Neil's POV

The moment Avni's voice broke the silence, asking, "What do we do now?" I knew something was wrong. Her words were barely audible, laced with fear and uncertainty, and as I looked into her eyes, I saw the terror slowly taking hold. She was slipping, and I had to act fast.

Her eyes widened, and I could see the panic building. Her breathing grew shallow, each breath coming faster than the last.

 She tried to speak again, but all that came out was a strangled gasp.

 I felt her grip on my hand tighten painfully, her fingers digging into my skin as if I were the only thing anchoring her to reality.

"Avni, look at me," I urged, trying to keep my voice calm despite the fear gnawing at me. I moved closer, my other hand cupping her face, trying to ground her, to bring her back.

 "Avi bacha, you're okay. I'm here. Just breathe with me, okay? In and out. Slow and deep."

But she wasn't hearing me. 

Her chest was heaving, her breaths turning into desperate gasps. I could feel her trembling, her entire body shaking uncontrollably. Panic attack—I realized it with a jolt of fear, as my own breath accelerated at the thought.

She was having a full-blown panic attack, and I had no idea how to stop it.

"Neil... I... I can't..." Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with such raw terror that it sent a shiver down my spine. She clutched at her chest, her face contorting in pain as she fought for breath.

"Yes, you can," I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "You're strong, Avi. You've been through so much. Just breathe with me. Please, Avi, you can do this."

But she wasn't calming down. Her breathing was getting worse, and I could feel her slipping further away. I glanced at Arohi, who was standing frozen by the door, her face as pale as a sheet.

"Arohi, get some water. Now!" I snapped, not taking my eyes off Avni.

Arohi bolted from the room, and I tightened my hold on Avni, praying she could feel me, hear me through the fog of panic. "Avi, listen to me. You're safe. I'm not going anywhere. I've got you."

But her breaths were still ragged, her eyes wide with fear. I could see the strain in her expression, the way she was fighting to hold on, but the terror was too much for her. And I felt utterly helpless, watching the woman I loved unravel before my eyes.

"Please, Avi," I whispered, my voice breaking as I pressed my forehead against hers, trying to ground her, to bring her back. "Come back to me. Please."

Then, just as I was starting to lose hope, something shifted. Her breathing hitched, and her eyes focused on mine for the first time since the panic had taken hold. She blinked, tears streaming down her face as she took a deep, shaky breath.

"I... I'm sorry," she choked out, her voice trembling. "I just... I couldn't... I couldn't handle it."

Relief flooded through me, so overwhelming that I almost collapsed against her. "It's okay, Avi. It's okay. I'm here," I whispered, pulling her into my arms, holding her as close as I could. "You're safe now. I've got you."

Arohi returned with the water, and I gently took the glass from her, helping Avni take a few small sips. She was still shaking, but the worst of the panic had passed. I murmured soothing words, trying to keep her calm, my own heart still pounding in my chest.

When Khaled finally spoke, his voice thick with emotion, I felt a surge of anger flare up inside me. He had caused this—his secrets, his lies. But as I looked at Avni, still fragile in my arms, I knew that my anger wasn't what she needed right now.

"Avni," Khaled began, his voice low and filled with regret. "I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you like this. But we'll get through this. Together."

Avni looked up at him, her eyes still shining with tears, but there was a new determination there. "We will," she said, her voice shaky but stronger than before her gaze now fixed at me.

She turned to him again holding firmly onto me. "But I need to know everything. No more secrets."

I felt a fierce pride in that moment. Despite everything, despite the terror and the pain, Avni was still standing, still fighting. And I knew that whatever came next, we would face it together. No more lies, no more secrets. Just the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

And as I held Avni close, feeling her finally start to relax in my arms, I made a silent vow. I would protect her with everything I had, no matter what the cost. Because she was mine, and I would never let her go through something like this alone again.

Avni's breath steadied against my chest, the rapid rise and fall finally slowing. I kept my hold firm, refusing to let go as if that alone could shield her from all the horrors she'd been forced to endure. The room was thick with tension, Khaled's apology still hanging in the air, unspoken questions and unresolved anger simmering beneath the surface.

Arohi hovered nearby, her eyes filled with worry. She wasn't just watching Avni, but me too, as if she could sense the storm brewing inside me. I met her gaze, giving a slight nod to let her know I had things under control—for now.

"Neil," Avni whispered to me, her voice barely audible. "What if there's more?" Her question ringing in my head, there is something more and I knew it by the Khaled's eyes kept averting from Avi's trembling yet firm stare.

I tightened my grip on her hand, not letting any of my own doubts show. "Then we'll handle it. One step at a time. But I promise you, we'll get through this together."

Khaled took a step closer, his eyes filled with regret and something else—fear. But it wasn't just fear of losing Avni; it was fear of the truth that was yet to come out. I could see it in the way his hands trembled, how his gaze kept flicking between Avni and me, as if he were trying to gauge how much more we could take.

Avni stiffened in my arms, and I felt her hold on me tighten. "No more secrets," she said again, her voice firmer this time. "If you want us to move forward, we need to know everything."

Khaled nodded, his expression grim. "You're right. It's time you knew the whole truth."

Arohi moved closer, her presence a steadying force as we all prepared ourselves for whatever revelation was about to come. But I wasn't ready to let Avni out of my arms just yet. She needed to know that I was there, that no matter what Khaled said, she wasn't facing this alone.

Khaled took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for what he was about to reveal. "It all started years ago, before any of you were born. Nalini... your mother... she was involved in something far more dangerous than we ever realized."

Avni's breath hitched, and I felt her tense against me. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I didn't just fall in love with Nalini; I became part of a world I never wanted to be in," Khaled continued, his voice filled with regret. "She was connected to powerful people, dangerous people, and when she tried to leave that world, they... they made sure she couldn't."

The pieces started falling into place, the shadowy figures that had been haunting Avni and Arohi, the constant fear that had plagued them for so long. It wasn't just about Khaled's past—it was about Nalini's, and the enemies she had made.

"They threatened everything," Khaled said, his voice breaking. "Our family, our lives... I thought I could protect you by keeping the truth hidden, but I see now that I was wrong."

Avni pulled away slightly, her eyes locking onto Khaled's with a mix of pain and resolve. "Why didn't you tell us?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "We had a right to know!"

Khaled looked away, shame evident in every line of his face. "I was afraid," he admitted. "Afraid of what it would do to you, to all of us. I thought by keeping you in the dark, I could keep you safe. But I see now that it only made things worse."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Khaled's words settling over us like a dark cloud. I glanced at Arohi, who was staring at Khaled with a mixture of disbelief and hurt. It was clear that this was just the beginning, that there was still so much more we didn't know.

"Avni," I said softly, reaching out to take her hand once more. "We're in this together. No matter what happens, I'm right here with you."

She looked at me, and for the first time since the panic attack had started, I saw a flicker of hope in her eyes. She gave a small nod, squeezing my hand in silent agreement.

Khaled watched us, his expression torn between relief and sorrow. "I'll tell you everything," he promised. "No more lies, no more secrets. You deserve the truth."

Avni took a deep breath, her resolve hardening as she prepared to face whatever was coming. "Then start talking," she said, her voice steady.

"No!" Arohi's voice cut through the now silent room, her trembling figure moving towards Avni making me take a slight step back, but a small tug stopped me from detaching myself from Avi, I gazed at her small fingers encasing my palm, a firm hold in it. 

Warmth surged within me as I felt content, her gaze trained on her Di waiting for her next words. 

She cradled Avni's face in her hands, her touch gentle yet filled with fierce protectiveness, as if she could shield her sister from the pain with her very presence.

"There's nothing more to hear, Avi," Arohi insisted, her voice trembling with barely contained anger. Tears streamed down her face, but her gaze remained locked on Khaled, filled with a mix of fury and betrayal. "I'm taking you away from here. Neil and I—we're enough. We'll keep you safe, we'll keep ourselves safe. It's you, Khaled, that we need protection from."

Her words landed with the force of a slap, the room suddenly feeling smaller, suffocating under the weight of Arohi's rage. I could see the pain etched into every line of her face, the way her jaw clenched, the way her hands trembled slightly as she held onto Avni. But there was also a fire in her eyes, a determination that burned through the despair.

Khaled flinched as if struck, but Arohi wasn't done. Her glare could have cut through steel as she continued, her voice rising. "What did you think? That we would come running back just because a few of your so-called enemies are suddenly interested in us? You talk about this woman you claimed to love,our mother? She is Neela Ma! Damn you!"

"Now you expect us to believe that we need your protection? From what? From the lies you've been feeding us all our lives?"

Avi, caught between the storm of emotions swirling around her, opened her mouth to speak, but Arohi didn't let her. She pulled Avni closer, her grip almost possessive, as if she were trying to physically drag her sister away from the darkness that Khaled represented.

"You should be ashamed, Khaled!" Arohi spat, her voice trembling with barely controlled fury. "This is all bullshit! You think you can throw a few words at us, and we'll forget everything? I don't trust you. I don't trust a single word that comes out of your mouth. And I won't let you hurt her—hurt us—anymore."

Avni's tears fell silently, but there was something in her eyes that mirrored Arohi's defiance. She reached up, gently touching Arohi's hand on her cheek, grounding herself in the only stability she had left.

"Di..." Avni's voice was soft, but there was a resolve there, a flicker of the strength that had carried her through so much already. "We need to know-"

But Arohi shook her head, refusing to yield. "The truth? What truth, Avi? His truth? It's nothing but more lies, more ways to manipulate us. We don't need him. We have each other, and we have Neil. That's all we need."

My heart clenched at the mention of my name, and I stepped forward, my hand gently touching Arohi's shoulder. "Arohi, I'm here. We're all in this together. But maybe... maybe knowing everything will help us understand."

Arohi's eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and fear as she turned to me. "And what if it doesn't, Neil? What if all it does is hurt us more? I can't—" Her voice broke, the strong front she had been holding onto cracking under the pressure. "I can't lose her, Neil. I won't."

"I'm not going anywhere, Di," Avni whispered, her voice laced with both pain and determination. "But we can't run from this. Not anymore."

Khaled, who had remained silent, his face a mask of regret and sorrow, finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse. "I never wanted to hurt you. Either of you. But I see now that my silence has done just that. I don't expect forgiveness, Arohi. I just... I just want to make things right."

Arohi stared at him, her eyes narrowing. "You think you can make things right? After everything? You think futile words will fix what you've broken?"

"I don't know," Khaled admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I have to try. I owe you that much. I want to protect you from the shadowed life we created unknowingly."

Arohi's breath hitched, the anger still simmering beneath the surface, but I could see the uncertainty beginning to creep in. She looked at Avni, who was staring back at her with a mix of pleading and determination, and then at me, seeking reassurance.

Arohi took a deep, shaky breath, her grip on Avni loosening slightly. "Fine," she muttered, her voice thick with emotion. "But I'm warning you, Khaled—one more lie, one more betrayal, and we're gone. For good."

Khaled nodded, his eyes filled with a sorrow that seemed almost too deep to bear. "You have my word."

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That's it! Amigo's 

just 2 more chapters and its done 

do let me know about it! How was it?