Ashes of a Broken Heart

Chapter 23: A Newfound Friendship and Lingering Jealousy

The fashion show was just days away, and Tejasswi felt more focused than she had in months. Pain had hardened her, shaped her, and given her a fierce drive to prove herself. Each day, she threw herself into her designs, her ambition filling the hollow spaces left by heartbreak. The only thing she allowed herself to think about now was her work—every stroke of a pen, every stitch of fabric was a testament to her resolve. Love, she decided, had no place in her life anymore.

It was during one of these intense work sessions that she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Tejasswi?"

Startled, she turned to find herself face-to-face with Arjun, her close friend from college, who had once been her partner in many sleepless, creative nights. Her eyes lit up with genuine warmth. "Arjun! I can't believe it's really you!"

In a rush of excitement, she hugged him, momentarily forgetting the heavy walls she'd built around herself. Arjun had always been like a safe haven—steady, sincere, and unfailingly supportive. As they pulled back, they quickly fell into an easy rhythm, laughter spilling out as they caught up on old times.

From that day on, Arjun began visiting her regularly at the studio. He was the kind of friend she'd been missing—the one who knew her dreams, who pushed her forward, and who didn't ask about the pain she was so intent on hiding. For Tejasswi, this friendship became a sanctuary. The world around her felt chaotic, but Arjun's presence grounded her.

One afternoon, they were going over the final designs for the show. Arjun, sensing her silent intensity, paused and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Tejasswi, I don't know what's been going on in your life, but...if you need to talk about anything, I'm here," he said, his voice gentle yet persistent.

Tejasswi managed a faint smile, a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes. "Thanks, Arjun. But right now, I think I just need to focus on this. On my career. I want this show to be flawless—I need it to be."

He nodded, respecting her boundaries, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. To anyone watching, it might have seemed like a deeper moment between two people with a connection beyond friendship. But for Tejasswi, this was the kind of bond she felt safe in—solid, trustworthy, and uncomplicated by the risks of love.

Across town, Karan's life was anything but calm. In moments of solitude, he couldn't stop thinking about Tejasswi—the look of hurt in her eyes, the steady confidence she seemed to have now, and how she no longer needed him. He had lost her, but he found himself unable to let her go.

One afternoon, he drove past her studio, hoping for a glimpse of her. Instead, he saw her through the glass doors, smiling, talking animatedly with someone. As his gaze sharpened, he recognized Arjun. An unexpected pang of jealousy surged through him, cutting deeper than he'd anticipated. Seeing her laugh with someone else, someone who hadn't shattered her heart, brought him face-to-face with a truth he could barely stomach: she was moving on, and he had no place in her life anymore.

The jealousy weighed heavily on him, but so did the guilt. After all, he knew she deserved happiness, someone who could be there for her without shadows of betrayal. And yet...he couldn't let go. Part of him burned with regret, wondering if he'd ever get the chance to make things right. But he also knew he had no right to disrupt the peace she was finally finding.

Later that evening, Karan met with Rohan. He could see the heaviness in Rohan's gaze too—the hurt lingering from his own fractured relationship with Meera. Both men, despite their pride, were burdened by the weight of their mistakes.

Karan clenched his fists, his face shadowed with regret. "I destroyed the one good thing in my life because of my own bitterness. And now...now she doesn't need me. She's happy without me." His voice cracked slightly, the vulnerability of his admission leaving him exposed.

Rohan nodded, understanding the complex mix of guilt and jealousy. "It's not about whether she needs you, Karan. It's about what you can do for her. If we can't be in their lives, maybe we can still find a way to make up for what we did. Even if it's from a distance."

Karan's jaw tightened, a new resolve taking root. He couldn't ask for Tejasswi's forgiveness, nor did he think he deserved it. But he could still make sure that she succeeded, that she found happiness—even if it wasn't with him.

From that night onward, Karan silently committed himself to Tejasswi's success, watching her progress in the industry and using his connections to ease her path whenever he could. He made sure her designs were noticed by influential critics, arranged for the best materials for her collection, and quietly encouraged potential clients to keep an eye on her work. Every time he received news of her success, he felt a bittersweet pride mingling with the pain of knowing she would never look at him with love again.

The days passed with Tejasswi and Arjun becoming closer as friends, their shared laughter and inside jokes bringing her moments of peace. And every time Karan saw them together, his heart twisted painfully, a reminder of the life he'd lost due to his own choices.

But he knew that he couldn't disrupt her life now. He would continue to watch from afar, his silent gestures of support a reflection of the love he still held for her—a love that, this time, he knew could only be expressed through sacrifice.