The night of Ishita Desai's album launch had finally arrived. The entire Desai Corporation hall was glowing with golden lights and filled with reporters, fans, and industry elites. Everyone was waiting for the grand performance of Ishita Desai, the rising star and the fourth daughter of the Desai family.
Mukul sat in the VIP section with Shreya, Sanya, and Elina. Elina looked around in excitement; this was her first time attending such a grand event. Ishita's posters were everywhere — elegant, confident, and full of grace.
But backstage, chaos had already begun. Ishita's manager, Reema Kapoor, rushed into her dressing room with panic in her voice.
"Ishita… all seven songs of your album… they've already been released on the internet!"
The colour drained from Ishita's face. "W-what? How is that possible?"
Reema showed her the phone screen — the tracks were trending everywhere. Tears welled up in Ishita's eyes as she sank into her chair. "Everything I worked for… It's all gone before I could even perform."
She locked herself inside her room, ignoring everyone's calls. Reema, helpless and trembling, called Shreya.
Within minutes, Shreya stood up from the VIP seat. "Sanya, Mukul, Elina — something's wrong. We have to go backstage now."
The three followed her quickly through the long hallway. When they reached, they saw Ishita's room locked from the inside. Shreya's voice trembled slightly as she called out, "Ishita! It's me, Shreya! Please open the door!"
Inside, Ishita sobbed quietly. She wanted to answer, but couldn't find the strength. Sanya placed a gentle hand on the door and said, "Di, please… we're all here. Don't hide your pain."
Mukul watched silently for a moment. His chest tightened seeing his sister break like that. His mind replayed the moments he'd shared with Ishita — her laughter, her teasing, the way she had proudly introduced herself to him just a day ago. And now, seeing her like this… something inside him broke too.
Finally, Mukul stepped forward. His voice was calm but strong. "Ishita di… if you don't open the door, I'll break it."
There was silence for a few seconds. Then, with a deep breath, Mukul pushed the door open. The lock snapped.
Inside, Ishita sat on the floor, makeup smeared, eyes swollen, clutching her knees. When Mukul saw her like that, his heart twisted. He wanted to comfort her, but words refused to come. He knelt beside her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "You've always been strong, di. Don't let this stop you."
Ishita didn't answer — just stared blankly.
Reema wiped her tears and said weakly, "The show starts in thirty minutes."
Mukul looked at her and suddenly smiled. Everyone — Ishita, Shreya, Sanya, even Reema — froze. His smile in that heavy moment felt strange, but there was something comforting about it.
Sanya frowned. "Mukul, why are you smiling at a time like this?"
Mukul stood up. "Because it's not over yet." He stretched out his hand toward Reema. "Paper and pen, please."
Confused, Reema handed them over. Mukul sat at the dressing table and asked Ishita, "What's the theme of your album?"
"Love, loss… and healing," she whispered.
Mukul nodded and started writing rapidly. His hand didn't stop. Line after line, melody after melody — words poured out like he had lived every emotion himself. Within five minutes, he wrote seven complete songs that perfectly matched Ishita's tone and style.
When he handed the papers to Ishita, she blinked through her tears. "You… you wrote all this?"
Mukul smiled softly. "You're the voice of this story, di. Now, sing it your way."
Ishita's lips trembled. She looked at the papers again, her eyes widening as she read the lyrics — they were full of heart, pain, and hope. Suddenly, she hugged Mukul tightly. "You saved me, little brother," she whispered, kissing his cheek affectionately.
Mukul's face turned red, and everyone laughed softly. But one person was frozen — Elina.
She stood there, stunned. "Wait… little brother?"
Shreya and Sanya looked at each other and smiled knowingly. Shreya gently took Elina's hand. "Elina, meet our fourth sister — Ishita Desai."
Elina's eyes widened in disbelief. "Fourth sister…? You mean— Ishita Desai, the famous singer, is Mukul's sister?!"
Sanya giggled. "Yes. Surprised?"
Elina blinked several times, speechless. She turned to Mukul. "You… you didn't tell me?"
Mukul scratched his head shyly. "I wanted to surprise you."
Elina shook her head, still in shock. "You're full of surprises, Mukul Desai."
After a few minutes, Ishita stood up, now composed and glowing again. She looked at Mukul one last time, her voice steady. "Let's make tonight unforgettable."
When the show began, the crowd cheered loudly as Ishita appeared on stage in a dazzling silver dress. The new songs — all written by Mukul — filled the hall with raw emotion. Her performance was powerful, emotional, and heartfelt.
At the end, when the audience gave a standing ovation, Ishita smiled and held the mic. "There's someone special here tonight who helped me find my voice again… My little brother, Mukul Desai."
Spotlights turned to the VIP section. Everyone looked at Mukul in surprise as the camera focused on his calm smile. Shreya and Sanya clapped proudly, and Elina looked at him with admiration shining in her eyes.
That night, Mukul didn't just save Ishita's performance — he helped her rediscover her strength. And in doing so, he unknowingly made everyone around him a little prouder, a little closer, and a lot more inspired.