Part 1
In the grandeur of the Poddar mansion, as the rain tapped softly against the windowpanes, two souls crossed the delicate labyrinth of love and obligation, their hearts tethered by the invisible threads of fate and longing.
Abhira had escaped the suffocating silence of the bedroom and found herself in the dimly lit study, surrounded by shelves of dusty tomes and the faint scent of old parchment. The lamplight cast long shadows across the room, highlighting the lines of strain etched into her troubled features. Her eyes fell on a photograph of Armaan at his graduation ceremony. Her heart swelled with pride that she was his wife, the wife of Armaan Poddar. She had always found herself drawn to his legal prowess, his keen understanding of the intricacies of the law, and his unwavering righteousness, a beacon of integrity in a world often clouded by moral ambiguity. Yet, as time passed, she discovered countless more facets to admire in him – his innate kindness and generosity, his selflessness and sense of duty….
She traced the contours of his smiling face with trembling fingers and felt a flutter in her stomach, a rush of warmth flooding her cheeks…For amidst their shared moments of camaraderie and companionship, Abhira had felt a subtle shift in the dynamics of their relationship—an unspoken tension that crackled in the air whenever they were together. Though she had tried to push it aside, the undeniable pull of his presence tugged at her heartstrings, drawing her closer to him even as she tried to maintain her distance. She couldn't deny the stirring of something deeper—a flicker of attraction that danced in the depths of her soul whenever Armaan's penetrating gaze lingered on her for a moment too long.
But the confession of Armaan's past love for Ruhi echoed in the recesses of her mind like a haunting refrain. She felt now, more strongly than ever before, as though she had been forced upon Armaan. The realization that she had come between Armaan and his once-beloved Ruhi pierced her heart like a lance, casting a shadow over their fragile bond. It made sense now why Ruhi had such a hold on him, why her every word and gesture seemed designed to stake her claim on him. Abhira was, and had always been, nothing but a burden… be it to Armaan or to his family.
Despite her best efforts, Abhira had never been able to carve out a place for herself in their hearts, always falling short of the perfection that was Ruhi. That is why she could be so easily replaced. The feeling of inadequacy gnawed at her soul, leaving her with a lingering sense of loneliness and despair. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was destined to be forever alone, without a companion, without a family.
…
Meanwhile, in the sanctum of his thoughts, Armaan grappled with the turmoil that churned within him. His marriage to Abhira had begun as an act of duty—a promise made to Akshara ma’am. Yet, over time, he had come to admire Abhira's resilience, her unwavering optimism in the face of adversity.
Abhira's bright and sunny outlook had warmed his heart, her never-say-die attitude a source of inspiration in his darkest hours. He admired her ambition, her determination to make a place for herself in a world that seemed intent on keeping her down. In Abhira, he saw echoes of his own struggles and aspirations, a kindred spirit whose strength and resilience mirrored his own. Despite the circumstances that had brought them together, Armaan found himself drawn to her in ways he couldn't fully comprehend.
But ever since he had told her about Ruhi, she had grown increasingly distant. No longer did her lips curve into that warm smile that would envelop him in its gentle embrace. Her twinkling eyes, once alive with a mischief that mirrored the playful dance of the stars above, twere a distant memory now. She barely even looked at him anymore. All he had was her scent, a tantalizing fragrance that lingered in the air long after she had departed, weaving its way into the very fabric of his being and leaving him intoxicated.
Ruhi, with her fragile beauty and demure demeanor, now seemed bland and lacklustre in comparison to Abhira's vibrant presence. Though Armaan had once been drawn to Ruhi’s gentle spirit, he now found himself yearning for something more, a fiery passion that burned within the depths of his heart and called out to him in the silence of the night.
While Armaan had once found comfort in Ruhi’s steadfast affection, he now felt suffocated by the weight of her expectations, longing for the freedom to chart his own course amidst the tangled web of his complicated relationship with Abhira.
As his family pushed for a union between himself and Ruhi, Armaan felt the weight of obligation pressing down upon him. He had always felt that weight, but for the first time in his life, he wanted to fight it and to follow instead the stirrings of his pounding heart.
His family saw Ruhi as the perfect match—a vision of grace and elegance that embodied everything they valued. But Armaan couldn't shake the feeling that that Abhira was the one, that she was his soulmate.
…
Abhira's thoughts drifted back to the moment she had overheard Dadisa suggest to Armaan that he divorce her and marry Ruhi. The family members knew by now that Abhira’s marriage to Armaan was one of compulsion, born of duty and circumstance, but devoid of love, for he had only loved Ruhi, and she him. Resigned to the fact that Rohit would never come back, they had deemed it best to reunite the former lovers so that Ruhi too, could have a second chance of happiness instead of an existence of endless waiting. The words of Dadisa had struck Abhira like a thunderbolt, shattering the fragile illusion she had foolishly clung to.
Armaan's brief response that he could not leave Abhira had been a dagger to her wounded pride—a stark reminder of her place in his life as a mere obligation, rather than a cherished partner. The realization that she was nothing more than a recipient of Armaan’s sympathy, left her feeling hollow and defeated.
With each passing day, the weight of her hurt and resentment grew heavier, until it became unbearable. Abhira knew that she could no longer stay in a place where she was unwanted, where she could only be a silent witness to the charade of love that had been thrust upon her. The chasm between Armaan and Abhira had deepened, their bedroom echoing loudly with the silence of unspoken truths. Armaan had stopped asking her why she was so quiet, and he too seemed embroiled in his own tumultuous thoughts.
She couldn't bear to see him in such agony. The sight of his pain weighed heavily on her heart, stirring a deep-seated longing to ease his suffering and mend the fractured pieces of their bond.
And so she decided to leave —a silent gesture of mercy to spare Armaan the burden of guilt and a token of her gratitude for everything he had done for her. Unbeknownst to him, she slipped away into the night, leaving behind the shattered remnants of their fractured bond, her footsteps echoing faintly in the corridors of the mansion as she embarked on a journey to reclaim her sense of self, with a silent prayer that Armaan would find solace with Ruhi, guilt-free and unencumbered by the weight of his shared past with Abhira.
Part 2: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/164826285
Part 3: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/164847825
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