Anamika stood by the doorway, her thoughts swirling with every word Ashok spoke. The more he revealed about Vandita, the deeper her confusion grew. She could hardly believe what she was hearing—Vandita was married, and yet Vineet was entangled in this one-sided affection. It pained Anamika, but she felt a flicker of sympathy for him, caught in the web of an impossible love that only seemed to bring him humiliation. But a part of her heart also screams that it is all his choice, that she shouldn't feel anything for him who left her behind but her heart is not ready to accept it. Her heart, that still loves him only pained to hear Ashok and she can't hold control on it.

Ashok's words came faster now, almost as if he could sense her hesitation. He recounted how Vandita had insulted Vineet openly, sometimes even in front of her husband, who was equally dismissive. According to Ashok, it was as if Vandita enjoyed toying with Vineet’s emotions, knowing he was entrapped by his feelings.

Anamika’s heart felt heavy with each revelation. Part of her ached to confront Vineet, to shake him awake from this obsession, but another part of her wasn’t sure she could manage it. What if she saw the pain in his eyes? What if, despite it all, she lost her own strength and gave in to the remnants of her feelings for him?

Ashok pressed on, his tone firm yet pleading. “He’s destroying himself, Anamika. If anyone can talk sense into him, it’s you. Please, you have to at least try,” he urged.

She bit her lip, torn between loyalty to her own heart and compassion for Vineet’s plight.

Anamika remained silent, her mind struggling to balance the storm of emotions swirling within her. She wanted to help Vineet, to pull him back from the edge of his self-destructive obsession. Yet, the betrayal she had endured, the pain he had caused, kept her rooted in hesitation.

Ashok noticed her silence and softened his tone. “I know it’s not fair to ask this of you,” he admitted, his eyes sincere. “But you know him better than anyone. He trusts you, maybe more than he realizes. If you could just talk to him, make him see reason…”

Anamika looked away, trying to steady her thoughts. “You’re asking a lot, Ashok. After everything that’s happened… It’s not easy for me.”

“I understand, truly. But he’s my brother, and I can’t watch him go down this path alone,” Ashok replied, desperation slipping into his voice.

Anamika sighed, the weight of responsibility settling onto her shoulders. She remembered the happier times, the man Vineet used to be before this obsession took hold of him. Part of her still cared, despite everything. But another part was terrified—if she went to him, if she tried to save him, would she lose herself in the process?

After a long silence, she looked back at Ashok. “I’ll… I’ll think about it,” she said quietly, more to herself than to him. Her mind wasn’t ready, her heart even less so, but she knew she couldn’t ignore this forever.

Ashok nodded, sensing a glimmer of hope. “Thank you, Anamika. Even if you don’t decide to talk to him, just… thank you for listening.”

He turned to leave but stop at his track, realizing he has one more secret to reveal to her. He turns to her again, his gaze hesitant.

Anamika's eyes widened as Ashok mentioned it, his words hanging heavy in the air.

"He's here?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

Her pulse quickened, her fingers curl up in fist, tightening around the fabric of her dress. The idea that Vineet was in the same building, possibly only a few floors away, hit her like a tidal wave. She hadn't even fully processed her dilemma, and now, he was practically within reach.

Ashok nodded solemnly. "Yes, he's staying here. I didn’t want to bring it up earlier, but he’s been in a bad state. This place… it has memories of you both, doesn’t it? I thought that might give him some clarity, but instead, it’s just…” He trailed off, a look of guilt crossing his face.

Anamika turned away, the memories of her and Vineet flashing before her eyes. This was where they'd celebrated anniversaries, shared laughter, and woven their lives together. Now, it felt like an emotional battlefield. Every instinct told her to leave, to protect herself, but a stronger pull—the remnants of the love they once shared—grounded her there.

Taking a shaky breath, she met Ashok’s gaze. "I don’t know if I can face him… seeing him like this would only make things harder."

Ashok softened, understanding her hesitation. "I get it, Anamika. But maybe this is a chance, for both of you. Just think about it. He’s not as strong as you think right now—he needs someone to remind him of who he used to be. Vandita ke piche wo paagal ho gaya hai par usse yaad dila na jaruri hai."

With that, Ashok gave her a small nod and walked away, leaving Anamika in the middle of a tug-of-war between her heart and mind, each side urging her to make a choice she wasn’t sure she could handle.

As Ashok's footsteps faded down the hall, Anamika stood in silence, absorbing everything he'd said. His words swirled in her mind like a storm she couldn’t calm. Part of her wanted to brush off everything he’d said, to forget the complicated entanglement of memories and emotions, but a deeper part knew she had to face the truth.

She paced around the room, trying to steady her breathing, grappling with the feelings she’d spent months suppressing. The pain Vineet had caused her, the betrayal—yet somehow, here she was, considering facing him again. Not to rekindle what was lost, but to finally close the chapter that had been dragging her heart through this prolonged, painful limbo. Yes, she needs to get over this, she can't wait or cry for him who doesn't consider her, though she needs to converse with him but obviously she's not going to beg, stacking her self respect. She knows she might feel weak to face him but she has to do it.

With a newfound resolve, she took a deep breath. She would confront Vineet. She’d go to him, not to beg or plead, but to find closure. She needed to release herself from the weight of their past and, ultimately, to free him as well. If Vineet wanted another life with someone else, even someone who didn’t truly want him, then she’d make sure he understood he was free to pursue it without any lingering ties to her.

Gathering her composure, Anamika straightened her posture, determination solidifying within her. She wasn’t here to mend broken dreams or salvage what was shattered. She was here to end it—to free them both, once and for all. She grabbed her coat, a sense of finality settling over her as she walked out of her room, ready to face Vineet and close the door on their shared history.

Anamika walked to the hotel lobby, her steps steady, each one bringing her closer to a resolution she hadn’t thought herself ready for. When she reached the reception desk, her voice was calm, but her heart pounded in her chest as she asked, "Could you please let me know which room Vineet Khanna is in?"

The receptionist scanned the guest list and gave a polite nod before telling her the room number. "Room 512, ma'am. Do you need any assistance?"

Anamika shook her head, thanked the receptionist, and took a deep breath before heading toward the elevators. The numbers blinked as each floor passed, and with every rising floor, a mix of memories, anger, and hurt twisted in her stomach. But she pushed it all aside. She wasn’t here to confront him with accusations or to hear his apologies. She was here to close this chapter of her life, to end things on her terms.

When the elevator doors opened on Vineet's floor, she stepped out, her steps echoing in the corridor as she made her way to his room. Room 512. She stood before the door, hesitated just a moment, then raised her hand and knocked firmly.

Inside Room 512, Vineet lay sprawled across the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling but mind elsewhere. Thoughts of Vandita filled his head, her laughter, the way she looked at him with that indifference that only made him want her more. He replayed their last conversation, searching for signs he might have missed, moments he could have seized to sway her heart.

He was still deep in thought, strategizing his next move to win her over, when a knock jolted him back to reality.

For a moment, he didn’t move, wondering who it could be. But the knock came again, firmer this time. Sighing, he rolled off the bed, made his way to the door, and opened it—only to come face to face with Anamika.

The shock in his eyes was unmistakable. She, too, held his gaze with a cold resolve, her expression masking the storm of emotions churning within. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence thick with the weight of unspoken words and broken trust.

They stood in the doorway, frozen, as the world around them seemed to blur. Anamika’s eyes softened momentarily, as memories washed over her—their laughter, the warmth of his hand in hers, the promises whispered in the stillness of the night. The sting of betrayal was still there, but beneath it lay traces of the love they’d once shared.

Vineet felt an ache he hadn’t prepared for. All thoughts of Vandita evaporated, replaced by the familiar comfort of Anamika’s presence, the way she used to look at him with unwavering trust. He saw flashes of the past, moments he had pushed aside in his pursuit of something new, something reckless. And now, with her standing there, he felt the weight of everything he had left behind.

The silence between them held volumes as their eyes searched one another, filled with words unspoken and questions unanswered. They stood there, locked in the gaze, their minds drifting into memories both beautiful and bittersweet, the distance between them seeming invincible yet achingly close.

The silence stretched as they stood there, an invisible line tethering them yet keeping them apart. Anamika’s gaze wavered, but she steadied herself, remembering why she had come. Her heart ached, and yet there was a resolve there, newfound and firm.

Vineet shifted slightly, almost as if he wanted to reach out, to say something that might ease the tension, to somehow bridge the chasm he’d created. But words escaped him, and he sensed she wouldn’t welcome them anyway. He could feel the weight of her hurt, and it stirred a guilt he hadn’t allowed himself to feel until now.

For Anamika, each moment of silence hardened her resolve. She could sense the pain in his eyes, a pain that perhaps mirrored her own. But she reminded herself that this wasn’t about rekindling what they once had—it was about letting go. This meeting was her chance to close a chapter she had clung to for too long, a chance to reclaim her strength.

Finally, Anamika exhaled softly, breaking the stillness. Her eyes lingered on his one last time, memorizing the face that had once been her world, as she readied herself to speak the words that would set them both free. 

To be continued....