Hi long awaited Part 3
yes it was Jai 😉
Bani looked at the man in front of her and shook her head in disbelief. The utter gall of this man. If Jai was surprised by her look he didn't show it. He was expecting it. Her attitude, her anger did not make him squirm. In fact he stared back amused.
Bani turned to walk away. Dammit, she wasn't going to feel anything. Not anxiety. Not regret. Not grief. Nothing. She was so good at lying to herself, it was almost scary.
She was fuming. Jai didn't care about her. Maybe he never had, despite their three years of marriage. He'd deceived her, without the slightest effort at defending himself or explaining the mystery of that final piece of information about Pia.
How could he have so completely turned his back on everything they believed in? how could he have turned his back on her?
Now she just wanted the nightmare to end. So what was he doing here?
She walked up to her little cottage, fully aware that he was following her. Her thoughts swirled in her mind. She had loved Jai with all her heart.
But like the song said, what did love have to do with it? Love had betrayed her, broken her soul, and destroyed her dreams. She'd trusted him. And he let her down in the worst way.
She wasn't sure what she wanted now, but she knew it had to start with closure. She could have divorced Jai without a signature. But she'd never be able to move on without facing him, one last time. And now was her chance.
She entered the house, almost slamming the door on his face.
Jai was angry now. He twisted her in his arms, forcing her to face him. Bani's eyes were wide, frightened of him, and a gasp of fear exploded out of her against his palm. He knew what she saw, and it wasn't the Jai Walia she'd known. He became wild, and much more dangerous.
"don't scream, he warned her, still holding tightly to her arms even as he dropped his hand from her mouth. She blinked, said nothing, and just stared at him for a long time. He could feel her body trembling against him, feel her soft warmth even in the thick chill.
" Mr Walia, she breathed finally, almost a question, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
She smelled of lemons and sunrises and far away dreams. It was nearly drugging, holding her this way. God he missed her. His eyes were painful. Looking at her like that. And nothing was more painful in his world than not having Bani.
He couldn't bear to look into her eyes, that damnably brown that he could still see all too well, and found himself looking everywhere else, at her sweet wide mouth, dark jet black hair feathering around her smooth cheeks, chest rising in fast breaths. Her body felt tense.
It had been so long since he'd held Bani. the ruined heart he might as well not have anymore thundered in his chest. Fiery grief stung his heart, all the worse for having been so deliberately, carefully, suppressed for so long.
She wasn't supposed to be here all alone. She didn't belong here in Mt Abu. Her staying here away from him was tortuous.
"how did you know I was in Mt Abu Mr Walia?
"Rano". The admission was low, hoarse. Again she struggled against him. Her frame was light, her limbs slender, but she was stronger than she looked.
He met her eyes, and as he'd known they would. Her eyes stabbed him, hated him. He knew what she must think. She thought that he betrayed her. she believed he and Pia had planned to deceive her. she would believe all that he reasoned, so that she would be kept safe in her decision to leave him.
Suddenly she lashed out. She kicked him, hit his leg she couldn't care. He was upsetting her world once again.
"let go of me Jai" she cried out.
"you have no idea how much I want to do just that " he growled. Every second that he faced her killed him a little bit more.
Her eyes were nothing like he remembered. Her soul was in her eyes, that's what he'd always said about Bani. but now her eyes were hard, protected. She had changed, and he knew he was to blame. her life had never been easy with him.
" go away Mr Walia" you are not needed here.
Jai was worried. This was a Bani he did not know.
"I, want a divorce".
He let go of her. she nearly stumbled backward, as if she hadn't expected it in that instant. He barely held is own ground. Of course. Why hadn't he foreseen it. How had he managed to so block out every agonizing thought of the wife he'd so loved that he hadn't realized one day she would want a divorce? That she would want to move on, make a new life without him?
Was she in love with another man? He almost choked, stopping himself from blurting out the too-revealing question. He couldn't bear the answer, and in truth, that was why he hadn't let himself consider the question in these long four months. He couldn't afford to think of Bani and her life without him.
Jai realised that he had disillusioned her the night he'd' thrown away her trust.
hope you enjoyed. 😛
Please as usual lwve comments. Hope to finish this one soon.
Khatija
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
