Chapter 2: Buried Truths and New Beginnings

Ayaan’s Dilemma – To Forgive or To Hate?

Ayaan sat alone in the AIIMS library, his anatomy book open but unread. His mind was tangled with thoughts of Dr. Siddharth Kapoor—his father’s old school friend and now his own professor.

"He saw my father suffering... and did nothing."

Ayaan clenched his jaw. His father’s childhood had been nothing short of a nightmare. Bullied, lonely, drowning in studies to escape the pain—Aarav Mehta had endured it all. And yet, Dr. Kapoor, a friend who noticed, had simply stood by.

"But… he was a child back then, too."

Was it fair to hate him for being afraid?

Or was silence just as bad as cruelty?

A sudden buzz from his phone snapped him out of his thoughts.

Riya: Yo, future doc! What’s up?

Ayaan exhaled. He wasn’t ready to talk about this.

Ayaan: Nothing. Just anatomy stuff.

Riya: Lame. Guess what?

Ayaan: What?

Riya: Our coach is INSANE. He made us practice in the rain, and saidReal champions don’t wait for good weather

Ayaan smirked. Typical Riya. No matter how hard things got, she’d always find a way to make light of it.

And maybe… maybe he needed to do the same.

With a deep breath, Ayaan closed his book. He wasn’t ready to confront his professor just yet. But he’d find his answer soon enough.

Riya’s Challenge – Breaking Barriers

At the National Women’s Cricket Academy, Riya was exhausted but exhilarated. The last few days had been gruelling—physical training, intense matches, and proving herself to teammates who still saw her as a “newbie.”

But the real battle was yet to come.

The school was planning its annual sports event, and for the first time, women’s cricket was being considered as a headline match.

Except… the board wasn’t convinced.

“Women’s cricket doesn’t sell like men’s,” one of the senior committee members had said.

Riya had nearly exploded.

But instead, she took a deep breath and marched straight to the head coach.

“If you let us play in the main event,” she said, “I promise we’ll bring in more viewers than the boys.”

Her coach raised an eyebrow. “And how do you plan to do that?”

Riya smirked. “Leave that to me.”

She had one month to prove that women’s cricket wasn’t just an afterthought. And she wasn’t going to let anyone take this chance away.

The First Encounter – Ayaan and His Professor

Back at AIIMS, Ayaan walked into his anatomy lecture, determined to act normal.

Dr. Siddharth Kapoor stood at the front of the room, writing on the board. When he turned, his gaze landed on Ayaan for a fraction of a second before continuing as if nothing had happened.

“Alright, today we start the dissection of the upper limb.”

The class groaned. The first dissection was always nerve-wracking.

Ayaan swallowed, focusing on his cadaver. But as the session progressed, his mind kept drifting.

"Should I ask him?"

Finally, as the class ended, Ayaan hesitated. Then, before he could stop himself, he walked up to the professor.

Dr. Kapoor glanced at him. “Yes?”

Ayaan hesitated. “You knew my father.”

Dr. Kapoor sighed. “Yes.”

Ayaan took a deep breath. “Then why didn’t you help him?”

Silence.

Dr. Kapoor’s gaze softened. “Because… I was afraid.”

Ayaan’s fingers curled into fists. “Afraid of what?”

The professor exhaled. “Of being left out, too. Your father wasn’t the only lonely one, Ayaan. I was, too. And at that age… sometimes, fear wins.”

Ayaan didn’t know what to say. He had expected excuses, not honesty.

Dr. Kapoor continued, “I can’t change the past. But I can tell you this—your father was the bravest person I knew. And you… you remind me of him.”

Ayaan stared, unsure of how to feel.

"Can I forgive him?"

He wasn’t sure yet. But for the first time, he wanted to understand.

Trouble at Home – The Fathers' Master Plan

Meanwhile, back home…

Aarav and Vikram were plotting.

Neha and Isha had been furious ever since Ayaan and Riya left. Every night, they’d rant about how “their babies must be suffering” while their husbands were “too dumb to understand.”

So, Aarav and Vikram decided to prove them wrong.

Step 1: Surprise visit.

“Let’s check on them secretly,” Vikram suggested. “See if they’re actually struggling.”

Aarav smirked. “And if they’re fine, we can rub it in their faces.”

Step 2: Victory.

“We’ll finally be right for once!” Vikram declared.

The two men high-fived.

But what they didn’t know was that their wives had already booked tickets.

And when the four of them ended up bumping into each other at the airport…

Well, let’s just say—Round 2 of the War at Home had begun.

The Choices They Must Make

As the week ended, Ayaan and Riya both found themselves at a crossroads.

Ayaan had to decide—should he forgive the professor for his past mistakes or hold onto resentment?

Riya had to prove—could women’s cricket really take the spotlight, or would history repeat itself?

And as their parents unknowingly flew towards them, one thing was certain—

The real chaos was just beginning.

To Be Continued…

Next: Ayaan makes his decision. Riya faces off with the school board. And the parents? Let’s just say Delhi isn’t ready for them.

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