Whispers of Destiny: Unveiling Hearts ✅

|| 44. Reunited (i) ||

The sound of screeching tires filled the air as a car swerved desperately to avoid an oncoming vehicle. The boy in the driver's seat gripped the steering wheel tightly, "Someone hit them.

The impact was deafening. Glass shattered, and the world spun out of control.

Suddenly, Karan jolted awake, drenched in sweat. His heart raced as he sat up in bed, his breath ragged.

"No... no..." he muttered, wiping his face with trembling hands. Then, unable to hold it in, he screamed, "MOM! DAD!"

The silence in the room felt suffocating. He grabbed the water bottle by his bedside and took a long sip, trying to calm himself. But his hands wouldn't stop shaking.

"How long?" he whispered to himself. "How long will this nightmare keep haunting me? Why, God? Why did you take them both away from me? What did I do to deserve this?!"

Tears streamed down his face as the pain resurfaced, raw and unbearable. He buried his face in his hands, letting the tears flow freely.

Just then, his phone buzzed, snapping him out of his breakdown. He wiped his face hurriedly and glanced at the screen. It was Arshia.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to sound normal before answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Bhai! Finally, you picked up! Where are you? You didn't come home last night either! Don't tell me you're buried in work again!" Arshia scolded him in her usual dramatic tone.

Karan smiled faintly, grateful for her voice. "Relax, Arshia. I'll be there soon. I already bought Akshara's gift, so stop worrying."

"You better be here on time! It's her birthday, and you're not skipping it, okay?"

"Don't worry. I'll be there," Karan assured her before hanging up.

He stood up, shaking off the remnants of his nightmare. "Enough," he told himself. "It's time to focus on the present."

GOENKA VILLA

The Goenka villa was buzzing with activity. Akshara descended the staircase, looking stunning in a traditional saree. She was glowing, her long earrings swaying as she walked into the living room where Abhimanyu and Abhir were sitting on the floor surrounded by photo albums.

"What are you two up to?" Akshara asked, raising an eyebrow.

Abhir looked up excitedly. "Mumma, look! These are Nanu and Nani's wedding pictures!"

Akshara walked closer and saw old photographs of Kartik and Naira's engagement and wedding ceremonies. The happy faces, the vibrant decorations-it felt like stepping into another time.

Abhir kept flipping through the pictures, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Mumma, how was Nani's love story? Was it like those movie romances?"

Akshara gasped and grabbed his ear gently. "Excuse me? Mr. Curious wants to know about love stories now?"

Abhir giggled and squirmed away. "Ow! I'm just asking! Everyone says their love story was epic!"

Suhasini, who had been watching the exchange, smiled. "Let him ask, Akshu. It's good for children to know their family history."

Before Akshara could respond, Kairav walked in carrying an old wooden box. "Wait, wait! I've got something even better."

He set the box down and opened it, revealing stacks of DVDs. "We have home videos too! Let's watch them."