Three coins in the fountain

Ranjish hi sahi

Okay, so I gotta admit - I didn't plan for this story to be a total angst-fest, but apparently, angst and I are in a steamy love affair, and my brain just can't help but go there. Seriously, my thoughts seem to only go in one direction: angstville! But hey, don't worry, I'll try to make it worth your while! Let me know if you liked it by dropping a vote and a comment. Cheers!"

Flashback is in italics. I haven't proofread it toh mistakes ko ignore karna.

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They repeated the same routine they had practised countless times over the previous 4.5 years while engaging in sexual activity. However, something about this encounter felt different, almost like a shadow had fallen over them. A sense of melancholy seemed to surround them. As she slowly untangled herself from him, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something had shifted and that a crucial aspect of their relationship had been irrevocably altered. It was as if something was going to fundamentally change. It was today, five years ago, when he made the greatest mistake of his life. In his resentment and foolery, he lost an important piece of himself, something from which he will never fully recover.

Six months and seven days had passed since he shattered her heart into a million pieces and abandoned her, and he could not escape the restlessness and unease that plagued him day and night, constantly reminding him of his mistakes. As he paced back and forth in his room at the Courtyard Marriott, his mind was consumed with regret and guilt. Finally, with trembling fingers, he dialed her number, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

When she answered on the first ring, he felt a lump form in his throat. After a few seconds of silence, he mustered up the courage to ask how she was doing. As he listened intently to her dismayed response, he felt a sense of despair and hopelessness wash over him. He knew that he had hurt her deeply, and he was about to do it all over again.

Summoning all his courage, he informed her that he was currently in Ahmedabad, a city that held so many memories for both of them. Struggling to speak, he expressed his desire to meet her as soon as possible. Her response was immediate - she was free and could visit him now if he was available. He felt a pang of sorrow for her, realizing that she still held onto a fragment of hope for their relationship.

Without further ado, he gave her the details of his stay, and she promised to reach him within the hour. As he hung up the phone, he felt a mixture of anxiety and anticipation wash over him. He was determined to face it head-on, to confront the mistakes of the past, but also to break Anu's heart because he was unable to bear the weight of her past's baggage.

With a heavy heart, he waited for her arrival, his mind swirling with memories and emotions. The thought of what he was about to do filled him with dread, but he knew that it had to be done. The minutes felt like hours, and he paced back and forth in his hotel room, his heart pounding in his chest. Finally, there was a knock on the door, and he rushed to open it, his heart in his throat. And there she was, standing before him, looking as beautiful as ever. He couldn't help but feel a surge of love and longing as he gazed into her eyes.

She dispiritedly smiled at him. He could see the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. It broke his heart to see the pain he had caused her. He welcomed her in, and they sat down. As Anuj sat across from Anu in the quiet room, he couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze. He knew what he had to say, but it didn't make it any easier. Pursuing her and marrying her was the gravest mistake of his life, and he felt an immense weight of guilt on his shoulders. He had failed to understand her, which caused the irredeemable damage and hurt which were too much to bear for both of them.

"Anu, mujhe divorce chahiye," Anuj finally said, his voice barely audible. "Ye rishta ab sirf naam ka hai"

Anu's eyes were filled with pain and disbelief, but she managed to maintain her composure. He can see that she somehow knew this was coming, and in some ways, she had already accepted this fate. The distance between them was palpable, and the pain in their hearts was too overwhelming to ignore.

"Samajh sakti hu," Anu said, her voice calm and steady. "Legal paperwork bhej dijiyega"

Anuj couldn't help but feel like he had failed her, even though Anu's reaction was far from the emotional outburst he had expected. He had held her to an impossible standard, and now he felt like he couldn't breathe in the relationship anymore.

Anu stood up from the couch, gathered her purse, and walked towards the door, her heart heavy with sadness and disappointment.

As Anuj watched Anu leave the room, he felt a profound sense of loss. A deep sense of guilt and remorse washed over him. He knew that he had made the biggest mistake of his life by underestimating Anu's past. He had failed to be the partner she deserved, and now he was left with nothing but regret for the rest of his life. He knew the gravity of his actions. Their love was like a wildfire that had burned too hot and too fast, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.

He sat alone in his hotel room, feeling the weight of his choices in the city that held laughter and joy for him. Anuj sank onto the couch, tears streaming down his face as he thought about the life he had lost. He had been blinded by his own needs and desires, failing to see the pain that Anu had been carrying with her all along. He wished he could turn back time and make things different, but he knew that it was impossible.

Anu had accepted her fate and left him forever, leaving Anuj to deal with the consequences of his actions. He knew that he would never be able to forget the love he had lost and the pain he had caused.

He had gone through this painful memory countless times, each recollection more agonizing than the last. It was a moment that haunted him, a decision he regretted with every fibre of his being. He had been a fool to think that divorce would bring relief, that ending their union would somehow ease the searing pain that had gripped his heart. Instead, it had only intensified the ache, leaving him drowning in a sea of regret. The weight of what he had lost, of what could have been, was a crushing burden that he carried with him every day. He often wondered what could have been different, if he had tried to salvage their love. The what-ifs and the regrets plagued him, torturing his soul with relentless anguish. He longed for a chance to turn back time and undo the irreversible mistake he had made.

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Precap:

She gathers her clothes from around the suite and enters the bathroom, leaving the door open for Anuj to follow. Normally, Anuj would follow her to clean himself up after the sex, but not this time. It was a bad idea to have sex with him today.