Aarohi And Dev

CHAPTER 26

Aarohi POV

Mayank, still blushing but visibly shaken, nodded. "Yeah, thanks to you."

We hurried down the stairs, leaving the chaos behind. Once outside, the adrenaline began to wear off, and the reality of what had just happened sank in.

As we exited the university, I asked Rajveer to drop Mayank off at his home. Nodding in agreement, he led Mayank to his car, and we parted ways.

As Tara and I settled into our car, she started playfully hitting me, her voice a mix of mock outrage and genuine embarrassment. "You knew Rajveer liked Mayank, so why didn’t you tell me? And here I was, foolishly thinking he liked me!" She finished her sentence dramatically, clearly embarrassed by the misunderstanding.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. "Tara, you always jump to conclusions," I said, rubbing my arm where she had playfully hit me.

"But yes, I got to know it a few days back. It was pretty obvious to me." She groaned, leaning back in her seat, "I feel so stupid now. But I’m happy for them. They look good together." I nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, they do. Rajveer genuinely cares about Mayank, and it’s nice to see."

Tara dropped me off at home and left. As I walked through the gate, I heard a noise behind me, as if someone was following. I turned back, only to be shushed by Advik, who covered my mouth with his hand. I was ready to scream but calmed down upon seeing him.

Removing his hand from my mouth, I asked sternly, "What are you doing here?"

He pulled me a little further from my house and said, "I don't remember what happened that day. I just remember having fun, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in a prison cell. I swear, I didn't take any drugs." His voice was shaky but determined.

Guilt washed over me, knowing I was part of the plan that led to his arrest. Trying to keep my composure, I replied, "What was meant to happen, happened. Besides, I have no idea about the details."

Advik's frustration erupted as he yelled, "Your dad wouldn't even answer my dad's calls. He sent a message through his secretary, saying he's reconsidering the marriage and will withdraw shares from our company!" Hearing this, I felt a mix of happiness and sadness for the uncle.

"I don't know anything about it," I responded, attempting to leave, only to be stopped as Advik pinned me against the wall, gripping my shoulders.

Startled by his sudden action and yelled, "How dare you ignore me? Huh? No other guy will tolerate you like I do! Do you realize how pathetic you are? Yet I stood by you, and now you think you can just leave?"

His words cut deep, tears welling up in my eyes. I blinked rapidly, struggling to hold back the flood of emotion.

With a bitter laugh, I retorted, "Stood by me? There's a world of difference between standing by someone and just being a lifeless statue. You never respected me, never truly loved me. And let's not forget, you betrayed me by cheating on me. Did you think I didn't know? I chose to turn a blind eye because..." My voice cracked with emotion, but I pressed on. "...because I didn't want to confront the truth and risk upsetting my dad," I confessed, feeling a mix of relief and anguish as the words escaped my lips.

He sneered at my words and lashed out, "Respect? Love? You? How could you even imagine such things? Your dad doesn't love or respect you. How could you expect that from me?"

His words, laced with a painful truth, shattered me. With all the strength I could muster, I pushed him away and fled, desperate to escape before I crumbled in front of him.