After completing the fashion shows in Paris, Akshata and her mother returned to Mumbai.
Life quickly settled back into its familiar rhythm.
School once again became her priority.
She had only recently joined the new academic year, and she didn't want to fall behind.
Every morning she attended classes.
She revised her notes every evening.
Whenever she had free time, she quietly continued planning her second game.
Despite her growing success in modeling and game development, she reminded herself that these school years would never return.
"They're only once in a lifetime," she thought.
"I should enjoy them."
For the first time in many weeks, she had time to simply be a student.
She laughed with her classmates during breaks.
Shared lunch with friends.
Worked on group assignments.
And slowly began creating memories that had nothing to do with runways or computers.
A few weeks later, the college announced its Freshers' Party.
Since Akshata had joined that year, she decided to participate.
Many students encouraged her to take part in the fashion segment of the event.
At first she hesitated.
Her friends laughed.
"Today you're not an international model."
"Today you're one of us."
That made her smile.
She happily joined the event.
For one evening, there were no photographers, no backstage rush, and no international designers waiting.
There were only students cheering for one another.
It became one of her favourite memories of the year.
---
Meanwhile, life at home was equally busy.
Nagaraju's television serials continued receiving excellent viewership.
Audiences appreciated that every story had a clear beginning, meaningful journey, and satisfying ending instead of being stretched endlessly.
At the same time, the two films he had invested in were released.
Both performed well at the box office and were well received by audiences.
The success brought substantial returns on his investments.
After all calculations and settlements, the profits from the two projects together amounted to nearly ₹30 crore.
One evening, Nagaraju's younger brother quietly sat with a notebook, calculating the figures again and again.
He looked at the final numbers in disbelief.
"So... this is what he has built after we separated."
The room fell silent.
Years earlier, the brothers had chosen different paths.
At that time, it had seemed like the right decision.
Now, seeing Nagaraju's growing success in both television and films, they couldn't help wondering how different things might have been had they remained together.
One of them sighed.
"There's no point thinking about it now."
"The decision has already been made."
Another nodded slowly.
"We can't cry over spilled milk."
Across the city, Nagaraju knew nothing about those conversations.
He wasn't celebrating anyone else's regrets.
He was simply grateful.
His television productions were flourishing.
His film investments were succeeding.
His daughter was excelling in school while quietly building careers in both technology and fashion.
As he looked around the dinner table that evening, he smiled.
For the first time in many years, everything seemed to be moving in the right direction.
And deep inside, Akshata knew this was only the beginning of the future she was determined to create.
While Nagaraju's family was moving forward with new opportunities, another important decision was being made in his elder brother's family.
After the separation of the business, the relationship between the two families had changed.
There was still a connection as relatives, but their lives had started moving in different directions.
The elder uncle's wife had always been ambitious for her children.
When she saw Akshata travelling internationally for modeling assignments, building games, and becoming known in different fields, she started thinking deeply about her own children's future.
At first, there was a small feeling of comparison.
After all, Akshata's achievements had become impossible to ignore.
But she was also a mother.
Her children's dreams mattered more than any competition.
Her children were not interested in the entertainment industry.
Otherwise, she might have asked her husband to use his connections and help them get opportunities in films or television.
But that was not what they wanted.
They had different interests.
They wanted education.
They wanted to build careers through their own abilities.
One evening, they spoke openly with their parents.
"We want to study in the best universities possible."
"We want to experience a different education system and build our own future."
Their mother listened carefully.
She realized this was not about competing with anyone.
This was about giving her children the best chance she could.
---
The applications had already been prepared months earlier.
The children had researched universities, completed the required documents, and submitted their applications.
When the acceptance letters arrived, the family gathered together.
They had been accepted into universities in the United States.
It was a major opportunity.
The elder uncle looked at the letters quietly.
After the business separation, their financial situation had changed compared to the past.
But he still had the ability to support his children's education.
He believed this was the right investment.
Education would give them independence.
It would allow them to create their own identity.
His wife also supported the decision.
Although the family situation had become complicated, she knew one thing clearly.
A parent's responsibility was to help their children reach their dreams.
---
Before finalizing everything, she spoke with her husband.
"This is the right opportunity for them."
"They are not interested in our industry."
"They want a different path."
The elder uncle nodded.
"If this is what they want, we should support them."
"We can give them a good education and let them build their own lives."
The decision was made.
Their children would move to the United States for higher education.
---
When the news reached the extended family, everyone had different reactions.
For some, it was unexpected.
The two families had once built a business together.
Now their children were choosing separate paths.
Akshata heard about it calmly.
She understood.
Not everyone had the same dreams.
Her own journey was unusual because she had interests in many different fields.
But her cousins had their own ambitions.
That was equally valuable.
She wished them success.
After all, every person had their own stage to shine on.
As one chapter closed for the elder uncle's family, another chapter was beginning thousands of kilometres away.