Reema was a vision of elegance. Her long black hair cascaded in soft waves down her back, and the vibrant red dress she wore made her seem almost ethereal. She had spent hours preparing herself, ensuring every detail was perfect, hoping that tonight would be the start of something—of rekindling an old flame. Her eyes shone with anticipation as she waited for Abhimanyu to arrive.

What she didn't know was that her meticulously prepared look was not what would capture his attention that evening.

As the doorbell rang, Reema quickly adjusted her dress, a smile on her face. "He's here," she whispered to herself, a hint of excitement in her voice. She rushed to the door, greeting Abhimanyu with warmth.

"Abhimanyu!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with the joy of seeing him again.

Abhimanyu smiled back at her, a soft, polite smile, and nodded in acknowledgment. He greeted everyone in the room, his presence always calm and collected, like the steady flow of a river that no one could disturb. His gaze, however, faltered when it landed on someone else.

Janki.

She stood by the window, her posture graceful but guarded, as if a subtle distance hung between her and everyone else in the room. As soon as his eyes met hers, Abhimanyu paused, his eyes fixed on her for a brief moment. But Janki, her gaze lowered, didn't meet his eyes. She focused on Siya, who was in her arms, and the moment was over almost as soon as it had begun.

Abhimanyu recognized that. He had known Janki long enough to understand that she wasn't one to easily be swayed by superficial pleasantries. He wouldn't force her into any uncomfortable situation. Not even a simple "hello" felt appropriate at that moment. He respected her space, her silent walls, her guarded heart. And so, he decided to leave things as they were.

Instead, Abhimanyu turned to Siya, his face softening as the baby reached out to him without any hesitation. To everyone's surprise, Siya let him lift her in his arms without fuss. She usually didn't go easily to anyone but Janki, but this time, she settled comfortably in Abhimanyu's embrace. It was as though Siya felt an unspoken connection, sensing the kindness in him, the gentleness that seemed to radiate from his soul.

Janki watched, her smile tender. "Kids know who's good, don't they?" she mused to herself, a warmth spreading through her chest. The innocence in Siya's willingness to go to Abhimanyu gave her a quiet sense of peace.

Her thoughts, however, were abruptly interrupted as she finally noticed Abhimanyu's appearance in full. He was dressed in white. The color was simple, yet striking.

White.

The word echoed in her mind, flooding her with memories she had long buried.

"Manu, aap na white mein bahut ache lagte ho."

"Par ladkiyan toh kehti hain ki hum par black suit karta hai."
(But girls say that I look good in black suits.)

She could almost hear his playful voice in her head as though he were standing right next to her, teasing her. A pang of sadness shot through her heart as the memory of him took root in her mind. The irony stung. The man who had once been her everything, now just a distant figure—someone who no longer walked beside her.

But there was more to this irony than just Abhimanyu.

Janki's gaze drifted to the man standing in the room beside her, still and silent. Rana. He, too, was dressed in white. A simple, crisp shirt that made him appear so effortlessly handsome.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Was it possible for someone to have two moons?

In that moment, the world seemed to stretch, and Janki wondered whether it was possible for her to feel a connection to two men, both so different, yet both so deeply entwined in the fabric of her life.

Her thoughts were suddenly broken by Reema, who enthusiastically dragged Abhimanyu over to the sitting area. "Come, let's have some tea," she urged, as she flashed a bright smile in Janki's direction, perhaps in an attempt to steer the conversation away from the tension that had silently settled in the air.

Janki watched them for a moment, her mind racing, the contrast between her past and present playing like a film she couldn't stop watching.

And then she shifted her attention back to Siya, who was peacefully resting in her arms, her small fingers clutching onto the fabric of Janki's saree.

She couldn't help but smile. Life had a way of moving forward, even when you didn't want it to.

Author's Note:
I know this chapter was short, but it was essential for the development of the next one. In the upcoming chapter, we will dive deeper into the first real conversation between Janki and her Manu. Things are about to get a lot more intense, and every piece of the puzzle will fall into place. Stay tuned!

-VS