Monika drove back toward Malik Mansion at terrifying speed.

Rain still poured heavily outside while her hands tightened around the steering wheel again and again.

Her heart already knew something was wrong.

Every unanswered call.

Every second of silence.

Everything felt wrong.

The moment her car stopped outside the mansion, Monika immediately stepped out and rushed toward the entrance.

The main door was slightly open.

And that itself was enough.

Her heartbeat dropped instantly.

Monika slowly pushed the door open while holding the gun tightly in her hand.

And then-

she froze.

Radhika Malik's lifeless body lay near the kitchen floor.

A little farther-

Commander Shaurya Malik's body rested near the hall wall, blood spread around him while his gun still remained pointed forward.

Even after dying-

he had fought.

For one second-

Major Monika Mehra completely stopped breathing.

But only for one second.

Because somewhere inside that mansion-

her sisters were still there.

And right now they needed her alive.

Strong.

Monika forced herself to move forward despite her entire body shaking badly.

Gun still raised carefully, she started walking upstairs slowly.

The mansion had become horrifyingly silent now.

Three rooms.

Complete darkness.

And then-

from one room-

she heard soft crying.

The weakest sound.

But enough to break her heart completely.

Monika immediately moved toward the door.

For few seconds she simply stood there silently trying controlling herself.

Then finally-

very softly-

Monika: "Hasu... hum hai..."

A pause.

Monika: "Karu... darwaza kholo."

The moment Haseena heard Monika's voice-

she immediately unlocked the door.

And the second the door opened-

both sisters broke completely.

Till now Haseena had somehow stayed strong only for Karishma.

But the moment she saw Monika standing there-

her own strength shattered.

Haseena immediately hugged Monika tightly and burst into tears.

Meanwhile Karishma also rushed toward her crying uncontrollably.

Karishma: "Dii... Mumma ko doctor ke pass le jana hai..."

Those words almost broke Monika completely.

But she somehow held herself together.

Because suddenly-

everything had changed.

In one night-

she had lost both parents.

And along with that-

she had also lost the right to break down.

Now she wasn't only an elder sister anymore.

Now she had become parent too.

Guardian too.

Protector too.

Monika slowly wiped her tears back before kneeling infront of both sisters.

Monika: "Hasu... Karu... suno dhyan se."

Her voice trembled slightly.

Monika: "Darwaza lock karo. Hum ek baar pura ghar check karke aate hai. Dekhte hai koi aur hai toh nahi."

Karishma immediately hugged her tightly again.

Karishma: "Nahi di please... aap kahi mat jaiye..."

Monika closed her eyes painfully for one second before softly holding Karishma's face.

Monika: "Apne aap ko sambhalo Karu..."

A pause.

Monika: "Ye samay strong hone ka hai."

She looked toward Haseena.

Monika: "Hasu gate lock kar lo. Hum aate hai bohot jald."

Haseena nodded slowly despite crying continuously.

Haseena: "Di... please sambhal ke..."

For one second both sisters looked at each other silently.

And then Monika nodded once before leaving again with the gun.

She checked every corner of the mansion carefully.

Every room.

Every hallway.

Every shadow.

But nobody was there anymore.

The attackers had already left.

Monika finally locked the main entrance properly before slowly walking back toward Shaurya Malik's body.

And there-

she noticed something inside his hand.

A crumpled paper.

Monika slowly opened it.

And the moment she read the words written there-

her expression changed completely.

"YOUR SISTERS NEXT."

For few seconds she simply stared at the paper silently.

Then slowly-

all the pain inside her eyes disappeared.

And something else replaced it.

Responsibility.

Strength.

War.

Monika looked toward her parents' bodies and whispered softly-

Monika: "Aapke bachon ko kuch nahi hoga."

Her voice slowly became firmer.

Monika: "Aur Code M pura hoke rahega Papa."

She looked toward Shaurya.

Monika: "Aap itne time se iss case pe kaam kar rahe the..."

A pause.

Monika: "Real culprit jarur pakda jayega."

Monika carefully placed both her parents properly side by side before covering them respectfully.

Then finally-

she went back upstairs.

Inside the room, Haseena and Karishma sat silently on the bed completely broken.

Monika slowly sat beside them and pulled both into her arms carefully.

She wiped their tears softly.

Monika: "Bas bache... bas..."

After few moments she finally spoke again.

Monika: "Dekho... ek bohot important baat hai."

Her own throat tightened painfully.

Monika: "Lekin mai chahti hu iss baat ko sunne se pehle na... thoda apne aap ko prepare karo."

Both sisters looked at her silently.

Monika took a deep breath.

Monika: "Papa ek bohot important case pe kaam kar rahe the..."

A pause.

Monika: "Code M."

The room became silent instantly.

Monika: "Kuch log bade bade officers ko maar rahe hai. Bohot dangerous log hai."

She looked toward them carefully.

Monika: "Abhi tak real culprit ka pata nahi laga... lekin jald lag jayega."

Then softly-

Monika: "Tumhe apni behen pe... apni Major pe bharosa hai na?"

Haseena and Karishma slowly nodded while crying.

Monika gave a tiny painful smile.

Monika: "Bas phir."

She looked toward Haseena first.

Monika: "Hasu... tumhe IPS banna hai."

Then toward Karishma.

Monika: "Aur Karu... tumhe police officer banna hai. SI... phir SHO."

For first time her voice became slightly stronger.

Monika: "Ab tak tum dono sirf dreams dekh rahe the."

A pause.

Monika: "Ab goals pe kaam karoge."

Then finally-

the hardest words came.

Monika: "Hum sab ab ek sath nahi reh sakte..."

Both sisters looked at her in shock immediately.

Monika continued before they could speak.

Monika: "Atleast tab tak nahi jab tak proper security measures nahi ho jate."

Her voice broke slightly now.

Monika: "Tum dono ko trained hona padega. Strong banna padega."

And then finally-

she said it.

Monika: "Humare parents... ab nahi rahe."

The room shattered again.

Karishma immediately cried loudly.

Haseena broke down completely.

And this time-

even Monika choked badly while speaking.

But she still continued somehow.

Monika: "Dekho... roo mat..."

Her own tears fell too now.

Monika: "Hume strong banna hoga..."

A pause.

Monika: "Hume un logo ko pakadna hoga."

She looked toward Karishma.

Monika: "Karu... tum Bangalore jaogi."

Then toward Haseena.

Monika: "Hasu... tum Mumbai."

Haseena immediately shook her head.

Haseena: "Di aise kaise...? Iss samay toh hume ek dusre ke sath rehna chahiye na..."

Karishma also cried harder.

Karishma: "Mumma Papa nahi rahe... ab aap dono bhi nahi honge toh kaise hoga..."

Those words almost destroyed Monika internally.

But she still forced herself to stay calm.

Monika: "Dekho... ab mai elder hu na."

She held both their hands tightly.

Monika: "Aur trust me please."

Monika slowly explained everything.

About danger.

About trusted officers in Mumbai and Bangalore.

About security risks.

About how staying together right now would make them easier targets.

And finally softly-

Monika: "Shayad hum teeno ko iss trauma se thoda dur jana bhi zaruri hai."

She looked around the room painfully.

Monika: "Yaha rehke hum kabhi move on nahi kar payenge..."

A pause.

Monika: "Lekin iska matlab ye nahi ki hum alag ho jayenge."

Her voice softened again.

Monika: "We are the strength of each other."

Then firmly-

Monika: "Aur ye kabhi nahi badlega."

Haseena wiped her tears slowly.

Haseena: "Hum contact mein rahenge na di...?"

Monika immediately nodded.

Monika: "Bilkul."

Then suddenly her strict Major side returned slightly.

Monika: "Aur kaan khol ke sunn lo dono."

Both sisters looked at her.

Monika: "Mujhe daily life ki har ek update chahiye."

A tiny emotional smile appeared on her face.

Monika: "5... 10... 15 calls roz."

Karishma sniffled slightly.

Monika: "Every time video call."

Then calmly-

Monika: "Hum ek secure private server banayenge calls ke liye."

She looked at both seriously.

Monika: "Waha jaake sirf rona nahi hai."

A pause.

Monika: "Apne aap ko build karna hai. Grow karna hai."

Then proudly-

Monika: "IPS... SHO... SI ban ke humari help karni hai."

Her eyes slowly hardened again.

Monika: "Aur un gunhegaro ko khatam karna hai."

Finally-

Monika slowly stretched her hand forward.

For one second both sisters looked at it silently.

Then Haseena placed her hand over Monika's.

Karishma placed hers above both.

And together-

through tears,

pain,

fear,

and heartbreak-

all three sisters whispered softly-

"We can..."

A pause.

And then together again-

"We will."
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The next few days passed like a blur none of them wanted to remember.

People came.

People cried.

People left.

The Malik Mansion, once filled with warmth, laughter, arguments, and late-night chai conversations, had suddenly become painfully silent.

The final rituals of Commander Shaurya Malik and Radhika Malik were completed with full respect.

But no ritual in the world could prepare three daughters for becoming orphaned overnight.

And now-

another goodbye waited for them.

Lucknow Railway Station

The station was crowded like every normal day.

Announcements echoed repeatedly.

Vendors shouted.

Trains arrived and left.

But for the three Malik sisters-

the world had become strangely numb.

Karishma's admission had already been completed in a good academy in Bangalore.

She was still a college student.

Still young.

Still emotionally fragile.

But now she had no option except becoming stronger.

Her hostel arrangements had already been done carefully through trusted contacts.

Meanwhile Haseena's college had already finished.

Now her entire focus had to shift toward UPSC and IPS preparation.

One of Monika's trusted officers in Mumbai had arranged a safe place for her.

A small house in a secure area where another army family's daughter already stayed for studies.

After proper permission and verification, Haseena's twin-sharing room had been finalized there.

Safe.

Monitored.

Protected.

Atleast as much as possible.

Standing near the platform now, all three sisters hugged each other tightly again.

Nobody wanted to let go.

Haseena slowly kissed Karishma's forehead softly before cupping her face carefully.

Haseena: "Karu apna khayal rakhna okay?"

Karishma immediately started crying again silently.

Haseena smiled weakly despite her own tears.

Haseena: "Khana time pe khaoge."

Then seriously-

Haseena: "Aur daily khana khate time server pe call karogi."

She pointed toward both sisters.

Haseena: "Aap dono jab khaoge same time pe hum bhi khayenge."

Karishma nodded continuously while crying.

Haseena: "Waha padhai acche se karna."

Then softly-

Haseena: "Aur haan... life khul ke jeena okay?"

Her own voice broke slightly now.

Haseena: "Apne aap ko sambhalna..."

Then suddenly her strict side came out.

Haseena: "Aur ek bhi din phone karna bhuli ya humara call nahi uthaya toh yaad rakhna..."

She looked at Karishma seriously.

Haseena: "Uss pure din humara khana automatically skip ho jayega."

A pause.

Haseena: "Is that clear?"

Karishma immediately hugged her tightly again.

Karishma: "Aur ha di... ye rule aap dono ke liye bhi same hai."

She looked toward Monika too.

Karishma: "Bhuke reh jayenge hum."

For first time in days-

a tiny smile appeared on Monika's face.

Monika: "Okay clear."

Then teasing slightly despite the heaviness in her eyes-

Monika: "Waise Karu... security reasons ke chalte academy mein tumhara surname Singh register karwaya hai. Wahi identity maintain karna."

Karishma wiped her tears quickly before straightening dramatically.

For the first time since leaving the mansion, a tiny spark returned to her face.

She placed one hand proudly on her chest.

Karishma: "Karishma Singh hai hum."

That instantly earned a small laugh from both her sisters.

A weak laugh.

Broken.

But real.

And somehow-

for a few seconds-

it felt like the Malik sisters were still together exactly the way they used to be.

Few light moments happened after that.

Small smiles.

Small emotional fights.

The kind people forcefully create when they know they are breaking internally.

And then finally-

the Bangalore train arrived first.

Karishma hugged both sisters one last time before boarding slowly.

She kept looking back again and again till the train started moving.

Then came the Mumbai train.

Haseena hugged Monika silently for long time.

Neither wanted to leave.

But both knew they had to.

Finally Haseena boarded too.

And at last-

Monika's Delhi train arrived.

Three sisters.

Three different trains.

Three different cities.

Leaving behind Lucknow.

Leaving behind childhood.

Leaving behind trauma.

And unknowingly-

walking toward completely different versions of themselves.

Inside her train compartment, Monika sat silently near the window.

But instead of resting-

her eyes remained fixed on one contact name inside her phone.

"BIN."

Again and again she opened the contact.

Tried calling.

Stopped.

Again.

Tried.

Stopped.

It was strange.

As if somewhere inside all this chaos-

her heart desperately needed warmth from that one person.

But her ego refused allowing it.

Her thumb hovered over the call button again.

Then she suddenly threw the phone beside her angrily.

Monika: "Agar tumhe meri nahi padi toh meko bhi tumhari nahi padi."

Her eyes turned slightly wet again.

Monika: "News mein aa gaya hoga sab..."

A painful pause.

Monika: "Still you didn't bother to call."

She looked outside silently.

Monika: "Itna bhi kya gussa..."

Meanwhile inside another train-

Haseena sat quietly hugging the family photo frame against her chest.

She wasn't crying anymore.

Nor smiling.

Her eyes remained fixed outside the moving window-

but her mind wasn't inside the train at all.

It was still inside Malik Mansion.

Still hearing her mother's voice.

Still hearing Karishma's laughter.

Still waiting for Monika to come home late at night.

And somewhere between those memories-

Haseena Malik quietly realized-

childhood had ended forever.
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✍️ - 2243 Words

That's it for today's chapter! ✨
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