Vritika had paid for it. 

The very person Rohit had lashed out at, blamed, and turned away from had stepped up when he needed her the most.

Rohit's hand holding the phone dropped limply to his side. Anushka stared at him, her eyes wide with shock, her palm still pressed against her mouth.

"Miss Vritika Kohli came by earlier this week and handled the payment. Everything is in order."

It didn't make sense. Why would she...? He had been so sure she hated him. After everything—after all the pain, all the heartbreak—why would she do this? Eighty lakhs. Not a small amount. Eighty. Lakhs.

"Vritika..." he whispered her name like a prayer. His mind replayed every angry word he had hurled at Vritika, every moment he had doubted her intentions, and the pain he must have caused her. 

And still, she had done this.

"Shit," he muttered, dragging his hands down his face. "What have I done, Anu? I—" His voice cracked, unable to finish the thought. "Who better than me knows how painstakingly she has earned every bit of her money."

He sank into the couch, his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands. "She doesn't deserve this. Heck...She doesn't deserve me, I am not worth it," he said. 

"She's always been like that," he whispered, more to himself than to Anushka. "Selfless, compassionate, always putting others before herself..." Tears filled his eyes. "I don't deserve her. I never did. Vritika works so damn hard. She's balancing college, lectures, and those endless projects just to support her family. You know she helped Virat pay the whole house loan. Most of her money she sends home to her mother.... She could've kept that money for herself, for her future. Instead, she used it to bail me out. I am such an asshole!"

"Usme toh koi doubt hi nahi hai. Agar kisine mere saath aisa kiya hota na toh maa kasam agar apni jutti se usko maar maar ke laal na kiya hota toh mera naam bhi Anushka na hota."

Rohit groaned. "You're not helping, Anu."

"Good. You don't need help—you need a reality check," she snapped. "Vritika went out of her way to fix a mess she didn't even make. Tujhe sharam nahi aayi ek baar bhi?"

"I know, I know," Rohit said. "I've been a complete idiot.  And now... now she probably hates me." 

Anushka knelt down in front of him, placing a hand on his knee.  "She doesn't hate you, Rohit. If she hated you, she wouldn't have done this for you. You might have been a jerk to her—hell, I want to slap you myself—but she saw past all of that. That's how much you mean to her. I can't believe you doubted someone who loved you so much!"

Someone who loved you so much. The weight of his mistakes felt unbearable now. "I don't even know if I deserve that love anymore, Anu," he whispered with guilt.

Anushka stood up, folding her arms across her chest as she glared down at him. "You don't. Not right now, at least. But you can earn it back, Rohit. So, stop wallowing and start doing."

"You're right. I'm going to fix this, Anu. I don't know how but I promise I will!"

"Good. That's a start. But don't you dare half-ass this, Rohit. Vritika's not the kind of girl who'll accept empty words. You need to show her you're sorry, that you mean it. Actions, not just words, Sharma."

"Haan, main kuch bhi karne ke liye taiyaar hoon."

"Good," Anushka said. "Aur haan, agar usne tujhe do thappad maar diye toh chupchap kha lena."

Rohit groaned. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Bas, ab ja. Drama kam kar aur kaam zyada," Anushka quipped. "Aur yaad rakh—Vritika deserves nothing less than your absolute best. Agar phir se kuch ulta seedha kiya, toh iss baar tu meri jutti se bachega nahi. Ab yahan khade kya kar raha hai? Go, idiot!"

Rohit turned to leave but stopped abruptly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Kya hua?" Anushka asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yaar woh kaha rehti hai ye pataa nahi hai...last week Virat se pucha tha toh mujhpar hi bhadak gaya tha." Rohit admitted sheepishly.

"College student hai na woh? Toh apne hostel main hogi."  Anushka suggested

"Nahi yaar, main waha bhi jakar aaya tha. Woh waha bhi nahi thi. Bol rahe the iss naam ki koi ladki yaha nahi rehti.".

Anushka groaned, smacking her forehead. "Seriously, Rohit? Tujhe apni life ke sabse important person ka address tak nahi pata?"

"Yaar, pata hota toh tujhe puchta kya?" Rohit shot back.

"Phir se puchke dekh."

"Kisko?"

"Tere uss best friend ko, kya tha uska naam....the other kohli."

"Pagal hai kya?" Rohit replied, horrified. "Woh nahi batayega. Maine kaha an pichli baar maine Vritika ke baare mein puchha tha, tab woh mujhpar bhadak gaya tha!"

Anushka raised an eyebrow. "Aur tujhe lagta hai, woh abhi nahi bhadkega? But kya karein, usse better option toh hai nahi na?"

"Anu, woh mujhe maar daalega," Rohit groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"Toh maar kha le," Anushka retorted. "Tu waise bhi jitni nautanki kar raha hai, Virat se maar khana teri list mein hona chahiye. At least address toh mil jayega!"

Rohit sighed deeply, pulling out his phone. "Fine. Koshish karta hoon. " With a resigned sigh, Rohit scrolled to Virat's number and pressed the call., "Aaj toh lag gayi."

Virat's gruff voice answered, "Haan, bol."

"Uh, Virat... kya haal hai?" Rohit began, his voice overly cheerful, which immediately earned a suspicious tone from Virat.

"Kya chahiye, Sharma?" Rohit winced. Straight to the point.

"Uh...bhai...main—" Rohit hesitated

"Seedhe point pe aa, Sharma. Mere paas tere bakwaas ke liye time nahi hai," Virat snapped.

"Woh... Vritika ka address chahiye tha."

There was a deadly silence on the other end, and Rohit could almost feel the fire Virat was probably breathing. 

"KYA?!" Virat roared loud enough that even Anushka winced from across the room.

"Yaar, sun toh le," Rohit tried as panic creeped into his voice.

"Tu Vritika ke baare mein kyun pooch raha hai?" Virat asked in a tone that was dangerously low.

"Arre, woh..." Rohit stammered, glancing at Anushka, who gestured wildly for him to just spit it out. "Kuch zaruri baat karni thi usse. Personal hai."

"Personal?" Virat repeated." Tu jaanta bhi hai kitna hurt hui thi woh?"

"Jaanta hoon, bhai. Mujhe samajh aa gaya hai. Main bas...mujhse ek mauka de de. Please,trust me, main usse aur hurt nahi karunga. Mujhe bas... usse sorry bolna hai."

Another pause. Rohit held his breath.

Finally, Virat sighed heavily. "Yeh teri last chance hai, Sharma. Agar is baar uska dil tod diya na, toh main tujhe zinda nahi chhodunga. Samjha?"

"Samjha, samjha!" Rohit blurted out quickly.

"Note kar: Flat 204, Ashirwad Apartments, near college campus," Virat said "Aur Sharma, remember—mess this up, and you're done."

"Thanks, bro!" Rohit said as relief flooded his voice.

"Main tera 'bro' nahi hoon," Virat snapped before hanging up.

Rohit let out a long breath and looked at Anushka. "Zinda bacha hoon, for now."

"Ab drama band kar aur bhaag. Address mil gaya hai, toh der kis baat ki?" Anushka said, practically pushing him toward the door.

Rohit jogged up the stairs to Ashirwad Apartments, his heart thundering with every step. When he finally stood in front of Flat 204, he stopped brushing a hand through his hair to tame it. But the sight of the padlock on the door immediately crushed the hopeful spark in his chest.

"Locked? Seriously?" he muttered, leaning against the wall and staring at the door.

Just as he was debating whether to call her, his attention was drawn to a voice coming from the courtyard below. Peering over the railing, his stomach dropped at what he saw: Vritika standing under the shade of a tree. She was talking to some guy.

The boy was tall, casually dressed in jeans and a hoodie, his backpack slung lazily over one shoulder. He was laughing at something Vritika said, and worst of all—she was smiling back.

Rohit's jaw tightened, his hands clenching the railing so hard his knuckles turned white. He watched as the boy leaned in closer and Vritika giggled. That laugh, the one he used to think was just for him, now felt like a punch to his gut.

She's moved on, his mind whispered cruelly. Of course, she has. Why wouldn't she? After everything you said, everything you did...

He couldn't tear his eyes away. The boy handed Vritika a folder, and she nodded, saying something in return. The sight of her, looking so at ease and happy, only made the gnawing jealousy worse. He hated himself for it, but the irrational voice in his head wouldn't stop.

 Tears stung his eyes, but he blinked them back furiously. What did I expect? That she'd just wait for me after everything I did? After all the hurt I caused?

Rohit clenched his fists, trying to ignore the burning sting in his eyes. At least she's happy... that's what matters, he told himself.

"Vritika," the boy said, "you're seriously amazing, you know that?"

Amazing? Of course, she was amazing. She was everything good in his life, everything he had taken for granted. And now someone else was realizing it too. And I'm the idiot who didn't deserve her. You did this to yourself, Sharma. She deserves better. She deserves someone who won't screw up every step of the way.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, jolting him out of his thoughts. Grateful for the distraction, he pulled it out, seeing Mahi Bhai's name flash on the screen.

 "Haan, Mahi Bhai?"

"Rohit, kidhar hai tu? Jaldi aa, we need to prep for the event."

"I'm coming," Rohit replied, his voice hollow.

"Tu theek hai?Kya hua?"

"Kuch nahi." Tears leaked through his eyes. "Kuch bhi nahi. Bas aa raha hoon."  Tears won't help. Be a man, he scolded himself

He hung up and slipped the phone back into his pocket, his steps hurried and uneven as he left the building. The ache in his chest deepened with every step. Maybe this is what I deserve. Maybe losing her is the price I have to pay for everything I've done.

******

The sun was beginning to set over the field as the players wrapped up their usual practice session. Sweaty and exhausted, they exchanged high-fives and jokes.

"Football, boys?" Hardik shouted, kicking a stray football into the air with a grin.

The team erupted in cheers, and before long the game started Even Mahi Bhai joined in reminding everyone why he was their captain, no matter the game.

 While everyone was caught up in the fun, Rohit sat on the stands, elbows on his knees, staring blankly at the ground.

His mind was far away, replaying the events of the day. The image of Vritika smiling, her laughter ringing in the air refused to leave him. He tried to shake it off, but the ache in his chest only grew heavier.

"Oye Sharma!!" Yuvi shouted, breaking his thoughts.

Rohit looked up just as Yuvi, Rishabh, and Hardik approached him.

"Kya kar rahe hai bhai aap yahan? Senior citizen wali vibes aa rahi hai," Rishabh teased, pretending to hunch over like an old man.

"Chalo, utho," Hardik added, grabbing Rohit's arm.

"Leave me, yaar. I'm not in the mood," Rohit protested weakly, but the trio wasn't having it.

"Not an option," Yuvi declared, grabbing his other arm.

Before Rohit could argue further, the three of them lifted him off the bench and carried him onto the field. "Arre, yaar! Chhodo mujhe!" Rohit yelled, struggling against them, but they only laughed harder.

The rest of the team erupted into cheers as Rohit was dropped onto the field. 

"Hitman here to save the day!" Shubman quipped. Everyone laughed.

Reluctantly, Rohit joined the game, though his heart wasn't in it. He jogged half-heartedly, passing the ball when it came to him but avoiding the spotlight.

"Rohit bhai, kya ho raha hai? Ball pass karte karte retire hone ka plan hai kya?" Rishabh teased loudly, earning more laughs.

"Hitman toh field pe fail ho gaya ," teased Ishan

Rohit narrowed his eyes," Accha? Dekho ab."

Rohit decided to show them who the boss was. He intercepted a pass and expertly maneuvered the ball down the field. The teasing only fueled him further, and for the first time that evening, he allowed himself to forget everything else.

Vritika would've been cheering for me right now, he thought suddenly, the image of her clapping and laughing at his moves flashing in his mind.

He smiled faintly but the momentary distraction proved costly. His foot twisted awkwardly and a sharp pain shot up his leg.

"Ahh!" Rohit cried out, stumbling forward and crashing to the ground.

The game screeched to a halt as the players rushed toward him.

"Rohit! Kya hua?" Mahi bhai asked, kneeling beside him.

Rohit groaned, trying to sit up despite the sharp pain radiating from his ankle. His teammates surrounded him.

"Ruk, mat hil," Mahi bhai said firmly, placing a hand on Rohit's shoulder to keep him still. "Shreyas, ice pack la jaldi."

"Rohit bhai, kaisa lag raha hai?" Hardik asked, crouching beside him.

"Bas moch lagti hai, yaar. Koi badi baat nahi hai," Rohit said, trying to wave off their concern. "Tum log khelo, main yahin baithta hoon."

Before anyone could respond, the coach stormed onto the field "Kya ho raha hai yahan? Practice session ke baad yeh tamasha kyon ho raha hai?" he barked.

Mahi bhai stood,."Bas thoda football khel rahe the sir. Rohit ka ankle twist ho gaya."

The coach's frown deepened as he looked at Rohit. "Rohit, tumhe pata hai ki tumhare upar kitni zimmedari hai. Yeh kya bachpana kar rahe ho? Tumhare ek chot se poori team ka impact hota hai!"

Rohit sighed. "Sir, bas ek moch hai. Theek ho jayegi. Koi serious baat nahi hai."

"Serious baat tab hoti jab fracture ho jata," the coach snapped, crossing his arms. "Aur kal match mein khelne ka plan bhi chhod dete!"

Rohit gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, sir. Aage se dhyan rakhoonga."

"Dhyan? Tumhara dhyan toh kahin aur hi hota hai lagta hai," the coach retorted. "Ice lagao, aur physio se check karwana padega."

"Sir, main theek hoon, sach mein," Rohit said, trying to stand but immediately wincing as he put weight on his foot.

Mahi bhai placed a steadying hand on his arm. "Relax kar, Rohit. Kya zarurat thi itna zor lagane ki? Coach sahi bol rahe hain—tumhare health pe compromise nahi kar sakte."

The ice pack finally arrived, and Hardik pressed it gently against Rohit's swollen ankle.

"Ab tum seedha dressing room jao," the coach said firmly. "Aur mujhe kal subah tak complete recovery ka guarantee chahiye."

"Ji, sir," Rohit muttered.

*****

Vritika lay curled up on the sofa, clutching a cushion tightly to her chest as tears streamed down her face. The muffled sound of news anchors reporting on cricket updates went unnoticed as she sobbed into the cushion.

Virat had left earlier in the evening, taking their mother to visit a relative urgently. And while she would normally have been annoyed at being left alone, tonight she couldn't be more thankful. Because tonight, Vritika needed the space to fall apart.

Why you may ask? Why after she had just begun to move on after so many days?

Because, tomorrow was her birthday, and she couldn't help but remember him.

How she wished someone would take her back to a time when everything had felt so different—so much simpler. Her sniffles grew louder as the memories played like a reel in her head. She could almost see him, sneaking into her high school hostel with that mischievous grin on his face, holding a tiny cupcake with a single candle flickering atop it.

"Happy birthday, Ritz," he had whispered.

That simple gesture had meant the world to her then. He had always made her feel special, as though she was the center of his universe. And now... now he wasn't even a part of her life. The tears fell faster, soaking the cushion beneath her. Her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs. She sniffled, trying to muffle her cries, but the emptiness she felt was too overwhelming.

A soft nudge against her arm pulled her out of her spiral. She looked down to see Magic gazing up at her with his soulful eyes. His head rested gently against her arm, and he let out a low whine.

"Magic," she whispered as she reached out to stroke his soft fur. "At least I have you."

Magic nuzzled closer to her and climbed onto the sofa to snuggle against her. Vritika wiped her nose with the sleeve of her oversized sweatshirt and held Magic as if he were her lifeline.

"And with the World Cup just around the corner, the Indian cricket team's final squad has been announced. Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma—"

Her head snapped toward the TV. She grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.

"...the seasoned players who are expected to lead the charge in India's World Cup glory. With this lineup, hopes are high for an exceptional performance this year."

She already knew about the selection—Virat had called her earlier to share the news, excitedly telling her how everything was falling into place for the team. But hearing it again, seeing his name on the screen....her chest was starting to hurt. If she didn't have her heart broken, she would have definitely been worried about a heart-attack.

Her gaze dropped to her wrist, and there it was—the bracelet.She had tried to get rid of it. So many times. There were moments of anger and frustration when she had yanked it off her wrist, fully intent on tossing it into the trash or throwing it into the sea. But every single time, something had stopped her.

"Why can't I just let go?" she murmured, brushing her thumb over it.

"I'll throw it away," she said aloud. "One day... probably the day he gets married." Her voice cracked at the thought, but she forced a bitter smile. "Maybe then I'll finally move on."

The thought of Rohit with someone else...it was crushing. But she pushed it aside. This is how it's supposed to be, she told herself. He's not yours to hold onto.

She looked back at the screen, where the anchor was now discussing player stats and past performances. A small, genuine smile tugged at her lips.

"Good for him," she said softly.

Magic's ears perked up at her tone, and she scratched behind them absently. "It's always been his dream to play in the World Cup, you know?" she told the dog. "I still remember the way his eyes lit up every time he talked about it. Winning the World Cup—it is everything to him." Her smile faltered. "And he'll do it. He's good enough, more than good enough. I just..." She swallowed hard. "I wish I could tell him I'm proud of him. I wish we could go back to being..."

She couldn't finish the sentence. She just lay there, thinking about what could have been. Minutes turned into hours.

"Rohit Sharma ke fans ke liye ek buri khabar.Ek gambhir chot ke kaaran ho sakta hai ki Rohit Sharma World Cup se bahar ho jaye..."

Vritika's heart stopped. "Gambhir chot?" she gasped. Magic whined softly, sensing her distress.  What had happened to him? How had he suddenly gotten injured?

Fear gripped her and she scrambled to her feet. She looked at the clock—it was 10:45 PM.She glanced toward the emergency ID card Veer had given her, sitting on the table by the door. Her hand hovered over it. Should she go? Did she even have the right to?

"No," she whispered, pulling her hand back. "I can't go. I shouldn't." She paced the room, clutching her head. "What would he think? What would anyone think? I don't belong there anymore."

But the thought of him in pain, possibly alone, tore at her. What if he needed help? What if it was worse than the news had said? If he was out of the squad he must be utterly devastated.

"I'll just go... and see him from afar," she told herself aloud in a shaky voice. "I'll keep my distance. Just... make sure he's okay. Then I'll leave."

She repeated the words like a mantra, trying to convince herself as she grabbed the ID and slipped on her slippers. She reached for a jacket, hesitating for a moment, before throwing it over her shoulders.

Magic barked softly. "I'll be back soon, Magic," she said. "I just... need to make sure he's okay."

*****

A/N

Next chapter to be up soon......⚡⚡