Broken (Wattys2016)

CHAPTER 21

Aarav couldn't sleep after that phone call. He had a lot going on his mind, especially since Jay's wedding. He could feel his heart ache every time he saw Aaliya cry, and he was feeling the exact same way after the phone call. He still didn't have an idea as to why it hurt him to see her cry or maybe it was just something he was running away from.

He felt bad for lying to her a few minutes ago about the whole proposing thing. The ring that Aaliya had found in his locker was his and not Mihir's. The ring had been in that locker from over two years now. He had got that ring for Aaliya, a little ring as a present that he had decided to give her after Lirisha's birth promising her that he would be with her through everything. But that never happened and since then the ring was in that locker.

He was very much aware of how the divorce was taking its toll on Aaliya, he could see it. His ever so gorgeous and feisty wife now just looked like a fragile glass that would break if he touched her. He knew what he had done all this while and he knew that he'd never be able to forgive himself for anything. It was then something clicked, Aaliya said that she had forgiven him. What had she forgiven him for? For cheating on her or for being an arrogant ass all this time while she was trying her best to have him back? It wasn't like he had apologised yet that she forgave him, he was yet to apologise and he had no idea of how he'd do it.

He walked back into the room and sat on the couch as he thought about Aaliya. His eyes then wandered towards the bed where he saw Raima sleeping peacefully under the covers.

And that's when the first bit of realisation hit him. He felt nothing as he saw her sleep. Absolutely nothing. He had tried his best to get himself to like this woman in the last one year but still he felt nothing. Every time he saw Aaliya sleep peacefully, he felt his heart flutter and he always had this sudden urge to play with her hair but as he saw Raima sleep, he felt absolutely empty.

He rested his head back and stared up at the ceiling as he continued to think about Aaliya. There were so many things he wanted clear out with Aaliya but he had no idea of how he would do that. Every time he thought of something, he managed to find a flaw in that.

The first time he had met Raima was a month after their miscarriage. He was sitting in his cubicle and was working on his laptop. He hadn't interacted with anyone ever since the miscarriage. The only person he used to talk and cry his heart out was to his best friend at work, Mihir. It was when he was way too engrossed in his work that his boss had called him in his cabin and that was when he introduced him to Raima. His boss had told him that Raima would be working under him for the next couple of projects and Aarav silently agreed.

The next couple of weeks passed by with Raima and Aarav working together on a big project that their boss had assigned them. In the initial days, Raima tried to talk to Aarav but he gave her nothing more than one word replies. He was not even a percent interested in sharing his problems with an intern. It was one day when Aarav's phone went off in front of Raima did she notice his screensaver. It was a picture of Aaliya and his in which they were kissing while his hands cupped her not so noticeable baby bump.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Raima asked catching Aarav off guard.

He looked away from his computer screen and raised his eye brow at her.

"The screensaver girl." Raima said.

"No, she was my girlfriend." Aarav said and Raima nodded. "She's my wife now." He said after a minute with a smile as he kept on typing on the computer.

"Can I see the picture again?" Raima asked and Aarav gave her a small smile. She pressed on the lock button and the screen lit up again showing the same picture. She analysed the picture for a good one minute before saying something Aarav was avoiding.