Chapter 1 - Born into Expectations
Akshita grew up in a family where success was the family legacy. Her parents and siblings had achieved so much that the same was expected of her. She worked hard, pushing herself day and night, not because she knew what she truly wanted, but because she didn’t want to fall short of the expectations placed upon her.
Despite her achievements, Akshita often felt an emptiness. She had everything; privilege, opportunities, and resources but not the clarity of what she really needed in her life.
Akshita sat by her bedroom window, staring at the city lights below. A thought nagged at her mind:
“Have I ever felt truly happy? Have I ever experienced what I wanted, or have I only been chasing what everyone else expected of me?”
Her gaze drifted to the ceiling as memories began to surface. High school. The chaotic hallways, the laughter of friends, the smell of freshly polished floors; and most vividly, him.
Rudra.
