Arjun took Meera and the little girl to his small home near the river.
His mother had passed away years ago, and he lived alone in the old house, working at a mechanic shop during the day.
The little girl sat quietly on the wooden chair, staring at everything with wide eyes.
"What's your name?" Arjun asked gently.
She blinked and answered,
"Anya."
"Pretty name," Arjun said.
Meera sat near the window, wrapped in a dry shawl, but she couldn't stop trembling.
Not from the cold.
From fear.
Arjun made tea for her and warm milk for Anya.
When Anya fell asleep on the sofa, Meera finally spoke.
"I know I don't deserve to come here," she said quietly. "But I had no one else."
Arjun stood still.
"You disappeared," he said. "For three years."
Meera lowered her eyes.
"My father found out about us."
Arjun frowned. "Us?"
Meera gave a sad smile. "You know what I mean."
She took a shaky breath.
"He was drowning in debt. A powerful businessman from the city offered to clear everything… if I married his son."
Arjun's jaw tightened.
"You got married?"
Meera nodded.
The room turned silent.
Arjun's chest ached, but he forced himself to listen.
"He was cruel," she whispered. "He drank, gambled, and treated me like property. I tried to run many times, but they always found me. When Anya was born, things got worse."
Arjun looked at the sleeping child.
"Her father?"
Meera's eyes filled with pain.
"He died in a car accident six months ago."
Arjun said nothing.
Meera continued, "After he died, his family blamed me. They said I brought bad luck. They threw me out. I had nowhere to go. I remembered… the bus stop."
She looked at him.
"And I remembered you."
Arjun turned away, his hands trembling.
Three years of waiting.
Three years of imagining her return.
But not like this.
Not broken.
Not carrying another man's child.
Still… when he looked at Meera, his heart betrayed him.
He still loved her.
Suddenly, loud knocks echoed from the front door.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Meera's face turned white.
"No…" she whispered.
Arjun opened the door.
Three men in black stood outside.
One stepped forward.
"Where is Meera?" he asked coldly.
Arjun's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
The man smirked.
"We're here to take back what belongs to the Malhotra family."
Inside the house, Meera grabbed Anya and gasped.
They had found her.