💟𝟎𝟏: 𝐊𝐀𝐘𝐀- 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

𝐊𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐀

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲,𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

Today I officially introduced my jewelry brand, KAYA, to the world. From the time I envisioned establishing my own jewelry collection, I was certain that I wanted to name it KAYA- a fusion of my parents' names, Karan and Priya. It symbolizes the deep connection and love they shared.

I was incredibly grateful to both Zoya and Parineeti (Pari), my best friends. I still remember six months ago, after an accident at work left me with a foot injury, I took a few days off-something I'd never done since starting at "VISION" magazine right after recovering from that accident and my decision to start a new life in New York. Zoya's ex-colleague, who worked at the magazine, had recommended me for the job. For the first time in almost five years, I finally sat down and sketched again during that break.

As usual, because of their annoying habit, Zoya and Pari barged into my room, saw the designs, and offered to help. At first, I thought they were just messing around as starting a jewelry brand wasn't just a piece of cake, but one thing led to another. Six months ago, I was a Fashion Stylist's Assistant, and today, I am a Jewellery Designer, and here we were, standing inside my small boutique with my designed jewelry on display. Zoya helped bring my vision to life, while Pari managed the online advertising. Without their support, none of this would have been possible.

I found it funny now that, how I had always complained about Zoya and Pari's habit of not knocking and just barging into my room. But now, I was grateful. Because of that very habit, my vision became a reality.

"Everything looks amazing, doesn't it?" Zoya said, linking her arm with mine, her eyes twinkling with pride.

"Yes!" I smiled, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me. "Thanks to you and Pari!"

"Hey, do you not remember what Salman Khan said in Maine Pyaar Kiya?" Zoya said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "Dosti ka ek usool hai madam... no sorry, no thank you...(There is a principle of friendship madam... no sorry, no thank you...)"

We both laughed. Zoya was a huge fan of Salman Khan. She never missed any movie of Salman Khan's. Sometimes she would just watch the movies on repeat.

"Guys, the countdown has begun. We will be online in ten minutes." Pari announced, peeking out of the back room. It's time for our online launch.

"Let's go!" Pari said, with excitement.

"Just give me a moment," I said to Zoya. "I will be joining you soon," I added.

"Okay!" Zoya said and hurried into the back room.

Despite my excitement and happiness, I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something might not go as planned. I've always had a tendency to believe that my joy is short-lived, and even if it does last, something always manages to go awry. As I looked at the missed calls and messages, I realized I had been attempting to contact my Dad since yesterday, but there was still no response. The silence made me uneasy, and I felt a twinge of anxiety. I dialed his number once more, only to have the call go unanswered again, with the automated voice on the other end stating, "The person you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again later."

"Are you okay?" Pari asked, standing by my side. I didn't hear her coming.

"I don't know," I said, concern lashed my voice. "I've been trying to reach Dad, but he hasn't called back yet."

Pari shook her head. "Babe, It's early morning in India-he might have gone for his morning walk. He will call you soon. But right now, you need to come. We are live."

Pari grabbed my arm and gently led me to the back room. As I entered the room, I realized we were live and Zoya started engaging with the viewers.

"Are you ready?" Pari said, whispering.

"Nervous more than anything," I admitted. "But let's do this."

"Guys, look who we have here!" Zoya said, looking at the camera and pointing at us. "The person you've all been asking for... our incredible designer of these stunning pieces, Kiara Bakshi..."

I am more of a text person than a phone call and video call person and today I was on Live stream. I cannot mess this up. I took a deep breath and I stepped beside Zoya.

"Hello, everyone!" I greeted the audience with a warm smile. "Thank you for joining us for the launch of KAYA's latest collection. I am Kiara Bakshi, and I am thrilled to share our new pieces with you today."

After some time as I became a little comfortable being in front of the camera, I talked about the collection, and answered their questions, more and more positive comments began rolling in, and the number of viewers increased. I read the comments too along with interacting with them.

"Wow, I am ordering from this collection for my girlfriend." A comment was written.

"I can't wait to see more designs from this collection." Another comment was written.

"Hey, do you ship to Mexico?" Someone wrote.

My heart raced with excitement as I saw people from around the world admiring my designs.

"Congratulations, Kiara. You successfully launched your brand KAYA." Zoya said, as she ended the livestream and turned to me with a big smile.

"Yes!" Pari joined us back, with three glasses of champagne. "To the successful launch and to many more milestones to come!" Pari handed us ours and then she raised her glass in the toast

We clinked glasses and took a moment to celebrate our achievement. The launch had been a success. The hard work, the late nights, the planning everything paid off. KAYA was officially out in the world, and the journey was just beginning.

***

"Kiara, we are here." Zoya's voice was soft and filled with sadness as her hand rested on my shoulder.

I glanced up at her, then down at my lap where the urn with Dad's ashes lay. Yes, my fear had come true. When he didn't respond to any of my calls or messages, I understood that something was not right. Never in his life had he ignored me this way. Slowly, carefully holding the urn, I slid out of the car and walked toward the ghat barefoot.

We were in Haridwar. Dad had passed away the day before I launched KAYA. The news was kept from me initially, as Dad didn't want to spoil my launch event. I was only informed a day later. I immediately took the first available flight and arrived in Dehradun. Zoya and Pari accompanied me. Dad's final wish was for his ashes to be scattered in the Ganga by me, here in Haridwar, so that he could be reunited with his real daughter Kiara in the afterlife. Kiara, whom he had lost to drug addiction a week before he rescued me.

Stepping into the water, I closed my eyes, holding the urn tightly. "Dad, I wish you had trusted me to care for you as you did for me. But now, as you leave this world, I am here to fulfill your last wish. I hope you've found your daughter and are happy." Tears streamed down my cheeks as I opened the urn and let the ashes scatter into the Ganga. My heart shattered with each memory that flashed before my eyes.

"You were my only family, and now I'm alone again. How could you leave me, Dad? You proved that people are selfish and choose their own blood over others. I'll never forgive you for this. Never." I collapsed on the stairs, crying uncontrollably.

"Kiara..."

Zoya and Pari rushed to my side, holding me as I sobbed. "He was my only family, and now I'm orphaned again. Why am I so unlucky?"

"Kiara, calm down," Zoya said gently. "We're here for you, no matter what." I collapsed into their arms and cried profusely. Zoya and Pari both kept patting my back to calm me down.

I cried sitting at the ghat until I was left with swollen eyes and dried tears.

"Do you want to head back now?" Zoya asked, hovering over me and placing a hand on my shoulder. I snapped out of that state instantly. I glanced up at her, unsure of how long I had been like that.

I shook my head. "I'd like to stay a bit longer." I stared at the water. "You two can go back to the car and rest," I suggested, with a faint smile.

Zoya and Pari exchanged glances, nodding. "Take your time," Zoya said. "Pari and I need to use the restroom. While coming back we will bring you water and something to eat. You haven't eaten anything throughout the flight or at the house." Zoya's voice was laced with concern and care.

I nodded, standing up, silently acknowledging their departure, and turned my attention back to the bustling scene at the Ganga Ghat. Closing my eyes, I took deep breaths to compose myself. The scent of incense and marigolds filled the air.

Suddenly, a tug on my shoulder made me open my eyes. A young boy, not older than six, grinned mischievously, holding my dupatta. He darted off through the crowd.

Suddenly, a tug at my shoulder made me open my eyes, and as I spun halfway around, I found a young boy, not older than six, grinning mischievously as he grabbed my dupatta in his hand. Suddenly, he darted off through the crowd.

"Hey, wait!" I called after him, but he was too quick. Weaving effortlessly between people, the boy seemed to disappear into the throng of pilgrims.

He clutched my dupatta in his small hands, waving it like a victory flag.

"Hey, stop!" I pleaded, my heart pounding as I chased after him. He was quick, his nimble feet carrying him effortlessly through the bustling crowd. I stopped to catch my breath and that's when I saw a familiar face, my breath caught in my throat as the man standing in the water...

Hridyansh. The last person I wanted to see again, yet here he was, standing just a few steps away. A rush of emotions flooded back-anger, pain, longing- all at once, and before I knew it, my feet were walking toward him. My heart fluttered at the sight of him. I was just a few steps away from him, about to reach out... but then his last words echoed in my head.

"Don't touch me with your dirty hands, Vinnie... You have become a Slut... Girls like you should live where you belong... In the streets... Don't show me your face again..."

I stopped in my tracks, the smile that formed seeing him after ten long years... vanished, replaced by pain and tears. I took step after step back, distancing myself from him. I stood there, silently watching him.

Suddenly, the kid who took my dupatta was running back towards me, still clutching it in his hand. In an instant, he let it go, and the dupatta fluttered through the air, with a flick, it landed on Hridyansh, draping over his wet shoulder. My heart sank at the sight.

"Oh no..." I murmured, under my breath.

Hridyansh glanced over his shoulder, surprised by the sudden touch of the fabric. His eyes widened slightly, and then he took in a deep breath, clearly taken aback by the unexpected encounter.

His gaze shifted around, searching for the source of the dupatta, before settling directly on me. His eyes widened in shock. For a moment, the world around me blurred insignificantly as his gaze locked with mine. time seemed to stop. Panic surged through me as I watched his reaction, unsure of what to make of it.

"Vinnie..." his lips moved. We were standing far apart, but I could still read my name on his lips.

A group of pilgrims walked between us, obscuring his view. Seizing the moment, I ducked behind a pillar nearby, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

I peered around the edge, watching as Hridyansh continued his confused search. His voice, calling out my old name, sent a jolt of pain through me. My heart ached, but I knew I couldn't let him find me.

"Vinnie is dead. Kiara is me now. I am Kiara. And I can't go back."

I watched, torn, as Hridyansh clutched the dupatta, a look of anguish on his face. My fingers clenched the rough stone pillar, trembling with the weight of conflicting emotions. Part of me longed to confront him, to reveal everything left unsaid. But fear gripped me- the fear of unraveling the walls around my heart. Just then, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Kiara?"

I spun around to see Zoya and Pari, their eyes wide with concern. "Kiara, what's going on? It looks like you have seen a ghost or something," Zoya asked, her brow furrowing. "Are you alright?" She inquired.

"I'll explain later," I replied, my voice trembling with unease. "We just need to get out of here."

Saying that, I hurried out of there but then a surge of determination swept over me. I couldn't go without retrieving my dupatta. He had to believe what he saw was just his imagination. I could not have been here.

"No, wait," I turned to Pari and pointed urgently towards Hridyansh. "That man... Pari, go and get my dupatta from him. Tell him it's yours."

Pari looked puzzled, firing questions at me in rapid succession. "What? Why? And how did he get your dupatta?"

"I will explain everything later, but right now I need my dupatta back from him," I insisted, my urgency palpable.

With a nod of understanding, Pari took off towards Hridyansh, her stride purposeful through the crowd. I stood rooted in place, my heart pounding as hid behind the pillar and waited for Pari to come back. Minutes later she came back.

Minutes dragged by until Pari returned, my dupatta in hand. She handed it to me silently, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Thank you, Pari," I murmured gratefully, draping the dupatta around my shoulders.

With a quick turn, we hurried away from the ghat. I needed to escape before he spotted me again. Before I had to confront the memories and emotions I buried deep inside me years ago.

⇜ ♥ ⇝

Thank you for reading this chapter of my book! Your support means so much. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to vote, comment, and share with friends who might love the story. Your feedback and shares help me keep the story going and reach more readers. Stay tuned for the next chapter-things are just getting started! Happy reading! ❤️🙏