Jhanvi POV:

 It had been almost a week since that night in the garden.

I hadn’t told anyone what happened. I carried it quietly, like a fragile thing I didn’t want to expose to the world. I’d become good at hiding it—good enough that even Ayesha hadn’t questioned my distance. But I knew it was only a matter of time.

And that time came one evening, just as the sky began to turn the soft colors of dusk.

I was sitting by the window in my room, trying to read a book I wasn’t really interested in, when there was a soft knock at the door.

 “Jhanvi? Can I come in?” Ayesha’s voice was careful, gentle.

I hesitated before answering. “Yeah. Come in.”

She stepped inside, dressed in a soft pastel kurta, her hair tied up loosely, like she hadn’t been able to focus much today either. Her eyes met mine, and something in them flickered—concern, hesitation… guilt?

She sat beside me on the bed and was quiet for a moment. I stared down at my hands, waiting.

“I wanted to talk to you,” she said, softly. “About something important.”

I nodded, still not looking at her.

 “You… probably know by now,” she continued, her voice low, “about me and Arjun.”

My throat tightened, but I forced my voice to stay even. “Yes.”

She sighed. “We didn’t plan to hide it from you. We were just waiting for the right time. I wanted to tell you myself. I just didn’t know how.”

I turned to her then. “When did it start?”

Ayesha blinked, surprised by my question. “A few months ago. He… he told me how he felt, and I guess, somewhere along the way, I started feeling the same. It wasn’t something I expected. You know how I was always so focused on work, on my goals…”

 I nodded, letting her speak, even as each word landed like a quiet bruise on my heart.

She reached out and held my hand gently. “Jhanvi, I never meant to hurt you. You’re my sister. My best friend. I… I hope this doesn’t change things between us.”

I looked at her then, really looked at her. She was the same Ayesha I had grown up with—the same girl who used to braid my hair, steal my chocolates, and scold me when I cried over small things. And now she was the woman Arjun loved.

I forced a small smile. “I’m happy for you,” I said. The words came out cracked, but I meant them in some distant way. “You two are perfect for each other.”

Tears pricked her eyes. “Are you sure?”

No, I wasn’t. But I nodded anyway. “Yes.”

 There was a pause. She didn’t say anything, just squeezed my hand tighter. And in that moment, I realized this was going to be one of the hardest things I’d ever do—loving them both, and letting go at the same time.

“I just need a little time,” I whispered.

Ayesha nodded quickly. “Take all the time you need. I’ll wait. We’ll wait. I don’t want to lose you in the middle of all this.”

 I didn’t respond, because the truth was—I already felt a little lost.

That night, after she left the room, I sat by the window again and looked at the stars. The sky didn’t look any different. But I knew that something in me had changed forever.

I wasn’t just mourning a love that never was. I was learning how to protect the love that still remained—between sisters, between families—even if it came with a quiet, aching cost.

And maybe, with time, that would be enough.

Authors POV:

 In the days leading up to Ayesha and Arjun’s engagement, the Shekhawat household buzzed with excitement. Relatives arrived, decorations went up, and laughter filled the air. Amid the joyous chaos, Jhanvi moved like a quiet breeze—present, helpful, but emotionally distant. She wore her smile like armour, offering warmth to others while nursing the dull ache in her heart.

Despite her inner turmoil, Jhanvi never once let her pain become a burden to anyone else. She helped choose the floral arrangements, arranged welcome gifts for the guests, and even assisted Ayesha with her outfit trials. Every task became a small act of strength—a silent promise to herself that she wouldn’t let heartbreak steal her grace.

 But when no one was watching, Jhanvi would often retreat to the garden—the place where her heart had once bloomed and broken. There, she allowed herself moments of honesty. She journaled her feelings, cried softly into the petals of flowers she once planted with Arjun, and slowly began stitching herself back together.

What helped her most was acceptance. Not the kind that came all at once, but the kind that arrived in pieces—through quiet mornings, whispered prayers, and the support of her inner resilience. She began to see that letting go wasn’t a sign of weakness but of deep, enduring love—love that could still wish someone happiness, even if it meant stepping aside.

Jhanvi’s heartbreak didn’t vanish. It settled into her like a scar—tender but no longer bleeding. And in those final days before the engagement, she stood tall, carrying herself with quiet dignity, knowing that while this chapter had ended painfully, it had also awakened a strength she never knew she had.

 She was no longer the girl lost in a one-sided dream. She was the woman who chose to heal with grace.

Note to Readers

Now that Ayesha and Arjun are going to get married. What to do think will happen to Jhanvi? Will she find someone who will love her and cherish her? Comment your thoughts in the comment section.

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