Anshika stood frozen.
Om's question had shaken her.
She wanted to answer… she really did.
But the truth—
It wasn't easy.
Because the day Om had "died"…
That day had destroyed her too.
Her humiliation had broken him…
And his death had turned her into something she never was—
A murderer.
As the memories flooded back, her eyes filled with tears. Her lips trembled, but no words came out. Her throat felt locked… suffocated by guilt.
And just when silence was about to swallow everything—
A voice broke through.
"I'll tell you."
Both Om and Anshika turned.
It was Seema.
She stood there, her face serious, her eyes heavy with everything she had seen.
She walked closer.
Anshika immediately shook her head, silently begging her to stop.
But Seema—
Couldn't.
Not anymore.
She looked at Om… and began.
"I'll tell you what happened after you left."
Her voice was steady, but emotional underneath.
"The day the news spread in college that Champu… that you were dead…"
She paused.
"Mike… Mahesh Chandvani… spread a rumor."
Om's eyes narrowed slightly.
"He told everyone that Anshika was the reason behind your death. That because she insulted you in front of everyone… you took your own life."
Silence.
Heavy.
"From that day… in everyone's eyes, Anshika became a killer."
Anshika's tears rolled down silently.
"Everywhere she went… people called her a murderer."
Seema's voice tightened.
"With time… things only got worse."
She looked down for a moment.
"Even I… thought she was responsible."
A pause.
"But not a killer."
She looked back at Om.
"I was the only one who talked to her. No one else did."
Her voice grew heavier.
"Everywhere… people called her shameless… a killer… God knows what else."
Her fists clenched.
"Mike and his friends… they wouldn't miss a single chance to torture her. They used your name… again and again… to break her."
Om's jaw tightened.
"Slowly… she started slipping into trauma."
Seema's eyes softened.
"You entered her mind… completely. And soon… even her dreams."
A deep breath.
"When her father found out… he sent both of us to Delhi to study."
"But even there…"
She shook her head.
"The nightmares didn't stop."
Anshika broke down completely now.
"She started believing… that she was the reason for your death."
Seema's voice cracked slightly.
"And because of that shock… she began having repeated head strokes."
Om's eyes widened.
"For one whole year… she went through special treatment."
Her voice dropped.
"That's how she became normal again."
A pause.
"But by then… she had completely changed."
Silence.
"And when she saw you again…"
Seema looked at Om.
"…her strokes came back."
Om felt something twist inside him.
"Even now… sometimes she wakes up at night… screaming."
Her eyes turned moist.
"Because she sees you dying… again and again."
Anshika covered her face, unable to hold back anymore.
Seema stepped closer.
"You don't know, Om… how much your death changed her life."
Her voice trembled.
"I've seen her cry alone… scream your name… stay awake all night…"
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"During her treatment… I've seen her body shaking in pain."
Her voice broke.
"The way she trembled watching you die in her dreams… I don't think even death itself punishes someone like that."
Silence.
Heavy.
Breathing felt difficult.
"I know… she made mistakes," Seema continued softly. "And I know you suffered because of her."
She looked straight into his eyes.
"But Om… she has suffered a hundred times more."
A pause.
"I know it's not easy to forgive."
Her voice softened.
"But can't you both give each other one chance?"
She glanced at Anshika.
"You changed because of her…"
Then back to Om.
"And she changed because of you."
Her final words came out like a plea—
"Yes… she made mistakes. But don't mistakes deserve forgiveness?"
A long silence followed.
Seema stopped.
And in that silence—
Everything echoed.
Om stood still.
His eyes… slightly wet.
But his gaze—
Far away.
As if he was seeing everything Seema described… right in front of him.
The pain.
The loneliness.
The punishment.
And right in front of him—
Anshika.
Broken.
Crying uncontrollably.
Seema couldn't hold herself anymore.
She stepped forward and hugged Anshika tightly.
Both of them cried.
And then—
Om moved.
Slowly.
He stepped closer to Anshika.
His voice… softer than ever.
"Anshika… I'm sorry."
She looked up, shocked.
"What happened to you… you didn't deserve that punishment."
He took a breath.
"Yes… that day, I jumped into the lake…"
A pause.
"And yes… I was ready to die."
Her heart stopped for a second.
"But the reason… wasn't you."
Her eyes widened.
"It was my hope."
His voice turned distant.
"The hope I had since childhood… that my parents would come back."
Silence.
"After years of loneliness… when I found a friend like you… I held onto that hope."
A faint, sad smile.
"And when I felt love… I held onto that too."
He looked at her.
"I wasn't hurt because you rejected me."
A pause.
"I broke… because my hope broke."
His voice lowered.
"And because I was humiliated in front of everyone."
His eyes held a quiet pain.
"I kept asking myself… what was my fault?"
A deep breath.
"But my fate… had always betrayed me."
Silence.
"That's why I chose that path."
Then softly—
"Not because of you. Never because of you."
Anshika stared at him—
Shattered.
Relieved.
Overwhelmed.
"I forgave you the day I saw you again," Om continued gently.
"So now… I want you to forgive yourself."
He extended his hand slightly.
"Let's start fresh… and move forward. Okay?"
For a moment—
Everything stopped.
Then slowly—
Through tears…
Anshika smiled.
And nodded.
Yes.
After that—
They all returned to the club.
They laughed.
They tried to forget.
Tried to move on.
And after some time—
Everyone went home.
3:00 AM.
The night had grown silent.
Anshika lay in her room, fast asleep.
Her window—
Half open.
The curtains moved gently with the wind.
And then—
A shadow appeared.
On the window.
Faint at first…
But slowly—
It began to grow.