Judaaiyaan

16

Vijaypath was consumed with worry. It had been over four weeks since Ritwik left the house without a word. It seemed he had abandoned his family, disappearing in the middle of the night, taking half his closet with him, just a week after discovering the truth. He left his phone behind and never responded to the emails sent by both Rishabh and himself. Arohi confessed her guilt, mentioning that she had suggested he take some time off. Vijaypath promptly assured her it wasn't her fault, particularly since she had spoken to Ritwik before he learned about Mishti.

As if worrying about Ritwik wasn't challenging enough, now the family had to contend with concerns about Mishti as well. A few days earlier, she had a conversation with Vijaypath, leaving him shocked to discover that she too was leaving. Mishti explained her reason, and he offered his support to the best of his abilities. Recognizing the need for her to recover from the emotional roller-coaster of the past three months, Vijaypath believed she deserved a chance to rebuild her life. Mishti's rapid and complete life transformation had left her struggling to do more than simply breathe, and her father, Kunal, shared Vijaypath's deep concern for her well-being. However, Vijaypath assured Kunal that Mishti required time to forgive and focus on herself.

Despite Mishti's efforts to alleviate the pain of those around her, it was now time for her to prioritize her healing. She candidly admitted feeling embarrassed and expressed a desire to seek forgiveness. Understanding that both Ritwik and self-forgiveness might be elusive, she resolved to at least seek forgiveness from Waheguru ji. The imperative for a fresh start and the demand for a new life prompted Mishti to leave behind the past as much as possible and embark on a journey of self-care and renewal.

While his father remained concerned for the two young individuals who had departed, Ritwik finally discovered solace in the small city in Ireland. Recognizing that Kriti would be the only person there for him, especially as she wasn't close to Mishti and had no prior knowledge of her, Ritwik turned to her for support.
Arohi soon discovered that she, too, cared deeply about Mishti. Despite her unwavering support for Ritwik, he eventually learned about her frequent visits to Kunal's house, and it was evident that her visits weren't driven by a desire to see the older man. While Rishabh refrained from discussing Mishti, Ritwik discovered that his brother was also aware of the deception but chose to keep it from him. Ritwik realized he needed time and space not only to move on from Mishti but also to find the compassion within himself to forgive his own family for allowing him to be deceived in such a manner.

In his initial conversations with Kriti, Ritwik only mentioned the need to grieve for Pragati, intentionally avoiding any mention of Mishti. He had been guided by his heart once and was broken to the point it nearly destroyed him, he resolved not to let his feelings overshadow the negative aspects of Mishti's actions, just as he had done with Pragati. Wary of repeating past mistakes, he chose to erase Mishti from his thoughts altogether. Despite harboring bitterness and deep hurt from her deceitful lies, a significant part of him wrestled with conflicting emotions. A big part of him wanted her to hurt, wanted to hate her but he couldn't bring his heart to just do it. He was going to ignore her existence and the only way he had to ensure he wasn't going to rescue her from her pain was to keep an ocean between them. A literal ocean.

As days morphed into weeks and weeks into months, approaching the threshold of a year, Ritwik never intended to remain absent for such an extended period. However, he found himself lacking the strength to return. While these many months provided some respite in coping with the pain of losing Pragati, they fell short in fostering forgiveness toward his family and in banishing her from his thoughts entirely. At times, the inclination to return, especially to his family, crept into his mind. Acknowledging his father's weary efforts in managing the business, Ritwik understood that Vijaypath had temporarily halted it for a reason. His father was tired and getting old and life wasn't becoming any easier. Ritwik contemplated the necessity of reopening his heart to Kriti. She had been a source of solace on weekends, yet he struggled to be entirely transparent with her. Consequently, he found himself in a state of profound isolation.