Siya froze, her hands trembling. Slowly, she turned toward Aarav.

“You… married me?”

He said nothing. He stood there in silence. Tears slipped from her eyes.

“I was unconscious,” she whispered. “I didn’t even know…”

Kavita said softly, “Daughter, Aarav married you to protect you—”

“Stop,” Siya cried. “He married me while my father and brother were dead.”

Aarav closed his eyes.

Kavita said again, her voice shaking. “Daughter, you’re not understanding. It was for you. Your loved ones had already died—”

Siya let out a broken laugh. “They only killed my brother and my father. I thought he would kill me too… but he didn’t.” Her voice cracked.

“He was going to marry me just because I am a girl.”

She clutched her chest, ashamed. “I’m ashamed of myself. I couldn’t fight him. I couldn’t stop him.”

Paakhi stood silently, crying. Kavita’s eyes filled with tears.

“I should have been a son,” Siya said, her voice barely holding. “At least while fighting, he would have killed me too.”

She looked up, pain blazing in her eyes. “Why are we girls not strong enough to fight alone?”

Aarav finally spoke, his voice heavy. “Don’t say that. You are strong. I know.”

Kavita added softly, “You are one of the strongest girls I know. Even after everything, you didn’t stop fighting.”

Siya fell silent for a moment. Then she asked, her voice low and hollow,

“But aunty… what happened at the end?”

Siya looked at kavita and whispered again.

“Aunty… but what happened at the end? I couldn’t do anything for them. Everything ended within an hour.”

Aarav turned his face away.

Kavita spoke gently, yet firmly. “Nothing ends, daughter, until life itself ends.”

Siya shook her head slowly. “No, aunty. You know… I was always scared of orphans. I used to wonder how they lived, how they survived when they had no one.”

She swallowed hard. “I was always grateful to God that at least I had my brother and my father. Even when my mother left us early, my father tried every day to keep me happy.”

Her voice broke. “But now… everything feels like a memory. They went so far away, leaving me alone.”

Siya looked down, tears dripping onto her hands. “I am an orphan now.”she said.

Kavita immediately said, “Daughter, you are not alone.”

Paakhi added through tears, “Yes, didi. We are always with you.”

Kavita nodded and said. “You will never be alone. You have us… and your husband.”

Hearing that, Siya’s expression hardened. “No,” she said firmly. “He is not my husband. I don’t believe in this marriage.”

Aarav stepped forward quietly. “Siya, drink some water.” He held out a glass toward her.

The moment his hand brushed hers, she flung the glass away.The glass broken into pieces.

“Don’t touch me,” she cried. “Stay away from me.”

Tears filled Aarav’s eyes. He stepped back without a word.

Kavita finally raised her voice, trembling but stern. “Enough, Siya.”

Siya paused, still crying softly.

Kavita spoke gently, “We’ll talk about everything later. You’re not well right now.”

Siya lifted her tear-filled eyes. “Aunty… please take me to my brother and my father.”

Kavita nodded.

They all sat in the car. Siya’s hair was open and messy, her red lehenga stained with tears. She kept crying silently while Paakhi sat beside her, holding her tightly.

they reached the ghat at the edge of the holy river.

The moment the car stopped, Siya stepped out and froze.

Relatives stood around dressed in white. In the center lay her brother and her father, placed on stacks of sandalwood, wrapped completely in white—only their faces visible.

Aarav walked behind her as her legs gave way.

She rushed forward and collapsed beside her father, clutching him tightly. Her voice shattered.

“Papa… why did you leave me like this? Why did you leave me alone?”

She turned to her brother, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Veer bhai… you promised me you’d always protect me. You said you’d never leave me.”

Her words broke. “Then why… why did you leave me?”

Aarav’s eyes filled with tears as he watched his closest friend lying lifeless before him—and Siya breaking apart beside him.

Flashback_

It was the first day of college.

New students filled the classroom. Aarav sat alone on a bench, quietly observing.

The lecturer had just entered when a boy came running in, breathing heavily. Everyone turned to look.

“I’m sorry, sir. I’m late,” the boy said.

The professor smiled. “It’s alright. What’s your name?”

“Veer Singhania,” he replied.

The professor scanned the room. Every bench was full—except one.

“Sit there,” he said, pointing beside Aarav.

Veer nodded and sat down beside Aarav. “What’s your name?” he asked cheerfully.

“Aarav Goenka,” Aarav replied.

Veer smiled. “Nice name.”

The lecture began. A moment later, Veer leaned closer. “Ah… I forgot to bring a pen.”

“I have one,” Aarav said, handing it to him.

“Thank you,” Veer smiled.

Flashback End_

Aarav closed his eyes.

He had never imagined he would see his closest friend like this. But what shattered him even more was seeing Siya in this state—completely broken.

Paakhi started moving toward Siya, but kavita held her back.

Paakhi and Aarav both looked at her.

“This is the last time she will see them like this,” Kavita said softly. “Let her cry.”

The priest spoke softly, “It’s time. Perform the ritual. Give fire to the pyre.”

Rahul placed a firm yet gentle hand on Aarav shoulder.

“Do it, son. It’s your responsibility.”

Siya heard those words.

Her hands began to tremble.

Aarav picked up the burning wood and started walking slowly toward the sandalwood stacks. Just then, Siya looked at him, her eyes desperate.

“Please…” her voice cracked. “Don’t ... let me see them for some time. Please.”

Aarav stopped.

He looked at her—really looked at her—giving her the time she needed.

Kavita stood crying silently. Paakhi sobbed beside her. Siya kept staring at her father and brother, tears flowing without sound.

The priest opened his mouth to speak again, but Aarav raised his palm.

The priest fell silent.

Aarav stood still, his eyes fixed on Siya. After a moment, he looked at Kavita. She nodded, understanding everything without words.

Kavita and Paakhi immediately went to Siya and held her. Kavita wrapped her arms around Siya as if shielding her from the pain.

Aarav closed his eyes.

Then he turned and walked toward the pyre.

Siya saw him move—and broke completely.

“No…” she cried, her voice trembling.

Paakhi held her tightly, gently caressing her back, but Siya kept crying, knowing that from this moment onward, she would never see her father and brother again.

Aarav first lit the fire for her father.

Then he stepped forward and lit the pyre for Veer.

Siya’s knees weakened. She collapsed onto the ground, her body giving up.

Paakhi and kavita held her hands as she cried—broken, shattered, and empty.