Sitara and ruhaan handed the twins to Akshita, tears of joy welled up in her eyes. She looked at Advik, and he responded with a wide smile. Wiping her tears away, he sat beside her, cradling one of the babies in his hands. Advik chuckled as he looked at his baby girl, noticing the striking resemblance between them. He and Akshita had always argued about whose features the babies would inherit. Akshita raised her hand and gently wiped away the tear Advik had been holding back.
Watching this heartfelt scene, Sitara's eyes became moist, a smile gracing her lips. Ruhaan's eyes glistened with happy tears, although he managed to keep them under control. Ruhaan and Sitara's eyes met, but after a few moments, they broke their gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.
"Sir, ma'am, can you please leave? We need to feed the babies," the nurse requested, interrupting the emotional moment.
"Sure," Sitara and Ruhaan replied in unison, stepping away.
Advik stood up and planted a gentle kiss on Akshita's forehead, eliciting a radiant smile from her.
"I'll be right outside. If you need anything, just tell me," he said.
"Yes," Akshita replied, her smile unwavering.
Advik left after tenderly kissing his twins.
"Ruhaan, Sitara, Maa, Dad, why don't you all go and get some rest? I'll stay with Akshi," Advik suggested.
"No, bhai, how will you manage alone? I'm staying with you," Sitara argued.
"No, Sitara, I'm fine. After seeing my babies, I feel an extra surge of energy," Advik chuckled.
"But bhai, you'll need help," Ruhaan said, concerned.
"Don't worry; the hospital staff here is very supportive," Advik assured them.
"Are you sure, beta?" Kabir inquired.
"Yes, Dad, you two please go and get some rest, please," Advik pleaded.
"Okay, but call us if anything is needed," Nishtha said.
"Ji, Maa," Advik said.
"Ruhaan, Sitara, both of you go. We are going to the temple to perform some pooja," Nishtha announced.
"Yes, Maa," Sitara said.
After bidding Advik farewell, the four of them left.
Once inside their room, Sitara headed to the washroom, while Ruhaan made himself comfortable on the couch. After a while, Sitara returned, and Ruhaan went to the washroom.
While searching for her charger, Sitara opened Ruhaan's drawer, thinking she might have placed it there by mistake. To her surprise, she found Pari's picture and a note. She weakly chuckled at the discovery. Curiosity piqued, she opened the chit and started reading.
"My dear Pari, I love you so much. Yes, I am married to Sitara, but my heart belongs to you only. No one can take your place in my heart. I know this namesake relationship must be difficult for her, but I can't help it. I tried to give our relationship a chance as friendship, but I can't. How can I imagine someone else in your place? I can never grant her the rights of being my wife. I will spend my life cherishing our beautiful memories. Yours, Ruhaan."
Her eyes brimmed with tears after reading the note, unaware that Ruhaan had written it on their wedding day.
Just then, she heard the door opening, and she quickly put the note back, wiping her tears. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself. Ruhaan entered and sat on the bed. Sitara's phone started ringing, and Ruhaan, being closer to it, saw Rishi's name on the screen. Sitara's face lit up upon seeing Rishi's name, but there was someone in the room burning with jealousy.
"Hello, Rishi," she said, her voice laced with excitement as she smiled widely. Ruhaan rolled his eyes at her cheerful tone.
"Thank you, thank you... a party? Of course, come here, I will make something for you... yes, yes... okay... bye," Sitara said into her phone before ending the call.
"I'm hungry, can you please make something for me?" Ruhaan asked, surprising Sitara, as he rarely asked for anything from her. Confused, she nodded and left to prepare something for him.
Meanwhile, Ruhaan received a call from his PA, who needed some papers for a presentation. After assuring his PA, Ruhaan searched for the files but couldn't find them. Frustrated, he yelled, "Sitara, where is Mr. Knight's file?" He received a reply from her, yelling back that it was in her cupboard's third drawer.
Opening opened Sitara's cupboard, desperately searching for the necessary files. However, what he found instead were divorce papers neatly placed in her drawer. He held them delicately, his eyes scanning the pages, and his heart sank at the sight of Sitara's signature-proof of their impending separation. The memory of Sitara's conversation with Rishi in the hospital echoed in his mind, intensifying his pain. With a heavy heart, he placed the papers back and hastily grabbed his car keys, his mind clouded with emotions.
As Ruhaan descended the stairs, his face was etched with turmoil. Unaware of the storm that had just erupted in their room, Sitara approached him, holding a plate, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern.
"I was coming to..." she began, her voice trailing off, but Ruhaan paid no attention to her words. He walked past her, his steps heavy with the weight of his emotions. Sitara stood there in disbelief, her confusion deepening as she watched him leave without a word, completely unaware of the heartbreaking revelation that had just occurred in their shared space.
Later that night, Sitara heard the doorbell ring. Opening the main door, she found Ruhaan standing there, his appearance disheveled. His right sleeve was rolled up, his shirt half-buttoned, and his hair messy. She could smell alcohol on him.
"Ruhaan, are you drunk?" she asked, concern evident in her voice as she held onto him.
"Yes... and you know what... I went to her..." he said, his speech slurred, pausing intermittently.
"Where?" she asked, guiding him towards their room, trying to keep his voice down to avoid waking her parents.
"I told you... na... to her," he said, his words barely coherent.
"Okay, wait," she said, closing the door behind them. Holding him firmly, she helped him to their room.
"You know what, Sitara... she has magic..." he mumbled, his words trailing off as he smiled drunkenly.
"Shhh, Ruhaan, speak slowly; Mom and Dad will wake up," she urged, her voice soft and calming.
Reaching their room, she made him sit on the bed. Gently removing his shoes and socks, she laid him down. As she turned to leave, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him, his action startling her.
"You know... she said that," he said, but stopped abruptly, leaving his sentence unfinished.
"Ruhaan, where were you?" she asked in horror, realizing he had been mentioning some woman since he arrived home. The thought of him being physically involved with someone else terrified her, even though she knew he wasn't hers to claim.
"I was with her... the whole... no, no... half night," he said, chuckling drunkenly.
"Wh... whom?" she asked, her voice barely audible, fear and sadness creeping into her heart.
"I told you a thousand times... na... I was with her... you know what she said... she said that... I can... go to her... whenever I... feel... alone," he said innocently, his words slurred.
Tears welled up in Sitara's eyes, her heart breaking at his words. She forced herself to ask, "And what... what did you do?"
"Shhhh... that's my secret... I won't tell anyone..." he said, his voice fading as he drifted into a drunken slumber. Sitara noticed scratches on his chest making her heart crumble with sadness.
Unable to bear the pain, Sitara stood up and moved to the couch, her tears flowing freely throughout the night.
The next morning, Sitara woke up to find Ruhaan sleeping peacefully. Her initial smile faded away as she remembered his drunken conversation from the previous night. Determined to stay strong, she made her way to the washroom. When she returned, she found Ruhaan sitting on the bed, clearly suffering from a headache. Silently, she gave him some medicine, and he smiled weakly, accepting it. Without uttering a word, she left the room, leaving him to his thoughts.
In the main hall, Nishtha was talking and smiling on the phone. When she saw Sitara, she ended her call.
"Who was on the call, Maa?" Sitara asked.
"Advik. He said they are coming," Nishtha replied with a wide smile, and Sitara mirrored her expression.
Kabir, too, had a rare smile on his face that day, quite unlike his usual demeanor.
"So, what are we waiting for? Let's start preparing to welcome our children," he said, beaming.
"Yes, Dad," Sitara responded and immediately made arrangements. The Oberoi mansion was soon adorned with colorful flowers and balloons. Ruhaan, dressed casually, glanced at Sitara, but she ignored him completely.
"Mom, why all these decorations? Bhai and bhabhi are coming tomorrow, right?" Ruhaan inquired.
"No, beta, they are coming today," Nishtha replied, her smile widening at the excitement in Ruhaan's voice.
"That's great. Let me help you," Ruhaan said, offering his assistance and sporting a genuine smile. Nishtha's heart swelled with happiness upon seeing her son so cheerful. Advik and Akshita arrived with the twins, and Mayra joined them.
Sitara performed aarti at the main door as Akshita and her babies entered. Akshita couldn't contain her happiness, and Ruhaan brought in the cake for the celebration.
"Maa, we will have the same celebration when Sitara comes with her baby," Akshita announced suddenly, catching Sitara and Ruhaan off guard.
An awkward silence fell between Sitara and Ruhaan as they exchanged glances.
"I'll be back in a minute," Sitara said, excusing herself.
"Ahh, Sharma gayi," Akshita teased, laughing.
"Go and rest now," Nishtha declared, trying to ease the tension.
"Yes, Maa," akshita replied, taking the opportunity to leave. Ruhaan sat with his parents in the hall, wearing a contented smile.
Advik excused himself and found Sitara standing in the garden, wiping her tears.
"Sitara," he called out to her.
"Yes, Bhai," she replied, forcing a fake smile.
"What happened? Are you okay, baccha?" he asked, concern etched on his face.
At first, Sitara hesitated but then broke down in his arms after hearing word baccha, sobbing as she spoke. "Bhai, I want a divorce as soon as possible. Please tell him to sign," she pleaded, her tears staining his shoulder.
"Sitara, is everything fine? Did he say anything to you?" he asked gently, his hand caressing her hair.
"No, Bhai, it's just that I can't take it anymore. I want to run away from this city," she confessed, her voice quivering.
"Okay, calm down. I will talk to him," he assured her, holding her close.
After calming down, she mumbled a weak apology, to which he responded, "You're just like Mayra to me. You don't have to apologize."
Sitara, oblivious to Ruhaan's heard everything , continued sobbing in Advik's comforting embrace. She clung to him, finding solace in his presence.
Meanwhile, Ruhaan, consumed by a mix of anger and heartache, clenched the divorce papers tightly. He recalled Sitara's words, each one piercing through his heart like a dagger. Memories of her conversations with Rishi and Advik echoed in his mind, intensifying his pain. With trembling hands, he retrieved a pen from the drawer, taking a moment to compose himself. Breathing heavily, he signed the divorce papers, his signature marking the finality of their relationship.
As he placed the pen back, a single tear rolled down his cheek. He stared at the papers, his voice heavy with emotion as he muttered, "This is the end of everything, Sitara." His tone revealed the immense hurt he felt, the weight of their broken bond weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Sitara, after her comforting conversation with Advik, left him with a smile on her lips. As she made her way back to her room, she accidentally collided with Ruhaan. Their eyes met, and in that moment, Ruhaan's gaze held a mixture of emotions, silently conveying, "I have freed you, Sitara." With that unspoken message, he walked away, leaving Sitara standing there, momentarily confused, before she finally retreated into her room.
Upon entering her room, she found the divorce papers lying on the bed. She picked them up, noticing Ruhaan's signature. It signified the end of their relationship, and she stood there, expressionless. A single tear escaped her eye.
Outside, the rain poured heavily, as if the sky itself was mourning their separation. Sitara, feeling the weight of her pain, danced in the rain, letting her tears mingle with the droplets. Unbeknownst to her, Ruhaan watched her graceful movements, his heart quickening with each step she took. She made it difficult for him to make a decision. Although he had signed the divorce papers after overhearing her conversation with Advik in the garden, he knew there was no chance of them being together. Yet, his heart wasn't ready to let her go. As he thought about leaving her, a tear escaped his eye.
"Kya kar rahi ho sitara,kyu mushkil kar rahi ho Faisla lena" he mumbled to himself.
(What are you doing, Sitara? Why are you making it difficult to take the decision?)
Both of them were hurt, and both needed each other to find solace. Yet, misunderstanding and a lack of communication had torn them apart. Ruhaan knew he needed her, and she knew she needed him, but neither took the first step. In the end, they were parting ways, realizing it was both the end and the beginning of everything they had ever known.
Hint for next chapter: ruhaan and sitara calming down the babies