Burning Soul's

Chapter 8

ADARSH'S POV

When I came back from school, I carried a file with me-Aashvi's file. I needed to know who she was, why my heart refused to let her go. As I flipped through the pages, my hands trembled. My heart pounded. And then, I saw it-her name, her identity. She was my daughter. My Aashvi.

Meri aur Yashi ki ansh. Humari Aashvi.

But as that realization sank in, so did another-a bitter one. How could Yashi hide this from me? How could she keep my own daughter away from me for seven years? The anger inside me burned, and just then, the door to my office opened. It was her-my Yashi.

The moment my eyes met hers, every buried memory from seven years ago came rushing back. The betrayal, the pain, the questions that haunted me. And now, knowing she had hidden Aashvi from me only fueled my rage. Words spilled from my mouth-harsh, unforgivable words that I should have never said. But I couldn't stop myself.

And then she told me everything. The truth. The truth that shattered every misconception I held. The truth of that night, of what truly happened. My world tilted. I was shocked, guilty, and furious-but this time, my anger wasn't directed at Yashi. It was towards that bastard Yash. Somewhere deep inside, I had always known he was evil. But he was my mother's favorite. She treated him like her own son, and I... I let my judgment be clouded.

As Yashi ran from my office, sobbing, a hollow ache settled in my chest. My heart clenched painfully as I realized the gravity of my actions. I had broken her. Again. I, her Adarsh, had shattered her heart into pieces. How could I? How could I hurt the only woman I had ever loved?

Guilt consumed me. The weight of my own mistakes suffocated me. I let my emotions take over and punched the wall beside me, the sharp pain grounding me for a second. But it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough. I grabbed my car keys and stormed out, desperate to find her.

Third PERSON POV

Yashi sat on the park bench, her body trembling with the force of her sobs. Pain. That was all she could feel-raw, excruciating pain. Adarsh had broken her once again.

Her mind felt numb, her heart shattered beyond repair. After what felt like an eternity, she forced herself to stand. Her legs felt heavy, but she walked-mindlessly, aimlessly-until she spotted an auto. She stopped it, got inside, and let silent tears roll down her cheeks.

When she finally reached home, her hands shook as she pressed the doorbell. The moment the door opened, Shruti stood there, shocked.

"Kya hua, Yashi?" Shruti's voice wavered in concern. "Teri yeh halat... Kaise?"

Yashi didn't respond. She simply walked past her, straight towards her daughter's room. Standing at the doorframe, her teary eyes fell upon Aashvi's sleeping figure. And just like that, she broke down completely.

Was Adarsh right?

Was she really a bad mother?

The thoughts gnawed at her, suffocating her with guilt. She turned and walked to her own room, her legs giving out the moment she stepped inside. She collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

Shruti rushed in and knelt beside her, pulling her into a tight hug. "Yashi, batao kya hua... You're scaring me," she pleaded.

But Yashi couldn't speak. She just held onto Shruti as if she was the only thing keeping her together.

"Tell me, Yashi," Shruti urged.

"A-Adarsh..." Yashi choked out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Shruti froze. For the first time in seven years, Yashi had spoken his name.