Nishant Naik, billionaire MD of Naik Builders gets engaged but without love. Disillusioned, he gives up when a chance encounter leaves him intrigued and confused. For him, loving someone is giving your soul to her. Will he ever find someone to love...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Madhu's hands fell away the moment she heard her.
"Nishant Sir? What about him?"
Aparna did not reply as words completely failed her.
"You met him?" Madhu asked.
Aparna shook her head, her voice failing her again.
"Then?"
When she did not reply, Madhu turned her again and asked in a stern tone, "Tell me, now!"
But still nothing.
Shaking her head, Madhu sighed as she knew she will need to decipher this on her own.
What could have upset her so much? And, that too about Nishant Sir?
Then suddenly it struck her.
"Did you see him with someone else?"
Aparna just nodded.
Madhu looked at her face and instantly knew the cause of her distress.
"You saw him with another woman?"
Wincing, Aparna nodded biting her lip hard to stop herself from crying out loud.
"So?"
Aparna's eyes widened the moment she heard her.
Madhu looked at her shocked expression and smiled.
"Does it really matter? Why are you bothered?"
Aparna couldn't say anything knowing that whatever Madhu was saying was what her mind was also telling her. But what about her heart? How will she ever make it understand all that was happening?
"Come on, Aparna. Don't be naïve. Isn't it obvious that he will have a woman in his life?"
Aparna couldn't say anything as she knew that Madhu was not at all wrong. Nishant had come a long way from where she had left him. Moving on was the only thing he could have done.
"You are miserable because you thought that he never will. But you know what Aparna, life doesn't work that way. Move on, that's the best you can do."
Saying this, Madhu got up and started towards the door. Suddenly she turned and said, "If you are wondering why I hadn't stopped you that day when you were leaving then know this that I couldn't have. I am your friend and that day I couldn't have done anything else but to support you. And today, I am your friend again who has to tell you the unpleasant truth even if it hurts you."
Then, she opened the door and stepped out.
Aparna was sitting on the chair staring at the wall her mind all numb. Yet the feeling of loss was so potent that she felt constricted. She was about to get up and go out to the balcony when she heard a tap on the door. It was Madhu again.
"By the way, her name is Naina Chawla."
The name lodged like a bomb in Aparna's head. She closed her eyes and saw them together. Anguished, she opened them with a jerk and strode out.
Let go! There's nothing else to do.
****************
Nishant was sitting on the sofa staring at the bed and for once he did not see them together there. All he saw was sheer emptiness all around. Slowly he got up and started walking towards it. The more he neared the bed the more empty he felt. By the time he reached it, the hollowness inside him had eaten everything up and there was nothing but vacuum left.
Clutching the bedpost, Nishant sat down on the floor and looked at the pillow. Unable to resist, he placed his palm on the pillow caressing it a little. Everything came back to him again; the feel of her arms, the scent of her hair, her slow and rhythmic breathing and most of all her way of placing her palm against his heart while he slept next to her.
Slowly, Nishant caressed the side where she had once slept and started to feel the heat of her body. He wanted to feel it again against him sliding, caressing but most of all beckoning him to love her more than ever.
He placed his hand on his heart and almost felt hers.
Yes, she was alive in him and she will never leave.
The pretence of last few months broke away and he gave in to the overwhelming urge to shed the tears burning in his eyes. As one by one fell, he got up and laid himself down on the bed and pressed his face to her pillow.
"Please," he sobbed helplessly, pleading.
His sobs grew with every minute that passed and it became almost unbearable for him to endure.
Go away, his heart screamed at him.
Unable to take it anymore, Nishant got up from the bed and strode briskly towards the cupboard to pack his things. As he pulled his bag, something fell off from the top shelf. As he picked it up from the floor, the packet fell open and a black coloured sari slipped to the floor.
Images, feelings, scents and memories came rushing back to him as he recognised the sari. Sliding to the floor, Nishant picked it up and pressed it to his face. Instantly he was in her arms, sliding against her body caressing her face, burying his face in her neck and inhaling hard.
As she tightened her arms around him, he just let go. Sobbing hard, his body rocked against its rhythm knowing well that she wasn't there.
Nishant sat down on the floor and rested his head on the edge of the bed. As he took the sari away from his face, he remembered the night of Siddha Bhaiyya's wedding when she had worn it. From then till now, he remembered everything. It played like a movie in front of him slide by slide and with every slide, he lost himself little by little. By the time his brain stopped, Nishant was completely drained. Slowly his hand fell away and with it the sari.
Till now he hadn't ever given up hope but now as the anguish increased with every second that passed, it gradually started to die.
No that can't be.
I cannot lose the hope of being with her.
He has to hold onto it till his last breath.
Slowly Nishant got up and packed his bag. He was about to leave when he stopped short and looked behind. Not knowing what it was, he picked up the packet and shoved it into the bag.
