The Second Bloom • 18+ [Completed ✓]

32. Confronting Nandani (Malini's POV)

I was devastated. I didn't knew what to say. What to convey. How to react.

When he finished, he looked at me with such sorrow, as if waiting for me to pull back, to walk away.

But how could I?

This wasn’t his fault. I could see it in his eyes, the desperation to make me understand, the fear that I might never forgive him.

And yet, I wasn’t angry at him. I was angry at her.

At Nandani.

How could she do this to him? To us? How could she betray his trust, his friendship, and take advantage of him like this? It wasn't clear exactly that she took the advantage, or what the truth was, but my gut feeling — it never lies.

She wasn’t just hurting me—she was destroying him from the inside.

It wasn’t easy, though, reacting like it didn't hurt me.

In the back of my mind, there was a gnawing doubt, a whisper of fear that wouldn’t quite disappear.

The image of Nandani in his arms… it was haunting me.

But I pushed it down.

I couldn’t let it consume me, not when I knew that my husband was just as much a victim in this.

And I believed him.

Even through the pain, even through the confusion, I believed him.

Because the love we had was stronger than this—stronger than Nandani’s probable schemes, stronger than the doubts that tried to creep in.

I held him for what seemed like hours.

Because he needed it. Absolutely.

I held him until he felt asleep in my arms, patches of tears still evident on his face.

Then I slowly laid down his head on the pillow gently. Caressing his cheek with my fingers lightly, I leaned down and placed a kiss on his temple.

My love.

I cannot even imagine what he must have gone through. It's hard. When someone tries to put a black patch on your self-respect and esteem. And for him... I cannot even imagine.

What if I wouldn't have been there and someone else was in my place? Would she understand him like I did? What if she believed that he actually slept with some other woman?

No.

It's not over yet.

Nandani. My senses were absolutely right when I saw her the first day. I need to see her. She is a bitch, I know that. If she opens out about this fake thing infront of any fucking one, it's over.

No one would believe Varun.

Everyone would support the ‘bechari’ Nandani, whose parents are not in the village and was molested by his childhood friend.

Oh, God. I cannot let this happen. I know the mentality of people in the society. I just cannot let this happen.

I walked out of the room, and hurried towards the place that Varun had told me about. The home of one of our neighbours that's empty now.

They're staying there. I know.

Within a few minutes, I stood in front of the small house where she had been staying, my heart pounding in my chest.

This was something I knew I had to do alone.

Varun didn’t know I was here, and I wasn’t sure how he’d react if he found out that I came here alone.