Chapter 27 #2
Ruhaan chuckled as he imagined her in that moment. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
Page after page chronicled Neil’s journey: his first wobbly steps, caught mid-tumble with Naina’s hands just visible at the edge of the frame, ready to catch him.
His first birthday, face covered in cake frosting, eyes sparkling with joy.
A candid shot of him asleep surrounded by stuffed animals, each one carefully arranged around him by Naina to keep him company.
“This was his first day of school,” Naina said, pointing to a photo of Neil in an oversized uniform, his small hand clutching Naina’s skirt as he half-hid behind her.
“He didn’t want to go,” Naina murmured. “He kept saying, ‘Mumma, don’t leave.’”
Ruhaan’s gaze lingered on the picture before flicking to her. “He’s lucky to have you.”
The pictures continued: Neil learning to ride a bicycle, his first lost tooth, countless moments of ordinary joy captured forever.
Neil’s fourth birthday, where he had cake smeared all over his face.
A picture of Naina teaching him how to tie his shoelaces.
His seventh birthday party, where he stood proudly in front of a cricket-themed cake.
In every image, the bond between mother and son shone through…
in their matching smiles, their laughter, the way they always seemed to be reaching for each other.
A tear slipped down his cheek as he stared at those pictures. Her heart ached as she instinctively reached out, her thumb brushing the tear away.
“Ruhaan…”
“Let it fall,” he said catching hold of her wrist gently. “I never realized how much I lost by walking away seven years ago. We could have raised him together.”
Naina’s own eyes brimmed with tears.
“Ruhaan, please don’t—”
“I mean it, Naina,” he interrupted. “If I hadn’t backed out of our wedding seven years ago... if I hadn’t been so selfish… I would have been in every single one of these pictures.”
Naina bit her lip, her tears spilling over and her heart slowly opening up.
“I was so angry at you,” she confessed. “I hated you for not fighting for us, for our wedding. How could you deny us just because I wanted to raise a baby who had no one else?”
Ruhaan put the album away and pulled her close. His thumb gently wiped away her tears.
“I was a coward,” he admitted, his own tears falling freely now. “I was too focused on my career, too scared of the responsibility. I didn’t think I could be a father... not to Neil, not to anyone. And while I was being selfish, you were selflessly loving a child who wasn’t even yours.”
Naina sobbed quietly.
“But later, I understood,” she continued. “Why would any man want to become father to a child that wasn’t his own? He was my responsibility, not yours.”
“No,” he said firmly, drawing her closer.
“If I wanted you that much, I should have accepted your decision to raise Neil together. I was at fault. But I’m so proud of you, Naina,” he said, his voice shaking.
“You’re the strongest, most beautiful soul I’ve ever known.
The way you’ve raised Neil, the love you’ve given him.
.. I’m in awe of you. I don’t know how I’ll ever forgive myself for letting you go. ”
Ruhaan’s lips found her forehead, then her cheek. Naina shivered under his touch but didn’t pull away.
Their gazes locked. He waited for that one sign from her and the moment her lips parted, reading his desires, he captured her lips in a slow, tender kiss. She kissed him back. But as the kiss deepened, it grew more passionate, more consuming.
Her hands found their way to his shoulders, then slid to his chest, clutching his shirt as if anchoring herself to him. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her onto his lap. Their kisses grew hungrier, more desperate with each passing second.
As their bodies moved closer, his hands roamed her back, memorizing every inch of hers while her fingers tangled in his hair.
“Ruhaan... what are we doing?” Naina whispered, as the kiss slowed and their foreheads rested against each other’s.
He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Something we should have done a long time ago.”
His lips met Naina’s again and she responded with equal fervor, threading her fingers through his hair and pulling him closer. Familiar voices echoed in her head warning her she would regret this but Naina ignored. Just this moment. Just him.
His hand slid to her waist, pulling her flush against his body as their kisses deepened. She broke the kiss for a moment, gasping as she whispered, “You’re becoming my weakness…”
“Then let me be your biggest strength,” he murmured against her lips.
Before she could respond, his lips claimed hers again, silencing her doubts. With surprising ease, he swept her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Her heart thudded in her chest as she glanced toward Neil’s room once, but the door was shut.
Ruhaan’s intent gaze pulled her back into the moment as he nudged the door of her bedroom with his foot, before entering inside, the lock clicking softly behind them. He lowered her gently onto the bed, their lips meeting again. The walls she had built around them were crumbling in unison.
Her breath hitched when his fingers brushed the hem of her nightgown, lifting it ever so slightly.
“I don’t know why I am letting you do this… This is crazy…” she murmured, before her hands betrayed her. Gripping the fabric of his shirt, she tugged it over his head. Her lips found his chest, trailing soft, trembling kisses along his skin, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her touch.
“That’s because you love me,” Ruhaan said against her hair.
They kissed again, deeply, as he slid her nightgown higher, exposing her soft curves. His touch was gentle as they caressed her skin.
The night reminded her of their time in Delhi, yet this felt fundamentally different.
She was surprised when he removed her gown but didn’t remove her matching lingerie underneath.
Instead, he kissed along the straps, his lips trailing down her shoulder and back to her neck, savoring her like she was the most precious thing he’d ever held.
Suddenly, Ruhaan’s hands were everywhere yet nowhere at once, setting her skin ablaze while respecting the boundaries of her remaining lingerie.
His restraint wasn’t lost on Naina, but she chose not to break the spell by questioning it.
Whatever he was doing tonight wasn’t just about desire.
This was something deeper, something she wanted to name as ‘Love.’
Ruhaan pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers as they caught their breath. “I won’t fail you this time,” he promised, cupping her face.
She didn’t understand why he said that. What was going in his head?
His words, his touch, everything he did was consuming her.
She felt like she was freefalling, but she didn’t want to stop.
The hours passed in a blur of whispered words, gentle caresses, and stolen kisses.
He didn’t go any further than that and she wondered why?
Eventually, exhaustion and sleep took over. Ruhaan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against his chest. His lips pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head as he held her in his arms.
For the first time in years, Naina felt safe, as though she could let her guard down completely. She let her eyes flutter shut, lulled by his heartbeats beneath her ear. Their bodies curled together, their breathing slowed down as they finally drifted into sleep.
****************
Next Morning
Naina stirred awake, her consciousness slowly piecing together the events of the previous night. Her body tensed as she felt Ruhaan’s warmth beside her, memories of last night flooding back. Though they hadn’t crossed that final intimate act, last night still meant something deeper to her.
She carefully extracted herself from the bed and left the room. ‘What were you thinking?’ She whispered to herself, running fingers through her tangled hair. ‘He left you when you needed him most, and here you are, falling right back into his arms.’
She sighed almost frustrated by her own slip of control before checking on Neil, who was still peacefully sleeping in his room. She then took a hot shower, trying to wash away the confusion that clouded her mind, to cleanse her thoughts of Ruhaan who was still asleep in her bed. But it didn’t work.
She was making breakfast when the doorbell rang.
Her hair still damp from the shower, she wiped her hands on a towel, assuming it was the milkman.
But when she opened the door, she froze, because standing there, smiling warmly, were her uncle Subodh Kundra and aunt Malti.
“Naina, beta!” Subodh exclaimed, stepping forward to embrace her.
“Surprise!” Malti added, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “We couldn’t resist coming to see how you and Neil were doing after you mentioned he wasn’t well.”
Naina’s pulse raced as she forced a smile.
“We’ve missed you both so much,” Aunt Malti continued, stepping into the apartment. “Is Neil still sleeping?”
Before Naina could respond, the sound of shuffling footsteps caught everyone’s attention.
Ruhaan emerged from her bedroom, his hair tousled, wearing only his tracks and a faintly groggy expression as he rubbed his eyes.
“Naina, have you seen my phone—” He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he registered their visitors.
Time seemed to freeze. Subodh’s smile vanished, replaced by shock. Aunt Malti’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes darting between Naina and Ruhaan. The silence that descended was deafening.