Nurture And Love (BOOK #3) ✔

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Ishaan's car drove speedily along the main road, paving their way to the central mall. Prachi was seated on the passenger seat next to him, a vibe of tranquility spread around her. It was not more than an hour when they had moved out of the Talwar Residency and Prachi's network connections had also been restored.

Ishaan turned off the engine as soon as they reached the main town amongst the hustling traffic. Prachi's quietness seemed awkward to him, yet he chose not to offend her by asking too many questions.

"Pihu, we've reached the marketplace. Where will you like to visit first?" Ishaan asked soberly, nudging her elbow. "You seem to be lost into some thoughts."

"Oh." She murmured before unlocking the door and moving out of the car. "Ish-aan, thank you for yo-ur help."

"Is this the only thing that you want to tell me?" He sounded all confused. "We are here for some shopping and not to attend any thanksgiving ceremony."

"I know but there's some-thing I want to tell you. If you've been genu-ine about me so far, I ho-pe you wouldn't be out-raged with what I say now." Prachi softened her voice, gulping a bit. "Ishaan, I'm so sorry for break-ing this to you but I cannot get marr-ied to you. I apologize for rai-sing all the high hopes in you wh-en I can't myself keep up to the promi-ses."

"Are you in a mood to joke now?" He was perplexed as they moved to a vivid corner of the street. "We have already begun the preparations for the wedding and hearing such a thing from you is out of my expectations."

"I don't want to hide any-thing from you to-day." She lowered her eyes and with a flicker of her eyelashes, she spoke very slowly, "I used the story of our marr-iage and the shop-ping as a cue to move out of your network-proof house. If anyhow it's possi-ble, please for-give me."

"I'd always encouraged you to move out of the house but you yourself chose to stay. I've never wanted any of the drama that's taking place now. Whatever it is, my fears have come true for the worst." Ishaan's eyes were filled with remorse. "It was my fault to believe in the fairytale that you'd set up."

"Please Ish-aan—" She was at a loss for words. Stepping forward and placing her palm on his wrist, she spoke in a convincing tone. "I'm all gui-lty for the mess. You are not the one to be bla-med."

Shoving her hand away at once, he stood apart. Tears were glistening in his eyes as he sounded heartbroken. "You were right, Pi. . . Prachi. It was my mistake for thinking too much about ourselves. I should have also believed like you that ten years is a long time to bring a drastic change in a person. It seems only I'm the one who was really stuck to his past."

"I can't expl-ain you the cause or disclose any-thing to you. Trust me, Ish-aan, I've never inten-ded to hurt you at all."

"For once even if I believe you, I won't be able to come to this conclusion as to why you chose to use my genuine feelings for you in such a way. You could have just said you want to sneak out of my house and I would have helped you to escape. This drama wasn't required."

"I was so stuck in a dile-mma that—"

"It's alright, Prachi. I don't want to hear more explanations from you because nothing will be sufficient to appease me again. I'm sincerely happy for you that you freed yourself today even if you chose to hurt someone else," he said in a broken voice. "I have no accusations against you. Please don't feel guilty for anything. I've blamed you in a fit of rage and I'm sorry for it."

Prachi lifted her palms and enclasped them together in a gesture of pleading for forgiveness. "Ple-ase erase the past few days from your memo-ries if you can. Our child-hood was the best remem-brance that should be embra-ced instead of our grow-ing up. Those were the best years when I had every-thing and every-one in my life."