The Arranged One | ✔️

Chapter 27 - My Home : Part 2

As Abhi watched Siya leave, a heavy sense of panic and dread was slowly filling his body. He could hear Manav going on about something but it didn't matter. All that mattered was Siya.

God! What had she heard and what had She deduced from it all? He hoped whatever damage it had done to their relationship could be repaired.

He knew he should probably address what he had learned about Natasha's feelings for him, or the crazy assumptions that Manav had made. But none of that mattered at the moment. What mattered was what his soon-to-be wife, the most important person in his life thought. He needed to speak to her before she got any wrong ideas. Or any ideas for that matter.

As Abhi made to leave, Manav blocked him.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Manav I don't have time for this. Your stupid rant might have done some lasting damage to mine and Siya's relationship. And I need to fix it. Natasha, we need to talk about what just happened soon. I thought we were clear going in. I don't know why you had to lie to me. And as for you Manav, I think Natasha can fill you in on the blanks that made you wreak havoc. And just so we are clear...it's not Natasha who is the love of my life, or my first love...and she has always known that."

With that Abhi took a leave.

*

Her knees were pulled up to her chest, her head was rested on the cool granite as she stared out of the widow. Siya was sitting on the window seating of her bedroom, still dressed in the same clothes and still feeling devastated, although the tears had stopped, when she heard the door open and shut.

She didn't have to turn and look to know it was Abhi who had entered the room. She closed her eyes as he walked closer, inhaled deeply as he dropped to his knees on the floor about an inch from her, and let out her breath as she heard his voice.

"Siya..." He whispered, his voice full of concern and apprehension.

It was amazing how just the utterance of her name from his lips could illicit such deep emotion from her. She could never just like him, or care for him...she all out loved him. Through every fiber of her body. And knowing he was here, and what he was about to do, it hurt too damn much. He was about to break her heart and she had to let him.

"Siya, lets talk about this okay? Just let me know what you heard, we can sort this out."

How was that going to help anyone? She thought. How did it matter what she had heard. He should be telling her the entire truth, not trying to explain away whatever she heard.

She simply looked at him, the fairy lights on her window illuminating his handsome face in the utter darkness. He looked panicked, grief-stricken and a little devastated. Even when she knew he deserved no less, a huge part of her wanted to take him in her arms and assure him that everything was going to be okay. But she knew that would be a huge lie.

When he realised she wasn't going to answer, he simply continued talking, trying to meet her eyes, when she refused to do so.

"Siya, me and Natasha...we did go out. We were young, and it was all too new, and... well you know what it is like. Yeah, we were in a relationship for a while, but it...it wasn't anything serious Siya. I swear. It was purely physical. Atleast from my side it was. I didn't know Natasha had any kind of feelings. I was upfront about it right at the beginning. And Manav was obviously wrong about the whole first love thing. Siya I was with her only because it hurt not to be with you. I was physically frustrated and needed some relief. Natasha just helped me out with it. She knew all about how attracted I was to you, she never once told me about her feelings. Otherwise I would have ended it then and there."