Obsession

Chapter 16: Unspoken Hearts

Author.

Rishabh and Sunidhi stood frozen for a moment, both glancing at the unexpected visitor: Avni.

"Avni, you here?" Rishabh asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, just came for some shopping," she replied casually, her eyes flicking over to the couple. "But you two? At Dexperia, the mall of lovers?"

Rishabh chuckled, his tone light but playful. "Yeah, actually, I came here with my girlfriend and best friend."

"Girl... friend?" Avni repeated, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yeah!" Rishabh answered, his smile broadening as he called out, "Sunidhi!"

Sunidhi, who was standing beside him, walked over gracefully. She and Rishabh had coordinated their outfits for the day, both dressed in rich brown hues. The sight of them together—comfortable and full of warmth—caught Avni off guard.

"Oh! This is unexpected," Avni remarked, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "Rishabh, you're a real 'chuppa rustam' (hidden surprise)."

Rishabh laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little sheepish but pleased. "Guilty as charged," he said with a mischievous grin.

Sunidhi extended her hand and greeted Avni with a warm smile. "Hi, Avni! Nice to meet you again," she said politely.

Avni smiled back, shaking Sunidhi's hand. "Nice to meet you too, Sunidhi."

There was a moment of awkward silence, but Avni quickly recovered, her smile faltering slightly. "Uhm, guys, carry on with your date. I have some work to do," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"At least have some coffee! The Starbucks is just nearby," Rishabh suggested, his voice filled with friendliness.

"No, some other time," Avni responded, her smile tight. "But thank you."

Rishabh understood and nodded. "It's okay, Avni. I get it. With Mr. Chopra coming this Saturday, I’m sure you're busy shopping for him."

Avni chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "Husband," she thought sarcastically, but only inside her head.

"Hmm. Anyway, all the best for the future, dear couple. Bye," she said, her tone a little too upbeat.

"Bye!" they said together, watching her turn and walk away.

But as Avni reached the corner of the mall, she couldn’t hold back the tears that had been welling up in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, her heart heavy. She wished nothing but happiness for Rishabh and Sunidhi, but seeing them together felt like the last piece of her own dream crumbling.

Avni had always been in love with Rishabh. It had started years ago when she first saw him caring for his father, supporting his siblings through tough times. She had admired him from afar, but now it seemed like those feelings would never come to fruition. The weight of the moment felt unbearable.

She climbed into her luxurious car and entered the address that had been sent to her by her husband—Siddharth Chopra, a man she was married to for reasons of duty, not love. The man she had once dreamed of a family with was now just a stranger who happened to share the same apartment building.

As she drove through the streets, memories of the past danced in her mind. She had hoped for a life with Rishabh, but now all she had was a broken marriage and an uncertain future.

Arriving at the apartment, she took a deep breath before entering the building. "One step at a time," she muttered to herself.

The elevator ride felt longer than usual as she pressed the button for the 5th floor. When the doors finally opened, she walked towards flat 502, each step feeling heavier than the last.

She rang the doorbell and waited, the sound of her heartbeat thumping in her ears. After a moment, Siddharth opened the door with a welcoming smile, as always.

"Welcome back!" he chirped, his cheerfulness always at odds with her melancholy.

"Thanks," Avni muttered, forcing a smile. She could feel the tears threatening again but pushed them down.

Siddharth noticed. He always did. His perceptive nature had always been one of the things she disliked about him.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice softening as he stepped aside to let her in.

"I'm fine," she lied, keeping her emotions tightly locked. She placed the shopping bags down and went to the bedroom to change into something comfortable. The sofa seemed like the only place she could rest her weary mind.

She was in the middle of fluffing the pillows on the couch when Siddharth's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I don't know what happened, but I’m sorry. You’re strong, don’t cry like that. Have some dinner before sleeping."

She paused, surprised at his concern. She hadn't even realized she was crying. Wiping her face quickly, she nodded but didn’t say anything in response. The weight of it all felt too much to put into words.

Siddharth, ever the idealist, gave her some space before offering, "I'll leave you alone for a while. But please, eat something. Don't go to bed without dinner."

Avni was touched, in an odd way, but couldn't bring herself to feel anything more than numb. "Thank you," she whispered.

It wasn’t the comforting gesture she longed for, but for now, it was enough to help her get through the night.

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Revised and Edited
Word Count: 870~