Whisper of the Night

Chapter 26 : Unseen Shadows

Kaira's POV:

The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Rishav was still asleep, his breathing steady and calm. I lay beside him, feeling the heaviness of what I had learned about his past. Despite the turmoil within me, I resolved to face the day with determination. There was a lingering sense of urgency, a need to address the misunderstandings that had marred Rishav's past.

After carefully slipping out of bed, I tiptoed to the living room, trying to collect my thoughts. The echoes of Rishav's history, the pain of his past, and the fractured relationships were a lot to process. I knew I couldn't keep this information from him forever, but today wasn't the day for confrontation. Instead, I had another plan—a plan to mend the bridges that had been burned.

My first step was to reach out to Aman, my old friend, for assistance. I had to find a way to reach Meera's father and address the unresolved issues between him and Rishav.

I picked up my phone and dialed Aman's number. He answered after a few rings, his voice warm and familiar.

"Kaira, how's everything?" Aman asked.

"I'm managing," I replied, taking a deep breath. "I need your help with something. It's about Rishav."

"Rishav? What's up?"

"It's complicated," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "I've learned about his past, and I want to make things right. I need to find Meera's father and see if there's a way to clear the misunderstandings between him and Rishav."

Aman's silence spoke volumes. I could sense the weight of what I was asking. "I see. This is a big step. Why do you want to help Rishav in this way?"

"Because he deserves closure," I said firmly. "And because he's been carrying this burden alone for too long. I know it's not easy, but I want to try."

Aman sighed. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. It might take some time, but I'll try to track down Meera's father. I'll keep you posted."

"Thank you, Aman. I really appreciate it."

With Aman's assurance, I felt a glimmer of hope. My next move was to talk to Rishav about his day. I needed to act normal, to show him that I was supportive and understanding. After a quick shower and getting dressed, I headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Rishav eventually emerged from the bedroom, looking refreshed and slightly disoriented. His eyes softened as he saw me preparing breakfast.

"Good morning," he said, his voice gentle.

"Good morning," I replied with a smile. "I thought I'd make us something to eat before we start the day."

Rishav came over, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "You didn't have to. I would have been fine with just coffee."

"I wanted to," I said, turning to face him. "It's nice to start the day with a bit of normalcy."

As we ate breakfast together, Rishav seemed more relaxed than he had been in days. We chatted about mundane topics—his work, my designs, and the plans for the day. I kept the conversation light, not mentioning the weight of what I knew.

After breakfast, I made a mental note to give Aman time to reach out to Meera's father. I hoped that with his help, we could eventually find a way to address the past and heal old wounds.

As the day went on, I threw myself into my work, focusing on my design projects and keeping my interactions with Rishav positive. He noticed the effort I was putting in and seemed to appreciate the gesture, though I could still sense an underlying tension.