The Second Bloom • 18+ [Completed ✓]

31. Varun Cheated On Her? (Malini's POV)

I sat on Varun's lap, my arms wrapped around his neck, my head resting against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat usually calmed me, made me feel safe.

But today, something felt different. I could sense the tension in his body, the way his fingers lightly grazed my back, not with their usual tenderness, but with hesitation. It was like he was holding something back. His face was pale, his eyes filled with an emotion I had never seen before. It wasn’t just sadness—it was something deeper, darker. Regret, guilt, and something that terrified me, fear.

He was afraid. Afraid of what? Of me?

I shifted slightly, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes.

"Varun, bataiye na, kya hua?" I asked softly.

His gaze flickered away for a moment before meeting mine again. There was something unsettling in his expression— Fear?

He took a deep breath, his hand finding mine and squeezing it.

"Malini... Hume aapko...aapko kuch bohot... zaroori baat batani hain.... Kuch bohot zaruri... Woh h-hum hum—" He stopped, his voice breaking, and my heart clenched at the sound.

I lifted my hand to his cheek, trying to soothe him.

"Koi baat nahin, jaan. Jo bhi hain, aap hume bata sakte hain."

He closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in pain as if the words were physically difficult to say.

Then he took a deep breathe in.

"Jab hum Holi khel rahe the?"

I nodded for him to continue.

"Aapko...aapko Didi ne bulaya.. fir hum..fir hum.”

I clicked my tongue, caressing his cheek gently,

“Jo kuch bhi hain Varun, aap itna ghabra kyun rahein hain, hum hai na aapke saath. Hum hamesha rahenge, koi rahein na rahein. Chaliye, bataiye.”

He gulped hard.

“Baat yeh hai ki hume kuch yaad nahin, Malini.”

I frowned.

He squeezed my hand,

“Humne ....humne bhaang Piya tha, Malini. Usme...usme shayad kuch tha, Malini, warna hume kabhi bhi.. kabhi bhi bhaang se Nasha nahin hota....”

I shook my head, cupping his cheeks, slightly nervous,

“Kya hua jaan? Nashe mein.. kuch....koi galti ho gayi kya aapse?”

He cupped my cheeks too, his eyes wet,

“Hume yaad nahin hai, jaan... Hume chakkar ... Aagya tha shayad...sab kuch dhundhla dikh raha tha hume. Magar... Magar ...”

I gazed into his eyes, wiping his tears off,

“Koi baat nahin. Jo kuch bhi hua hume bataiye. Jitna bhi yaad hain. Baaki hum hai na aapke paas, hum sambhal lenge.”

He bit his lower lip. Then asked very seriously,

“Malini.. Aap hum par bharosa karti hain na, jaan? Sach kahiyega.”

I smiled, then leaned forward and kissed his forehead,

“Khud se jyada. Sabse jyada.”

He leaned forward and kissed on my temple too. I nodded for him to continue.

He stuttered, “Kuch der pehle... hume nahin pata ... Hum kaise ... Wahan... kaise so gaye. Par...” he looked into my eyes — fearfully — “par...jab hum...uthe... toh... Wahan ...Nandani thi.” His voice dropped, and I could feel his body tense beneath me.