Kumkum: Ties of Love and Lies (COMPLETED)

Chapter 15

Everything between her and Pugazh had reached an emotional peak.

Across from her, Yamuna was happily munching on her breakfast, her cheerful chatter filling the room. "Anni, you seem a bit lost this morning," she teased, leaning forward. "Could it be because of someone?"

Sandhya's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing." Yamuna smirked mischievously, then pointed at Sandhya's neck. "Except for that little mark. Looks like anna got carried away last night!"

Sandhya flushed crimson and instinctively covered her neck with her hand. "Yamuna!" she hissed, her eyes darting toward the entrance.

Too late. Pugazh had just walked in, his sharp suit and confident stride intact. He greeted his sister with a nod and moved toward the table.

"Good morning," Yamuna chirped, clearly delighted by the tension she was stirring.

Pugazh, halfway through taking a bite of his dosa, froze when he noticed Yamuna's teasing glance toward Sandhya. His eyes shifted to Sandhya's neck, and then it hit him.

He coughed violently, his hand fumbling for his glass of water. Sandhya looked away, her cheeks burning as Yamuna giggled.

"Careful, anna," Yamuna teased, patting his back. "Wouldn't want you choking before you clear things up with anni."

Pugazh shot his sister a warning look but said nothing. His mind was racing, flashes of the previous night flooding back—the kiss, her touch, the raw emotion they had shared. He had dismissed it as a drunken dream, too surreal to be real. But now, the evidence was staring him in the face, and he didn't know how to feel.

He quickly finished his meal, his silence heavy with unspoken thoughts. As he stood, he glanced at Sandhya. "Ready?" he asked gruffly.

Sandhya nodded, setting her coffee down. She followed him out to the car, feeling the weight of everything unsaid between them.

The drive to the hospital was tense, the air between them thick with emotions neither of them knew how to express. Pugazh gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched as he struggled to find the right words.

Finally, he spoke. "Sandhya... about last night."

She turned to him, her gaze steady. "What about it?"

He hesitated before continuing. "I... I lost control. I shouldn't have kissed you like that. I'm sorry."

Her heart softened at the genuine remorse in his voice. "Pugazh," she said gently, "I needed to know how much love you had for me. And I felt it in that kiss."

His hands tightened on the wheel. "It wasn't fair to you. I didn't want to cross a line, especially when things are already so... complicated."

Sandhya looked down at her hands, gathering her courage. "Pugazh, I need to tell you something."

He glanced at her briefly, his brow furrowing. "What is it?"

"I came here to figure out who killed Shravani," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Everything pointed to your family, and for a while... it pointed to you."

Pugazh's grip on the wheel tightened further, but he said nothing, letting her continue.

"I was wrong," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It wasn't you. I know that now. But the situations made it so easy to believe otherwise."

Pugazh let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "It wasn't me," he said firmly. "I would never harm anyone, especially not someone you loved. All I've ever wanted was for you to trust me."

Sandhya turned to him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, Pugazh. I've hurt you so much because I let my suspicions get in the way of seeing the truth. I don't expect you to forgive me easily, but I want you to know... I trust you now. Completely."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Pugazh smiled. It wasn't the confident, charming smile he often wore in public, but a softer, more genuine one. "You're right," he said after a moment. "We've come too far not to trust each other."

Sandhya let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her. "I'm so sorry, Pugazh. For everything. Can you forgive me?"

Pugazh glanced at her, his eyes soft. "I forgive you, Sandhya. But this doesn't mean everything's back to normal. It's going to take time for us to rebuild what we've lost."

She nodded, her heart aching but hopeful. "I understand. Thank you."

As they pulled into the hospital parking lot, the tension between them felt lighter. Things weren't perfect, but for the first time in weeks, they were on the path to healing.

That day, though Pugazh kept his interactions with Sandhya professional, there was a subtle warmth in his demeanor that hadn't been there before. Sandhya found herself smiling more, feeling a flicker of hope that they could move forward together.

In her heart, she vowed to prove her love to him—not through words, but through actions that would show him he could trust her again.