-22-
Raghav drove away, his car speed increasing as he navigated through the noisy roads.
Delhi never sleeps. He was sure about it now.
The night was clear and cool, the stars twinkling brightly in the sky above.
He rolled down the window, letting the fresh air rush inside.
The crisp breeze felt refreshing against his skin, a stark contrast to the turbulence of his thoughts.
"You are really lucky, dude. She is so in love with you," Karan said, smiling lightly at his friend.
"We are getting married, but it's nowhere near a love marriage. Keep that in your mind," Raghav stated, his concentration solely on the road as he changed gears.
"It can be an arranged marriage, but her eyes speak volumes. The way she looks at you, it's like her world is centered around you," Karan remarked, gazing out the window.
"I never thought you were somebody who could sweet talk," Raghav responded, giving him a brief glance.
"I couldn't help it, dude. She looked so delicate. I don't think anyone can hurt her. The thought itself seems absurd. You both are just so opposite yet perfect for each other," Karan said, smiling lightly at Raghav.
"And when she called me Bhaiya, it was so pure. I really liked her. She is everything anyone would ever want in a partner," Karan continued, his eyes on Raghav, who remained silent, his face unreadable.
"Just remember, Raghav, love can grow in the most unexpected places," Karan added softly, hoping his words would resonate with his friend.
"Love in itself is an absurd feeling. So stop saying nonsense," Raghav spoke in a cold tone.
Karan sighed, leaning back in his seat. "You know, it's okay to feel something, Raghav. You're not a machine."
Raghav's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Feelings complicate things. I prefer to keep everything straightforward."
Karan shook his head, looking out the window again. "Life isn't straightforward, and neither is marriage. Whether you admit it or not, Jayasvi is getting to you. You can't deny that."
Raghav didn't respond, the tension in the car thickening. They drove in silence for a while, the city lights blurring past.
As they approached Hooda Mansion, Karan decided to try one last time. "Just give it a chance, man. You might be surprised."
Raghav parked the car and turned off the engine. He looked at Karan, his expression hard. "I appreciate your concern, but I know what I'm doing."
Karan moved inside while Raghav parked the car in the parking area before moving inside the mansion. He could see his family appreciating Karan's sudden visit.
"What kind of bestie are you, Karan, for not being there at bhaiya's engagement?" Dhara spoke, narrowing her eyes at him. Karan raised his hands in surrender, trying to look scared by her anger.
Raghav sat on one of the sofas in the living room. A helper came by to serve them glasses of water.
"I met Bhabhi already. Now, I know why Raghav was in such a haste to get engaged," Karan spoke teasingly, looking at Raghav who simply ignored it.
"My bahu (daughter-in-law) is one in a million. If it was up to me, I would've brought her home that day only," Gauri Hooda spoke, looking at her grandson with pride.
"This isn't fair. I wanted to meet her as well," Dhara spoke excitedly.
All she wanted was to talk things out with Jayasvi, knowing how she never deserved the pain she went through.
The guilt and sadness were eating her inside.
She couldn't forget her condition when she got to know about everything.
"Karan beta, it's late, you should go and sleep," Gajraaj spoke, patting his shoulder affectionately.
"Ji uncle, I am tired from the jet lag as well," Karan spoke, stretching his body.
"Raghav beta, you also go and sleep. It's past your sleeping time," Vandana spoke, moving her fingers affectionately through his hair. Raghav nodded, wanting to get out of his work clothes as soon as possible.
"And your engagement pictures are already printed, you should look into them once you are free," his grandmother told him.
"I wanted to see them as well. Don't you dare look at them before me," Karan announced as he reached upstairs. Raghav shook his head, not understanding why everyone was so excited about the pictures. They were just normal pictures. What was so special about them?
Raghav headed to his room, feeling the day's exhaustion finally catching up with him. He changed into his night clothes and sat on the edge of his bed, the events of the evening playing back in his mind.
The night passed quietly, the city resting under the blanket of stars.
In the morning, Jayasvi was getting ready for her college when she got a message that the first three classes were canceled.
She cursed in her mind. She could've slept more if she had known this earlier.
She was just about to leave, wearing her gloves, as she couldn't roam around with such an expensive ring on her finger.
Only yesterday, she saw news about someone cutting off a woman's finger to steal her ring. She shivered at the thought.
She was going to change when she saw a message from Dhara.
Jayasvi frowned at the message. Did something happen at their home? Her mind was racing with different possibilities, reading the message 6-7 times.
What if he told her how he hated her and no longer wants to marry her? Or worse, he thinks that I am a characterless girl for throwing myself at him? She bit her lower lip, thinking about all the possibilities.
"Kya yaar Jayu, kyu itna soch rahi hai? Ek baar milkar chutti kar na," she mumbled to herself. (Why are you thinking so much, Jayu? Meet her once and know everything)
She nodded her head as she informed her mother about her plans. She messaged Dhara, saying she was going to college and suggested they meet somewhere nearby. A few minutes later, Dhara told her about the location of a nearby cafe. They agreed to meet in half an hour.
Jayasvi reached the cafe just in time to see Dhara already there. She could see the security around, signaling Dhara's presence. Jayasvi was dressed in a yellow sweater and jeans, with boots and her hair in a neat braid. Jayasvi knew she looked too simple but felt comfortable with her appearance.
As she approached Dhara, she noticed her open hair and the long winter dress she was wearing, making her look elegant along with the diamond earrings.
"Hi," Jayasvi spoke softly. Dhara got up from her place to hug her tightly, mumbling a soft hello.
"After everything, Bhabhi, I thought you wouldn't even come to meet me," Dhara spoke as they settled down in their seats.
"Honestly, Dhara, I thought the same thing but I couldn't just hide from my destiny or fight against it when I know I can't change it," Jayasvi spoke with a soft smile.
"I am sorry to pull you into all this," Dhara said, looking down in guilt. She couldn't even meet Jayasvi's eyes. She felt so small in front of her at that moment.
"Dhara, I was heartbroken with everything but then I remembered the promise I made to myself. I have left everything to my Kanha ji, and he is giving me exactly what I should have, so I don't have anything to argue about," Jayasvi spoke, a sad smile on her lips.
"I didn't know you'd be this calm while we talked about it," Dhara said, finally looking up and seeing the calmness on Jayasvi's face.
"Dhara, you know I was one of those girls who were very excited about their marriage.
I had this big list where I would think about every single thing I wanted in my partner.
I never got involved with anyone because I knew they weren't the one.
One day, I sat down in front of my god and told him whatever he chose for me would be for my best. Nobody is perfect, neither is anyone's life.
But I think what god chooses for us is for our best. Even now, in this situation, Rishabh has his own sister, yet I am the one connected in this whole plan," Jayasvi spoke, looking out of the window at the sky.
She watched so many spiritual and religious videos that all she felt was calm at the moment.
More than calm in reality, she was feeling helpless.
Why it was always her who lost the people she loved?
Was she this difficult that nobody could stay with her?
The only time she trusted people she only got pain out of everything.
Sometimes she felt like her family also stayed with her just because she was their blood otherwise if they were given a choice, they would leave her as well. She was just not worth being with.
"I don't know how bhaiya behaved with you, but trust me, he isn't that bad," Dhara said, smiling gently at Jayasvi, keeping her hand on hers.
"You know, Dhara, maybe I am younger than you and have seen a lot less than you, but I have seen that nobody is bad especially with the people they care for.
Everybody has a soft spot for that one person with whom he or she is totally different.
You are lucky that in your bhaiya's life, you are that person," Jayasvi spoke, holding Dhara's hand gently.
"He is ready to marry any girl if it means to give you your happiness," Jayasvi completed.
Her brain was telling her it was stupid to act this way.
This girl in front of her was somehow the reason for her pain, but her heart was at calm, and she didn't want enmity with anyone.
At the end of the day, it was always her who lost the most important people in her life.
First Pooja and now Raghav. She somehow handled herself when Pooja left but she can't really imagine being away from Raghav.
"I never thought you'd react this way after everything," Dhara confessed, letting out her guilt.
"You know, you must think I am thinking about a far future.
But even if I feel helpless today, I know if someday I'll have a daughter, your brother would be the best father to her.
He is actually the best son, the best brother, the best grandson, the best boss, and so on," Jayasvi spoke, adoration clear in her tone.
"And what about being a good lover?" Dhara asked, tilting her face to catch any emotion from Jayasvi's face. Jayasvi stilled at her words, her fingers shivering a bit, which Dhara felt as she held her hands. Jayasvi took a deep breath.
"Aapko pata hai Dhara, jab mujhe vo sab pata chala na, I just wanted to run away from him.
Par jab shanti se bethkar socha na toh realise hua unke bina I can't actually imagine my life," Jayasvi said, looking into the distance as she chuckled at her own words.
(You know Dhara, when I got to know about all this, I just wanted to run away from him.
But when I thought about it calmly, I realised I can't imagine a life without him. )
"You know, main jab movies, dramas or books mein ye dekhti thi na ki aapke saath ek insaan bura bhi kar raha hai, phir bhi aap unse nafrat nahi kar paa rahe, aap phir bhi unse dur nahi jaa paa rahe ho, toh bohot gussa aata tha.
Sochti thi kya pagal log hain. Why would somebody want to suffer just for love?
But ab jab sochti hu toh unke saath rehna unse dur rehne se achha lagta hai," Jayasvi spoke with a sad smile.
(You know when I used to watch movies, dramas, or read books and see how one person is hurting the other one, still it isn't easy for that person to leave or hate them.
I used to feel very angry at those plots, considering them stupid to suffer for love.
But now that I think of it, a life with him seems better than a life without him. )
"You know, Dhara, unse dur jaane ka sochti hu na toh bohot dard hota hai dil mein.
Uss dard se bhi zyada jab sab pata chala tha mujhe," Jayasvi spoke, looking at the table, her eyes tearing up thinking about that day.
(You know when I think about going away from him, it hurts a lot in my heart.
It hurts more than it did on that day when I got to know about everything. )
"You really love him so much," Dhara spoke, feeling pity seeing the tears in Jayasvi's eyes. Jayasvi looked up as the tears started falling, her hands shivering, which made Dhara hold them tighter.
"I am so unlucky, Dhara. The moment my heart was broken was the time when I realized how much I loved him," Jayasvi couldn't hold back the sob as she covered her mouth.
The heartbreak made her realize how much he meant to her.
She never loved anyone apart from her family, but when she heard Dhara and Rishabh speaking, she could feel her heart breaking into pieces.
That was the moment when she realized the intensity of her emotions and also went through a heartbreak.
She couldn't experience the bliss of love before she was approached by heartbreak.
Dhara got up from her place, sitting beside Jayasvi, hugging her tightly as tears formed in her own eyes.
"Why can't he love me, Dhara? He clearly said he doesn't even like me. What should I do to make him like me?" Jayasvi muttered softly, her voice barely a whisper.
Dhara held her tighter, feeling Jayasvi's pain as if it were her own. "Oh, bhabhi, sometimes love isn't something we can control or force. But I believe, with time, things will change. My brother isn't heartless. Trust me, nobody can stay without liking you. He'll come around soon."
Jayasvi nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I hope so, Dhara. I really hope so."
They sat in silence, the weight of their emotions filling the space around them. The cafe buzzed with life, but for the two women, time seemed to stand still.
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