Vineet stepped aside, inviting Anamika inside. She walked in slowly, and they both settled down, an unspoken tension filling the air. Words eluded them as they both glanced around, avoiding each other's eyes. Finally, as his gaze landed on her, Vineet noticed subtle changes he hadn’t anticipated. Anamika seemed leaner, and her usually bright face was pale and drawn, as if she'd cried countless times alone. Her hair, though neatly comb looks rough, her dress loosely hung down her body clearly depicting she didn't gave even one thought before selecting that dress for herself as if she just wanted to cover her body be it with anything.

A pang of guilt struck him, piercing through the mess of emotions he had tried to ignore. Seeing her like this, he felt the weight of his actions press down on him, heavy and undeniable. He had been so consumed with his own feelings that he hadn’t thought about what she might have been going through. The silence between them grew deeper, thick with unspoken regrets and lingering memories.

As the silence stretched on, Anamika’s gaze drifted, eventually falling upon a newspaper on the coffee table. The bold headline caught her eye—a familiar name and face staring back at her from the page. Her heart clenched as she took in the headline, a painful reminder of how far he had drifted into a world she no longer felt a part of.

Noticing her eyes on the paper, Vineet quickly reached over and grabbed it, his fingers tensing as he folded it away. It was an instinctive move, one he couldn’t explain—perhaps a reflex to hide the parts of his life she might not understand or, worse, might see as a confirmation of her worst fears. For a moment, their eyes met again, filled with questions neither dared to voice, as the gulf between them grew heavier in the silence. No matter how worse the things have been between but he never wants her to know that part of his life where he's already behind a woman, that he's already looking someone and has almost forgotten her.

After a few more seconds of silence, Anamika took a steadying breath, gathering the courage to break the silence. Her voice was soft, almost tentative, as she asked, "How have you been, Vineet?"

Vineet, slightly caught off guard by the warmth in her tone, looked at her carefully. “I… I’m alright,” he replied, though he knew it was far from the truth. There was an awkward pause, as if they were both testing the waters, unsure of how deep they could tread without stirring painful memories.

She nodded, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on her lap as she continued, “I mean, with all this… work and everything else. Are you… are you happy?” Her voice faltered slightly, the weight of the question almost overwhelming her.

Vineet’s gaze shifted to the floor. Happy? He wasn’t sure anymore. For all the goals he’d chased, the relationships he’d forsaken, and the person he’d become, was happiness really within his reach? Seeing her now, looking worn yet dignified, he felt a pang of something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time—guilt, regret, even a longing for simpler times.

“I suppose I thought I was,” he answered carefully, unsure of how much to reveal, “but maybe… maybe I haven’t been asking myself the right questions.”

Anamika just listened, taking in his words, her own heart heavy with the weight of the past, wondering how much had changed between them and how much, painfully, had stayed the same. But then, she wasn't there to feel weak or lend her shoulder to him nor to ask for his, she was there to clear out things, to choose herself.

Anamika’s hands clasped tightly in her lap as she gathered the nerve to ask, “Do you… need any help, Vineet? I mean, with… with Vandita. I got to know she's not ready. If you want I can..you know talk to her.” She proposed.

Vineet’s eyes flickered with surprise at her offer. For a moment, he was silent, absorbing her words, as though he couldn’t believe she would still consider helping him. There was something raw in her gaze, a vulnerability she tried hard to keep hidden, but he could see it—he knew her too well to miss it. She has died a hundred dead before saying those words, her heart is on fire, he can clearly see that.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” he said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. The idea of her being involved in his tangled emotions felt wrong. Yet, he couldn’t deny that for the first time in a while, he felt a strange comfort in her presence, even if things between them had been broken beyond repair.

Anamika swallowed, sensing his hesitation. She wasn’t sure if she could bear the pain of watching him love someone else, someone who didn’t truly care for him. But a part of her, the part that still cared deeply, wanted to see him happy, even if it meant bearing her own heartache.

“If there’s anything…” she trailed off, unsure if she could finish the sentence, “If there’s anything I can do to help you, Vineet… I will.”

Her words lingered in the air, filling the room with an ache neither of them could quite put into words.

Vineet looked down, his fingers tracing invisible patterns on the fabric of his sleeve, as if searching for an answer there. Anamika's offer had taken him off guard, and he could see the strength it took her to make it. He knew her heart was raw, barely healed from what he’d put her through, and yet, she was still here, still trying to reach out.

After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Anamika... you don’t have to do this."

She shook her head slowly, as if willing herself to stay calm, her hands still clasped tightly. "I know I don’t have to," she said, her voice steady but laced with emotion. "But I want you to understand… if she doesn’t feel for you what you feel for her… I’m not sure it’s worth breaking yourself for, Vineet."

The honesty in her words struck something deep within him. For a split second, he felt the urge to reach out, to say something that would bridge the gulf between them. But the unresolved pain, of choices made and left unspoken, held him back.

As silence filled the room, the weight of unspoken memories and regrets hung heavily between them. Vineet’s mind was a chaotic mess, torn between his own misguided dreams with Vandita and the undeniable truth standing before him—Anamika, still there despite it all, holding the pieces of what they once shared with a strength he hadn’t known he’d needed.

But he didn’t know if he could face it, or if he even deserved it.

He steal a glance of her, she was utterly silent as if searching for words but they seem to refuse to cooperate with her.
Vineet cleared his throat, sensing the intensity in the room building again. Looking for a way to break it, he asked, “Did you have dinner yet?”

Anamika hesitated, but eventually shook her head. “No, not yet. I could... I could order something, if that’s alright?” she spoke, trying to find an opportunity to shake off the chaos in her mind even if mean for a moment.

He nodded, watching her as she picked up the phone to call room service. Her voice was calm, steady, but each meal she ordered struck him with a pang of recognition. She’d chosen all his favorites, things they’d shared countless times, familiar dishes that suddenly felt heavy with nostalgia. It was like she knew exactly what would bring him comfort, even now.

As she finished, placing the phone back on the receiver, the weight of her gesture began to sink in, filling him with a quiet guilt. The realization that, despite everything, she was still thinking about him in these small, thoughtful ways was like a mirror reflecting everything he’d taken for granted.

A knot formed in his chest as he wrestled with his emotions, uncertain of how to respond or even if he deserved to.

The silence grew deeper as they waited for the food, each lost in their own thoughts. Anamika kept her gaze on the floor, absently tracing a pattern on the fabric of her dress. Vineet shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to navigate the situation unfolding before him.

When the food finally arrived, Anamika got up to bring the dishes to the small table by the window. She set everything out carefully, almost like she was arranging pieces of a life they’d once shared, now fragmented and scattered.

"Come,” she said softly, gesturing for him to sit.

Vineet watched her for a moment, taken aback by the quiet tenderness in her actions. He finally joined her, and as he took his first bite, memories flooded back—countless dinners, conversations filled with laughter and dreams for the future, moments he’d allowed to slip through his fingers.

She ate in silence beside him, occasionally stealing glances his way, her expression a mix of familiarity and an unspoken sadness. And as they sat there, sharing a meal like old times but knowing everything had changed, the enormity of his choices weighed down on him. For the first time, he found himself wondering what he was truly searching for, and whether, in his pursuit of something new, he’d lost something irreplaceable.

He glanced at her, the words stuck in his throat, unsure if he could ever make things right—or if it was too late.

As they continued their quiet meal, Vineet finally gathered the courage to break the silence. He took a deep breath, glancing down before looking at Anamika.

"I didn't expect you to come here… like this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked at her with a mix of regret and gratitude, as if seeing her there gave him something he hadn’t realized he needed. “Thank you… for still being so thoughtful.”

Anamika merely nodded, her face unreadable, though her eyes held a trace of sadness. “You don’t need to thank me, Vineet,” she replied gently. "I thought… maybe you’d need someone to remind you of what you left behind -- for good."

The words lingered in the air, and Vineet felt the weight of them, his guilt growing more profound. He tried to shake it off, swallowing the pain he felt, but her presence made it impossible. Every glance, every soft breath reminded him of the life they had built together, now hanging by a thread.

He finally set down his fork, unable to continue eating. “I didn’t mean to hurt you this much, Anamika. I never wanted any of this, it just happened. I don't know how but she feels different,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. His gaze fell to his hands as he fidgeted nervously.

Anamika’s expression softened, though her heart still ached. “I know, Vineet,” she said softly. “I just… I thought I’d come here and make peace with it.” She paused, struggling with the emotions flooding her, but determined to stay strong. "I needed to see if you had truly moved on, if I could finally let go. And about Vandita, I'm sure she's different,if she has caught your attention then she must be something." As she spoke she felt her heart breaking into pieces, her feet turning cold.

The vulnerability in her words struck him deeply. He hadn’t thought about the effect his actions had on her, consumed as he’d been with his own desires and regrets. Now, as he sat across from her, he realized that he might never be able to repair the hurt he had caused, but he also understood that facing it was the first step toward something more honest—whatever that might look like. Also, it was her who started it, who started to tear them apart.

Vineet clear his throat, "we could have escape it, had....had you agreed to me back then." He asserts his voice though low but accusing.

Anamika looked at him, stunned by his words. "So that's what you think? That it was all because I didn’t bend to your plans?" Her voice was steady, but there was a tremor beneath it, a deep hurt surfacing as she spoke. "I wasn't refusing to help, Vineet. I was trying to protect everything we had both worked for. I wanted us to find a solution together." She suddenly felt her temper rising.

Vineet met her gaze, his expression hardening. “You were always independent, always making decisions without considering what I needed. My company was struggling, and you didn’t even think to merge and support me—”

“Vineet," she interrupted, her voice now laced with frustration, "I wanted us to keep our businesses separate to protect them both, not because I didn’t care. I never wanted you to feel like I didn’t believe in you.”

He looked away, his fingers tapping on the edge of the table, unsure of what to say. For the first time, he found himself questioning his own memory of the events that had led them here. Anamika had always been level-headed, practical, and strong, and mostly self centered Or money minded.

The silence between them grew heavy. Both were lost in their own thoughts, revisiting memories with new perspectives, and yet, neither seemed to find the answers they sought. In that moment, they realized that what had separated them was not only circumstance but the misalignment of their visions, fears, and the way they saw each other's intentions.

Anamika took a steady breath, her gaze softening as she looked at him one last time. “Vineet, I truly wish you happiness. I hope you find love with someone who understands you completely, someone who you love, and who loves you back just as deeply. But…” Her voice trembled, yet she held her ground, “I don’t want to be a part of your life anymore. Not after everything that’s happened.”

Her words seemed to echo in the room, each syllable striking Vineet with a sense of finality. He stared at her, a mixture of surprise and disbelief in his eyes, as if he hadn’t fully considered that this moment might come. For so long, they had been entangled in each other’s lives, even when things were falling apart. But now, here she was, putting a definitive end to whatever still lingered between them.

Anamika rose to her feet, her movements slow but steady, as though every step was helping her to reclaim her own strength. “This is the right thing to do,” she said quietly, almost as if convincing herself one last time. She looked down at him, her face filled with a bittersweet mix of regret and resolve. “Goodbye, Vineet.”

Without waiting for his response, she turned and left the room, each step feeling lighter as she walked away. In that moment, she knew she was leaving behind not only Vineet but the pieces of herself that had been caught up in trying to hold onto him.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Vineet remained frozen in place, her final words replaying in his mind like a haunting melody. The room was silent now, but his thoughts were screaming.

Images from their last day together surged to the surface, sharp and vivid. He remembered the way they’d stood in their office, glaring at each other like strangers. They had fought like enemies, voices raised and accusations thrown, each word cutting deeper than the last. He had demanded that she merge the business with his, and when she refused, he’d lashed out, accusing her of being selfish, of valuing money over him.

Her face, full of hurt and betrayal, flashed before him, and he recalled the moment he’d walked out, leaving her standing there alone, her dignity shattered. He hadn’t looked back that day, too consumed by his own pride and resentment. But now, every harsh word and every unresolved emotion weighed heavily on his heart, as though they’d been waiting in silence for this moment to rise again.

An overwhelming sense of regret washed over him, mingling with the painful realization of what he’d lost. All his dreams, his ambitions — none of it mattered as much as he’d thought. And now, the one person who had been with him through it all was truly gone, leaving him with only memories of the choices that had driven her away.

For the first time, Vineet felt the emptiness of his own actions.

....

To be continued...