Chapter 47

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My eyes darted toward Bharathi, she was looking guiltily at the floor.

"We will let you two talk." Sia and Mia left the room.

How did she know? Why did she do it? What did I do?

"Look, I am not going to apologize." Wow, here I thought that she was feeling guilty. But it looked like she mustered all of her courage to say that.

"You know you deserve it but more importantly I couldn't forgive you for what you did to me. I just wanted to make you feel the pain that I was suffering."

I looked at her, confusion plain on my face. I had no idea what she was talking about.

"I...I don't understand. I didn't do anything for you to hate me this much," I said.

She laughed hysterically. Her laugh was so cold and detached, it gave me goosebumps. For a second, I doubted myself and wondered if I had actually wronged her somehow.

"I really don't know how you could act innocent after everything you did," she said with a cold glare.

"You know I have been in love with Harsha for my whole life. I was so happy when I opened up to you and when you tried to help. But then you just went behind my back and stabbed me."

Right then it all started to make some sense. I didn't try to defend myself because I understood her pain.

Losing someone you love is not an easy thing to accept. People try to project it in different ways.

She was in denial and needed someone to take the blame. If she was not ready to accept reality yet, I guessed I had to be the punching bag for the time being.

"You just went and played cupid for your cousin and him. Have you ever considered my feelings when you were laughing with them and teasing them together in front of me? Do you know how I felt?"

By now her eyes were red and started to tear up.

I didn't know how to say this to her. I was really sorry, and I felt her pain at that moment.

Her words and her emotions were cutting up my old scars. I felt ashamed of myself for not thinking about her. I should have been more considerate.

"Yes, I eavesdropped on your conversation with Mia and Sia. Yes, I used it against you by contacting your ex-boyfriend and he was more than happy to help if he could get you back.

So we both played using Mia's name to distract you from me. I gave him information about your whereabouts and planned everything to separate you from my brother.

At first, I wasn't so serious about it but when I saw you helping and supporting those two lovesick fools and being happy with my brother, I couldn't control the rage inside me.

I reached my limit when everyone found out about them and supported them. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone.

I deliberately put my phone in my brother's bag and made sure you weren't there when Harsha came home.

I wasn't sure of the timing. Unfortunately for you, everything happened perfectly to my plan.

Sia will leave Harsha for cheating with me and my brother will leave you thinking that you cheated on him. That was my plan." She looked at me with an evil smirk.

"So what changed your mind?" I was curious why she had decided to come clean now.

Her face fell instantly after hearing that. She looked like she was thinking about whether to say it or not.

"It was my brother," she said in a soft voice, almost whispering.

"Unlike you, he loved you so much. He trusted you and cared for you. When he is around you, he forgets about everything and everyone. You pull him like a magnet and he never once resisted.

On top of that, I have never seen him looking at someone as he looks at you." She searched her jeans pocket and took her phone out.

"Look at this if you don't believe me." She gave me her phone.

It was a picture of all of us when we were working on our project. Everyone was looking at the piles of paper in front of them.

In that picture, I was laughing with Sia beside me while everyone was working seriously...except him.

He was looking at me in what seemed like admiration, with those charming eyes and a warm smile. His eyes were twinkling like a kid looking at ice cream.

That picture strangely made me feel good and sad at the same time. I missed him so much.

"Yes, you don't deserve him and his love for you. I was so mad that I wanted you to feel the pain that I was enduring. But..." She stopped in mid-sentence for a moment and then continued after a sigh.

"But my brother, he doesn't deserve any of this suffering. I love him so much although he hates me right now.

I know I lost his trust forever when I confessed, and he gave me that heartbroken and betrayed look. But he didn't hate you, even before he knew the truth.

He suffered alone, punishing himself for hurting you. He couldn't hate you even when he wanted to. I just couldn't watch him suffer, and that is why I confessed.

I am not going to apologize to you for what I did. But if you loved him half as much as he loved you, then please go to him.

He is waiting for you even though he didn't say it. Just once, find him like he always found you."

I didn't wait for her to continue. I ran out of the room with just one thought in my mind.

I need him right now.

Mia and Sia rushed toward me and asked me where I was going. I didn't slow down. We could talk later.

I borrowed... more like took Sia's car, and drove to our home to find him. The moment I reached the front door, I halted. My guts were warning me to turn around and run away.

My stomach was churning with anxiety and I had goosebumps.

I should be happy that I was going to see him but, strangely, I wasn't. All I felt right at that moment was fear.

I slowly entered the house without making a sound. The living room was a mess. The table in front of the TV was full of unwashed dishes, beer bottles, and empty takeout packages.

I turned around to walk to our room to look for him. Maybe he was sleeping there.

Oh my God! I was startled by him, appearing behind me. By the looks of it, he was surprised to see me too.

"What... How are you here?" he asked, looking perplexed.

He looked like he was ready to go somewhere. He hadn't shaved and his eyes were tired. Nevertheless, he was dressed and had washed up pretty well.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked him.

He just nodded his head. I didn't know what to say after that, and he didn't say anything more.

We stood there for a moment in awkward silence, looking everywhere except at each other.

"I was actually leaving to meet you," he said after some time.

Hearing that I smiled at him, but he lowered his head, avoiding my gaze. That hurts but maybe I deserved it

"Why?" I asked him, frowning.

"I was going to take you somewhere. If you are free now, shall we go?" he asked me with a serious look.

Even though his words seemed to be nice, I couldn't help but think that something wasn't right. Every cell in my body was warning me of danger.

Regardless, I accepted and we hopped in his car. He stopped it in front of a house.

Reading the name on the board hanging out on the wall, I understood why I had been feeling troubled all along.

Mrs. Maya B.com.,B.L. (Hons)

Advocate.