Not so Fairytale-ish

THE END - 1

Eight years had passed since Jaimi left, and nothing had been the same since that night. Darshan hadn't heard a word from her, not a single message, not even a fleeting thought shared between them. It was as if she had vanished, taking with her a piece of his soul. Ayesha had cut all ties with her too, and Darshan, though grateful for the support of his friends, couldn't help but feel the weight of it all. He often blamed himself—had he done something wrong?—that caused the rift, that ultimately led to the crumbling of a friendship that once seemed unbreakable.

But as his thoughts drifted down this path, he was jolted back to the present by the small, innocent slap of his daughter's tiny hand on his cheek. He opened his eyes, smiling down at her as she giggled, her wide, bright eyes full of mischief. Dhara, his little princess, was the living image of her mother, Dharal Surelia Raval. At just two years old, Dhara already had her mother's charm—her beauty, her energy, the same spark in her eyes.

Darshan's heart swelled as he looked at his little family, his wife, and their daughter. He had married Dharal three years ago, four years after Jaimi had left. It wasn't anything planned. He wasn't looking for love—he wasn't looking for anything at all. But Ayesha and Jyugal, ever the supportive friends, had pushed him to reconnect with her, to open himself up again. And so he did. They dated, slowly, cautiously, and eventually, they married.

He loved Dharal. She was his wife, his partner in life, and the mother of their child. But deep down, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. He loved her, yes, but it was different. He could never shake the connection he once shared with Jaimi, a connection that, even after all these years, still lingered in the corners of his mind. Sometimes it felt like it hadn't been that long ago. As if everything with Jaimi was still so fresh, so raw.

Darshan's thoughts drifted once more, but he was pulled back to reality as Dhara slapped his cheek again, her soft voice breaking through the haze of his memories. "Papa, what are you thinking?" she asked, her innocent words lifting his spirits.

Darshan smiled and pulled her closer, his heart warming at the sight of her. "Nothing, princess," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her head. He turned to look out the plane window, watching as they flew over snow-capped mountains, the world below a sea of white.

Across the aisle, Darshan caught sight of Jyugal and Ayesha, their son Aarav nestled between them, grinning from ear to ear. Aarav was four now, full of energy, and undeniably a bundle of joy. Darshan smiled, his heart a little lighter as he watched the little family. Ayesha and Jyugal were happy—together, with a beautiful son who had changed their lives in all the best ways.

Around him, he saw the faces of friends, their spouses, and children—happy, fulfilled, living the lives they had always hoped for. It was supposed to be a celebration, a joyous occasion. They were heading to Iceland to celebrate his 35th birthday, surrounded by those who mattered most.

But still, as he gazed out at the white landscape unfolding beneath the plane, Darshan couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness deep inside. Despite everything—the family, the friends, the memories of a life well-lived—the hole that Jaimi had left behind still gnawed at him. The void remained. It was as though part of him was still lost, still waiting for something, someone, to fill it.

There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of questions that lingered unanswered, a mystery that gnawed at him in the quiet moments when his mind wandered too far. What had changed? What had happened to make Jaimi leave so suddenly, without warning, without a word? Darshan had tried for years to find the answers—he'd searched, he'd asked, but all he ever received was silence. The silence from her, the silence from everyone who might have known. It was as if the world had conspired to bury the truth, leaving him grasping at empty air.