Naina closed the door behind Rivaan, her fingers trembling as she locked it. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, and for a moment, neither of them knew how to begin. Rivaan stood awkwardly in the center of her small apartment, his gaze sweeping over the modest decor. It was so different from the lavish life they had shared, yet it suited Naina. Simple, clean, and full of warmth that he had once taken for granted.
Naina finally turned to face him, her arms crossed over her chest like a shield. Her expression was unreadable, and Rivaanâs heart ached, realizing how much distance had grown between them in such a short time. He had come here for answers, for closure, but now that he was in front of her, he didnât know where to start.
âI didnât know, Naina,â Rivaan said, his voice soft. âI swear, I didnât know what my mother was doing. I thoughtââ
âYou thought I just left?â Nainaâs voice was sharp, cutting through the tension. âYou really thought I would leave without a word, without an explanation? After everything?â
Rivaan winced at the pain in her words. He deserved that. âI was wrong. I should have listened to you. I should have trusted you.â
âTrust?â Naina laughed bitterly. âRivaan, trust was never the issue. You never believed in us. You let your mother dictate everything, and I was just⦠there.â
Her words stung, but Rivaan knew she was right. He had failed her in every way that mattered. âI canât change what happened, Naina. But Iâm here now. Iâm asking for another chance.â
Naina looked away, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. âYou donât get it, do you? Itâs not that simple. I canât just forget everythingâwhat your mother did, how you hurt me.â
âI know,â Rivaan said, his voice pleading. âI donât expect you to forget. I just want to make things right.â
Nainaâs shoulders sagged under the weight of his words. She was so tiredâtired of fighting, tired of feeling like she wasnât enough. âHow, Rivaan? How can you possibly make this right? You pushed me away when I needed you the most. I am pregnant with twin, and you didnât even care.â
âNainaâ¦â His voice broke, filled with anguish. âIâm so sorry.â
âSorry doesnât fix it,â Naina whispered, her tears finally spilling over. âSorry saying sorry doesnât fix any think i was throne out of the house in early morning, I was alone, I was terrified, and all I wanted was for you to be there. But you werenât. You let herâyour motherâdestroy everything we had.â
Rivaan reached out as if to touch her, but Naina stepped back. The pain in her eyes was too deep, too raw, and he didnât deserve to comfort her. Not after everything.
âI donât expect you to forgive me,â Rivaan said quietly, dropping his hand. âBut I love you, Naina. I always have. I just didnât know how to stand up to my mother. I was wrong, and I hurt you. But Iâm here now, and Iâll do whatever it takes to prove that I can be the man you deserve.â
Naina wiped her tears, her heart torn between the love she still held for him and the hurt he had caused. She had dreamed of hearing those words from him for so long, but now that they were out in the open, they felt too late. Too broken.
âI donât know if I can ever trust you again,â Naina said, her voice small. âBut I donât want to hate you, Rivaan. Iâm tired of feeling like this.â
Rivaan nodded slowly, understanding that this was the most she could offer him right now. âIâll give you time. Iâll wait as long as it takes.â
Silence settled between them again, heavy but no longer suffocating. They werenât healedânot by a long shotâbut maybe, just maybe, they had found the first step toward something better. Something new.
âI need to go,â Rivaan finally said, his voice low. âBut I wonât give up on us, Naina. Not this time.â
Naina didnât respond, but she didnât need to. As he walked out the door, leaving her alone in the quiet apartment, she felt a small flicker of hope. Maybe this wasnât the end. Maybe, after all the hurt and betrayal, they could still find a way back to each other.
But for now, she needed space. To heal. To decide what came next.
---
Rivaan sat in his car for a long time after leaving her apartment, staring blankly at the steering wheel. The weight of everything hit him againâ the lies his mother had fed him. It was all too much.
But one thing was clear: he wasnât going to let Naina slip away again.
This time, he would fight for her. For them.
No matter how long it took.