Faded Ties, Rekindled Hearts

Chapter 19

In Yuvraj's room, Tanya was crying uncontrollably in his arms. Wanting privacy, Yuvraj got up and quietly locked the door, not wanting their parents to overhear the conversation. He gently cupped Tanya's tear-streaked face and whispered, "I'm sorry, Tanya. I know tune bohot kuch face kiya hai in these 9 years. Mai imagine bhi nahi kar sakta ek 7 saal ki bacchi akele hostel mein, specially the most pampered kid. But you faced it alone. You are so strong, Tanya, so strong."

He kissed her temple softly. Fresh tears welled up in Tanya's eyes as she once again hugged him tightly. For the first time in 9 years, she felt a sense of peace—peace she hadn't experienced since the day she was torn away from everything she knew. She was finally in her best friend's arms, the one who had always stood by her side through every challenge. She had pushed him away, feeling lost and abandoned, not wanting to experience the pain of betrayal again. If her own parents could disown her, how could she ever trust anyone?

Yuvraj, holding her tightly, felt his own burden lift. The hatred, the pain, the confusion—it all melted away in this moment. Resting his forehead against hers, he teased gently, "Rona band kar ab. Rote hue ekdum bandar lagti hai."

Tanya let out a small tearful laugh, swatting at him playfully, "Hatt. Ab mujhe face wash karna hai. Ro roke mera face swell ho gaya hai."

Yuvraj smiled and, without hesitation, took her hand, guiding her to the washroom. As she washed her face, he stood by her side, and when she was done, he carefully made her sit on the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he wiped her face gently with a towel, his eyes soft and full of care. Holding her hands, he said with quiet conviction, "Dard ko jitna andar rakhte hain na, wo aur badh jata hai. Isliye ise time rehte bahar nikalna achha rehta hai... apne liye bhi aur saamne wale ke liye bhi. Jo kuch hua hai, mai yeh nahi bolunga ki tu sab bhul ja ek raat mein. I know it's difficult. But please, try to move on. That's what will be better for you. Warna shaanti dhundti reh jayegi, par milegi nahi tujhe."

Tanya's expression hardened as anger flickered in her eyes. She stood up, crossing her arms, and snapped, "Dekho Yuvraj, mera breakdown hua iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki mai kamzor ho gayi hoon. I am not that Tanya from 9 years ago. Aur ab un logon ya kisi ke liye bhi meri life mein koi jagah nahi hai. Mai un logon ko kabhi maaf nahi karne waali. And you? Please remember, mai yahan zyada time ke liye nahi hoon. Mr. Kapoor ne mujhe force kiya tha wapas Mumbai aane ke liye, just because I'm 16 years old, not a legal adult. So I'll tolerate them for now, but that's it. Don't get any false hopes, okay? I'm not the old Tanya, and I don't need anyone."

With those sharp words, she stormed out of the room, heading downstairs. Yuvraj stood there, watching her walk away. A small smirk tugged at his lips as he muttered to himself, "Tanya, tujhe kya lagta hai? Tu apni marzi se kabhi bhi aa sakti hai aur kabhi bhi ja sakti hai? No, not this time. Tu pehle wali Tanya nahi hai? Toh mai bhi pehle wala Yuvraj nahi hoon. Mere rehte hue tu wapas meri life se kabhi nahi ja sakti. Not this time, Tanya Kapoor. Kyunki mai bachpan se ziddi hoon. Aur tu meri zid hai, Tanya. I will not let you go. Not this time."

His voice was filled with passion and determination, his gaze set on her retreating figure. He was no longer willing to let her walk out of his life, not again, not this time.

After dinner at the Singhania mansion, Arnav, Ishita, and Tanya quietly left for home. The ride was silent, filled with unspoken tension. Tanya, still processing the evening's events, kept her eyes fixed on the road, while Arnav and Ishita exchanged concerned glances but chose not to say anything. The moment they arrived home, Tanya quickly made her way to her room, locking the door behind her without a word.

Ishita watched her daughter's retreating figure, her heart heavy with concern. "Arnav, kuch toh bolna chahiye tha," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Tanya... she's hurting so much, and we can't even reach her."