Apricity

Part 20

Ranveer felt the air around him grow heavy with Yukti's words. The weight of her pain, her anger, and her torment bore down on him like an avalanche, threatening to bury him alive. He had never seen Yukti like this before, stripped of her softness and forced to confront the darkest corners of her past.

In that moment, Ranveer understood why Suhani had always been distant and guarded. Her silence was not a sign of weakness or indifference; it was a desperate attempt to protect herself and those she loved from the horrors that lurked within her family's shadows. It was a burden she carried alone, suffocating under its unbearable weight.

With cautious steps, Ranveer closed the distance between himself and Yukti. His heart ached with sympathy for the pain she had endured. His hand, trembling with tenderness, reached out to her face, carefully brushing away the tears that streamed down her cheeks like tiny crystals. Each droplet held a story of its own, reflecting the anguish in her eyes. As he stood there, their unspoken connection filled the air, a silent understanding passing between them without needing any words.

His voice trembled with raw emotion as he uttered her name, "Yukti," his words filled with genuine empathy and sorrow. "I can never apologize enough for the unbearable pain you've endured."

As she gazed up at him, her eyes were a stormy sea of emotions–a mixture of sadness and gratefulness. It was as if he had seen into the darkest corners of her soul and was offering a hand to pull her out. She never thought anyone, who had not been in the same boat, would comprehend the depths of her pain, but there he stood, trying to understand.

"I never wanted anyone to know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want to be seen as a victim, or worse, as someone who was related to a monster. I thought... I thought no one could understand why I - we - did what we did."

Ranveer's heart clenched in agony at her words, a physical pain that radiated from his chest. He could feel the heavy burden she had been carrying all this time, weighing down her shoulders and crushing her spirit. The tears in her eyes threatened to spill over, a clear reflection of the years of suffering she had endured alone. It tore him apart to see the toll it had taken on her, her body and soul slowly withering away under the weight of her struggles.

"But you are not responsible for your father's actions," he said firmly. "And you are definitely not defined by them. What you went through, it is... it is beyond imagination. You've faced the worst humanity had to offer, Yukti, and if you think you faltered in its wake, it's okay. You may have faltered, but you didn't let it push you off the track, and I'm proud of you for that!"

Ranveer would have liked to discuss this matter in a secluded place, away from the nosy ears of those seeking idle chatter, and out of sight from those who had already formed their opinions. However, he didn't want the bruised young woman to feel self-conscious due to onlookers or his own personal preferences.

Yukti's body crumpled under the weight of her own self-doubt, her shoulders hunching forward as she let out a shaky, ragged breath. She stared at the ground for what felt like an eternity, feeling the crushing weight of his words sink into her mind like a heavy stone. Her heart fought against it, knowing that accepting his truth would mean nothing but endless battles with herself. It was an exhausting and never-ending journey towards self-acceptance, one that she feared she may never truly conquer.

"I...I never wanted anyone to know," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "The shame...the guilt...it was suffocating me. But seeing Suhani Di lying there in that hospital bed, fighting for her life...it made me realize that I couldn't hide anymore. We deserve justice. We deserve to have our lives back. We can never have the innocence we lost in his hands, but... but I've seen that peace is not out of bounds and I want that for Di. I want her to... to experience joy, excitement, and... and hope."

"And you both will, Yukti! You will!"

Ranveer pulled his honorary sister into a fierce embrace, his lips pressing into her disheveled hair. As she sobbed, he knew that the tranquility yearned by the sisters was attainable, but the journey to find it would be fraught with countless obstacles - some known, others lurking in the shadows. But he refused to let them face these challenges alone, silently praying that they will have the courage and resilience to overcome whatever stands in their way on the path to true peace.

****

Ranveer's heart pounds in his chest as he stands outside Suhani's hospital room, replaying Yukti's confession on a loop in his mind. His thoughts are consumed by the images of Suhani.

Suhani. Abused. As a child. By her uncle.

The words pierce his mind like hot needles, unleashing a torrent of unwanted revelations. Suhani's constant walls, her struggle with vulnerability, the darkness that haunted her gaze even in moments of joy. They all crashed over him like an avalanche, suffocating and merciless.

A wave of nausea hits Ranveer as he swallowed back the bile rising in his throat. How could he have been so foolish, so blind to the pain that Suhani had been hiding beneath her guarded exterior? He rubbed a trembling hand over his face, feeling disgusted with himself for his lack of understanding. For too long, he had judged her for the walls she built around her heart, never realizing they were a desperate defense against a world that had shattered her trust and left her broken. The weight of his self-recrimination threatened to crush him as he realized the depth of his mistake.

Ranveer's chest heaved as he takes a deep, desperate breath. The weight of his past failures crushed down on him like a boulder, threatening to suffocate him. But he refused to give in. Not that time. With fierce determination etched into every line of his face, he reached for the door handle.

For Suhani, he would conquer his pride and confront his insecurities. He would educate himself on trauma and its devastating effects, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it may be. He would stand by her through the darkest of nights, holding onto her hand tightly until the light breaks through once again. Failure was not an option when it came to Suhani's wellbeing.

Suhani deserved nothing less than Ranveer's unyielding loyalty. And he would give it to her without hesitation, today, tomorrow, and for all eternity. With determined steps, he entered the room, ready to build a future with the woman who held his heart in her hands. A future overflowing with unwavering trust, boundless compassion, and endless healing.

A future lit by hope.