Maybe in next life

chapter 16

Mihir🦋

The past few weeks had been relentless, a whirlwind of responsibilities and buried emotions that left no room for rest. My days were consumed by college management, meetings, and endless paperwork. The nights, though, were worse—quiet, suffocating hours where her voice lingered in my mind, and her laughter echoed in the silence.

Ruhi.

I was in my father's study, surrounded by stacks of documents requiring my attention. The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the room as I scanned through financial reports, my focus wavering.

And then it came again—the sharp, stabbing pain in my chest.

I paused, gripping the edge of the desk as I leaned back in my chair, trying to steady my breathing. It wasn’t the first time I’d felt it. Over the past few weeks, this pain had become an unwelcome visitor, appearing at the most inconvenient times.

But I ignored it, as always.

There was no time for weakness, no space in my life for concern over something as trivial as physical discomfort. I took a deep breath, forcing the pain to the back of my mind, and returned to the reports in front of me.

---

Later that afternoon, I was walking through the main hallway of the house when I heard raised voices coming from the living room.

“Do you think you can continue ignoring me, Mihir?”

My stepmother’s sharp tone cut through the air like a blade. She stood in the center of the room, her arms crossed and her eyes blazing with fury.

I stopped, my jaw tightening as I turned to face her. “What is it now?”

She scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. “Don’t play dumb with me. You’ve been avoiding. And don’t think I don’t know why.”

“I’ve been busy,” I replied coolly, stepping further into the room. “Some of us have responsibilities to handle.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that. You might have your father’s favor, but that doesn’t mean you can treat me like I’m invisible.”

I clenched my fists, keeping my expression neutral. “I treat you exactly how you deserve to be treated.”

Her face reddened with anger, and for a moment, she stepped back, her voice dropping to a low hiss. “You think you’re untouchable, don’t you? Always playing the perfect son, the perfect heir. But let me tell you something, Mihir—you’re just like the rest of us. Flawed, vulnerable.”

Something inside me snapped. I stepped closer, my gaze cold and unwavering. “I suggest you watch your words,” I said quietly, my voice sharp enough to cut. “Whatever power you think you have in this house, remember who really holds the reins.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension in the room thick enough to choke. And then she turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.

I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair as I tried to push the argument out of my mind. But the ache in my chest returned, sharper this time, as if mocking my attempts to stay in control.