, she was finally ready to take the final step towards expressing the gratitude and love she had buried deep within her heart for him.

Slowly, she took out the card she had made herself, painted carefully, pouring down her feelings on it with trembling hands and a heart full of unsaid emotions. She forwarded it to Mahir, suddenly nervous and anxious. She had never done this before, never expressed so openly, so vulnerably. It was her first time, and she couldn’t even meet his gaze properly.

It wasn’t just Mahir’s engagement; it was Father’s Day, too. Back then, every year, Radha used to do something new for her father, even for her mother, but for them, her feelings were a waste of time.

Whatever she wrote in scrambled words or expressed through her art meant nothing to them. They were looking for ranks and obedience, not love, emotions, or a child’s heartfelt efforts.

However, today, she felt compelled to honour her bhaiya with the love and respect that he truly deserved.

Mahir frowned and took the card. He didn’t understand the sudden silence and the storm of emotions lingering in her eyes.

Quietly, he opened the card, his fingers trembling slightly, as water in an ocean stirred by an unseen tide, as he took in what she had painted on the card so beautifully and meaningfully...

A little girl holding onto her father’s hand, walking out of the shadows towards the rays of the sun, the flickers of colours blending into the darkness she was leaving behind, slowly replacing it with hues of life, hope, warmth, and a sense of belonging, exuding the light of healing and unconditional love.

If the painting expressing the journey from darkness to light, from fear to courage, was not enough, then the words written on it touched his soul…

Jab aapno se darr laga..
Toh aapne mera haath thaama.

Jab khud ko khone lagi,
Toh aapne mujhe pehchaana.

Apni hi parchai se bhaag rahi thi,
Par aapne mujhe usse samna karne ka hausla diya.

Jab jeene ki iccha khatam hui,
Toh aapke saaye ne mujhe jeena sikha diya.

Kabhi dil roya, kabhi aankhon se dard baha..

Kabhi aapko door kiya, toh kabhi khud ko chot pahunchayi,

Lekin aapka saath kabhi na chhuta...

Aaj iss dil se bas itni si dua nikalti hai,
Sajde karu main tere har ek ehsaas se,
Kabhi na chute ek pita ka hath aapni beti ke sath se...

Radha took a deep breath and bent down to touch her bhaiya’s feet, taking his blessings. When she did the same for her father, he always stepped back, walked away, as if she was nothing, her feelings were nothing but a mere formality. And since last year, she hadn’t even given her father an ounce of respect after whatever she had witnessed.

She never saw him as the same man she once forced herself to admire, to look up to, or even keep on a pedestal. He was her father, but he could never become her safe place or someone she could rely on.

It took her time to understand the truth, the difference between love and control, but now, after seeing her bhaiya putting in his efforts for her, keeping her first, doing everything he could for her, asking just for her peace and happiness in return, she finally understood what unconditional love truly meant, and he deserved every ounce of respect she was giving him.

Raghav Dhanrajgir was her biological father, but it was Mahir Dhanrajgir who was truly her father in every way that mattered. She didn’t mind acknowledging and bowing down before the man who meant the world to her.

Mahir snapped out of his trance as he felt a drop of tear fall on his feet. He pulled Radha up into his embrace, startled and overwhelmed.

She didn’t need to bow down before him, yet she did. She didn’t need to keep him on a pedestal, yet she did, with a love so pure and unwavering that it shook him to his core. Everything, every word he read, filled the cracks of his heart, a pain he had been living with for years after his medical reports came in.

Radha healed him without even realizing it, without knowing how deeply her respect and love were mending him.

His brothers had his heart, but it was Radha who always had his soul. Radhika Dhanrajgir was his baby sister, but she was also his first child, his first daughter in every sense, the one who gave him a purpose he never knew he needed.

Arjun and Abhi stepped forward, hugging Mahir from behind, one failed in expressing the depth of his emotions, while the other only knew how to say I love you. In a way, Radha filled in for them too, saying what they always failed to put into words and express from the depths of their hearts.

Despite having Ronit’s hand over their heads, both of them couldn’t bring themselves to turn to him for that sense of belonging and emotional security that Mahir gave them so unconditionally. On paper, Ronit Dhanrajgir would always be their father, but in their hearts and souls, it would always be Mahir who would stand as their protector, their guide, and the one they truly looked up to.

Shreya captured the heartfelt moment on her phone; her heart swelled with warmth and pride. The Dhanrajgir siblings had come a long way, from battling self-doubt, fear, insecurities, pain, and emotional scars, to finding unity, strength, unconditional love, acceptance, and healing together.

Healing was not a one-day task to be completed. It was an emotion that took time and effort, the courage to let go and love yourself from within. Radha grew up nurtured with rules that became her shackles, demotivating thoughts that became her fears, stripping her of her self-confidence, but Mahir taught her that failing was not a crime, faltering was not a sin, and choosing yourself above anyone else was not arrogance.

Arjun and Abhi grew up with the same expectations, but when the truth came to light, they found themselves turning onto wrong paths at different points in their lives, driven by anger, rebellion, and the urge to break free, trying to heal their hurt in ways that could have destroyed them.

But Mahir didn’t let them. He guided them back to the right path, grounding them with patience and understanding, telling them to know the difference between revenge and justice, anger and strength, and rebellion and self-destruction.

The story of the Dhanrajgir siblings didn’t end here; it echoed with years of struggles, tears, silent battles, and unspoken pain, but their unity and love that went Beyond Blood held them together through it all, and it was just the beginning of something far more beautiful, resilient, and unbreakable.

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