12. Dream Job and Celebration

Author's POV

Ishika sat tensely in the back seat, the quiet hum of the car doing little to calm her racing thoughts. Sahil was beside her, his presence thick in the small space, though neither of them had said a word since leaving the party. She could feel the weight of the unspoken tension between them, suffocating and unavoidable.

Clearing her throat, she finally summoned the courage to break the silence. "Sahil," her voice wavered but she pushed through, "I think we should finalize the divorce... as soon as possible."

Sahil's face darkened instantly. He turned to her, his brow furrowed, disbelief and frustration flashing in his eyes. "What's wrong with you, Ishika?" His tone was sharp, laced with frustration. "Why are you in such a damn hurry?"

Ishika swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "Because I can't live like this anymore," she said, her voice stronger now, though her heart was pounding."I just want a divorce."

Sahil turned away, a bitter laugh escaping his lips as he stared out of the window. "I don't have time for this right now," he said coldly. "I'm too busy with work. There's a lot going on."

"When will you have time?" Ishika pressed, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. She needed to be free of him, free of this life.

He finally turned to face her, his eyes cold and distant. "I'm leaving for a business trip in a few days", he said flatly. "We'll deal with it when I'm back."

Ishika's heart sank at his indifference. It felt like he was dragging this out, leaving her in limbo, forcing her to hold onto a marriage that was long over in every way but on paper. She sighed deeply, leaning back against the seat, feeling utterly defeated. "Fine," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "We'll meet whenever you're finally free... to end this."

The car came to a slow stop, and Ishika glanced out the window, realizing they had arrived at Sahil's mansion. Her chest tightened in disbelief. She hadn't stayed here in days-hadn't wanted to.

"Why are we here?" she asked sharply, turning to Sahil, her voice edged with confusion. "I told you I'm staying at Aditi's."

He didn't bother to respond, his face as unreadable as ever.

Ishika's patience snapped. She turned to the driver. "Can you please drop me at Star Apartments instead?"

Before the driver could react, Sahil spoke, his voice laced with annoyance. "He's not your personal chauffeur, Ishika." His eyes met hers, hard and unyielding. "If you want to go to Star Apartments, go there by yourself."

Her fists clenched at his words, a sharp pang of anger rising in her chest. She bit her lip, fighting back the urge to yell at him, to demand why he always had to make things so much harder. Instead, she gritted her teeth and pushed the car door open, stepping out into the cool night air.

As she stood on the driveway, frantically booking a cab to Aditi's apartment, she couldn't help but glance back at him. Sahil remained in the car, his profile cast in shadow. For a brief moment, his eyes flickered towards her, something unreadable in his gaze. But before she could make sense of it, he looked away, exiting the car and heading into his mansion without another word.

Ishika watched him disappear into the house that once felt like home. Now, it was nothing more than a memory-a place filled with unspoken words, broken promises.

She then remembered she was still wearing the jewelry he had given her. She looked at her phone and saw that the cab would take a few more minutes to arrive. Determined, she headed back into the mansion and spotted the jewelry box lying on the table. Without hesitation, she took off the jewelry and placed it inside. Then, she quietly walked out.

A minute later, her cab arrived. She settled into the back seat and drove off. The whole time, Sahil watched her from his study room window, his expression unreadable. Once she was gone, he turned away, retreating into the shadows of the room.

Next Day ,

Ishika went to KS International School, where her friend Aditi teaches. This time, she was well-prepared thanks to Aditi's help. Aditi left her outside the principal's office, wishing her good luck for the interview.

After the interview, Ishika felt confident that she would clear the round this time. From there, she headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things, as Aditi had asked her to buy some groceries since they were running low.

One week Later,

The moment Ishika received the appointment letter from KS International School, her hands trembled, and her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes. This was more than just a job-it was her dream finally materializing after years of sacrifices, struggles, and quiet prayers whispered into the night. Her heart swelled with emotion as she thought of the little girl she once was, who had spent hours pretending to be a teacher with rows of imaginary students. Now, she would finally be standing in front of a real class, guiding children with the same love she had always dreamed of giving.

Unable to contain her joy, she immediately rushed to Aditi, her closest friend, and shared the news. Aditi's eyes lit up, and without saying a word, she pulled Ishika into a tight, warm embrace. They stayed like that for a moment, both of them feeling the weight of the journey that had led to this point. When they finally pulled away, Aditi smiled through her own teary eyes and said, "This calls for a celebration, Ishika. We have to do something special."

Still sniffling, Ishika nodded. "I can't believe it's happening, Aditi. After everything..."

Aditi, always quick to lighten the mood, gently teased her. "Well, how about we start by doing something you never say no to-shopping!" she said, raising her eyebrows mischievously.

Ishika chuckled, wiping away the last of her tears. "You just need an excuse for shopping, don't you?" she teased back, shaking her head.

Aditi put on a mock serious face. "Hey, it's been ages since I've had the chance! Plus, look at you. You're a teacher now, and that wardrobe of yours could use a little upgrade," she said, finishing her sentence with a wink.

Ishika couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay," she said, raising her hands in surrender.

At the mall, they wandered through stores, picking out items for Ishika's new job and indulging in some much-needed retail therapy. Ishika found herself drawn to a beautiful, simple bag. As soon as she saw it, her heart skipped a beat. It was perfect-elegant yet practical.

"Of course, you picked a bag," Aditi said with a smirk. "You're still a bag fanatic, aren't you?"

Ishika blushed, holding the bag protectively. "I can't help it. It's so pretty."

Aditi laughed, shaking her head at her friend's familiar habit. "Some things never change."

As they continued shopping, the weight of the day's emotions hung in the air between them. Aditi noticed the faraway look in Ishika's eyes and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Ishika smiled softly, clutching the bag to her chest. "It just feels like everything is finally falling into place. I've wanted this for so long, but part of me was scared it would never happen. It's overwhelming to think that it's really real now."

Aditi squeezed her hand. "You deserve this, Ishika. You've worked so hard, and you've never given up, even when things were tough. I'm so proud of you."

Ishika nodded, tears threatening to spill again. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

Aditi hugged her again, her voice soft with affection. "We've got each other, always."

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End of the Chapter.

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