Part 25 | My comfort Zone

I can tolerate your anger,

but how can I,

see hate in those eyes

where my world resides.

___________________

Three days later,

NAIRA

" Switch off the damn lights ! " I yelled pulling the blanket over my head.

" jezz women! It's 1 in the afternoon! " Aditi took my blanket away exposing my eyes to the bright lights.

I sat on my bed, leaning against the head rest.

" woah! You look like a real mess!" She commented.

" I feel like crap! " I added rubbing my face.

" You guys did not talk yet? "

I sighed loudly, " talk? Forget it , I haven't even seen him properly for the past three days. "

" I am sorry Kartik, I promise I will never lie to you, I'll never hide anything from you. " I stopped him from leaving.

" I am sorry, I was stupid. "

No response.

" Kartik please say something. " I was desperate.

" Leave Ms. Basu! " His cold tone piercing my heart.

He called me Basu, not Oberoi.

So what am I, just a stranger?

" I love you Kartik" my voice cracked.

His teary eyes stared at me for a minute.

" Wish I could believe your words blindly like before. But I am afraid I can't. "

My grip on his wrist loosened. I felt crushed by his words.

Standing there speechless, I watched him leave me.

" Did I screw up that bad? " I looked at Aditi.

" Well, He's really hurt. "

"Ever since that day, he hasn't even spoken a word to me. We didn't sleep or eat together. He didn't even drink the coffee I made for him, he loves that.

Leaving before I wake up and returning late, it only tells that He doesn't even wants to see me. " I complained.

" He probably hates me now. " I whispered, tears stinging my already puffed eyes.

" Babes, you are being hard on yourself now. " She held my hands, " He is mad at you but he'll come back. He loves you."

" It feels like I never knew this Kartik!" I sighed dejected.

Just then My phone buzzed with the caller id, Robert.

" All okay? "

" I met him yesterday, at his office. " He said.

" and... "

" I told him the truth. Everything. " I sat erect.

" Are you s-serious? " I looked at Aditi bewildered.

" I did. He had to know. " I hummed, silence prevailed between us.

" Today, He transferred my company shares to me along with it's property papers. Our house that was in Nisha's name, he got it written in my name." Robert's words made my eyes wide like saucers.

After Nisha's death, Kartik who was headstrong in ruining Robert to avenge her sister's death, took over everything Robert owned from his company to the house he lived, leaving him bankrupt.

" He did what? "

" He gave back everything. Every single penny. He believed me Naira." Robert paused. I could hear his uneven breath due to the overwhelming emotions he was currently feeling.

" And he gave me the remaining part of her story. " I could imagine Robert smiling in tears.

Nisha always wanted to publish her story but death didn't let the dream turn into reality. Robert wanted to fulfill that wish of hers but unfortunately He had only half of the story.

" I can't believe this. " I was flabbergasted.

" He's a good man Naira. " His voice was gentle.

" What's next?" I asked. I am pretty sure he knows what I am pointing at.

" Ana has a family here and she is going to live in a house that holds her mom's memories. Nothing could be more precious. " My lips curved into a smile. " So it's a no for your question. I am not going back. "

" Wise! " I chuckled.

" Thank you Naira. For stopping me from running away again, for giving me courage, for everything. "

" You deserve this. See you then, take care Robert. " I ended the call.

I fell on my bed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling.

With the truth out, I felt relieved.

Hope raised in me.

I can't lose my love just after finding it!

We are going to be fine!

It's all a matter of time.

----------

KARTIK

" One Scotch, neat! " I ordered the bartender entering the VIP area of the ' Night lime' club.

Looking down through the large glass, I saw individuals, couples and groups dancing and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the buzzing noisy common side of the club.

" Nisha knew she was dying. She knew everything. "

" Sir, your drink. " I dismissed the bartender with a nod.

" That night wasn't the first time She passed out. It happened previously 2 weeks before that night. I had her rushed to the hospital, you weren't in the country so I called your parents.

You both were premature twins. The doctor said Nisha had a weak heart, probably because of the preterm birth. Since it was mild back then it wasn't a cause of worry. "

I swirled the glass staring hard at the ice melting in the liquid.

" But her heart had enlarged. The doctors said surgery was the only option but they said it was a high risk surgery and her chances of survival were slim. "

My mouth tasted the distinctive smoky malt flavour as I had the first sip of the drink.

" I know you wouldn't believe me Kartik. Take a look at these photographs and documents. This is Nisha's last medical reports dated 2 weeks before her death. This is her doctor's prescription. Use your sources and cross check. "

I gulped down the second glass in a go. The warm amber color drink was like a slap to my taste buds.

" Cara proposed to me a month before Nisha died. She named her obsession ' love'! While Nisha saw Cara as her bestfriend Cara saw her only as a competition. I rejected her and warned her to stay in her limits. Everything was under control until she tried to commit suicide.

I was afraid Cara would end up doing something stupid and thus agreed to meet her in the club that night. Cara was high on drinks and that b**** tried to seduce me. That's when you came into scene. "

" One more! " I craved for more. This wasn't enough to subside the pain.

" Again I know you wouldn't believe me that easily. I have sent Cara's voice messages, check the club's cctv camera. Then you will believe me.

What shocked me was the fact that Nisha knew about all this but she never told me. But I won't blame her, my innocent wife was too good for this ugly world! "

The third glass made my throat burn but nothing compared to the throbbing ache of my heart.

" Nisha always wanted a girl. She wanted to name our daughter Ana.

I adopted Ana when she was just six months old. She has eyes like that of Nisha's. She means the world to me. "

The first thing that I noticed in that little girl was those eyes that resembled my sister's.

" Kartik I loved your sister... I will, forever. She promised, she'll love me even after death and I'll remain only hers to love. "

" Kartik ! " I turned towards the source of voice.

I saw her looking at me like she had never seen me drunk. Probably not.

" Are you okay? " Naira asked.

" Ofcourse."

She narrowed her eyes, " why are you drinking then? You know it's not healthy. "

" Why do you care! " I snapped back as I stood and slumped on the couch.

She closed her eyes taking a deep breath, " Kartik you aren't drinking anymore, give me the bottle. "

I scoffed, " Is it? Watch me. " I took a large gulp from the bottle.

The next moment the bottle was grabbed away from me.

" Give it bac-"

" Shut up! Now you listen to me! " She warned me pointing her tiny index frame at me.

" I care because I am your wife and I love you. I will care even if you don't care. I know you don't care because for the past three f****ng days, you have been ignoring me. But still I care! Why? Because I am a human and humans have emotions, feelings! "

In these months of living with her I have learnt many things about her, one such thing is that whenever she gets angry or mad, she babbles non-stop which weirdly I find cute, only when she does that !

" I know you are mad at me, but you can atleast talk to me right?

I accept I made a mistake, a bad one, maybe a terrible one, but I sincerely apologised for my mistakes, didn't I?

You can act like a cocky, arrogant businessman to me but you can't talk with me?

" did you call me an arrogant ass? " I raised my brows.

" Yes! I mean No- No... Did I say ass? I said arrogant but I never said ass! Yeah! Hey, Now don't change the topic. " she glared at me.

" I am not mad at you. Not anymore."

" You aren't? " I nodded in a no.

" Oh! Okay. That's good then. " She sat beside me.

She fell silent perhaps waiting for me to say something. After a minute or two of silence I spoke.

" I had my men run a background check, all his proofs were real, the doctor herself confirmed. He didn't cheat, I was wrong. "

I abruptly stood up, " It was my fault. I should have saved her. I failed her. "

" No you didn't f-"

" I did Naira. That's the truth. I should have known. Everyone lied to me. I failed her damnit! " In a fit of anger, I crushed the glass it cut into my flesh.

" Kartikk!! " She yelled horrified.

Grabbing the table cloth she held my hands. I flicked my hand away.

" For God sake, you are bleeding! "

" She was dying Naira! I never knew She was...." I gulped back my tears, " Dying. "

" Kartik stop it! You hurting yourself isn't going to bring her back! " Her words hit me hard.

She forcefully made me sit. I looked away while she dressed my hand.

She sighed, " Kartik. Look at me. "

I stared into the pools of her eyes, " you are hurting, let me heal you. " She kissed my forehead.

She gently moved and sat on my lap. Rubbing my stubble with her fingers, she said " You can cry, it's okay. "

Instantly my head dropped to her chest, " I-It h-hurts. " I let my guard down without a thought or hesitation.

Seconds turned into minutes but She said nothing, just kept caressing my hair until I cried out the last shred of agony I had built inside me.

And I realised, somewhere along the way she had become my comfort zone.

********

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