Destined to Be Yours

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room, but Shourya sat in darkness. He had barely slept, haunted by the image of Vedha's tear-streaked face. Her sobs, the pain in her eyes, and the way she had crumbled under his anger—it all replayed in his mind like a relentless storm.

He buried his face in his hands, his chest heavy with guilt. "What have I done?" he muttered to himself.

He wanted to apologize, to take back the moment of blind rage, but shame paralyzed him.

The sharp ringing of his phone shattered the silence. He ignored it at first, but it persisted, the sound grating against his frayed nerves. Finally, he grabbed the phone and pressed it to his ear without even glancing at the screen.

"Hello?" His voice was gruff, edged with exhaustion.

"Bhai…" Saanvi's voice trembled, filled with unease.

Shourya immediately straightened, his protective instincts flaring. "Saanvi? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

There was a pause, then her voice broke. "Bhai… it's Adhitya. He… he's hurting me."

Shourya's world tilted. His grip on the phone tightened, his heart pounding. "What did he do?" he demanded, his voice sharp with anger.

"He's been distant," Saanvi said, her voice faltering. "Cold. He doesn't care about me, Bhai. I feel so... alone."

Her words, raw and filled with emotion, pierced Shourya's heart. A protective rage ignited inside him. "Saanvi, I'll deal with him. No one hurts you, no one." His voice was steady, but the fury simmering beneath it was clear.

"See?" Saanvi interrupted, her tone suddenly changing, a strange mix of sadness and firmness. "You're already angry. You're ready to fight for me.Then how should Adhitya react ? What about the things you have done to his sister"

Shourya was taken aback, confused. "What are you saying, Saanvi?"

She drew a shaky breath, her voice softening. "Adhitya is taking good care of me, Bhaiyya. He loves me. He understands me.

The real problem isn't him—it's you."

Her words landed like a slap. Shourya straightened, his grip tightening on the phone. "Me?" he asked, his voice low and disbelieving.

"Yes, you." Saanvi's voice cracked, but she pushed on. "You're blaming Vedha for things she never did. You think she had some hidden agenda, that she plotted against you. Bhai, she didn't even know your status. She didn't know anything beyond your name when she married you. She only said yes because her family told her it was the best decision for her. She trusted them."

Shourya's breath hitched. His mind raced, trying to reconcile Saanvi's words with his own assumptions.

"And Adhitya. " Saanvi continued, her voice steadier now, "he demanded you marry Vedha because he wanted to save her. He wanted to give her a secure future, to protect her. He didn't manipulate you. He was just being a brother, like you are for me."

Shourya's shoulders slumped, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "I didn't know…" he murmured.

"No, you didn't," Saanvi said, her tone softening but still firm. "And do you know whose fault that is? Mine."

Shourya frowned. "Saanvi, what are you saying?"

She took a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice was filled with both regret and strength. "It's my fault, Bhai. I'm the one who made mistakes. I'm the one who got pregnant before marriage. I'm the one who caused this whirlwind. If you want to blame someone, blame me—not Vedha."

"Saanvi…" Shourya's voice broke, but she cut him off.

"You treat me like I'm your little baby, and yet you're so harsh with Vedha. Do you realize she's four years younger than me? She's barely finding her footing in life, and you're suffocating her with your anger and distrust."

Tears stung Shourya's eyes as her words pierced through him.

"Bhai," Saanvi continued, her tone filled with raw emotion, "let Meera go. She's your past. Stop clinging to a memory of gold and look at the diamond you already have in your hand. Don't lose it."

Silence hung heavy between them after her words. Then, with a shaky breath, she added, "I love you, Bhaiyya. But you need to fix this. Don't ruin Vedha's life because of your own pain."

Before he could respond, she ended the call.

Shourya sat there, the phone slipping from his hand. Saanvi's words echoed in his mind, each one a truth he could no longer deny. The reality of Vedha's innocence and his own failings washed over him like a tidal wave.

His heart ached as he thought of Vedha—her quiet strength, her vulnerability, and the way she had borne his anger without ever fighting back. The shame was unbearable.

Shourya clenched his fists, his jaw tightening with resolve. He couldn't change the past, but he could fix the present?