Shadows & Sunshine

Ch : 17

As soon as Ved left the room, Priya's composure crumbled. She sank to the floor, her sobs wracking her body. The necklace felt like a shackle around her neck, reminding her of the entangled web of her emotions. She was caught between love and duty, unable to find a way out.

Just then, the door burst open again, and Ved stormed back in. "No," he said, his voice sharp and determined. "Why wait? Let's finish talking now."

He strode across the room and grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes bore into hers, a mixture of anger and anguish. "Have you slept with him too?" he demanded, his voice trembling.

Priya's eyes were filled with tears, and she couldn't bring herself to answer. The silence hung heavy in the room, speaking louder than any words could. Ved's grip tightened on her shoulders, and he repeated, more forcefully, "You did, right? You did!"

His voice echoed through the room, and Priya's tears spilled over. She closed her eyes, unable to meet his gaze any longer. Her body shook with silent sobs, the weight of her guilt pressing down on her. She wanted to speak, to explain, but the words wouldn't come.

Ved released her shoulders and stepped back, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

Priya's heart ached at his words. She wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him, but she felt paralyzed by her own shame and sorrow. She opened her eyes and saw the hurt and betrayal etched on Ved's face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Ved's eyes blazed with anger and desperation as he grabbed Priya's shoulders again, shaking her slightly. "How was it? Better than us? Is this why you're ready to let down all of us?" His voice cracked, raw with emotion. "Come on, answer me! Is he a better fucker than your husband?"

Priya recoiled at his harsh words, tears streaming down her face. "Why are you asking this? Why do you want to know?"

Ved's grip tightened, his frustration boiling over. "You have to answer this! Is he better than me? Answer me, goddamn it!" He pushed her away in a fit of rage, his breath coming in heavy bursts.

Priya stumbled back, her heart pounding. She looked up at Ved, seeing the torment in his eyes. He wasn't just angry; he was deeply hurt, his pride and heart both shattered. "Ved, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "This isn't about that. It's not about who's better."

Ved laughed bitterly, running his hands through his hair. "Then what is it about, Priya? What did he give you that I couldn't? Was it love? Attention? Or just good sex?"

Priya took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "It's not that simple,"

Priya took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "You hurt me so many times, Ved. I was so broken," she said, her voice shaking.

Ved interjected, his anger rising again. "Oh, so you cheated on me too, just to be on the same boat?"

"No, no, you got it all wrong," Priya pleaded, her eyes wide with desperation.

"Then why can't you answer? Is he better than me?" Ved demanded, his frustration boiling over.

Priya felt her patience snap, and she shouted, "Yes! A way more gentler! You heard it!"

Ved's eyes widened in shock and pain. "Oh, so you're saying I treated you like a whore all these years? Have I never, ever loved you genuinely? We have spent 17 years together."

Priya's words caught in her throat, and she became silent, the weight of Ved's accusations pressing down on her. She looked into his eyes, seeing the hurt and betrayal mirrored there.

"Seventeen years, Priya," Ved repeated, his voice softer now, filled with sorrow. "How could you do this to us?"

Priya's eyes filled with tears. "I never wanted to hurt you, Ved. I was lost and confused. I felt neglected, unloved. But that doesn't excuse what I did."

Ved ran a hand through his hair, his face etched with anguish. "Neglected? Unloved? And you think I didn't feel the same way sometimes? 

Priya wiped her tears, her heart aching. "I know. I'm sorry. But can you honestly say you were always there for me? That you never took me for granted?"

Ved's silence was answer enough. He turned away, staring at the floor. "Maybe I wasn't always the best husband. But I tried, Priya. I tried to be there for you, for our family."

"I know you did," Priya whispered. "And I'm not trying to justify what I did. I just want you to understand how I felt."

Ved shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Understand? How can I understand when the woman I've loved for seventeen years tells me she found someone better?"

"It's not about him being better," Priya said, her voice breaking. "It's about how lost and broken I felt. And yes, he was gentler, but that doesn't mean I didn't love you ever i tried."

Ved looked at her, his eyes filled with pain and confusion. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you, Priya. This... this changes everything But for Varsha's sake, we need to find a way to move forward."

They stood in silence, the enormity of their situation weighing heavily on them. The love they once shared seemed distant, overshadowed by the pain and betrayal. But for the sake of their daughter, they both knew they had to try, even if the path ahead was uncertain.

Ved finally turned away, leaving the room without another word. Priya watched him go, her heart heavy with regret and sorrow. She knew the road ahead would be difficult, but she was determined to face it, no matter how painful it might be.

Priya took a deep breath, feeling the air catch in her throat as she turned towards the mirror. Her reflection looked back at her, devastated and broken. Her eyes, red and puffy from crying, held a depth of sorrow that seemed unfathomable. She reached for a tissue from the table and tried to wipe her face, her hands trembling.

As she ran the tissue over her cheeks, she moved with increasing frustration, scrubbing her skin roughly as if she could erase the pain and guilt etched into her features. The tissue crumpled and tore under her desperate movements, and she felt a fresh wave of tears welling up in her eyes.

With a strangled sob, Priya dropped the torn tissue, her hands falling to her sides. She stared at herself in the mirror, seeing not just her current anguish but the accumulation of years of hurt and disappointment. Her shoulders shook, and she pressed her hands to her face, trying to stifle the sobs that wracked her body.

But it was no use. The emotions surged within her, breaking free from the fragile control she tried to maintain. She crumpled to the floor, her cries echoing through the empty room. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the remnants of the makeup she had so carefully applied earlier.

The weight of her actions and the confrontation with Ved bore down on her, and she felt as if she might be crushed by the enormity of it all. She hugged her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth as the sobs continued to pour out of her, raw and unrestrained.

Priya felt utterly alone in that moment, isolated by her choices and the pain they had caused. The walls of the room seemed to close in around her, a silent witness to her breakdown. She cried until she had no more tears left, until the sobs turned into quiet, hiccupping breaths.

Finally, she lifted her head and looked at the mirror again, seeing a woman transformed by grief and regret. She knew she had to find a way to move forward, for herself, for Varsha, and even for Ved. But in that moment, all she could do was let the tears fall, cleansing herself of the pain as she began to confront the difficult journey ahead.