New FF-2nd chance at Love-Completed-PG 81-08/08/2014 - Page 23

Vihaan and Kalpi held each other for a long time, each lost in their ownn thoughts. Kalpi was thinking about tomorrow, about facing her mom and Raghav. She had firmly decided, she would talk to Raghav one last time and end everything with him. She decided that she would not be a coward and would face him head on. It would be like pulling a band-aid in one clean motion. It would hurt for a second, but she could not endure a lifetime of pain by keeping her hopes alive.

Vihaan was making a promise to himself about healing all of Kalpana's wounds and ensuring that she had a lifetime of happiness.

"He does not deserve you", Vihaan said.

"I know that. You know Vihaan, when Raghav had first proposed to me, you know I thought I was not worthy of him. I had avoided accepting his love because I did not think I was good enough for someone like Raghav who was rich, intelligent and handsome. I always felt I was too ordinary for him. Maybe at some level, it was my feeling of inadequacy which made me forgive all his transgressions and even accept his Sindoor marriage. Today, I realize that there is nothing wrong with me and he does not deserve me", she stated matter of factly.

"What are you planning to do, Kalpana? I am not pushing you to make any decision right now, but I was just wondering", Vihaan asked.

"I have decided to talk to Raghav. I will face him one last time. I need to end things with him. I need closure", Kalpi said.

"Are you ready for this, right now? Don't you think you should give it some time?", Vihaan asked.

"No, Vihaan, this needs to end, I am not going to prolong my pain and suffering"., Kalpi said.

"Please let me help you, tell me do you want me to come with you when you meet Raghav." Vihaan asked.

Kalpi smiled," Thanks for offering, but I think I have to do it myself. But, please do something for me, Vihaan. Please don't allow me to become bitter. I need a friend like you to feel that the world is not such a bad place. I don't want to go about my life hating everyone and being sad all the time. Before coming to work in your company, I had spent a long time being unhappy; I don't want to go back to being that way. Just continue being my friend".

"I promise, I will always be you friend", Vihaan said. He made a vow to himsef too, "I will be her husband and lover one day".

Raghav woke up with the mother of all headaches the next day. He turned and saw Pakhi lying next to him. "What are doing here, Pakhi?", he shouted.

"What does a wife do when she is sleeping next to her husband in one bed," she smiled flirtatiously saying this.

Suddenly Raghav realized that he was naked and Pakhi was just wearing a flimsy nightgown.

He held his head in his arms and groaned. "What the hell have I done? I don't remember anything after leaving the party and seeing Kalpi in Vihaan's arms." Suddenly he started having of flashes of him kissing Kalpi, holding her in his arms and making love to her.

"Oh God, did I make love to Pakhi, thinking she was Kalpi. I can't believe I could do this. How could I have drunk so much, so as to do it?" he cursed himself.

"Raghav, yesterday you made all my dreams come true. I have never been happier", she continued chirpily.

"Leave me alone, Pakhi. I can't talk to you right now. I can't believe something like this happened. I need to think", Raghav said in a broken voice.

"I will leave you alone now, but remember you are tied to me for life", she said and she left the room.

Raghav went into the bathroom and took out two aspirins from the medicine cabinet and swallowed it. The pain in his head was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. He suddenly fisted his hands and banged into the bathroom wall. The more physical pain he endured, he hoped his mental anguish would lessen.

Raghav spent the entire day in bed, not sleeping, but tossing and turning in agony. His heart kept on just saying, "I am sorry, Kalpi. I did not mean to hurt you."

Next day, Raghav went to his mom's room. "Mom, I can't take it anymore. I can't live with Pakhi. I have listened to everything you said, I have done everything you wanted. I have destroyed the Kapoors, staying with Pakhi cannot hurt them anymore as they only care about riches, not their children. Please let me divorce Pakhi" saying that he broke down completely and cried in his mother's arms.

Gauri suddenly had a realization of how much Raghav had endured all his life, he had destroyed his life to complete her aspirations of revenge. She decided that she could not put him through more pain. She smiled and said, "Go ahead, Raghav. Go ahead and live your life".

Raghav thought to himself, my life has ended. I don't have any life left to live.

He went to Pakhi next, "We need to talk, Pakhi".

Pakhi smiled seductively and said," I was waiting for you to come to me. We need to start our relationship on a new footing and we need to talk before that."

Raghav said, "We do not have any relationship. What we had can be termed as a one night stand. I am sorry for what happened, but I can't continue this relationship anymore. I want a divorce. Pakhi, I will give you half of my assets, my property, my business anything you desire. I will continue to support your lifestyle all through my life. But I can't continue with this marriage."

Pakhi said, "I won't give you a divorce, Raghav. I love you and want to continue as Mrs. Raghav Singhania and I will continue to be your wife".

"I don't love you, why do you want to stay married to me Pakhi. You are still young, you can find someone who loves you and be happy with him. Why do you want to destroy both our lives?", Raghav asked.

"Getting married to you was my goal and I have achieved it and I don't want anyone else in my life.", Pakhi said firmly.

"I don't care, I am going to apply for a divorce, Pakhi", Raghav reiterated.

"What if I get pregnant?" Pakhi asked.

Raghav had not thought about this before, but he replied, "If you get pregnant, I will support whatever you decide. If you want to keep the child with you, I will support you in every way and be fully involved in the child's life. If you do not want to keep the child with you, I am ready to take full responsibility of the child".

Pakhi knew that she would not be getting pregnant, as she had already taken necessary precautions, by taking a pill in the morning. She did not want to lose her lovely figure and there was no way, she wanted to be a mom now.

"You have thought of everything, but I am not going to divorce you, Raghav. Forget about it", she said.

"It is not your decision, I am going ahead and filing the papers," Raghav said finally.

Pakhi gave an evil smile and said, "Try it. I will drag your dearest Kalpi's name in mud. I will splash your love story in all the tabloids. I will tell the whole world about your young innocent wife and the other woman who stole my husband. I know enough tabloid news reporters to get this whole story flashed in every thrashy newspaper and every TV channel. I know you don't care about your reputation, but once I am thorough with this, Kalpi and her family will never be able to show their face anywhere. You profess to love Kalpi don't you, so just think about what such an expose will do to her life. Do you still want to divorce me?" She smirked and left from there.

Raghav was stunned; he knew he could not put Kalpi through this hell. "What a hell-hole have a dug for myself and you, Kalpi. How could I have destroyed everything that was good in my life single-handedly", Raghav broke down completely.