CHAPTER 18
One week had passed since Prisha started working at Aditya's café. She was enjoying working, it's helped her to forget Shaurya. Really? No, it was joke. Every night, she cried remembering his betrayal. She couldn't digest the fact, that he was acting all the time.
Aditya's cafe,
She was engrossed in calculating the accounts when Aditya approached her with an excited expression. "Prisha, there's a party tomorrow, and we have to go. We got an order for muffins and pastries. It’s a big event!" he exclaimed.
Prisha nodded, feeling a twinge of excitement herself. Aditya added, "According to the party theme, you need to wear a black gown."
"Okay," Prisha replied, relieved that she had a black gown in her wardrobe. Otherwise, she has to go for shopping and it would be unnecessary expenditure.
The following evening, Aditya was standing outside of his cafe, Prisha was changing her clothes. As she emerged, adjusting her dress, he was struck by her appearance. She looked breathtaking in the black gown. "Beautiful," he murmured to himself.
Prisha walked toward him andwith a hint of hesitation. "How do I look? Is this okay? I'm not used to wearing this kind of outfit." She used to wear tunic and jeans, and after marriage she wore sarees. Last time, she wore this type of dress when she was with Shaurya on honeymoon. She closed her eyes to shrug off painful memories.
She opened her eyes hearing Aditya’s soft voice,admiration was clear. "You look so beautiful." After that, they sat in the car and drove to party venue.
---
They arrived at the party venue, which was grand and bustling with guests dressed in formal attire. As they made their way towards the kitchen to check on the arrangements, the atmosphere buzzed with business conversations and clinking glasses.
---
Shaurya stood in a corner, gazing at the moon, lost in thought. His friend Shivay walked toward him, breaking the silence. "Shaurya, Mr. Gupta wants to meet you to discuss the project," Shivay informed him.
Shaurya downed his drink in one go and headed towards Mr. Gupta. Shivay sighed, observing his friend’s condition. Shaurya had lost his peace, and Shivay knew why. Though Shaurya never admitted it, he had fallen for Prisha. He tried to talk to Shaurya, tried to make him understand that he really fell for Prisha, but Shaurya's ego always got in the way. After getting to know about his plan against Prisha, Shivay broke all ties with him, but Shaurya’s father begged. Seeing his son’s condition, he wanted Shivay to be by his side. Shaurya’s father told him, it’s not Shaurya’s fault entirely but it’s his fault. His behavior changed a sweet and caring man like Shaurya into a cold hearted person, who didn’t care about anyone. And somewhere Shivay knew, he was right. It’s Shaurya’s father who made him like this.
Praying silently for his friend, Shivay followed Shaurya. They stopped short when they heard Mr. Gupta talking to a couple. "You made the best muffins. I really love them. Next week is my wife’s birthday, and I want you to make them for my guests," Mr. Gupta said, his voice full of admiration.
“Sure sir, this is my card. And it’s made by her. She has magic in her hand.” They heard the boy's voice.
“You are a very lucky man. You got the best girl. She is beautiful and a very good cook. You got the lottery. Never lose this diamond.” Mr Gupta said in a teasing tone.
Curiosity piqued, Shaurya and Shivay moved closer to get a better look at the couple. To Shaurya’s shock, he saw Prisha standing there, smiling graciously at Mr. Gupta's praise. Her presence hit him like a tidal wave, stirring emotions he had tried so hard to bury. He murmured,"Prisha."
Hearing his voice, she turned to him and Prisha's eyes widened in shock at the sight of her ex-husband after two months. Memories and emotions came flooding back, making her feel weak. She started to falter when Aditya caught her and asked with concern, "Prisha, are you okay?"
She nodded faintly, but Shaurya’s fists tightened in anger at the sight of another man touching his wife. The jealousy and possessiveness surged within him.
"Prisha, let’s go over there. You must be dehydrated," Aditya suggested, guiding her to a nearby table and offering her water. Shaurya watched them with a mix of anger and jealousy.
"Shaurya, are you okay?" Shivay asked, noticing his friend's intense reaction and face.
Shaurya didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on Prisha and Aditya. His rage grew when he heard Mr. Gupta say, "What a sweet couple. God bless them."
Shaurya’s blood boiled at the comment. He wanted to shout that they weren’t a couple, but doubt began to creep in. What if they really were together? Had Prisha moved on? Was she planning to marry Aditya? The thought made him feel both jealous and angry. He reminded himself that he was the one who left her. She was free to live her life as she pleased. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the other side of the room, trying to compose himself.
---
Prisha sighed in relief as Shaurya left the party area. She didn’t want anything to do with him, but her heart ached at seeing him after two months. Did he miss her the way she missed him? There hadn’t been a single night she hadn’t cried over him. She hated herself for still feeling so strongly about a heartless man who didn’t care about her.
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Shaurya reached the parking area, about to get into his car when Shivay stopped him. "Are you leaving? At least meet Mr. Rao before you go."
Shaurya tried to deny, but Mr Rao is important client, he can't disappoint him. He nodded faintly, trying to regain his composure as he walked back into the party. His blood boiled again when he saw Prisha dancing with Aditya. They moved slowly, Aditya’s hand on her waist and her hand on his shoulder, talking and sharing small smiles.
Shaurya couldn’t take it any longer. He marched angrily toward them, driven by an uncontrollable fury. Prisha was twirling when a pair of hands grabbed her waist in the darkness and dragged her outside. Shivay and Aditya, shocked, rushed after them.
Prisha jerked away from Shaurya's grip and demanded angrily, "What are you doing?"
Before Shaurya could reply, Aditya approached them. "Hey man, what are you doing? Is this the way to behave with a girl?"
Shaurya’s eyes blazed with jealousy and rage as he faced Aditya. "This is none of your business," he snapped. "Stay out of it. You don't need to teach me, I am talking to my wife."
"Wife?" Aditya murdered with shock, he turned to Prisha for confirmation, seeing her gaze and face, he understand, he was telling truth. Indeed she is his wife.
Shaurya smirked and said,"Seems like she didn't tell about her past life. So sad ! Mr Aditya, she is my wife Prisha Shaurya Rawat."
Aditya felt pain hearing him, so many questions were running in his mind. If Prisha was married, why she didn't tell him? And why she is living with her mother?
He composed, and said,"Even if she is your wife, you don't have right to treat her like this. She is your wife, not property."
He turned to Prisha and asked with concern, "Prisha, are you okay?"
She nodded, they were going to the car when Shaurya held her hand and said,"I want to talk to you." Prisha jerked his hand andlooked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of hurt and defiance. "There’s nothing left to say, Shaurya. Please, just leave mealone. Never show your face." Saying this, she walked with Aditya to his car, and drove to home.
“Shaurya, what are you trying to do? Why did you drag Bhabhi... I mean, Prisha, here like this?” Shivay asked, catching himself from using the term 'Bhabhi' as Shaurya had previously scolded him for it. He clearly told him,he has no relation with Prisha.
Shaurya, his face a mask of exhaustion and confusion, replied tiredly, “I don’t know.” He slumped into his car and drove off toward his house.
Incar,
Prisha sat beside Aditya, tears streaming down her face.He embarassed her in front of Aditya, he destroyed her special day like this. He never cared about her. Aditya’s looked at her with concern, he asked worriedly,"Prisha, do you want to talk about it?”
Prisha looked at him, her eyes red and swollen. “I hate myself for loving a man like him. Why did this happen to me? Why did he play with my feelings?” Her voice broke as she told him everything. She burst into tears at the end.
Aditya held her hand gently, trying to offer comfort. “Prisha, please don’t cry. He didn’t deserve you. It’s his loss. Please be strong.”
Prisha wiped her tears, trying to regain her composure. “You’re right, Aditya. I need to be strong, for my mother’s sake if not for mine.”
After dropping her off at home, Aditya drove away, feeling a mix of anger toward Shaurya and little jealousy hearing Prisha's love for other man.
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In Shaurya’s room, the atmosphere was heavy with the scent of alcohol. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, his eyes filled with pain and self-loathing. His reflection seemed to speak back to him, mocking and questioning. “Why are you reacting like this, Shaurya? It’s you who left Prisha. You shouldn’t be worried about her. She can do anything she wants. If she wants, she can marry that man. She can have kids with him. She can spend her life with him.”
Shaurya, in a fit of rage, threw his glass at the mirror, shattering it into pieces. “I don’t care about her. She can do whatever she wants. I don’t care,” he shouted.
“I don’t care.”
“I don’t care.”
“I don’t care.”
He kept murmuring the words to himself, each repetition a futile attempt to convince himself of their truth, until he finally passed out, the bottle still clutched in his hand.