another chance

Chapter 1

Pallavi jolted upright, her heart racing, the remnants of a nightmare clinging to her like a suffocating blanket. She wiped the sweat from her brow and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes darting around the dimly lit room as if the shadows might spring to life at any moment.

It took her a few moments to grasp that it was just another bad dream—though this one felt alarmingly close to reality. Breathing deeply, she steadied herself and reached for a glass of water on the bedside table, downing it in a single gulp. Her gaze fell on the small clock next to her water bottle, its hands frozen at 4:00 AM. Sleep seemed an elusive luxury, so she swung her legs over the side of the bed and padded into the kitchen.

With a practiced ease, she prepared a light breakfast and a warm glass of milk for her ex-sister-in-law's daughter, Sanskrithi. Following the tragic death of Kirthi, Sanskrithi had been raised by her father, Sunny. As a single parent, he often struggled to juggle the demands of work and parenting, so Pallavi lent a helping hand whenever she could. Living next door made it a little easier.

After quickly getting ready for work, she glanced at the clock again, the hands ticking away relentlessly. Pallavi worked as a sales associate at a popular saree shop in Hyderabad, a role she had settled into after her dream of opening her own boutique in the city center slipped away like sand through her fingers. She pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the task at hand as she gathered their lunchboxes.

Arriving at Sunny's home, she was greeted by delightful chaos. Stuffed toys littered the living room floor, and Sanskrithi—who they affectionately called Ritu—zoomed around the room, laughter trailing behind her like a comet's tail. Sunny was just a few steps behind, wielding a comb in a futile attempt to tame her wild curls.

"Pallavi!" he sighed in relief, handing the comb to her as he accepted the food she had brought. Ritu skidded to a halt, turning on her heel and rushing to hug Pallavi, her tiny arms wrapping around her waist. For Pallavi, Ritu was  hope in her life. The past two years had been a dark tunnel, but Ritu's laughter illuminated her way.

After getting Ritu dressed for daycare, the three of them made their way outside to the car parked under the shade of a large neem tree. Pallavi secured Ritu in her car seat, closing the door gently. As she turned to head toward her two-wheeler parked nearby, Sunny called out to her.

She turned, noting the hesitant look in his eyes. Instinctively, a knot of anxiety formed in her stomach. "What's wrong?" she asked, bracing herself for news she hoped would be benign.

But nothing could prepare her for the weight of his words: "Raghav is back in town."

The revelation hit her like a physical blow, her heart stopping for an instant as the implications crashed over her. Memories of him flooded her mind, sharp and painful, intertwining with the fear that had plagued her nightmares. Raghav—his name alone sent tremors through her being. Would this be the end of her fragile peace?