Rishtey

Chapter - 9

Anamika ran back to her room, barely managing to close the door before the tears began to fall. The weight of her own words—the ones she had spoken so resolutely to him—now felt like a knife twisting inside her, each one tearing open an old wound she had tried so hard to heal. Seeing him, feeling his presence again, had unearthed memories she thought she’d buried, and the pain flooded back, raw and relentless.

His words, too, echoed through her mind, a harsh reminder of everything she had tried to ignore: accusations that had scarred her, judgments that had left her feeling shattered. Alone now, with the silence filling the room, she sank to the floor, letting the ache of those memories wash over her. It was as if she had been broken all over again, realizing that no matter how strong she had tried to be, some hurts simply didn’t fade.

Anamika clutched her knees to her chest, allowing herself to crumble in the privacy of her room. She felt each moment from the past come rushing back, memories she had hidden away in the hopes that time would numb the pain. But now, seeing him again, the weight of everything they’d shared and lost was almost unbearable. She remembered their laughter, their shared dreams, and the silent moments when they had simply existed together. The person she had been with him was someone she couldn’t easily find again, no matter how hard she tried to move forward.

The words he had spoken today played over in her mind, leaving her feeling hollow. How easily he had blamed her, as if the years they had spent together meant nothing in the face of one difficult decision. She could still see the look in his eyes, that mixture of guilt and resentment, and it cut deeper than she had expected. But even through her pain, she knew that her decision was the right one. She had to let go of him, no matter how much it hurt, to finally find peace.

After a while, as the night grew deeper, Anamika slowly picked herself up, wiped her tears, and looked at herself in the mirror. There was a quiet determination in her eyes—a strength she didn’t fully recognize but knew she would need to hold on to. She took a deep breath, letting the ache settle somewhere she could carry it without letting it consume her.

Anamika placed a trembling hand on her belly, feeling the faint connection with her unborn child. Tears welled up again as she whispered, "I'm sorry... I can't give you the love of a father. But I promise, I will give you everything else you deserve." Her voice broke, yet her resolve strengthened, knowing that her child was her new purpose, a reason to move forward despite the heartbreak.

In the quiet solitude of her room, Anamika found herself torn between the ache in her heart and the steady rhythm of life growing inside her. She held her belly protectively, a glimmer of strength returning as she whispered to her unborn child, "We’ll make it through, you and I."

The hotel room felt stifling, yet filled with an odd peace as Anamika’s tears finally slowed. Her mind began to map out a future—one free of Vineet's shadow, a life where her child would feel loved, cherished, and never abandoned. She couldn’t control the past or erase the pain Vineet had caused, but she could forge a new path.

......

Lying in his dimly lit room, Vineet’s mind replayed every moment of his meeting with Anamika. Seeing her frail and saddened struck a nerve, stirring a sense of guilt he hadn't expected. But just as quickly as those emotions surfaced, they were overtaken by the frustration he'd carried since their separation. Her refusal to merge their businesses when he was in desperate need still echoed in his mind, rekindling the anger he thought he’d moved past.

Why couldn't she see that her decision back then had left him no choice? To him, her refusal was a lack of trust, a symbol of distance she'd put between them when he needed her support most. The resentment festered, overshadowing any remorse he felt for the pain he’d caused her.