Next Morning:

Roshni woke up and quickly got dressed for college. Hurriedly grabbing her bag, she rushed out of her room. As she was descending the stairs, she collided with someone.

It was her elder brother, Aman.

Startled, she immediately stepped back and murmured, "Sorry," her gaze fixed on the floor. She was about to walk past him when she suddenly felt his hand grasp her wrist.

Her heart sank. For a moment, she thought he might lash out, just like Kaira. In all these years, Aman hadn’t spoken a single word to her, and his cold silence had always felt like an unspoken accusation.

Bracing herself for the worst, she froze. But instead of anger, he silently held out a book toward her.

Roshni looked up in surprise, her eyes widening as they landed on the familiar cover. Without a word, she took the book from his hand, clutching it tightly to her chest.

Without looking back, she quickly left the house, her emotions swirling in confusion and unease.

Aman POV:

Aman’s POV:

I watched her rush down the steps, her head bowed low, always in that same timid posture, as if she carried the weight of the world on her small shoulders. When she collided with me, the way she immediately flinched—it stung. She didn’t even meet my eyes, muttering a quick apology before trying to walk past me, as if she didn’t expect me to acknowledge her.

It wasn’t her fault, I knew that. But every time I saw her, I couldn’t help but remember Maa.

When I grabbed her wrist, I felt her body tense under my touch. She turned toward me, her wide eyes filled with fear. Fear of me. My chest tightened at the thought. How did we get here?

I didn’t say anything—I couldn’t. I just held out the book I had found on the shelf this morning. Maa’s favorite book. The one she used to read to Roshni before bedtime.

The way her face lit up when she saw it... For a fleeting moment, I saw the little sister I had once protected, the one who used to cling to me with complete trust. She hugged the book to her chest and left without a word, like she always does.

But this time, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from her retreating figure.

“Roshni...” I whispered under my breath.

I wanted to stop her. To say something. To tell her I didn’t hate her. That I never could.

But the words remained trapped in my throat, drowned by the guilt that’s haunted me for years.

POV END

As she rushed out of the house, Roshni took a deep breath, clutching the book tightly to her chest. Her steps slowed as she reached the gate, and she glanced down at the worn cover of the book Aman had just handed her.

A soft, bittersweet smile spread across her lips as memories flooded her mind—Maa’s voice reading this very book, her warmth enveloping her in a cocoon of love and safety.

A lone tear escaped her eye, trailing down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. "Maa..." she whispered under her breath, her voice trembling with longing.

For a moment, the weight of her pain seemed to lift, replaced by the faint warmth of her mother’s presence through the book. It was fleeting, but it was enough to give her the strength to move forward.

Straightening her shoulders, Roshni tucked the book into her bag and headed for college. The sun was already climbing higher in the sky, casting its warm rays over the streets, but her heart still carried the lingering chill of her home.

As she walked through the bustling city streets, her thoughts drifted back to Aman. His unexpected gesture had shaken her more than she cared to admit. For years, she had lived in the shadow of his silence, convinced that he despised her just like Kaira did. But today... today, something felt different.

The memory of his hand holding hers, the look in his eyes—it wasn’t hate. It wasn’t warmth either, but it wasn’t hate. For the first time in a long time, Roshni felt a tiny spark of hope.

Author's POV:

Unbeknownst to her, someone watched from the shadows, their gaze following her every step.

"One smile, and you shine brighter than the sun," he murmured to himself, his voice tinged with obsession. "But these tears... Roshni, they cut through me like a blade."

He clenched his fists, his eyes darkening with intensity. "They'll pay. Every single one of them who hurt you will pay."

As she disappeared into the crowd, the man melted back into the shadows, his resolve stronger than ever. Roshni was his light, his purpose, and he would burn the world to protect her.