OUR OBSESSIONS - FATE of LOVE

Chapter 10

Dhruv

Moments later, I opened the door, only to be greeted by the familiar faces of Joshi and Ashish.

I ushered them inside quickly to my flat, keeping the noise down, the last thing I needed was for Esha to wake up.

But as soon as we crossed the threshold, Ashish's intense gaze pinned me, the weight of his curiosity palpable.

"What's going on between you and Esha?" His voice was sharp, and urgent, as though something more than friendship was hanging in the air.

I brushed past him, seeking the comfort of the couch, pretending I didn't feel the sudden heat of his scrutiny.

"Nothing is happening," I replied, my voice steadier than I felt, but the lie tasted bitter on my tongue.

Joshi wasn't fooled. "Oh, come on," he cut in, his eyes narrowing with a knowing glint. "You might think you can hide your feelings from Ashish, but not from me. I saw how worried you were for Esha at the hospital."

Joshi, ever the ambitious one, always dreaming of something bigger. He had envisioned building his own hospital, and by the time he graduated, he had made it happen. The man was relentless, and tonight, he was relentless about this.

"Now, spill the beans. What happened, buddy?" Ashish chimed in.

I ran a hand through my dishevelled hair, the frustration bubbling beneath the surface, on me for my weird changes. "He's just exaggerating," I muttered, trying to dismiss their probing with a wave. "I'm worried about her like any decent person would be."

Joshi leaned in, his gaze sharp, knowing. "There's guilt in your eyes, Dhruv. I saw it back in the hospital, and I see it now. Now tell us what the hell happened between you two? Esha's been acting differently around you too like you have been strangers."

Ashish, ever the one to stir the pot, grinned teasingly. "What, did Esha suddenly become allergic to this brute? How can that be even possible in dreams?"

"Shut the hell up, you two!" I snapped, my patience wearing thin, my temper fraying at the edges.

The silence that followed was heavy and thick with tension.

Then Ashish's voice, more serious now, cut through it. "You hurt her?" The question hung in the air, and I felt the weight of it press down on me like a thousand pounds.

Unlike me, they were very good with Esha and took care of her like a little sister.

How had they unravelled this turmoil so quickly? How had they seen through the facade I had tried so desperately to maintain?

I exhaled sharply, the shock of their words still lingering in my chest.

The truth, raw and jagged, began to rise to the surface.

With a heavy sigh, I finally gave in, recounting the events of that fateful night, the one that had changed everything.

(That Night...)

I had been consumed by frustration, a wave of simmering anger that built after a series of lacklustre presentations from my team, each more disappointing than the last, especially for such a prestigious non-profit organization.

My thoughts were clouded with resentment, and all I wanted was to retreat, to find some space where I could breathe.

But as I entered the quiet of my home, my mother had other plans, her voice ringing through the phone as she insisted, that I join her at the resort for dinner. "It'll be good for you," she urged, her tone as warm and unwavering as ever.