Falling from Grace

Chapter 13: Confessions

Hello guyss!!!

Hope u remember the previous chap!!!

Sorry for late update!!!Had my 12th preboard exams!!!

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The rain poured steadily outside, a soft rhythm against the windowpane of the Sharmas' London apartment. Ritika sat at the dining table, her hands cradling a steaming mug of tea. Across from her, Rohit scrolled through his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration. The events of the past few months had taken their toll, but they had also drawn them closer, creating a bond forged in resilience and shared trauma.

The relative calm of their evening was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door. Ritika and Rohit exchanged a glance, both wary.

"I'll get it," Rohit said, standing cautiously.

When he opened the door, he froze. Standing there, drenched from the rain, was none other than Virat Kohli.

"Virat?" Rohit asked, his voice a mix of shock and suspicion.

"Can I come in?" Virat asked, his tone subdued.

Rohit hesitated, but Ritika appeared behind him, her expression just as startled.

"Please," Virat added, his voice cracking slightly. "I need to talk to you."

Rohit stepped aside, letting him in. Virat entered, his soaked jacket dripping onto the floor. Ritika quickly fetched a towel, her curiosity overriding her initial apprehension.

As Virat dried himself, he glanced around the modest apartment. It was a stark contrast to the grandeur he was used to, and it seemed to humble him further.

"Why are you here?" Rohit asked, his arms crossed.

Virat sighed, sinking into a chair at the dining table. "Because I owe you both an explanation. And an apology."

The room grew quiet as Virat gathered his thoughts. Ritika sat opposite him, her gaze unwavering, while Rohit leaned against the counter, his posture tense.

"I don't even know where to start," Virat admitted, running a hand through his damp hair. "But... I guess the beginning is as good a place as any."

He looked up, his eyes meeting Ritika's. "After what happened with Vamika, everything spiraled out of control. Anushka and I were terrified. Watching our daughter in that hospital bed, hooked up to machines—it was the most helpless I've ever felt. And in that fear, we made mistakes. I made mistakes."

"You mean you blamed us," Ritika said, her voice sharper than she intended.

Virat flinched but nodded. "Yes. And I can't undo that, but I want you to understand why."

He took a deep breath. "There were people around us—agents, publicists, even some family members—who kept telling us that we needed to protect our image, no matter what. They said the media would spin the story if we didn't take control of it first. And in my desperation to shield Vamika, I let them convince me that pointing fingers at someone else was the only way."

"So you made us scapegoats," Rohit said, his voice laced with bitterness.

Virat didn't deny it. "I thought it would end there. That we'd release a statement, the media would move on, and things would go back to normal. But it didn't. It snowballed into something I couldn't control, and by the time I realized how far it had gone, it was too late to stop it."

"Too late?" Ritika said, her anger simmering beneath the surface. "Do you have any idea what you put us through? We had to leave our home, our country. We've been harassed, threatened, and dragged through the mud, all because you wanted to 'control the narrative.'"

Virat looked down, his guilt palpable. "I know. And I'm sorry. I should have spoken up sooner, but I was too ashamed."

The room fell silent again, the tension thick. It was Ritika who broke it.

"What about the smear campaign?" she asked. "The fake accounts, the doctored photos—was that you too?"

Virat shook his head vehemently. "No. That wasn't us. I swear. Anushka and I had no idea it had escalated to that level until the police got involved. We would never... I would never."

"Then who?" Rohit pressed. "Who went that far?"

Virat hesitated, his face clouded with unease. "I don't know for sure. But I have my suspicions."

"Spit it out," Ritika demanded, her patience wearing thin.

Virat took a deep breath. "There's someone in our management team—someone who thrives on conflict and controversy because it keeps us in the headlines. I've started to think they went rogue, taking matters into their own hands. I don't have proof, but I'm looking into it."

The room grew quiet again, the weight of Virat's confession hanging in the air. Rohit finally spoke, his voice softer than before.

"Why now?" he asked. "Why come to us now, after everything that's happened?"

"Because I've realized what this has done to both our families," Virat replied. "This isn't just about reputations or careers anymore. It's about our kids. They didn't ask for any of this, and they shouldn't have to pay the price for our mistakes."

Ritika's expression softened, though her anger hadn't fully dissipated. "And what does Anushka think about you being here?"

Virat hesitated. "She doesn't know. Not yet. But I'm planning to tell her. She deserves to know the truth too."

The conversation stretched late into the night, shifting from confrontational to contemplative. Virat recounted the immense pressure of living under a microscope, a life where every decision was dissected and judged. Ritika and Rohit listened, their own experiences offering a painful echo of his words.

By the time Virat stood to leave, the rain had stopped, and the first hints of dawn peeked through the windows.

"Thank you for listening," he said, his voice earnest. "I know it doesn't fix anything, but I hope it's a start."

Rohit nodded, his expression unreadable. "It's a start. But actions speak louder than words, Virat. If you really mean what you've said tonight, you'll need to prove it."

"I will," Virat promised. "I owe that much to all of us."

After Virat left, Ritika and Rohit sat in silence, the weight of the evening settling over them.

"Do you believe him?" Ritika finally asked.

Rohit sighed. "I don't know. But for Samaira's sake, I hope he's telling the truth."

Ritika nodded, her thoughts drifting to their daughter, still blissfully asleep in her room. "I just want this nightmare to end."

"So do I," Rohit said, reaching for her hand. "But whatever happens next, we'll face it together."

For the first time in months, Ritika allowed herself to hope that their fractured lives might one day be whole again.