A light in the flame

Chapter 17 - Family Matters

The late afternoon sun streamed through the living room window, casting a warm glow on Kiara as she sat on the couch, her brow furrowed in thought. The laughter of Abhir and Kairi echoed in the background as they played, a stark contrast to the storm brewing in her mind.

Kiara's heart raced as she recalled the conversation with Akshara. The realization that Abhimanyu had never received any of Akshara's calls or voice messages gnawed at her. "Why didn't he pick up?" she murmured, frustration creeping into her voice. "Why did he ignore her for so long?"

Akshara sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter as she stirred a pot. "I've been wondering the same thing. He had to have seen them, right ? He must have thought I was just... gone."

"Surely, he didn't believe you just left him," Kiara said, her brow knitting together. "But why didn't he ever try to reach out to you? Why did he assume the worst ?" The weight of their past hung heavily between them, unanswered questions casting a shadow over their friendship.

"What's even more surprising is that he knows about you, Kiara," Akshara replied, glancing at her. "Almost no one back home has any information about you. How could he know who you are and what you did for a living before meeting you?"

"I don't know," Kiara admitted, biting her lip. "The only time we ever spoke was when he reached out to me, but I lied about not knowing you. I thought it was better that way."

"Why would you do that?" Akshara asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You could have cleared things up."

"I was scared," Kiara admitted, looking away. "I didn't want to get involved in your mess, and I thought he would leave you alone if he thought I had nothing to do with you. I didn't realize it would only make things worse."

Akshara's expression softened. "But that's why he's been cold towards you. He must feel betrayed."

Just then, Abhimanyu entered the room, his presence commanding the space. The tension shifted instantly, Kiara feeling the weight of his gaze on her. He studied her for a moment before his expression hardened, suspicion etched on his features.

"What are you two talking about?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.

Kiara exchanged a glance with Akshara, the air thick with unspoken words. "Just... family stuff," Kiara replied, her heart racing under his scrutiny.

"Family ? " Abhimanyu scoffed, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Funny how family doesn't include me in the loop." He turned his attention to Akshara, frustrated lacing his words. "Why didn't you tell me about Kiara? How long were you going to keep her a secret ? "

"I didn't mean to hide her," Akshara said, her voice steady but soft. "It just happened that way. We were all trying to heal and figure things out after... everything."

"Right," Abhimanyu replied, his eyes narrowing at Kiara.

Kiara's heart sank. "That's not fair, Abhimanyu. I didn't know how intertwined our lives were. I just wanted to protect Akshara."

"Protect her ?" he scoffed, disbelief evident in his voice. "You should have thought about that before you lied to me. How do I know you're not lying now ?"

"Enough !" Akshara intervened, stepping between them, her hands raised. "This isn't helping anyone. Abhimanyu, you're being unreasonable."

"Am I ?" he shot back, his voice raising slightly. "Because it feels like I'm the only one trying to understand the truth here."

"Let's talk about the truth, then," Kiara said, her voice steadying. "You were the one who never responded to Akshara's calls. Why?"

"I didn't get them! I thought she left me, that she didn't want me anymore," he shot back, frustration lacing his voice. "I was hurt and angry. I had every reason to believe she moved on."