Let's fall in love (Story By PINKI)

Chapter 31

Anjali laid in bed, staring at the roof, her thoughts all jumbled. Shyam had left her again and unknowingly she turned over and caressed the empty sheets beside her. How long was she going to pretend that everything is ok? How long was she going to live her life like this under the pretense that someday things will change? Would she ever be able to find peace for the remainder of her life?

Hell and heaven were both to be experienced on this earth, during this lifetime, her mom used to say, and she wondered if this was her hell. Her childhood had been nothing but perfect. They had a good family, maybe her parents worked too much and didn't pay as much attention to them but they had nonetheless provided her and Arnav with everything they could. Once they had passed away, Arnav had taken on the role of her father and life had kept going. Except for the hollowness that she would feel while thinking about her parents, nothing much else changed. Nani had supported them through the hard times and they were financially well enough that they didn't have to go through any difficulties along those lines.

Maybe this was her hell, being with a man that was responsible for the deaths of many out there and her not being able to do anything to stop it. How could she have been a fool to fall in love with a monster like that? She wasn't sure but now that she thought back, she wondered if she was ever in love with him? If she ever was, how did it turn into a loathing that had no return?

Every morning she woke up and wondered if this was going to be the day, the day she would receive the news of her husband not returning. Would she have to spend the rest of her life by herself? Arnav had Khushi and she couldn't be happier for her Chotte. Would it have been easier for her if she had decided to have a child? Would the child be able to replace the hollowness she felt all day, every day? She wasn't sure but for now all she knew was that the decision that she had made all those years back, was for good. There was no way she was going to have Shyam's child and the day she had found out about her husband's true face, she had made an appointment and got her tubes tied. Shyam had two ways of tying her down- through Arnav and a child. There wasn't much she could do about Arnav but there was no way she was going to bring an innocent life into this mess just so that Shyam could get the satisfaction of blackmailing her on that front.

The satisfaction that she had received when she had told Shyam what she had done, was priceless. The horror that she had seen that day on her husband's face had given her a satisfaction that she hadn't received in a while and seeing something die in his eyes that day had just confirmed that she had made the right choice. He was a monster that was responsible for many deaths out there, teenagers to adults and there was no way the guy deserved to have a child of his own but the only part that hurt her in the whole process was lying to her chotte. She had told Arnav that she had miscarried and that she couldn't have children and she whole heartedly wished she could have just told Arnav the truth that day but there was no way she was going to threaten his life. He was all she had and Shyam was not going to be able to take that away from her. She knew she was selfish. She should have reported him to the police the instant she had found out but she had no proof. Hearing her husband over the phone wasn't enough proof and the guy was too smart to leave any trail behind but she was waiting for the day she could get her hands on something, anything. But for now, she was going to be selfish, and she was going to do whatever she could to protect her family.

Turning back towards her side, she looked over at the clock- 3:26am. She had no idea where he was tonight and like every other night, she prayed- prayed that he would never return.

Afterall, Karma is a bitch.

************

In the wee hours of the morning, Karan unlocked his apartment door and stepped inside and like every other day, his eyes settled on the large picture hanging on the wall adjacent to him. It was his and Khushi's engagement picture. He was on his knees infront of her while she had her eyes tight shut, absolutely embarrassed by the crowd that had gathered around them. It had taken him two months to plan the whole thing- from the location to hiring a photographer that would be able to take a capture the moment of shock on her face and the photograpther had done it just right. Her eyes had rounded like saucers when he had kneeled down infront of her and noticing people starting to stop around them, she had shut her eyes tight, absolutely mortified.