Shadows of the Past

"What about her child?"

The question echoed relentlessly in Anaysha's mind, a haunting refrain that refused to fade.

Her pulse quickened, her throat constricted, and her breaths grew shallow as if she were suffocating.

With a sudden, strangled cry, she clamped her hands over her ears,

desperately trying to block out the question,

to escape the memories entwined with it—memories that clawed at her sanity.

Moments stretched into an eternity as she struggled to regain control.

But the weight of it was too much. Her knees buckled,

and she slid down against the cold wall, collapsing into herself.

She buried her face in her knees, and the sobs came,

raw and unrestrained, shaking her small frame with their intensity.

This wasn't new.

Each time her thoughts wandered to the past, to the child she had lost,

her composure would shatter like glass.

She, who was always strong, always resilient,

would find herself utterly powerless.

Anaysha was no stranger to hardship.

Life had tested her time and again,

and she had always risen to the challenge, unwavering and determined.

But this—this was her Achilles' heel.

Four years ago, when her ten-year-old brother Manan's kidneys failed,

time had stopped for her.

The doctors' voices echoed in her ears like a death knell:

he needed immediate treatment, and she had no money, no support.

Her family was gone—

lost in a tragedy shrouded in mystery.

All she had was Manan.

And she was not ready to lose him too.

So, she made a choice.

A choice that no one should have to make.

She entered into a contract marriage,

selling her freedom, her body,

all to save the only family she had left.

But the marriage wasn't the prison she had imagined.

Devansh Kapoor, the man she married,

treated her with respect, gave her every right a wife deserved.

He never crossed boundaries or made her feel trapped.

Yet, no amount of kindness could erase the guilt.

To save her brother, she had sacrificed her unborn child.

Pain, however deeply buried, has a way of surfacing.

After spending nearly two hours in the bathroom,

Anaysha finally emerged, her face pale but composed.

Her gaze flicked to the clock on the wall—it was already four.

Drawing in a steadying breath, she muttered to herself,

"Manan will be back soon.

I haven't even prepared anything for him yet."

Her voice was soft, almost conversational,

as if trying to ground herself in the mundane.

She stepped into the kitchen, her movements efficient yet unhurried.

Though her eyes were still red and swollen,

there was no trace of the storm she had weathered.

She wore her pain like armor, her calm demeanor concealing the chaos within.

After finishing the preparations,

she stepped out into the garden.

The cottage she lived in was modest but exquisite,

a reflection of her determination and hard work.

She had bought it with her own earnings,

refusing to touch the money Devansh had given her.

To her, that money was sacred—

meant solely for Manan's treatment, nothing else.

Sitting cross-legged on the lush grass,

she opened her laptop, intent on catching up on work.

Suddenly, two small arms wrapped around her neck from behind,

and a jubilant voice broke her concentration.

"Didi(Sister), I'm home!"

Anaysha turned, her expression softening as she met Manan's eager eyes.

Running her fingers affectionately through his unruly curls, she asked,

"How was school today?"

Manan beamed, resting his head on her shoulder.

"It was great! Exams are in two months, and soon I'll be grown up and earning lots of money!"

His enthusiasm drew a faint smile to her lips.

Pulling him to sit beside her,

she let them both sprawl across the grass,

their laughter mingling with the gentle rustle of the leaves.

Miles away,

waves crashed against the shore with a ferocity that mirrored their beauty.

The ocean, vast and untamed, seemed to hold its breath.

Amidst its towering waves,

a figure glided effortlessly, defying the sea's power.

"Devansh Kapoor,"

a man of unyielding confidence and unparalleled poise,

maneuvered his water skis with precision.

His chiseled frame, sharp features, and piercing gaze spoke volumes—

a man accustomed to control.

The owner of Extinct Groups of Companies,

a titan in the business world,

Devansh Kapoor was a name that commanded attention.

But even titans have shadows.

______________________

What will happen next?

To know…

To be continued…