IT'S NOT OVER

Chapter 2

Sunlight sliced through the window, rousing Reyansh from a restless sleep. Beside him, Avi stirred, her brow furrowed in worry. "Mamma? Dadda?" she mumbled, searching for the familiar comfort of her parents.

A pang of heartache shot through Reyansh. Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile. "Hey there, sleepyhead! Time for our morning adventure!" He scooped her up, twirling her playfully. "Bath time first, then we're off to see my friends and maybe even grab some ice cream!"

Avi's face lit up at the mention of ice cream. Though barely managing the word, she let out a happy squeal, "Ith-cream!"

"That's right, ice cream!" Reyansh echoed, his voice tinged with a newfound cheer. "Let's get ready, little princess. Are you ready to be a brave girl today?"

Avi, momentarily distracted, puffed out her chest and declared, "Yep! Leady!"

A chuckle escaped Reyansh's lips. "That's my girl," he whispered, a surge of gratitude washing over him. Despite the overwhelming challenges, Avi's innocent joy was a beacon of light in the darkness.

•••••

The familiar turn onto Ken's street twisted Reyansh's gut. Parked prominently in the driveway, gleaming under the afternoon sun, sat Shila's cherry red convertible – the one he'd surprised her with last birthday. Shoving aside the cold dread pooling in his stomach, he marched towards the house. The door hung open, a carefree invitation echoing the carefree life he'd assumed they led.

Inside, the house was eerily quiet. Reyansh called out for Ken, his voice echoing unanswered through the halls. An unsettling feeling prickled at him. He ascended the stairs, drawn by the faint thrumming of music that seemed to pulse from a room down the hall.

The melody was one he recognized all too well – a song he'd poured his heart and soul into, the anguished lyrics a reflection of a love unrequited. Yet, the music wasn't the same. It lacked the raw passion he'd imbued it with, replaced by a hollow, commercial sheen.

Reaching the doorway of the jamming room, he hesitated. A guttural moan, laced with a sickening sweetness, sent a jolt through him. It wasn't the music. Reyansh pushed the door open, a cold dread slithering down his spine.

The scene that greeted him was a brutal tableau. Shila and Ken were locked in a tangled embrace on the rumpled bed, their clothes strewn across the floor. The air crackled with a raw energy that had nothing to do with music. Shila, his muse, his confidante, was a whirlwind of tangled limbs and breathless moans.

But it was Ken's words that shattered the fragile hope Reyansh clung to. "That damn Reyansh," he spat, the words dripping with disdain. "Such a naive fool. He never suspected a thing."

Shila, momentarily breaking away from the kiss, giggled, a cruel sound devoid of the warmth Reyansh remembered. "He was perfect for what we needed," she purred, her eyes gleaming with a dark satisfaction. "The ghostwriter, the invisible composer. We used him, Reyansh, and you never even knew."

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. The music, his music, became a distorted cacophony in his ears. The betrayal, so raw and complete, stole the breath from his lungs.  They had used him, not just for his music, but for their own twisted pleasure. The anger, hot and searing, threatened to consume him.

In a white-hot fury, Reyansh flung the delicate porcelain vase across the room. It shattered against the wall in a shower of white shards, the sound a discordant counterpoint to the throbbing music in his head. The ornate dressing table mirror followed suit, its reflective surface splintering into a web of cracks.

Ken and Shila, initially startled, quickly returned to their preening. Ken straightened his clothes, his face a mask of practiced indifference. "Quite the entrance, Reyansh," he drawled, his voice laced with a sneer. "What brings you here?"

Shila, wrapped in a flimsy silk robe, casually ran a comb through her hair as if oblivious to the destruction around her. "Lost your way, ghostwriter?" she purred, her tone laced with mocking sweetness.

Before Reyansh could respond, a primal rage bubbled up inside him. He lunged at Ken, but the seasoned rockstar easily sidestepped him, delivering a swift punch to Reyansh's jaw. The world tilted for a moment, stars exploding in his vision.

"Easy there, buddy," Ken said, his voice cold. "Remember your place. You're the ghost, remember? The guy in the shadows, not the one who gets to strut in the spotlight."

Fury choked Reyansh's voice. "Do you even know who I am? What I am?" he rasped, clutching his throbbing jaw.

Shila snorted, her perfectly manicured nails clicking against a makeup compact. "The bankrupt, penniless nobody?" she drawled, her voice dripping with disdain. "I followed you for your money, Reyansh, for the life you promised. But that's gone now, isn't it? What a joke. You think we still fear you, respect you? We used you, just like you used us for your little melodies."

"Shut up!" Reyansh roared, a primal scream escaping his lips.

"Get him out of here, Ken," Shila spat back, her facade of indifference finally cracking. "Call security, get rid of him!"

Shame washed over Reyansh as the truth sunk in. He'd been a fool, blinded by his affection for Shila.

Ken's voice dripped with venom. "Pathetic! A broke loser with nothing to offer. You hear me, Reyansh? You're a nobody!"

A whimper cut through the tension. Avi, startled awake by the commotion, called out for Reyansh. Her innocent voice was a stark contrast to the ugliness unfolding around them.

Ken scowled. "Ugh, annoying brat. Stick her... somewhere," he dismissively waved towards the living room.

The blatant disrespect for his niece ignited a fury in Reyansh. He lunged at Ken, but years on the road made the rockstar quicker and stronger. A brief struggle ensued before Ken landed a solid blow, sending Reyansh reeling.

"Security!" he roared, his voice laced with a newfound authority.

Men materialized from the shadows, their grip firm as they subdued Reyansh. Despite his struggles, they shoved him out the door, the heavy oak slamming shut with a finality that mirrored the shattering of their friendship.