~•} C H A P T E R|20 {•~

Naina could feel the sudden lump that formed in her throat due to the high emotions she was feeling right now seeing the man in front of her, her husband, her Aadarsh.
He was blankly staring at the dark sky with his dark eyes which seemed lifeless. The half-burnt cigarette lying on the ground, crushed under his bare feet as he simply stared ahead at nothing particularly.
Almost if he wasn't even in his senses.
Naina's lips parted slightly in shock. Her forehead creased as she felt worried seeing the half-burnt cigarette.
It wasn't good for his health.
Not at all!
Nor had she seen him drinking or smoking before for which she was glad.
It might feel good in movies but in real life, all these were the things she looked down upon. She detested these with her whole being.
But right now instead of disgust like she would have felt, she felt her heartache for him.
She knew he did it to numb the emotions he might had felt seeing the news of his beloved brother performing adultery.
How much she disliked Aakarsh, yet she couldn't help but accept the fact that he was the closest to Aadarsh just like she was to Raina.
Their bond was different... something else.
It was hurting her from inside seeing the man she loved like this.
He looked lost.
Almost as if he didn't have any purpose in his life anymore.
Slowly she walked towards him. Her footsteps were soft and silent.
This time she didn't call him out but simply stood behind him wrapping his arms across his torso from the back.
She felt him get stiff all of a sudden but remained motionless, smiling slightly to herself she leaned her head on his back.
"I know you're here because you wanted space. You wanted to be alone but I have given you enough space Aadarsh. Still, your condition has worsened I see. You are more lost than yesterday. I don't want you to talk to me and tell me what is bothering you but remember," She exhaled softly before continuing.
"Remember that I will always be with you in your tough times, I will always be here if you want to let put whatever you feel. Remember that all this ain't your fault Aadarsh. You aren't responsible for Aakarsh's deeds. You are a great brother." She finished with sternness on her tone she didn't know she could ever use.
She parted away from him not before squeezing his shoulder and planting a kiss on it.
Just when she turned to go back, he turned and held her wrist.
She turned her face towards him and stared right into his dark orbs. His face held no emotion while his eyes seemed a little tired.
Tired from everything happening around.
Her lips curved into the biggest smile ever as she tried to uplift his mood though she didn't know if seeing her smile would uplift his mood bit it always worked with her, seeing him smile uplifted her mood.
But, his smile was rare and her wasn't, right?
She thought but still, the curve of her lips didn't falter.
She could at least try, right?
Not breaking the eye contact, he lifted her hand.
His lips touched her knuckles and her eyes closed on their accord.
A light blush dusted her cheeks as his eyes remained glued to her glowing face.
His lips lingered longer... till when he lost track.
With a racing heart and heated cheeks, she slowly opened her eyes as he finally pulled his lips away from her knuckles.
She blinked her eyes towards him one time which was a silent acknowledgment to his silent thankyou.
She knew him way too much to know how he like to express than say.
She knew him.
She knew his habits.
She knew his way of expressing.
With a slight smile curved upon her lips and a slight bit of satisfaction in her heart, she walked back to their room giving him the needed time and space to clear his mind out but not doubt himself.
She sat on the bed being well aware that sleep would not find its way to her again today and simply threw the packet of cigarettes she picked up from the balcony in the dustbin.
How much she loved him and understood him but this wasn't acceptable.
Not right now, but he would get a talk from her regarding this.
She was his wife after all.
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The sunlight glared itself from the slight open space in the roof of the indoor pool and not able to take it anymore, Raina fluttered her eyes open.
Her mind felt hazy for a few seconds before she felt she was in her senses and piercing pain in her neck made her wince loudly.
She tried to held her neck but felt caged. Way too caged by his body.
Suddenly the memories of last night came crashing to her mind and she frowned groaning annoyedly.
She was sure that she wasn't the one who moved during sleep instead he was the one who did it.
She had a habit of not moving much during sleep but the same couldn't be said about him seeing the position they were in.
They slept with him keeping his head on her shoulder while she sideways sat down or more precisely was pulled down on his lap.
But right now, she was still on his lap but his body had leaned down completely on hers in not so good angle. If it wasn't for the headrest of the couch her head would have been hanging for god's sake while he slept snaking his hands around her like she was his personal pillow or teddy bear!
With great struggle, she managed to pull her hands out from his hold, and just when her hands touched his chest to push him or at least shook him she stilled feeling his bare skin.
Her hands stood rooted in their place as she swallowed hard to drench her dried throat.
Did we really sleep like this?
She questioned in her mind as her eyes moved towards his half-naked torso.
She breathed in deeply trying to calm herself as she could still feel his nose tickling her bare neck.
Her eyes darted towards his face as once again she stared at his perfect features.
Full lips,
Straight nose,
Long eyelashes,
Tanned clear skin,
Sharp jawline,
Light stubble,
And there he was, just perfect.
The man whose perfectness made her heart race at first glance.
It still did but now she had become more mature to control these teenage-ish feelings and keep them locked up.
After all, they weren't made for each other.
If we look apart from the way he treated her in the past, they still weren't made for each other.
They were poles apart!
She was the silence of calm sea and he was the explosion of an angry volcano.
She liked to speak less but worthy things and he liked to speak everything but leaves the worthy part.
She expressed everything calmly whereas his every word was laced with anger and adrenaline.
He was anything but imperfect and she was anything but perfect.
With her unsophisticated ways of eating and a not-so-classy way to walk, she felt stupid in front of his elegant way of eating and steps which were laced with confidence.
With her body which was not at all skinny but not exactly fat either but had a good share of fat in it, her not-so-hour glass-like body structure and a face embellished with light acne scars was no match to his muscular body and glowing skin.
She knew he was the most build-up between his brothers and had very good diet plans whereas she on the other hand ate junk half of the time.
He was the epitome of perfection and she was the ocean of imperfections according to standards of society!
Indeed she was no match to him.
Suddenly she felt his hold on her tighten and the pain in her neck increased.
"Aakarsh!" She screeched not able to take anymore but he seemed in his own dreamland as he murmured, "I love..."
Her heart thudded loudly in her ribcage as she heard those two words, no she couldn't deal with more complications in her life right now!
"I love rr.."
Don't! Please don't add more complications to my life... Please Aakarsh, please. She begged in her mind.
"I love running, punching, and hugging," Aakarsh mumbled this time completely and turned towards the other side, and fell from the small couch.
Hugging, he loves hugging?
She questioned in her mind being surprised.
"Arghh! Fuck you!" He cursed angrily punching the floor whereas she tried her best to seal her lips tight and swallow the sudden laugh which was threatening to escape.
"Why are you controlling yourself, laugh woman!" He glared in her direction whereas she stiffed as sudden fear erupted within her.
Fear from his anger.
She would always fear his anger and the way his mind loses its control on his body when he becomes angry.
Sensing her sudden fear, he looked up as his light brown eyes met hers.
The instant guilt germinated within him seeing her scared facial expressions.
She was scared of him.
After all, I did such great acts. He thought sighing heavily.
Last night was a reality check to him.
The reality check he needed badly to see who stood by his side and who didn't.
Surprisingly the people he thought would be the people to leave his first and the person who he never thought would stand was the one who stood and listen to him in his tough time.
The thought of his own people not trusting him broke him from inside.
But there was one more thought which crossed his mind, To what extent did he change and become cruel that his brother believed that he could CHEAT!?
And that made him realize how much he had changed in the past months. That how rude and jerk he had become in the process of keeping someone away from him.
But that someone with whom he behaved like shit showed him kindness while he was the most unkind person towards that someone.
Regret.
Deep regret was rooted deep inside his heart as he gazed at the scared woman in front of him.
Shaking his head and sucking a deep breath he started while still sitting on the cold floor,
"Raina... I know I can't go back and make my previous actions right nor I can say that everything will be made all right by my single apology but I want to confess that I am deeply regretting everything I did and yes you may think that this is due to yesterday than yes I won't deny that I would have regretted even if yesterday night didn't happen but still I do regret everything I put you up through and just know that I am sorry for everything I did and thank you for providing me the much-needed support last night. I will forever be thankful to you for that. And once again I am sorry and... I am just sorry"
He blabbered everything that came to his mind while looking at the patterns of tiles on the floor.
Raina sighed taking in everything he said which was a lot! Her shoulders drooped as she breathed in deeply before murmuring, "I forgive you Aakarsh and I don't hold any grudges against you."
She exhaled as his wide eyes bored right into hers and continued, "But I can't forget the way you treated me previously and what you put me through. The memories will remain and they always will but I am ready to forgive you and see how you will change your behavior for the better. Hopefully with time your better and changed side will overpower those memories but only if you change."
And once again she was enveloped in a hug and was lifted off her feet as her eyes widened in shock and she tried to regain her balance in his arms.
"You forgive me!" He almost seemed way too excited and surprised himself.
"I said a lot of other things along with that." Raina swirled her eyes but he shrugged nonchalantly.
"Put me down Aakarsh!" Raina shouted and in a second she was back on her feet whereas her eyes snapped towards him who was frowning with a displeased expression.
He almost looked scary with that expression and muscular physique.
"You don't like hugs!?"
He asked out of the blue with his tone dripping in pure accusation.
Her mouth opened agape in shock as she shut her eyelids tight for one second to think straight but his impatience tapping of the foot on the tiles made her narrow her eyes towards him.
"I like hugs but not surprised one." She clarified and the next second she heard, "Okay, I am hugging you woman." with this he once again wrapped his arms around her trying to make her mood happy since she looked a lot serious-ish.
After all, everything and everyone can be turned happy by a hug according to him, which was true, right?
She stood rooted in her place as he broke the hug and walked out as nothing happened.
Indeed he loves hugging too much and did things before thinking twice and lands himself in trouble.
She thought looking at his retreating back while rubbing her arms where he touched.
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Vardhaan, Bhavna, and Gayatri's eyes snapped wide open as they saw Raina too coming out from the same room as Aakarsh.
But one pair of eyes were narrowed especially towards Raina and that was none other than Ishani.
She and Vardhaan came back as soon as the weather was good and the sight which greeted her eyes wasn't pleasant at all.
Raina came out from the same room where Aakarsh was and Aakarsh came out half-naked and not even trying to give someone an explanation. Not to say there was not an ounce of regret in his face for his actions.
She couldn't help but scrunch her eyes with slight disgust towards the woman coming after him.
How can a woman forgive something like this!
She would never understand.
Raina was someone she talked with when she was in the mansion but she didn't expect this from Raina!
Not at all!
Nothing in this world she hated as much as these women who tend to forgive their husbands for everything and treated them like they were some god!
These women not only did all this but tend to transfer these so-called moral values to the younger generation.
The so-called sexism!
Who could be a better witness other than her of these so-called women, one tends to be her mother as well because of whom her life was destroyed.
She breathed in deeply trying to calm herself down that these weren't her problems to deal with.
She already had enough in her platter given by life.
So it was better to be the woman world called her, selfish bitch.
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It was almost 8 am when Ruhanika's eyes fluttered open.
Looking at the alarm clock kept on the bedside table, her eyes widen as she sat up with a jerk.
She was too late for the day!
And especially on a day when everything was going on!
Making a quick wrap of her hair, she hurried towards the bathroom.
It was almost 8:30 am when she was finally done with her morning routine and was ready to start her day in a simple saree.
For some reason, she was obsessed with sarees and wore them every other day she felt the urge to wear them.
Mumbling incoherent words about her getting up late and Gayatri Ji not liking it, she finally stepped down the stairs but halted looking at the scene in front of her.
Her husband was standing ahead along with almost all family members and a priest.
Some preparations of a certain puja were going on.
Her forehead creased as she walked ahead and a big photo frame of a young woman came into her view...
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