ASHLOK FF - AT FIRST SIGHT Last Chapter - Page 82

Originally posted by: Serviana

You made me cry..i dont love you...pouting...😕

Originally posted by: charanyaaj

Very sad 😭
I felt like Agnihotris behind Ashlok seperation?

Originally posted by: latha_555

didnt realise there was so many updates...all really good...poor aastha and shlock...i have a feeling anjali will confess the truth after she sees her son so unhappy...looking forward to more updates

Originally posted by: Sg2013

Lovely updates dear. Read 10 of them at a strecth now. Beautiful story and you write very well.

Hi freinds, this is the penultimate chapter. Last chapter will be on Sunday. Enjoy.

Thank you for your love as always.

Chapter 30

He walked out of the house, he was angry and hurt beyond sanity. He was fuming with rage. How could she think so low of him. He was having trouble breathing. Walking away from the house he felt like walking away from his life. Walking away from happiness and love. A love he was promised that will be his for the next seven births. Right now he'd be happy with just this life time. Forget the next seven. How could she just decide I'm not fit to be in their lives. His life was over. As far as he's concerned he was good as dead. Nothing mattered to him. They have become his everything. For others it may seem ridiculous, impossible even. That how can someone fall in love with another so deeply as he has in such a short time span. But he has.

It was his darkest hour. He really felt it was better to be dead than feel the way he's feeling. The pain of ultimate betrayal. The pain of never seeing them again. Never seeing their smiling faces. Her angelic face sleeping in his arms. How is he going to live without her and the kids. He had already bought a house for them in Delhi. He had even finalised the school for the girls. He had everything planned for their arrival.

But deep down he refused to accept the fact she doesn't trust him. She thinks of him in the same line as her Step father. She knows him. She knows him more than anybody that's in his life. More than his family whose known him his whole life. Everything they talked about, everything they planned about the future, of making a life for themselves. She knew how much he loved her and how much he loved the little ones. Not once she acted as if she's uncomfortable of him being with them. She herself told him so many times how much she trusts him. Trust him with the girls.

what changed almost overnight, the more he thought about it the more he was convinced that some things just dont add up. At least in his rational mind they didn't. Did someone put doubt in her mind.

He was having trouble seeing where he's going. His eyes were clouded with tears. He had been walking close to an hour. He had lost track of time and place.

Shanthi had come back after an hour with the kids and found her lying in the same position. She sprinkled some water on to her face and finally Astha was conscious. She just hugged Sahanthi and cried all over again. Shanthi with great difficulty managed to get her on to the bed. She covered her and sat next to her soothing her hair. She was inconsolable.

Astha had taken two weeks leave. The most she's ever taken. She had to. She was not in a position to function with the current mentality. She didn't want to put innocent lives in danger. She had taken the decision to go on leave the second time Shlok had called the hospital.

Shanthi came back with a glass of water and a tablet. She just asked her to take the pill. It was a sleeping tablet. Shanthi suffered from insomnia. She was clinically prescribed to take sleeping tablets for one month. Shanthi stayed with her. Until Astha finally fell asleep. But even in her sleep, she was mumbling his name. It pained Shanthi to see her savour in such a state. But there was nothing she could do.

She thought tough times are ahead for Astha. She had no idea just how tough it's going to be for Astha and even for the little ones.

She woke up hearing her babies whispers next to her. She slowly opened her eyes. Opened her eyes to reality. What her life's going to be from now on. A life without him. Her soul mate. A life without ever feeling loved again. She still remembered his last words and the look on his face.

"This pain is nothing compared to the pain you caused me"

"Mama, wake up mama" Roshni was kissing her mother and urging her to wake up. Astha just hugged her babies as tight as she could without crushing their tender bones. She couldn't contain her sobs. They held on to their mother. Even though little and unaware of the gravity of the situation they could feel their mother needed them and they quietly kept on hugging her back. They know, feel and understand far more than we tend to give them credit for.

After awhile Astha made up her mind to not let her babies suffer for her error in judgement. She put up a brave face, fake smile and all. Sent them down to get started on breakfast. She said she'll be down in a bit.

She was standing under the shower. She saw the blue patches on either side of her hands. She wished they'd stay forever like a tattoo.

Then she reached for the Mangal sutra. She kissed the nuptial chain. She broke down all over again. She kneeled down on the cold marble floor and asked for his forgiveness. She pulled her bath robe and muzzled her screams and sobs with it. She kept saying I'm sorry, please forgive me.

How things change, the last time they made love in her home was in this very place. And today she's alone, broken and defeated on her knees crying for her lost love. How can love be so cruel. Fate had played a very dirty trick on her. Not for the first time and won't be the last time either. She cried as much as humanly possible. She ran out of tears.

There was knock on the door. It was Shanthi, checking up on her. She managed to utter few words in the lines of I'm almost done.

They had the meal in relative silent. She was excepting a barrage of questions about Sholk from Rosh and Rash. But they were silent. She assumed Shanthi must've asked them not to. Looking at them she felt bit better. But he was never far from her thoughts. Her mind was constantly reminded of him.

She was going through the motions. Her body was alive but her soul has died. Couple of days later Rashmi asked her when she was about to read them their bedtime story.

"Mama, is Daddy angry with us? Did you and daddy have a fight? Why isn't he talking to us like he promised?"

She knew she had to answer them, if not today then tomorrow. "Baby, daddy is angry with mama. Mama can't go and live there with daddy. Mama, can't work there and things are very different. So we'll stay here like we have always done. But he loves you very much. He'll always love you. But we will not see him again. You love being with Mama right" she said kissing her forehead. Hiding the tears.

"We love you mama. But why can't he come and stay here with us" Roshni asked this time.

"Because baby, his family is in India. And he can't live without them. His mother and father, his brother and sister they are all there. They'll be sad if he leaves and come here" she said hoping they'll stop the interrogation.

Now enough with the questions close your eyes and go to sleep both of you" she said tucking them in.

She stayed with them. she's been sleeping with them most of the days. Being next to them help her divert her mind a bit from thinking of him. Plus sleeping alone on the same bed that they first made love was simply unbearable.

Shlok was sitting in his hotel room. The same hotel same room. He had specifically asked for it. He didn't want to forget about her, even though she said they have forgotten him. He didn't believe it for a Second. He wanted to be reminded of her. Reminded of the moments they spent together. The two times they made love. She makes him feel alive. Even the pain he was feeling by remembering those moments was worth it. They were the most cherished moments of his life. Why would you want to forget them.

But the more he thought about the things she said, the more He was convinced that she's doing this under misguided advice. It's not her talking but a fear and a doubt that has been planted by some one else. He was determined to get to the bottom of this.

It has been a week since the that dreadful day. How she survived she does not know. She just existed. She wasn't living anymore. Astha, came back home having dropped the girls at a play date. Shanthi too had gone to meet her freind. She straight away went to her room.

As soon as she opened the door and entered the room, the intruder grabbed her pushed her on to the bed. He kept one hand on her mouth to keep from screaming and With the other held her hands behind her back. She tried to kick her way out of his strong hold. But She couldn't even see her attackers' face. He was behind her. Then the intruder nuzzled her hair, and kissed the back of her neck. The next moment he was on top of her and even though he let to of her hands and took the hand away from her mouth she couldn't scream or raise a finger at the intruder. He plunged his mouth on to hers while his hands roamed freely on her upper body. She felt she was having a nightmare. But for that you need to be asleep. But she was having this nightmare with eyes wide open. She was trying to say something, but it was not audible to any living being. Finally she managed to speak.

"Shlok what are you doing?"