Abir was standing in his office, gazing out the glass wall deep in thought. Just then, Adil entered the cabin, came over to Abir's side, and asked, "You still haven't talked to her, have you?"
Abir didn't respond. He continued to stare blankly outside, his face expressionless. Adil took a deep breath, placed a hand on Abir's shoulder, turned him to face him, and said, "You've tortured her without reason. You've made her suffer every single moment. I understand you didn't know the truth back then, but now you do. So, what have you decided to do?"
Abir sighed. "I don't know what to do, Adil. I haven't talked to her. I can't even look her in the eyes… how am I supposed to talk to her?"
Adil nodded sympathetically. "I get it. But you'll have to apologize. And it's up to her whether she forgives you or not."
Abir looked away. "I'll apologize to her and let her go back to her own world. I won't interfere in her life again. I know what I did was wrong, but I can't keep her in captivity anymore. I'll take her back to her family."
Adil replied, "That's the right thing to do. She's been through so much. She deserves a chance to live her life in peace, whether or not she forgives you."
Abir looked at Adil, a bit suspicious. "How did you find out all this? And where did you get that footage?"
Adil explained, "When I looked at Ayana, all I could see was innocence. I couldn't believe she could be capable of murder. I just couldn't accept it. So, I started investigating. I found out about Tashvi's friends and questioned them. That's when I learned Ayana only met Tashvi and Avi for the first time on his birthday. They didn't know each other before that. Then, I discovered that Avi was a womanizer. He was never interested in Tashvi; his eyes were on Ayana from the moment he saw her."
Adil continued, "I tracked down Avi's close friend, Amit. At first, he refused to tell me anything. But after I offered him money, he spilled everything and gave me the video. I already have people keeping an eye on things. They'll keep us updated."
Abir asked, "Any updates on Avi? And we still need that video of Tashvi from him."
Adil nodded. "He's still in Mumbai. I met him yesterday. He's coming to the Sejal Vilas anniversary party tonight."
Hearing this, Abir clenched his fists, his expression cold and stern. Adil noticed this and said, "Relax, Abir. Don't lose your control. You need to stay calm and show nothing on your face around Avi, or he might suspect something. At least until we get that video of Tashvi from him."
Abir nodded. "Yeah, I understand. By the way, you're coming to the party too, right?"
Adil replied, "Yes, but don't wait for me. I'll join after finishing an important task. Alright, I'll see you at the party." Saying this, Adil left, and Abir immersed himself back in his work.
---
Nightfall
Ayana was sitting on the balcony, lost in thought. Suddenly, she sensed someone in the room. She quickly walked back inside and saw Abir standing in front of the dressing table, getting ready. She silently watched him, her gaze fixed on him. Abir could feel her eyes on him, but he didn't look her way. He was avoiding her because he couldn't bring himself to face her. He'd decided to talk to her only after returning from the party.
Once Abir finished getting ready, he glanced at her briefly, then left the room without saying a word. Ayana watched him leave, wondering, Is Abir ignoring me? He hasn't spoken to me since last night. It's been over a year, and not once has he gone a day without speaking to me, even if it was only to hurt me. But now, he's completely ignoring me…?
---
Sejal Vilas – At the Party
Abir stood by his father, watching the crowd. A short distance away, in a corner, Maya and Sagar were observing him.
Sagar asked, "What do you think, Mom? Will they talk to each other or not?"
Maya smirked. "The less they talk to each other, the better for us. Not that we have anything to do with Abir, anyway."
Suddenly, a voice behind them interrupted, "Even if you don't, you still do, Mrs. Rajvansh."
They turned to see Avi approaching them. He greeted Maya with a sly smile, "Happy anniversary, Mrs. Rajvansh."
Maya replied, "When did you arrive, Avi?"
Sagar chimed in, "It's been two days, Mom. Avi was here on some business, and I invited him to the party."
Meanwhile, Abir moved toward the bar area, ordering a drink. He kept a watchful eye on Avi, his jaw clenched and his face expressionless. Rage simmered within him as he struggled to contain his urge to confront Avi right then and there. But he remembered Adil's words and forced himself to keep his emotions in check.
Everyone was engrossed in the party when suddenly, all eyes turned toward the entrance. Avi's eyes widened in surprise, and others looked on with shock as someone unexpected entered.