KABIR POV:

Nishika said a soft "Goodnight" before heading toward her room as we reached home back from the hosipital.

I nodded and muttered, "Goodnight," but my mind wasn't entirely there. I watched her retreating figure, and once she disappeared into her room, I turned and walked toward the library.I poured myself a drink and sat down in the sofa beside the armchair by the window. The night outside was calm, but my mind was anything but.

The baby's tiny face flashed in my mind—the little fingers, the way he wriggled when Aneesh held him. My throat tightened.

It had reminded me of what I once wanted.What I lost.

My mind wandered back to those days, the ones I had locked away in a corner of my heart.

I had dreamed of moments like theirs. A baby girl with Sejal's bright eyes, her warm laugh. I had imagined spoiling her, teaching her, protecting her. I'd even thought of names.

But those dreams were gone now, lost with Sejal and the baby she had been carrying.

I closed my eyes, and her face flashed in my mind.The guilt I carried felt like a heavy weight on my chest. If only I had gone to pick her up that day. If only I hadn't been so busy. Maybe the accident wouldn't have happened. Maybe she and the baby would still be here.

The tears came before I could stop them. I swiped at my face quickly. I was supposed to be strong, composed. But tonight, it was too much.

The creak of the door startled me, and I looked up to see Nishika standing there. She hesitated in the doorway, her eyes searching my face.

"I came to get a book," she said softly, glancing toward the shelves.

I didn't bother replying and she kept starring at me for a second

"Kabir?"

I blinked, quickly swiping a hand across my face. Nishika was standing at the garden door, her silhouette framed by the faint light from inside

"Are you okay?" she asked, stepping closer

"It's nothing. You should go back to bed."

She didn't move. For a moment, she just stood there, watching me like she wasn't sure what to do. Then, to my surprise, she sat  beside me on the sofa.

"I don't feel like sleeping," she said simply, her tone gentle.

"You don't have to tell me anything," Nishika said softly, breaking the quiet. "But... if you want to, I'm here."

For a moment, I considered walking away. But something in her calm presence stopped me.For so long, I had kept everything bottled up. I didn't know how to share this part of myself with anyone.

"I am sure you know I was married before," I said finally

Nishika didn't react visibly, though I saw her hands fold tightly in her lap.

"Her name was Sejal," I continued, my voice low. "We met in college. She was everything I wasn't—bold, vibrant, full of life. I thought she was perfect,she was my life"

I paused, the memories surging forward, unrelenting.

"She was my first love," I admitted, my throat tightening. "And for a while, it felt like we had it all. We were in US when we got married, built a life together there . When she got pregnant... it was the happiest I'd ever seen her."

"She was so excited," I said, a small, bittersweet smile tugging at my lips. "She planned everything—the nursery, the names, even what schools the baby would go to. She wanted a girl and so did I. She was convinced it would be a girl."

My voice broke slightly, and I swallowed hard, the ache in my chest almost unbearable.

"I didn't pick her up that day," I said, the guilt clawing at me. "She called me from the mall, asked if I could come, but I was stuck in a meeting. I sent a driver instead. It was snowing... the roads were bad..."

I couldn't finish. The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.

"I lost her," I said finally, my voice barely audible. "I lost them both."

A tear slipped down my cheek, and I didn't bother wiping it away this time.

"It wasn't your fault, Kabir," Nishika said softly, her voice steady but kind.

"It feels like it was," I admitted, my hands trembling slightly. "If I'd been there, maybe—"

"Don't," she interrupted gently. "Don't do that to yourself."

Her hand rested lightly on mine, her touch warm and grounding. I looked at her, startled by the quiet strength in her gaze.

"I keep thinking about tonight. That baby. She reminded me so much of everything I lost. I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but..." My words trailed off, and I didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"It's okay to feel this way," Nishika said after a moment. "You don't have to push it down or pretend it doesn't hurt."

I glanced at her, surprised by her understanding. There was something in her eyes—a quiet empathy that felt genuine, as if she truly understood what it was like to carry the weight of loss.

"Do you ever feel like..." I hesitated, unsure if I should even say it. But the words were already forming, and I couldn't stop them. "Do you ever feel like you failed someone you loved?"

Nishika's expression softened, and for a moment, I thought she might share something of her own. But instead, she simply said, "I think we all carry things we wish we could've done differently. But that doesn't mean we failed."

Her words hung in the air, and I wanted to believe them. I wanted to believe that I wasn't to blame, that I hadn't failed Sejal. But the guilt was so deeply ingrained, it felt like a part of me.

"I keep thinking about that day," I admitted, my voice trembling. "If I had just left work early, if I had picked her up myself, maybe... maybe they'd still be here."

Nishika's hand moved to my arm, her touch gentle but firm. "Kabir," she said, her voice steady, "you can't keep punishing yourself for something you couldn't control. You loved her. That's what matters."

NISHIKA POV:

Kabir had always seemed so composed, so in control. But now, with his guard down, I saw the man beneath the facade.I could see it in his eyes, the guilt that refused to leave him, the blame he carried.

I bit my lip, my heart aching for him. He had no idea. No idea that Sejal hadn't been the person he thought she was. No idea that she had betrayed him.

I placed my hand gently on his arm, feeling his tension under my fingertips. "Kabir," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "you can't keep punishing yourself for something you couldn't control. You loved her. That's what matters."

He didn't respond immediately, just stared at the floor, lost in his thoughts. My heart ached for him. I wanted to say something more, something that would make the pain go away, but I knew words could only do so much.

As I sat beside him, my eyes drifted to the bottle of whiskey on the small table next to his chair. The amber liquid glinted under the soft light, and for a moment, all I could see was Akash.

I swallowed hard, the memory of my first husband flashing in my mind. The way he used to drink, the way his mood would change with every sip. The yelling, the anger, the fear I felt every time he came near me with that glass in his hand.

My breath hitched as Kabir shifted slightly, leaning closer to me. For a split second, my heart raced—not because of him, but because of the fear his closeness triggered. My mind was screaming, urging me to move away, to protect myself.

But then Kabir did something that left me completely stunned.

He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around me. Tight. So tight, it felt like he was holding on for dear life.

I froze, caught off guard by the sudden embrace. His body trembled slightly against mine, his breath warm against my shoulder. My instincts screamed to pull away, but something about the way he held me stopped me. This wasn't aggression. This wasn't anger. This was... desperation.

I felt his light, crisp beard graze against my neck, the sensation unfamiliar but strangely grounding. My hands hovered awkwardly for a moment before I let them rest lightly on his back. I didn't know what else to do.

"It's okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I was trying to reassure him or myself.

His grip tightened briefly before loosening just enough for me to breathe more easily. He didn't say anything, and I didn't push him to. I could feel the weight of his emotions in the way he clung to me, like I was the only anchor he had in this moment.

Minutes passed, the room silent except for the faint ticking of the clock and the sound of his breathing.

Eventually, his breathing slowed, and the tension in his body eased. Before I realized it, his weight shifted against me. He was drifting off.

"Kabir?" I said softly, but there was no response. His arms loosened slightly, and his head rested against my lap.

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. But as I looked down at him, his face peaceful and not bossy like the weight of the world is on his shoulders for the first time tonight, I couldn't bring myself to move.

My fingers moved almost instinctively, brushing through his hair. It was soft, with a few strands falling messily over his forehead. I tucked them back gently, studying his features.

His sharp jawline, the faint stubble that shadowed his face, the way his lips were slightly parted as he slept—it all felt so... human. Vulnerable.

I wondered what kind of life he had dreamed of before everything fell apart. Did he imagine a future filled with laughter and love? Did he see himself as a father, holding his little girl's tiny hand?

The thought made my chest tighten again.

Kabir wasn't like Akash. He wasn't cruel or manipulative. He didn't treat me as an afterthought or a burden. Even in his pain, he had shown me kindness, patience, and a depth of emotion I hadn't expected.

And yet, I couldn't ignore the fear that lingered in the back of my mind. What if I wasn't enough to heal his wounds? What if he never saw me as more than someone to share the same roof with?

I sighed quietly, my fingers pausing in his hair. The road ahead wasn't clear, and the weight of our pasts hung heavy between us. But for tonight, at least, we weren't alone.

I looked down at Kabir again, his face relaxed against my lap. A soft strand of his hair slipped free, and I tucked it back with a faint smile.

"Maybe," I whispered, more to myself than to him, "maybe we can figure this out together."

The words felt like a promise—a small, fragile one. But as the night stretched on and Kabir's breathing deepened, I found myself holding onto it.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀

I woke up to the soft sunlight streaming through my curtains,I sat up slowly frowning. How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was sitting with Kabir in the library, his head resting on my lap as he drifted to sleep. Had I fallen asleep too? Did Kabir carry me here?

The thought made my cheeks warm. Shaking it off, I slid out of bed and started my morning routine. After a quick shower, I stood before the small corner of my room where I had set up a little shrine to Lord Krishna.

Lighting the diya, I folded my hands and closed my eyes. "Thank you, Krishna," I whispered headied to the hosipital

I reached my cabin,Sitting down, I opened the folder in front of me and began reading.

As I flipped through the pages, a voice interrupted me.

"Nishika?"

Something about the way my name was said made me stop. I looked up, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Shaila?" I asked, stunned.

She stood there in a simple uniform, her hair neatly tied back, and a warm smile on her face.

"Yes, it's me!" Shaila said, her smile widening.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, still in disbelief.

"I've joined as a junior staff trainee in the physiotherapy department," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

I blinked, trying to process her words. "You're working here? How come you never mentioned this? Not even when you dropped off the kids for tutoring or when I asked if you needed any help?"

Shaila chuckled lightly. "I wanted to surprise you," she said.

I shook my head in amazement. "But how? When? Why didn't you tell me?"

Shaila's smile softened, and she lowered her voice. "Kabir helped me," she said.

My breath hitched at his name. "Kabir?"

"Yes," Shaila continued. "He arranged this job for me."

My mind raced as I listened to her.

"He's done so much," Shaila added. "He even lowered the rent for our apartment to make things easier for us. And..." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "He sent Danish back to Pakistan."

I stared at her, unable to speak. Kabir had done all this quietly, without telling me anything

"Shaila," I finally said, my voice trembling, "you deserve this. You deserve happiness and peace."

Shaila's eyes filled with gratitude. "It's because of people like you and Kabir," she said. "I don't know how to thank you both."

"You don't have to," I said, placing a hand on hers. "Just focus on your new job and building a better life for you and the kids."

Shaila nodded, her smile returning. "I will."

"you are very lucky to have married him Nishika"She said

Am I?

With each passing day, I saw more layers to Kabir.

Maybe Kabir wasn't perfect. He could be distant, grumpy, and stubborn. But beneath that tough exterior was a man who cared deeply, even if he didn't always show it.

For the first time, I wondered what it would be like to truly know him. To understand the man behind the silence and the guarded expressions.

Maybe, just maybe, one day, we would fall in love.

It wasn't an idea I had entertained before. Love felt like a distant dream, something meant for others but not for someone like me. My first marriage had left me with wounds too deep to heal easily. And Kabir... he had his own past, his own scars. We were two broken people, pieced together by circumstance.

Maybe it wouldn't happen all at once. Maybe it would be slow, like the first rays of sunlight breaking through after a storm. A smile here, a shared laugh there. Small moments building something neither of us expected.

I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips.

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