Chapter 13: Priya’s Return

Aradhana stood frozen in the living room, her heart pounding in her chest. The weight of her father’s words still hung heavily in the air, suffocating her with their implications. Everything was shifting, and the ground beneath her seemed to be slipping away. She had thought she understood her family, her life, but now everything felt uncertain.

Reyansh stood beside her, his presence a steady force in the storm of emotions swirling inside her. His gaze was fixed on her, his brow furrowed with concern. He had come here to protect her, to help her uncover the truth, but Aradhana wasn’t sure she was ready for what that truth might entail.

As if sensing her unease, Reyansh spoke gently, his voice laced with a quiet intensity. "Aradhana, you don’t have to do this alone. We’ll figure this out together."

She nodded slowly, though her mind was still reeling. The words "the truth isn’t what you think it is" echoed in her head, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized how little she truly knew about her own life. What had her father been hiding all these years? And what did it all have to do with Reyansh?

Before she could voice any of these questions, the doorbell rang, pulling her from her thoughts. Aradhana turned toward the door, a sudden wave of dread washing over her. Who could that be? She wasn’t in the mood for visitors, especially not now, with everything that was going on.

Rajiv, her father, was the first to move. "I’ll get it," he said, his voice sharp with an edge that Aradhana hadn’t heard before. He walked to the door with purpose, and before Aradhana could stop him, he had opened it.

Standing there, in the doorway, was a woman Aradhana hadn’t seen in years. Her long black hair framed a face that Aradhana recognized instantly, even though so much time had passed. It was Priya Malhotra—Reyansh’s ex-girlfriend, the woman who had once been a part of his life in a way Aradhana could never understand.

Aradhana’s breath caught in her throat, and she couldn’t help the rush of emotions that flooded her. Priya had been gone for so long, but now she was standing in front of them, as if nothing had changed. The woman who had caused so much tension between her and Reyansh was back—and this time, it felt like she was more dangerous than ever.

"Priya," Reyansh’s voice was a mix of surprise and something else, something Aradhana couldn’t quite place. "What are you doing here?"

Priya smiled, but there was a sharpness in her gaze that sent a chill through the room. She stepped forward, her heels clicking against the floor, her eyes never leaving Reyansh. "I think it’s time we talk, don’t you think?"

Aradhana could see the tension in Reyansh’s jaw as he clenched it, his eyes darkening with a mixture of frustration and confusion. "We have nothing to talk about," he said, his voice low, almost menacing. "What do you want, Priya?"

Priya didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she turned her gaze to Aradhana, her lips curling into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "I want to make sure everything is out in the open," she said coolly, her tone laced with an unsettling calmness. "After all, secrets have a way of coming out, don’t they?"

Aradhana felt a knot form in her stomach. She hadn’t expected this—Priya’s return was like a spark that could ignite everything that had been simmering under the surface for so long. Reyansh had never talked much about Priya, but Aradhana had always sensed there was something unresolved between them, some unfinished business that neither of them had ever fully addressed.

"You should leave, Priya," Aradhana said, her voice more steady than she felt. "This isn’t the time for games."

Priya’s smile didn’t falter. Instead, she took a step closer to Aradhana, her eyes glinting with something that could only be described as challenge. "Oh, don’t worry, Aradhana," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I’m not here to play games. I’m here to make sure you understand exactly what’s going on."

"Enough," Reyansh said, his voice snapping with frustration. "You’ve already caused enough damage, Priya. This doesn’t concern you anymore."

But Priya wasn’t listening. Her eyes never left Aradhana’s, and there was a coldness in her stare that sent a shiver down Aradhana’s spine. "It concerns me more than you think, Reyansh," Priya said, her voice smooth, like a snake ready to strike. "You’re still tangled up in things you don’t even realize. And Aradhana—she’s just getting caught in the middle."

Aradhana felt a sense of dread wash over her as the words sank in. Priya wasn’t here just to stir up old memories. She was here to make a point. And that point was something she wasn’t ready to face.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Aradhana said, trying to push back against the fear creeping into her voice. "But whatever it is, it’s not your business anymore."

Priya chuckled softly, the sound almost mocking. "Oh, Aradhana, you have no idea, do you? You think you know everything about Reyansh, about your family. But trust me, there’s more to the story than you’ll ever understand."

Reyansh stepped forward then, standing between the two women, his expression unreadable. "Get out, Priya," he said, his voice hard, a quiet but firm command. "You’ve caused enough damage already."

Priya’s eyes glinted with something like amusement, but there was also a hint of something darker lurking beneath the surface. "I’m not leaving until I’m heard," she said, her voice cold and determined. "The truth needs to come out, Reyansh. Whether you want it to or not."

With that, she turned and walked out the door, leaving the tension behind her like a cloud hanging over the room. Aradhana felt her heart racing as she watched her go, but the storm wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

"Reyansh," she said quietly, her voice trembling, "what did she mean? What truth is she talking about?"

Reyansh hesitated, his gaze flicking to her, then away. There was something he wasn’t telling her, something he wasn’t ready to face. But she could feel it—this was just the beginning of a far darker path.

"I don’t know," he said, his voice tight. "But I’m going to find out. And when I do, I’ll make sure you’re safe."

As Aradhana looked at him, she couldn’t help but feel that the storm was far from over—and that she might be caught in the middle of something much bigger than she had ever imagined.

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