THE PRINCE WHO LOVED ME

31

Yamini stood there, her mind is swirling with emotions, as Rudransh's confession hung heavy in the air. She could feel his gaze piercing through her, waiting for her response. His eyes, those deep, earnest eyes were filled with hope, and it made her heart ache in a way she hadn't anticipated. She had known him for several months , worked with him, fought with him, and even shared moments of vulnerability with him. But 'love ?' That was something entirely different.

Rudransh's words echoed in her mind. "I love you."

It wasn't something she had expected, not from him, not like this. And yet, now that it had been said, she felt an overwhelming weight settle on her chest. She'd spent so long building walls around her heart, protecting herself from getting hurt again, and now it felt like everything she'd worked so hard to avoid was crashing down in front of her.

She took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. She had to be honest. She owed him that much.

Yamini : Rudransh !

She began, her voice is softer than she intended,

Yamini : I....

She stopped, swallowing hard, as the words caught in her throat. How could she say this ? How could she explain something so complex without breaking his heart ?

Finally, she managed to steady herself.

Yamini : I hold a special place for you in my heart, I do. And I care about you, more than I can say. But the truth is... I love you, but I'm not in love with you yet !

The words hung in the air like a heavy silence, and as soon as she said them, Yamini regretted it. She saw the way Rudransh's face shifted , his jaw tightening, his eyes widening in disbelief. It was as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt, his entire world suddenly shifted on its axis.

Rudransh opened his mouth, but no words came out at first. He blinked several times, processing what she had just said.

Rudransh : You... you love me.

He whispered and his voice is hoarse.

Rudransh : But you're not in love with me ?

Yamini nodded slowly, her heart breaking at the confusion in his eyes. 'He must have thought... he must have hoped that she felt the same way.'

But how could she ? She'd been burned before. By Raghav. By her own choices. And now, standing before her, was Rudransh, someone who had been by her side for so long, someone who had seen all emotions of hers she tried to hide, and yet, she couldn't ignore the lingering doubts that kept her from fully opening her heart to him.

She took a step forward, placing a hand gently on his arm.

Yamini : Rudransh, I don't want to hurt you. You mean a lot to me. You really do.

Her voice faltered, but she steadied it, hoping her sincerity would reach him.

Yamini : But love... love is a complicated thing for me. I can't just fall for someone so easily, not anymore. Not after everything. I feel like being around you, but i can't imagine a commitment with you now.

Rudransh stared at her, his expression is a mix of shock, confusion, and hurt. He stepped back, pulling his hand from hers slowly, almost mechanically. The warmth in his eyes seemed to fade, replaced by something distant, something Yamini could hardly bear to see. 'Had she hurt him ? Was that why he was pulling away ?'

Rudransh : You... you can't be in love with me ?

He murmured by shaking his head as if trying to convince himself.

Rudransh : I thought... I thought we had something. I thought... maybe I was the one who could get through to you. To 'us.'

His voice trailed off, a faint ache underlining his words.

Yamini felt her chest tighten. She hadn't meant to hurt him, but the distance between them now felt palpable, like a cold wind blowing between two people who had once been close, too close, maybe. She had known he might be hurt by her confession, but hearing him voice his pain made her realize just how deeply she'd affected him.

Yamini : I 'do' love you, Rudransh.

She said and her voice is barely above a whisper.

Yamini : But I can't make myself feel something that's not there. I don't want to pretend that it is.

Rudransh turned away, his back to her as he stared out of the hotel room window. The silence between them was thick, suffocating, and Yamini could feel the weight of it pressing down on her chest.

Rudransh : It's just... I thought we had something more than that. I guess I was wrong. But to be honest your words are far fetched.

Yamini's heart clenched as she heard the finality in his voice. She wanted to say more, to fix this, to explain herself better, but the words wouldn't come. She knew that nothing she said could change what was already out in the open. And maybe, just maybe, she didn't know how to fix it anyway.

Rudransh turned back toward her, his expression hardening slightly.

Rudransh : I'll go downstairs and grab something for us to eat. I'm... I'm going to be fine.

He said, though the stiffness in his words betrayed him.

Yamini opened her mouth to respond, to apologize, to make him understand, but before she could, he was already heading for the door.

Yamini : Rudransh, wait !

She called out, her voice thick with emotion. But he didn't turn around. He simply gave an understanding smile and walked out, leaving Yamini standing in the centre of the room, her thoughts a swirl of confusion, guilt, and sadness.

She didn't know what had just happened, but she knew one thing for sure : She had just shattered something between them. And no matter how hard she tried to piece it back together, it wasn't going to be the same anymore.

Yamini stood there for a long moment, staring at the door he had just exited, feeling like her heart was being pulled in different directions. She loved him. She cared about him. But was it enough ? Was it ever going to be enough ?

For the first time in a long time, Yamini didn't have the answers.

.................

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