Twin Inferno

14.can be fixed?

Esha's POV

I stormed into my room, slamming the door behind me, the sound reverberating through the empty halls of the Mehrotra mansion.

How *dare* he? How dare he think that forcing me into this farce of a marriage would solve anything? Did he really think this would make me forget everything—my feelings, my plans, *my love* for him? I let out a bitter laugh, wiping the tears that were streaming down my face. It was ridiculous. All of it.

“*I hate him,*” I whispered, but the words felt like a lie, twisting and coiling around my heart. I didn’t hate him. I couldn’t. That was the worst part. No matter what he had done, no matter how much he had hurt me, I couldn’t stop loving him.

The door creaked open, and Ehaan stepped inside, his usual smirk replaced by a look of concern. “Esha…” His voice was soft, almost hesitant, which was rare for him. “Are you okay?”

“Am I *okay*?” I scoffed, wiping the remaining tears from my cheeks. “What do you think, Ehaan? Does this look like I’m okay?” My voice cracked at the end, betraying the storm of emotions I was trying so hard to keep in check.

Ehaan walked over to me, sitting down beside me on the edge of the bed. For the first time in a long time, there was no trace of sarcasm or manipulation in his eyes. Just… concern.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, and the sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. I blinked, looking at him like I didn’t quite recognize this side of him.

“Why are you apologizing?” I asked, my voice shaky. “You didn’t do this.”

“No, but…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I dragged you into this mess. You’re my sister, and I’ve always been so focused on my own revenge, I didn’t stop to think how you felt. About… everything.”

I stared at him, the weight of his words settling over me. I had never talked to anyone about my feelings for Rudra—never let anyone see how much he meant to me except my dad. Not even Ehaan, who was closer to me. But now, with everything unraveling around me, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“I love him, Ehaan,” I whispered, my voice so quiet it was almost lost in the air. “I’ve loved him for so long, and I don’t know how to stop.”

Ehaan’s eyes widened slightly, as if the weight of my confession had knocked the wind out of him. “Esha…”

“I tried,” I continued, my voice breaking. “I tried to play the game, to be strong, to not let him affect me. But I can’t. I thought if I could just control things, if I could stay in the background and wait, maybe… maybe he’d see me. Maybe he’d love me back.”

Tears started to fall again, and I couldn’t stop them this time. Ehaan, for once, didn’t make a sarcastic remark. He didn’t tease me or brush off my feelings. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. And for the first time in years, I let myself cry. I cried for everything—for the pain, the love I couldn’t have, the twisted mess we were all tangled in.

“I always knew you liked him,” Ehaan said softly, his hand rubbing my back in slow, comforting circles. “But I didn’t realize… it was like this.”

“Yeah, well,” I sniffed, pulling back slightly. “It is. And now it’s all ruined. He doesn’t love me. He never did. And he never will. He’s in love with her. With *Siya.*”

The name felt like poison on my tongue, and I hated it. I hated her. She had done nothing, but she had taken everything from me. Everything I wanted—everything I had spent years waiting for—was gone, just like that.

“Esha,” Ehaan said, his voice low, but there was a new edge to it. “You know I’ll do anything for you, right?”

I nodded slowly, wiping my tears. “Yeah, I know.”

“If Rudra’s happiness is with Siya,” Ehaan continued, his voice darkening, “then we’ll just take it from him. If that’s what it takes to give you what you want.”

My heart skipped a beat, the suggestion lingering in the air like a forbidden promise. I looked at Ehaan, and for the first time, I saw the lengths he was willing to go for me. He would destroy anyone who stood in the way of my happiness, just like I would for him.

“I don’t want to force anything,” I said, my voice trembling. “I don’t want him if he doesn’t want me.”

Ehaan frowned, clearly frustrated. “Then what do you want, Esha? You have to decide.”

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. What did I want? I had spent so long loving Rudra, waiting for him, that I didn’t know how to let go. But maybe… maybe I didn’t have to.

“I want to make him see,” I said finally, my voice gaining strength. “I want to make him *realize* that I’m the one who’s always been there. That I’m the one who deserves him. Not her.”

Ehaan smiled, a slow, dangerous smile. “Then we’ll make him see. But first, we need to deal with Siya.”

I wiped my tears and nodded, feeling a flicker of determination spark inside me. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Ehaan hugged me tighter, whispering, "We'll fix this, Esha. I promise you."

For the first time in a long time, I believed him. We had a plan now, and I wasn’t going to lose. Not this time.