Falling Destiny

Episode 37 : "A glimpse of Truth"

(Neha’s POV )

It’s been five days since Disha and the baby came home from the hospital. Life has shifted into a fragile, beautiful chaos.

I’ve thrown myself completely into caring for them. Every hour of my day revolves around feedings, lullabies, and watching over Disha like a hawk. I’ve barely slept. Even when I try, I find myself waking up just to make sure the baby is breathing or that Disha hasn’t gotten up without help. It’s like my body refuses to let go of this new responsibility. It’s the least I can do—for her, for Sanchit, for the tiny piece of him that’s now with us.

But Disha, being Disha, isn’t someone who lets anyone coddle her for too long.

This morning, she looked at me with that determined glare of hers and said, “Neha, either you go back to work tomorrow or I’ll stop letting you fuss over me altogether.”

I tried to argue, but she was firm. “I can take care of my daughter. You’ve done more than enough. It’s time you start doing something for yourself again.”

I knew there was no winning that battle. So I nodded. Quietly.

Rohit, meanwhile, has become a daily part of our little world. He drops by like clockwork, always with something in his hands—a rattle, a soft blanket, new baby socks. Our house now looks like a toy shop exploded inside it. Disha scolds him for spoiling the baby, but she’s smiling the whole time.

The moment I’ll never forget, though, was when he held the baby in his arms. His hands trembled slightly, and for a brief second, I saw a tear pool in the corner of his eye. He blinked it away and smiled like nothing happened. But I saw it.

He cares deeply. I know that now.

As for Veer... he’s been checking in on me constantly through text. Just simple things.

“How are you feeling today?” “Need anything?” “Is Disha doing better?”

I’d kept the conversations short. I wasn’t sure what I felt when it came to him—not after that night and the complicated emotions that followed. But today, I replied:

“I’ll be coming tomorrow.”

---

The next morning, a sleek black Mercedes pulled up in front of my building at exactly 10:30 AM. The contrast between the luxury of that car and the simplicity of our street was stark. I’d barely had time to gather my things before the driver opened the door for me with a polite nod.

By 11, I arrived at the mansion.

Veer was waiting near the entrance, dressed in a charcoal black shirt with sleeves rolled to his elbows. He looked calm, collected... familiar in a way I was still trying to understand.

“You came,” he said with a soft smile. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright,” I replied, avoiding eye contact for a second too long.

Before either of us could say more, Ruhani appeared and wrapped her arms around me.

“I missed you!” she chirped, holding me tightly. “You were gone for days—it felt like forever.”

Her warmth made me smile. It felt good to be missed.

We spent the next few hours in the dance room. I slipped back into the rhythm, letting music guide my body, pushing the heaviness in my chest to the background.

But then—Ruhani got a call.

Her phone lit up, and her expression shifted instantly. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed, replaced with a quiet urgency.

“I need to go. Something important came up. I’ll be back in half an hour,” she told me quickly. “Just relax, okay? The maids will take care of you.”

And just like that, she was gone.

I waited in the now-quiet room for a few minutes, but something in me felt restless. I wasn’t used to sitting still anymore. So I wandered out to the garden.

The air was fresh. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, painting gold on the cobbled paths. I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaling the fragrance of the blooming flowers. The scent grounded me—roses, lavender, something faintly citrusy.

But then... a sharp, familiar smell hit my nose.

Orchids.

My throat constricted immediately. My allergy to them is no joke. I coughed and quickly turned away, walking toward the other side of the garden to get some distance.

That’s when I saw it.

A gate.

Large. Iron. Tucked in the far corner, half-covered by a hanging vine. It looked out of place, as if it wasn’t meant to be noticed. The more I stared at it, the more wrong it felt.

No one was around.

And yet, my heart began to beat a little faster.

I told myself to go back, to return to the room, to not get involved. But my feet had a different plan.

I moved toward the gate slowly, cautiously, as though I was being pulled by something beyond logic. My fingers brushed against the cold handle. It creaked open with a sound that echoed too loud in the silence.

Darkness.

A long, dim hallway stretched ahead. I hesitated, then took a single step in.

That’s when I heard it.

A cry. Guttural. Pained. Muffled.

My breath caught in my throat.

I knew I should’ve turned back. But I didn’t. I moved forward, one slow step at a time.

Then I saw them.

Veer.

And a man.

The man was tied to a chair, bloodied, slumped forward. Veer stood over him, his fists clenched, his face stone cold. His entire presence radiated fury. Raw, terrifying rage.

I froze.

My mind struggled to make sense of what I was seeing. This wasn’t the Veer I knew. This wasn’t the man who asked me how I was doing. This was someone else entirely. Someone dangerous.

A strangled gasp escaped me.

Veer turned.

His eyes locked on mine.

In that moment, time stood still.

Then I turned and ran.

My legs felt like lead, but adrenaline pushed me forward. I barely made it past the gate when I felt a firm grip around my arm. He’d caught up.

“Neha—” he said, his voice lower, harder than I’d ever heard.

I couldn’t even breathe.