The Life I Borrowed
The End That Wasn’t
It was another crowded evening in the heart of the city, where people were too busy chasing moments to realize they were living them. Laughter echoed through the park as families gathered on the grass, lovers shared coffee on benches, and children played in the golden hue of dusk.
Among them, on a bench carved with initials long forgotten, sat a man who seemed untouched by the joy around him.
His name is Ruhan means soulful/spiritual.
He looked like someone who had everything—power, wealth, presence. But behind those cold, calculating eyes was a void so vast it could swallow all the warmth in the world. His suit was perfect, his watch cost more than most people's yearly salaries, but his soul… was threadbare.
His gaze lingered on a little boy trying to tie a balloon to his father’s wrist.
Ruhan Arora
(thinking) Today is my birthday… but there's no one to celebrate it with. No voice to say my name with love. No hand to hold. Just this... silence.
Ruhan Arora
(thinking) Look at them... They don’t have much, but they’re happy. And here I am—billionaire, surrounded by nothing but cold walls and lonelier rooms. If only happiness could be bought... I would’ve emptied my fortune for just a sliver of it.
He was lost in that thought when his phone buzzed, jarring him back to the world.
assistant
“Sir, your board meeting starts in 30 minutes,” his assistant reminded over the call.
Ruhan sighed, got into his sleek black car, and began driving toward his company tower. But as he cruised through a busy intersection, a group of kids suddenly ran across the road.
He hit the brakes…they didn’t respond.
His eyes widened.
He yanked the wheel, swerving hard. The car skidded, spun, and then—
Metal screamed. Glass shattered. Time froze.
Pinned between crushed steel and bleeding silence, his vision blurred. His pulse slowed.
Ruhan Arora
(thinking) So… this is how it ends. Maybe… in the next life, I’ll find the happiness I missed here..."
Somewhere between life and death...
A warm, calming light wrapped around him like a mother's hug. A voice, soft yet powerful, echoed through his soul.
God of life
Welcome, my child.
He opened his eyes.
A tall, impossibly handsome man stood before him—his presence both divine and comforting. The space around them was endless, filled with stars and silence.
Ruhan Arora
Who are you? Where am I? Didn't I... die?
God of life
(smiling gently) Yes, Ruhan. You died. But I am the God of Life. And I have come to offer you something rare—a second chance.
God of life
Because though the world saw only your success, I saw your heart. You gave silently. Funded education for those who never dreamed of school. Paid hospital bills for strangers. Hid your kindness behind iron walls. You deserved more than what life gave you.
Ruhan Arora
So... what now?
God of life
You will reincarnate—not as yourself, but into another soul. A boy who, like you, lost all hope. He is ready to give up his life… and you will inherit it.
Ruhan Arora
But that’s unfair to him…
God of life
He has given it willingly. All he asks is this—complete the wishes he could not. Fulfill what he left unfinished.
Ruhan stood in silence. A thousand questions stirred inside him. But then… he nodded.
Ruhan Arora
Alright. If I’m to live again… I’ll live for both of us.
God of life
Go now. His memories will awaken once your soul settles.
The light began to consume him.
What were the boy’s wishes?
will Ruhan be able to carry the weight of a life not his own…?
continue reading to know more
The Man in the Mirror
It was the first thing Ruhan felt.
A sharp, warm pool beneath his body. Pain clung to every bone like frostbite, yet he forced his eyes open. His breath hitched as he scanned the unfamiliar space around him.
A luxury bedroom, dimly lit by the soft glow of a golden chandelier. Velvet curtains drawn halfway, the scent of perfume lingering in the air. And there—curled up in the corner of the bed—was a small figure.
A baby girl, barely a year old, sleeping peacefully amidst the quiet chaos.
Ruhan rose with difficulty, staggering into the attached bathroom. He turned on the light—and froze.
In the mirror stood a stranger with the face of a fallen angel.
He had silver-white hair, a chiseled jaw, and a gaze so lifeless it chilled the room. His skin was pale, lips a soft pink, and his eyes—icy blue, haunting, hollow—looked like they’d once held galaxies… and lost them all.
Ruhan Arora
(softly) He looks… even more emotionless than I ever did. Just how much did you suffer?
Then suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.
???
Hi, Ruhan. This is… well, me. A fragment of the soul that once lived in this body. Thank you… for accepting the offer.
Ruhan Arora
(nodding) Hi, Ruhan. There’s no need to thank me. But... it seems like your pain ran deeper than even mine.
Original Ruhan
Let me share my memories. Maybe… you’ll understand
A jolt of searing pain shot through his skull like a hammer, and with it came a flood of images—memories so vivid and cruel they felt like his own.
He saw a large family, a perfect portrait—parents, siblings, power, wealth—but all poisoned with rot.
Ruhan had been the fourth child, born alongside a twin. He had two elder brothers, an older sister, and a younger adopted sister. On paper, a full, happy family. In reality, he was the invisible child, the family scapegoat—blamed, beaten, ignored.
He was forced to marry the adopted sister, three years older than him. A cruel, manipulative woman who harbored obsession instead of love.
Ruhan Arora
(disgusted) She drugged you at that party… didn’t she? Made it look like you slept with her. Then claimed pregnancy. I saw it all… she even broke your fingers so you couldn’t design.
Original Ruhan
Yes. She wanted me all to herself. I didn’t even know my twin loved her too. She locked me away, severed me from the world. I discovered I had a rare heart condition when I was a child—no cure, only precautions. But her torture shortened my life.
Then came the part that broke Ruhan entirely.
The little girl sleeping on the bed… was his daughter.
His only light in the darkness.
Original Ruhan
(voice breaking) After I died, I watched through the mercy of the God of Life. She married my twin. He hated my daughter—blamed her for not being able to marry her sooner. He beat her. She starved. My wife… my wife said my death wasn’t enough. That the girl should have died too. My daughter… took her life at fifteen.
The image burned into Ruhan’s heart—a girl standing on a rooftop, alone, small hands clenched.
Original Ruhan
She was named by me. My one gift to her… her name is Liora. It means light in the darkness.
Tears blurred Ruhan’s vision.
Ruhan Arora
(whispering) So that’s her name... Liora. Don’t worry. I’ll protect her. I’ll give her the love you were denied. I’ll make them regret every breath they ever took to hurt her.
Original Ruhan
Thank you. This is your journey now. Make it count.
As the voice faded, Ruhan knelt beside the crib and gently tucked a fallen strand of hair behind Liora’s ear.
She stirred lightly, her tiny fingers curling toward him in her sleep.
Ruhan Arora
(gently) I’m not your father… but from today, I’ll love you as if I were born to be.
Will Ruhan be able to face the poisonous lies, abuse, and secrets that await him in this new life?
Can he protect Liora from the very people meant to love her… or will he be swallowed by the same fate that claimed the original Ruhan?
Continue reading to find out.
The Morning After Pain
Ruhan Arora
(thinking) Let’s see… what point in time did I reincarnate into?
A sudden, heavy feeling settled in his chest.
This was the day—the night after a tragedy masked by silence.
The original Ruhan, despite being the Chairman and Creative Director of a globally renowned design company, had wanted to attend a crucial board meeting. It was a turning point for the firm, the launch of a new strategy he had worked on for months.
But Ravina—his wife—had insisted he stay by her side.
When he refused, she snapped.
She whipped him mercilessly until his back was torn open and he collapsed, unconscious on the cold floor.
No one even asked why Ruhan missed the meeting the next day. They didn't even know if he had a meeting that day.
And now… now that soul was gone.
Suddenly, a sharp pain bloomed in his chest like a clenched fist of fire. He gasped and dropped to his knees.
Ruhan Arora
(thinking) The heart condition… it’s flaring up.
He reached into the drawer beside the bed, guided by memory, and fumbled for a pill bottle. His fingers trembled as he swallowed the medication, waiting for the storm in his chest to subside.
Ruhan Arora
He stopped taking care of his health... but I can’t afford that. Not now. Not with Liora depending on me.
He was pulled from his thoughts by a soft knock on the door.
Ruhan Arora
(deep breath) Come in.
The door opened, and Anne, the gentle maid, entered with her usual soft voice.
amne(maid)
Good morning, sir. Will you be coming down for breakfast or… should I bring it up?
Anne. One of the only two people in this house who ever treated Ruhan like a human being.
Ruhan Arora
(offering a small smile) I’m coming down. Thank you, Anne.
amne(maid)
(nodding) Very well, sir.
Just as she left, a familiar cry echoed through the room. A tiny, soft voice, fragile and pure.
He walked over to the crib, and the moment his eyes met hers, her cry stopped. Her little hands reached up for him.
Ruhan Arora
(softly) Looks like my little star is awake… and hungry.”
She giggled in his arms, snuggling into his chest like she belonged there—and she did.
With gentle hands, Ruhan freshened up and dressed her in a soft cream-colored romper embroidered with stars. Together, they headed downstairs.
At the staircase, James, the loyal butler, was waiting.
james(butler)
Young master. Are you alright? You look pale.
Ruhan Arora
I’m fine, Uncle. Just a bit tired. I’ve taken my medicine.
James frowned, concern written all over his aged face.
james(butler)
Would you like a painkiller brought to your room? And perhaps I should carry little Miss Liora for you?
Ruhan Arora
(smiling faintly) Woah, woah. Calm down, Uncle. I’m alright. But do keep the painkiller ready—just in case.
He gently tried to hand over Liora, but she clung tightly to his shirt.
Ruhan Arora
(laughing) Looks like my little star is attached to her papa.
Liora Arora
“Paaa!” Her tiny pout made him laugh again.
james(butler)
(smiling to Anne) She’s the only one who can bring out the young master’s smile.
They entered the lavish dining hall.
The massive table stood empty—every other family member had already eaten and left, as usual. Not one plate remained for him. No one asked if he would come. No one waited.
He sat at the far end of the table, placing Liora gently on his lap. Anne served breakfast and handed over the baby’s milk bottle.
Liora refused to leave her father’s lap, her fingers curled tightly into his sleeve.
Ruhan Arora
(teasing gently) So clingy today, huh? Someone really loves Papa.
Liora Arora
(soft pout) Mmm!
For the first time in this cold, grey house—there was warmth.
After feeding Liora and finishing his own breakfast, Ruhan stood and made his way back upstairs, carrying her gently in his arms.
But just before he reached the hallway, someone froze behind the corner near the kitchen, watching them.
A crystal glass in her hand slipped and shattered on the floor.
She hadn’t seen that in months—not once since their wedding. Her control over him, her perfectly crafted emotional prison, was cracking.
Ravina
(thinking) What… changed?
She narrowed her eyes, lips curling with suspicion and quiet fury.
Ravina
(thinking) He was supposed to be broken. But now he’s smiling? Laughing?
A chill ran down her spine.
Will Ravina’s suspicion turn into obsession once again… or will this time, she be the one outmatched?
Continue reading to enter the shadows behind the mansion’s golden walls…
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