Journey to Darjeeling — Homebound With Doubt
Ruhi watched the train blur through green fields and sleepy stations as it climbed toward her hometown. The landscapes were the same, but her heart was no longer the girl who once left for Delhi.
Simran had hugged her before she left.
"You're stronger than you think," she whispered. "And if he's meant to be part of your story, your father will eventually turn the page."
But Ruhi wasn't so sure.
This time, her bag was heavy with more than clothes — it carried a journal full of love, a pendant shaped like a buzzer, and a decision that could change everything.
🏡 Darjeeling — The Tension at Home
When Ruhi walked through the old wooden gate, her mother opened the door and hugged her silently.
But her father didn't come to the door.
Later, at dinner, the silence was heavier than the steamed rice on her plate.
"Did you even think once, Ruhi?" her father finally said, his voice cold. "A girl alone in Mumbai, with a boy, without informing us?"
"I wasn't alone," she replied softly. "I was with someone who respects me more than the world ever has."
He scoffed. "Love doesn't pay bills or buy respect. It ruins reputations."
Her throat tightened. "What if love is what makes a reputation?"
Her mother placed a hand on her father's shoulder.
But he didn't reply.
He just stood up and walked to the balcony.
📓 Beyond the Buzzer – Page 121
"Sometimes, the hardest person to write forIs the one who taught you your first words."
🏢 Delhi — Rudra and the Unexpected Guest
Rudra returned from his basketball practice, drenched in sweat, to find a familiar face waiting at his flat:
His mother.
She sat calmly on the sofa, her silk saree creaseless, her eyes soft.
"Ma?" he said, surprised.
"I thought it was time we talked," she said with a half-smile.
They talked for hours — about college, his business plans, Ruhi, and the family's image.
Then she said something that caught him completely off guard:
"I'll support your choice… if you agree to one condition."
"What condition?"
"Come back home. Join the family business, part-time at least. Show your father you're responsible — even if your heart chooses freely."
He exhaled deeply.
It wasn't blackmail.It was a bridge.
📞 Late-Night Call — Simran and Aarav
At her internship desk, Simran typed rapidly, papers scattered everywhere.
Aarav called.
"I barely see you," he said gently. "Even when you're home, you're somewhere else."
"I'm just… trying to prove myself," she said.
"To who?"
She paused.
She didn't know.
Maybe her parents. Maybe herself.
"Don't let ambition steal you from who you are," Aarav added softly.
Simran stared at the blinking cursor on her screen.
And whispered, "I don't want to lose you."
"You won't," he replied. "Unless you stop talking to me like I'm still outside your door."
📓 Beyond the Buzzer – Page 123
"Love doesn't fear ambition.It fears silence between the races we run."
✉️ Ruhi's Letter to Rudra — Posted, Not Texted
The next day, in Darjeeling, Ruhi sat in her childhood room and wrote on real paper — no phones, no email.
Dear Rudra,
The hills look the same, but I feel taller.Maybe because I carry your words with me now.
Papa hasn't spoken to me since last night.But today, I heard him on the phone saying,"She's stubborn, like her mother. But she's honest. That boy may be the only one who deserves her."
I cried.
Not because he accepted us — he hasn't.But because I think he's finally seeing me.
The girl I used to be was scared of disappointing him.The woman I'm becoming wants to live honestly —Even if that honesty hurts first.
I'll be back in three days.
And I want to meet your mother.
Love,Ruhi 💌
📬 Back in Delhi — Rudra Receives It
He read the letter three times.
Then kissed the page.
And whispered, "Come home soon."
📓 Beyond the Buzzer – Page 124
"A letter is not a plea.It's a bridge.Between pride and peace."
💫 End of Chapter 24