Shadowed Desires

Chapter 36

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One Month Later...

6:00 am.

Kritika woke up to the sound of her alarm. When she was ready to snuggle more into her husband's arms, she felt the hollowed emptiness instead of his comforting warmth.

She opened her eyes and realized that things were no longer the same between them. She was apart from him, not only by physical distance but also at heart.

She rubbed her eyes, hugged the pillow beside her, and whispered,
" I don't know for how long I would have to sleep while hugging you instead of my comfort person."

Kritika's P.O.V.
It's been a month since I came back here and I am definitely not the same person anymore, because I left my heart far from the place I live at. But in the end, it's all my fault. So I can't blame anyone else for it.

Time skips...

Shekhawat Mansion

Everyone was present at the dining table.
Riddhima asked, "Atharv kaha par hai?"
("Where is Atharv?")
Aditya replied, "Office gaye wo to ek ghante pehle hi."
("He went to the office, about an hour ago.")
Riddhima asked, "Fir se itni jaldi?"
("Again, so early?")
Aditya nodded in response.

After breakfast, returning to their room, Riddhima spoke,
"Abhinav aap kuch karte kyu nahi ho?"
("Abhinav, why don't you do something?")
Abhinav, confused, asked, "Matlab?"
("Meaning?")

Riddhima spoke with frustration and anger,
"Atharv ki haalat dekho, raat ko do teen baje ghar aata hai aur subha saat baje wapis chala jata hai. Mujhe bhi yaad nahi ki maine usse last time din mein ghar mein kab dekha tha. Na khane ka hosh hai usse na sone ka."
("Look at Atharv's condition, he comes home at 2 or 3 in the night and leaves again at 7 in the morning. I can't even remember the last time I saw him at home during the day. He neither eats nor sleeps properly.")

Abhinav said, "Chalo mein baat karta hu uss se, tum chinta mat karo. Kuch na kuch hal nikal lenge hum iss cheez ka bhi."
("Alright, I'll talk to him. Don't worry, we'll find some solution for this too.")
Riddhima replied, "Hal nikalna padega warna jo haal usne bana liya hai, dil uska tuta hai par jo haal usne apna kar liya hai wo humara bhi dil dukha raha hai."
("We have to find a solution, otherwise the state he has put himself in – his heart is broken, but the way he is treating himself is breaking our hearts too.")

1:00 pm

Abhinav entered the cabin and witnessed Atharv's state. He looked exhausted, his face pale, and dark circles under his eyes proved he had barely slept.

Abhinav said, "Kya kar rahe ho Atharv tum apne saath ye?"
("What are you doing to yourself, Atharv?")
Atharv replied, "Mujhe kya hoga, mein thik to hu."
("What will happen to me? I'm fine.")
Abhinav passed him a mirror and said, "Shakal dekh lo apni, bas zinda ho tum."
("Look at your face, you're just alive, nothing more.")

Atharv replied, "Itna bahut to hai."
("At least that's something.")
Abhinav held him by the shoulders and said,
"Atharv tumhari koi galti nahi thi. Tum aage badh jao us sab se. Riddhima, mein, baaki sab gharwale sab taras gaye hai tumhe khush dekhne ko."
("Atharv, it wasn't your fault. Move on from all that. Riddhima, I, and the rest of the family are desperate to see you happy again.")

Atharv looked into his eyes and said,
"Nahi hona mujhe khush aur aap mujhse koi umeed na hi rakho to sahi hai ab."
("I don't want to be happy, and it's better if you don't expect anything from me now.")
Abhinav turned silent as Atharv walked away.