Lag Jaa Galey

Fractured Hearts

**Chapter Twenty : Fractured Hearts**

Back at Riya’s home, the weight of the day settled heavily upon her. After they had left the fun fair, the sight of Kabir still lingered in her mind. The reunion she had dreamt of for so long had unraveled in front of her, slipping through her fingers like sand.

As soon as they entered the house, Riya let her brother Shekhar take his son from her arms. She could no longer hold back the storm that had been brewing inside. She collapsed onto the sofa, her tears flowing freely, a flood of emotions that had been building up for years.

Shekhar, still holding his child, looked at his sister with a mix of frustration and sorrow. His patience, worn thin by years of hearing about Kabir, finally snapped.

“**What did you do there, Riya?**” Shekhar asked, his voice sharp, filled with disbelief. “**What were you thinking? Why didn’t you talk to him? I can’t believe you didn’t speak to him!**”

Riya’s shoulders shook as she tried to calm her sobs. Her voice trembled, full of helplessness. “**What more could I have told him?**” she whispered between sobs. “**What was left to say? He’s moved on. Didn’t you see his happiness? His girlfriend?**”

Shekhar’s frustration only grew. He placed his son down and knelt in front of his sister, gripping her shoulders. “**But you must have talked to him, Riya. For years you’ve been talking about him, searching for him. After all this time, how could you let him go without a word?**”

Riya shook her head, her tears falling harder. “**And what should I have said to him, bhai?**” she asked, her voice broken. “**I’ve already lost him. He’s happy now. Didn’t you see? His smile wasn’t for me anymore, it was for her. What kind of person would I be if I tried to come back into his life now? I’ve caused him enough pain. It’s too late. I don’t have any hope left.**”

Shekhar’s heart ached for his sister. He had seen her pain, day in and day out, as she carried the weight of her love for Kabir. He had watched her type out countless messages to him, messages that were never sent. He had been her confidant, her only support through it all. But now, seeing her so close to the man she had loved and yet still so far away, he couldn’t understand her decision.

“**You love him, Riya.**” Shekhar said, his voice softening but still filled with urgency. “**You always have. Why did you spend all these years searching for him if you were just going to walk away? I don’t understand. You kept texting him, thinking about him, and now, when you had the chance to fix things, you let him slip through your fingers.**”

Riya’s hands clenched the fabric of the sofa, her nails digging into the material as she spoke through her tears. “**I love him, bhai. I always will. But his happiness means more to me than anything else. And I’m not the one making him happy anymore.**” Her voice faltered as she continued, “**She’s the one keeping him smiling, not me. I’ve already lost him. It’s too late.**”

Shekhar’s anger dissipated, leaving behind a deep sadness for his sister. He had always known about Kabir, the boy who had captured his sister’s heart so completely. He had hoped that one day, Riya’s persistence would pay off, that Kabir would come back into her life and make everything right. But now, seeing her so broken, he realized that hope might have been nothing but a dream.

“**I don’t know, Riya,**” Shekhar finally said, sitting beside her and pulling her into his arms. “**I just don’t want you to regret this. You’ve waited so long for him. Maybe you still have a chance.**”

Riya shook her head again, leaning into her brother’s comforting embrace. “**No, bhai. That chance is gone. I just need to let him be happy. That’s what matters now.**”

Shekhar sighed, holding his sister close as her sobs slowly quieted. “**I don’t think it’s ever too late, Riya. But if you think letting him go is what’s best, then I’ll support you. Just remember, you deserve happiness too.**”

But as the night grew darker, Riya wasn’t sure if she could ever find happiness again. The years of searching, of loving Kabir from afar, had drained her. And now, seeing him happy with someone else, she felt that the final chapter of their story had been written. There was no going back.

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**Chapter Twenty one: Riya’s Confession**

As the weeks passed, Riya tried to bury the pain, just as Kabir had done so long ago. But Shekhar couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the story. He had seen how Riya looked at Kabir that day, and though she tried to convince herself otherwise, Shekhar knew his sister still loved him.

One evening, as they sat together on the balcony, Shekhar decided to bring it up.

“**Do you ever regret it, Riya?**” he asked, his voice low as he stared out at the city lights.

Riya didn’t need to ask what he meant. She knew. “**Every day,**” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “**Every single day. But what’s done is done. I can’t change the past.**”

“**What if you could?**” Shekhar asked, turning to face her. “**What if Kabir still cared about you? Would you go back to him?**”

Riya looked down at her hands, tears welling in her eyes again. “**I don’t know. I’ve told myself for so long that it’s too late. That he’s moved on. But part of me... part of me still loves him.**”

Shekhar reached out, taking her hand. “**Then maybe it’s not too late, Riya. Maybe there’s still time.**”

Riya met her brother’s gaze, uncertainty and hope warring within her. Could it be true? Could there still be a chance for her and Kabir?

As the city buzzed around them, Riya realized that the answer wasn’t so simple. But one thing was clear—no matter how much time had passed, Kabir still held a piece of her heart.