Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 31: Neil's Final Goodbye

The morning sun had barely broken the horizon when the doorbell rang. Twinkle was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, while Kunj was sitting at the table, reading through the newspaper. The peaceful morning air was suddenly filled with a tense silence as the sound of the bell echoed through the house.

Twinkle’s hand froze over the frying pan, her heart pounding. She exchanged a quick glance with Kunj, both of them knowing what was coming.

“Main dekh ke aata hoon,” Kunj said, his voice calm but with an edge of tension. He set the newspaper down and walked toward the door. Twinkle’s mind raced, a thousand thoughts filling her head.

Kya Neil phir se drama karega?

She heard the door open, followed by a voice she hadn’t heard in days.

“Kunj…” Neil’s voice was low, almost pleading. Twinkle strained her ears to listen as the conversation unfolded.

“Neil, ab tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?” Kunj’s voice was sharp, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Neil sighed, his tone laced with exhaustion. “I came to talk… one last time.”

Twinkle held her breath, listening closely from the kitchen.

“Kunj, I didn’t come to cause more problems. I’m leaving for good. But before I go, I need to say something.”

Twinkle stepped out of the kitchen, slowly approaching the door. She could see Neil standing on the porch, his usually confident demeanor shattered. His eyes were hollow, like someone who had lost everything.

Kunj crossed his arms, his face hard as stone. “You’ve said enough already, Neil. Tumhari wajah se Twinkle ko bahut hurt hua hai. Tum bas chale jao.”

Neil’s gaze shifted to Twinkle, who was now standing next to Kunj. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a coldness in her eyes that Neil had never seen before.

“Twinkle…” Neil began, but Twinkle held up her hand, stopping him.

“Neil, jo kuch bhi hua, it’s in the past now,” she said, her voice steady but firm. “Tumne bahut galtiyaan ki hain, aur un galtiyon ki wajah se hum dono ke beech sab kuch khatam ho chuka hai.”

Neil winced at her words but nodded. “I know. And I don’t expect you to forgive me. I just… I need you to know that I never meant to hurt you.”

Twinkle remained silent, her eyes fixed on him as he spoke. She could see the regret in his eyes, but it didn’t change anything. It was too late for apologies.

Kunj stepped forward, his protective stance making it clear that Neil was no longer welcome in their lives. “Neil, you need to move on. Just like we have. Tumhara chapter khatam ho chuka hai.”

Neil’s shoulders slumped, and he took a step back, defeated. “I understand,” he whispered. “I’m leaving the city. This is goodbye.”

Twinkle watched as Neil turned and walked away, his figure disappearing down the street. A part of her felt a strange mix of relief and sadness, but she knew that this was the closure they all needed. Neil’s presence had been a dark cloud over her life for far too long.

Kunj turned to Twinkle, his expression softening. “You okay?”

Twinkle nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. “Haan, I’m fine. I’m just glad it’s over.”

Kunj reached out and gently took her hand, squeezing it. “Ab koi Neil nahi, sirf tum aur main.”

Twinkle smiled, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. Neil was gone, and with him, all the lingering doubts and pain. She looked up at Kunj, her heart swelling with gratitude for the man who had stood by her through everything.

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Later That Evening

After a long, emotionally draining day, Twinkle and Kunj found themselves sitting together on the couch. The TV was on, but neither of them was paying much attention to it. Instead, they were wrapped in each other’s company, enjoying the peace that had settled over their home now that Neil was truly gone.

Twinkle rested her head on Kunj’s shoulder, her fingers absentmindedly playing with his hand. She let out a contented sigh, finally feeling like they could move forward without any more shadows from the past.

“Pata hai,” Kunj said softly, breaking the silence, “I think this was the last piece of the puzzle. Ab humara future clear hai.”

Twinkle smiled, closing her eyes as she leaned closer to him. “Mujhe bhi aisa hi lagta hai. Neil ka chapter close, aur ab hum dono ke naye chapter ki shuruaat.”

Kunj chuckled and kissed the top of her head. “Toh tum ready ho for the next adventure?”

Twinkle laughed softly, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. “Kunj Sarna ke saath, I’m ready for anything.”

Kunj grinned and pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Good. Kyunki ab humare life mein sirf pyar aur thoda drama hoga. Neil ka chapter toh band, lekin humare family wale kabhi toh masala layenge.”

Twinkle giggled, already imagining the next set of family drama waiting for them. But for now, in this moment, everything felt perfect.