Rab Rakha

Chapter 65

"Ishani kya kar rahi hai Sidharth ki party me?"

Shehnaaz had always prided herself on her trust in Sidharth. After nearly a year of laughter, shared dreams, and late-night talks, the idea that he would betray her felt unfathomable. Yet, as she watched the video call, her heart sank. There he was, standing too close to Ishani, a girl she had only heard about in passing. A name mentioned once or twice, paired with tales of casual dates that had never bothered her. But seeing them together, their expressions serious and seemingly lost in a private conversation, ignited an unsettling storm within her.

At first, disbelief washed over her. She tried to rationalize the scene, reminding herself of his love for herself, he would do anything but cheat, the way he would always reassure her when insecurities bubbled to the surface. Yet, the sight of him leaning in toward Ishani, their faces so close, made her stomach twist. It was just a party, she told herself. Just friends having fun. But the tension between them felt palpable, and something about their demeanor. A mix of seriousness and the slight haze of drunkenness. A set off alarms in her mind.

"Aisi bhi kya baat kar rahe honge dono?"

Jealousy surged, twisting her thoughts into a tangled mess. It felt irrational and consuming, yet she couldn’t shake it off. He had always been the center of her world and the thought of him sharing a moment. And especially a serious one with someone else ignited a fire of possessiveness. She envisioned their conversations, the laughter they shared, and the connection that felt so exclusive to her. Was that connection now compromised?

"Mujhe toh pata bhi nahi ke dono dost hain abhi bhi? Sidharth ne bataya hi nahi kabhi! Bachelorette me toh sare ache ache dost hi aate hain? Woh kyu aayi?"

Her mind raced with what-ifs. What if he was rekindling something with Ishani? The very idea made her skin crawl. She tried to push it away, to remind herself of their love, but doubt seeped in like a slow poison. She had seen it so many times in films and stories. Couples who seemed perfect until one day they weren’t. The fear of losing him and watching him slip away was unbearable.

Finally, a sense of vulnerability washed over her. Here she was, a woman who believed in love and loyalty, suddenly feeling small and inadequate. She had always been confident in their relationship, but now insecurity loomed like a shadow, whispering that perhaps she wasn’t enough, that someone like Ishani might be more appealing, more engaging. Her emotions were overwhelming, anger mixed with fear, love tainted by doubt.

Her phone rang with his name flashing on the screen and she just didn't know if she was ready to talk to him yet. She was hurt. The kind of scene she had seen wasn't a pleasant one to witness few weeks before her wedding.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hi. Jab tune call kiya, mera phone table pe reh gaya tha." He replied.

"Hm." She just hummed.

"I don't know what and how much of it was visible to you. Mai aa raha hu, baat karte hain. Thik hai?" He suggested and she simply agreed.

"Tujhe lagta hai Montu kuch aisa kar sakta hai? He'd never cheat on you Sana! I've seen the way he looks at you." Mickey asked her friend, she had been watching her and listening to her rants.

"I know." Shehnaaz sighed.

"Toh kya baat ho gayi aisi bhi?" Gurjot asked.

"Mann me acha nahi lag raha mujhe. Matlab ke- mujhe pata hai Sidharth kitna acha hai apne doston ke sath. Frank hai sabke sath. Koyi uske ache nature ko bhi kuch aur samajh sakta hai. I don't - pata nahi tumlog meri baat samajh bhi rahe ho ya nahi." Shehnaaz replied.

She had seen the way Ishani looked at him and it wasn't a comfortable sight to look at.

"Dekh. Seedhi baat bolta hu, baat kar Paji se." He suggested her and she nodded, making her way to her bedroom to get herself some space.