"Love didn't ruin my life like I thought it did. I stopped believing in love until I realized sometimes it's not loving that ruins you because love is pure emotion, love is never wrong but the person who you choose to love, that could be wrong. I've worked with so many of you lovely ladies, all of you have been through so much but there is something you all have inside you and that is will-power, something that not many women have inside them. I have worked with so many women who have come from abusive backgrounds who have been raped, abused, sex trafficked, and sold coming to me to back out from their case because they decided to forgive their partners. We are women, not pets, not doormats where we will allow people to walk over us. If your partner wants to repent for his mistakes, he needs to go through punishment just like all other criminals. If your partner has raped you, he needs to surrender himself to the police, if your partner abused you, he needs to be behind bars if your partner is into drugs, he needs to go to rehabilitation and jail. Just because these people are your partners does not mean it's okay to let the matter go and just forgive them because that is unacceptable, they are no different than criminals out there" Eyshana spoke into the microphone.

Women in the audience sat there with tearful eyes after listening to Eyshana's story and her speech about women empowerment. "Love your self-respect more than your partner, never let anyone degrade your self-respect because a woman's self-respect is their weapon, their gift and if anyone tries to harm it, you attack, not stoop low and accept them back" Eyshana spoke with utter confidence, her head raised high as her clients watched and listened to her with pride in their eyes. She was their inspiration, their role-model.

"If a man does not respect you, he isn't worth fighting for. Love is at its own place and so is abuse, both cannot go together. If I had given a chance to my rapist just because I once had feelings for him, I would be considered weak and I probably would have never moved on. Love is blind so it's up to you whether you want to open your eyes to reality or continue living in utter blindness. I am happy now, very happy than before and that's because I didn't choose my nightmares over my self -respect and I want you all to do the same" Eyshana smiled.

"If you are looking for love, it will come to you, so have patience. If love can destroy your life, love can also heal your life and I am an example of that. I have a guy chasing me, we've had a few kisses there and then-" the audience laughed "and deep down I know I have started to feel something for him but my past always holds me back, so here I am taking everything slowly. I don't need a man, a partner to keep me happy, the main priority is to make yourself happy first and that is by doing what you love...I hope you have learned something from this talk today, have a great afternoon ladies" she bowed down waving at the ladies in the audience with a small smile who applauded her speech.

***

The wind was gentle and soft brushing back Eyshana's dark locks as she walked into the quiet and lonely graveyard. Carrying a bunch of colorful flowers she bent down and placed the wrapped flowers onto the gravestone. "Hi...I hope you're doing well up there. It's been a while since we haven't spoken" Eyshana chuckled sitting down on the warm grass making herself comfortable as she crossed her arms over her legs. Sitting there in silence, Eyshana bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from crying. She stared at the grave with sadness just listening to the wind blowing. "It should have been me here not you...you had nothing to do with this yet...yet you sacrificed your life for what?" a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Why did you do that? who was I even to you? no one at all, so why save me? why?" Eyshana questioned painfully. She couldn't help but blame herself for the death of an innocent person. "I regret saying those words to you and I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry" her voice whispered. "I may not have spent a lot of time with you but-" Eyshana sighed "I miss you and I hope you are in a better place now watching us from above" Eyshana kissed her fingers before placing them onto the grave. "Take care," she said before standing up and looking at the grave one last time before turning around to leave.

In loving memory of Preeti Mital

Nov. 11 . 1986 - Dec. 09. 2019

A beloved Daughter, Sister, and Friend

Flashback

"WAIT" I yelled out watching his finger touching the trigger. "I do...I do love you now please put the gun down" I lied fearing for Malin's life. Ezhil stood there for a few seconds, silent as he watched me intensely before muttering the word that shook me to my core.

"liar" he seethed before pulling back the trigger.

BANG!

"MALINNNN" Eyshana screamed as the bullet hit Malin right into the shoulder. Running towards him, she quickly fell onto her knees in tears staring at Malin's body on the ground, his face scrunched up in pain. She pulled his head onto her lap crying as she caressed his hair. "SOMEONE HELP...CALL THE AMBULANCE" Eyshana screamed in panic placing her hand onto his wounded shoulder trying to stop the blood. Her heart was losing control, she was so scared. "I-I'm fine E-eyshana...it's okay" Malin breathed out weakly as he squeezed her hand. "Put your gun down Mr. Mital or else we will have to shoot" Eyshana looked up to see Ezhil surrounded by Officers who had their guns pointed at him but his glaring orbs were focused right at her.

His face was pale and blank but his eyes swirled with sadness. Eyshana glared at him with anger, her tears blurring her sight. He then slowly raised his hand again pointing the gun right...at...her. "If you can't be mine then you can't be anyone else's" he whispered.

BANG!

"EYSHANA" Sagar yelled out in fear. Eyshana's eyes were closed shut tightly as she felt arms wrapped around her body. She gulped trying to control her breathing when she realized she wasn't in any physical pain. Slowly opening her teary eyes she looked up to see Malin hugging her tightly but his eyes were stuck on something else or more like someone else.

Turning to see what he was looking at, Eyshana suddenly felt bile rising in her throat as a chill ran down her spine. Eyshana was frozen with shock as she stared at the body in front of her, blood pooling out of their chest. "P-Preeti...PREETI" Eyshana slowly placed Malin's head down, who sat up weakly while Eyshana crawled towards Preeti placing her head in her lap. "Preeti" she whispered cupping her cheeks as she struggled to breathe. "I...I I-I'm s-so s-sorry" she coughed making Eyshana cry. "Preeti please don't talk...help is on its way...you're going to be okay" Eyshana wiped her tears. "I-I k-know I d-don't h-have m-much t-time" Eyshana shook her head sobbing as she tried to stop Preeti from talking. "Y-you w-were r-right, I-I...I'm d-disgusting" Preeti coughed up, her breathing becoming slower as she gulped. "Preeti please...please stop" Eyshana pleaded with sobs. "L-let...l-let me talk E-eyshana...I b-became s-so selfish t-that...I didn't s-see t-the p-pain y-you w-were g-going t-through" Preeti's said weakly.

Her eyes slowly started to close causing panic to spread in Eyshana's heart. "No..No Preeti open your eyes...please...stay awake" Sagar now walked towards the two girls on the ground, his eyes glistening with drops as he bent down sitting next to Eyshana. "Y-you o-once s-saved my l-life...I-" Preeti's breathing reduced slowly "I now s-save y-yours" was the last words she said before she breathed her last.

Eyshana sat there with Preeti in her arms sobbing on her chest with Sagar rubbing her back as he silently cried. Vicky, Sunny, Aliya, and Sona watched ahead in shock as they cried seeing their sister who they have spent a childhood with, who acted like their mother taking her last breath in front of them.

Soon after Ezhil had shot, the police quickly knocked him down to his knees grabbing the gun off him. Ezhil was frozen, like a statue with his eyes only focused on the woman in front of him. His own sister stood there with a bullet in her chest, blood oozing out as he watched her fall to the ground in agony. He had lost all his senses except his eyesight. "P-Preeti" his voice trembled as the police tackled him to the ground. "P-Preeti" he whispered until the realization hit him, he had shot his sister. "PREETI....N-NOO....P-PREETI....P-PREEEEETIIII" he cried out loud, uncountable tears leaking out of his eyes as he called out to his sister in utter pain. "P-PREETI" he hiccuped in between his cries as he tried to reach out for his only beloved sister he had just shot to death.

"NO...GET OFF ME...I NEED TO GO TO PREETI...SHE NEEDS ME...MY SISTER NEEDS ME...P-PREETI" he screamed and thrashed around. His yells were deafening and loud, pain seeping out of each cry he made. What has he done? he just killed his own sister? his only family with his own hands? His hands were trembling insanely like he was hyperventilating. Red eyes pleaded with the police to let him go to his sister, to let him hold her, to tell her to wake up, to tell her he was sorry and that he loves her.

His sister's cries, her care, her laughter, her smile, and her scoldings flashed in front of his eyes. He regretted shouting at his sister, he regretted telling her to back off and mind his own business. She was the only one who truly cared for him.

"YES I AM A COWARD...ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY NOW?"

"Stop nagging me 24/7 and leave me the fuck alone"

"Don't interfere between my matters Preeti"

"PREETIIII" his yells and cries echoed as he got dragged away by the police with his so-called friends following behind him in tears. Sagar looked at the guy who was once his best friend getting dragged away by the arms while his legs dangled across the floor, kicking as he tried to crawl his way back to his sister. At first, he didn't feel anything for this monster but seeing Preeti being shot by him and her taking her last breath his heart went out to him. It reminded him of what happened 10 years ago, it reminded him of the very same girl who is now crying on the ground with the lifeless body in her arms.

Eyshana cried the same way when her sister was taken away from her. Red were her eyes, tears after tears flowing out not wanting to stop. Screaming and yelling for her sister to wake up, Eyshana was finally broken. Her hope had died, she had no one in this world for her and that's when he decided to become her family.

He knew Preeti since childhood, she was like a mother figure to the group, always looking out for them, caring for them just like a mother does. His heart hurt seeing her in this state. She was paying the price for her brother's sins when she wasn't even at fault. Karma really did punish his former friend, Eyshana's sister was taken away from her and now the same happened with Ezhil. What bigger punishment could he get?

The ambulance soon had arrived taking in both Preeti and Malin. Eyshana went with them while Sagar chose to drive behind as they rushed the two bodies to the hospital. Eyshana fell to the ground in tears. Sagar immediately dropped to his knees and held his sister to his chest. "This is my fault...it's all my fault" she blamed herself, sobbing into his chest. "No it's not Eyshu, it's not your fault...stop blaming yourself...they will be fine...everything will be fine soon" he comforted her.

It felt like years just waiting there impatiently until finally, a doctor came out. Seeing the doctor Eyshana stood up and rushed towards him in desperation. "H-how...how are they?" she stuttered. "Mr. Black is doing just fine, the bullet did hit his shoulder but luckily it wasn't too deep so make sure he gets a lot of rest" the doctor informed but Eyshana wasn't at relief yet.

"and..and?" she wanted to know more, about the Preeti. Sighing the doctor took his glasses off and patted Eyshana's shoulder. "I'm sorry to say...Miss Mital didn't make it" and it took all that to make Eyshana stumble back in tears causing Sagar to hold her before she fell. "I'm sorry," the doctor said before walking away.

End of Flashback

"AUNTYY" a cute voice called out making Eyshana smile as she opened the door to her friend's cafe. "My baby" Eyshana picked up her adorable niece, Chandni, placing kisses all over her chubby cheeks making her giggle. "I missed you so much" Eyshana hugged the little girl to her chest. "and finally the queen comes, where were you, Madam? we have been waiting for you like ages" Aditi stated dramatically. Rolling her eyes Eyshana slapped Aditi's head playfully making her glare at a smirking Eyshana.

A laugh made Aditi fume as she glared at her husband who quickly turned his laughing face into a blank one. His lips sealed shut as he suppressed his laugh. "what?" Sagar blinked at his glaring wife. Eyshana chuckled seeing the two love birds. It has been 2 years since the incident and her two friends still acted like children when they both have kids of their own.

Amar jumped up and down on Sagar's knee and Eyshana was in awe. Placing Chandni back down, Eyshana picked up Amar, the son of Sagar and Aditi, and placed him on her lap pulling his chubby cheeks. He was so cute and so chubby that she could squish him in her arms. "Sorry drama-queen, the event finished a bit late," Eyshana told Aditi.

The three friends were sat inside Aditi's sister in laws cafe where they liked to hang around in. " I ordered you your favorite coffee but now it's cold," Aditi said. "It's okay, I'll order another one, by the way where is Ma-" as soon as she was about to utter his name, a gush of warm wind entered the cafe as the sound of the door to the cafe opened.

"and here he comes, also late like Madam here" Aditi smirked making Eyshana kick her leg under the table. "Ouch" Aditi pouted. "Sorry I'm late," Malin said. Sagar and Aditi stood up giving him a small hug while Eyshana chose to stay sat down with Amar in her lap. "Hi, beautiful eyes" he whispered in her ear as he scraped back the chair next to her and sat down.

Eyshana blushed, her heartbeat jumping like mad as she chose to avert her eyes away making Sagar smirk. He knew they both made a great couple, a lawyer and a Police officer, he thought it was a great match. Malin had grown pretty close to the three friends. Sagar at first was a bit wary of him because of her past until he started to realize he was different and that maybe he could become hope to Eyshana.

2 years past by, painfully but it gradually passed well with laughter and smiles with the support of each other and in those 2 years Malin didn't hesitate to show Eyshana what he felt for her. Chasing her was fun, stealing kisses from her watching her blush made him giddy. He knew Eyshana felt something for him, that's why she never refused his secretive kisses he stole from her but he also knew she needed space and he was ready to wait for her.

The two were close friends, Eyshana at times would keep distance when she thought she would fall weak but the soon would forget about it as soon as they both quarreled about something which always made Sagar and Aditi laugh. To them, they were the perfect couple and Aditi was just waiting for the moment when she could see her best friend finally settling down with kids running around her.

A year ago, Sagar decided to shift back to London with Aditi and the kids. He missed London, he missed his hometown where he grew up. He also decided to move back to London because he knew Eyshana would return to India which means leaving Malin back and he didn't want that to happen. He saw something between them, something that could finally add a happy ending to Eyshana's story.

"How was the event?" Malin asked as he wrapped his arm around Eyshana's shoulder. She instantly leaned against him loving the warmth he was providing. "It went good, was nervous at first but...it ended up pretty well" she replied back. "and with that happy note, I have brought you two your coffee's...enjoy...oh and here is your cupcake...specially made for you Eyshu" Aditi's sister in law, Malini butted in with a smile winking at Eyshana who thanked her with a laugh.

"hey" Eyshana's eyes widened as she watched how Malin took her favorite chocolate cupcake taking a huge bite of it. Her mouth dropped open as she saw how little her cupcake had become. "What the.," she muttered, glaring at the built guy who just winked at her as he enjoyed the taste of the chocolate.

"That was mine you little..." she pointed her finger at the half-eaten cupcake in his hand with irritation. "little?, in what way do I look little to you my dear Eyshu?" he asked teasingly. Eyshana gulped hearing her nickname come out from his mouth. "ughh" Eyshana groaned glaring at Malin before she stomped on his foot making him jolt up with surprise. "Ah...damn Sagar who the hell made her into a lawyer, she should just join the police force...that freaking hurt" his face scrunched up with pain-causing Eyshana to bit her tongue from bursting out in laughter.

"Gosh you two are so childish" Aditi teased, "Says the one who cries when her dear husband steals all her gummy bears" Eyshana fired back with a smirk. Aditi blinked as a blush spread on her face. "I do not" she gasped. "Oh, you sure do" Sagar replied amused as he took a sip out of his cold drink. "Dare say that again" Aditi sat up straight, her hands placed on her hips as she gave Sagar a challenging look.

The two innocent kids just sat there staring at all the grown-up's faces with confused expressions oblivious to what they were talking about. "I said you are a crybaby" Sagar winked at Eyshana and Malin. "Right...you're sleeping on the couch tonight" Aditi stated making Sagar nearly spit out his drink. "W-what? you can't do that....baby" he tried to hug her and kiss her cheeks but Aditi just rolled her eyes and met Eyshana's eyes who knew she was playing around with Sagar.

"Total kids" Eyshana muttered, "Indeed" Malin shook his head with a chuckle. The rest of the day passed by with childish arguments, laughter, and jokes, a day full of happiness and joy, no space with darkness, no space for sadness.

Malin smiled watching Eyshana throw her head back letting out an angelic laugh as she teased Aditi. He was captivated by her beauty, her smile, her soul. His heart always lit up in joy whenever he met her. She was always on his mind, at work, at the gym, at home, in his dreams, she was always there. He couldn't believe he was saying this in his mind but he was utterly and madly in love with this woman.

She made him feel things he had never felt before and he was proud to say this woman was his. Even though they weren't an official couple, he knew deep down she is the one for him and he will continue waiting for her until she is ready to accept him.