MAHATAB

BITTERSWEET

YUVIKA

I don’t know when the tears stopped flowing. My head feels heavy, but my heart feels lighter, as if some weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
Dhananjay is still holding me, and I ask him to let me go. He hesitates, looking into my eyes with concern, and I nod to reassure him. When he finally releases me, I feel a mix of relief and a strange sense of loss—I miss the warmth of his embrace.

I get up and head to my room to freshen up. I know I look like a mess right now, and this is not how today was supposed to be. I walk into my ensuite washroom and take a long, hard look at myself in the mirror.
My hair is in a messy bun, and my eyes are red and swollen from all the crying. I see the same 12-year-old broken Yuvika who was let down and berated by everyone.

I splash water on my face multiple times, hoping to wash away the remnants of my tears, and take a deep breath to steady myself. As I do, my mind wanders to Dhananjay—the way he stood up for me and comforted me. It almost seems like he understood me, but I still can't decipher why he is here. He’s never been to my home before, though he has picked up Rohan from here countless times. Why now?

I ponder how to face him. No one has ever seen me vulnerable like this—only Coco, and even Rohan hasn’t witnessed me break down.
He knows about my past, but I haven’t shared the details with him. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever comes next, and decide to talk to Dhananjay.

As I make my way to the living area, I find Dhananjay on the floor, playing with Coco, who is happily munching on his shoelaces. My heart sinks at the sight; his shoes are expensive, and yet he seems completely unfazed. It’s mortifying to watch, and I can’t help but feel embarrassed.

“Seriously, Coco?” I murmur under my breath. Clearing my throat, I gesture for him to sit on the couch. He looks up, flashes me a small smile, and then moves to sit.

I take a seat opposite him, the tension from earlier still hanging in the air.

Hey,” I say, trying to shake off the heaviness in my chest. “What are you doing here?”

Dhananjay looks up, surprise flickering across his face before he replies, “I was coming to speak to you.” I can’t help but notice the way his gaze steadies on me, filling me with a strange sense of calm.

Before I can process his words, he asks, “What happened? Why was Taniya here despite the restraining order? Did she harm you?”

His concern is palpable, and it feels strange to have someone so invested in my well-being. “How do you know about Taniya and the restraining order?” I ask, my brow furrowing.

Dhananjay explains what happened yesterday—how he discovered Taniya had trespassed, how he got a background check done on her, revealing that she is my cousin. The mention of Taniya sends a shiver down my spine, and I instinctively feel my walls rising. I had wanted to keep this part of my life private, but here we are, talking about it openly.

I hesitate, my gaze drifting to the floor. My mind races back to the memories I’ve tried to suppress.

**Flashback:**

The sun shines brightly over the small playground, casting shadows of children playing around. Young me, about seven years old, sits on a swing, laughter ringing out as I play with my new dolls. Nearby, Taniya stands with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed.

“Do you want to play with my dolls?” I ask, hoping to include her.

“No!” she snaps, jealousy clear in her voice.

“I can share,” I say, extending my hand with the doll.

But she only glares at me. “You're such a show-off, Yuvika! Always getting the best stuff!”