SS- The Aftermath

~6~

Ruhi's mind spun, reeling from Rohith's bombshell. The weight of his words crashed down on her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless and stunned. Her hands shook as she picked up the papers, her eyes scanning the legal documents that declared her marriage to Armaan null and void.

"You can't do this!" Ruhi's voice cracked, her emotions raw and exposed. "You can't just decide our fate like this, Rohith!"

Rohith's gaze was steely, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. "I can and I have, Ruhi. You deceived me, lied to me, and betrayed our marriage. You never intended to let go of Armaan, and now we're all paying the price for your actions."

Ruhi's heart pounded, her chest tight with anguish and disbelief. "I made mistakes, yes, but I never wanted to hurt anyone," she pleaded desperately, tears streaming down her face. "Please, Rohith, don't do this. We can talk through this. I love Armaan, I always have."

Rohith's expression darkened at Ruhi's admission, his disbelief palpable. He clenched his jaw, struggling to contain the torrent of emotions raging inside him.

"You love Armaan" Rohith's voice was low, filled with a mixture of hurt and betrayal. "Of course I know it but what about the deceit you did to me?"

Ruhi's tears continued to flow unabated, her voice trembling as she tried to explain. "Rohith, I... I never stopped loving him. But I married you because I thought I could move on, that I could bury those feelings. I never wanted to hurt you."

Rohith shook his head, his voice rising with bitterness. "You never wanted to hurt me? Ruhi, do you realize what you've done? You've torn our family apart. You've shattered my trust in you, in us."

Ruhi reached out to him, her hand trembling as she tried to touch his arm. "Please, Rohith, let's not do this here. Let's talk, let's find a way—"

Rohith pulled away sharply, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and pain. He stepped back from Ruhi, creating distance between them.

"There's nothing more to talk about, Ruhi," Rohith said, his voice cold and clipped.

Ruhi's heart sank at his words, the finality of his tone piercing through her. She felt the weight of his accusation and the truth in his words. But she knew she couldn't give up without trying to salvage something from the wreckage.

"Rohith, please listen," Ruhi pleaded, her voice wavering as she fought to maintain her composure. "I... I understand if you can't forgive me. But I need to sort this out legally. Armaan and I..."

Rohith cut her off, his voice laced with bitterness. "Armaan and you what? Do you think I care about your legalities now, Ruhi? You've broken our marriage in every way possible."

Ruhi struggled to hold back tears, her hands trembling at her sides. "I just want to do what's right now, Rohith. Please, let me go."

Rohith stared at her for a long moment, his gaze searching her face as if trying to understand her motives. Finally, he nodded curtly. " I don't want a person like you in my life, Ruhi. If you think that's the reason why I took this step, then you are wrong. But that doesn't mean I would make your life any easier."

Ruhi felt the weight of Rohith's words crush her spirit, but amid the tense silence that followed, she turned to face Armaan. His presence, along with the watchful eyes of her family, added another layer of complexity to the already agonizing situation. Feeling their collective gaze upon her, Ruhi gathered her resolve and walked towards Armaan, her heart heavy with the weight of her decisions.

Armaan met her eyes, his expression unreadable yet filled with a somber understanding of their predicament. His silence spoke volumes as he listened to the unraveling of their intertwined lives. Ruhi reached out to him, seeking some semblance of solace or direction in the chaos that surrounded them.