Grave (Ashes sequel) #2|18+ (LL Series) ✓

89~ A heartbreaking realization

Kaustubh's POV
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I stood on the huge balcony of my room, gazing at the wide sea, as her smile invaded my mind, calming my nerves.

"Don't think about her, Kaustubh. She is your sister-in-law, the mother of your elder brother's daughter. Just get over her," my mind screamed at my heart, which, as always, ignored it.

"A slut who backstabbed my brother is a better way to describe her," I muttered bitterly, my lips curling upward as I sighed.

Her brother is really wasting his time on her, but I can't blame him. Who would think that a beautiful woman like her could be so selfish, self-centered, and manipulative?

Yet, my foolish heart kept chanting her name, making me regret not telling her my feelings.

"I wish I had at least proposed to you. The rest was always your choice," I whispered with a chuckle, sitting down on the chair. Just then, I noticed a message flashing on my phone screen, which I had accidentally left on.

It was from Mom, asking me to call Dad and talk with him. I took a long breath; it's been more than ten days since he came out of his vegetative state.

Mom had just informed me that he began speaking yesterday, and I knew his first concern would be his favorite younger daughter. I wasn't wrong; he kept messaging me, along with Mom, who definitely wanted me to pick up calls to talk about Anny.

But what should I tell them? After seeing her condition, I wish I had chosen Tarakshya over Ardhansh for her. Maybe helping Ardhansh cost my sister her happiness, but I always wanted her to stay away from Tarakshya because that's what my father wanted.

Why do I feel like it's because of Bhai's unending chess game behind her? It sounds creepy, but I witnessed that weird obsession he had with Anny-something he'd never shown for anyone else.

He kept searching for her from the moment she disappeared. But what shocked me was that Dad never tried to find her; in fact, he wanted her to remain lost.

I always stood as a barrier between her and Tarakshya, erasing any evidence whenever he found something. I never tried to find her myself, but after learning about her true identity that day, I regretted it. Maybe I could have prevented her from falling into this situation.

It's all because of Dad. He hated Ardhansh to the core. If not for Yashika's blind love for him and their earlier affair, he wouldn't have blackmailed Ardhansh into marrying her.

The night he had a cardiac arrest after discovering Anny and Ardhansh's relationship-and that Anny was the other woman in Yashika's life-left me regretful for following his words even after knowing I could have found my sister earlier.

We admitted him to the hospital, but his words still haunt my ears. What he said continues to confuse me.

"Send my daughter far away from here, please save her. But if you ever have to choose between Singhaniya or Rajdhan, choose Ardhansh over him."

I didn't understand why he said that, but as an obedient son, I asked Yashika for help to get her out of this mess.

I was in the car when she came running through the heavy rain, blood dripping down her white dress.

The first thing she did after seeing Yashika on the road was to beg for his life.

I realized she truly loves him; no woman would do that after enduring endless pain and humiliation unless her feelings were genuine.

Love is really blind, and I fucking hate that word and its emotions endlessly.

But a question in this whole drama remains unanswered: why did Dad choose Ardhansh over Tarakshya? I am sure that, with the way Tarakshya loves her, he would have cherished her deeply. So why Ardhansh?