Pari was beyond shocked on hearing Meghna’s wish to work for Ishaan. She clenched her fists, anger simmering under her skin at the very thought of Meghna working for Ishaan. But now she finally understood Varun and Meghna’s true intention behind the trekking plan.
She looked at Meghna, who was curiously waiting for a positive answer, and shook her head.
“No, Meghna. I don’t interfere in his business. I’m tired, so you guys go ahead. Maybe I’ll join you after resting for a while.”
Pari hated the idea of walking with them knowing their intentions so she sat on a rock and placed her backpack beside her. Ishika and Advika, who were just behind her, sat down on either side. They decided to stay with Pari, and even Varun insisted on staying back. But Pari wanted to alone, she wanted to be away from Varun and Meghna so she stopped and promised she would join them in a while.
Ayaan, who had been silent all the while, pulled Ishika and Advika up from their places.
“She’s not a child, and we shouldn’t be forcing her. She’ll join us, so let’s go ahead.”
Ayaan gave a wink, and Ishika understood the message. They left Pari behind and continued climbing. Varun hesitated, but Pari smiled, assuring him she would be fine and not to spoil the fun because of her. Reluctantly, Varun and Meghna followed the others.
Once everyone was out of sight, Pari rose to her feet and kicked a tree in frustration. She pulled off her cap and flung it away.
“Liars…..They’re so desperate to secure a position in Rey’s business or Ishaan’s group of hotels. What are they up to? And Varun—he’s been so close, going on amusement park trips and treks with her, yet never once bothered to tell me about her. What’s with their silent exchanges? Did he hit his head somewhere and lose his senses? Oh no, I think its me who got hit and lost my senses to not see what is happening around me. Arghhhhhh “
Pari screamed and pulled out the water bottle from her backpack, only to find it empty. Frustrated, she threw it aside and sat on a rock, holding her head. Her legs ached from all the climbing. Within five minutes, Ishaan stood before her. Pari didn’t bother to raise her head; her gaze stayed fixed on his shoes.
“Why are you here all alone, Pari?” he asked.
“I’m tired. I’ll join them in a while. You should go ahead,” Pari replied, expecting him to leave. But instead, Ishaan sat on the rock beside her. He opened his bag and handed her an energy drink.
“You didn’t have to wait. I can manage on my own for a while. I’d have called one of you if I got stuck,” she said.
Ishaan rose to his feet and stood a little away from her. “If you’re worried I’ll disturb you, don’t be. But don’t expect me to leave you here all alone. We’ll leave once you’re ready to join the rest.”
He handed her a pain-relief spray and turned away, focusing on something on his phone. Pari sat in silence for a while, then cleared her throat. Ishaan glanced at her, saw she was ready so he picked up his bag, and took hers too.
“No, let it go. I can carry my own bag,” Pari protested, but Ishaan didn’t listen.
“You’re already tired, Pari. Carrying this will only exhaust you more,” he said firmly.
Pari gave up, and they walked in silence. After a while, she noticed him checking his phone and then taking a different path. She stopped in her tracks.
“This isn’t the way, I think,” she mumbled, wiping sweat from her forehead. Ishaan turned and noticed she wasn’t wearing a cap.
“Where’s your cap?” he asked.
“I lost it when I stayed back,” she admitted.
Without a word, Ishaan wiped the sweat from her face with his handkerchief and then handed her his cap. Pari’s breath hitched; she swallowed hard when the faint scent of his cologne from the handkerchief filled her senses.
“Wear it. And this is actually a shortcut to reach them, I’ve been here before. And before you jump to conclusions about me being here with some girl, let me clarify—I came with a few of my friends from London when they visited India. Now, let’s go join the rest.” he explained
Ishaan walked ahead as if nothing had happened, but a small smile tugged at his lips—life was about to change for them both, and he knew it. They walked for another thirty minutes when suddenly, both froze in their tracks at the sound of moans coming from behind a tree.
“I think we should leave… rather than disturbing someone’s private time. Let’s not embarrass them,” Pari whispered, leaning closer to Ishaan.
But Ishaan stood frozen, his expression unreadable, as if he had seen a ghost. Pari followed his line of sight and noticed two familiar backpacks resting on a rock beside the tree.
Then came the voice. “Varun…” someone moaned.
Pari’s eyes widened—she instantly recognized Meghna’s voice.
“You’re fucking gorgeous, baby,” Varun’s hoarse voice followed, making Pari instinctively take a step forward. But Ishaan quickly covered her mouth with his palm.
“Hush… don’t make a sound. Let’s leave and talk somewhere else,” he whispered firmly.
Once they were far enough, Pari broke down—pacing, trembling, tears spilling down her cheeks.
“Fucking bastard! Bitch!”
“Jackass! Bloody vixen!”
“How dare they? How dare they do this to me? How fucking dare he betray me like this? I trusted him—and what did he give me in return?” she screamed, her voice breaking.
Ishaan’s chest tightened seeing her shatter like that. Every instinct in him wanted to pull her into his arms, but he held back—he didn’t want her to think he was using her pain to his advantage. So he let her scream, let her cry, until at last, her sobs weakened. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes swollen and red. Quietly, he held out a water bottle.
“Wash your face. Let’s leave, I’ve already texted Ayaan that you’re not well and we’re heading back. They’ll return later. I’ve also arranged for a few men and women to guide them back safely. We don’t need to worry.” he said softly.
Pari looked at him for a long moment before stepping closer, meeting his gaze head-on.
“Mock me, Ishaan. I compared you with him and made a choice—and it turned out to be the worst decision of my life. He could never be you, and he proved I’m a terrible decision-maker. Go on, tell me… lash out at me, call me a fool ” she screamed, her knees finally giving way under the weight of physical and emotional exhaustion.
Ishaan caught her before she collapsed and let out a heavy sigh, his heart shattering at the sight of her devastation. He gently wiped her face with his handkerchief.
“You wouldn’t believe me no matter what I say, Pari. You didn’t believe me when I was 8. You didn’t believe me when I was 18. And I don’t expect you to believe me now, at 28. But when you’re ready—when you finally choose to believe me—I’ll be more than happy to show you the reality you keep refusing to see. For now… let’s go. You need rest.”
His words struck her like a blade of truth. He was right—she had never trusted him, not once in all the years of their lives. She had been stubborn, denying it every time her heart and mind screamed at her not to run from him. She had been a fool, feeding her pride even while dreaming of him most nights through all these years.
They walked in silence. Pari’s body felt drained, her mind even more so. Her steps faltered, and she was about to collapse once again when Ishaan caught her just in time.
“Pari!” he called, trying to steady her. But she was slipping, her eyelids fluttering shut. Ishaan sprinkled water on her face, desperate to wake her. She barely opened her eyes and as darkness closed in, the final sound she clung to was his voice, raw with desperate concern
Ishaan left both their bags behind and carried her in his arms, bridal style, as he made his way back to the car. Sweat beaded across his forehead, but his only concern was her. Once at the car, he gently laid her in the back seat before starting the drive back.
At the bungalow, he carried her straight to her room and placed her carefully on the bed. He patted her cheek softly.
“Pari, open your eyes.”
She struggled to comply. Ishaan lifted her head slightly and helped her sip some glucose to keep her hydrated. Once she drifted back into sleep, he pulled the comforter over her and quietly settled on the couch, keeping watch.
Three hours later, Pari stirred awake and noticed Ishaan at the couch, working on his laptop, dressed in fresh clothes. The moment he saw her move, he rushed to her side and handed her a glass of fresh juice.
“Drink this—you’ll feel better. Freshen up after that. I’ve arranged dinner for us.”
Pari hummed softly in response, and Ishaan gave her privacy by stepping out. When she joined him at the dining table, he was waiting. He placed a plate before her and served her dinner himself, patiently waiting until she finished. Then, he followed her back to her room.
“Do you want to talk? What’s your plan now? They’ll be here in about an hour,” Ishaan asked, his gaze steady on her.
“I’ll confront him. I’ll call off this engagement. That bloody cheater means nothing to me,” she spat out.
Ishaan shook his head and leaned back on the couch opposite her.
“No, Pari. You still haven’t learned to be a better decision-maker. Did you forget who you are—and who raised you? You and Ayaan are the next heirs to Rey’s business empire. Have you forgotten what Mithun and Reyansh Badrinath taught you? You don’t let emotions cloud your judgment. You don’t let your guard down. You don’t show weakness. And most importantly—you never give up. This is the time to think wisely, to choose better, and to make them proud.”
Pari looked at him, stunned.
“Do you want to let go of him easily after knowing he played you and our family ? Don’t you want to know why he betrayed you ? ” Ishaan asked her in a calm voice.
“What do you want me to do then?” she asked, moving to sit beside him on the couch. Ishaan gave her a faint smile, amused by her curiosity.
“Play his game against him. Pretend you didn’t see anything. Dig deeper—find out their real intentions. That’s how you’ll win. For now, clear your mind. Sleep. You don’t have to face them tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll be ready.”
Pari nodded faintly. Ishaan stood and opened the door to leave.
“Ishaan.”
He froze. Hearing her say his name in a calm and soft voice after so many years hit him like a storm. A lone tear slipped down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away before turning to face her—Pari was standing right in front of him.
“From the way you speak, I believe there’s more to this story. Is there something I should know?” Pari asked, her voice low and gentle.
“I know a lot, Pari. Right now, you’re vulnerable and might be ready to hear the whole truth from me—but the question is, would you believe me?”
Pari was taken aback by his words. She swallowed hard, her eyes locking onto his. For a moment, it felt as though she was trapped in a dream, held captive by those magnetic orbs of his. Ishaan cleared his throat, breaking the spell, and Pari quickly looked away.
“Did you ever believe me when I said I never hated you? Did you believe that my hatred was only for your attitude and your anger ?” she asked him.
He stepped closer, tucking a stray strand of her hair gently behind her ear.
“I would always believe you, Pari. Because I know you better than you know yourself. But right now, what you need most is rest—and patience. If your curiosity is too strong, I can give you a glimpse of the truth. Consider it…a trailer of what he really is. He doesn’t know about this bungalow, but I know every corner of this place. There are hidden cameras all over the building.”
He brushed past her, picked up her phone from the nightstand, and easily unlocked it. Pari’s eyes widened in shock. Seeing her expression, Ishaan smiled—a real, unguarded smile—as he made a few quick changes before handing it back.
“Don’t be surprised. You’ve always used Mithun mamu and Kajal aunty’s birthdates as your secret code. I’ve installed the security app on your phone. If I call you, all you need to do is check the feed from Camera 3. Remember—don’t react.”
Pari simply hummed in agreement. Ishaan left her room, and she turned off the lights, slipping under the covers.
Later, Ishaan entered the living room just as everyone returned from trekking. They collapsed onto the couches, visibly tired.
“Where’s Pari? Her phone is switched off. You could have at least called me, Ishaan,” Varun said, concern in his voice. Ishaan’s hands clenched at his sides, a surge of rage burning inside him. He wanted nothing more than to punch Varun, but as always, he forced himself to remain calm and composed.
“She was exhausted and didn’t want you all to miss the fun. I had a business call, so I drove her back. I haven’t seen her since—she went straight to her room. Maybe she’s asleep. I was just waiting for you all to return so we could have dinner together.”
Varun accepted his words without suspicion. He even went so far as to knock on Pari’s door, but when there was no response and the lock was still in place, he assumed she was sleeping. The group had dinner and then retired to their rooms. Ishika didn’t want to disturb Pari so she joined Zara and Adhvika in their room.
In the room, Pari couldn’t sleep. Every word Ishaan had spoken carried a deeper meaning, and she longed to hear the whole truth. Still, she knew he was right—she had to be ready to believe him first.
In the middle of the night, her phone rang. Ishaan’s name flashed across the screen.
“Check the surveillance,” his calm voice instructed.
Keeping him on the line, Pari opened the app. Camera 3 lit up, showing Meghna in the corridor. She scanned the surroundings carefully before knocking on a door. A moment later, the door opened—and Pari wasn’t surprised to see Varun standing there. Meghna slipped inside, and the door closed quietly behind them.
“Don’t waste your anger, your tears, or any part of yourself on people who don’t deserve it,” Ishaan’s voice came gently through the call. “Save it for those who are truly worthy. Relax. Sleep well. Tomorrow, you start fresh. Good night, Pari.”
The call ended. And for the first time that day, Pari didn’t cry. She closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.
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A/N:
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