💟 𝟎𝟑: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭

𝐊𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐀

"Kiara, please meet Mr. Hridyansh Shergill, the Chairman and Managing Director of Shergill Industries," Ali Uncle said as I approached. I took a deep breath, striving to stay composed as I locked eyes with Rey. Why he's here?

"Kiara?" Uncle Ali's voice cut through the tension. I turned to him, then glanced back at Rey, swallowing hard. "He's here to pay his respects."

"Hello, Mr. Shergill," I greeted, keeping my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Thank you for coming."

"We've been negotiating a deal involving Gautam's land." Ali uncle continued. "Mr. Shergill was interested in purchasing the land for a resort project, but Gautam rejected the offer."

"What land? Dad never mentioned this." I wondered, confused.

"I will be back in a moment," Ali uncle said, stepping away. I nodded in acknowledgment.

Rey and I stood there, the weight of our shared past hanging heavily between us. I was overwhelmed, not just by our history but by the fact that Rey was Aditya Oberoi's son. I had tried so hard to avoid him all these years, and now, here we were, face to face.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Rey said, his eyes meeting mine. He started to say more, but before he could continue, a familiar voice called out from behind me. My heart sank as I recognized Zoya's voice.

"Kiara, the guests-"

I turned to see her by the door. "Yes? I'll be right there. Just give me a moment," I said quickly, trying to block Rey from her view. Despite my efforts, Zoya peeked around me and spotted him.

"What the hell? Isn't he the guy from the ghat?" Zoya exclaimed, her eyes wide with alarm as she hurried toward us. "Is he stalking you?" She stepped closer, her gaze narrowing at Rey.

Rey's eyes flicked over, catching every word. I briefly closed my eyes and rubbed my face in frustration. "Zoya, why don't you attend to the guests? I'll be back in a moment," I suggested, trying to redirect her attention.

"No... But- I..." Zoya stammered, scratching the back of her head, clearly confused.

I grabbed Zoya's arm gently and spun her towards me. "Zoya, he's not the guy you're thinking of," I said firmly. I nodded reassuringly. "I'll explain everything later," I whispered, hoping my pleading eyes would calm her.

"Okay!" she said, still babbling. "The guests are leaving. They're asking for you." Her gaze remained fixed on Rey.

I nodded, feeling a wave of relief. "I'm sorry, Mr. Shergill. I need to-"

"Oh my God!" Pari's voice cut through the tension. I slapped my forehead in frustration. Managing Zoya was one thing, but Pari... Zoya and I exchanged a glance; Pari was a notorious blabbermouth.

"Aren't you the guy from the ghat? What are you doing here? How did you find our address? Are you a stalker?" Pari's accusations came fast and furious. "I'm calling the police."

"Pari, let's go inside," Zoya said instantly, trying to pull her away. "I need to show you something important."

"Ganga Ghat? Haridwar?" Ali Uncle approached from behind, looking puzzled. This was NOT what I needed right now. "What's this about?"

"Nothing, Dad. Pari and I just-"

"Uncle, call the police. This man is a stalker," Pari insisted, freeing her arm from Zoya's grasp. "The other day at Ganga Ghat, he scared Kiara."

"Pari," I interjected, gritting my teeth. "He's not that guy. You're misunderstanding." I gave her a pleading look, hoping she would understand.

"Pari, if Kiara says so, you must have mistaken him for someone else," Ali Uncle said, his voice calm and reasoning. "Why would he-"

"No, I did not. I recognize him and so do they. I don't know why they are lying now," Pari insisted, her gaze shifting to me. "Why are you lying, Kiara? Didn't he have your dupatta that day, and you sent me to get it from him because you were afraid?"

I shut my eyes, frustration rising within me. The last thing I wanted was for Rey to understand why I'd been hiding from him all this time. Now that he knows I've been living under a different identity, his gaze narrowed as he processed the information, his expression unreadable.

"Why are you lying?" Pari demanded, grabbing my arm. "Tell Ali Uncle the truth."

"Yes," I admitted, irritation lacing my voice. "Yes, he was at Ganga Ghat that day," I said, avoiding Rey's gaze. "But it was a misunderstanding. A kid ran off with my dupatta, and it just happened to land on his shoulder. That's all there was to it." I paused, then met his eyes. "We've never met before. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other guests to attend to," I said, turning away, feeling the weight of the situation.

***

"Why are you such a blabbermouth, Pari?" I snapped, walking back and forth. "Was it necessary to reveal everything in front of him?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't realize," Pari mumbled, her gaze dropping in apology.

Zoya stepped in, her expression serious. "Kiara, can you really blame her?" she asked, confronting me. "Who is this Hridyansh Shergill? Don't try to cover it up-I can see that you both know each other from the way you're reacting. Who is he? Is there something from your past we need to know?"

Pari stepped closer, her expression soft but firm. "Yes, we need to know the truth, Kiara. No more secrets. Please!"

"Fine! I can't hide anymore from you." I said. "Rey is... more than just someone from my past," I admitted, my voice trembling. "He's someone I never expected to see again."

Pari and Zoya exchanged a glance of concern and curiosity. Zoya, always direct, asked, "Why? Did something happen between you?"

I hesitated, feeling the burden of my secrets. After a moment, I nodded. "There's a history, a connection I've kept hidden." Their eyes pressed me to reveal more, to explain the past that led us to this tense moment.

As I gathered my thoughts, Pari and Zoya waited, their expressions a blend of concern and readiness to hear the truth I had withheld for so long. Taking a deep breath, I began to unravel the intricacies of my past, each word heavy with emotion.

"I was eight when my parents died," I started, my voice tinged with the ache of memories, "I had to move in with my maternal uncle and aunt..." As I began to speak, the weight of years of silence and hidden pain settled heavily in the room. Pari and Zoya listened intently, their expressions shifting from shock to empathy as I recounted the tumultuous chapters of my life.

"When I turned fourteen," I continued, the words coming slowly as I relived the trauma, "my aunt tried to sell me off to an old man. Terrified for my life, I ran and boarded a moving train. Exhausted, I fell asleep and when I woke up I found myself in Mumbai."

Pari and Zoya gasped audibly, their eyes widening in disbelief.

"I roamed the streets all day, surviving on scraps from garbage bins," I recounted, my voice faltering briefly. "One day, I found myself outside a temple where beggars gathered. Rich people would come to distribute food every other day, and it was there that I met Rey's grandmother."

Their expressions turned to horror, unable to fathom the hardships I endured.

"I saved her life, risking my own," I continued, the memories vivid. "In gratitude, she took me into her home. That is where I met Rey. From the very first day, we shared a love-hate relationship. He was the most arrogant, stubborn, and rude boy I ever came across in my life."

Pari's hand reached out to mine, a gesture of silent support, as I continued to bare my soul.

"I lived in his house, and attended the same school and college," I explained, the gratitude evident in my voice. "His grandmother gave me the love and nurturing I never thought I'd experience again after losing my parents. But maybe that's why he resented me because his grandmother's attention was divided between him and me."

Pari and Zoya exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued by the depths of my story.

Zoya's expression softened, her initial anger giving way to empathy. "You didn't tell us because..."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself before revealing the most painful part of my story, the part I had buried deep within me for so long. "Because... of what I found the day I was involved in the accident," I confessed quietly, my voice catching with emotion.

Closing my eyes briefly, I gathered the strength to continue. "A month ago, I ran into my maternal uncle on the streets of Mumbai. He looked sick and weak, so I helped him. It was the first time he'd seen me since I left home."

Pari and Zoya leaned in, their faces showing concern and curiosity.

"As soon as I told him who I was, I regretted it," I said, my voice heavy with regret. "He started contacting me constantly, begging to meet. I refused because I didn't want Rey's family to find out about my past or for my uncle and aunt to come back into my life."

"But he wouldn't stop," I went on, the memory of his persistent calls making me uneasy. "His behavior caused problems between Rey and me. Even though Rey hated me, he always kept closed eyes on me maybe because I gave him reasons to."

Pari's grip on my hand tightened, encouraging me to keep going. Zoya's gaze urged me to share more.

"That day," I continued, "I had a huge fight with Rey. I wanted to escape so I agreed to meet my uncle to end the hide-and-seek game once and for all but I didn't expect that meeting to turn my life upside down."

"I discovered..." I hesitated, feeling the weight of my revelation. Pari and Zoya's encouraging nods gave me the strength to continue. "I found out that my parents didn't die in an accident," I said, my voice trembling.

"Aditya Oberoi, Rey's father..." I struggled to continue as tears streamed down my face. "...murdered my parents."

Pari gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Zoya's eyes widened in shock, and she reached out to offer support.

Tears filled my eyes as I shared the darkest secret I'd kept for years. The room fell silent, the gravity of my revelation shifting everything they thought they knew about me and my past.

"For five years, I was living under the same roof as the man who murdered my parents," I confessed, my voice breaking and tears streaming down my face. "My mom was three months pregnant." I broke down, hiding my face in my hands. Pari and Zoya rushed to my side, wrapping their arms around me from both sides.

Pari's eyes filled with tears, her hand trembling. "Kiara..." she said, struggling to speak.

Zoya wrapped her arms around me, offering comfort. "I'm so sorry, Kiara," she murmured, her voice thick with sympathy. I sniffed, then lifted my head and brushed my hair back.

I sniffled, then lifted my head and brushed my hair back to continue. "When I woke up in the hospital and realized I'd been in a coma for two years and was now in New York, I saw it as a chance to escape my painful past. That's why I pretended to have no memory of it," I said, my voice trembling as I revealed those buried secrets.

Zoya held my hand tighter. "You don't have to face this alone anymore," she whispered. "We are here for you."

"We had no idea. You've been through so much." Pari said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I wiped my tears and took a deep breath. "Guys... I have one more thing to confess," I said, my voice trembling.

Pari and Zoya exchanged concerned glances, waiting for me to continue...

⇜ ♥ ⇝

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