Three coins in the fountain

Ending 2: Dancing on the broken glass

This is the last chapter, ending this short story. Thank you all for your support, love, and comments. I've read each one of them, even if I haven't replied. I'm really grateful for the engagement—it's been the biggest motivation for me to finish this.

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Anu stood by the riverfront, her eyes tracing the gentle flow of the Sabarmati's waters. Five long, painful years had passed, and yet the memories felt as fresh as if they had just happened. Five years of heartache, longing, and an unshakable love for a man she could never fully let go of. She had spent countless nights trying to convince herself she had moved on, only to be pulled back into the past, over and over again.

Behind her, she heard footsteps approaching. Slow, hesitant. Anuj.

He wasn't sure what this meeting was about. Was she here to reconcile? Or was she finally going to say goodbye for good? His heart hammered in his chest as he approached her, unsure if this moment would be the end of everything or the start of something new. His mind had been consumed with her since the day they parted, and the uncertainty gnawed at him as he struggled to find the right words.

"Anu," he called softly, almost unsure if he should speak her name at all.

She turned to face him, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that made his breath catch. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of everything that had been unsaid over the last five years settling between them. His heart ached as he took in the sight of her—the woman he had loved for so long, the woman he had hurt so deeply.

Anuj swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he broke the silence. "I... I don't know why you called me here. If it's to say goodbye for good, I'll understand. If it's to give us one more chance, I'll—" His voice cracked. "I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, Anu. But I won't pressure you. Not this time."

Anu remained silent, listening as he poured out his heart. She could see the torment in his eyes, the guilt that had worn him down over the years. The man standing before her wasn't the same one who had walked away from their marriage five years ago. He was different now—broken, remorseful, and, above all, desperate for redemption.

Anuj's voice grew shaky, the weight of his emotions almost too much to bear. "I've spent every single day of these five years regretting what I did to you. I blamed you for things that were never your fault. I was a coward, Anu. I ran from our life, from our love, because I couldn't handle my own failures. And I left you to carry all the burdens."

He took a shaky breath, his eyes never leaving hers. "You always gave up everything for everyone else. For your children, for your family, for me... And what did I do? I left you. When you needed me the most, I wasn't there. I let my own pain, my own inability, cloud everything, and I made you pay for it."

Anu felt tears sting her eyes as she listened to his words. She had carried that pain for so long—questioning herself, wondering if she had been enough, if she had somehow failed him. But now, hearing him say it, acknowledging the sacrifices she had made, the ways she had been hurt, it was like a balm to the wounds that had never fully healed.

Anuj's voice broke as he continued, "I put you on a pedestal, Anu. I expected you to fix everything when I wasn't even willing to hold your hand and fight. When things fell apart, I blamed you, as if it was ever your fault. I see now how wrong I was. You did everything—more than could ever do And I was too blind, too lost in my own guilt to see it."

He stepped closer, his eyes pleading. "I don't deserve your forgiveness. But if you'll give me one more chance... I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you never have to carry that weight alone again. I won't let you down this time. I swear it."

Anu felt her chest tighten with emotion. She had spent five years trying to move on, trying to convince herself that the love she had for him could be buried under the pain and betrayal. But standing here, listening to him, she knew it hadn't even reduced a bit.

For a moment, they stood in silence, the river flowing softly beside them, as Anuj waited for her response. His heart pounded in his chest, terrified of what she might say next.

Finally, Anu spoke, her voice soft but steady. "You hurt me, Anuj. More than I ever thought possible. You left me when even I was at my weakest, and I had to pick up the pieces of a life I thought we were building together. I was shattered.

Anuj's eyes filled with tears, his voice barely a whisper. "Anu... I swear, I'll spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you. You'll never have to question my love again. I'm not asking for a second chance because I deserve it—I know I don't. I'm asking because I can't live without you, and I'll never stop fighting for us."

Anu had spent five years in her own kind of pain—hurt, confused, lost in the betrayal. She had leaned on Aarav, even found moments of comfort with him, but her heart had never fully moved on. She had been waiting, in some ways, for this moment.

Still, she wasn't ready to jump back in. Not yet.

"I hear you, Anuj," she finally said, her voice calm but filled with emotion. "And I believe you've changed. I can see how much you've grown, how much you've repented. But..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "We've both been through so much. Five years of pain. And I can't just erase that overnight."

Anuj nodded, the tension in his shoulders loosening slightly, as if he had expected this response. "I understand, Anu. I do. I'm not asking you to forgive me and act like everything's fine. I just... I just want a chance to prove that I can be the man you deserve. That I won't hurt you again."

Anu gave him a small, sad smile. "I'm choosing you, Anuj. I know that much. But I need time. We both do. We need to rebuild this slowly, piece by piece. I don't want to rush back into something only to have it fall apart again. I want us to be strong. To last."

Anuj's eyes glistened with emotion, but he nodded, understanding the weight of her words. "I'll wait," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I'll wait as long as it takes. I just want to be by your side again, even if it takes time."

Anu took a deep breath, feeling the heaviness in her chest begin to ease, just a little. "We'll get there," she said softly. "But we'll take it slow. We need to heal. Both of us."

She stepped closer, placing her hand gently on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm. "I'm not saying goodbye. I'm saying we need space to rebuild what we lost. And when we're ready... we'll come back together. But this time, on our terms."

She nodded, her own heart lighter now. "I'll talk to Aarav. End things properly. And then... we'll start again. Slowly."

Anuj smiled through the tears in his eyes, his heart swelling with hope. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be here."

And as they stood together by the riverfront, the pain of the past five years didn't disappear, but it softened. They were two people who had made mistakes, who had hurt each other, but who still loved deeply. And now, they had a chance to heal, together