Ruhanika Arora (Ruhi)
A broken soul who was raped by her own uncle at the age of 16.
She is arranged with someone who seems to love her existence in front of him.
But she is too shy and scared to face him coz of his history.
Abhiraj Rathore (abhi...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The days that followed the conversation with Adhiraj were both clearer and cloudier for Ruhanika. Clarity, because she knew she needed to take a step back and let her heart breathe before making any decisions. Cloudier, because the fear that had settled in her chest—fear of repeating the same patterns, fear of being hurt again—had only grown with each passing day.
Her mind wandered often to the moments when Adhiraj had looked at her, his eyes full of apology and promise. He had offered her patience, and though it was a gesture that stirred something in her, it was also a double-edged sword. How long could she keep waiting for him to prove himself? Was she ready to let herself be vulnerable again, to trust in someone who had already let her down?
The silver necklace, once a symbol of hope and connection, now felt like an anchor, heavy against her skin. Every time she touched it, she could almost hear Adhiraj’s voice, his declaration of devotion, the weight of his words pressing into her. But those words—like his promises—still felt fragile, uncertain, despite his best intentions.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, Ruhanika stood at her apartment window again, this time with a glass of wine in her hand. The street below was busy with the usual evening rush: people hurrying home, couples laughing as they walked side by side, strangers brushing past one another. It all seemed so ordinary, so far removed from the chaos swirling inside her.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed on the coffee table. It was a message from Adhiraj.
"Rooh, I’ve been thinking a lot today. I understand you need time, and I respect that. I just need you to know that I’m here. Not for anything, just for you. No pressure."
She stared at the screen for a long time. Her thumb hovered over the keyboard, but no words came to mind. What was there to say? How did she express the mess inside her without sounding like she was giving up, or worse—leading him on?
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She froze for a moment, wondering if it was him, if he had come to check on her. But no, she knew better. Adhiraj was giving her space, as promised. This wasn’t him.
With a sigh, she walked to the door, her heart unexpectedly heavy. When she opened it, she was met with the last person she expected: Samaira.
"Hi," Samaira said, her voice cool but not unfriendly. She stood in the doorway, holding a small package wrapped in brown paper. "I know this isn’t exactly a social call, but I thought you might want to hear this from me."
Ruhanika blinked, confused. Samaira rarely sought her out, let alone showed up at her door. But curiosity, always a trait of hers, made her step aside to let Samaira in.
"You’re… here," Ruhanika said, still unsure of what this encounter meant.
Samaira walked in, her gaze flickering to the empty wine glass in Ruhanika’s hand. "I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to say this without causing more drama than there already is. But you deserve the truth, whether or not you want to hear it."
The room seemed to shrink in that moment, the air between them thick with tension. Ruhanika crossed her arms, bracing herself for what was to come.
"What’s going on, Samaira?" she asked, her voice firm but unsure. "Why are you here?"
Samaira exhaled, sitting down on the couch and placing the package on the table between them. "I’ve been talking to Adhiraj a lot lately. And the thing is… I think he’s serious about you."
Ruhanika raised an eyebrow. "You think?"
"I know," Samaira said, her tone softening. "I’ve seen him struggle with this. With you. I can see how much he cares. But I also know that I’m a part of this, whether I like it or not. And so are you." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "But the truth is, Rooh, Adhiraj isn’t the one holding on to the past—I am."
Ruhanika felt a pang of disbelief. "What do you mean?"
Samaira glanced at the floor, her fingers nervously tapping on the package. "I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m not asking you to take me back into his life. But I’ve realized something that I didn’t before. I’ve been holding on to a version of him that doesn’t exist anymore. And in doing so, I’ve been standing in the way of something that could be real."
The weight of Samaira’s words hit Ruhanika like a wave. She had spent so much time resenting Samaira, feeling like she was the barrier between her and Adhiraj. But now, hearing her speak with such honesty, she wasn’t sure how to react. Could Samaira really be letting go? Could she actually step aside and allow Ruhanika the space to build something with him?
The silence that followed was suffocating. Ruhanika’s mind was spinning, but Samaira’s words kept echoing in her head.
"I don’t know what this means for you and Adhiraj," Samaira continued. "But I want you to know that I’m not going to stand in your way. I want him to be happy, even if it’s not with me. And if that’s with you, then maybe it’s time I finally step back."
Ruhanika was speechless. She didn’t know what to say, how to process this shift in the narrative. Samaira wasn’t the enemy she had made her out to be in her mind. She was just a woman, caught in her own tangled emotions, trying to navigate a complicated situation.
After a long pause, Ruhanika finally spoke, her voice low but steady. "Thank you for telling me this. I… I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I appreciate you being honest."
Samaira nodded, standing up to leave. "Take care of yourself, Rooh. You deserve that."
As Samaira walked out, Ruhanika felt an odd sense of clarity settle over her. The storm inside her hadn’t disappeared, but it was quieter, less overwhelming. The weight she had been carrying for so long was starting to lift. She wasn’t sure what the future with Adhiraj held, but at least now, there were no more shadows lurking in the corners.
When the door closed behind Samaira, Ruhanika walked back to the couch, her hands shaking as she reached for her phone. She didn’t need to reply to Adhiraj just yet, but she knew one thing: the choice was hers now. To trust again, to believe in the possibility of something real.
And maybe, just maybe, the first step toward healing was letting go of the past—both her own and everyone else’s.
꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡♡˖꒰ᵕ༚ᵕ⑅꒱ Okie I love you always Byieeee 🩷🦢
