Reyansh POV
"She was murdered at that party by none other than but her best friend, Aanya." I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, the anger seeping through my words. I still believe that it was her who murdered my sister but a part of me believes that she may be innocent and falsely accused.
I started to recite the events that had taken place on that fateful night, my voice heavy with emotions.
I didn't glance toward Hridhan because I knew if I did, my composure would break.
"I got a call in the middle of the night when I was inspecting the shipment at the warehouse, informing me that Mia was found dead at the party. My world shattered into million pieces by that dreadful news. I got goosebumps all over my body as I walked into the room only to find her pale and lifeless body lying on the ground. I couldn't believe she was gone, taken away from this world so cruelly. My mind was racing and my heart was heavy as I began to question what could have led to such a heinous act." my hands trembled as I spoke, and I felt my throat tightening, making it difficult to speak.
My thoughts were interrupted by a painful sob from my best friend, he couldn't hold back his tears anymore. Seeing him in such agony tore me apart and I couldn't hold my tears anymore. We both cried in each other's arms, mourning the loss of my beloved sister. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally pulled back and continued with my narration, albeit a bit composed.
I couldn't comprehend how a person can commit such cold-blooded murder, let alone her best friend. I felt a lump form in my throat and fresh tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I continued.
"She was hit on the back of her head with a bottle of champagne, which caused a fatal injury to her brain. And then she was stabbed by the same bottle's broken piece in her neck. Not once, but multiple times. It caused irreversible damage to her spinal cord and brainstem, which ultimately lead to her death right then.
" I had never met Aanya before, I encountered her for the first time at the trials of Mia's murder. I was devastated by the news that it was her best friend who committed this heinous crime. And she was escorted to the police station before I got there, so I couldn't comfort her even if I wanted to. But I think it was the best thing because if she had been present there, I would have lost control over emotions and would have choked her to death by my own hands." I said with a murderous glare in my eyes. As I recounted Mia's murder, I couldn't help but feel the intense pain and anger still linger in me.
"I got to know after the funeral of Mia that Aanya murdered her just because Mia liked her boyfriend. Can you imagine the callousness and selfishness it takes to kill someone over something so trivial?" My voice trailed off as I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
"During the trials, she never once showed any remorse and regret. She never spoke about how she felt about what she had done and did not seem to understand the gravity of her actions. Even she never provided any insight into what motivated her to commit such a brutal act.
"She never asked for any mercy, nor did she seek forgiveness. She just stayed there quiet with her head bent down. She never met eyes with anyone during her whole trial, but she did seem to listen to every word very carefully and she did not show any reaction against the evidence brought against her." I completed the story and lift my head to meet my friend's gaze.
"But there were some points that were unclear at that time, but when I met Aanya today, her eyes tell a different story.. a story of deep pain. I don't know whether it is remorse or something else, but it seemed like she has been carrying a heavy burden for all these years.
"These are simply the feelings that are nagging at the edge of my heart, alerting me to a problem. Furthermore, I fervently hope they are mistaken. I'm so conflicted right now that I'm not sure how I should feel-whether I should be sad that the person who killed my sister is no longer in jail and living a life of freedom that she doesn't deserve, or whether I should be worried about the feelings that are bothering me in regards to Aanya. The conflicting emotions and thoughts are making it difficult for me to come to a resolution. " I put my head in my palms and let my tears flow freely down my face as I grappled with the complex emotions that were weighing heavily on me.
Not able to handle his emotions anymore Rhidhan excused himself and went towards the attached bathroom to compose himself. The painful sobs of Hridhan fill the room as he tried to process the conflicting emotions that were tearing him apart. Seeing him in this state, I realized that he loved her more than I realized and this realization tore me apart. He should have comforted me about that night, but held it inside and never questioned me. He never brought the topic of her up, but he had been thinking about it all these years. He bottled up his emotions for the sake of our friendship, and now it seemed like all those bottled-up emotions were coming to the surface.
He still loved her and missed her and I could see that he was struggling to come to terms with everything that had transpired.
Seeing him in deep agony my heart sank and I couldn't control my tears as well and I went over to him, placing a comforting hand on his back as he wept. In each other embrace we both cried, releasing all the pent-up emotions that we had been suppressing for years.
After a few moments of silence, my friend offered me a comforting hug, which I was in a dire moment at that moment. We stayed like that for a while, just being there for each other and sharing our pain.
After a while, he composed himself and said, "It's understandable to have conflicting emotions in a situation like this."
"And you didn't just lose a sister, you also lost the chance to understand why it all happened. So, it is understandable that meeting Aanya after all these years has stirred up some deep emotions within you. You should allow yourself to feel those emotions and take the time to process them. However, it should be noted that Aanya was proven guilty and sentenced to imprisonment by Court, and it is important for you to understand that her release doesn't change the verdict nor does it negate the fact that she was convicted of a heinous crime. So, don't be hard on yourself. And if you feel that Aanya is innocent then we can do a little more digging and find evidence to support your feeling. But you should know that it won't be easy and we should tread carefully." My friend's words brought a sense of clarity to my jumbled thoughts, and I realized that it was important for me to separate my emotions toward Aanya. As my friend pointed out, Aanya's release does not change the verdict against her or the fact that she was convicted of a terrible crime.
My friend's words reflect a form of practical reasoning, as outlined by the source provided.
Nobody can understand me and give me advice with such clarity and compassion as he did. My sister was the luckiest person on the earth to have a lover like him, but she was unfortunately blind to not being able to see his emotions and accept him. Yes, Hridhan love was one-sided from his childhood days, but it doesn't diminish the intensity of his feelings.
Sometimes, I feel bad for my friend. He deserves to be with someone who reciprocates his love and understands him, but life can be unpredictable and unfair at times.
He loved her unconditionally but what he got in the end, was unrequited love from my sister. Still, he loved her without any condition but then the death of her broke him to an extent where he is still healing. As it was not enough that he lost his love, I never told him about that night. Life was unfair to him from the very beginning. But he never leaves my side and was always there to lend a listening ear and offer his support.
If I was in their shoes my soul had been dead for way long than I can imagine, but here he is still healing and hiding his pain in his smile.