kaho Na Pyaar Hai

Ruhaan stands tall

Ariyana's POV

The atmosphere at home had become unbearable. Mia's spiteful words had lingered in the air long after Ruhaan's confrontation with her. But I didn't have the strength to deal with it. Not now. Not when my mind was already consumed by the thought of my biological father, Vansh Mehrotra, returning into my life after years of absence.

I hadn't told Ruhaan yet. I wasn't sure how to. The last time I'd spoken to my father, it was a phone call that left me broken and confused. He had promised to come back. He had never kept that promise.

But now... he was here.

I stared at the photograph of my father on my bedside table, the one from when I was just a child. The pain of abandonment that I had buried for so long resurfaced, flooding my chest. What was I supposed to feel? Anger? Relief? Fear?

A knock on my door broke my thoughts. I looked up to see Ruhaan standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable but soft.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice low, gentle.

I nodded silently and motioned for him to come in.

Ruhaan sat beside me, his presence as comforting as it always was. But there was something else in the air tonight—something more urgent.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his gaze searching mine, as if looking for any signs of the storm raging beneath my calm facade.

"I don't know," I whispered, finally allowing the tears I had been holding back to fall. "My father... he's back, Ruhaan. After all these years, he's back, and I don't know what to feel anymore."

Ruhaan's eyes softened, and he reached for my hand. "Ariyana, you don't have to do this alone. I'm here, and I'll help you. Whatever happens with your father, you'll have me by your side."

The reassurance in his voice soothed me, but the confusion was still there. How could I even face him after everything? Could I forgive him? Or was it too late for that?

Ruhaan cupped my face gently, wiping away the stray tears with his thumb. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. But one thing I do know is that you deserve all the love and peace in the world. And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you get that."

I took a shaky breath, letting the words sink in. I didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I could face it. With Ruhaan by my side, I could face anything.

Ruhaan's POV

The weight of the situation was heavy in the air, but the look in Ariyana's eyes told me everything. She was struggling, and it broke my heart to see her like this. I had known her for so long, and I could see the pain in her soul, the wounds that had never fully healed. The reappearance of her father was a complication neither of us was ready for, but I was willing to face it, to face him, for her.

She had always been the strong one. But today, I could feel the cracks in her armor, and I knew she needed me now more than ever.

"Ari," I said softly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, "whatever you decide, I'll be right here. If you want to meet him, I'll be there. If you need to be angry, I'll hold you. And if you need to walk away, I'll walk with you."

Her gaze softened, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she smiled—genuinely, without a hint of doubt in her eyes. It was all I needed to see. She trusted me. We would face this, together.

But something inside me snapped when I remembered the one person who had never cared for Ariyana—the person who had caused her so much grief: Mia.

I wasn't going to let Mia ruin this for her.

Ariyana's POV

The next morning, I felt a sense of calm, but the unease about meeting my father lingered. Ruhaan was with me, though. He had stayed over the previous night—just to be with me, to support me.

I had sent a message to my father, asking him to meet me at the same park where Ruhaan and I had shared that special moment. It was a neutral place—no expectations, no pressure. I just needed to see him, to hear his side of the story.

When I arrived, I spotted him standing by the fountain. He looked so much like the man I had remembered from my childhood, but his eyes held a sadness that spoke volumes.

My heart pounded in my chest. Ruhaan had insisted on waiting in the car, knowing how overwhelming this was for me.

"Dad," I called out softly.

His head snapped toward me, and for the first time in years, I saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes. The years of absence hadn't changed that.

"Ariyana..." He said my name as though testing it on his tongue, unsure, but hopeful.

I walked toward him slowly, stopping a few feet away. "Why now, Dad? After everything, why are you back?"

He swallowed hard, looking guilty. "I know I don't deserve an answer, but I had to try. I've watched you grow from a distance. I know I failed you, and I can't change that. But I want to try... for you."

My chest tightened as the weight of his words settled over me. He was sorry, but could I ever forgive him? I didn't know.

But then, I felt a hand slip into mine, and I looked up to see Ruhaan standing beside me. His presence, steady and comforting, gave me the strength I needed to breathe through the storm of emotions.

"We don't have to do this alone," Ruhaan said quietly, his voice full of warmth and unwavering support. "You don't have to decide today, Ari. You have time."

I looked between them—my father, the man who had abandoned me, and Ruhaan, the man who had never given up on me. And in that moment, I realized that I wasn't alone. I had Ruhaan. And for now, that was all I needed to face whatever came next.

The air was thick with uncertainty, but for the first time in a long while, I wasn't afraid. With Ruhaan by my side, we would face the challenges ahead—together. Whether it was my father, Mia, or the world itself, nothing could break us apart. I knew that now.

And I was ready to face whatever came our way—because I wasn't alone anymore.