TRUE LOVE

CHAPTER - 2

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Aarohi’s words hung in the air, a venomous echo that reverberated between the sisters. Akshara, for a moment, felt the sting of guilt but quickly steeled herself. “I did what I had to for the family,” she retorted, her tone tight. “You wouldn’t understand that, Aarohi. All you’ve ever cared about is winning, whether it’s a career or a person. You’ve treated love like a competition, and that’s where you lost.”

Aarohi let out a bitter laugh. “A competition? You think this was a game to me? I loved Abhimanyu with everything I had. But you—” she pointed accusingly at Akshara—“you didn’t even realize your own feelings until it was too late. And when you did, you let everyone blame me, making me the villain in a story I never even asked to be part of.”

Akshara faltered, her mind reeling. She knew deep down that some of what Aarohi said held truth, but she couldn’t let it show. Her eyes flickered to the doorway, sensing a presence. She didn’t know that Abhimanyu stood there, his heart splintering with each word. His own demons of guilt clawed at him, choking him in the shadows.

Before Akshara could respond, Aarohi’s voice grew quieter, her anger melting into something more fragile. “You don’t understand, Akshara. You never will. You always had everything—family, love, respect. And I—” her voice broke, but she continued, “I was always the second choice. Always the backup plan. Even Neil... I tried to love him, I really did. But how could I, when my heart still belonged to someone else?”

Akshara softened, the sharpness in her voice waning. “Then why marry him? Why put him through this if you didn’t love him?”

Aarohi’s lips trembled as she searched for an answer. “Because I wanted to feel wanted, Akshara. I wanted someone to choose me for once, even if I didn’t choose them. Neil offered me that chance. A chance to not be second. A chance to be someone’s priority. But now, even that feels like a lie.”

A deep silence settled between them, thick with unspoken pain.

Then, from behind the wall, Abhimanyu stepped forward, his face a mask of anguish. His voice, low and heavy with emotion, cut through the tension like a knife. “I never meant to hurt you, Aarohi.”

Both sisters turned, startled to see him standing there, his hand bloodied from where he’d punched the wall. His eyes, red with the weight of everything he had just heard, were locked on Aarohi.

“I know what I did was unforgivable,” he continued, his voice thick with regret. “I made mistakes—mistakes I can’t take back. I was so consumed with my love for Akshara, I didn’t even stop to think about how much I was hurting you. I used you, and for that, I’m truly sorry. I never should’ve given you hope when my heart wasn’t yours to give.”

Aarohi’s breath caught in her throat, her defenses crumbling as she met Abhimanyu’s remorseful gaze. For so long, she had wanted to hear these words, to know that her pain hadn’t been for nothing. But now that they were finally spoken, they didn’t bring the closure she had hoped for.

“You broke me, Abhimanyu,” she whispered. “And no apology will ever fix that.”

Abhimanyu took a step closer, but Akshara, sensing his turmoil, moved between them. “Abhi, stop. This isn’t going to fix anything,” she said softly, her voice trembling with her own emotions.

“I know,” Abhimanyu murmured, looking down at his bloodied fist. “But I can’t carry this guilt any longer. I’ve hurt both of you in ways I never imagined, and I can’t stand by and pretend I haven’t.”