Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Geet lay on the bed later at night pondering over her parent’s marriage. One that was fulfilling, filled with respect and love. She had hoped for that.

Even when she hadn’t really wanted to marry Maan, she had hoped for it afterwards and attempted to make things work with her husband.

She felt her insides twist as his words echoed reminding her that he had been married before and now he has a young child.

She hadn’t ever contemplated this would be her life.

She was only 20 years old, soon going to be 21. In the small span of her marriage, she couldn’t say that a full month had gone past where they’d made each other just happy.

She rolled onto her back and glanced at the door as it opened. Maan stood there.

“Do you want anything else to eat or drink?” he inquired.

“No” she answered shaking her head.

“Alright” he replied nodding his head.

“I’ve given you 6 months, Maan but… I want you to sleep in another room” she informed. “I… I don’t trust you and… I’ll just remember you breaking my heart”.

“Alright” he agreed without argument. He would do whatever she asked if it inched her towards trusting him. He wished her a good night and closed the door behind him.

Geet turned onto her side burrowing her face into the pillow.

Maan’s words echoed.

Tears brimmed in her eyes and slid down her cheeks dropping onto the pillow.

Geet jolted upright after a couple of hours and pressed a hand over her eyes.

She squeezed her eyes closed pushing away the remnants of the dream that lingered.

She suddenly felt trapped. Her heart squeezed.

She pushed away the blanket and climbed out of the bed. She shoved her feet into her sliders and grabbed a jacket. She pulled it around her and hurried down the stairs needing a break from being confined in this house.

She stepped out in the dark and inhaled deeply.

“Geet?”

She whirled around in surprise and frowned when she noticed Maan stood by the patio doors watching her warily.

“Are you okay?” he asked and moved to step out.

“Maan… I need space, okay? Just go back inside” she looked away from him.

“What can I do to make it right?” he whispered.

She squeezed her eyes closed and clenched her fingers into a fist by her side.

“Geet…”

“There’s nothing right now” she turned around to face him. “You’re a victim of your circumstances, Maan. I’m not holding that against you. But… you should have told me the truth. When you knew, you should have told me. I… I feel like I’m trapped. I can’t just… walk away” she murmured and tears stung her eyes. “I have my internship that I have worked so hard for. My parents… they’re going to be devastated. Dadima… she’s been nothing but kind to me and feels responsible for our lives being entwined and… I feel… I feel I can’t even walk away” she cried softly. “You’ve trapped me in this circumstance where I can’t walk away so easily without ruining parts of my own life”.

Maan felt disheartened and pondered over her words. He had been selfish. There was no excuse for it. He wished he could have done things differently. He wished he could’ve changed how he dealt with the situation but he couldn’t.

“I’m so sorry, Geet”.

“It doesn’t wipe away the betrayal or heartbreak you’ve caused, Maan. You hid a child from me. I’m 20 years old and I haven’t been a wife properly and here I learn that I could possibly have a stepdaughter and become a mother when I haven’t even become your wife?” she whispered. “You had 3 months to process the news…” she paused and stepped back shaking her head. She had agreed for 6 months, but could she do it?

Just seeing him reminded her of everything that had happened and the secrets he hid from her. She sucked in a deep breath and felt suffocated. She was trapped.

Maan rushed to her and held her arms. “Breathe, Geet” he urged. “Breathe” he shook her harshly forcing her to listen as she had started getting lightheaded.

“Inhale” he ordered.

She listened to his instruction and sucked in a deep breath.

“Exhale”.

She did and continued to follow his instructions for a few seconds as she regained herself and closed her eyes dropping her forehead to his chest.

“I see you… and I remember all your lies and secret” she whispered.

Maan closed his eyes and cradled her head. He lifted her face so she looked at him.

Was he going to do this? He thought to himself as he looked down at her. She was right, this was all unfair and selfish on his part to trap her. He did want her in his life. But he wanted her to want to be in his life. Not like this. He couldn’t see her like this. He had trapped her into this life, in this circumstance. She couldn’t walk away without ruining parts of her life. The internship would be ruined if she just walked away. Dadima would be devasted with her and blame herself if Geet walked away.

“Alright… I’ll let you go”.

“What?” she whispered.

“I’ll let you go, Geet. You don’t deserve this. You didn’t ask for any of this”.

“You’ll… let me go?” she asked.

It hurt but he would so he nodded. “If we’re meant to be, we will find our way to each other. You need a break away from me, us and this marriage to focus on yourself. I have had that chance and lived it” he responded. “Focus on yourself and… if we’re meant to be, maybe we’ll find our way to each other”.

She sniffed and closed her eyes.

“I’ll give you a divorce” he stated and she snapped open her eyes. “I’ll speak to dadima. You don’t need to speak to them or answer their questions. I’ll work from home for the next couple of months and only attend sites and meetings until you’ve completed your internship and get a placement with another company”.

“You’ll do that?”

“I don’t want to trap you, Geet. I don’t want you to be a victim of your circumstances. I’ve lived it and I… I couldn’t do that to you when you have not done anything wrong”.

Geet’s face crumpled and she cried. She hadn’t wanted this for them, but… but they needed the space. She needed the space. Their marriage was toxic from the beginning and there was lies and secrets between them. If they were meant to be, then they would find their way to each other.

Hope you enjoyed the update. It was not a plan to go down the route of divorce but I had a change of heart recently. 😂

The devil in the dark has been updated as well:

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/5263817?pn=125