CHAPTER 9 #2
Karan stepped in, erasing the distance between them in a single movement.
His chest met her bare back. The sudden and intimate contact made her breath stutter.
And in that very charged second, Mishti realised she wasn’t the only one struggling to breathe.
His heartbeat thudded just as wildly, just as chaotically as hers.
Before she could react, his arm slid around her from behind and came to rest just above where she clutched her blouse. His palm hovered protectively over her hands, preventing the fabric from slipping even an inch.
For a single second, Karan forgot everything: his anger, his bitterness, even the reason why he had married her. His fingers just lingered close to her skin, wanting to touch… aching to touch… but he stopped himself just in time and leaned toward her ear instead.
“You’re not as innocent as you pretend to be, Mishti. I see through you… and your act.”
Her eyes flew open. Their gazes locked in the mirror again. They were so close that it felt suffocating, yet so far that it hurt.
“You thought that just because we’re here, in Rajat’s house, I’d be forced to let you into my room. You wore this saree thinking it would affect me. And this whole tangled-blouse drama… You really believed it would seduce me?”
His words slashed through her. He thought she was acting? Seducing him? A lone tear even escaped her eye. Just a moment ago, he had been gentle, almost tender and caring, and now he had turned into the ruthless man she kept colliding with.
Karan leaned further, his lips brushing the outer shell of her ear, as he whispered, “No matter how much you try to lure me, Mishti Goel… I’m never going to touch you. Not the way a husband should. So stop dreaming.”
Tears rolled freely from her eyes as he stepped back, putting distance between their bodies as abruptly as he had closed it. Without a second glance, he walked out of the room.
Mishti stood there, clutching the loose blouse to her chest, trembling, feeling humiliated, heartbroken, and alone, unsure if he would return that night… or if he ever intended to.
***************
Next Morning
When Mishti woke up the next morning, sunlight was already streaming faintly through the half-drawn curtains. The faint chill of the hills still lingered in the air. She blinked her eyes open, stretching slightly before realising she was still alone. Karan had not returned to the room last night.
She sat up quickly, glancing around the room. His duffel bag was gone too. She quickly hurried to the bathroom to get a shower.
It was already half past eight when she stepped out of the shower, wearing a soft pista-green churidar, her hair still damp over her shoulders. Looking one last time in the mirror, trying to compose her face for the people downstairs, she then headed out.
The farmhouse, which was lively with laughter and music last night, was now eerily silent. Empty glasses, decor and the faint scent of cologne still hung in the air, a ghost of the party that had ended hours ago.
She spotted one of the servants clearing the hallway. “Excuse me,” she said softly. “Do you know where Karan is?”
Before the servant could respond, she heard Rajat’s voice behind her. “He left early in the morning.”
She turned sharply. “Left? What do you mean?”
Rajat was already dressed to go. “Karan had an urgent meeting back in Mumbai. He and Kanika drove off together about an hour ago.”
“He left with Kanika?” she repeated. “Without even… telling me?”
Rajat sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, Mishti, I tried to stop him. But you know how he is…stubborn as ever. Once he decides something, no one can make him change his mind.”
Mishti blinked hard, trying to hold back the sting in her eyes. “He could have at least informed me.”
“I know. It wasn’t right. But when I tried to stop him, he had that look, the one that says ‘Don’t argue or I’ll bite your head off’. You’ve seen it too, I am sure.” He tried to lighten the air.
She gave a weak smile, shaking her head.
“Anyways, so everyone else’s already left. I’m about to head out, too. I’ll drop you off at home.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” she said quickly. “I brought my car. The driver’s waiting.”
“So what?” Rajat chuckled. “Let him follow us. It’s a long drive, and I need company before I die of boredom.”
She hesitated, instinctively wondering what Karan would say, or rather, how furious he’d be if he knew. Rajat caught the thought instantly, reading it in her silence.
“Don’t worry about him,” he said gently. “You’re my friend too, remember? And making sure you reach home safely is my responsibility, not something even Karan can stop me from doing.”
That finally made her smile again. “Thank you, Rajat.”
“You are always welcome,” he replied, grinning as he led the way out.
The drive back to Mumbai was quiet for the most part.
The hills rolled by, wrapped in thin mist. Mishti sat by the window, lost in thought.
Last night’s memories kept returning. Karan’s nearness, his touch as he untied her doris, the thick tension that had burned between them.
And then, his bitter words crushed the fragile hope she’d dared to feel.
She discreetly wiped the corner of her eye.
“I saw that,” Rajat said softly, eyes still on the road.
Mishti straightened. “Saw what?”
“The way you just brushed off a tear.” His tone was gentle, without pity. “I know right now your impression of Karan isn’t exactly glowing. But trust me, somewhere inside him, there’s still a man who knows how to care. He just doesn’t remember how to show it anymore.”
Mishti shook her head in denial. “You can’t excuse someone’s actions just by saying they have a good heart. It doesn’t erase the hurt they cause.”
“Maybe not.” Rajat smiled faintly. “But sometimes, the hurt is what pushes people to change. He’s not completely gone, Mishti. I’ve known him since we were kids. I’ve seen the side of him most people don’t.”
She turned to him, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “Then tell me… why is he like this? What happened in the past that made him so… distant, so angry all the time?”
Rajat shook his head, keeping his gaze steady on the road.
“That’s his story to tell. And when the time’s right, he will.
All I’ll say is that there was a time I thought I’d never see him smile again.
But since you’ve entered his life…” He paused to glance at her once.
“I’ve got this feeling that only you can bring that old Karan back.
The one who thinks from his brain but acts from his heart. ”
She frowned lightly, unable to believe that. “You think I can change him?”
“I think you already have,” Rajat said simply. “My mom used to say, if a woman decides something with her heart, even the hardest mountains move. You just need to believe it.”
Mishti looked out the window again, the Mumbai city slowly approaching in the distance. Rajat’s words sounded like hope, but right now, they felt impossibly far. Karan’s walls were too high, too thick. She wasn’t sure she could ever break through them.
Still, when Rajat suddenly added with a smile, “But in all this, don’t lose your own sunshine, okay? Keep smiling. Keep fighting your battles with love and dignity,” she couldn’t help but smile back.
“You’re a good friend, Rajat,” she said softly. “Karan’s lucky to have you.”
He bowed his head dramatically. “Finally, someone said it aloud. I’ll make sure to remind him of that every day.”
She laughed, the ache in her chest slowly easing for the first time since morning. And as the car rolled onto the main road toward Mumbai, Mishti thought that maybe hope wasn’t gone completely. Maybe it was just waiting for its turn.