Tying The Knot With Ex's Brother

WHEN THE TRUTH SPOKE

"I'll leave you guys to talk," said Sush with a gentle smile.

Ragini's face fell, her reluctance clearly visible. She clutched Sush's hand, her eyes pleading silently not to be left behind.

"Everything's going to be fine today. Call me once you're done here," Sush added reassuringly, giving Ragini's hand a tender squeeze before walking away.

Sparsh's eyes followed Sush for a moment, then shifted sharply toward Ragini and Sid. His expression was unreadable, but his gaze was intense. Ragini sat hunched over, her eyes fixed on the floor, nervously twisting her fingers. Sid, on the other hand, looked visibly shaken-sweat forming on his forehead, his confidence crumbling. He hadn't expected this confrontation, especially not from Sparsh.

Breaking the silence, Sparsh spoke firmly. "Alright. I want to hear everything. No filters, no holding back. I need to know what happened between you two."

Sid parted his lips to respond, but Sparsh raised a hand to stop him. "Not from you. I've heard enough. This time, I want to hear it from her."

He turned to Ragini, his tone softening. "Please, Ragini. Tell me everything. Don't leave out a single detail."

Sid's heart sank. He knew then that his game was over. His legs trembled beneath him, and the colour drained from his face. He cast a desperate glance at Ragini.

She finally met Sparsh's eyes, tears welling up in her own. Her voice was quiet but steady as she began, "I met Sid in college..."
And with that, the truth began to unravel.

Sparsh listened intently, his face unreadable as Ragini poured out the truth, her voice trembling but resolute. Not once did he interrupt. Sid, on the other hand, sat frozen, anxiety etched across his face. Every word from Ragini seemed to chip away at the thin wall of confidence he had left.

When Ragini finally fell silent, the room was heavy with tension.

Sparsh slowly turned his gaze to Sid-no longer calm, no longer composed. Rage flickered in his eyes like a storm about to break. Without warning, he lunged forward and struck Sid hard across the face. The sound of the punch echoed in the room. Sid stumbled back, clutching his cheek, but before he could recover, Sparsh grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward.

His voice trembled with fury.
"You lied to me,"he spat."You planned this... all of this, just to drive a wedge between me and my wife. How dare you?"

Ragini froze, her breath catching in her throat. She turned sharply toward Sid, her voice trembling with disbelief.

"What is he saying, Sid? What did you do? What has our separation got to do with you?"

Sid couldn't speak-he didn't even try. His eyes were wide with fear, the weight of guilt finally sinking in.

"You told him we were still together? That I was cheating on my husband?" She shook her head, tears of rage brimming in her eyes. "You used our past like a weapon, Sid. You planted doubts in his mind, made him question our marriage-my integrity. How could you? I trusted you. Even after everything you did, I trusted you. You broke my trust once, but I still trusted you again. Sid, you betrayed me once again."

Sid couldn't meet her gaze.

"You had no right," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Whatever we had ended long ago. You didn't lose me to him-you lost me when you told me to marry Sparsh. You lost me when you didn't take a stand for our love. It was your choice, your decision. You had no right to ruin our lives this way."

"How could you do this to your own brother?" he demanded, eyes locked on Sid. "You tried to destroy my marriage... just so you could win her back? Why?"

Sid looked away, unable to meet his brother's gaze.

"She doesn't love you," Sparsh said, voice cracking with a mixture of rage and sorrow. "Why couldn't you accept that?"

Sid finally spoke, his voice low and defensive, "Because I loved her first. Because I still love her."

Sparsh stared at him, stunned. "You love her? Is that your excuse for lying, manipulating, trying to break us apart? Love doesn't do this. Obsession does. You have lost your brother today."

With that, Sparsh turned to Ragini, took her hand gently, and without another word, walked away-leaving Sid alone in the silence of his own ruin.

They stepped out of Sush's flat, the air heavy around them. Sparsh still held Ragini's hand, his grip gentle, seeking comfort, seeking forgiveness. But as soon as they reached the corridor, Ragini pulled her hand away.

Sparsh turned to her, startled. "Ragini-"

"I'm leaving," she said quietly, but the anger beneath her calm tone was unmistakable.

"What? Why?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion and hurt.

She looked at him, her eyes filled not just with tears, but with fury. "Why? Because you didn't believe me, Sparsh. You believed him. You let his lies grow in your head, in your heart... instead of trusting me."

"I was hurt, I was confused," Sparsh began, but she cut him off.

"You didn't ask me. You didn't come to me. You just assumed the worst. After everything we shared, after everything we built together... that's all it took for you to doubt me?"

Sparsh's lips parted, his words caught in his throat.

Ragini's voice cracked, but her anger kept it strong. "Do you know how humiliating it is to realize that the man you love thinks so little of your character? That he'd rather believe her ex than his own wife?"

Sparsh reached for her hand again, desperate now. "Ragini, please, I made a mistake-"

"No," she said sharply, stepping back. "You made a choice. You chose to believe a lie over love. And I can't forget that."

She pulled the divorce papers from her bag and pressed them into his hands.

"I signed them," she said, her voice barely above a whisper now. "I was going to wait... give us one more chance. But now I know-we were over the moment you stopped trusting me."

Sparsh stared at the papers in disbelief, unable to speak.

"I hate you for making me doubt myself. For making me feel dirty for something I didn't do," she said, her eyes glistening. "You broke me."

And with that, she turned and walked away-head high, tears falling, but steps firm.

Sparsh stood frozen in the hallway, clutching the divorce papers, watching her disappear down the stairs.

Now it was his turn to be left behind-in silence, in guilt, in the ruins of what he once had.

Just like Sid.