9 PM…
Saaniya’s Cabin
The room, filled with darkness, brightened for a moment as Saaniya opened the door and stepped inside. But the moment the door closed behind her, the darkness returned.
Saaniya took off her white doctor’s coat and placed it on the table. She walked over to the calendar hanging on the wall.
A mark had been made on a date exactly one week from today. Looking at it, her face remained expressionless, like that of a stone statue.
She muttered to herself while glancing around, "Two days from now… it’s Aditya’s birthday, but… as far as I remember… this should have been the day when I…"
Her words faltered. Her eyes lowered as if carrying an unbearable weight.
She moved to the window and drew the curtain aside. Gazing at the sparkling stars in the sky, she whispered,
"I wanted to tell her… at least this much… that buying a gift for Aditya’s birthday is pointless! He will never celebrate his birthday on the day of his parents’ death… but… seeing the love in her eyes, I couldn’t say anything! I had never seen Anamika act this way before… Especially this month! Aditya… what have you done…?! I brought her to you to fulfill her dream, but now it seems… you’ve become her dream, which is absolutely wrong! It will hurt her… and maybe even you!"
She took a deep breath, leaning against the wall, lost in thought.
Moments later, there was a knock at the door. Without turning, Saaniya said, "Come in!"
After hearing the door open and close, she asked, "Has Dr. Niharika sent the new reports, Mr. Rudra?"
A voice replied, "I’m not Rudra!"
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Saaniya turned and saw Aniket clearly in the moonlight streaming through the window. He looked serious.
"Can I know the reason for this sudden visit?" Saaniya asked calmly.
Aniket said, "Tell Anamika to stop!"
"What?!" Saaniya asked, pretending she had no idea what he was talking about.
Aniket stepped closer.
“I found out from Ayush that Anamika is planning something for Aditya’s birthday. Is that true? Maybe you don’t know, but Aditya no longer celebrates his birthday! Please… tell Anamika that there’s no need for any preparations! Her preparations will only cause him pain!"
"Alright!" Saaniya replied, averting her gaze. Seeing this, Aniket asked himself, "What? That easily?! How… you never agree so easily! Has something happened? Are you okay?"
He stood silently, lost in his thoughts. Saaniya narrowed her eyes at him and said, "What? Why are you standing like that? Do you have anything else to say… if not, leave!"
Saaniya had emotionally prepared herself, but this still surprised her.
Aniket gently touched her forehead and asked, "Do you want to know the reason?"
It was almost a test, and Saaniya answered, resolute: "No. I don’t want to know. If… you say Aditya won’t celebrate his birthday, then he won’t. And neither Anamika nor I need to know why."
His expression darkened. He sensed something was off.
He put his hands in his pockets and said, "It’s his parents’ death anniversary… let him be alone that day! Please… just let him be alone for one day!"
Saaniya avoided his gaze, not wanting to meet his eyes. She only nodded lightly and said, "Don’t worry… I… I’ll give Anamika some excuse!"
After watching her for a few moments, Aniket began to leave. At the door, he paused, turned slightly toward Saaniya, and asked, "Are you okay?"
Saaniya looked at him and said, "Nothing can happen to me! Now go!"
Hearing this, Aniket lingered a moment longer and said, "Alright! You don’t want to tell me now… or you don’t want me to know… fine! But… someday… tell someone! Take care! And add some light in this room! Darkness is never good… at least not in a doctor’s room!"
As he left, the door slowly closed, and the faint light from outside gradually faded away.
Saaniya sat on her chair, closed her eyes, and whispered, "Not everyone is destined for light! For some, darkness is the only part of their life!"
Elsewhere… Aditya’s Company
Anamika sat in her cabin. Her face was expressionless, but tears glimmered in her eyes. She wiped them away and smiled, saying to herself,
"You have to stay happy, Anu… keep smiling… After all, Aditya’s birthday is coming! You can’t be sad on his birthday, or… he’ll feel sad too! I won’t let him be sad because of my past!"
Yet another tear slipped from her eye. She heard a voice: "You won’t forget… and you’ll never move forward! Don’t you know that?"
Anamika hugged herself tightly and screamed, "Leave me alone! Let me be alone!"
The lights burned brightly in the room, yet darkness filled her vision. She had created it herself.
"My child… why must you endure this? You were happy with me… then why choose this path? Why?"
Covering her ears, she cried out: "I was never happy in the cage you built! My happiness is now… the life I live today… that is my dream! I hate my past… I hate the curse it brought!”
"So I was a curse!" the voice said, then fell silent.
Anamika opened her eyes to find herself alone.
She whispered, "Why did our story end like this?! Couldn’t it have been different…?! Why… did we have to face this reality?"
