Siya's Raghav

Raghav and Adit looked at each other helplessly. Adit finally said —"See what he's done now... the star of the show. Now tell me..."Then pausing a bit, he added,"Look, Raghav, it's not just difficult, it's impossible to find a house in Oly right now. And my aunty is not going to let him stay here. I'm begging you, man... please, just take him somewhere else."

Raghav, with a dejected face, said —"But what if he falls sick?"

Adit, a bit irritated, snapped —"Then you can stay outside with him!"

Hearing Adit's voice, Janvi came over. Seeing Raghav's distressed face, she asked —"Raghav ji, is something wrong?"

Before Raghav could answer, Adit pointed towards Joy and said —"Yes, he is our biggest problem right now..."

Janvi picked up Joy in her arms and said —"But he's so cute..."

Adit —"Maybe he is, but right now he's just a huge headache."

Janvi, gently stroking Joy's hand —"What did he even do?"

Adit —"Actually, my aunty doesn't like pets and had strictly forbidden bringing one here. But Raghav brought Joy anyway. Today aunty saw him and told us either he goes out in thirty minutes or we go out."

Janvi frowned too. She stroked Joy gently and said —"So now...?"

Adit, making a face —"What else... we'll have to take him outside."

But Raghav interrupted —"No! Not at all. Poor thing... how can he stay outside in this cold? I won't throw him out."

Adit turned to leave, and Raghav asked —"Where are you going now?"

Adit, a bit angry —"You're not kicking him out, so I'll just pack my bags..."

Janvi, thinking for a moment, said —"I have an idea. There's a basement in my room. We could keep Joy there."

Raghav —"But it's really small and dark. He'll be scared."

Adit —"I'll install a light there."

Janvi, trying to convince Raghav —"Look Raghav ji, if aunty sees him again, she'll throw him out for sure. It's better if I keep him with me."

Raghav had no other option, so he nodded and said —"Fine, but please take care of him..."

Janvi nodded and took Joy with her. Raghav kept staring in that direction. Adit patted his shoulder and said —"Don't worry, man. Janvi will take good care of him."

Raghav just nodded and went to his room.

Rishikesh, Chauhan House

Jagjeet Raj Chauhan stormed into the house like a raging serpent and shouted —"Nakullllll…!"

Nakul, who had just been talking to Nishtha on the phone, panicked and rushed downstairs — only to find Jagjeet Raj Chauhan staring at him with burning eyes.

Nakul froze for a moment but then composed himself and said —"Yes, Nanaji—"

Before he could finish, Jagjeet Raj Chauhan slapped him hard, making him fall to the ground. Hearing the noise, everyone rushed out.

Avyaan came out too but hid behind a pillow, knowing that if he was seen, he'd be next.

Nakul, trying to get up, said —"Did I do something wrong, Nanaji?"

Jagjeet Raj, sarcastically smiling —"No, the mistake was ours—for feeding a snake. Eventually, you showed your true colors... Like father, like son. Your father was a traitor, and so are you."

Nakul looked at Jagjeet with anger, but he shouted —"Eyes down, you disgrace!"

Nakul clenched his fists and bit his lip to hold back tears as he looked down.

Jagjeet signaled his younger son, Pratap Chauhan, who came forward, snatched Nakul's phone, and handed it to Jagjeet.

Jagjeet called someone, and on the other end, Nishtha's voice answered —"Yes, Nakul ji? What did you say your grandfather—"

Jagjeet, with his stern voice —"This is Nakul's grandfather speaking, girl. And listen carefully—what you've done won't be forgotten. Nor will the one who helped you be spared..."

Nishtha froze in fear, and the phone dropped from her hand. Jagjeet roared —"Wherever you are, girl, you won't be able to hide for long. Sooner or later, you'll come face to face with Jagjeet Raj Chauhan."

Then he smashed the phone on the floor and bellowed —"A snake in our own sleeve... Ate our salt and betrayed us! Even a witch spares seven houses, but you... you poisoned your own. Twenty-five years ago, your father tricked my daughter, got her pregnant, and died. Good that scoundrel died—if not, I would've strangled him myself."

Nakul couldn't hold back anymore and shouted —"My mother wasn't some child—she loved him. But people like you, blinded by power and wealth, can't understand love. And don't pretend you took my mother in out of kindness. You did it for the three crore rupees of my father's life insurance—to fuel your political career. This palace you flaunt? It's built over my father's grave. So before you curse my parents, look in the mirror!"

He said it all in one breath and stood there panting, eyes burning with fury. After years, he had finally let it all out—and felt lighter.

Jagjeet heard him and then, with a mysterious smirk, said —"Pratap, the chicks have grown wings... Time to clip them."

And he walked away.

Nakul's rage turned to fear and confusion. Jagjeet's quiet departure felt like the calm before a storm—and Nakul could feel it coming.

Meanwhile, Avyaan quietly walked to his room. In his mind, old memories returned—a man beating a woman mercilessly, while a small boy tried to stifle his sobs behind a curtain, his whole body shaking with fear.

Just then, someone placed a hand on Avyaan's shoulder. He quickly wiped his tears and turned around. It was Anurag.

Avyaan, faking a smile —"So, tell me... how's my bhabhi?"

Anurag, puzzled —"Bhabhi? What bhabhi?"

Avyaan, punching him playfully —"Oh come on! The whole school is talking about you and Siya—my bhabhi! Tell me, what was the rush? Couldn't wait till college?"

Anurag, glaring —"Cut it out, Avu... or you're getting it."

Avyaan, grinning —"Scaring me won't help! The whole school already knows... and that's why you've stopped going to school—I know you too well."

Anurag shouted —"AVYAAN!"

Realizing trouble was coming, Avyaan ran off, and Anurag chased after him.

As they ran downstairs, Avyaan collided with Anant. Both slipped, but Avyaan pulled Anant toward himself to save him—causing Avyaan to hit the floor and Anant to fall on top of him.

Anurag saw them and flared up. Anant getting that close to Avyaan was enough to enrage him. He pulled Anant up and slapped him hard.

Avyaan, standing up quickly —"Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

Anurag, glaring at Anant —"Get out of the way... I'll teach him what happens when you hurt my friend!"

Anant got scared and hid behind Avyaan. Avyaan held his hand tightly and said —"He didn't hurt me. It was an accident. Actually, my fault—I was running."

Anurag roared —"Avu, move aside!"

Hearing the commotion, everyone came out. But seeing Anurag's anger, no one dared to intervene.

Just as Anurag stepped forward to grab Anant, someone caught his hand. He looked angrily—only to see Apurva.

Anurag, irritated —"Di, let go of my hand..."

Apurva, sharply —"Why? So you can continue your stupidity?"

Anurag —"But Di—"

Apurva dragged him away —"Not a word."

In the room, she let go of his hand and asked, furious —"What were you doing out there?"

Anurag, dismissive —"Nothing."

Apurva held his face —"Look me in the eye and say that."

As Anurag turned away, Apurva said —"It's better if the sins of the elders remain with the elders, Anurag. Punishing a child for it is a grave sin."

Anurag, angrily —"And what about our childhood, Di? When other kids held their father's hand to go to school, ours was busy chasing women... When kids were building memories with their parents, you had to become my mother at just fourteen... What about that?"

Apurva, with teary eyes —"You were never a burden to me, Anurag..."

Anurag, softly —"Maybe you don't say it, but I know I've been a burden all my life... Sometimes, I'm ashamed of my own existence."

And with that, a deep pain rose in his chest, and he walked away.

Apurva stood there, staring in the direction he left. She had never realized that her stubborn, hot-headed brother could carry such depth in his heart.