Rishi suddenly opened his eyes.
His chest rose rapidly as he struggled to breathe.
That can't be right.
The last thing he remembered was darkness swallowing his vision.
A car. A loud crash. Then nothing.
Yet now he could hear voices.
Blurry shapes surrounded him.
"He's so cute," someone said.
"Of course he is," another voice replied. "He looks exactly like his mother."
Rishi frowned internally.
What nonsense are these people talking about?
Before he could process anything, a woman suddenly lifted him.
"My sweet boy."
His thoughts froze.
What?
Something felt terribly wrong.
His body refused to respond properly. His arms were tiny, and his vision was strangely low.
A terrifying thought slowly formed in his mind.
Wait…
Why can't I control my body properly?
Confusion surged through him.
Only one sentence echoed in his head.
What the hell is going on?
---
Four Years Earlier
Rishi leaned back in his office chair, scrolling through the endless notifications on his phone.
Photoshoot updates. Drama promotions. Brand deals.
The screen kept filling with alerts.
The last month had been exhausting. Filming schedules, interviews, and constant public appearances had left him with barely any time to rest. He hadn't even checked most of his notifications.
As he continued scrolling, something suddenly caught his attention.
Missed calls.
Not just a few.
Dozens.
All from the same name.
Tanu.
His younger sister.
Rishi frowned.
"Why did she call so many times?"
He immediately pressed the call button.
While waiting for the call to connect, he noticed something else.
The calls had been coming nonstop for a week.
A faint uneasiness crept into his chest.
The call finally connected.
"...Hello."
"Tanu? What happened?" Rishi asked quickly.
There was silence for a moment.
When she finally spoke, her voice sounded tired. And slightly angry.
After hearing her words, Rishi felt the ground disappear beneath his feet.
"I'll come immediately."
The call ended.
Without wasting another second, Rishi rushed to the airport.
---
The entire flight felt suffocating.
His thoughts refused to settle.
If I had answered earlier…
He clenched his fists.
No. Regret wouldn't change anything now.
He just needed to get there as quickly as possible.
---
After landing in India, Rishi took a taxi straight to the hospital.
The ride felt endless.
"It can't be that serious…" he muttered to himself.
The taxi finally stopped.
As soon as he stepped out, he spotted his uncle standing near the hospital entrance. Rishi walked toward him quickly.
"Uncle, what happened? Tanu only told me Mom was in serious condition and had been hospitalized."
His uncle looked exhausted. He hesitated before speaking.
"Your mother… she has a hole in her heart."
Rishi froze for a moment before quickly speaking again.
"So what? I can pay for the treatment now. We'll take her to the best hospital. Just tell me where."
His uncle slowly shook his head.
"It's too late. Surgery won't help anymore."
The words hung heavily in the air.
Rishi stood there in silence.
"If I had known earlier…"
His uncle sighed.
"I brought your mother here a month ago when her condition started getting worse. That's when we found out."
Frustration rose in Rishi's voice.
"Then why didn't anyone tell me?"
The words left his mouth before he realized something.
He hadn't been answering his calls.
His uncle studied him for a moment.
"That was your mother's decision."
Rishi frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"She said you were busy. She didn't want to trouble you."
Rishi lowered his gaze. For the first time, he couldn't meet his uncle's eyes.
He had spent years building his career. But somewhere along the way, the time he should have spent with his family had quietly slipped away.
His uncle placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you think we ignored this because of money?"
Rishi looked up.
"I even mortgaged my land," his uncle continued. "We contacted hospitals in Kerala."
He sighed heavily.
"The doctors said the condition was very old. No one noticed it for years."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"They also said she only had about thirty days left if we didn't operate."
Rishi immediately asked,
"So the surgery started?"
His uncle shook his head.
"No."
Rishi stared at him.
"Why?"
His uncle gave a faint, tired smile.
"Your mother refused."
Rishi blinked in disbelief.
"She said she wanted to spend her last days with her children."
His uncle placed a hand on Rishi's shoulder again.
"It's not too late yet. Go see your mother."
Rishi nodded and turned toward the ward with his uncle. He quickened his pace, his steps urgent but controlled as he walked down the quiet hospital corridor. The sharp smell of disinfectant filled the air.
---
Rishi stood outside the hospital ward.
Through the glass, he could see his mother lying on the bed, surrounded by machines.
He reached for the door.
"Stop."
A voice interrupted him.
Rishi turned.
Tanu stood behind him.
Her eyes were red.
"You don't need to go inside," she said angrily.
Rishi didn't argue. He understood her anger.
Their uncle spoke from behind them.
"Tanu, calm down. This isn't the time."
She looked at Rishi for a moment before stepping aside.
"Fine. But I'm still angry with you."
Rishi nodded quietly.
He stepped into the room.
The moment his mother saw him, her weak face brightened.
"Rishi…"
That single word was enough.
The tears he had been holding back finally escaped.
"Mom… I'm sorry it took me so long. I should have come to see you sooner."
She gently placed her hand on his head.
"What are you apologizing for? Do you think I'm that weak?"
Rishi forced a smile.
"Yeah… you're right."
He held her hand tightly.
"Mom, I earn well now. I'll buy you anything you want—sarees, jewelry… anything."
She smiled, the same calm, steady smile he had seen his entire life. Even when their father died, she had never broken in front of them. No matter how hard things became, she had always stood strong for them.
She looked at him gently. "You've done well, Rishi. I'm proud of you."
For two days, Rishi stayed beside her.
Talking. Laughing.
Pretending everything was normal.
On the third day, the doctor stepped out of the room.
"She is no more."
Everyone had expected it.
But accepting it was still painful.
---
Days slowly turned into months.
Months eventually became years.
Four years later, the memory still hadn't faded.
Late at night, Rishi walked slowly toward his apartment.
His mind was quiet.
The regrets of the past no longer haunted him the way they once had.
But if life ever gave him another chance, he wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed across the street.
Bright headlights rushed toward him.
His vision blurred.
A car.
The impact came instantly.
As darkness swallowed his consciousness, one final thought crossed his mind.
If there is another life…
I'll live it differently.
---
And then he woke up.
Unfamiliar voices echoed around him.
The body he was in didn't feel like his own.
"Abhay…" someone whispered softly.
That was when he realized they were calling him.