Ashes of a Broken Heart

Chapter 16: The Depths of Guilt

Chapter 17: The Depths of Guilt

Karan sat alone, the silence of his study wrapping around him like an unforgiving shroud. Only hours ago, he had believed in his vengeance, confident it would be a victory that brought justice. But now, the echoes of Tejasswi's shattered voice and the emptiness in her eyes weighed on him like a stone. He had envisioned her pain piercing through to her family, making them feel the sting of betrayal he'd intended to deliver. Instead, all he had done was tear apart the people who had stood by him, who had given him real friendship, real care.

Across the room, Rohan was equally lost in thought, slumped in the chair, his face drawn with regret. The enormity of what they'd done crashed down on him like waves, each memory of Tejasswi's happiness and trust twisting into a sharp stab of guilt. She had been nothing but kind and open-hearted, and they had crushed her, for nothing.

Rohan finally broke the silence, his voice hollow. "Karan... we didn't hurt the people we thought we would. All we did was ruin her. We ruined everything."

Karan's jaw tightened, his gaze distant and filled with regret. "I thought hurting Tejasswi would make her family feel the loss, feel a fraction of what I felt. But... I didn't know. I didn't know that I'd only end up hurting her." His voice was quiet, heavy with remorse. "I hurt the only people who actually cared about me. Tejasswi... and Meera."

Rohan ran his hands over his face, overwhelmed. "And now... Meera, too. She hates us. We've lost her because of this madness." His voice broke, and the pain of losing someone so dear weighed on him with crushing force. He had thought he was doing this for loyalty, but now all he felt was the emptiness left by a loyalty misused, and the guilt of betrayal.

Karan clenched his fists, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I don't even know what I wanted anymore. I just know that I've destroyed everything good in my life. And for what?"

They sat in silence, each man steeped in regret, the consequences of their actions weighing on them like an irreversible burden. The vengeance that had once seemed worth everything was now their heaviest punishment.

Meanwhile, Meera returned home, her mind reeling from the confrontation. She had left Karan and Rohan behind, their stunned faces filled with guilt, but her heart felt no peace. It was Tejasswi's face, her friend's broken expression, that haunted her. She had thought bringing Tejasswi home and being there would be enough. But as she opened the door and called out softly, "Tejasswi?" an eerie silence greeted her.

Meera moved quickly through the house, checking each room, her worry mounting. She entered Tejasswi's room, but it was empty, her belongings untouched. An uneasiness seized her, and she clutched her phone, trying to keep her fear at bay.

"Tejasswi?" she called again, her voice more desperate now as she moved through the house, glancing at her phone. No messages. No sign of Tejasswi anywhere.

Panic began to creep in as Meera realized her friend was truly gone. She retraced her steps, hoping she'd simply missed something, but each empty room only heightened her dread. Tejasswi was out there, alone, and after everything that had happened today, Meera feared for her fragile state of mind.

With trembling hands, Meera dialed Tejasswi's number, but the call went unanswered. Frantically, she tried friends, acquaintances, anyone who might have seen Tejasswi, but each response brought only disappointment. Her heart raced, a thousand possibilities crossing her mind as her panic grew.

"Oh, Teju," she whispered, pacing the room, holding her phone close to her chest. "Where could you have gone?" Her own heart ached as she thought of the betrayal Tejasswi had just endured. Meera knew she had to find her friend before the heartbreak consumed her.