"Anurag, wait!" Apoorva's voice made him turn. In a low-key fury he snapped, "Now what?"
"Don't create a scene at home," she pleaded, stepping closer.
Anurag laughed up at the sky, then lowered his head; his eyes blazed red. "So you want me—Anurag Chauhan—to stand there smiling like a servant at his birthday party?"
Apoorva smoothed his hair. "I never said that. But you can at least attend peacefully."
He gave a brittle smile. "Of course, sweet sis—why not? I'm nothing more than furniture in that house anyway. I'll stand there like a statue."
Apoorva tried to speak again, but he cut her off: "No, Di. Don't expect anything more."He climbed into the car; she exhaled deeply and followed.
The Grand Birthday Plan
Anant's birthday was only days away, and Anurag had been summoned from Auli.Jagjeet Raj Chauhan planned a lavish party—ostensibly for his grandson, in truth to court powerful guests and position Anurag for politics while the state still had no new Chief Minister.
Anurag arrived in pomp, surveyed the palace-like mansion bustling with preparations, and headed to his room.
A Child's Simple Wish
Anant was overjoyed; for the first time his grandfather had organised something for him. He kept trying on outfits. His mother, Saundarya, finally handed him a white "prince" suit with gold trim. Anant beamed.
"I want Dada-ji to love me like he loves Anurag bhai," he confessed. Saundarya's heart ached—what did a child want but family affection?
Siya Fumes over Kabir's Departure
At home Siya sulked on the sofa. Learning Kabir would leave for London (Australia in fact) had upset her—even though they fought like Tom and Jerry, life without him felt unimaginable.
"Does that girl matter more than all of us?" she ranted. "Are our relationships so cheap?"
Yamuna-ji stroked her hair. "Try to understand his pain. If someone accused you like that, wouldn't it burn? Kabir's still a child."Siya muttered a stream of curses for Shreyanshi.
Shreyanshi's Guilt
On her rooftop Shreyanshi replayed Kabir's tear-streaked face. She cursed her own cowardice—she'd repeated the lie seniors forced on her. If only she'd spoken the truth, Kabir wouldn't have bled. Now he'd surely hate her—deservedly.
Her little sister Namrata burst in, elated over a ten-rupee coin and a hair-clip she'd bought for Shreyanshi instead of her favourite snack. The sisters hugged, both in tears; a neighbour grumbled, "Do girls have nothing better than crying?" and walked away.
30 June – Anant's Birthday Eve
The palace buzzed. Mahendra directed staff; Anurag watched expressionless from his window. Jealousy and suffocation coiled in his chest.
He gulped antidepressants, slid to the floor, then steadied himself, lit a cigarette, pressed the ember to his hand and took a drag.
Gazing down at Mahendra, he muttered, "Mr Chauhan, if only you'd played 'father' to me, I wouldn't need these pills. With everything, I'm still abandoned."
He stubbed the cigarette out, grabbed his car keys, and left—the sight of his father was unbearable.
Driving fast through Rishikesh, Anurag suddenly thought of Siya and turned toward her house—unaware a black car had been tailing him for miles.