In The Hands Of Fate

Chapter 14

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Ruhi's room, casting soft rays of light across her bed. Ruhi stretched and sighed, feeling the weight of the day ahead pressing down on her. She got up, quickly going through her morning routine, and dressed in a sharp, professional outfit. Today was going to be another day of work, meetings, and trying to avoid thinking too much about everything that was happening with her family.

As she descended the stairs, the aroma of freshly cooked breakfast greeted her. Akshara stood by the kitchen counter, placing a plate of steaming parathas and a bowl of yogurt on the dining table. Her eyes brightened when she saw Ruhi.

"Good morning, Ruhi," Akshara said warmly, offering her a smile. "I made your favorite parathas. Why don't you have some before you leave?"

Ruhi barely glanced at the table. Her face remained emotionless, almost cold, as she grabbed her bag. "I'm not hungry," she replied curtly, walking past Akshara without a second look.

Akshara's smile faltered, her eyes filling with sadness as she watched Ruhi walk away. She had tried so hard to mend the fractured relationship between them, but every attempt seemed to push Ruhi further away.

Ruhi reached the door just as Shivansh and Abhir were discussing the latest developments in the case against Abhir.

"This case is ridiculous," Shivansh said, his voice tinged with frustration. "We need to find out who's behind this and put an end to it."

Abhir nodded, his expression serious. "I'm working on it. But it's like every step we take, someone's already one step ahead."

Ruhi briefly paused, listening to their conversation, but she didn't engage. She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts, her mind already focused on the day ahead.

As Ruhi stepped out of the house, she felt the fresh morning breeze against her face. She walked toward her car, but something in her stirred—a craving she hadn't indulged in for a while. Without overthinking it, she decided to head to her favorite pani puri stand before starting her day.

As she approached the street vendor, the sight of the familiar setup brought a faint smile to her lips. She ordered her pani puri and was waiting for it to be served when she noticed an elderly woman nearby, about to trip on an uneven patch of the sidewalk. Instinctively, Ruhi rushed forward and caught the woman just in time, steadying her.

"Are you okay, aunty?" Ruhi asked, her voice gentle as she helped the woman stand upright.

The woman smiled at Ruhi, her face lined with age but warm with gratitude. "Thank you, dear. You have quick reflexes."

Ruhi smiled back, feeling a rare moment of softness in her heart. "You have to be careful around here. The pavement can be tricky."

As they chatted, Ruhi felt a surprising ease in the woman's presence. There was something comforting about her, something that reminded Ruhi of her own mother, Aarohi.

Just then, Ruhi noticed a man approaching them. It was Rudra. His expression darkened as he neared, his gaze fixed on the elderly woman.

"Ma, are you okay?" Rudra asked, his voice tinged with concern as he quickly scanned his mother for any sign of injury.

The woman—Parvati—waved him off, smiling. "I'm fine, Rudra. This young lady here helped me."

Rudra's eyes flicked to Ruhi, and for a brief moment, something softened in his gaze, but it was quickly replaced by his usual guarded demeanor. "Thank you," he said to Ruhi, his tone curt but not unkind.

Before Ruhi could respond, a young girl, around 16, came running towards them, her face pale with worry. "Ma, I'm so sorry! I went to get some water and lost track of time."

Rudra turned to the girl, his expression hardening. "Rashi, you should never leave Ma alone like that! What were you thinking?"

The girl—Rashi—looked down, clearly upset by Rudra's harsh tone. "I'm sorry, Bhaiya. It won't happen again."

Ruhi watched the interaction quietly, noting the protective streak in Rudra that contrasted sharply with his usual cold, detached demeanor. She felt an odd mix of emotions—sympathy for Rashi, a strange respect for Rudra's concern, and something else she couldn't quite name.

Parvati noticed the tension and gently patted Rudra's arm. "It's okay, Rudra. I'm fine, thanks to this young lady. No need to be so hard on Rashi."

Rudra sighed, his expression softening slightly as he turned back to his mother. "Alright, Ma."

Parvati smiled and turned to Ruhi again. "Thank you once more, dear. You have a kind heart."

Ruhi nodded, her usual guardedness returning as she gave Parvati a polite smile. "Take care, aunty."

With that, Ruhi turned and walked back to her car, her mind swirling with the unexpected encounter. Rudra's family was nothing like she had imagined, and the layers she had glimpsed in him today only deepened the mystery of who he really was.

As she drove away, she couldn't help but think about the stark contrast between her cold interaction with Akshara that morning and the warmth she'd felt helping a stranger. The day had started with tension, but it had given her something to ponder, something that lingered in her thoughts as she moved through the motions of her day.