Shadows of the Past

Chapter 7 Two Worlds

The next day, Rajesh met Jayanthi at the café once again. His heart pounded as he walked inside, unsure of what to expect. When he saw her, she looked radiant, a confident smile on her face. It was almost as if their conversation last week had never happened.

“Rajesh,” she greeted warmly, standing up to give him a hug. “Thanks for coming. I was worried you wouldn’t.”

Rajesh smiled awkwardly, returning the hug but feeling the weight of their unresolved conversation lingering between them. “Of course I came. I know you said there was more you wanted to talk about.”

Jayanthi nodded and gestured for him to sit down. As they settled in, she leaned forward, her eyes intense. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what I said to you. I don’t regret telling you how I feel, but I need to know—what about you, Rajesh? Do you still have feelings for me?”

Rajesh felt his throat tighten. It was the question he had been dreading, the one he had tried to avoid answering even to himself. “Jayanthi, I care about you. You were such an important part of my life. But things have changed. I’m with Neha now, and—”

“But are you happy, Rajesh?” Jayanthi interrupted, her voice soft but insistent. “Are you truly happy with her, or are you just comfortable? We had something special, and I think you know that.”

Rajesh shifted in his seat, the conflict in his heart growing stronger. “Jayanthi, I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t love what we had. But that was a different time. We both moved on—or at least, we tried to.”

Jayanthi’s eyes softened. “I thought I moved on too. But when I left for London, I realized I was running away from something I didn’t want to lose. You, Rajesh. I didn’t want to lose you.”

Rajesh’s chest tightened as he heard her words. He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “Jayanthi, this isn’t easy for me. I’ve built a life with Neha, and she means a lot to me. I can’t just throw that away because of the past.”

Jayanthi reached out, gently placing her hand on his. “I’m not asking you to throw anything away, Rajesh. I’m asking you to be honest with yourself. Do you still have feelings for me?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and unresolved. Rajesh wanted to answer, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know how to choose between the woman who had been his first love and the woman who had become his partner in life.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed again. It was Neha this time: **"Rajesh, we need to talk tonight. Please don’t ignore this."**

Rajesh felt his heart sink as he realized that his two worlds were colliding in a way he hadn’t anticipated. He looked at Jayanthi, her hopeful eyes waiting for an answer, and then at his phone, where Neha’s message glowed on the screen.

Two paths lay before him, and he had no idea which one to take.