Part 33 | There's No More Us

The sun had long set behind the horizon, some remnants of the mellow painted sky still lingering.

The bestfriend duo stepped out of the car parked before Kartik's penthouse. After his meltdown in the afternoon, Kartik spent the evening by the beach side rock, his go-to place to calm his disturbed soul.

From there, Arjun had took over the steers driving home.

Entering the penthouse kartik stopped on his tracks seeing someone not so welcomed in his house.

" What the f*** are you doing here? " Arjun roared at Raghav who had settled in the living room, facing his best friend's wife.

Kartik had his gaze fixed on his wife who, apparently didn't flinch at the sudden booming voice, instead seemed lost in her thoughts.

" Oh here they are! " Raghav exclaimed getting up on his feet.

" What am I doing here? Nothing! I was actually coming to meet you Mr. Oberoi, but then Naira here seemed to had lost her way. So I just showed her the right way.

Didn't I , Naira? " Smirking he turned towards Kartik.

" Infact She was seeking answers for some dire questions and I offered her some help, I mean why not? After all I knew the answers." Kartik's frame stiffened at his statement.

" Just get out. " Kartik said in a calm tone.

Raghav went ahead, " Questions like Who was behind her Parents' death? "

Kartik clenched his jaw when she raised her head to look at him.

She knows!

Naira had only one question in her mind, Why?

Scanning his face, She searched for an answer.

Why did he not tell me ?

Didn't he feel it was important for me to know ?

" Leave before I make you regret stepping in here. " Kartik whispered dangerously low.

With a smug look dancing on his face, Raghav continued.

" Why would a CEO with a Colossal business empire, suddenly out of nowhere, wish to marry an Orphan Architect. Doesn't it sound weird? I mean why her, when he can get any women with a snap of finger. "

" That's it! Get your ass out of my house. NOW!! " He cussed at Raghav, wanting to beat the crap out of him but alas he stood there with tied hands.

" Oh Kartik, just one story and I'll be done. I'm going to keep it short, promise. "

Naira looked at her husband perplexed and then at Raghav.

" Years ago, There lived Two best friends, say Mr. A and Mr. B!

Like a family. Happy, affectionate and together.

Until that one unfortunate day Mr. B died saving his friend from a fatal accident. As promised to his friend in death bed, Mr. A took care of Mr. B's family like his own.

But again fate played a cruel game ! Mr. B's son and daughter in law died in a car accident. Sad !

The only surviving family member was his little grand daughter. Naive. Abandoned.

Mr. A knew the kid was alive but was clueless about her whereabouts.

Now here comes the climax!

Feeling indebted to his friend for saving his life, Mr. A wrote a conditioned will!

His grandson had to marry Mr. B's only grand daughter, to overtake the executive powers of his Company and business.

Interesting move, isn't it Naira!

Any guess who's Mr. A and Mr. B?" Raghav paused, " Kartik? "

" Please. No. "

Arjun and Naira were taken aback.

A tough minded man like Kartik Oberoi saying please to a scumbag isn't an everyday sight.

" Oh, Scared aren't we! " Raghav smirked.

" Karan Oberoi wanted his friend, Ajay Basu's only grand daughter to become his grand daughter in law.

Mrs. Naira Kartik Oberoi. "

Pin drop silence enveloped the room.

This was a bombshell news not just to Naira but also Arjun.

" Involving Marco designers in the resort project was his way to reach you. Using Dhruv, he managed to get your signature on his company papers 2 weeks after the charity gala. The past 6 months was nothing but a trap!!"

Almost instantly, Naira denied, " No, no... I don't believe you ! "

" Well, ask your husband. " Raghav shrugged his shoulders.

" This isn't true. " She pleaded to her husband hopefully, " He is lying right?"

He was silent, his eyes downcast.

" K-kartik " her voice cracked.

" He isn't lying. " Kartik whispered into thin air.

It felt like someone had knocked out all the air from her lungs.

The land she stood on suddenly felt foreign. She prayed for this to be a nightmare, so she could just open her eyes and everything would go back to normal!

Lying beside her husband in the warmth of their bed with their fingers intertwined, exchanging morning kiss and I love you's.

" Guess my job is done here, I'll take your leave. " Raghav flipped his blazer on his shoulder prepping to leave.

On his way out, he stopped beside Kartik. Leaning closer he muttered,

" Beautiful night, isn't it Mr. Oberoi. "

With a sharp tilt of neck, Kartik gave an intimidating blazing glare at Raghav, one that could make you gulp in fear.

But Raghav knowing he had an upper hand in the current situation disregarded it with a cocky smirk.

Right now, the self obsessed kid of Malhotra wasn't the matter of concern for Kartik. The only thing that mattered was the women he was afraid to lose, standing with betrayal scarring her soul.

" Naira I- I "

" So all of this was planned. " she spoke to herself.

" How can you be so selfish, Kartik? Did you even spare a thought about me. " she looked at him in disbelief.

" Naira I didn't know what to do, how to tell you. I am sorry, I-I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear. This - I " he was at loss of word, guilty.

" You lied to me, deceived me in the name of love? Why! I was your lottery ticket! A key to your box of wealth and power, that's all I was. Wasn't I? " She choked on her words.

Kartik shook his head, " No Naira, please lis- "

A lone tear slipped her eyes.

" I have heard enough for tonight, I don't think I can take any more. "

Her calm tone sounded like the calmness before the storm.

His lips quivered as he messed his already unkempt hair.

Staring at him, Naira said in a lifeless tone, " you proved him right. "

Her teary orbs met his confused ones.

" I shouldn't have married a stranger. "

An agonizing pain ripped his heart.

Pockets of his eyes welled up with tears, threating to fall anytime.

" I just wanna be alone. Please. "

Wiping her tears she turned to run upstairs but Kartik quickly grabbed her wrist from behind, stopping her from leaving.

" What about us ? " Despair was vivid in his speech.

Taking a shaky breath she spoke in a broken whisper. " There's no more ' Us '. Perhaps there never was. "

Gently she withdrew her hands from his. Hurt flashed across his face. A dagger buried straight into his heart, deep.

Kartik just kept looking at her retreating figure. Finally he gave in to the anguish and dropped to his knees.

Tears slipped down as she was gone beyond his vision.

--------

It was 4:30 in the morning and the city was still in deep slumber, except for the morning joggers.

Naira spent a sleepless night crouched on the floor, with her knees drawn closer to her chest. Back of her head rested against the door of the master room as she stared at the ceiling.

Tears had dried up leaving behind their marks on her tired face. Those eyes begging to close, exhausted from all the crying it did. Her stomach growled in hunger but she had lost her appetite.

She stood up from the floor gingerly and made her way to the bathroom. She sat under the cold shower.

A range of emotions swirling in her mind.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath.

Happy Birthday my Beautiful Wife!

It's Our family Naira. They are yours as much as mine.

Why will I let my wife walk in cold waters on a snowy mountain when I am there with her?

I don't know what's between us and I don't care. All that I know is you are important to me and I don't want to lose you.

I have fallen for you, Ms. Basu!

I don't know about the firsts Mrs. Oberoi but you will be the one to share all my lasts.

Meet the love of my life, my wife

Mrs. Naira Oberoi.

I love you !

In those hazel eyes, I have seen love for me. It can't be a lie!

Her heart screamed.

But her mind just couldn't overlook the blatant facts lying around.

Her thoughts wandered to that particular night, her mom cuddled her to sleep reciting a fairytale.

**

" And so the princess came back to life and they lived happily ever after. "

" Mumma, if some evil witch puts me into a long sleep with her magic, will a prince riding on a white horse come to save me too? " Her mom chuckled.

" Of course baby. " Her mom smiled and ruffled her hair.

" Really!! But how will I know when he comes, if I am sleeping. " she pouted.

Picking her up, her mom placed her on the bed.

" you will know baby. When my princess meets her prince, The angels in the universe will whisper in your ears. And then what happens? "

" Happily ever after!! " She threw her hands around her mom's neck. She giggled at being tickled.

" That's right, my princess. Now go to sleep. Come on, come on! " Her mom gave a soft peck on her small button nose.

**

Her smile diminished as she was pulled back into reality.

She mentally cursed herself for dreaming a ' happily ever after '.

What was she even thinking!!

" I thought It was him, Mom. "

--------

" Kartik "

Kartik squinted his tired eyes to find himself in the guest room bed with last night's dress still on, shirt crumbled and untidily tucked.

It was 9 in the morning.

" Arjun, Is she awake? Damn, I should have woke up early. " Kartik hurried out of his bed.

" Kartik - " before Arjun could say a word, he dodged out of the room.

" Did she step out of her room? Did you try talking to her? " He asked making his way across the living room.

Something struck him, " She slept in an empty stomach yesterday!

" Dory! Get some fresh juice and something solid for Naira. Not too spicy, keep it light. Quick please! " He ordered the cook marching upstairs.

Taking long strides Kartik reached the master bedroom.

" Babe?" He knocked.

Upon receiving no reply he gently pushed the door which flung open with ease.

The deserted room showed no signs of her nor her belongings. Only the soothing sound of the wind chimes she had once bought, resonated in the air.

Kartik read the letter she had left on the dressing table secured under the paper weight.

' I want so much for you, Kartik.

More than this!

More than just being stuck in a pretentious relationship.

I am not gonna ask why for

I know you must have your reasons.

I have given you, what you wanted.

Though it was just an act and meant nothing to you,

I'll cherish our memories like

You were the most beautiful dream I have ever lived. "

Divorce document that had both their signature laid alongside the platinum chain he had gifted her.

" S-She left ? " He muttered, brushing his thumb over her signature in the legal papers.

Arjun sighed in defeat, " She was gone even before I came in this morning. "

His eyes caught one of her stoles, perhaps the only cloth she had left behind, stuck in the wardrobe door hinge.

With a gently tuck he released the piece of cloth. Holding the fabric he could smell the sweet scent of her perfume.

Lavander.

This time it wasn't a question, rather a statement.

" She left. "

------

Everyone wants Love.

To be loved.

But The thing about love is

It makes and breaks you

Beautifully.

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THE END

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Hehe just kidding!!

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Heart break !

They are hurting

😭😭

I am waiting to see your responses on this chapter.

I know, I know you didn't want separation

But come on guys

After all, It's the break that makes

the awaited reunion special !

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LEAP OF 8 MONTHS

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