Species Of Life

22. When Silence Breaks 💔🗣️(Updated)

"Jann... he doesn't hate you," Faisu said softly, his voice steady but gentle. He pointed to the photograph in Akshu's hand. "And this proves it. I think you should forgive him and call him back."

For a brief moment, something stirred within Akshu. Somewhere, deep down, she knew Faisu wasn't wrong. Her fingers trembled slightly as she pulled out her phone, her thumb hovering over Siddharth's name. But she stopped.

Faisu noticed the hesitation. "What happened? Call him."

"No," Akshu replied firmly, her tone stern, eyes fixed ahead.

"But—" Faisu tried, only to be cut off.

"Why should I think about him when he hasn't thought about me all these years?"

Faisu's jaw tightened. "If he didn't care about you, he wouldn't have agreed to your condition."

"He didn't agree because of me," she snapped. "He agreed because of Mom."

That was the last straw. Faisu's patience cracked. "Enough, Jann. Just shut up."

His voice, usually calm and composed, rose sharply. Akshu flinched at the suddenness of it. "Faisu..."

"No, just stop," he said, almost pleading, but his anger held. "I'm tired of this drama. For years, you've hated your twin—while he's loved you like hell, even knowing that you despise him. You think about how you'll hurt him, and he's there wondering how to take away your pain. For you, he agreed to that ridiculous condition, not because of your mom—but because he hoped, somehow, you'd spend time with your family again. That you'd forget the past. That maybe, just maybe, you'd stay."

Akshu stared at him, stunned. "How do you know all this?"

Faisu froze. He turned away slightly, unable to meet her eyes.

"Say it," she pressed, her voice shaking. "How do you know everything about Ashu?"

"Woh... woh..."

"Woh what? Say it clearly. How do you know so much?"

A voice answered from behind them. "Because he's Ashu's childhood best friend."

They turned. Akshu's heart dropped. It was Abhisek. Shock washed over both Akshu and Faisu. Abhisek walked toward them slowly, a weight in his steps.

"Dada... you..." Akshu whispered. "When did you come?"

"When you two were arguing," he replied bitterly. "I heard everything."

Faisu tried to speak, "Dada, woh—"

"Not now, Faisu."

Faisu went quiet.

Abhisek turned back to Akshu. "Akshu, No... sorry. Miss Jannat Zubair. Because you're not my Akshu. My Akshu would never fall this low."

"Dada..."

"Stop. Not a single word."

He paused to breathe, steadying himself, forcing down the rage boiling inside him. "Why?" he asked quietly, heartbreak in his voice. "Why did you do all this? What made you think of taking revenge?"

"You all," she muttered.

"What?"

"Yes. You all are the reason. That day, if even one of you had stood by me, taken my side... then maybe I wouldn't have suffered this much. You all supported a sinner. No—" her voice cracked into a scream, "not just a sinner, a murderer."

"He is not a murderer, Akshu. And that day, none of us chose anyone."

"Lies. Big, fat lies," she shouted.

"There's nothing like that—"

"See? Even now, you're taking his side!" she snapped.

Faisu had been quiet all this time, struggling to contain his temper. But when the word murderer left her lips again, he could no longer stay silent. "Enough, Jann. Stop, for God's sake."

"Faisu, now you too?"

"How can you call your own brother a murderer? He's your twin! What kind of sister says something like that?"

"You don't know what happened that day. Only I do."

"No. You don't know anything," he said harshly. "Even the court gives a person a chance to explain before declaring them a criminal. But you—you decided, just like that. How could you do this to him?"

Akshu fell silent, his words echoing inside her. Maybe, just maybe, he was right. Maybe she should've given Ashu a chance to explain.

Faisu took a deep breath. "If that day you had just listened to Siddharth, things might've been different."

Akshu was still. Then she asked, "How do you know all this?"

Faisu's face fell. Again, he had said more than he should have.

"Faisu?" she pressed. "Answer me."

Faisu's POV:
I'm sorry, buddy. I'm breaking the promise I made to you. Our act is nearly over. I can't keep this up anymore. Please forgive me.

He looked at Akshu and said quietly, "Because I'm his childhood best friend...."

Her eyes widened. "Childhood best friend? Why didn't you tell me? And if you're his best friend, why didn't I recognize you?"

"Because I introduced myself as Faisal Sheikh in London. That's why."

"If I didn't recognize you, why did you hide your identity?"

"I never hid anything."

"You never told me you were Ashu's best friend."

"Because he told me not to."

Abhisek was still standing there, trying to piece together the truth—his mind threading together all the fragments that had caused this wreckage of years.

Akshu frowned. "But why?"

Faisu shook his head. "I can't answer anymore. You need to ask him. Just call him and ask him." With that, he left.

Akshu stood there in silence, then slowly turned to look at Abhisek. "Dada..." she whispered.

He met her eyes, cold and distant. She walked to him and gently held his hands. "Dada, I want to know the truth."

He pulled his hands away. "Then ask the one who has the right to explain it."

"But... Dada..."

Abhisek turned to leave, but stopped at the door. Without facing her fully, he spoke over his shoulder. "I'm your big brother, that's why I am giving you advice: call him. Ask him to come back. When he does, ask him everything—face to face. But call him back. Not as a sister... but at least as a human. Call him. Because you have no idea how lonely he is right now."

And with that, a few tears escaped his eyes. He wiped them away and walked to his room, leaving Akshu lost in deep, shattering thought.

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