The moment Karishma stepped through the threshold of her home, Her mother rushed forward, tears glistening in her eyes, while her father stood anchored behind her, a proud smile etched on his face. After five long years of separation, their eldest daughter had finally returned from abroad, and the air hummed with happiness.
As the lively chatter filled the room, Khushi, slipped away unnoticed.
In the solitude of her room, Khushi's internal chaos took over - her mind racing with memories of Arnav-their laughter, the little moments that had already begun to feel distant.
With a heavy heart, she sank into the shower, drowning the tears in the cascading water. tears continued to flow, Distant memories haunted and pulling her back five years to a time
Flashback: Five Years Ago
Karishma and Arnav were inseparable. They were the kind of couple that made everyone around them believe in love. Late-night study sessions at the library, shared lunches filled with giggles, and promises whispered in the hallways epitomized their relationship. They had dreams of attending the same college, their fingers intertwined as they imagined their future together. But that idyllic world shattered the day Karishma's father found out about their relationship.
Concerned for his daughter's future, Karishma's father took charge. He made it clear that she would not be dating anyone during her college years. The threats he hurled-silent and yet deafening-settled heavily in the atmosphere. Karishma fought against it but was silenced with the chilling words:
You're wasting your potential on infatuation!" he bellowed, his voice piercing through Karishma's heart like a dagger. "You will take admission abroad and focus on your studies. No more distractions!"
Karishma's please fell on deaf ears; she insisted that her love for Arnav was real, that he was her partner in every sense of the word. But her father was unyielding, and he resorted to emotional blackmail. "If you don't go, I will... I might hurt myself," he threatened, his voice quavering, yet firm.
The weight of his words hung heavily in the air. Fear gripped Karishma. She couldn't bear the thought of her father's pain, of losing him, even if it meant losing herself. Overwhelmed, she succumbed to the pressure, agreeing to go abroad. A promise was extracted from her-one that twisted her heart and silenced her love.
"Promise me you won't contact him," her father demanded, his eyes scanning her face for any hint of defiance.
"I promise," she whispered, her heart breaking even as she spoke.
Karishma left without a word, not even a message to let Arnav know of her departure. She felt as though she was abandoning a part of her soul.
Flashback ends
Khushi felt the suffocating pain of betrayal and misunderstanding and than murmered Arnav sir believed Karishma had chosen to end their relationship without a thought, shattering all the beautiful dreams they had built together. Khushi felt a surge of anger at the injustice of it all-Karishma wasn't guilty, yet everyone thought she was.
"Why is everything so messed up?"
How could she begin to unravel this mess? How could she explain to Arnav that Karishma had fought against her father's wishes, that she had loved him more than words could express, yet had been coerced into silence?
Khushi's heart ached as she imagined his face when he found out the truth. Was it possible he still loved Karishma? Would he ever forgive her sister for leaving him without a whisper of goodbye? She hated the confusion swirling within her, a tempest of emotions filled with loss, anger, and a reluctant understanding.
Khushi cried, clutching the sides of the tub, as tremors of grief coursed through her. The bitter conflict between her loyalty to her sister and her burgeoning feelings for Arnav twisted her insides. Unable to bear the weight of her emotions, she fainted, collapsing in the shower's waters.
"Khushi! Where did you go?" Karishma's voice cut through the haze as she searched for her sister, feeling a tug of unease coil around her. Her heart raced when she entered the bathroom to find Khushi lying on the floor, water still pouring down, unresponsive.
"Maa! Papa! Help!" Karishma screamed, her voice cracking with alarm as a deep-seated fear gripped her. The warmth of joy that filled the house moments before shattered in an instant.
Hours later, at the hospital, the sterile scent of antiseptic hung in the air as Karishma anxiously paced the waiting room, her parents beside her-faces pale, worry lines etched deep. The doctor emerged, his expression professional yet kind.
"Your sister fainted due to anxiety and stress," he explained gently. "We suggest keeping her under observation for the next 24 hours. But she'll be alright with some care."
"Thank you, Doctor," their mother whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. "She was so happy to have Karishma back."
As they sat in silence, Karishma turned to look out the window, the world outside moving on, oblivious to their turmoil. She felt the weight of the past pressing down on her-the sacrifice she had made, the love lost, and now, her sister's pain. She vowed silently to find a way to mend these fractured bonds, to help Khushi heal, and to confront the heartache that had lingered for far too long between her and Arnav.
Somewhere in the darkness of that hospital room, hope flickered faintly-a hope that love could be rekindled and that healing could begin if they faced the past together.