### Chapter 13: Echoes in the Pages
377 Words
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The days that followed were filled with gentle attempts and quiet discoveries.
Aaryan visited Aarush daily, bringing books, puzzles, and snacks — simple things that helped them bond.
But fatherhood, he quickly learned, wasn't just about presence. It was about **patience**.
Aarush barely spoke.
He smiled sometimes, watched quietly, but rarely engaged.
And each time Meera entered the room, the boy would cling to her side.
Anjali noticed.
“Don’t be discouraged,” she told Aaryan gently one evening. “He’s learning to trust.”
“I don’t blame him,” Aaryan sighed. “He’s already lost too much.”
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Meanwhile, Anjali sat alone in the study one night, leafing again through **Rhea’s diary**.
She had read it a dozen times.
But this time, a folded piece of paper slipped out from the last page — sealed.
It wasn’t addressed to Aaryan… it was addressed to **Meera**.
With trembling hands, Anjali opened it.
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**"Meera,**
If you’re reading this, then you’ve kept your promise.
You took care of my son when no one else did.
But I need you to know something.
There’s more to Aarush’s past than even you are aware.
Sara’s death… wasn’t an accident.
She found something she shouldn’t have. And someone made sure she stayed silent."**
Anjali’s breath caught in her throat.
**"Protect the boy. Keep him away from anyone who might come looking."**
The letter ended without a name.
But the threat was real.
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The next morning, Anjali showed the letter to Aaryan.
He was silent for a long time.
Then: “This means Kiara… may not have been the only enemy.”
Anjali nodded slowly. “There’s more going on than we thought.”
And for the first time, Aaryan didn’t just feel like a husband or a father.
He felt like a protector.
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Later that week, they returned to the orphanage with legal documents in hand.
The adoption process had been fast-tracked. Anjali had signed as a witness.
Aaryan was finally declared **Aarush’s legal guardian.**
But as they walked out with the boy between them, a black car sat quietly across the street.
Inside, a man was watching.
**Not Kiara. Not Meera. Someone new.**
And in his hand…
was another page from Rhea’s diary.
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