Author's POV
The atmosphere inside Rathore Mansion had become heavy.
No one had expected Akshara to lose her temper.
The dining table was cleared, yet the silence lingered.
Meera stood outside Akshara's room with worry etched across her face.
She knocked gently.
"Akshu?"
No response.
She pushed the door open.
The room was spotless.
The bed was untouched.
The balcony doors were open.
Her phone lay on the study table.
The room was empty.
A chill ran down her spine
Her heartbeat quickened.
Akshara never went anywhere without her phone.
Never.
She checked the washroom.
The dressing room.
The balcony.
Nothing.
She immediately rushed downstairs.
"Vikram!"
Everyone in the living room looked at her.
"What happened?" Vikram asked, standing up.
"Akshara isn't in her room."
"And her phone is still there."
The smile on everyone's face disappeared.
Vikram's POV
Vikram instantly became alert.
He knew Akshara had left breakfast upset.
He blamed himself for not stopping Reema sooner.
He looked at the security head.
"Check every CCTV camera."
The guard nodded immediately.
"Yes, Sir."
Within minutes...
The entire family gathered in the security room.
The CCTV footage began playing.
Front gate.
No sign of Akshara.
Back gate.
No sign.
Garden.
Empty.
Aryan frowned.
"She didn't leave the mansion."
Then...
A camera from the terrace appeared on the screen.
There she was.
Akshara.
Sitting alone on the edge of the rooftop swing.
Looking at the evening sky.
Everyone let out a relieved sigh.
Akshara's POV
The rooftop had become her favorite place.
It was quiet.
Peaceful.
No expectations.
No fake smiles.
Just the evening breeze.
She sat on the wooden swing, hugging her knees.
She hated herself.
Not because of what Bua had said.
But because...
She had lost control.
She had promised herself years ago...
Never to let her anger win.
Yet today...
It had.
She closed her eyes.
"Papa used to say..."
"Anger makes you weak, Akshu."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
She quickly wiped it away.
She hated crying even more than she hated anger.
Footsteps approached.
She didn't turn around.
She already knew who it was.
Vikram slowly walked onto the terrace.
He saw Akshara sitting quietly on the swing.
The setting sun painted the sky orange.
For a moment...
He simply stood there.
Then he spoke softly.
"I've been looking for you."
Akshara looked at him.
"I'm sorry."
Those two words surprised him.
"Sorry?"
She nodded.
"I lost my temper."
Vikram walked closer.
"No."
"You protected your mother."
"There is a difference."
Akshara looked away.
"I shouldn't have reacted."
Vikram leaned against the railing.
"When someone hurts the people we love..."
"We don't always react perfectly."
His voice remained calm.
"But that doesn't make us bad."
Silence settled between them.
After a while...
Vikram smiled faintly.
"You know..."
"When Aryan was eighteen..."
"He punched a wall because someone insulted his mother."
Akshara looked at him in surprise.
"He did?"
Vikram chuckled.
"I had to repaint the wall."
For the first time that evening...
A tiny smile appeared on Akshara's face.
It vanished within seconds.
But Vikram had seen it.
And somehow...
That tiny smile felt like a victory.
Author's POV
Downstairs...
The five brothers watched the terrace from the garden.
Dev looked confused.
"Dad is still talking to her."
Kabir nodded.
"He wasn't even angry."
Aryan remained silent.
He had expected Vikram to scold Akshara.
Instead...
He had gone to comfort her.
It was something Aryan hadn't expected.
Akshara's POV
As Vikram turned to leave...
He stopped.
Without looking back, he spoke.
"You don't have to carry every burden alone."
"If someday..."
"You feel like talking..."
"My door will always be open."
He walked away.
Akshara remained standing on the terrace.
For the first time since coming to Rathore Mansion...
Someone had tried to understand her...
Instead of judging her.
She looked at the sunset.
Very softly...
Almost in a whisper...
She said,
"Thank you..."
Even though Vikram was no longer there to hear it.
⸻
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