**[13 June 2025, Goldy's Residence]**
The air in the room felt heavy, like a storm was about to break. I sat across from my brother, Rohit, my heart pounding with unspoken words. Mom was between us, her eyes darting from me to him, sensing the tension that hung like a thick fog. To break the silence, she forced a smile and turned to Rohit.
"So, Rohit, how's work going?" she asked, her voice soft but strained.
Rohit's gaze shifted from me to her. His eyes were blank, like he was looking at a stranger. For a moment, he said nothing, just stared. Then, in a low voice, he spoke. "I'm going back to the US after this week."
Mom froze, her smile fading. Before she could say a word, Rohit continued, his voice steady but cold. "I've married someone there. I'm living with her now. This visit… it's just to say goodbye. I won't be coming back to India."
The words hit like a punch. I glanced at Mom. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with a mix of emptiness and anger. She looked at Rohit as if he'd become someone she didn't know. The room grew quieter, but the weight of his words pressed down harder, threatening to crush us all.
I couldn't stay silent anymore. My chest tightened, and I leaned forward, my voice shaking but firm. "Rohit, you can't just leave like this. This is home. We're your family. Whatever's going on, we can figure it out together. You don't have to cut us off." I searched his face for a flicker of the brother I knew, but his expression didn't change. "Please," I said, softer now, almost pleading. "Stay. At least give us a chance to understand. Don't walk away forever."
Rohit's eyes stayed empty, his face cold as stone. He looked at me, then at Mom, and spoke in a flat, emotionless tone. "This is for the best." His words carried no warmth, no doubt, just a hollow certainty that made the room feel even colder.
I glanced at Mom again. Her eyes were blank now, lifeless, and her hands trembled in her lap, shaken by his words. Seeing her like that, so broken, sent a surge of anger through me. My fists clenched, and my voice rose, sharp and raw. "For the best? How can you say that, Rohit? Look at her!" I pointed at Mom, my heart racing. "You're tearing us apart, and you don't even care! How can you be so cold?" My words echoed in the silent room, but Rohit's face remained unchanged, like he was already gone.
Mom's chair scraped against the floor as she stood abruptly, her face a mask of pain. Without a word, she turned and walked toward her room, her steps heavy and unsteady. I rushed after her, my heart sinking. "Mom, wait, please!" I called, knocking on her door as she shut it with a loud thud. "Talk to me, Mom. Please!" But there was no response, just silence from the other side, as if she'd locked her pain away with her.
Fury boiled inside me. I spun around to face Rohit, who still sat there, his cold expression unchanged. "This is what you wanted from the start, isn't it?" I spat, my voice trembling with rage. "To hurt us and walk away like we mean nothing!" He didn't flinch, didn't answer. Unable to stand the sight of him, I stormed out of the house, the door slamming behind me as anger burned through every step I took.
**
Coral Gables, Florida, Top floor. {Time - 12:00 AM EDT, 13 June 2025, Friday}
The warm night air of Coral Gables, Florida, carried a faint jasmine scent across the top-floor balcony of a sleek condo. The city lights sparkled below like stars. At a glass table sat Elena, Rohit's wife, her figure cloaked in shadow, a single candle's glow giving her an eerie, mysterious air. Her dark hair, loosely tied, shimmered oddly, and her eyes stayed hidden in the dark. Her flowing dress melted into the night, fingers brushing a wineglass. Maria, a kind-faced servant, poured wine nearby, their soft talk filling the quiet. Unknown to all, even Rohit, Elena wielded [CHARM], a secret power bending hearts with a glance or word. She'd used it to trap Rohit, a brilliant businessman with vast wealth, into marriage, and he never suspected a thing.
"You've known Rohit a long time, right?" Elena asked, her voice sweet, like a lullaby, making Maria feel safe and open.
Maria nodded, setting the bottle down. "Yes, ma'am. Since he came to America. He used to talk about his family in India—his mom, his sibling. He'd smile so brightly."
Elena leaned forward, her face half-hidden, her gaze pulling Maria in. "And now?" she asked, her charm coaxing truth.
Maria glanced at the condo's glass doors, hearing faint voices. "He's cold now, ma'am. Said he's done with India, forever."
The candlelight caught Elena's face—sharp cheekbones, a fake smile, eyes gleaming with cold cunning. Her mystery faded, revealing her truth. She didn't love Rohit; she wanted his fortune. Using [CHARM], she'd turned him against his family, ensuring his empire was hers. "He says it's for the best," she murmured, hiding cruel intent. Maria, unaware of Elena's spell, stood silent as the night grew heavy with her plan to control Rohit's wealth, leaving him blind to her deceit.