Naina's PoV

"They say power shields you from pain... but have you ever wondered why it's always the strongest who bleed the most?"

The glass stretched from floor to ceiling, offering me a breathtaking view of New York's restless skyline. From my office, I watched the world below, vehicles weaving impatiently through traffic, people rushing with a purpose in their stride. Everything moved so fast, so free.

A sigh slipped past my lips. They all seemed more liberated than me. At least they could walk, run, stumble if they wanted to. I, on the other hand, was caged within the suffocating silence that lingered inside me.

The shrill ring of my phone tore through my thoughts. Glancing at the screen, I saw my brother's name flash. Quickly, I schooled my voice into something cheerful before answering.

"Yes, bhai."

"Princess, you're coming back tomorrow, right? Tell me what time your flight lands. I'll be at the airport."

"It's fine, bhai. Don't bother. I'll manage on my own. We'll meet at home."

"No chance," he replied firmly. "When your brother is here, why should you come alone? And besides, my sister has finally decided to return after staying away for so long.

A small laugh escaped me. "Three months, bhai. I've only been gone three months. You mke it sound like decades."

He chuckled warmly. "Without you bustling around me, even three months feel like three centuries."

His words softened something in me. I smiled quietly.

"But I'm glad you're coming back," he added.

"I had to," I teased. "It's my best friend's wedding. She'll kill me if I miss it."

"Ah, Megha," he said knowingly. "The most sane one among you three."

I pouted, though he couldn't see it. "Yes, yes. She's your favorite. Don't rub it in."

Before he could answer, my assistant appeared at the door, reminding me of the meeting. With a sigh, I said goodbye and ended the call.

I walked into the boardroom, my assistant trailing behind me. As soon as I entered, everyone rose to their feet. I circled the table, taking my place at the head chair.

The meeting dragged on for more than two hours. By the time I returned to my office, my head was heavy, but there was no room for rest. I had to finish everything today, leave this branch neatly tied together for the new CEO my brother had appointed.

When the final document was signed, I left with Chloe. We shared dinner at a quiet restaurant before I dropped her off and returned to my apartment. The driver departed soon after, leaving me alone with the city's muffled night.

I slipped out of my work clothes and into something comfortable, collapsing onto the bed. My phone lit up with messages, the first from Megha.

I opened them to find sketches of her wedding outfits-each one breathtaking, drawn by her fiancé's best friend. My lips curved into a smile. She was going to look stunning.

We exchanged a few messages before I told her I'd visit the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow evening, I would land in India, but the first hours belonged to my parents and my brother.

Soon, Shreya's name appeared on the screen. Within minutes, we were all laughing in our group chat-our ridiculously titled "The Divas 💅🏻." Narcissistic? Maybe. But we believed it, and perhaps that was enough.

As always, we teased Megha, who blushed even through text, while Shreya lived up to her shameless reputation. She had no filter, and half the time, I wanted to hide my face when she spoke. But she was ours.

By the time the conversation ended, my laughter had washed away the day's exhaustion.

I fell asleep with a smile, the promise of tomorrow warming the silence I had once found suffocating.

♡

A sudden shortness of breath made me gasp. My throat tightened as though invisible hands were strangling me, cutting off every ounce of air. Panic surged through me. My arms and legs thrashed helplessly, tears streaming down my face as I fought for breath.

And then-snap.

My eyes flew open. Darkness. My chest heaved as I quickly fumbled to switch on the night lamp. Warm yellow light filled the room, chasing away the shadows. Trembling, I picked up my phone.

2:30 a.m.

I rubbed my palms over my face and sighed. Another one of those horrible episodes.

Lying back down, I tried to close my eyes, but sleep refused to come. Finally, with a defeated breath, I opened my bedside drawer, pulled out the bottle of sleeping pills, and swallowed a couple with water. Within minutes, exhaustion pulled me under, and this time I slept until morning.

At 7 a.m., I woke. After quickly freshening up, I left the apartment. My driver was waiting outside and beside him stood Adrian White, the CEO of our New York branch. I had asked him to come along, both to brief him on the last details and because he'd insisted on accompanying me to the airport.

Inside the car, Adrian took the seat beside me, keeping a respectful distance. The ride was filled with talk of business including numbers, strategies, transitions. He was sharp, intelligent, and efficient. My brother had chosen well.

At the airport, we shared breakfast at a café before parting ways. Soon after, I entered the waiting lounge and boarded my flight.

I took out a book, letting myself sink into its world. Reading had always been my escape. With every page, reality blurred, and I could forget everything else, my responsibilities, my thoughts, my fears. I couldn't even count how many fictional crushes I had accumulated over the years. Men, women, it didn't matter. And though I was straight, I couldn't deny it: sometimes, women were written with such beauty that admiring them felt inevitable.

Hours later, after an exhausting flight, the plane finally touched down. The familiar air of my homeland wrapped around me as I stepped out. No matter how far I traveled, nothing ever compared to the feeling of coming home.

After collecting my luggage, I scanned the crowd until I spotted him. My brother.

I didn't think twice. Abandoning my luggage, I rushed into his arms. He caught me easily, lifting me slightly off the ground.

"God, bhai, I missed you so much!" I shouted, hugging him tighter.

"I missed you too, princess," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Okay, now stop clinging to me. Let's go home," he teased.

"No way," I said with a grin, latching onto his arm. "I'll never stop clinging to you, not even when you get married. I'll be the evil sister-in-law."

He laughed. "Fine, fine. Let me at least take your luggage."

Once again, he had dodged the topic of marriage. He was thirty-five, yet had no plans of settling down. Mom nagged him endlessly, but he never gave in.

We slid into the car, and I quickly unbuckled with excitement. "Let's go fast, bhai. I'm starving. And I have to meet Mom and Dad too."

He chuckled. "We'll be home soon. Mom's already prepared a feast for you."

"Don't you want to meet Megha and the others first?" he asked after a pause.

"Not today," I said. "I'll be moving in with her tomorrow until the wedding is over anyway. Today, I just want to be home."

He nodded. Then I remembered. "You are coming to the wedding, right? Otherwise Megha will be furious."

He laughed. "Of course, princess. It's my sister's wedding. You know what Shreya and Megha mean to me."

I smiled, because I knew it was true. He adored them both as we had grown up together, after all. Not just them, but also our three closest friends: Viraj, Ishaan, and Shehryar. We were a family within a family.

Soon, the car pulled into our driveway. Before it even came to a full stop, I unbuckled my seatbelt and rushed inside.

"Papa!" I threw myself into my father's arms. He held me tightly, his voice thick with joy.

"Ahhh, meri ghar ki raunak laut aayi hai," he said, stroking my hair.

(Ahh, the light of my home has returned.)

"I missed you so much, Papa," I whispered.

He pulled back to study me, frowning. "Did you not eat properly? Just look at you, you've become so thin."

Before I could answer, someone cleared their throat behind him. My lips curved into a sheepish smile.

"Mamma," I whispered, running into her embrace. "I missed you too."

"I know," she said in mock annoyance. "That's why you first greeted your father and ignored me for an entire minute."

I smiled wider, holding her closer. At last, I was home.

I sat with Mamma in the living room while Papa and Bhai disappeared into the kitchen to check on the food.

Leaning against her shoulder, I whispered, "Finally, I'm back."

She smiled, brushing my hair fondly. "Yes, and now stop stressing so much. Rest for a few days. All you ever do is work, work, and more work."

I chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Mamma. I'm taking a week-long break. No workload at all. I'll dump it all on Bhai and just enjoy Megha's wedding."

She laughed and patted my cheek, her eyes warm with affection.

A little while later, we were all gathered around the dining table, and to my delight, every dish was one of my favorites. I ate happily, savoring the comfort of home. After dinner, we moved back to the living room, where I animatedly shared my experiences, telling them everything about New York. I even brought out the gifts I had picked for them, excitement bubbling inside me as I watched their reactions.

But soon, excitement gave way to exhaustion. A yawn escaped me, and Mamma noticed immediately.

"Now go rest in your room," she said gently.

I nodded, kissed her cheek, and headed upstairs. The moment I lay on my bed, sleep claimed me like a long-lost friend.

When I woke the next morning, I felt fresh and light. After getting ready, I packed my luggage and called out to Bhai, asking him to tell the driver to bring the car around. Today, I had to leave for the RS Mansion.

With a final round of hugs and goodbyes, I stepped into the car and left home behind, my heart both heavy and eager for what awaited at Megha's.

I walked into the mansion, my steps echoing against the marble floor, and spotted Megha and Shreya sitting at the dining table. At the head chair sat her Dadu, dignified as ever.

"Meghaaa!" I shouted, my voice bouncing off the high ceilings.

Megha turned around, her eyes wide with surprise, before she squealed, "Nainaaaa!" She rushed into my arms, hugging me tight. Shreya immediately joined us, wrapping her arms around both of us.

"I missed you, idiot," she said, pouting dramatically.

I laughed, squeezing them both. "I missed you too, you drama queens."

After a while, I walked over to Dadu and bent down to hug him. "Dadu, just look at you-still looking like a rockstar."

He chuckled, patting my back. "And you still talk too much." Then his smile softened. "But it's good to have you back, beta."

"Come, let's all have breakfast first," he added warmly.

We gathered around the table, enjoying the meal together before Dadu retired to his room for some rest. The three of us then headed upstairs and settled into Megha's room, laughter and chatter filling the air like the old times.

It was Shreya who brought up the subject of Megha and Arjun's past. As I listened, my smile faded. Upset, I turned to Megha, scolding her for hiding such an important part of her life from us.

She lowered her eyes, guilt plain on her face. "I didn't want to burden you all with my troubles," she said softly.

Her words stung, but I understood. If I had been in her place, I would've probably done the same. After all, hadn't I kept things from them too? Not everything needed to be spoken aloud.

The tension eased when Aarohi, Shreya's younger sister, burst into the room, her face glowing with excitement. She threw her arms around me, squealing about how long it had been since we last met. Soon, the room was filled with laughter again.

We s

pent the rest of the day lost in chatter, jokes, and memories, knowing that starting tomorrow, Megha's wedding rituals would begin-and with them, a whirlwind of celebrations.