The huge metal doors of the bedroom burst open, and Ayaan walked in, his eyes scanning the room for Zara. A smile curved on his lips when he saw the beautiful lehenga laid out on the bed — the one he had specially designed just for her. Beside it lay the jewelry they he had personally chosen together, and the sight made his heart swell with joy.
Just then, the closet door opened, and Zara stepped out, wearing only a robe, towel in hand as she dried her damp hair.
The moment Ayaan saw her, he couldn’t contain his excitement. He rushed forward, scooped her into his arms, and twirled her around. Zara let out a squeal, laughter spilling from her lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Zara, I just can’t wait to see you dressed in this lehenga. You’re going to look breathtaking, baby,” Ayaan said, kissing her cheek.
“Calm down, mister, two more days, and we’ll be officially engaged. And in less than a month, I’ll be yours completely in every way ” Zara chuckled, brushing her fingers against his jaw and he kissed the tip of her nose playfully.
Ayaan set her down, and Zara picked up a comb, running it gently through his hair. Ayaan watched her, smiling at how she always made sure his hair was perfect before any event.
“Girls usually love men with messy hair, Don’t you think I look sexy this way?” he teased, ruffling his hair deliberately.
Zara rolled her eyes and smacked his arm lightly before fixing his hair again.
“I’m not like other girls, that’s exactly why you love me. You look like a perfect gentleman with neatly set hair. I love you that way. But if you really want messy hair, then go ahead and ruin it however you want.” she shrugged playfully. Ayaan held her hand and allowed her to set his hair and he stood holding her waist.
“Is there a way you could cancel the trip? We could stay together and have an early celebration before our engagement. You’re so adamant about joining Amma on this trip,” Ayaan said, turning his face away in frustration.
Zara chuckled softly, picking up a bottle of lotion and applying it to her arms and legs.
“Ayaan, I literally begged Vaishu aunty to let me come with her. Even Rey uncle was against it, but I can’t let her travel alone. It’s just a one-day trip, and we’ll have our pre-engagement celebration once I’m back tomorrow. Miss me until then,” Zara said with a playful wink.
“You always prioritize your work more than me. Sometimes I really wonder whether you love me or politics more,” Ayaan groaned, hugging her from behind and smooching the nape of her neck, hoping she would change her mind. But Zara only laughed and gently pushed him away before walking into the closet to get dressed.
Ayaan waited, watching as she emerged moments later in a stylish jumpsuit. She ran her fingers fondly over the lehenga laid out on the bed.
“I just can’t wait to wear this and be yours officially,” she said, smiling. “Now I’m getting late, so be good and don’t wait up for me. I don’t want you to miss out on anything just because I’m not around. Be happy, enjoy your day, baby. I’ll miss you.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
She picked up her handbag and walked out with Ayaan following close behind. When they reached the living room, Vaishu and Ishika were already ready, busy talking on the phone.
“Take care, Zara,” Reyansh said, side-hugging her and gently touching her head in blessing.
“Just one day, Uncle. Please take care of Ayaan in my absence. Don’t let him skip work or ignore family matters. If he does, twist his ear and make him listen,” Zara said teasingly, sticking her tongue out at Ayaan.
“Don’t worry, Ayaan, I’ll take good care of your Zara. We’ll have plenty of fun without you.” Ishika chimed in with a smirk.
Vaishu chuckled at their banter, and the three women made their way out. Reyansh opened the door for Vaishu, while Ayaan held it open for Ishika and Zara, waving as they left. He stood watching until their car rolled out of the huge manor gates before turning back to his own car to drive to the office.
At the airport, Vaishu, Ishika, and Zara moved swiftly through the bustling terminal, surrounded by a tight security detail. Camera flashes lit up their path as reporters called out Vaishu’s name. She acknowledged them with a calm nod, maintaining her composed ministerial grace amidst the chaos. A man in the crowd pushed forward, calling out desperately, waving a piece of paper.
” Madam Vaishnavi, Please, I have a request for you, this is important. Please help me ” he shouted.
Vaishu paused, glancing at him. “Let him come forward,” she instructed softly, signaling her team to allow the man closer.
Zara turned to the man and far behind him she saw Ayaan waving hand and he was wearing a mask to hide his identity. Zara shook her head and before Vaishu could reach the man she stopped her.
“Vaishu aunty, Ayaan is here. Let me collect the paper from the man and meet Ayaan. You go ahead and I will join you shortly. ” Zara said under her breath, gently pulling Vaishu back.
“But it won’t be fair if I don’t address it Zara, let me talk to the man to understand his problem ” Vaishu murmured looking at the man who was pleading with folded hands.
“I’ll handle this,” Zara said assuring her. Vaishu and Ishika hummed and decided to wait for her in the lobby rather than gaining attention from the public.
Zara stepped towards the man and requested him to handover the letter to her and she would give it to Vaishu but the man looked horrified. She received the letter from the man and looked at Ayaan.
Suddenly, a deafening roar exploded and the ground shook violently beneath their feet. A fireball erupted into the air, screams echoed as chaos erupted around the terminal.
The blast sent shards of metal and debris flying in every direction.
Vaishu and Ishika screamed, frozen in terror. The smoke and chaos made it almost impossible to see through.
Among the panicked crowd, Ayaan, who had been waiting for Zara witnessed the blast. His eyes locked on the scene, Zara’s body torn and burnt lying motionless, Vaishu unharmed but trembling, and the crowd scattering in terror.
“No… Zara” Vaishu cried, tears streaming down her face as her hands shook uncontrollably and she blacked out while Ishika stood in a trance.
Vaishu’s security team sprang into action immediately, forming a tight protective cord around her. Vaishu was carried to the airport’s immediate first aid room and Ishika was dragged to follow her.
Ayaan ran towards the shattered body of Zara but Ayaan’s guards who had followed him at a safe distance reached him instantly and pulled him back.
” Zaraaaaaaaa ” Ayaan screamed to reach her but he was shoved into the car in an unconscious state. He woke up in his room and started screaming Zara’s name.
The door opened, and Rey and Vaishu entered the room. They sat on either side of Ayaan, trying to calm him down.
“Ayaan, calm down,” Rey said gently, patting his back. But Ayaan was panting heavily, gasping for air as tears streamed down his cheeks.
Vaishu wiped his face with the edge of her pallu, her own tears refusing to stop as she looked at the broken state of her son.
“Zara… Zara… Where is my Zara?” Ayaan screamed, clutching his hair in anguish.
Reyansh immediately pulled him into a tight embrace and refused to let go until Ayaan’s sobs slowly subsided.
When Ayaan finally pulled away, his eyes were swollen and red. He saw his mother still crying, her hand trembling as she held his.
“I’m fine, Mom. Please go back to your room… you should rest,” Ayaan said hoarsely before jumping out of bed and walking into the washroom.
He splashed cold water on his face, droplets running down his trembling chin as he gripped the counter and stared at himself in the mirror.
“Three years, Zara… I’ve been suffering with this pain for three long years living without you, dying every single day inside. Why was life so cruel to us? We should’ve been married by now… we should’ve had kids, a home filled with laughter. But instead… I’m here, all alone, with nothing but your memories.” he mumbled, his voice cracking.
He pressed his palms to his face and pulled at his hair in frustration, the weight of his grief consuming him once again.
Meanwhile, Reyansh and Vaishu returned to their room. Vaishu broke down, burying her face in Rey’s chest as he held her tightly.
“Why is this happening to us, Ansh? I can’t bear to see our son suffering every night, haunted by those memories. How do we bring him out of this pain? He doesn’t deserve this, Ansh…” she cried, her voice shaking.
Rey kissed the top of her head and whispered, his own eyes glistening, “We’ll find a way, Vaishu… somehow, we’ll bring him back to life again.”
“Life is all about second chances, Avi. We just need to be patient. The universe will surely send someone into his life to heal him. Until then, we’ll take care of him. ” Reyansh said softly, consoling his wife.
“It should have been me dead that day. If only she hadn’t stopped me, I would have faced that man, and she’d still be alive living happily with Ayaan today. Why didn’t I die instead of her?” Vaishu cried, her voice breaking as she screamed in anguish.
“Stop it, Avi… please don’t ever say that.” Reyansh said, pulling her into his arms and he gently wiped the tears from her face.
Vaishu slowly moved to the balcony and sat on the couch, staring into the dark, starless sky.
It had been three long years since the manor had lost its glow.
Three years since Zara was taken from them in that devastating bomb blast.
Three years since Vaishu had quit politics, unable to bear the guilt that her decision had cost Ayaan and Zara their future together.
Three years since Ishika had lost her voice, silenced by the trauma of that tragic day.
Everything had shattered the moment they lost Zara.
Now, every soul in the manor lived in quiet longing for a miracle, for something or someone who could bring back the happiness that once filled their home.
Ishaan and Pari’s children were the only light left, the small source of joy that gave peace to everyone including Ayaan himself.
Ayaan had once promised Zara that he would live, even if she wasn’t by his side. And he had kept that promise but only barely. He lived, yes, but not as the man he once was. The warmth in him had died with her. He had forgotten how to smile, how to love, how to dream.
In the world of business, he became ruthless, a cold and unstoppable force who poured every ounce of his pain into his work. The only time a faint smile touched his face was when he was around Ishaan and Pari’s children, the only remnants of innocence that softened his hardened heart.
Gone was the chocolate boy and now lived the dangerous and ruthless CEO of Rey’s Empire, The Ayaan Rey Badrinath.
The room would turn deathly silent the moment he entered. The echo of his shoes against the marble floor carried an authority so sharp that it would silence the entire floor. He never spoke unless necessary and fired anyone without a second thought. Mercy had no place in his world anymore. With his rugged beard and bloodshot eyes, Ayaan looked every bit the dangerous man he had become.
He headed straight to the gym and worked out with relentless intensity until his phone began to ring with a call from his PA. Without answering immediately, he walked back to his room, entered the washroom and turned on the cold shower. As the icy water cascaded down, sweat and tears mingled, washing away what little remained of his pain only for it to return stronger each day.
After a long while, he stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist. He dressed in a crisp black suit and stood before the vanity, his gaze fixed on Zara’s photo. His knuckles gently traced her face, a ghost of a smile flickering for a second before fading.
He joined his family at the dining table, eating in silence as usual. Once done, he stood, kissed his mother’s cheek, and left. Outside, his PA Rohan, opened the car door, and Ayaan slid in, staring out of the window.
He pulled out his wallet and looked at Zara’s photo again. Her radiant smile stared back at him, piercing through the emptiness he carried.
“Love you, Zara, I’m alive just like you wanted… but I’m not living anymore. I’m only surviving. You’ve been cruel baby, cruel enough to make me live without you.” he whispered under his breath.
He slipped the wallet back into his blazer and put on the cold mask of the ruthless CEO once more.
When the car stopped at Rey’s Arcade, Ayaan got down and walked briskly inside, ignoring the greetings that followed him. Rohan pressed the button for the private elevator, and Ayaan was about to step in when a sudden, piercing voice echoed through the lobby.
“Zaraaaaaa”
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A/N:
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