Love or Game (Complete✅)

Chapter 24 - "Burn the happiness..."

My car screeches to stop at the bank of the lake. This place is my solace and my hideout too. Since my childhood, whenever I feel to pour my heart out, I come here. The serenity and silence of this place give me the strength to fight with my weakness and ambiguous emotions. I stop the engine and come out from the car and saunter at the bank. It is about to dark. The dusk is melancholic just l am liking right now. I sit on the soft grass. The lake water is placid but I know it has underwater current. How metaphoric to my mental state. Just then my phone rings. It's Bhai. I left without saying anything to him. I know he is worried about me. Right now, he is blaming himself for my fate and for this reason I don't want to confront him right now. I need to gain my strength. I need to gather myself to fight for my dignity and the truth. I cut the call and type,

"I am okay, Bhai. Need some alone time. Will be back soon."

I keep the mobile in silent mode. Right now, the surrounding is so silent that I can even hear my heartbeat.

"Is it still beating for him?"

I question myself.

"Of course. Love is shameless. Don't you know?"

My Inner Goddess snickers.

"Love can be ruthless too. He has played his game. Now it's my turn."

I counter her words.

"Can you be as ruthless as him? Don't forget he has a reason."

She again tries to weaken me.

"Yes, he has a reason to be a heartbreaker and I have a reason to prove him wrong. He has turned our love to a game and I will turn this game to his guilt. And that will be my reply to his hatred."

I try to confront her doubts.

"But your tears are telling something else. You can't unlove him."

My Inner Goddess throws the challenge.

"But I can make him unlove himself. Tears don't mean all the time weakness. Sometimes it means letting go of all remaining emotions. So it can't affect us further."

I mumble and wrap my both knees. A lump of pain chokes my throat. I keep my head on my knees and let my tears roll down. I let my pain; my emotions roll down. It is their last chance to overpower me because from tomorrow I won't let them cross my path. The Sun sinks behind the horizon.

...............................................

"But Manik it can have an adverse effect on Navya. How can we let this happen?"

Mukti tries to shun my idea.

"Because I can't see my sister like a dead alive anymore. Can you give me any guarantee of her perfect recovery? Do you have any unerring treatment that can bring her full memory back? No, you don't. So, let me play this gamble."

I shout at her. For a moment Mukti keeps quiet. Then she utters with a grave voice,

"That means your yearlong flame of vengeance has got some blow of doubts. Did you believe that letter? Can't you see the pain in your sister's eyes? Can they lie?"

"I believe my sister's eyes more than anything but simultaneously I want to be clear too. I don't want to repent on 'what and if' in future. If he has proof so I want to substantiate it."

I affirm. Mukti takes a sigh and turns her face. In the next moment, her words stir my heart.

"You are already repenting on your deeds, Manik? Deep down in your heart, you know that hatred can't be the answer of hatred. It only increases the intensity...just like..."