Chapter 43
KAVYA
Only twenty-four hours remained before my flight to Switzerland. My life was packed into a few heavy suitcases; my documents were tucked into my purse, and my one-way ticket felt like a lead weight in my hand.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the door.
I was drowning in a quiet kind of grief because Saurav hadn’t noticed a thing.
He hadn’t even stepped foot into our bedroom for days.
He had become a ghost in his own home, choosing to sleep in the cold silence of the study or the guest room rather than be near me.
His rejection wasn’t loud or angry; it was silent, and that hurt so much more.
I was a fool. I was the one who had confessed my feelings when things finally seemed okay, only to watch his face turn to stone. With one confession, I had ruined everything.
The clock on the wall ticked mockingly. It was 11:30 PM, and Saurav wasn’t home. For the past week, he had buried himself in his father’s office, returning to the villa only for a few hours of restless sleep before disappearing again.
He finally arrived at 1:30 AM. He looked exhausted, his tie loosened and his eyes bloodshot. He had a flight at ten in the morning to start his new assignment; mine was at one in the afternoon. By the time he left this house, I would be preparing to leave it forever, too.
I opened the front door before he could ring the bell. He flinched slightly, startled to see me.
"You’re still awake?" he asked. His voice was flat, devoid of the warmth it once held. He dropped his laptop bag on the table and walked toward the kitchen without looking back.
"I was waiting for you," I said, following him like a shadow. I didn't know why I kept trying. Perhaps I was looking for a reason to stay.
He poured a glass of water and drank it in one frantic gulp. "I told you not to wait. I’ve been buried in my father's business affairs." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "There’s still so much to do. I’ll have to leave the rest to Uncle Dhruv... or maybe to you."
My heart wrenched painfully in my chest. He actually thought I would still be here when he returned. He had no idea that I was leaving the country.
"You’re leaving tomorrow morning?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Yes." Saurav looked at me then. For a split second, something flickered in his eyes, regret? Pain? but he crushed it instantly. "I have two days of travel before I reach Assam for my new post."
"Assam?" I blinked. "You didn't tell me it was Assam."
"I don't find it necessary to tell you every detail of my duty anymore, Kavya," he said, his voice sharpening with irritation. He set the water bottle down on the counter and turned to leave.
"Saurav, wait..." I called out. He stopped, his back to me. I stepped closer, reaching out to touch his sleeve. "Please, come with me. Just for a moment."
He frowned, looking at my hand as if it were a weight. "I’m exhausted, Kavya. If this is about us, we should talk later."
"Please," I whispered.
I led him toward the backyard. When I opened the glass doors, the darkness was broken by the soft, golden glow of fairy lights.
I had spent hours decorating the garden.
A small table stood in the center, decorated with candles and a simple chocolate cake.
It was his birthday, and despite everything, I wanted him to feel special.
I turned to him, searching his face for a smile. "Happy birthday, Saurav."
He froze. His face didn't soften; it turned pale. "It’s my birthday?"
"Yes. Did you forget?"
He stepped toward the table, but he didn't look happy. He looked at the cake with a growing sense of rage.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my heart sinking.
Saurav’s jaw clenched so hard I thought it might break. He looked at the rose bed where his mother buried, then back at the flickering candles. "She left... she died on my ninth birthday," he whispered, his voice shaking with sudden agony. "That means... today is her death anniversary."
The world seemed to stop. I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. How could I have been so blind? I had read his mother's suicide note in diary. I had seen the date written in her elegant script. I knew the dates were the same, but in my desperation to please him, I had completely blocked it out.
"Did you do this on purpose?" Saurav’s voice was a low, dangerous growl.
"No! No, Saurav, I swear… "
"You read her diary, didn't you? You knew what that day meant to me!"
"I forgot..." I squeezed my hands together, trying to stop the violent trembling. "I was only thinking of you, I didn't mean… "
"Forgot? Wow!" He let out a harsh, mocking laugh and clapped his hands together. "You truly are a..." He bit back the insult, turning away to head back into the house.
"Saurav, listen to me!" I ran after him, catching him in the hallway. He stopped but refused to look at me. "I’m so sorry. About the diary, about the cake... I never intended to hurt you."
He turned slowly, and the raw pain in his eyes made me want to scream.
"It’s okay, Kavya. It’s always 'an accident' with you, isn't it?
You didn't mean to file a legal complaint against me, but you did.
You didn't mean to get close to Abhiraj behind my back, but you did.
You didn't mean to lie to me for months, but you did.
" He pointed toward the garden. "And now, you didn't mean to turn my mother's death anniversary into a party. .. but you did."
I stepped toward him, tears blurring my vision. "I'm so sorry."
"Sorry doesn't fix a broken soul, Kavya.
It just mocks it." He smiled sadly and reached out, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.
It was a tender gesture, but his words were ice.
"You play the victim very well. But I'm done.” He ran his fingers through his hair before letting out, “I’ve filed for divorce. "
The air left my lungs. I went cold. "What...?"
"We’re over. The papers are being processed."
"But Saurav, we can fix this…"
He grabbed my arms, his grip firm but not bruising. "Listen to me. I’ve made sure you are taken care of. Fifty percent of the shares are in your name. That’s thirty crore as alimony. You’ll never have to worry about money again. You can have the life you always wanted."
"I don't want the money!" I sobbed, the tears finally breaking loose. "I want you! I love you, Saurav!"
He let go of me as if I had burned him. He stepped back, shaking his head. "That’s not possible. There is no 'us' anymore, Kavya. There never was."
He turned and walked to the guest room, shutting the door. The click of the lock was the loudest sound I had ever heard.
_______
The next morning was a nightmare of politeness. I made breakfast with numb hands. Saurav ate in silence, his face a mask of indifference. When he finished, he gave me a small, empty smile and picked up his bags.
"Goodbye, Kavya," he said.
I watched from the window as his car pulled out of the driveway. I didn't cry anymore. I was empty.
I quickly gathered my remaining bags and called Abhiraj. He arrived thirty minutes later, his expression grim as he helped me load my things into his car.
"Did you tell him you're leaving for good?" Abhiraj asked as we drove toward the airport.
I shook my head, staring out at the passing trees. "No. And guess what? He asked for a divorce this morning."
"That bastard," Abhiraj hissed, gripping the steering wheel. He stayed silent for a long time before asking softly, "Why did you marry him, Kavya? Truly?"
"Because I loved him," I whispered. It was the only truth I had left.
I didn't tell Abhiraj the full story of the secrets or the lies. Saurav was the only one who had the right to listen to my story first. Now, I was going to a place where no one knew my name.
"Will you come to Switzerland to visit me?" I asked, trying to find a spark of my old self.
Abhiraj managed a weak wink. "Twice a week if I have to."
When we reached the terminal, I pulled him into a tight hug. "You’ve been a great friend, Abhiraj. Thank you."
"Saurav is a fool," Abhiraj murmured into my hair. "He just lost the most precious thing in his life."
"Maybe," I whispered.
I pulled away, picked up my suitcase, and walked toward the gates. I didn't look back. I had a ticket to a new life, and for the first time, I was flying alone.
_______