Page 1 of Shattered

Prologue

Kavya

Bangalore

One accident. A few seconds. That’s all it took for my life to be shattered. The pain in my chest is unbearable, a constant reminder of the loss I’ve endured. I still don’t know how to let go, how to survive this. My heart aches as I try to imagine a life without them—without my mom, without my dad.

The soft beeping sound of the machine pulls me from my haunting thoughts, reminding me of the one person I still have with me—my sister,Nisha.Tears well up as I gaze down at her fragile form lying on the hospital bed, barely clinging to life. Desperation fills my heart as I take a deep breath and send a silent prayer to God.Please, God, don’t take her away from me. I’ve already lost too much, and my heart can’t bear another crushing blow. I can’t lose my baby sister... she’s all I have left.

If ithadn’t beenfor the crucial job interview I had lined up, I would have been in the car with them on that fateful road trip when the truck hit their vehicle. The trip to Coorg was planned to celebrate Nisha’s final B. Com results, and my parents and Nisha begged me to join them.But I couldn’t. I had to focus onthe interview with a top multinational company for a marketing executive position. At just twenty-five, it was an opportunity too good to pass up, especially as a recent MBA graduate in marketing.

Coming from a middle-class family, with my dad, Ramesh Grewal, a chartered accountant and my mom, Smita Grewal, a school teacher, I understood the importance of securing a good job.They poured everything into giving Nisha and me a good life, and I always dreamed of the day I could repay them.I desperately wanted to help and support them financially, to ease some of their burden. But now they’re gone, and I can’t help but feel this aching emptiness, knowing I’ll never get the chance to give back to the ones who gave me everything.It breaks my heart to realise there’s nothing more I can do for them.

As memories flood back, grief consumes me, making my lips quiver. How desperately I wish this were all just a nightmare, something I could simply wake up from. But the relentless beeping of the machines tethered to Nisha reminds me that it’s no dream, but a cruel reality. My hands tighten around the bed’s side rail, a sudden wave of anguish threatening to break me. I want to fall apart and cry until there’s nothing left inside. But I just can’t afford to wallow in my sorrows, not when my sister needs me. I have to stay strong for the glimmer of hope that remains—for Nisha.

As I continue to stare at my sister, the doctor’s words from a few minutes ago replay in my mind:“She has slipped into a coma, and there’s no telling when—or if—she’ll wake. It could be hours, days, months, or even years.”Those words had hit me hard, causing my heart to momentarily seize.But when I look at her now—her chest rising and falling, even if aided by machines—I cling to the simple fact that she’s still alive and here with me.Time doesn’t matter anymore.She can take all the time she needs. All I want is for her to open her eyes and breathe on herown again, free from the mechanical breaths forced upon her by the ventilator.

But the more I see her swollen face, wrapped in bandages, the more dread slams into me.What if she doesn’t pull through? What if I lose her, too?The room suddenly feels stifling, suffocating me. I force myself to breathe, to calm the frantic beating of my heart, but I am too vulnerable right now to handle anything.

As if sensing my turmoil, I hear my mom’s voice echoing in my mind:“You’re stronger than you realise, my dear. You can overcome anything as long as you hold onto hope. Stay composed. Your sister needs you now more than ever.”I swallow hard, trying to suppress the lump forming in my throat. She’s right. I can’t afford to break down. In the past, we always leaned on our mom for strength, and she never ever faltered. She was our rock, the epitome of resilience. Even now, after she’s gone, I can still feel her presence with me, givingme the courage I so desperately need.

Wiping my tears away, I give myself a pep talk,“Kavya, there’s no time for fear or for dwelling on the pain. You have to handle this alone. Whether you are prepared or not doesn’t matter. You must regain control and bury your emotions deep within. It’s not about you; it’s about your sister. She now depends on you.”

I lose all sense of time, feeling as though I’ve been sitting here for an eternity. Suddenly, a blur of movement outside the room catches my eye. I raise my head and catch a glimpse of Deepak standing on the other side through the small glass window on the door. He’s here.Relief floods over me.Oh God, I need him more than ever right now. Earlier in the day, I had called him and shared the worst news of my life. Through my tears, I pleaded for him to come quickly. He promised he’d be with me as soon as he could. Deepak Raichand, my fiancé andmysteadfastsupport, has been by my side for two years now. We met in college, and fell in love. When we shared the news with my parents, they were ecstatic. They welcomed Deepak into our family with open arms. Although we couldn’t wait to marry, we decided to hold off until we were both wereestablishedin our careers—me finding a job and him taking over his father’s import-export business. Despite coming from wealth, Deepak never let that affect our relationship, and that’s one of the many reasons I fell in love with him. He brings me joy and cares for me deeply.

“Hey,” he says softly as he steps into the room and stands in front of me.

The moment his voice reaches my ears, something inside me shatters. I nod at him, trying to put on a brave face, but I can’t hold back any longer. The floodgates of emotion burst open, and tears pour out uncontrollably. I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his stomach and cry my heart out.

He gently runs his fingers through my hair. “Shhh… I am sorry, sweetheart. Everything will be okay,” he whispers.

Unable to say anything, I hold onto him tighter and continue to sob.

“Kavya, I know this... this isn’t the right moment, but we have to talk,” his voice trembles hesitantly, capturing my attention. I lift my head, locking my eyes with his dark brown ones.

“Is everything alright?” I ask, my voice wavering as I cross my fingers in a desperate plea, praying there’s no more devastating news waiting to strike.

He sighs heavily and runs his fingers through his dark hair. “I didn’t want to say it like this, but I don’t have a choice...” He pauses, closing his eyes as if to gather his thoughts.

“Deepak, please, just tell me what’s wrong. You’re scaring me,” I whisper softly.

He opens his eyes, then suddenly drops to his knees and takes my hands in his, his gaze locked with mine. “I am sorry, Kavya. I am really sorry,” he says, his voice filled with remorse. “I know this is my fault, and it’s going to hurt you, but I can’t keep it from you any longer.” He takes a trembling breath and blurts out, “I’ve been sleeping with Maya, and she’s pregnant with my child.”

“Pregnant?” I ask, my voice crackingas I jerk my hand away from his and place my trembling palm over my heart.

“I know I may seem like the devil given the circumstances, but try to see things from my perspective. It’s been years since we’ve been together in a relationship, and you’ve barely let me touch you, beyond just hugs and kisses. I am a man, Kavya. I have needs too,” he argues, attempting to justify his actions. I stare at him blankly in stunned silence, wondering if he’s truly the person I fell in love with.

“So, you’re saying it’s my fault that you cheated on me?” I mutter in disgust, still grappling with the enormity of what he’s just confessed. “Do you even hear yourself? Are you aware of how selfish you sound? Just because I wanted to wait until our wedding to make it special, you chose to betray me behind my back, that too, with my best friend. Physical desires matter more to you than our emotional bond. My feelings, my love, my care—dothey mean nothing to you?” I accuse, the sting of betrayal coursing through me as I take deep breaths, fighting to control the overwhelming rush of emotion.

“Kavya—” he begins to speak, but I hold up my hand, cutting him off.

“How long?” I force the words through gritted teeth, my heart plummeting to the pit of my stomach.How could I have been so blind? How could I have let myself trust him so completely? How could he have toyed with my heart like this?

He drops his head, his voice barely above a whisper as he mumbles, “A year.”

“A year?” I repeat, incredulous. “A whole year you kept me in the dark, playing with my emotions? And you choose to break the news today, of all days, when I am barely holding myself together,” I seethe, my glare piercing into him as tears flow down my cheeks.

“Kavya,” he raises his eyes to mine. “I didn’t want to do this today, but I had no choice. I’ve just learned that Maya is pregnant, and she has given me an ultimatum. It’s tearing me apart to even say this, but I can’t abandon my child. I can’t leave her alone with our baby on the way. Please, try to understand,” he pleads.

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