Chapter 39
KAVYA
I had received his numerous calls and texts, but not once I replied to him.
Three months. That’s how long it had been since Kirti left this world.
For three months, I shut myself off from everyone.
I just sat in my room, staring at her photos, listening to recordings of her singing, and watching our old videos on loop.
I smiled sadly, caressing her face on my phone screen.
I had promised her I would save her, but I failed.
I promised we would dance together again, but I let her down.
Without my sister, my life felt meaningless.
I had married Saurav specifically to save her, but who knew she would end up dead in a hospital bed anyway?
Saurav was right about one thing: I was a curse.
A curse to my family, and a curse to his.
I decided then to relieve him of that curse.
I would leave him forever. I had married him for my sister, and now, I would leave for her, too.
If only he had picked up his phone on time.
If only he hadn't blocked his credit cards.
If only he had done just one thing in my favor but I knew he had done it all on purpose.
He thought I was a gold digger. He thought I only wanted his money.
To prove him wrong, I was going to transfer twenty-five lakh back into his account.
When I was in Switzerland, I received a job offer from a prestigious dance academy.
I finally emailed them back to say I was interested.
They were glad to have me. I was going very, very far away from him.
I hated him for not helping when it mattered most, but more than that, I still loved him.
What if I cursed him, too? What if something happened to him because of me? Breaking every tie was the only way.
Suddenly, my phone chimed with a flood of texts from an unknown number. I opened them and froze. They were photos of Saurav with another woman. I recognized her immediately, she was the same woman from the party, the one who was with him when he video-called me.
My breath hitched as I scrolled through more images. With trembling hands, I sent a single question mark. A reply came instantly.
“Hey, this is Tanya. Remember me?”
“Yes,” I typed back. “How could I forget a poisonous snake?”
“Now you see who is the real poison in your life: your own husband. He’s already moved on. I expect he just used you for a good time on that Bali trip.”
“Shut up!”
“Once he gets what he wants, he discards people like tissues. I’ve been with Saurav all my life, Kavya, but he cheated on me, too. He promised to marry me and then refused at the last minute. I even tried to kill myself before Mr. Chauhan saved me.”
I didn't reply.
“Don’t think you’re special. He’s always been like this. He never cares about feelings.”
I turned off my phone and closed my eyes, breathing shakily.
Suddenly, the memory of a lipstick mark on his neck and the scent of floral perfume came rushing back.
I swallowed my tears. It was useless to cry for a man who treated me like nothing.
I looked at the photos one last time. In some, they were in uniform; in others, they wore civilian clothes.
He looked so comfortable next to her. I realized then why Saurav never took photos with me.
He didn't want the world to know he had a wife so he could keep playing around with other women.
The doorbell rang. I frowned, wondering who could be visiting at this hour. I went downstairs and opened the door. I froze. It was Saurav, standing there with his duffle bag.
“Hey… ” he said, stepping inside. “You look shocked.”
“I didn't expect you,” I said coldly.
“You should have,” he said, dropping his bag on the floor. He turned to face me. “How’s your sister now? I’ve called and messaged you multiple times, and you haven’t responded. What’s going on?”
Tears stung my eyes and my heart wrenched. Without a word, I walked into the kitchen and brought him a glass of water.
“I asked you a question, Kavya,” he pressed.
“She’s gone,” I whispered.
He let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “I told you, you're just making up stories to get money, aren't you? Is money really that important to you?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and ran upstairs without listening to him further. I slumped onto the bed, covering my mouth to muffle my sobs. I hated when he talked to me like that. I hated that he looked at me like I was a common gold digger.
I half-expected him to follow me, but he didn't. I was glad. I didn't want him to see me broken. I forced myself to get up and get ready; I had paperwork to prepare for my move to Switzerland.
When I went back downstairs, Saurav was sitting on the sofa. He turned his head the moment he heard my footsteps.
“Are you going somewhere?” he demanded.
“Yes,” I replied shortly. “To see a friend.”
“Name?”
I frowned. He had never questioned my whereabouts before. Why now? His expression was stone-hard, his fists clenched as he waited for my answer.
“Noor,” I said.
“When will you be back?”
“I don’t know.”
Without waiting for his another question, I walked away. Since I didn’t know how to drive, I hailed an Uber. My movements felt robotic; my mind was a blur of Tanya’s poisonous texts and the echo of Saurav’s cruel laughter ringing through our empty home.
Inside the bank, the air conditioning felt biting against my skin.
I sat across from the manager, signing the documents to authorize the transfer of twenty-five lakh rupees.
Every stroke of the pen felt like I was cutting a thread that bound me to him.
This money represented the weight of his accusations and the price of his insults.
By the time I walked out, I felt lighter, yet hollow.
I was no longer his "gold digger." I was nothing to him now.
Next, I headed to a small, quiet café near Noor’s apartment.
I couldn't go to her place yet; I needed a moment to mask my grief before facing her.
I pulled out my phone and looked at the last photo Tanya had sent.
Saurav looked so relaxed in his uniform, standing beside her.
The sight of the medals on his chest, the same chest I had once leaned on for comfort made me feel physically sick.
My phone buzzed with a message from the academy in Switzerland. My visa process was moving faster than expected. In two weeks, I would be gone.
"Kavya?"
I looked up to see Noor standing there, her face etched with worry. She sat down and immediately took my trembling hands in hers.
"I saw him, Noor," I whispered, the tears finally spilling over. “He’s back. And he... he didn't even believe she was gone. He laughed.”
Noor’s grip tightened. "He’s a monster, Kavya. You can’t stay with him."
"I'm not," I said, wiping my face with a napkin. My voice had found a sharp edge of finality. "I transferred the money. I’m finishing the paperwork for the academy tonight. I just need you to help me with one thing."
"Anything," she promised.
"Take care of Avni. Tell her nothing unless I ask you to. Her husband is Saurav’s cousin, and I don't want to cause tension between them. I'll handle the rest."
I looked out the window at the bustling street, feeling like a ghost watching the world move on.
Saurav thought he knew me. He thought I was a girl who could be bought, used, and discarded.
But as I watched the sunset paint the sky in shades of bruised purple, I realized that for the first time in three months, I wasn't just Kirti’s grieving sister or Saurav’s hated wife.
I was a dancer. And I was going to dance my way so far away that he would never find me again.
It was eight in the evening when I stepped out of the café and saw him. He stood there with the same calculating gaze, yet his eyes were warm.
Abhiraj Sisodiya.
His eyes mirrored my grief; he knew about my sister. I could feel his pain. I wanted to run to him and hide in his arms, but I stayed rooted to the spot. Suddenly, thunder rolled and the rain began to pour.
Abhiraj moved toward me, removing his suit jacket to shield my head. “Get in the car. Now.”
I shook my head, but he countered firmly, “Kavya… ” The command in his voice was impossible to ignore. I obeyed.
We sat in his car as fat drops of rain slapped against the windshield.
We stayed quiet for a while, listening to the angry storm.
His hands gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white, as if he were containing an explosion.
Finally, he spoke. “I wish I could take the time back. I wish I had been there, Kavya.”
My breath hitched as I fought the urge to cry. I was so tired of crying. I was so broken that I felt there was nothing left to break.
“I only wish I could have canceled my business trip,” he added softly.
“She’s at peace now,” I mumbled, my voice barely audible. After a moment, I added, “I don't want to talk about it anymore.”
“You’re leaving India?” he asked, sounding shocked.
“I got a job offer in Switzerland. I’m leaving in a couple of weeks.”
“Isn’t it too soon?” he asked, a hint of anger in his voice.
“I’ve waited three months. I don’t think it’s soon at all.” I finally looked at him.
“Are you leaving Saurav?”
“Yes. But I won't divorce him until he asks for it.”
“He’ll never ask,” Abhiraj whispered, almost to himself.
“He’ll be glad to be rid of me.”
“Trust me, he won’t. He will never.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because he was my best friend,” Abhiraj smiled sadly. “That bastard was my brother. Once.” He laughed, the sound laced with the pain of those memories.
“I know.”
He didn't seem surprised. “You’re the only woman he ever beat the hell out of me for.”
“Why are you taking his side? Why are you trying to prove he wasn't a complete ass to me?”
“Because… ” He swallowed hard. “I don't want you to leave him.”
Fresh tears broke free. “I can’t stay, Abhiraj. I can’t.” I started to sob. “He’s so blinded by hate that he can’t see what he’s become... or what he’s done to me.”
“He just lost his father,” he whispered.
“I lost my sister, Abhiraj! I lost my father-in-law, too. I’ve lost twice as much as him!
” I shouted. “If only he hadn't ignored my calls.
If only he hadn't cut off the cards. If he had believed me just once, my sister would still be here.
With me. I promised her I would save her.
She was my only family, and now she's …”
Abhiraj quickly wrapped his strong arms around me.
I squeezed his shirt, burying my face in his chest. I hated to admit how much I had longed for this comfort.
I had missed my friend. He rubbed my back, trying to soothe the ache.
Eventually, he handed me a small bottle of water.
I took a drink and tried to settle into the car seat.
“I’m sorry,” Abhiraj said, his voice full of regret.
“Why are you apologizing? It wasn't your fault.”
“I wasn't there when you needed me most.”
“Can we just change the subject?”
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