Enhypen

~

"Sir apne abhi abhi kaha keh naari shakti ka bhi sammaan hona chahiye. Toh agar inauguration ka mauqa uss naari ko diya jaaye jisne haspatal ko shuru karney mein khoon paseena ek kar diya toh theek rahay ga na sir?"

Adi challenged his father. His audacious defiance presented an incredible opportunity for Kavya to cut the inauguration ribbon of the very hospital that had brought disgrace to their family but was now being given the utmost respect.

As for Kavya, she was in a state of disbelief.

'Could she do it? And all of this because of Adi? The same person she had suspected of having ulterior motives tied to his father? Could it all be true?'

And the look of disdain that Adi directed at his father while asking her to perform the honor didn't go unnoticed by her. It was evident that his father was not pleased.

'Could he have been speaking the truth all along? Was Adi truly nothing like his father, as he had claimed over and again? Had she misunderstood him throughout?'

She felt conflicted and overwhelmed, her heart and mind entangled in a web of emotions.

On one hand, she was elated that her family's reputation was no longer tarnished. On the other hand, she was haunted by the possibility that she had misunderstood Adi all along.

Her chain of thoughts was interrupted by Anusha, who handed her a photo of Navya. A single picture was all it took to veil the internal turmoil she had been battling just moments before.

Everything felt surreal. Cutting the ribbon while people cheered for her with genuine respect was a moment of triumph. Her unwavering dedication, integrity, and determination had finally paid off. She had succeeded in proving her sister's innocence, and Kavya was on cloud nine.

Lost in her thoughts, Kavya's gaze fell upon her sister's watch on her wrist. Overwhelmed with emotion, she kissed it, a silent tribute to her sister's memory. As she turned around, she was met with the beaming faces of her friends. Their pride in her accomplishment was evident, but her eyes locked onto Adi, who stood a little apart from the others.

Kavya felt an intense surge of gratitude toward him, and she ambled slowly towards the group. They all embraced her in celebration, except for Adi.

Adi had taken a step back, and this unusual behavior puzzled Kavya. She decided to approach him, her heart filled with appreciation.

"Thank you, Adi. Dil se. Aj phir ek baar tumhari wajah se humein ek aisi opportunity mili jisey hum hamesha yaad rakhein gy.", she said, smiling softly.

Although he felt a mix of hurt, disappointment, and frustration due to her lack of belief in him, he couldn't bring himself to berate her for expressing gratitude. Not when she looked at him like that. Like he had brought the world to her feet. But he also didn't want her to take him for granted, so he looked her straight in the eyes and silently walked away.

Kavya was baffled. She had never seen this side of him before. The fun-loving, warm, and considerate boy had been replaced by someone stoic and aloof. This wasn't the Adi she knew. His behavior left her wondering if he was truly his father's ally, as she had assumed. But if he was, why would he suggest something in her favor that went against his father's wishes?

Adi hadn't walked far when Kavya rushed to stop him. She gently held his hand, turning him around, and inquired, "Adi!! Kaha jaa rahe ho? Hum toh abhi baat kar rahe thay."

Adi replied, without facing her and shrugging off her hand, "Humein nahi karni tumse koi baat."

He was about to walk away again when Kavya tugged on his hand once more, closing the gap between them. She pleaded softly, "Kya hua hai, Adi? Kyun naraz ho humse? Batao toh sahi."