can you mend the broken✓(Editing)

5 : Final decisions

Shanaya’s fury burned bright as she listened to Sidharth’s excuses. To her, he had never truly cared for Shehnaaz. Not once had he called to check on her, not once had he made an effort to bridge the growing silence between them. What kind of husband was he who had no time or concern for his wife? Even enemies showed more honesty—at least enemies did not fake their feelings.

“Then you should have cared,” Shanaya snapped, her voice sharp and cold. “Did you ever respect her wishes even once? No, right? So why should she? And now, you can’t even meet her without an appointment.”

“Appointment? To meet my wife?” Sidharth’s voice rose in disbelief and anger. “What nonsense is this?”

His shout echoed in the room, fueled by frustration and confusion. He refused to accept this absurdity—he was her husband, entitled to see her whenever he wished. He needed to know what had truly happened. Why was Shehnaaz blaming him? Was he really the villain, or was there something he didn’t understand? How had she suffered so much, and why was he left completely unaware?

“Lower your voice, Mr. Sidharth Shukla,” Shanaya said sternly, her eyes blazing. “And you’ll find out soon enough. Karma always finds a way. You can’t meet her because you never even bothered to call her. One phone call wouldn’t have killed you.”

Her words cut deeper than any insult. She wanted to shake him, to make him understand just how much pain his neglect had caused. But she restrained herself—she didn’t want to land in jail. What she truly wanted was to get Shehnaaz far away from this toxic situation.

Sidharth ran his hands through his hair, desperate to explain. “I did call. I swear. But her phone was switched off. I even called her friend—the number I had saved—just to check if she was okay. After that, every time I tried, her line was busy. Maybe she blocked me.”

Shanaya’s voice dripped with disbelief. “That’s a poor excuse. Even if it were true, why not try calling from another number? Use a friend’s phone. And which friend lied to you about her well-being?”

Sidharth’s shoulders slumped, the weight of guilt pressing down hard. “I don’t know. I thought it was her friend because Shehnaaz once saved her number. Fine—I admit, I was busy. I barely had time for anything.”

Shanaya sneered. “Well, now Shehnaaz is a busy person too.”

With that, she turned and left, leaving Sidharth alone with his swirling thoughts and remorse. Watching Shehnaaz weaken without him, feeling her drift away, only deepened Shanaya’s hatred toward him.

_____

Shehnaaz’s mind returned again and again to that painful encounter with Sidharth. Tears blurred her vision as memories flooded back. If things had been normal, she would have run into his arms, clutching him like a lifeline. But now, no. She no longer wanted that. She wanted to move forward, to create a future far from the pain and betrayal.

Today, she was broken and overwhelmed with emotion. But tomorrow—tomorrow she would stand strong. She would work hard, build success, and reclaim herself. Whether he reached out or not, forgiveness was off the table.

How could a husband do this to his wife? Yes, their marriage had been arranged, but that did not give him the right to forget her, to abandon her.

Sleep was elusive. She wandered the terrace in the cold night air, but the chill drove her back inside. It was already past midnight. Her hand trembled as it reached for the sleeping pills.

Suddenly, Shanaya’s eyes snapped open. She stared at Shehnaaz, worried and alert.

“You scared me!” Shehnaaz gasped, clutching her chest.