The Beginning of an End

For the first time in a long time, Jyoti felt at peace. The weight of her mother's absence still lingered, but it no longer crushed her. She had learned to carry it, to let it be a part of her without defining her. And now, she was ready to embrace life on her own terms.

Daniel had been there through it all—the grief, the healing, the moments of doubt. Somewhere along the journey, their bond had deepened into something neither of them had fully acknowledged. But tonight, under the soft glow of city lights, Jyoti felt something shift between them.

They sat on the rooftop of a quiet café, their usual meeting place. The stars stretched endlessly above them, and the hum of the city felt distant, like they existed in a world of their own.

"I can't believe how much has changed," Jyoti said, sipping her tea.

Daniel smiled, watching her carefully. "You've changed."

She turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "How?"

"You're stronger. More sure of yourself. The Jyoti I met months ago was searching for something. The Jyoti sitting next to me knows exactly who she is."

His words warmed her, but they also made her nervous. Because deep down, she knew she had found something else in the midst of her journey—him.

"Daniel…" she started, but before she could finish, he reached out and took her hand.

"I don't want to waste time pretending," he said. "I know what this is. I know what I feel."

Jyoti's heart pounded. She had spent so long running from emotions, from pain, from the fear of losing again. But this—this felt safe. It felt right.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Me too."

A slow smile spread across his face before he leaned in, pressing a soft, hesitant kiss against her lips. It wasn't rushed or desperate—it was a promise.

A new adventure had begun.

A Future Together

In the weeks that followed, Jyoti and Daniel's relationship flourished. They laughed more, dreamed more, and for the first time in years, Jyoti allowed herself to believe in happiness.

They planned their future together—travels, ambitions, even silly things like what color their future house would be. She had never imagined love could feel so easy, so natural.

One evening, as they walked through a quiet street, Daniel squeezed her hand. "Jyoti, I need to tell you something."

She glanced at him. "What is it?"

He hesitated. "I've been thinking about studying in the UK."

Something in her chest tightened. "For how long?"

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe a few years."

A cold breeze swept past them, and suddenly, everything felt different.

"We'll make it work," Daniel said quickly. "Distance doesn't change anything."

Jyoti wanted to believe him. She needed to believe him.

So she nodded. "We'll figure it out."

And for a while, they did. Until the day he left—and never came back.

A Love Lost

At first, there were calls. Then texts. Then nothing.

Weeks passed. Then months. Jyoti told herself he was just busy, that life in a new country was overwhelming. But deep down, she knew.

And then, one evening, as she scrolled through social media, she saw it.

A picture.

Daniel. Smiling. Dressed in a suit. Standing next to a woman in a white wedding gown.

Married.

Her heart didn't just break—it shattered.

She had survived losing her mother. But this? This was different. This was betrayal.

She thought grief only came from death. Now, she knew better.

Love could die too.