After staying in the hospital for two continuous days, Aavya’s condition had significantly improved, and today she was finally being discharged and going back to Rana House. During her hospital stay, her parents had come twice to check on her and, more importantly, to show their presence in front of her in-laws. But neither Vanjeet nor his family paid them any attention. There was barely any meaningful conversation between Aavya and Vanjeet in the hospital either, not because they didn't want to talk, but because Vanjeet was deliberately avoiding any discussion, and Aavya herself wasn’t in a state to initiate or hold a proper conversation.

A housemaid was helping her pack her belongings while Vanjeet silently sat on the couch, engrossed in work on his laptop. Aavya was feeling much better today, and deep inside, she wanted to talk to him. But the presence of the maid made her hesitant, limiting their interaction to just glances and awkward silence.

As the doctor walked in with her discharge papers, the maid quietly left with the packed bags. Vanjeet began discussing several things with the doctor, but Aavya wasn’t paying attention to any of it. She sat there lost in her thoughts, her eyes staring blankly at the wall. Although Vanjeet was focused on the conversation with the doctor, he couldn’t help but glance at Aavya repeatedly. He knew well enough that although her physical health had improved, mentally she was still struggling and not fully present. During the conversation, he mentioned.

“Doctor, she got really hyper again last night. She claims she saw her sister.”

The doctor sighed softly and explained with a composed tone.

“Sir, please try to understand, she had a very high fever. Her condition was quite critical. In such cases, it is entirely normal to hallucinate or imagine things. The truth is, even though she's being discharged, her body and mind are still extremely weak. So, the chances of her experiencing hallucinations again are very high. You’ll have to be extra cautious and keep a close watch on her mental state.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“The biggest problem is the trauma she suffered after losing her sister. That’s the root cause of her breakdown. She keeps thinking about her constantly, and that is why her health deteriorated in the first place. My advice is, try to divert her mind from dwelling on her sister. The more she focuses on it, the higher the risk of another relapse. You’ll need to find ways to gently distract her from those thoughts.”

Vanjeet gave a slight nod, acknowledging the doctor’s words. He was well aware that Aavya would be going home with him, there was no other option. His grandfather was unwell, and in such a situation, it wasn’t even possible for him to ask someone in the family to arrange for a separate room or look for a different solution. Deep down, he knew Aavya would definitely bring up the topic of her sister. He had already decided what to say when she did, but he also knew that no matter how convincingly he spoke, she wouldn’t believe him.

After a while, a wheelchair arrived. The doctor gently helped Aavya settle into it, offering her a warm smile as he said.

“Please take special care of your diet and try to engage your mind elsewhere. The rest of your recovery depends on how calmly you handle yourself.”

Vanjeet quickly began pushing the wheelchair out of the hospital toward the car. As soon as Aavya noticed that the maid wasn’t in the car, she immediately turned to him and asked anxiously.

“Did you find out where Didi is?… Did you meet her?… Did she call you?”

The suddenness and urgency of her questions made him pause and look at her for a moment. He knew yelling or getting angry wouldn't help, so he composed himself and replied in a very calm tone.

“I did try to find out. I’ve asked someone to look into it. He’s trying his best. As soon as there’s any update, I’ll let you know. You can ask him whatever you want directly.”

They reached the car. Vanjeet opened the door and helped her get in gently, holding her hand with care. Once she was seated, he walked around and got into the driver’s seat. But no sooner had he sat down than Aavya spoke again, her voice hopeful.

“I know you’re upset with Didi, but maybe she got overwhelmed with emotions. I was not okay with everything, and seeing me like that probably broke her down. She loves you a lot, you know.”

Her words triggered a deep, burning anger in Vanjeet. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning pale from the pressure. Aavya noticed it immediately and fell silent. He didn’t even look at her. He continued to stare ahead while speaking in a low but firm voice.

“Look, I don’t want to talk about this. You’re still recovering, and I don’t want any more stress worsening your condition. I’ve already spent enough time in the hospital, pretending to be a good husband for the sake of appearances. It’s best for both of us if we avoid this topic altogether.”

Aavya felt a pang of hurt at his words. She turned toward him and gently held his hand, her eyes pleading.

“I know this whole situation has hurt you deeply. But you love her too, don’t you? How can you say things like that? I understand I made a mistake. If you’re angry, be angry with me. But please, don’t hold it against Didi. I wasn’t thinking straight that day. I misunderstood everything. Please… please help me find her. I need your help.”

But Vanjeet didn’t respond. He slowly pulled his hand away from hers and started the engine, cutting off the conversation completely. Aavya, disheartened, sank into her seat and remained silent, staring blankly out of the window. She knew without his support, she couldn’t do anything. Her parents clearly had no intention of helping. At this moment, Vanjeet was her only hope, her only anchor. And she was determined not to lose him too, not at any cost.

As the car continued through the city traffic, they came to a halt at a red light. Aavya, lost in thought, lifted her eyes and noticed a group of street children knocking on windows and begging. The sight tugged painfully at her heart. It always did. She vividly remembered how Koyal used to keep snacks or chocolate in the car just for these children. It brought a smile to Koyal's face every time she could bring a smile to theirs.

As the signal was about to turn green, Aavya suddenly leaned forward, narrowing her eyes to get a clearer look at the front. Something about them caught her attention. Without uttering a word, Aavya swiftly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, and dashed towards the group of children, leaving a stunned and speechless Vanjeet.

Vanjeet, whose full attention was fixed on the traffic signal, suddenly saw Aavya dart out of the car. The sight of her rushing off like that sent a jolt through him. Without wasting a second, he threw open the door and ran after her. The signal had turned green, and cars were already starting to move. He knew how dangerous it was, the way she was running, she had no awareness of the oncoming vehicles around her. She could easily get hit.

“Aavya!”

He shouted, panic rising in his voice. Aavya tried to run faster, but her body, still frail from her illness, began to betray her. A wave of weakness washed over her, and she felt a sudden blackout creeping in. Her vision blurred, everything around her turning to shadows. She extended her hand blindly, as if trying to feel her way forward.

Just then, Vanjeet reached her and caught her hand. Realizing how close she was to the passing traffic, he immediately wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and almost dragged her back toward the sidewalk, pulling her away from danger.

“Are you out of your mind? … What the hell were you doing?” he yelled, barely able to control his anger.

“Didi… I saw her... She was there… She looked right at me,” Aavya mumbled weakly, barely able to stand upright.

Vanjeet’s anger flared again, but he quickly scanned the surroundings. There was no sign of Koyal. He knew she had to be another hallucination. Holding her firmly, he pulled her toward the car, dragging her with him, his grip tighter than before.

“You’ve gone mad…”

“She was there… Didi was there,” Aavya repeated, her voice trembling, her eyes searching even now.

His anger was boiling over. The way she had bolted into the street, she could have been hit by any car. She could have died. He turned her to face him, gripping her shoulders tightly, and stared furiously into her eyes.

“Are you even thinking straight?… Your sister is not here…. If she was, don’t you think she would’ve come to see you at least once?…. Sure, maybe she ran away from the wedding… fine. But she loves you, right? Then why hasn’t she come to you even once?… Listen to me carefully: if you ever do something like this again, I swear I will stop looking for your sister at that very moment. If you truly want me to help you find her, then behave properly, stay calm, and do what you’re told. I am not here to entertain your madness… Got it.”

His voice echoed through the car, loud enough to shake her from within. She was terrified, his rage sending chills down her spine. He shoved the door closed and got into the driver’s seat, starting the car quickly. His mind was racing with frustration. He didn’t want to stop anywhere now. The way her hallucinations were intensifying, halting the car in public could be dangerous. He was so furious he didn’t even realize how fast he was driving.

When they finally reached home, Aavya stepped out of the car without saying a word. Just sitting beside him during the ride had been enough to scare her. She wanted to quietly make her way to his room, where she was staying, to hide in a corner where she could sit alone and share her sorrow with herself, because there was no one else left. As she walked inside, she kept replaying the moment in her mind. When she saw those street children, she was sure she saw Koyal standing by a corner, watching her. It was Koyal. She was convinced. But as soon as she tried to get a clearer look, the figure disappeared. That’s all she remembered. She had run out to meet her sister… but Koyal wasn’t there.

Vanjeet watched her disappear inside the house. As soon as she was out of sight, he slammed his hands against the steering wheel with full force again and again. The horn blared loudly, startling everyone nearby. The loud sound caused Aavya to halt abruptly. The family members, alarmed by the noise, came rushing out of the house.

Yogendra, who hadn’t been able to go to the office for days due to all the chaos at home, rushed outside and yanked open the car door, shouting,

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Vanjeet stepped out, and seeing his father only made him angrier. His face flushed, his voice trembling with rage as he spoke.

“What am I doing? … Do you even realize what’s going on?… It feels like the more I try to fix everything, the more everything falls apart.”

Yogendra stood silently, shocked by his son’s emotional outburst. Vanjeet looked like he was completely losing control, unable to hold back his emotions or manage his anger. He was choking on everything inside, all the suppressed frustration, pain, and confusion. He didn’t even know whom to blame anymore. Everything he loved had been ripped away from him. Koyal, the woman he cared for deeply, had vanished. Then suddenly, he was married to a complete stranger, a girl he didn’t want to understand, and now, sharing a life with her was becoming impossible.

The situations around him were suffocating. He was spiraling. In a fit of rage, he balled his fist and punched the driver’s side window with such force that the glass shattered instantly, shards scattering inside the car.

“Vanjeet…”

Sangeeta, who had been watching from the doorway, screamed and ran toward him. But before she could reach him, he turned away and stormed off toward the garden, not wanting to talk to anyone. Not wanting to be touched, questioned, or consoled.

Yogendra could only stand there, watching his son walk away, a deep worry settling into his heart.