Ruhi had just settled into the comfort of her room at the Goenka mansion when there was a gentle knock on the door. She looked up from the book she was pretending to read and saw her brother, Abhir, standing in the doorway.
"Hey, Ruhi. Can I come in?" he asked softly.
"Of course, Abhir. Come in," she replied, putting the book aside and sitting up straighter.
Abhir walked in and closed the door behind him. He took a seat on the edge of her bed, looking at her with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Abhir. Really," Ruhi assured him. "Just a bit tired."
He nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. But there was something else in his eyes, something more probing. "Ruhi, there's something I need to talk to you about."
Ruhi tilted her head slightly, sensing the seriousness in his tone. "What is it?"
Abhir took a deep breath. "It's about Reyansh. I know you've been through a lot recently, and I've been worried about you. But I need to know the truth. Do you love him?"
Ruhi felt a lump form in her throat. She had been avoiding this conversation, but she knew it was inevitable. She looked down at her hands, gathering her thoughts before meeting her brother's gaze. "Yes, Abhir. I do love him. I've been in love with him for a long time, even if it took me a while to realize it."
Abhir sighed, relief and frustration mingling in his expression. "Then why all this drama? Why did you push him towards Abhira?"
Tears welled up in Ruhi's eyes as she tried to explain. "I was scared, Abhir. Scared of committing, scared of hurting Abhira, scared of losing Reyansh if things went wrong. And Abhira... she made it seem like she needed him more than I did. I thought I was doing the right thing by stepping back."
Abhir shook his head, his voice gentle but firm. "Ruhi, you can't sacrifice your happiness for someone else's manipulations. Abhira has been... she hasn't been fair to you. And Reyansh, he loves you. He broke off the engagement because he couldn't imagine his life without you."
"I know," Ruhi whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I know, and I regret everything. I just want things to be right again."
Abhir reached out and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "They will be. But you need to be honest with yourself and with Reyansh. Stop letting Abhira's manipulations control your life. You deserve to be happy, Ruhi. You deserve to be with the man you love."
Ruhi nodded, wiping away her tears. "You're right, Abhir. I've been a coward, but no more. I need to face this head-on and fight for my happiness."
Abhir smiled, proud of his sister's resolve. "That's the spirit. And don't worry about Abhira. I'll handle her. You just focus on getting better and being with Reyansh."
"Thank you, Abhir. I don't know what I'd do without you," Ruhi said, pulling him into a tight hug.
"You'll never have to find out," Abhir replied, hugging her back. "We're family, and we'll get through this together."
As they sat there, holding each other, Ruhi felt a renewed sense of hope and determination. With her brother's support and Reyansh's love, she knew she could face whatever challenges lay ahead.
~~~~~~
Abhir found Abhira in the family room, scrolling through her phone. She looked up as he entered, and her eyes narrowed slightly, sensing his serious demeanor.
"Abhir, what's up?" Abhira asked, trying to sound casual.
"We need to talk," Abhir said, his voice firm. "It's about Reyansh and Ruhi."
