~•} C H A P T E R|26 {•~
With utmost courage and determination, Naina finally twisted the doorknob and opened the door with a racing heart and fuzzy mind.
Hearing the door of the room being opened, Raina who was still pointlessly thinking about Aakarsh, and the sudden bomb he dropped on her in the noon turned and her blank face showed sheer surprise seeing the person standing there.
Raina's black widened eyes stared back at Naina's light brown ones as they both seemed frozen in their spots.
Naina didn't take a step forward after opening the door and was just standing in the doorway staring at her sister whose face showed different emotions.
Raina was stunned deeply to find Naina here after so long. Or more precisely after that incident.
Sure, they did meet in between but it was always light talks related to nothing serious.
And today when she wasn't expecting her at all, Naina was here.
"Naina," Raina called out breaking their staring session in a voice above barely above a whisper.
Naina got the needed permission and stepped inside with a huge smile sitting behind Raina on the bed.
Though Raina knew her smile was fake and she was anything but happy.
"What brought you here?" Raina questioned exhaling softly while gazing at the white wall in front of her.
Naina's brows furrowed together hearing Raina's question. Her sister was indirectly telling her that she wasn't welcomed here today...
It meant one thing, Raina didn't want to talk because she didn't want to break down.
Naina knew her sister enough to assume this.
"Can't I come here to meet you?" Naina asked back with a slight smile dancing on her lips.
"Yes, you can..." Raina trailed off not knowing what to say.
Somewhere in her heart, she held the slightest grudge that Naina had not once come to meet her when she was going through all that cheating thing.
For sure, she needed to be left out alone to think clearly but still not to be left out this alone...
Didn't make sense but still.
Naina's shoulder drooped as she nipped at her lower lip knowing why her sister was behaving like this.
But how could she explain that it was for Raina's good only!
Naina heaved a deep sigh and held Raina's hand in hers and tried to explain, "Raina. . . You dealt with everything so strongly. If I would have come to meet you, you would have fallen weak and broken down as you know how emotional I am. I wanted you to make decisions on your own and not get influenced by my so-called emotions..."
Naina trailed off as another little bittersweet memory of that day swirled in her mind.
{{Flashback
After Naina got the news of Aakarsh performing adultery due to his photos being viral, she was hell worried for her sister.
She paced here and there in distress waiting for Aakarsh and Raina to return from the little disastrous trip they went on.
The moment the duo entered the mansion, her eyes almost teared up seeing the tough facade Raina was putting up. She knew that Raina was hurting inside and breaking slowly into bits by bits but made sure to not show it on her face and put on a strong facade.
No one said a word to Aakarsh. She was too caught up to check on her sister to even glance at the vile man standing beside Raina.
Just when she tried to take a step near Raina, Raina signaled with her eyes not to and went to a guestroom without uttering a single word.
Her heart clenched painfully seeing her in this state. She wanted nothing more than to hug her sister but gave her the much-needed space for tonight and went to see her husband who was as disturbed as hers.
The next morning when she was all set to go and see her sister she felt a tug on her arm and looked behind to see her husband standing there with a slight frown and cynical expression.
She raised her eyebrows and he just sighed.
"Don't go." She heard him say and this time fully turned towards him with her eyes widened with shock.
"Aadars—"
"I know you are going to check on Raina but don't go, please." He ran a hand through his thick hair in frustration.
"Why?" Her forehead creased.
And then she heard the thing which once again broke her heart,
"See Naina, you and I both know how emotional you are. You just think from your heart and let it overrule your mind. I don't want you to fill Raina's mind with that right now. Let her think about what's right for her without making her weak with emotions." He closed his eyes for a brief second and stared at her.
She could feel something breaking inside her. Her breathing shallowed as she nonetheless smiled painfully.
He had stated the truth with good intentions.
He and his words had always affected her and this time too they did... very deeply in that context.
And without telling her, called her an 'emotional fool'.
He was correct though.
His words were true
Absolutely true.
But who said true words do not hurt?
They do hurt sometimes. More than necessary like a dagger stabbing your heart and your heart bleeding out but still pumping blood being injured and every time the heart moves it hurts more and more...
She decided then and there that she wouldn't pass this emotional foolishness to her sister and let her be strong and take the decision which would be right for her without getting weak due to her presence.
And true to her thoughts she didn't spread her weak vibes to her sister and let her deal with this alone.
Flashback end}}
Naina's trance was broken by Raina who side-hugged her catching her by surprise.
"You can never make me weak Naina. Your emotions aren't your weakness. You are my strength who always makes me stronger. So, Never. Call. Yourself. Weak!" Raina's every word was laced with determination and her tone firm as she broke the hug and gazed into Naina's eyes which were blurred with newly formed tears.
"But I am very emotional," Naina argued sniffing slightly and wiping her newly formed tears.
"Just like our mother. But she wasn't weak, was she? She fought until she could take no longer." Raina murmured smiling softly making Naina smile too.
They were back to normal and Naina couldn't be happier!
Shaking her head, Naina asked what she came here for, "You and Aakarsh are going for a vacation?"
"Yes?" Raina replied lowly but it came out more like a question as she averted her eyes from Naina.
Naina clutched her chin and made her look into her eyes directly, "Don't avoid eye contact with me Raina. I know better. Now you say, why didn't you deny?"
"I simply wasn't able to..." Raina's voice wavered at the end as she sighed deeply.
Naina frowned slightly as her eyes raked towards Raina's balled fists which were clutching the bedsheet into their grasp, her controlled breathing, and her eyes which were blankly staring ahead towards the window.
She was trying hard to control herself from breaking down.
Once again her heart clenched painfully for her sister who always tries her best to show that things don't affect her but Naina knew that they actually do and a lot on that.
Raina might deal with everything maturely and calmly but she was still a child by a heart whose mother was snatched at a young age leaving her alone in this cruel world.
She tried her best not to break down until she couldn't take it longer...
Naina moved forward wrapping her arms around her sister who was caught by surprise but wrapped her arms around her too.
"It will be fine," Naina hushed gently patting Raina's head who just mumbled, "Everything is fi-ne." her voice cracked at the end as the first tear trickled down from her beautiful orb.
Naina's eyes widen as she tried to contain the hurricane of emotions inside her and interrogated, "What happened Raina? Why are you so scared? Tell me. I beg you to tell me please," her voice quivered and tone very gentle.
Hearing the plea, care, and desperation to know Raina finally broke down like never before finding someone who was feeling pain due to her being in distress.
Her shoulders shook as heartwrenching sobs wrecked out her body, finally letting all her pent-up emotions out for everything she had been through in the last few days, the pain she endured, and whatever she felt as Naina held her tight while tears streamed down her own eyes.
Her sister was crying like never before, how could she not?
After what felt like an eternity, Raina started to calm down but tears continued to storm down her eyes.
Once again Naina asked this time a lot softly, "What happened?" her voice coming out hoarse due to her own crying session.
Raina was able to feel a lot lighter but still, there was a lot left, she needed to let everything out...
She felt the need to.
Especially when a person was holding her up and crying in her pain without even knowing the reason for her cries.
And then she told her everything from the start. The night when Aakarsh left her alone in Shimla to the day when he asked her to go on a vacation.
Naina could feel herself shake with the amount of anger she was feeling, her jaw was clenched and her body rigid.
As they finally broke the hug, Naina stared at Raina's face and asked, "Why are you still living with him?"
"Not like I have a choice until one year... Also, he is trying to change and I am trying to analyze the whole situation." Raina answered wiping away her tears.
"Do you think it is safe to go with him?"
"I don't know but... I feel that will benefit me as I need a change of mind." Raina shrugged.
Naina sighed running a hand over her face and murmured, "Just keep your phone on... And I am sorry. Somewhere even I am responsible for the trauma that night caused you. Only if I picked up—"
"There is no benefit in thinking what-ifs. The night is over let's get over it please?" Raina hushed exhaling softly.
Naina nodded her head with a slight smile and told, "Even I am going with Aadarsh..."
"On a honeymoon?" Raina asked all excited, no one could say she cried so much.
"Arghh... I wish. But on a business meeting right now." Naina swirled her eyes displeased.
"Oho! Still your first trip... Ahnn..." Raina nudged her teasingly to which Naina could feel her cheeks getting warmer and here she was back to her old self.
}}}}}}•{{{{{{
Yuvraj groaned frustratedly hearing another demand, "Papa, don't apply this much chocolate sauce on the pancake. It should be just in the correct quantity or else it would turn bitter." Yuvika mumbled chewing her pancake bite which Yuvraj fed her.
Currently, Yuvraj was feeding his princess her lunch which was pancakes with the chocolate sauce not on the top but kept on the side of the plate which was to apply with each bite and that too incorrect quantity.
"Argh... You know nothing... This one didn't have the much-needed sauce." Yuvika rolled her eyes chewing another bite like it was her least favorite thing.
"I know to feed like this only," Yuvraj said huffing slightly and cutting another bite with the fork.
"Then learn from Maa," Yuvika stated as a matter of face whereas Yuvraj glared at her.
"What?" Yuvika asked narrowing her eyes trying to show her anger but looking cute as her little nose scrunched a little and Yuvraj placed a little kiss on her nose to which she giggled.
"Wait, lemme show you how to do it, Papa." Yuvika sighed seeing him applying the wrong quantity of sauce again to which Yuvraj frowned but gave her the plate.
Yuvika successfully cut her pancake with a fork and ate her bite dipping it in just the right amount of sauce and Yuvraj narrowed his eyes at her.
"You know how to eat yourself so why were you troubling me!?" He accused shaking his head.
"Maa taught me. But you never asked if I know to eat so why should I tell you?"
Her attitude screamed Rathore blood and Yuvraj's lips curled into the slightest smile as he ruffled her hair to which she hugged angrily making him laugh this time.
"Papa, where is Maa?" She asked finishing her lunch.
"She is busy in hiding." Yuvraj couldn't control and words just flew out of his mouth.
"Hnn?"
"I mean she is busy shopping." Yuvraj rolled his eyes at his so visible lie which his daughter believed.
"Oh."
"Let's call her, what say?" His lips twitched into ever so visible smirk.
This was going to be fun.
So much fun!
"Yes," Yuvika squealed and Yuvraj dialed Ruhanika's phone.
}}}}}}•{{{{{{
Ruhanika munched on her burger as Ishani ate her pasta.
After a lot of searching for the cheaper products and getting them billed, they were hungry.
Currently, they were sitting in the food court of the mall obviously with their guards sitting at two tables behind them.
"Are you sure you will use all those?" Ruhanika asked looking at the shopping bags filled with cringy things.
"Any doubt?" Ishani raised her eyebrow challenging her to defy.
"This ain't good," Ruhanika murmured.
"Better than behaving like a tv serial daughter-in-law all day, at least." Ishani mocked not liking her comments.
"Someone can be a housewife with their own will. You aren't supposed to criticize them." Her voice was low but her tone firm.
"But who said housewives don't deserve respect?" Ishani retorted seriously while Ruhanika blankly stared ahead.
"They don't give a damn about you. The family treats you like you don't have feelings. You can be a housewife but a housewife does the work out of love and respect which they don't give you." Ishani stated looking directly into Ruhanika's eyes.
Just then Ruhanika's phone ringed making her frown.
Picking up the tissue paper, she wiped her greasy hands and mouth.
She searched for her phone and her eyes went wide in horror as she found two missed calls from the great Yuvraj Rathore.
Unfortunately, she was too slow in her actions to pick up the phone in time.
Ishani frowned seeing Ruhanika's face drained of all colors.
This time she dialed his number with shivering hands while her heart raced insanely in her ribcage.
Her palms turned clammy as she waited for him to pick up the phone and then she heard his gruff voice...

Target- 700+
How did it came out?
Yuvraj?
Yuvika?
Twin sis?
Ruhanika and Ishani?
Take Care❤️
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