Palchin | 𝘝𝘢𝘳𝘚𝘩𝘳𝘢 𝘖𝘚

1. You love I, forever.

Trigger warning: Depression & Suicide.

The heavy patter of rain beat against the windows of Shraddha Kapoor's apartment, echoing the turmoil inside her heart. It was one of those nights where the city of Mumbai seemed to cry along with her, drenching the streets as if it could wash away the pain. But no amount of rain could cleanse the ache lodged in her chest. The phone lay silent on her bedside table, its screen dark, mirroring the hollowness she felt within.

For months, Shraddha had tried to be strong. She had pushed through her heartbreak, the suffocating weight of rejection from the industry, and the unrelenting whispers that filled the air around her.

Her work, her dreams-everything seemed to crumble, slipping away from her grasp like sand. And in the quiet of her room, she was left to face the harsh reality that the life she had envisioned for herself was nothing but a fading dream.

Aditya was gone. Her relationship with him had ended just like that. But the void in her heart wasn't only because of him. No. It had always been Varun.

Varun, who was no longer by her side, who had drifted away, enveloped in his own life with Natasha. He had been her pillar since childhood, her best friend, the one person she believed would never leave her. But now, he wasn't here when she needed him the most.

And tonight, she was alone. Completely alone.

Her eyes flickered to the blade she had placed on the table, her breath shaky. She wondered if anyone would even notice if she disappeared, if her absence would make a difference in a world that seemed determined to push her aside.

She remembered the warmth of Varun's laughter, the way he would always pull her close in their childhood, promising that he'd always protect her. But where was he now?

Tears blurred her vision as her hands trembled. A sob escaped her lips as she grasped the blade. "I'm so tired..." she whispered to the empty room, her voice breaking.

The sharp edge touched her wrist, and for a brief moment, she hesitated, thinking of her family, her father, her friends. But the weight of the world pressed harder against her chest, and with one swift motion, the pain ended. Blood spilled onto the floor, mingling with her tears.
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Hours later, chaos erupted in the media. Shraddha Kapoor had been rushed to the hospital after an apparent suicide attempt. News anchors clamored for details, speculating on her condition.

Within minutes, the reports reached Varun Dhawan, who was in the middle of a promotional event with his co-stars.

He had just been smiling for the cameras, answering questions about his latest project, when his phone buzzed incessantly in his pocket. Ignoring it at first, he continued with the event, but something inside him nagged. Finally, he pulled out his phone and froze.

"Shraddha Kapoor rushed to hospital after a suicide attempt..."

His heart stopped. The words blurred in front of him, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Shraddha. His Shraddha. The one person who had been his constant since they were children.

What had happened? How had it come to this? He had been so distant, caught up in his life with his now ex girlfriend Natasha, oblivious to the storm that had been brewing in Shraddha's.

Without thinking, he turned to leave, but Alia grabbed his arm, sneaking on the report flashing on his phone's screen. "Varun, what are you doing? We're in the middle of the event."

He shook her off. "I need to go."

Alia's face twisted in frustration. "This is important, Varun! The event, the promotion-right now, you can't just leave!"