𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 11

I was feeling so excited as I walked home with Ovi in my arms. I had just received a lot of new orders for my boutique, and it made me so happy. It felt like things were finally falling into place. Ovi was resting her head on my shoulder, and I could feel her little breath against my neck as she dozed off.

As I walked through the quiet streets, I couldn't help but smile. Everything seemed perfect. The orders were big, and they would help me grow my boutique even more. "Humari chhoti si duniya," I whispered to Ovi, smiling as I thought about the future.

But suddenly, my smile faded. Up ahead, I noticed a group of men standing together, clearly drunk. They were loud, laughing, and making comments at people passing by. My heart began to race, and I held Ovi a little tighter, trying to walk past them without drawing attention.

"Hey, pretty lady!" one of them slurred as he stumbled toward me. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

I ignored him and tried to walk faster, but another one blocked my way, his breath smelling of alcohol. "What's the rush? Stay and chat for a bit!"

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. My hands trembled as I clutched Ovi closer to me, praying they'd just leave us alone.

"Please, let me go," I said, my voice barely steady.

Just then, a firm, deep voice came from behind me. "Back off!"

I turned around and saw Ritvik walking toward us, his face serious, almost angry. The men glanced at him, and one of them muttered something before walking away, clearly not wanting trouble. The others followed, leaving us alone.

Ritvik reached my side, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay? What are you doing out here at this hour?" he asked, glancing at Ovi in my arms.

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “I’m fine… thank you. I was just heading home from the boutique,” I explained, my voice shaking slightly from the scare.

He frowned, clearly still worried. “Where’s your husband? Shouldn’t he be with you, protecting you and your daughter?”

I hesitated for a moment, not expecting that question. The memories of my past came flooding back, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to explain everything to Ritvik. I shifted Ovi in my arms, hoping to avoid the topic.

When I didn’t answer, Ritvik gently said, “Come on, let’s sit down for a moment. You look shaken.” He pointed to a nearby bench under a streetlamp.

I nodded, still feeling the tension from the encounter. We sat down, Ovi now awake and looking up at me with sleepy eyes.

After a long pause, Ritvik looked at me again. “I’m sorry if I was too forward earlier. I didn’t mean to pry. I just assumed…”

I sighed, realizing it was probably time to share at least a bit of my story. “No, it’s okay,” I began. “I’m not married anymore. My husband and I divorced.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Oh... I didn’t know. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

I shook my head, trying to stay calm. “It’s fine. He... he cheated on me while I was pregnant with Ovi. I found out just before she was born.”

Ritvik’s expression turned from surprise to anger, but it wasn’t directed at me. “He cheated on you while you were pregnant?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief. “What kind of man does that?”

I shrugged, the familiar pain still there, but dulled by time. “I don’t know. But I couldn’t stay with him after that. So, I filed for divorce and moved on with my life. It was hard, especially with a newborn, but I had to be strong for Ovi.”

Ritvik was quiet for a moment, his eyes softening as he looked at me. “You’re stronger than you realize, Rashmi. What you went through… it’s not easy, but you’re doing an amazing job.”

I gave him a small smile, appreciating the kind words but not letting them affect me too deeply. I wasn’t looking for compliments or sympathy. “Thank you. I’ve just been focusing on Ovi and my work. They’re all that matter now.”

He nodded, glancing down at Ovi, who was now playing with the ends of my hair. “She’s a lucky girl to have a mother like you,” he said, his tone genuine.

“Thanks,” I replied softly. There was a brief silence between us, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was peaceful.

Ritvik stood up after a moment. “Let me walk you home. It’s too late for you to be out alone.”

I looked up at him, feeling grateful for his help, but again, I didn’t want to rely too much on anyone. “I’ll be fine. You don’t have to—”

“No arguments,” he said firmly but with a smile. “I’m walking you home. Let’s go.”

I laughed a little at his persistence and nodded. “Okay, fine. Thank you.”