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Shruti took off her shoes at the doorstep and walked inside. She watched Jaydev pacing here and there in the room. She frowned,
" What happened-"
" Do not speak to me right now," Jaydev cut her off in the middle. She rolled her eyes and grabbed her clothes from the suitcase and went to the bathroom to change it.
When she came out, she found him staring blankly at the floor.
" Don't you think my brother deserves an apology?"
She asked in a calm and composed voice and closed the door of the bathroom. She scoffed,
" Apology my foot! He deserves more."
" That's not you saying. That's your ego making you say that," she said while walking toward the dressing table.
" Stop becoming my counselor," he irked.
She chuckled lightly and applied cream on her face.
" As if I am trying to. I am just stating facts."
" I do not want to know fucking facts!"
She frowned and faced him. She pointed her finger at him.
" Do not raise your voice at me, SP Sahab. I am here talking to you nicely even though you hurt my brother."
He raised his eyebrows mockingly, " then you too should go to him. He is not a Saint."
" I agree but he was not wrong there. You crossed your limits."
Shruti snapped at him and tied her hair in a low ponytail.
" Limits? Please. You should not talk about limits because he has crossed his limits many times before. I did not know betraying his friend does not mean crossing limits."
" For the last time, stop calling him a cheater."
He stood up and started taking off his jacket.
" He is a cheater."
She gritted her teeth and glared at him. She felt like throwing bad words at him but controlled her tongue and rather said,
" You know what is hurting you? Pakhi taking a stand for her husband. You are not able to digest the fact that your sister stood against you."
She startled when he threw his jacket harshly on the floor.
" For the last time, Shruti. Do not piss me off."
Shruti rolled her eyes and he pointed at her actions.
" What did you just do?"
He took a few steps closer to her. She again rolled her eyes and said, " this. Liked it?"
From her voice, it was clear that she was angry and frustrated at Jaydev.
" Do not dare to behave like this to me."
" So what, huh?"
She put her hands on either side of her waist and raised her voice a little.
" Will you divorce me now? Because you have already married me. Or will you force me to do something else? Will you expose the fake crimes of my father? Will you shut my friend's hotel? Huh? You know what?"
She walked toward him and pointed her finger at him,
" You are such a pathetic human being. You can only force people to do this and that by putting their family's life on stake. Do whatever the hell you want. I don't care! It's not like I can convince a heartless man like you-"
She gasped inaudibly when he grasped her upper arms and pulled her closer to himself.
" Just because you are my wife, it doesn't mean you'll say anything. I have not given you such rights!"
He snarled angrily. His eyes were red in anger. She gritted her teeth and replied,
" And I have not given you any rights to touch me like this, Mr. Chaudhary!"
He pushed her back and scoffed a little before saying, " as if I am dying to touch you."
" THEN FREAKING DIVORCE ME!"
He was taken back by her sudden outburst. He could see water collecting in her eyes. Her aggression increased than before as she continued venting out her frustration,
" Why wait for 6 months? Just divorce me and free me. Why the hell are you ruining my life? And forget Pakhi. She can never come to you now. You do not even deserve anyone, Mr. Chaudhary. You like to instigate people. You are blinded by hatred, you stupid!"
His words worked like a dagger to his chest and he couldn't stop himself from taking long strides to her. She raised her hands to push him but he grabbed one of her hands and folded it behind her back.
" I will. I will. You must be dreaming that I will continue this relationship, not at all. Ms. Chauhan. I will free you soon from my clutches. I despise your presence. I hate you. I hate you so fucking much!"
Tears streamed down from her eyes and she harshly pushed back from herself.
" Feelings are mutual, Mr. Chaudhary."
She wiped her tears, turned to the bed and grabbed her mobile. Before leaving, she passed one more comment,
" I pray God free me from you. You deserve to be alone."
And, she unlocked the door then left from there. Jaydev screamed in irritation and kicked the stool before him.
" Bhai?"
He turned around and saw Pakhi. She felt hurt seeing him in this condition. She heard everything. She saw Shruti leaving the hotel while fuming in anger.
" Leave me. Your husband needs you," he spatted and faced his back at her. She sighed,
" What have you made yourself, bhai?"
He did not say anything and felt a lump forming in his throat. Pakhi continued speaking,
" My brother can be anything, but he cannot be so cruel and ill-mannered. Today you hurt three people. You could have handled the situation there but you chose otherwise. Why bhai? Why can't you see reality?"
He licked his dried out lower lips and remained silent. Pakhi walked forward him and put his mobile on the couch. She stood in front of him and cupped his cheeks because he was not making eye contact with her.
" Bhai, look at me."
He stubbornly turned his head to one side and she moved her hands down from his cheeks.
" You better fix everything."
She ordered him and he thinned his eyebrows before looking into her eyes.
" What? It's your fault. You should apologise to di and Aryan both. And Bhai-"
She grabbed his hands and changed her voice into soothing one while saying,
" Try not to hold onto the past anymore. I don't want you to forget Eisha di but at least, don't hurt yourself and anyone for her. I don't think she wanted this. She did not love this man. You have become a whole different person. Sometimes I cannot recognise you."
He nodded two times, " so you have started liking him?"
She sighed heavily, " nooo bhai. Why are you stuck on the same thing?"
She squeezed his hands in a comforting way.
" You told me that we should not hold hatred in our hearts. It can lead to destruction. I....I just want you to recall your past and question yourself, can your best friend really do this to you?"
" You-"
She interrupted him, " the friend who fought with everyone for you, the friend whose priority was you, the friend who used to pick up fights for you, the friend who gave you shoulders to lean on and hugged you when you missed mammi papa, do you think that friend can do this to you? We are human. We all can make mistakes. Maybe... You don't know something you should. Maybe you are blinded by hatred, that is why you are unable to see the truth."
He shook his head, " I won't. I prefer to be blind-"
" Didn't he come to you with proof? Didn't he stand under the rain for you to open the gate? Didn't he try to beg for forgiveness? I don't think I know him properly but one thing I am sure about is that... he still cares for you."
He blinked his eyes. His expression softened and she forwarded a smile at him.
" And I know you care for him too."
He broke eye contact with her and said, " I don't."
She chuckled lightly and stepped back, " I know you better. Now apologise to di right now. She may plan a murder against you."
She tried to lighten the atmosphere and after doing her work she went out of the room. He stared at the window for 5 minutes straight then dialled the number of room service and ordered drinks for himself.
Meanwhile, Shruti wrote Jaydev's name on the sand in the beach then stood up and lifted her foot to jump on it to vent out her anger.
She sighed heavily and sat on the sand. Due to new year eve, people still could be seen here.
" Jerk," she huffed and wiped her tears.
" I will leave him. I will not talk to him. Does he think I love him? No. Not at all. I hate him. Why would I love him? He's a jerk. He is a bitch."
She pulled her legs close to her chest and put her head on her knees. She blinked her eyes, staring at the seashore. She dropped her eyelashes and her gaze stopped on Jaydev's name.
She chewed her lower lip and felt like crying aloud but just a hand landed on her shoulder. She looked to her right side and found a man. He forwarded a polite smile at her and she blinked several times.
ââ§â
Pakhi entered her room and closed the door from behind. She found Aryan standing before the window. His hands were tucked in his trousers pocket. His attention diverted from the sky to her as he heard her footsteps approaching him.
" Came to confront me for talking to your brother like that?"
She halted on her steps and wondered why men, especially these two friends are the same.
" Yes," she rolled and dropped the intention of talking to him.
" Don't come then."
" I am not!"
She replied and sat on the bed. One minute passed. 2 minutes passed. 3 minutes passed.. and eventually 7 minutes passed. None of them talked to each other in these 7 minutes but Pakhi couldn't stand on her decision anymore so she stood up and went closer to him.
Aryan expected her to confront him and all he felt was her hands wrapping around his torso from behind. His body loosen up and heart melted feeling her touch. She hugged him front behind and placed her cheek on his back.
He could feel himself back at home. He could sense all his misery fading away. His eyes softened and he heard her saying,
" Sorry from my bhai's side."
He gulped down his saliva and shook his head slightly, " d.. don't be."
She broke the hug and he craved it instantly. She came in front of him and lifted her eyelashes to look into his eyes.
" Do you want to vent your anger?"
" On you?"
She shrugged her shoulders and he felt water collecting in his eyes the very next second. He looked down to hide his tears but failed terribly. She smiled slightly and hugged him one more time. He reciprocated it and hid his face into her neck.
The way he tightened the hold, she realised that he really needed it the most at this time. He cried silently in her embrace and she caressed his back. She will do anything to calm him.
Around 10 minutes later, he broke the hug and wiped his tears with the back of his hands. She smiled, finding him quite adorable.
" Thankyou."
" It's alright," she replied.
He turned his back to her and walked toward the bed.
" Do you want something to eat? I am suddenly hungry?"
" So, di was right."
" About?"
" That you crave for food when you are sad."
He chuckled, " strange habit no?"
" Nope," she replied.
He ordered something from room service and sat on the bed. He looked at her and found her putting her mobile in charge.
" Don't you have questions?"
" Will you answer?"
She faced him with a smile on face. He patted beside her on the bed and she walked toward him and sat down there. He turned his gaze at the ceiling and inhaled a deep breath before saying,
" She... left me when I was 5."
She stayed silent and he added,
" My father's business started increasing at that time so he couldn't give her much time. She left me in the care of a midwife. One day, papa came back home early from work. It was unexpected for her. He wanted to surprise her on her birthday but she had called her boyfriend. Papa was shocked and couldn't come on a single decision. He just wanted me but.. it was easier for her to take my custody by putting fake allegations on him. After a lot of court cases, he got custody and that too because my father had married Ekta maa for me. He gave a huge amount of alimony to her. Ekta maa was a widow. Her husband was in the military and in-laws left her. Shruti was around 2 years old at that time."
" Did she never try to meet you in those years?"
Aryan nodded, " she did. But only when I became independent. You know, the midwife was a kind lady and when I was 18 years old, she told me so much about that pathetic woman."
He spatted with anger and continued,
" She did not cradle me when I cried. She did not feed when I was hungry. She never took care of me and now I have money, she suddenly loves her son. I.. I hate her so fucking much."
She put her hand on his hand and he looked at her.
" Once again, I am sorry from bhai's side. Don't know what happened to him that time."
He smiled reassuringly at her, " I am used to it now. He doesn't mean it."
She frowned, " he will apologise to you."
He raised his eyebrows, " to me? You will let him?"
She nodded, " I gave him lectures."
" For me?" His eyes sparkled and she hummed then stood up but he pulled her back.
" What did you say to him?"
" I- wait, why are you so happy?"
He smiled widely and said, " because you took a stand for me."
She blinked her eyes and couldn't stop herself from chuckling.
" Silly," she commented and lightly slapped his cheek then stood once again but he, again, pulled her down.
" What now?"
" What did you say to him?"
She sighed heavily and freed her hands from his grip.
" Pagal ho gaye hain kya aap?"
( Have you gone mad?)
She shook her head in disbelief and gestured to him to stand up which he did. Then, she started straightening the bedsheet.
" What did you order?"
" We couldn't celebrate New Year's Eve so I ordered so much for us."
" Me and you?"
" Nope. You, me, Shruti and your brother."
She stopped her movement momentarily when he mentioned them and she wondered if her brother had already fixed things up. What if he has not. What will she answer him? The situation will get worse than before.
" Uhm..why them? They must be asleep."
And she committed the very first mistake and continued her work. He frowned,
" What do you mean by that? Didn't we all go to celebrate New year eve? I don't think Shruti would be asleep. I have ordered her favourite cake."
" Oh.." she uttered.
" Then we should decorate this room, no?"
She suggested.
" No. It will waste our time. It's already 2AM."
She nodded and put the pillow properly.
" Uhm.. have you ordered a drink as well?"
" Yes, for me and him. Do you want it as well?"
He joked.
" Shut up," she replied.
He chuckled and sat on the couch.
" If you want to spend some time alone with me, then I can stop this party."
She gave him a judgemental look, " no need to take stress."
She walked toward him while asking,
" Why are you suddenly in the mood of a party?"
He shrugged his shoulders, " cannot I? However, I can stop if you do one thing."
" What is it?"
He smirked mischievously and tapped on his cheek.
" Slap you?"
" Sure then kiss right there," he replied.
Her cheeks turned crimson and tickled from inside. His demands are always so funny- not actually.
" Not even in dreams," she huffed.
He frowned, " I will surely get my kiss."
" You are going to lose anyway," she replied with a determined voice.
" Let's see. I have never lost a single case."
" But this one is different, Vakil Sahab. Your opponent has you head over heels."
He was taken back and amused by her reply. She wiggled her eyebrows at him and he passed her an impressed look,
On the other hand,
Shruti was having a great time with a new friend. She almost forgot her misery with him but to remind her, her mobile rang. She made a face and disconnected Jaydev's call.
" Yeah, so I was-"
She was cut off in the middle when her mobile rang again. She disconnected it again.
" Who's that?" The guy asked.
" Spam call," Shruti replied.
The mobile rang again and she did the same. This continued for a minute. Shruti groaned and picked up the call in the end. She excused herself and went at some distance to talk to him.
" Speak!"
She ordered him and did not hear anything from his side.
" Will you speak or not-"
She widened her eyes and her mouth hung open when she heard him sobbing from the other side.
" I...I am s..so sorry, Shruti.. please come back. I a..am so sorry."
Shruti felt tongue tied. It was such an unexpected behaviour of Jaydev. Before she could reply and Jaydev start crying again, the guy came to her and asked,
" Is everything okay, Shruti?"
" Yeah-"
She was interrupted by the possessive voice of Jaydev who heard the guy's voice.
" Who is this man with you?"
His voice changed in a blink of an eye. He was crying a minute back but right now, he seemed like the old Jaydev. She could sense possessiveness in his voice.
" Who is it, Shruti?"
" STAY AWAY!"
Shruti rolled her eyes when he screamed from the call. The poor soul did not know that the guy couldn't hear him. She tapped the red icon and disconnected the call.
" Uhm, I should head back now."
" Oh, okay?"
She shook hands with him and went back to her hotel. The beach was the nearest to the hotel and she took a walk there.
*Ring*
She answered the call and he snapped at her angrily,
" Why the hell did you cut my call? Tell me where are you? I am on my way. Who was that guy."
" Tumse matlab?"
( Any problem?)
" Haan hai matlab. Pati hu tumhara," he replied in an authoritative voice.
( Yes, I have. I am your husband.)
She cursed herself for feeling butterflies.
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( This dialogue was for Aryan's biological mother..)
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