Anaya-His heartbeat

CHAPTER -5 His family

The evening sky stretched in hues of pink and orange, casting long shadows over the sprawling estate. I sat on the balcony of my room, my eyes fixed on the distant horizon, but my mind far from the peaceful scenery. The wind blew through my tousled dark hair, but I didn't feel the coolness of it. I didn't feel much of anything these days.

I had grown accustomed to the silence, to the emptiness that seemed to surround me like a thick fog. The grand mansion had always felt cold, devoid of warmth despite its opulence. The laughter and affection that one might expect from a home was absent here. For as long as I could remember,I had felt like an outsider, a ghost wandering the halls of a place I could never call home.

My mother had been a distant figure,my love always a fleeting illusion. She never seemed to care for me in the way she should have. Her presence, though physically there, was emotionally absent. I could still recall the times I would seek her attention as a boy-only to be met with indifference or, worse, outright dismissal. She left us alone she left me here alone never thaught how the kids will survive without her

The bitterness had started there, a seed planted in my heart, growing roots of resentment and anger that intertwined with my very being.I often wondered if I had done something to push her away, if there was something inherently wrong with me that made me unworthy of her affection. But no answer ever came, only more questions that I had long since stopped asking.

The only people who kept me tethered to any sense of belonging were my sister Samaira and Ayaan, my younger brother. My sister, a soft-spoken, nurturing soul, had been more of a sense of peace to me than anyone else ever had. She was the one who comforted me in the dark nights when I felt the weight of my loneliness pressing down on him. Ayaan, though younger, was my closest companion. The bond between us was unspoken but strong-built on shared experiences of neglect and an understanding that no one else could quite grasp.My dadi on the other hand lived in our village if she would have been here things would be different

Even so, there was always a distance between us. I had learned early on not to expect too much from anyone, even those he loved. My inability to fully open up, to show vulnerability, had become a shield I wore with pride, even though it isolated him further. Ayaan and my sister were the only ones allowed close, but even they were kept at arm's length.I didn't know how to change that. I didn't know if i even wanted to.

A soft knock at the door broke my reverie. It was Ayaan, his boyish face lit up with a smile that I couldn't quite return.

"Are you coming down for dinner?" Ayaan asked, leaning against the doorframe. "It's just the two of us tonight. You know how it is."

I nodded but didn't move. "I'll be down in a bit," I replied, my voice rougher than I intended.

Ayaan hesitated, studying me for a moment before speaking again. "You don't have to keep doing this, you know."

"Doing what?" I asked, though I knew exactly what Ayaan meant.

"Shutting us out. You're not alone, Shiv. You've got me, and you've got her," Ayaan said, referring to our sister. "We're family, even if it doesn't always feel like it."

**Family**. The word stung. I scoffed, turning my gaze back to the horizon. "Family," I muttered under my breath. "This place doesn't feel like family, Ayaan. It never has."

Ayaan's expression softened, and he took a step into the room. "I know," he said quietly. "But we don't have to let it define us. We've got each other."

I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe that the bond I shared with Ayaan and our sister could fill the void my mother's indifference had left. But years of rejection and disappointment had taught me not to hope for too much. Hope was dangerous. It led to expectations, and expectations led to pain.

"I'll be down in a minute," I repeated, a subtle dismissal.

Ayaan lingered for a moment longer before nodding and retreating, leaving me alone once more. Alone was where I was comfortable. Alone was what I knew.

Yet, as the door clicked shut and the silence of the room settled over me again, I couldn't shake the feeling that Ayaan was right. I wasn't entirely alone. I had my brother. I had my sister. But could that ever be enough to heal the wounds of a childhood spent in emotional isolation?

As the evening light faded and night took hold, I rose from his seat. I stood at the balcony railing, looking out at the endless sky, wondering if the darkness inside me would ever be lifted. For now, though, I would go down to dinner. Not for myself, but for Ayaan and for Samaira Maybe that was enough for tonight.

Maybe, someday, it would be enough for him, too.

MAYBE HE WILL FIND SOMEONE HE CAN CALL FAMILY

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Hey guyzzz...
In theast two chapters I compared the relations of lead with the family as it will shape next chapters
Hope you like
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From the next chapter the wedding discussion will begin ♥️

With love...💖