Two Years Later, Anesha's Cottage
Anesha's friend Meera stormed into the room, her frustration evident. "Listen, Annie! You are coming with us to the nightclub tonight—no arguments, no excuses. That's final!"
Meera Khanna, Anesha's peer and closest confidante, had been her rock since high school. Their friendship was as steadfast as family, and to their close circle, Anesha was fondly known as "Annie."
Meera's firm tone made worry flicker across Anesha's beautiful, serene face. The thought of a nightclub was the last thing she wanted to entertain.
Pacing the room, she implored, "Meera, please try to understand. I just… I don't feel like going, and you know why. Please, go with Mahi. I can't come with you."
Meera's patience, already stretched thin over the past two years, snapped. Once upon a time, Anesha would reluctantly agree to Meera's spontaneous plans, even to a nightclub visit. But for the last two years, everything had changed. Invitations were met with evasions or outright refusals.
Suppressing her growing irritation, Meera quipped, "Oh, Annie, darling! Tonight, your lame excuses won't work. And for the record, by my calculation, it's been six days since your period started. So don't even try that. Also, I'm not asking you to chug wine or vodka. All I'm asking is for you to show up, keep me company, and sip some… milk! Sorry, I mean juice."
Meera's sarcasm made Anesha purse her lips in helplessness. She sat cross-legged on the bed, her hazel-green eyes soft with quiet resignation.
Unbeknownst to Meera, Anesha's silence held a secret.
Four years ago, Anesha had entered into a contract marriage with Devansh Kapoor to save her younger brother, Manan. At the time, she had told her friends she was moving abroad for Manan's treatment. Two years ago, she returned—but she was no longer the same Anesha they had known.
Gone was the vivacious, cheerful girl they had loved. In her place was someone subdued, haunted, and profoundly changed. The spark in her eyes had dimmed, and the once-radiant smile that lit up every room had vanished. Anesha, who had been the heart of their group, now seemed lost in her own shadows.
Her friends, including Meera, had repeatedly tried to uncover the cause of her sorrow, but she always evaded their questions. Tonight, however, Meera had resolved to take matters into her own hands. She couldn't stand by and watch her best friend crumble any longer. After a heated debate, Meera finally managed to break through Anesha's resistance.
"Fine," Anesha sighed, her voice low and reluctant. "I'll come with you, but only for a little while."
Meera grinned victoriously and leaned in to kiss Anesha's cheek. "Ah, my dearest princess! Even spending a few precious moments with you at the nightclub feels like a blessing."
Anesha managed a faint smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. After some light conversation, Meera left the cottage. Once inside her car, she dialed her friends and, in a conspiratorial whisper, said, "Get ready, my dear bats. Our Cinderella is stepping out tonight. Whatever it takes, we're finding out what's been haunting her."
"Understood, Your Majesty," came the mock-serious reply from the other end, drawing an exasperated eye-roll from Meera.
Back at the Cottage
Anesha retreated to the washroom to freshen up. Her younger brother, Manan, was at school. Now fourteen years old, Manan was busy preparing for his board exams.
Splashing cold water on her face, Anesha gazed at her reflection in the mirror. For a moment, she stared blankly, her hollow eyes meeting their own. Then, to her horror, her reflection began to smirk—a cold, mocking smile.
"Do you really think you're some kind of savior?" the reflection sneered. "That you're noble for saving your brother's life? That marrying a stranger and bearing his child made you a saint?"
The cruel voice filled the silent room as the reflection let out a bitter laugh.
"No, Anesha Mathur. You're a coward. You saved your brother, yes, but at what cost? What about your child? The one who carries your blood? You always claimed to love your family, to do anything for them. So where were your principles, your morals, your courage when it came to fighting for your own baby? You abandoned them, didn't you?"
Tears welled up in Anesha's hazel-green eyes, cascading down her cheeks as her reflection's words struck like a dagger. The truth she had buried for years now stood glaring back at her. She had saved her brother, but in doing so, she had sacrificed something far greater—her child.
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What lies ahead for Anesha at the nightclub?
Will her friends uncover the truth?
To know…
To be continued…