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...
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The days after Samaira’s visit passed in a blur of quiet contemplation. Ruhanika had been given something she hadn’t expected: clarity. Not in the sense that all her doubts had vanished, but in a way that made her feel as though she had regained control over her emotions, over her choices. Samaira’s admission had shaken something loose inside her, a block she hadn’t realized was there. It wasn’t just Adhiraj who needed to prove himself—it was her too. She needed to decide, for herself, whether she was willing to move forward.
Ruhanika spent the next few days walking through her life like someone who had been in a fog, only now starting to see the edges of the world more clearly. Her interactions with friends, her work, and even her solitary moments seemed to take on new meaning. For the first time in a while, she was no longer waiting for something—waiting for a text from Adhiraj, waiting for the next sign from the universe. She was simply living.
But that didn’t mean she wasn’t thinking about him. She would be lying if she said he didn’t cross her mind, often. The necklace around her neck, the one he had left at her door, remained a constant reminder of the love they had shared, and the fragility of it. She knew he was trying. She could feel it in the quiet texts, the unspoken gestures. But what if trying wasn’t enough? What if the hurt they’d both endured had created a rift too wide to heal?
One evening, as she returned home from a long day of work, Ruhanika found herself standing in front of the mirror again, holding the silver necklace between her fingers. Her reflection stared back at her, a woman caught between love and doubt, between hope and fear.
“Am I enough?” she whispered to herself. “Am I enough to believe in this again?”
The thought lingered in her mind as she walked into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. But just as she reached for the kettle, her phone buzzed on the counter. She hesitated, then picked it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Adhiraj’s name on the screen.
"Rooh, can we talk? Please. I need to see you."
She stared at the message for a moment, unsure. She had been holding onto the idea of distance, of time to think, but something about his message made her pause. His words weren’t demanding or pleading—they were simply a request. A desire to be in the same space as her, to bridge the gap that had grown between them.
Before she could second-guess herself, she typed out a reply.
"Okay. When?"
The response came quickly.
"Now, if you’re ready."
Her stomach fluttered at the simplicity of it. She wasn’t ready, not entirely. But what was the alternative? To keep running in circles, stuck in her own doubt? She put her phone down, took a deep breath, and set the kettle aside. She wasn’t sure what this conversation would bring, but she knew one thing: she couldn’t keep waiting for all the answers. Not anymore.
A short while later, there was a knock on her door. Her heart raced, and she opened it to find Adhiraj standing there, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his eyes searching hers for any sign of what she was thinking.
“Hi,” he said quietly, his voice uncertain.
“Hi,” she replied, stepping aside to let him in. “Come in.”
They didn’t speak as he walked in, and the silence between them felt less tense than before—more like a space they were both afraid to step into but knew they needed to. They sat down on the couch, the same spot where they had talked a week ago, where their last conversation had been laced with emotions they still hadn’t resolved.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Adhiraj fidgeted with his sleeve, and Ruhanika stared at her hands, unsure of where to begin.
Finally, Adhiraj spoke. “Rooh, I’ve been thinking a lot. About everything. About us.” His voice was low but steady, like he was bracing himself for her reaction. “I know that things haven’t been easy. That I’ve made mistakes, and I don’t expect you to forget them. But I’m here now, and I just need you to know that I’m not going anywhere. I’m not giving up on us.”
Ruhanika felt her heart tighten in her chest. She wanted to believe him, to trust the sincerity in his words, but the shadows of the past still loomed large. Samaira’s presence, though she had stepped back, was a ghost that refused to fade completely. How could she let go of all the doubts, all the insecurities that had been festering for so long?
“You’ve been saying that a lot,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with sadness. “You’ve been saying that you’re not running, that you’re here, but I don’t know if I can keep holding on to that, Adhiraj. What if I’m just waiting for something that isn’t real?”
“I know,” he said, his eyes meeting hers. “I know it’s hard. And I don’t expect you to just forgive me and move on. But I need you to know that I am trying. I’m not asking you to trust me right now. I’m asking you to give me the chance to earn it back. Slowly, if that’s what it takes.”
Her breath hitched, and she stood up, pacing the room as she tried to process his words. “I don’t know if I can do that,” she admitted, her voice cracking. “I don’t know if I can keep waiting for you to choose me, for you to prove yourself again and again. I’ve been hurt, Adhiraj. And I don’t know if I can go through that again.”
He stood up too, taking a step toward her, but stopping when he saw her step back. “I’m not asking you to go through that again. I’m asking you to let me show you that I can be different. That I’m willing to fight for us. But I can’t do it without you. And I can’t make you trust me if you’re not ready. All I can do is be here, be honest, and hope that you’ll see how much I care.”
For a moment, Ruhanika stood still, her back pressed against the wall, her heart racing. She had heard all this before—the promises, the words meant to heal. But something was different now. He wasn’t begging her to forgive him. He wasn’t trying to fix everything in one go. He was simply… there. Willing to give her space, willing to wait, and above all, willing to show her through his actions that he was serious about making it right.
Ruhanika closed her eyes, her mind still a whirlwind of emotions, but for the first time, there was a stillness inside her. A quiet understanding that things weren’t going to be perfect. Healing wasn’t going to be easy, and trust wasn’t something that could be rebuilt overnight. But maybe—just maybe—it was worth the effort.
When she opened her eyes again, Adhiraj was still standing there, watching her with a mixture of hope and fear.
“I’m not saying yes,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I’m willing to try. I’m willing to see if we can rebuild this. Together.”
The relief that washed over his face was unmistakable, but he didn’t rush toward her. Instead, he nodded, as though understanding the weight of what she was offering.
“I’ll do whatever it takes,” he said, his voice soft but resolute.
For the first time in a long time, Ruhanika allowed herself to believe in the possibility of a future with him—not without pain, but with hope. And with that, she took the first step toward the journey ahead—toward rebuilding what had once seemed lost, but now felt like it might just be worth saving.
꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡♡˖꒰ᵕ༚ᵕ⑅꒱ Okieee I love you always Byieeee 🩷🦢
