Inside the room Ramit tried moving his hand. He had asked the doctor what all injuries he sustained when he had come to check his vitals just then. The list was internal bleeding, a fractured rib, damaged pulmonary tissue and a fractured shoulder. It would take up to 2 months for his complete recovery. The doctor also said his condition was pretty grave. He was brought in well in time or his recovery would have gone up to six months.

A little later, his mom, his sister and her husband, and his wife came to visit.

"You scared us all," his mom said. He gave them all a smile except Geetha. He caught her smile, such a rare thing, but he did not return it.

After a while, he told them that he wanted to talk to his wife alone.

His mom gave the two a smile and followed the rest out. She patted Geetha's shoulder on her way. Geetha was waiting so eagerly for him to wake up. They would need some time alone after everything.

When everyone went out, Ramit softly sighed. This was it. The end he dreaded so much. The end he finally embraced. He said to her, without wasting another second, "Let's get a divorce, for real this time." He gave her a small smile and a small nod.

Geetha thought his actions and words did not match. What was he assuring her about while asking for a divorce? She took a moment before she said looking him dead in the eye, "If it's because of what I said when we were kidnapped, I want to apologise."

"It's okay." His eyes stung.

"Then what do you need a divorce for?"

The forced smile on his face slowly retracted. He did not understand her words. Did she really think he was upset over her words during that time? Well, he was. But it was more for her sake than himself. Or maybe not. In that moment of death, all he had felt was exhaustion and a heavy heart. He just did not want to go on like that anymore.

"We don't suit each other... Are you not happy?" She said she could have found someone more suitable, he remembered. The words were still in his head, loud and clear.

"I am sorry." Geetha said. She was rather surprised he would want to separate. She did not like surprises. This surprise especially would probably remain something she hated the most. She wanted it to stop.

"It's okay."

"Are we fine now?"

"Of course. We'll... always be friends." Maybe he could say hi to her over the phone on a festival or a new year.

Geetha squeezed her eyes shut. What was he trying to say? Something about that sentence sounded off.

When she took too long to respond, he said, "Then, we'll settle other things soon. I already told papa."

"What did you tell him?"

"About the divorce." Her brain stopped for a second. He wanted to get a divorce and he had even started the process? With whose permission did he announce it to his father? Shouldn't he discuss it with her first? No, no, no. The main question was, why did he want a divorce so suddenly?

She was planning how things were going to be when they were finally going to live together, like he always wanted to. This was all she could do for him in return.

Did she already hurt him beyond redemption? She thought about what she would say to him on the way there. One small part of her mind even told her to let it be. She didn't have to say anything. She could just go back and live with him. But the major part said, there were things they had to talk about, things she had to apologise for. She did have some apprehensions about how he would react to her apology. She rarely had to apologise to anyone. After all she did not give herself a chance to meddle in someone's life and hurt them. Except him.

In the end, he saved her life. She would have been reincarnated into a piglet or duckling, or her soul would have been drifting aimlessly by now had it not been for him. She had to do what she could for him. First thing was an apology which she hoped he would accept.

However, her worries were nowhere near reality. He was not even ready for her sorries.

She tried again, one hand clutching her clothes. "I am really sorry. For what I said... and also for everything. I don't want a divorce."

"It's okay! I said it's okay! But let's divorce."

"Why?"

"I'm... I am done with you." He hoped he did not have to say anything crude like that in their parting moments, but he had to.

Done? How can he be done with her after everything? If they were to break off everything now, was she going to carry the debt she owed him for her whole life? With a huge frown, she said, "I am really sorry!"

Ramit also frowned at her. She did not respect him before. Nor was she respecting him now. She wanted everything to be how she wished. Not once did she care about him or his feelings. He snapped. He was sad and angry but he tried hard not to show it. But it proved hard

Geetha held her breath as he laughed out loud, so uncharacteristic of him. The vibrations of those low chuckles made her very unsure.

Ramit calmed down. "What are you going to say? That you didn't mean any of that?"

She looked into his eyes. Her chest rose and fell and her frown deepened. Why was he talking to her like that?

"You meant every word you said."

"That is what I am apologising for!"

He laughed at himself. She would not even try to deny that. Indeed, what difference does it make to her?

"Okay. Let's divorce."

"Why?"

There was that question again. He clenched his jaw. "Why do I have to tell you? Why? What will it change?"

"I know I was wrong... But I... From now onward I'll not behave like before." She could see where he was coming from. All the times she told him to leave her alone, rather rudely, were resulting in this. For the last one week, she thought about how she was going to make up for everything he did for her. It was not a joke that someone put their life on the line for her. Part of her regretted her actions of the past, but given another chance, she'd be just as naive and do the same again.

As he listened to her, more knots formed in his heart. "I'm serious. I've had enough." He gave her a helpless smile.

That smile scared her. His self mockery made a shiver go down her spine. She took a deep breath and asked him, "Do you not love me anymore?"

"Does that even matter to you?"

"If you love someone you'll want to be with them. So if you love me, it gives you a reason to start over with me." Again he was surprised to see her talk like that but he felt like an idiot. He knew she was a narcissist and a hypocrite. Somehow he overlooked this cruel and self-centred side of hers every time. To even leverage the fact that he loved her, she was cruel at heart. Perhaps this is the most disrespectful anyone had ever been to him.

"When did my reason suddenly become so important to you? My feelings, my wants, my wishes... did not matter to you before. But now you suddenly want to agree to live with me instead," he said, "Ah, is it because you feel guilty seeing me like this? Or do you finally take some pity on me?"

"It's not out of pity!"

"It's out of guilt." That really could be the case, she thought, but it was also because she felt immensely grateful.

Speaking about guilt, she did not know exactly. If they were to separate at this point, what kind of a person did that really make her? Guilt or gratitude, she was against leaving him.

Another reason was that she did not expect there to be such a drastic change. She could not help but resist the change.

He continued, "You did nothing wrong. Don't be guilty. Just because I suffered more you should not feel guilty. I suffered because of what I did. In fact I should be sorry to you. I dragged you into that mess and put you in trouble. I'm very sorry."

She did not know what to say. She felt things falling apart and she did not like it one bit. The cogs in her brain turned round and round, yet she could not come up with a reply.

"Tell my family that you want a divorce."

"Why would I? I don't want to divorce you. We will do things your way this time. Okay? I am sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry."

"If you don't tell them, I'll tell them everything you said and did."

She has been the one to intimidate him all along. She wouldn't have cared whatever his family thought about her in the past. She never asked him to hide the fact that she preferred to live alone. But now, if he really told them, all this divorce talk would become real. She didn't want that. If he said everything, she'd not have anyone's support. More than that, if all of them become against her, they'd be the wall between him and her. A wall that she could never dare to crack, rather could never crack.

"They'll ask for a reason. I don't have any reason to divorce you now."

"Lie and say anything that fits. I don't care whatever you say. Aren't you good at lying to them? To me? To everyone? Tell them it's risky being my wife."

She took a deep breath and said, "I was waiting for you to wake up every day. I wanted to say sorry to you for everything I did. I know I was selfish and I was going to try to do everything to stop being like that. There is no question of divorce," she insisted.

He interrupted her before she could say more. "Stop. Stop talking! I don't have a single reason to trust you on that. So stop acting strange now. I thought you'd be happy about this but no, you suddenly have a conscience now?" He had a frown on his face.

Unable to refute him, she said, "Fine. Then tell me why did you go so far to save me?" Whenever she thought of those moments, she had a weird feeling. It was a mix of emotions. There was admiration in the forefront. How much courage would a person have to sustain so much pain? That too when they had a choice not to, and for the sake of another? Then there was thankfulness, guilt, fear, regret. Was that love? She did not know, she had never understood it and so, she was yet to believe in it.

"Don't ever bring that up again!"

"Why?" She slowly moved closer.

His left hand grabbed a knife which halted her, but the next moment he grabbed an apple instead and threw it at her.

She caught it clumsily and didn't say anything. This was the person God gave her. With so much anger and perhaps hatred in his heart, he'd still stretch his hand wrinkling his nose out of pain for the fruit. If he'd thrown the knife, she'd have probably gotten a scratch but she'd not have a change of expression. But that particular stretch of his arm made her gulp and tear up.

The grievance in her eyes did nothing to change his mind. "If you don't speak then I will. Call everyone in." He was not going to let her talk him down this time.

"We can talk about it later, okay? Don't stress about it now," she said with a light choke in her voice. She honestly did not want him to get so agitated in his condition.

"You're the one that's making me stressed. Just agree to it when I tell everyone." He had to do it now or he would simply suffer again. Now was probably the only time he was thinking about his wants before hers. It was his self pity that was driving his heart and he understood that. A little later, he would start acting according to her. Now that his parents were here she'd smile and speak sweetly and that would be enough for him to keep trying. Once left alone the same loneliness would sink in. Being alone was better than being lonely. He had to make things clear to everyone, for the sake of himself.

"Please go and call others in." When she heard him, fear set in. It seemed he wasn't going to change his mind. She calmed herself. How many times did they not fight?

She wiped her tears and went out to call others in. She prayed he'd not do anything and that he was only threatening her. That he'd forgive her.

Everybody but his father came in.

"Call dad in," he said to the group.

His sister went to call him.

When his dad was also inside he said, "I want to tell you all something."

"Ramit!" His father warned. He still could not believe his son would ever say something like that nor that he was going to say it infront of everyone.

"Papa, this is not nonsense," he said, "Geetha and I decided to get a divorce."

He could feel her gaze but he did not look at her.

"Tsk, what is he saying? He did not hit his head, did he?" His mother said.

His father, however, turned to Geetha. "You both decided?"

Her prayer was not answered. Then, she only had herself to rely on. When all the attention was on her, she said looking at his wandering eyes, "We did decide. Just that, we apologised to each other and I didn't know the decision was still valid. Did you hit your head?" Hearing that everyone in the room was stunned, except Ramit.

"Why are you trying to hide it now?" He looked at her, "You don't have to act like you're okay with this marriage. I know how much you hate my presence." Everybody was silent with confusion.

She squinted her eyes at him. He was going to go all the way down with this. Then she had to do the same.

"We don't even live together. How do you know I hate your presence?" She could feel the severity of any consequences her words might lead to. But she had to own up. That seemed to be the only way. She raised her head slightly and gazed into his eyes.

"Because you don't want to live with me," he said, stunning everybody even further.

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