Chapter 15 : acceptance

I pulled away from Vikrant's embrace, but he still didn't let me go completely. His arms stayed around me, as if he was afraid I'd disappear if he loosened his grip. I looked up at him, his intense gaze softening just a little, and said, "Daksh is Aaradhya's brother, not her boyfriend."

For a moment, he froze, his eyes widening in realization. Then, he let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head. "I... I got jealous of him?" he muttered, more to himself than to me.

I couldn't help but smile at his reaction. "Yes, you did," I teased, reaching for his injured hand. "Now, let me take care of this."

As I bandaged his hand, I scolded him lightly. "You really need to control your temper, Vikrant. Breaking glasses and hurting yourself isn't exactly the best way to deal with jealousy."

He smirked, watching me closely as I worked. "Why do you always address yourself in the third person?" he asked suddenly, his tone curious.

I paused, my hands stilling for a moment. Looking up at him, I replied softly, "You'll know soon."

His brows furrowed in confusion, but he didn't press further. Once his hand was bandaged, we headed back downstairs. As we reached the living room, Vikrant intertwined our fingers, his grip firm and possessive. I shot him a questioning glance, but he simply smirked, his eyes narrowing as they met Daksh's. Daksh, in turn, glared at him, his jaw tightening.

I ignored their silent exchange and turned to Aryan. "Can you connect the laptop to the big screen?" I asked.

He nodded and quickly got to work. I glanced at Vikrant, giving him a subtle nod, before walking over to Daksh. His expression softened as I approached, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes.

"Why this sudden decision?" he asked, his voice low. "Is it because of Tanu?"

I shook my head. "It's not that," I replied, though my thoughts drifted to Tanu's words: 'Don't forget yourself.' She was right-I had been losing myself in Aaradhya. And now, I didn't want to hide anymore. Not from these people, who had become my friends .

Daksh sighed. "And him?" he asked, his eyes flicking to Vikrant. "What was that hand-holding about?"

I smiled faintly, deciding to be honest. "I like him," I admitted, my voice steady.

Daksh raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "You do?" he asked, his tone skeptical.

"Yes," I said firmly. "And before you say anything, it's not about his business or our family rivalry. I don't care about that."

He frowned, his concern evident. "What if he's doing this because of that rivalry? What if-"

I cut him off. "He didn't even know I was your sister until today," I said pointedly. "And I trust him."

Daksh sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, Anshi. You're my sister too , and I-"

"Then tell me something," I interrupted. "Why hasn't our father ever called me? Why hasn't he come to see his daughter even once?"

His expression darkened, and he looked away. "It's complicated," he said quietly. " I'll tell you... later."

Before I could respond, the first video clip started playing on the screen. The room fell silent, the atmosphere heavy with anticipation. One by one, the clips played, each one revealing glimpses of Aaradhya's life. But as the final clip ended, I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"I'm not Aaradhya," I said, my voice breaking the silence.

Everyone turned to me, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion. Only Daksh remained calm, his gaze steady as it met mine. He already knew the truth, and now, it was time for everyone else to know too.

"I know this is a lot to take in," I continued, my voice steady despite the tension in the room. "But I'm not who you think I am. After my death in my past life, I found myself in Varanasi. That's where I met Tanu, and eventually, I came here. Only Tanu and Daksh knew about this." i described the whole story until now . Dadi sa , her locket , learning everything about this new world , even the dream I've just had. " Now You  will understand  maybe why I was different from previous aaradhya , she was shy , introvert , and very anxious and I'm quite opposite to that . After all I was about to take the throne of the kingdom that my father ruled . I had to be the best to protect it ".

The silence was deafening as they processed my words. I could see the disbelief in their eyes, the way they exchanged uncertain glances. But no one said anything. No one insulted me or called me a liar. They simply... waited.

Finally, Vikrant spoke, his voice low and measured. "Then who are you exactly ?"

I smiled faintly, meeting his gaze. "Aaradhyanshi Raghavendra," I said. "Princess of the Raghavendra dynasty."

The room remained silent, the weight of my revelation hanging in the air. I could see the questions forming in their minds, but before anyone could speak, Rihan stepped forward.

"Maybe I know where your locket is," he said, his words catching my attention immediately.

"What?" I asked, my heart racing. "Where?"

He hesitated before replying, "Someone found something similar to what you described in Varanasi. It ended up in the underground market, and it's going to be auctioned soon."

I turned to Daksh. "Can we get it?" I asked urgently.

Before he could answer, Vikrant stepped forward. "I'll help you get it," he said firmly. His gaze softened as he added, "I know we still need time to adjust to all of this, but... you'll stay, right?"

I hesitated, my thoughts racing. "Maybe. I don't know," I admitted. "I have to find the locket. If it really came with me-"

Daksh interrupted. "You can stay at my place until you figure things out. I know you don't want to stay at the apartment."

But before I could respond, Vikrant cut in. "She's not going anywhere. She's staying with me."

Daksh opened his mouth to argue, but I placed a hand on his arm. "It's okay," I said softly. "I trust them."

Reluctantly, Daksh nodded and left. As the door closed behind him, I turned back to the others. Karan, Rohan, and Aryan were all on their knees, their heads bowed.

"Order us, Princess," they said in unison.

I chuckled, a small smile breaking through the tension. "You've accepted me already?" I teased.

Karan grinned. "Always."

For the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of belonging.

The atmosphere in the living room was a mix of tension and curiosity. Lunch had been quiet, everyone too overwhelmed to ask questions. Now, as we sat together, the weight of their unspoken thoughts hung in the air. Vikrant had arranged clothes and other  necessities for me to stay, and Karan was busy on his laptop, likely searching for more information about the locket. The rest of them sat in a loose circle, their eyes fixed on me. Each gaze held a question, and I sighed, taking a sip of water before placing the glass down deliberately.

“All right,” I said, leaning back into the plush couch. “Ask your questions. But one at a time.”

Vikrant, sitting closest to me, was the first to speak. “Why did you hate me so much at first?”

I smirked, unable to resist teasing him. “Who says I don’t hate you now?”

He rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at his lips. “I’m serious.”

“Well,” I began, letting my fingers trace the rim of the glass. “You have the same face as the man who killed me in the battlefield— and he bribed a trusted general  of mine who betrayed me and stabbed me in the back.”

The room went silent. Everyone stared at me, wide-eyed, as if I had just dropped a bombshell. Aryan broke the silence with a low whistle. “This is straight out of a movie, you know.”

I chuckled softly. “Feels like one too, sometimes.”

Vikrant looked thoughtful. “So, that’s why you hated my face?”

I nodded. “That, and the fact that I heard you were quite the bully to Aaradhya.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So Aaradhya was the one who confessed to me, not you?”

“Exactly,” I confirmed, leaning forward slightly. “I came into her body after that.”

A sly grin spread across his face. “Do you think, if it had been you at the time, you’d have had a crush on me?”

I raised a single finger, mock-serious. “Not a chance.”

His expression fell into a dramatic pout, and the rest of us burst into laughter.

Karan, still typing away on his laptop, glanced up. “The fencing, archery, and fighting skills you have—did you always know them?”

I smiled, the memory of my past life vivid in my mind. “Yes. I trained from childhood. Back then, women weren’t allowed to study or fight, but I never obeyed those rules. I wanted to be a better queen, someone who could lead and protect her people.”

Vikrant’s voice was softer this time. “You already are.”

I looked at him, warmth spreading through me, but before I could respond, Rohan asked, “What about Aaradhya? What happened to her?”

My smile faltered. “I don’t know for sure,” I admitted. “But I think she’s... gone. When she left her body, I took over. It’s possible she died.”

Rohan leaned back, looking uneasy. “That’s... kind of horrifying.”

Everyone murmured in agreement, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “It does sound like a horror movie, doesn’t it?”

Vikrant’s gaze didn’t waver. “Aaradhya mentioned once that she did something wrong during the day she lived your life. Do you know what that was?”

I frowned, thinking back. “I don’t remember much from that day. The memories are fuzzy. But after that day, Virendra Thakur became my personal enemy.” I pointed at Vikrant, my tone playful. “Or rather, someone with your face.”

He reached out and pulled me closer by the waist, our faces mere inches apart. “I’m not him,” he said, his voice low and firm.

I smiled softly. “I know.”

Neither of us moved for a moment, the world fading away until Aryan’s voice broke through. “So, Aaradhya did something that made Virendra Thakur your enemy, and you ended up dead. Then, feeling guilty, she took her own life. When she died, you took over her body.”

I nodded, finishing his thought. “And it’s all connected to Dadi Sa’s locket. She told me it was time for my new life, as if she knew I was going to time travel.”

Karan looked up from his laptop again. “But why aren’t you mentioned in history? Why isn’t Virendra Thakur or your dynasty recorded anywhere?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Maybe that was the price I had to pay for this second chance at life.”

The room fell silent again as they absorbed my words. Finally, Vikrant asked, “Why do you want to find the locket now?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” I admitted. “But I have a feeling it’s important. Maybe it holds the key to going back.”

Everyone stiffened at my words, Vikrant most of all. His grip on my waist tightened slightly. “Would you leave?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I looked around at the faces of my new friends, people who had become my family in this life. “I don’t know,” I said honestly. “If I have the chance to return, I’ll have to decide then. But don’t worry. I’ll tell you before I make any decisions.”

The tension eased slightly, and the others took the opportunity to tease Vikrant. “Look at him, side-hugging her like they’re already a couple,” Aryan joked.

I felt my cheeks heat up as the others laughed. Vikrant smirked, clearly unbothered by the teasing, and I couldn’t help but smile.