Species Of Life

35. Shattered Bonds, Silent Tears 💔🌊(Updated)

The moonlight cast a silver glow over the quiet seashore, where Siddharth and Avneet sat on the soft sand, the rhythmic crashing of waves surrounding them like a lullaby of secrets. Siddharth's voice broke the stillness.

"Tonight," he said quietly, "I want to tell you everything. The past... all of it."

Avneet lifted her head from where it rested against his shoulder, her eyes filled with concern. "Love, you don't have to force yourself. It's not compulsory."

Siddharth looked ahead at the horizon. "No. If I don't say it today, maybe I never will."

Avneet nodded gently and leaned her head back onto his shoulder, wrapping her hand around his arm as if trying to steady him.

"It all started after the first year of college," he began. "The first year went well, but the storm came in the second. That's when the real villain entered our lives."

"Villain?" Avneet echoed softly.

"Shekhar Singh," Siddharth said with a bitter edge.

Avneet frowned, the name scratching at her memory. "I think I've heard that name before..."

"He's the son of Ravi Singh," Siddharth explained.

Her eyes widened. "Ravi Singh? Siddharth, he was one of the biggest tycoons in India, right?"

"He *was*," Siddharth corrected, "until our company entered the market. And in just three years, his empire collapsed."

"That fast?"

Siddharth nodded. "He was using cheap quality products. When our company launched superior alternatives, he couldn't survive."

"But if he was older than you all, how did he end up in your class?"

"He decided to take revenge. Enrolled in Akshu's class—on purpose. He figured out that Akshu was our weakness. So he got close to her. Slowly, she began falling for him. But it was all a game to him. He already had a girlfriend—Surbhi."

Avneet's brows shot up. "Surbhi? Samiridhi's twin?"

"Yes. Surbhi wasn't in our college, she studied in New Delhi. But in third year, she transferred. One day, I overheard Shekhar talking to her. That's when I learned the truth."

"You told Akshu?"

"No. I never liked Shekhar. There was always something off. When I learned about Surbhi, I began digging. Found everything—his other affairs, his shady business, his motives. But I waited too long. By the time I knew exactly what he was after, it was already too late. He had already..." Siddharth's voice broke, as if the memory was too painful to revisit. He didn't finish the sentence.

Later that evening, Sid turned to Avneet with a grim expression. "He's back."

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday, I saw Samiridhi video calling him."

Avneet's eyes widened in disbelief. "Samiridhi is involved with him?"

Siddharth nodded. "And I know this time, he's planning something big."

She placed her hand on his shoulder, her voice firm yet gentle. "You won't let him succeed. I trust you."

Siddharth gave a small, tight smile. "I found out he's not in India at the moment, but he'll be back soon."

"Then we'll be ready," she whispered, and they walked back to the house together, side by side.