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The room felt unnaturally quiet, like the calm before a storm. I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers tapping restlessly against my leg. Aisha had been gone for hours, and with each passing minute, the knot in my chest tightened.
She hadn't told me where she was going. I knew something was wrong the moment she slipped out without a word. Aisha wasn't the type to keep things hidden anymore-at least, I had thought she wasn't. After everything that had happened between us, the lies, the pain, I thought we were past this. But now, sitting alone in our house, the shadows closing in around me, I couldn't help but wonder if I had lost her again.
My heart pounded as I paced the length of the room, my mind racing with possibilities. I pulled out my phone for the hundredth time, staring at her name in my contacts, debating whether I should call her. But something held me back-fear, maybe. Fear of what she might say, fear of what she might do.
The front door creaked open, and my heart leapt. I rushed downstairs, my pulse pounding in my ears. Aisha stood in the doorway, her face pale, her expression unreadable. There was something different about her-something colder, more distant.
"Aisha?" I said, my voice tentative, as I took a step toward her. "Where were you? You didn't tell me-"
"I went to see Chacha Ji," she interrupted, her voice flat, emotionless. "I needed to hear the truth from him. I needed to make him admit everything."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "You went alone?" I asked, my voice rising with disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me? You should have-"
"I didn't need you there, Yuvraj," she said, cutting me off again. Her eyes were hard, a look I had rarely seen from her. "This was something I had to do on my own."
The weight of her words hung in the air between us, and for the first time, I realized that Aisha had taken matters into her own hands. She wasn't waiting for me to protect her, to fix things. She had gone to confront the man who had destroyed her life, and she had done it without me.
I swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words. "I just... I was worried. You didn't tell me, and I thought-"
"I know," she said softly, her tone softening just a fraction. "I know you were worried. But this isn't about you, Yuvraj. This is about me. About what I need."
I stood there, frozen in place, watching as she moved past me into the living room. Her movements were calm, controlled, but there was an edge to her that hadn't been there before. A determination that I hadn't seen since the day everything fell apart.
She turned to face me, and I saw it in her eyes-the decision she had already made. My stomach twisted with dread.
"I'm leaving," she said, her voice steady but firm.
The words hit me like a physical blow, knocking the breath out of me. "What? What do you mean you're leaving?"
She took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto mine. "I need time, Yuvraj. Time away from all of this. Away from you."
My heart sank. "You're... divorcing me?" The words tasted bitter in my mouth.
"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I'm not divorcing you. But I need space. I need to figure out who I am without all of this-without the lies, the manipulation, the pain. I can't stay here and pretend like everything's fine when it's not."
I felt like the ground was slipping out from under me. "But we can work through this, Aisha. We've been through so much already-don't leave. I need you."
"I know you do," she said, her voice softening just slightly. "But I need to do this for myself. I've spent so long living under other people's control-under Chacha Ji's manipulation, under the weight of our marriage. I need to breathe again. To find myself."
I shook my head, refusing to accept what she was saying. "Aisha, we can get through this. I know I've made mistakes-horrible mistakes-but I'm trying. I'm trying to be better for you."
"I know you are," she said, her eyes filled with a sorrow that cut through me. "But this isn't just about you anymore. It's about me. I can't heal while I'm here, surrounded by everything that reminds me of the pain. I need a fresh start, somewhere far away from this."
The room felt suffocating, the weight of her words crushing me. I wanted to argue, to fight for her to stay, but deep down, I knew I couldn't force her to stay. Not after everything I had done.
"How long?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "How long will you be gone?"
"I don't know," she said, her eyes downcast. "A few months, maybe more. I need time to figure things out. I'm going to live in a different city, start over. It doesn't mean I'm ending things with you, Yuvraj. But I need space to understand what I really want."
My chest tightened, the fear of losing her settling like a stone in my stomach. "And what if... what if you decide you don't want to come back?"
She looked at me, her expression softening with a sadness that mirrored my own. "I don't know. But I can't make that decision while I'm here. I need time to find my own path, Yuvraj. You need to give me that."
I felt the tears welling up in my eyes, but I fought them back. "I don't want to lose you, Aisha," I whispered, my voice breaking.
"You're not losing me," she said, stepping closer and placing a hand on my cheek. "But I need to do this. For both of us."
I closed my eyes, leaning into her touch, trying to hold onto the moment before it slipped away. But I knew it wasn't enough. I had pushed her too far, and now, all I could do was watch her walk away.
"When are you leaving?" I asked, my voice thick with emotion.
"Tomorrow," she said quietly.
The finality of her words hit me like a knife to the heart. Tomorrow. She was leaving tomorrow. I wanted to beg her to stay, to promise that I would change, that I would do whatever it took to make things right. But I knew that wasn't what she needed.
"I'll wait for you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
She gave me a sad smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know."
And with that, she turned and walked upstairs, leaving me standing alone in the empty living room, the silence swallowing me whole.
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Author's Note
Aisha's decision to leave Yuvraj is a monumental step for her, and I am fully supportive of her choice. 💔 It's a bittersweet moment, and while it's sad to see their journey take this turn, it's a necessary step for her growth and healing. Thank you for being on this journey with me! The next chapter will be out on October 12th, so stay tuned! 🌟
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so don't hesitate to leave a comment! Your support means the world to me. 💖
