Goodbye, My Love

Chapter 1

Abhimanyu stood near the window, his back turned to Akshara. The room was filled with an unbearable silence, broken only by the sound of Akshara's sobs. She held the divorce papers in her trembling hands, her tears flowing freely as she looked at him with a mixture of shock and heartbreak.

"Abhimanyu, yeh kya hai?" Akshara's voice cracked as she struggled to speak. "Tum mujhe divorce dena chahte ho?"

Abhimanyu turned to face her, his expression hard and unyielding. "Haan, Akshara. Yeh rishte ka koi matlab nahi reh gaya. Neil ki maut ke baad, sab kuch badal gaya hai."

Akshara's heart shattered at his words. She took a step towards him, her eyes pleading. "Abhi, Neil ki maut ke liye mujhe kyun dosh de rahe ho? Main ne apni poori koshish ki thi usse bachane ki."

Abhimanyu's jaw tightened. "Tumhari koshish ka koi faida nahi hua, Akshara. Tumhare decisions ne mujhse mera bhai chheen liya."

Akshara's tears continued to fall, but she refused to be broken. "Abhi, tum bhool gaye ho humare pyaar ko, humare saath guzaare hue palon ko? Kya woh sab kuch itna hi asaan hai bhool jaana?"

Abhimanyu's eyes flashed with anger. "Tum kya samajhti ho, Akshara? Ki main nahi dard mehsoos kar raha hoon? Neil sirf mera bhai nahi tha, mera sab kuch tha. Tumhari wajah se maine usse kho diya."

Akshara's voice grew stronger, despite her pain. "Aur mere dard ka kya, Abhi? Maine bhi khoya hai Neil ko aur apne bachon ko. Tumhe lagta hai yeh sab mere liye asaan hai?"

Abhimanyu's resolve faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "Yeh sab kehne ka ab koi faida nahi, Akshara. Yeh rishte ko khatam karna hi sahi hai."

Akshara took a deep breath, gathering her strength. "Agar yeh hi tumhari marzi hai, toh theek hai. Main tumhe rokun gi nahi. Lekin yeh yaad rakhna, Abhimanyu, ke aaj tum is rishte ko to khatam kar rahe ho, lekin aage chal kar bohot pachtaoge."

Abhimanyu's face hardened further, but he didn't respond. Akshara signed the divorce papers with trembling hands and handed them back to him.

She lifelessly got out of the room, her feet dragging as if they weighed a ton. She walked through the mansion in a daze, the memories of happier times swirling around her like ghosts. Every step felt like a journey through her shattered dreams. As she passed through the gates of the Birla House, a cold wind hit her face, but she felt nothing.

Akshara wandered aimlessly through the streets and roads, her mind numb, her heart in pieces. She couldn't feel the ground beneath her feet, couldn't see the world around her. Everything was a blur, a haze of pain and loss. She didn't know where she was going; she just walked, hoping to escape the unbearable ache in her chest.

Finally, her legs gave way, and she collapsed in the middle of an empty street. The street was desolate, with no signs of life, as if it, too, was mourning. She fell to her knees, her sobs echoing in the silence.

"Tumne mujhe kyun chhod diya, Abhi?" she cried out, her voice breaking. "Meri kya galti thi? Maine toh sirf pyaar kiya tha, tumse, humare parivaar se, humare bachon se."

Her cries grew louder, more desperate. "Main itni badi sazaa toh deserve nahi karti, Abhi. Main bhi insaan hoon, mujhe bhi dard hota hai." Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her chest, the pain too much to bear.

"Neil, tum hame chhod kar kyun chale gaye? Aur mere bachey, Kanha ji, meri godh kyun sooni kar di?" She screamed, her voice raw with anguish. "Kanha ji, mujhe bataiye meri galti kya thi? Kyun mujhse sab kuch cheen liya?"

She rocked back and forth, her sobs the only sound in the empty street. The world felt dark and cruel, her heart heavy with grief. She screamed and sobbed until her throat was raw, until she felt like she had no tears left to shed. She felt utterly alone, lost in the abyss of her pain.

Just when she thought she couldn't bear it any longer, she felt arms wrap around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. Akshara didn't resist; she buried her face in the chest of the person holding her, seeking solace in their presence. She clung to them as if they were her lifeline, as if they were the only thing keeping her from drowning in despair.

The person held her tightly, offering silent comfort as Akshara cried out her heartache. In that moment, she felt a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness, a flicker of light in her shattered world.

But she didn't have the strength to look up, to see who it was offering her solace. All she knew was that she wasn't alone, that someone was there to share her burden, if only for a moment.

And in that moment, surrounded by the emptiness of the deserted street, Akshara allowed herself to be held, to be comforted, to be human.

As Akshara continued to sob in the person's embrace, her heart heavy with grief, she suddenly felt a sense of familiarity in the way he held her. Slowly, she lifted her head and saw his face through her tear-blurred vision. It was Kairav, her older brother, her protector. She choked back a sob as she whispered, "Bhaiya?"

But before she could say anything more, a wave of weakness washed over her, and she felt herself losing consciousness. Kairav's voice calling out to her seemed distant, muffled by the fog of despair that enveloped her mind.

Panicked, Kairav shook her gently, trying to rouse her from her unconscious state. "Akshara, utho! Please, Akshara, kya hua hai beta tumhe" he pleaded, his voice trembling with fear.

But Akshara remained unresponsive, her body limp in his arms. With a sinking feeling in his chest, Kairav realized that he needed to get her help, fast. He carefully lifted her in his arms and carried her to his car, his heart pounding with anxiety.

Once inside the car, Kairav laid Akshara down on the backseat and tried to revive her by sprinkling water on her face from a bottle he had in the car. But despite his efforts, she didn't stir.

Panic rising, Kairav knew he couldn't waste any more time. He started the car and drove as fast as he could to the nearest hospital. The minutes felt like hours as he raced against time, his mind consumed with worry for his sister.

Finally, they reached the hospital, and Kairav rushed Akshara inside, his hands trembling as he explained the situation to the doctor on duty. Without hesitation, the doctor and nurses sprang into action, quickly assessing Akshara's condition and administering the necessary treatment.

As Kairav watched from the sidelines, his heart heavy with fear and uncertainty, he prayed with all his might for his sister to be okay. And as the scene faded to black, the only sound that echoed in the air was the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor, a reminder of the fragility of life and the power of love in the face of despair.