Aaand I'm back (again 😆)! Thank you for all the wonderful comments and likes. Unable to reply individually but I did read each one of the them! 😃 Thanks for the love peeps 🤗
Here's the next update... Chapter 41: A Point of No Return?
After a stormy night of bitter emotions, Geet felt a beautiful feeling envelope her. Wondering the source of her bubbling happiness, she opened her eyes to focus on the object in front of her. Lazily rubbing her eyes off sleep, she looked around to find herself neatly tucked in a different bed from last night. She jerked up to see the man from whom she ran away sit gingerly beside her with a relieved smile on his face.
"Yeh... main... yahaan?" Geet mumbled becoming conscious of his gaze.
"I brought you back to our home," he said stressing on our'.
Geet closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to control her emotions. She couldn't let her heart rule over rationality again. "I think I made it clear I don't want to be part of this home anymore," she stated coldly without looking into his eyes.
Maan's body stiffened with her statement. "You suddenly walked out last night without a reason. What's wrong Geet?" he queried as calm as possible.
"I don't owe you any reason." She bit her tongue hoping to conceal a sob. She did owe him a reason. In fact she owed her whole life to him but she feared if she told him the reason he would find a way to work it out and prevent her from going away. She had to leave him. There was no way he deserved someone like her as she could never put her love for him in front of her goals. The only solution was to walk away from this marriage that blinded her goals and ruined his life.
"What do you want Geet?" he asked defeated. He would lay his life for her at her command but her reluctance broke his heart. She was avoiding confrontation or even looking at his eyes.
"I want a divorce."
Before Maan could react they heard a loud gasp from the hallway. Maan and Geet turned to see Daadima sway a bit before she caught the door to steady herself.
"Daadima!" both screamed and rushed to her side. Maan supported his grandmother holding her waist while Geet held Daadi's hands and helped her sit on the bed.
Savitri Devi was still in shock as she was made to sit on the bed while both her children ran to get water for her. She observed the both with worry written on their face as they hurried to help her. She had come to tell them about her plans to visit few pilgrimages for she wanted to thank the Lord for all the blessings he showered on her family. All these days she was worried about Maan's future but with Geet's entry she knew her grandson was indeed lucky. Her aged and experienced eyes saw through their act of husband and wife initially and thus concocted plans to get them together. But after the trip things did seem changed. Maan looked happier while Geet glowed in his love. Happy that things indeed worked out between them, she wanted to leave the two alone and visit some pilgrimages. But this sudden change in atmosphere shocked her. She worriedly looked at the duo as they tried to get her to drink some water.
"Yeh ho kya raha he bete?" she managed to say turning her attention to Geet. She looked down in shame, unable to give her a proper answer.
"Voh, voh kuch nahi Daadima, she was joking," Maan intervened with a nonchalant chuckle, hoping his grandmother won't catch his lie.
"Maan aap bahar jayiye, mujhe Geet se zaroori baat karni hai," she ordered with a no nonsense tone.
"But Daadi," he began reluctantly.
"Maan." He knew that tone very well. Even his Daadaji wouldn't dare to speak when his Daadi spoke like that. Without a choice, he walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
The moment he stepped out, something broke inside him. Daadima's sudden arrival had distracted his attention and rushed to her aide not giving him enough time to react to Geet's statement. I want divorce.' Her voice echoed in his mind repeatedly shattering him by the second. He shut his ears and shook his head trying to evade her voice engulfing his mind. Unable to get her ominous voice out, he punched the nearest object crushing it into a million pieces. Shards of glass cutting across his skin allowing blood to drip out. Not heeding to the physical pain, he headed out to his personal gym wanting to vent his anger.
***
It had been more than an hour since Daadima had sent Maan out of the room. Sweat drenched his whole body as he sent another stack of bricks crumbling down the stand. Drops of water mixed with tinge of dark red trickled down crushed ice blocks. In spite of crushing and breaking everything around him, he was still left unsatisfied. He eyed the next set of bricks and was about to strike it when he felt a strong hold on his shoulder.
"Maan bas keejiye," Daadima pleaded shaking his shoulder. Maan brushed away her hand and sliced through the set of bricks in front of him. His body shivered with rage scaring Daadi. Fearing he would harm himself further, she came to stand between him and the brick stand. "Bas bhi keekiye Maan bete!" she screamed as worry lines creased her forehead. His eyes reflected a huge storm brewing in his heart. "Please!"
Maan never stepped over his grandmother's words. And even today he respected her words and stopped his maddening rage while trying to calm his body. He took a long breath and looked straight at her. "Fine Daadima. Usse divorce chahiye na? I'll give it to her. The day I married her, I promised to lay my life for her. She has afterall asked for divorce. Voh toh main de hi sakta hoon." He finished, his voice dangerously calm.
"Maan aap..." she began unsure whether she heard him right.
"Please Daadi I do not wish to talk about this futher. Main Pavan uncle se baat karloonga," he brushed away his Daadi's advances.
"Teekhai Maan I won't interfere. Jo aap teekh samjhe karlo. Mujhe bas aap dono ki khushi chahiye," she said cupping his cheek. "Ab please yahaan se chaliye, I need to clean up your wounds," she said pulling him along with her to her room.
On the way she asked Nakul to bring warm water in a bowl and first aid kit. Reaching her room, she made him sit on the bed. He gingerly sat staring into nothingness while she brought a wet towel to wipe away his sweat-covered face. By the time she was done, Nakul came over with the requested things and kept it by the bed.
"Daadima aur kuch chahiye?" he asked clasping his hands together.
"Haan Maan ke liye khane ke liye kuch laayiyega," she requested reaching for bowl with warm water.
"Daadi mujhe bhook nahi," Maan interrupted. "Aur please aap aaram keejiye. I'll take care of this," he said trying to pry the wet cotton ball off of her hand.
"Aap chup rahiye Maan aur hume kaam karne deejiye. Aapke dono haathon mein chot lagi hai. Aap kaise use clean karenge," she admonished before carefully wiping his hands. Maan hissed as she removed pieces of glass stuck on his knucles. She worriedly looked up, "let me call the doctor Maan."
"Nahi use koi zaroorat nahi. It just needs cleaning and dressing," Maan countered shaking his head.
"Phir bh""
"Please Daadima," he earnestly requested. Unable to deny him, she continued to clean up the wound. Shards of glass along with dried blood made it difficult to clean the wound. Finally Daadima managed to dig out the glass pieces and applied some anti-septic before dressing the wound up with gauze bandage.
Nakul had quietly left after leaving some sandwiches and a glass of milk for Maan. Daadi washed her hands and headed to bring the food plate when Maan interjected. "Daadi mujhe sach mein bhook nahi. Don't force me." Food was the last thing he had in mind. He wanted to talk to Pavan Uncle about the proceedings and give her what she wanted.
"Atleast yeh doodh pee lijiye Maan," she requested pushing the glass of milk under his nose. The minute he opened his mouth to protest, she cleverly slid the glass to his mouth silencing his complaints. Having no other option, he reluctantly gulped it down and placed the empty glass near the tableside lamp. Daadima took one last look before walking out of the room with a resigned sigh.
Daadima was about to enter her room when she saw Geet nervously standing by the entrance of her room. "Geet sab kuch teekh hai?" Daadima questioned worriedly.
"Ji... voh... Maan," she paused unable to look into her eyes. "Maan kaise hain?" she asked meekly.
"I just cleaned his wounds and bandaged them," she sighed shaking her head.
Geet hung her head low while her eyes stung with fresh tears. She was ashamed of herself for putting Maan and his grandmother in this position. But she couldn't carry around the faade anymore. They deserved someone better than her.
"Aap bhi kuch der ke liye aaram keejiye Geet." Daadima turned and settled on the bed leaving Geet with no choice but leave.
As soon as geet left the room, Savitri Devi picked up the phone only to call the man who had become her source of solace and strength.
***
Not waiting for the receptionist to guide him, Maan walked right into the cabin. The minute he entered the person on the other end looked up with a calm smile.
"Ah Maan beta!" he greeted pleasantly. "What brings you to this old man's office?"
"Usse divorce chahiye and I am ready to give it," he plainly stated with a cold stare.
"Kya?!" Pavan uncle looked up startled.
"You heard me uncle."
"But Maan," he began skeptically.
"Please uncle. I am done fighting. It isn't helping either of us. She wants freedom from me and that's what she'll get." He tried his best to not look into Pavan uncle's eyes fearing he would break down in front of him.
"Fine, I am not going to force you. Main Jindal se baat karloonga. Tu fikar mat kar," he said walking over to Maan's side and rubbing his back.
"Alright then, I'll take leave uncle. Bohut sara kaam baaki hai," he said picking up his shades and coat and walking out.
Pavan watched Maan walk out with his shoulders slumped down. The only time he had seen Maan so broken was when he had lost his parents. He looked up sending a silent prayer hoping things would fall into the right place.
Don't worry guys 3 more updates things will change for the better... I plomish!! I hate Maaneet separation too
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