Sorry for not updating yesterday. Happy new year 2021.😘❤

'Sujal. Naina.. open the door please.' Sujal' mom has knocked on their door.

Naina stands up to open the door. She steals a glance at Sujal who nonchalantly is indulged with god knows what. She has not been able to talk with him since last night. Her coherent proposal was sudden. And his reaction was disastrous.

She goes to open the door. Sujal' mom is her second favourite person..favourite implying to be able to talk with. Her mother in law is second person after Sujal who makes her comfortable. She is simple woman who has been and is a wife above anything else. Sometimes her relation with sujal surprises her but again...Marital relation always amuses her.

'Ma. Aayiye na andar..'

'Aree...ni. actually We all wanted to have a dinner together tonight. So...Tum log 8 baje Hamare room me aa jana. We'll be having dinner together.'

'Mom. We imply to Vasu aunty and Lalit uncle, right!' Sujal speaks. Naina glares at him though he has his head stuck with Laptop.

Mom suddenly hesitant...and looking everywhere but at Naina.

'Come on. Mom. Doesn't matter anymore now. Main aa jaunga. Dont worry. By the way aapko pata he yaha pass me ek bahut khubsurat jagah he. Why dont you and Dad go!'

Mom is surprised as Sujal never mentions something as homey as he did right now. Her son had been so distant. So silent. And she was not less to be blamed. She had seen him broken but she was not able to do anything. Little attention to Sujal and Kashish' relation could have been fatal than anyone's imagination. The shame and blemishes....Too much to bear. She could not bear this so she kept silent. Praying for his betterment and a miracle...that he comes out of black hole of his first love.

Perhaps some god heard her prayers. Her poor soul could not do except praying. Perhaps some god' heart moved and...

Sujal' eyes are full of life...more than before. How!

Reason is standing in front of her. Naina. When Naina had come in this house she was hell angry with her. She had married her son without her information. A stranger. she saw her as a stranger. But...slowly slowly...When Sujal started coming back to her, she had no reason to be mad at her. She...She understood their relation. It was their need. A benefit coated impromptu tie. But...in actual it proved out to be the beautiful and source of peace...for both of them. Perhaps it was fated....perhaps it was a conspiracy. But...whatever it was..Sujal got his life back..

'Sujal...'

'Han. Ma.'

'Mujhe maaf kar de beta. Some deliberate mistakes I have committed. But....perhaps that was bound to happen.. Sorry beta.'

Naina sees Sujal looking at his mom with different emotions. Though he just nods his head and says nothing. His mom ruffles his hair and leaves. Naina does not hear their talk...because her mind gets occupied with something.

Actually someone...

She wonders if Sujal is still going down that memory lane. That deserted haunted alley...

It hurts. Sujal' retreating steps hurts her. Even when he is next to her every night but the fear of his departure is palpable. Everyday she sees her fear coming true little by little..

But she controls herself. Perhaps its not what she is thinking. But...everything is volatile. There is neither had been any kind of promise. Promise of acceptance or refusal. Straightforward action missed on his part now leading Naina to presume her tie with sujal a brittle one.

She breathes in.

Love has never been easy. It was and is and will be a path full of thorns. But accepting wounds need an assuring heart beating in your embrace. Perhaps that was the only thing which she missed with sujal in life.

She was scared to love again. But still She did it.

She was scared to live again. But she lived...

But....Sujal' coldness Some times hurt. More than lonesome life. More than absence of Naveen.

She silently sits near window. A heavy realisation making her go insane and waking up insecurities are just like topping.

After some time Sujal calls her and both go to his mom' room where everybody has gathered. Naina has been hesitant and distant. It is obvious but....Sujal' indifference is something new today. Naina cajole her heart. To be brave....To be diamond. Nothing should break it.

Everybody sits. A long table of little height. Everybody is sitting around it. Naina' right is occupied by Sujal..to her left js sitting her mother in law and in front of her is....Kashish with Piyush. Her head hurts...

They all start together. A chatter breaks. Mostly talking is being done by Vasu aunty and Sujal' dad. But Naina is not hearing anything. She is observing sujal.

Suddenly....

'Sujal. Ek baat puchu?' Vasu aunty asks Sujal.

He nods.

'Tumhare office me kashish tumhari secretary huya karti thi. Ab...Why dont you keep her back!'

Naina can feel rigid Sujal. And suddenly it makes her mad.

'Ha Sujal. Ghar ki hi baat he. Kashish ka man bhi lag jayega.' Piyush' dad speaks..

'Sujal...' his dad.

'Wo..I can manage.'

'How? Itna sab akele kaise? Naina to HQ jaati he. Uski Army ki job he. And she is not interested in business. Why not Kahsish then? Ghar ki hi baat he. It will be easy for you.' Vasu places her argument.

'No. Its alright.'

'Kyu? Isliye kyunki ab wo Piyush ki biwi he? Ab wo purani Kashish Sinha nahi rahi isliye?'

Everybody is stunned except the persons who know about the fiasco. That being every one except Lalit and Chetan.

It proves Men are ignorant.

Sujal' silent form troubles Naina now.

'Kashish ke shadishuda hone se aur Sujal ki secretary hone ka kya relation?' Chetan asks..

'Bahut gahra rishta he bhaisahab.
Sujal...tum bataoge ya Main batau?
Chalo Main hi bata deti hu.

Sujal loves Kashish. Aur apni mehbooba ko Kisi aur ki biwi banta dekhna kam nahi tha...So..He fired Kashish. Bolo sujal. Aisa hi he na?'

Naina is first time amazed with Vasu. This woman can beat reporters. Paid media is nothing in front of her. Sje alone can cause world war three...

But why the hell sujal is silent!

'Sujal! Kya ye sach he? You love kashish?

Main kuch pooch rha hu tumse?'

Sujal' dad is angry.

But sujal is silent.

'Are ye kya bolega, bhaisahab! Isne poori koshish ki thi. Ki Kashish Piyush se shadi na kare..He married Naina to make kashish jealous. Phir is se bhi baat na bani to he tried to sabotage Piyush' Shimla deal. Wl sab drama Sujal ka hi kiya dhara tha. And baad me jaake he sorted out every thing. Just for Kashish. Ye to sirf wo haqeeqat hw jo saamne he. Pichhe kya huya hoga ..I can nlt imagine.

He could have gone to any extent for he loves Kashiah. Bolo Sujal . Jhooth he kya ye? Batao...Ki tumHara aur Kashish ka aapas me koi rishta nahi tha? Tum dono ek dusre ko nahi jaante the? Batao sujal...Tell us about your love. The love you kept in your heart and which made you do things to us. Mere piyush ka Shimla project usle haath se gaya. Because of you. Tumne hi Paise khilaye the un protesters ko..they demonstrated To Piyush. Uski car par attack huya..Do you remember your deeds? Main yaad dilau? Tumhara pyaar...'

Naina' heart sinking and filling with anger at Silence of Piyush, Kashish and Sujal and his mom.

What nonsense is going on!

'Sujal. Ye sab sach he ki Tum kashish se pyaar karte ho! Bolo Sujal. Tell me..that you stooped so low for getting your revenge on Kahsish? Bolo. Bolo...tell me do you love kashish?'

'Ha...

Ha...ye sach he. But...I didn't cause any accident. Shimla project me complications the. Piyush ke office me hi kisi ne illegally wo plots khareede the. I was not involved.'

Sujal' outburst breaks Naina...and sje knows he would be nonchalant about it. Silent about her screams..careless about her broken heart..

'To tum ye maante ho ki Tum kashish se pyaar karte ho! Dekhiye bhaisahab. Look at his dare. He is accepting that he loves his brother's wife. Koi maryada he is rishte ki ya nahi! Bhabhi he wo iski. Aur iske baad bhi...

Chhe.. mujhe sharam aati he.'

'Sujal! Tumhare andar koi sharm bachi he ya nahi..Ye sab kya tamasha he!' His dad more angry now.

'Sujal. Tu chup kyu he? You have things to tell. Bol Sujal. Sach main jaanti hu..and I believe you. Now its time to unravel it for others. Tell them what is true.' Sujal' mom..encouraging Sujal to disclose the truth of his relation.

Assuming it to be his confession of his eternal love...Naina sees no reason to stay back amd listen him professing and reiterating those classical promises and chants. Her own heart would shatter. She gets up and leaves.

Her decision of not joining Rahejas and Grewals was right. But...her heart deceived her. Her heart gave up for Sujal' empty and hollow efforts. That man still tbat time was acting up.

He should be awarded with Oscar. Look at his acting. Those facades. Indeed the relation was sham. He proved it.

Naina wonders where she will go with her broken heart. It is like Sujal gave her what he had got.

Deception that too hardcore. A painful deception. Pain so much that you want to die...Life loses its meaning. The intensity of Deception so much as it makes you insane with pain.

Perhaps it was dusk. It was dark. The light he spread was just a chandelier burning with name of Kashish.

Naina was not there..Not anywhere.