Night of 25TH

Alternate Ending Part 1: Unseen, Unheard, Alone

Past:

Shubman

She left without looking back, and I stood there, eyes fixed on the door she walked through, a lump forming in my throat. My ego was at its peak that day, preventing me from apologising. I didn't even notice Anika had left my side as I stood frozen, too stunned to speak or move, even in my drunken state.

The next evening, I woke up after what must have been a long sleep, brought home by my friends. Guilt and regret began crashing into my heart, but my mind was still too egotistical to apologize. As I lay there, Sanket tossed a phone in my direction, its edge hitting my temple. I groaned and looked down to see a statement from Sameer Agnihotri. The headline read, "When Fame Ruined Relationships." It was all a PR gimmick by Sameer to destroy his supposedly perfect sister's reputation and ruin me, whom he believed had taken his place on the team.

I felt unable to catch a breath as I read the headline, my chest tightening with every word. Sanket stood beside me, seething with anger, his words cutting like a dagger as he scolded me for letting Anya go. 

"What were you thinking?" he snapped, his voice a mix of frustration and disbelief. "You let your pride ruin everything. Do you even realize what you've lost?"

With trembling lips and teary eyes, I threw my blanket aside, ready to run after Chucky, hoping to fix the damage I had caused. But just as I was about to move, Rahil's harsh voice stopped me cold.

"You're too late," he said, his tone flat and unyielding. "She's gone."

I clenched Rahil's collar, pulling him closer to my height. "What the hell do you mean she's gone?" I demanded, my voice trembling with desperation and anger.

She wasn't supposed to leave me like this. No, she wasn't. I dialled her number, but Sanket stopped me before I could get through.

"She changed her number and moved cities overnight," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "She also handed in her resignation immediately, citing health reasons."

I clenched my fists, trying to control my anger. "What did I miss? She was fine before—"

"Fine?" Sanket cut me off, his voice dripping with disdain. "She was struggling, but you were too self-absorbed to notice. She tried to reach out, but you were always too busy with your issues."

I took a step back, feeling the sting of his words. "So, what now? Is it really over?"

Sanket's eyes were cold. "She's made her choice. She's moved on for her well-being."How could you just stand by and let this happen?" I demanded, frustration seeping into my voice.

"I'm not the one who failed her," Sanket snapped back. "You are. You had every chance to be there for her, and you blew it."

I cried out, "If you're not going to help, then I'll go to her parents!"

Rahil shook his head firmly. "No use. The house was sold a month ago. Her dad had a transfer, and she was only living on rent. If you had taken the time to check on her even once in the past month, you would have known."

My face fell, the realization hitting hard. "So there's nothing we can do?"

Rahil's expression softened slightly, but his tone remained resolute. "The only thing left is to learn from this. You missed your chance to be there for her when she needed you most."

I asked desperately, "There must be some number, some contact information for her parents. Maybe they can help me find her."

Rahil shook his head, his tone apologetic. "I wish I could help, but I don't have any contact details. She cut ties with everyone to protect her privacy, and we don't know where her parents are now."