78. Came back

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The Raghuwanshi mansion felt different that night—hollow. It was as if the walls themselves held their breath, waiting.

The tension in the air was suffocating, thick with worry and fear.

Ananya had received a text.

"I'm sorry, Anu. I'm leaving. Away from the world. So that I won’t ever hurt you or anyone."

The moment those words appeared on her screen, something inside her broke.

She hadn’t spoken a word since. She just sat there, swinging slightly in her seat, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

Silent tears streamed down her face—relentless, unstoppable.

Everyone tried to console her, tried to make her speak, but nothing worked.

She was trapped in the words Amrita had left behind, drowning in the weight of them.

And Aditya… he couldn’t take it. It ached to see her like this, to see the light in her eyes fade into something dark and empty.

Ishika had tried to stay hopeful, repeating again and again that Amrita would come back. That she had to.

But Ananya knew better.

If Amrita had decided something, she would do it.

Time passed painfully slow. The tension grew thicker, suffocating the family as they sat in restless silence.

Where was she?

Where was Aaryansh?

Every second without an answer felt like another piece of their world crumbling.

The suffocating silence in the mansion was suddenly shattered.

Ananya jerked up from her seat, her eyes locked on the door as if something inside her had awakened. Her heart pounded—loud, desperate.

She didn’t know why.

She didn’t know how.

But she knew.

Something was pulling her, calling her outside. Without a second thought, she ran.

Her bare feet hit the cold floor as she rushed out of the mansion, her breath uneven, her hands trembling. The moment she stepped outside, she saw it.

A car was pulling up.

Her chest tightened. Her vision blurred. Her entire body froze in place.

And then—

The door opened, and Amrita stepped out.

A strangled sob tore from Ananya’s throat as she broke into loud, uncontrollable tears. She didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate.

She just ran—her legs carrying her faster than ever, closing the distance between them in seconds.

She crashed into Amrita, wrapping her arms around her tightly, as if afraid she’d disappear again.

She cried—she sobbed—letting out all the fear, the pain, the helplessness that had been suffocating her since the moment Amrita left.

And then—she felt it.

A single drop.

A warm tear that fell on her shoulder.

Ananya froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Amrita was… crying.

Her Amrita. The girl who never cried. The girl who never let anyone see her break.

If she was crying now… then it was big.

Ananya's grip on her tightened as she buried her face deeper into Amrita’s shoulder.

She held onto her as if she could shield her from the world, from all the pain she carried alone.

And for the time in forever—Amrita let herself be held.

The two of them remained like that, crying in each other’s arms, the pain, the relief, the love—everything pouring out in the silent, sacred moment.

Ananya and Amrita remained in each other’s arms, their silent cries blending into the cold morning air.

But before they could even process the moment, hurried footsteps echoed from behind them.

Ishika was the first to reach them.

She ran—her heart pounding so loud it drowned out every other sound.

The moment Ananya and Amrita pulled back, Ishika stood in front of Amrita, her breathing uneven, her eyes frantic as they searched Amrita’s face.

Amrita didn’t meet her eyes. She lowered her gaze, guilt clouding her features.

Then, in a soft, trembling voice—

"Sorry, Mayya…"

Ishika’s lips parted as a sharp gasp left her throat.

That was it. That was all it took for her heart to break.

With no hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Amrita, holding her as if she would slip away again. A sob escaped her, her body shaking against Amrita’s.

"You scared me…" Ishika whispered between cries. "Do you even know what you did to us? To me? To Ananya? To Aaryansh?"

Amrita didn’t reply. She just stood there, letting Ishika cry, letting her hold her, letting herself be held.

Divya, Mahira, and the others reached them, their eyes glistening with unshed tears. The entire family stood there, watching the scene unfold, emotions too heavy to put into words.

Even Aditya, who had been silently standing back, exhaled in relief.

His gaze lingered on Ananya, who was still crying, wiping her face repeatedly. His fingers curled into a fist before he finally stepped forward and placed a hand on her head.

"Let’s go inside."

The words were barely above a whisper, but they were enough.

Ishika finally pulled away from Amrita, her hands still on her shoulders as if making sure she was really there. She nodded, wiping her tears, before leading her inside.

One by one, everyone followed.

The Raghuwanshi mansion—once drowning in silence, in fear, in worry—was now filled with a different kind of weight.

A storm had passed.

But the remnants of it still clung to every heart in the house.

Inside the mansion, a heavy silence filled the air. The family sat down, guiding Amrita and Aaryansh to the couch, but Amrita didn’t sit.

She stood still, her eyes drifting to a familiar figure standing quietly in the corner.

Mahima.

Amrita's feet moved on their own, slowly walking toward her, her steps light, yet the weight in her heart unbearable.

All eyes followed her.

Mahima didn’t move. She stood there, frozen, as Amrita stopped right in front of her.

Tears slipped down Mahima’s cheeks. Her lips trembled as she finally spoke—her voice breaking like glass.

"Did you really mean that message?"

Her words cut through the silence like a knife.

Amrita didn’t look up. She just gave a small nod.

Mahima’s breath hitched. Her chest ached. And before she could think—

SLAP!

The sound echoed through the room, shocking everyone. Gasps filled the air.

But Amrita didn’t react.

She stood still, head bowed, accepting it—because she deserved it.

Tears streamed down Mahima’s face as she grabbed Amrita by the shoulders and pushed her back, her sobs making her entire body tremble.

"I never want to talk to you again!" Mahima cried, her voice breaking with pain.

The words pierced through Amrita’s heart, but before Mahima could push her away again—

Amrita hugged her.

Tightly.

Mahima froze, but the moment Amrita’s warmth surrounded her, she broke.

She clutched onto Amrita’s back, her cries turning into shattered gasps.

"What if I lost you too…?" she sobbed against Amrita’s shoulder. "I wouldn’t have survived…"

Amrita’s fingers gently caressed Mahima’s hair, her touch light, comforting.

"You're the one who gave me my life back. If I lost you too, then…"

Mahima couldn’t finish. Her cries came in short, uneven breaths.

Amrita shushed her softly, rubbing her back, calming her down, letting her know she was here.

She wasn’t leaving.

Not again.

As this unfolded, Mahira stood in the distance, watching them.

A small, soft smile played on her lips.

Without a word, she silently turned around and left the house.

After calming Mahima down, Amrita finally let out a slow breath, her arms falling to her sides.

Aaryansh silently reached for her hand, squeezing it once before leading her toward the couch where the family was waiting.

She hesitated for a second before sitting down beside him.

The entire family was silent, their eyes fixed on the two—especially Rudraksh, whose sharp gaze flickered over Amrita and Aaryansh.

Bruises.

They were covered in bruises, cuts, and dried blood. The rain had washed away some, but not all. His jaw clenched.

His eyes instinctively searched for one person—

Mahira.

But she wasn’t there.

His brows furrowed, and without wasting a second, he turned to Aarush, lowering his voice.

"Go to the hospital. Bring Dr. Mahira here. Now."

Aarush immediately nodded and left.

Meanwhile, Geeta and Ishwar’s eyes never left Amrita.

They knew she wouldn't let them in—not so easily.

But that didn’t mean they would stop loving her.

Not for a second.

The room was thick with tension when Rukmini finally spoke up, her voice hesitant.

"What happened?" she asked, looking directly at Amrita. "Why did your mama say all those things?"

Silence.

Amrita didn’t react, but her fingers curled slightly against her lap.

Rukmini swallowed, then softly asked, "How did your father die?"

Shravan inhaled sharply.

Gently, all the girls glanced at each other, as if preparing themselves to reveal a night they had all buried deep in their hearts.

A night soaked in blood.

A night of terror.

A night they never wanted to remember—

But could never forget.

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How was the chapter?

The Storm Inside Her Had Settled, But She Was Still The Lightening. ⚡