Hey everyone! Another update! Enjoy reading!❤️
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The Movie Night, (Rohit's POV)

The garden shimmered under the soft glow of the lights, with lilies of every color imaginable-except pink, of course. Each bloom seemed to blush at its own beauty, adding to the sheer extravagance of the moment. I had gone all out.

The entire town's supply of lilies? Yep, right here. The flowers practically whispered her name, and I... well, I was holding the grandest bouquet of them all, hoping she'd see it as my grand gesture.

But would she? Would she like it? Or would she think I'd lost my mind?

When Aashika finally stepped out of the car, I could see her standing there in disbelief, the weight of her heels sinking into the grass as she took in the sight of the house, the garden, and-me-holding a bouquet large enough to give her a mental depression. Her eyes swept over the entire setup, and for a split second, I could've sworn she thought it was a prank.

"Rohit," she said, her voice unsure but amused. "What on earth is all this?"

I gave a little shrug, trying to keep my composure.
"Uh, surprise?"

Her lips quirked in amusement, and she shot me a look that could only be described as "not impressed." She then proceeded to walk slowly toward me, her steps cautious.

"And will you do me a favor by saying why you decorated my house as if it's a bride and gonna get married?" she asked with a deadpanned look that was clearly mocking the entire set-up.

I tried to look unbothered. "Let the house go in hell, I wanna see you as my bride."

Her eyes widened. I swear, for a moment, she looked like she just saw a ghost. "What?!"

I mentally slapped myself. Oh my god, I really said that out loud? What was I thinking? I was not ready for the awkwardness I just unleashed.

I couldn't think of anything decent to say. I panicked. "Uh... Bhool Bhulaiyaa?" I blurted out in an effort to save face.
(Bhool Bhulaiyaa: Indian Bollywood movie, Literal meaning: Tangled in Confusion/Forgetfulness)

And then-Oh no. My brain, my loyal ally in moments of crisis, had officially abandoned me. Bhool Bhulaiyaa? Really? I internally cursed myself as I felt my face flush crimson. What am I saying? What's next? The twist from a Bollywood horror movie?

Aashika was now standing there, eyebrows raised in utter confusion. "What does Bhool Bhulaiyaa even mean in this context?"

Ugh, Rohit, think! I screamed at myself. "Uh, well... I just... wanted to take you to the movie. You know, a horror movie?"

Aashika didn't look convinced. Great. She thinks I'm losing it now. In fact I've lost it! Yes! I'm a hilarious dumb!

She crossed her arms, throwing me a skeptical look. "Why on earth would I go to a movie with you?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I panicked. She's right. Why would she go with me? She's my ex, for crying out loud. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I tried to play the "helpless guy" card. "Because, well, I'm scared of horror movies! You know, I need someone brave with me."

Aashika stared at me. I could see her holding back the urge to laugh. "You? Scared?" she teased, her lips curling into a grin. "You have three brothers-don't they go with you to these kinds of things?"

Oh no. I couldn't let her think I was that weak. I immediately shot back, "Nah. My brothers are...vo to apni biwiyon se bhi darte hain...to vo to aur bhi nhi aayenge!"
(Nah. My brothers are even scared of their wives, they won't come with me.)

Aashika blinked at me for a moment. Then she started to smile, clearly trying to keep it under control. "So... You're telling me your big, strong brothers are scared of their wives? Well they should be."

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Exactly!" I said, even though a small part of me questioned whether I was telling the truth at all.

She rolled her eyes. "You know, this is getting ridiculous now. I'm going."

And just when I thought I had lost her, I quickly handed her the bouquet, trying to seem sincere.
"Aashika, I'm really sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't mean to yell at you."

For a moment, I thought she was going to reject it, but then I saw something in her eyes soften. Wait, was she actually moved by my apology?

I took a deep breath and added, "I... I should've handled it better. And I really wanted to make it up to you. Now, will you come for a movie?" I ended with my signature doe eyes! Now she can't deny.

Her eyes started to glisten as she took the bouquet. For a second, I thought I saw a tear, but she quickly wiped it away. She sniffed and gave me a tiny nod. "Alright. Fine. I'll go with you to the movie."

I froze, Did I hear that right? Was she agreeing? Yay!

Before I could say anything, she added, "But this doesn't mean you get a free pass to act like an idiot every time."

"Deal!" I said, grinning like an idiot. Yes I'll become anything for you Jaan!

A few hours later, after a dinner I could barely take credit for (she did most of the cooking), we were heading out for the movie. Guess what, my girl has learnt to cook, hmmm! I'm fucking flattered now.

I checked my phone, excited...until I saw the ticket status. "Houseful."

Wait, what?

Panic instantly set in. She is gonna kill me if she gets to know I blabbered all that in panic. For her, it's a pre-planned thing. Okay, Rohit! Cool down. You have to get it ANYHOW!

I called Rivan in a panic. "Bro, I need your help! The show's sold out!"

He groaned, clearly annoyed. I called him at 11:30pm...He should've slept by now. "What do you want at midnight?!"

"Rivan, please, I need you to pull some strings. I can't mess this up!" I said all in one go

He sighed heavily. "What is it this time? Another date with the CEO?"

"Yes, but I swear this is the last time-can you just get me the tickets or something?!"

"What tickets??" He said while yawning.
He has the time to yawn, seriously!

"Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, 2 tickets!" I said expecting a faster response.

He yawned again!! Seriously! "Oh, I checked it today only. It's houseful, can't help!"

"Bro, seriously how the hell do you manage all your temporary girlfriends!! Please do something!" I said while trying not to shout, she will kill me if she knows this drama.

"Temporary girlfriends, huh?! At least I have some. You don't even have that. Just do anything now, I'm not helping you." He was about to cut the call.

But just then something came in my mind, I blurted out something nonsense but possible, "Do one thing buy the whole theater!"

I mentally cursed myself for putting me in such a fucking nuisance. But I can do anything for you, Lily, just anything!

He paused and I'm sure his sleep and everything else was all gone now. "You want me to buy the whole theater?"

"YES! That's exactly what I want! Buy the theater in the name of....Ruhan Bhardwaj." I said. "Just do it. Anything. I'm desperate!"

Rivan grumbled something under his breath but reluctantly agreed. "Alright, I'll do it. But never again, bhaiya. And promise me this time, you'll let me welcome Aashika bhabhi!"

I rushed back to Aashika, who had been waiting patiently. "Ready for this?" I asked, trying to act normal.

She gave me a look that could only mean, This is either going to be amazing or a total disaster.

We headed off to the theater, laughing at the absurdity of it all.

As soon as Aashika steps out of the car, I mentally start preparing myself. I've already messed up the last part of this plan, and now I have to pretend that everything is fine. She looks at the empty parking lot and then at me. Oh God. She's not going to buy this.

"Rohit, this is it?" she asks, looking confused, probably wondering if I've lost my mind. "Where is everyone? There's no one here!"

I try to keep a casual tone. "Uh, yeah! It's... exclusive," I say, grinning way too wide. "You know, like VIP treatment. Just the two of us. No distractions."

Aashika looks around, her expression skeptical. "So, what? You rented the place just for us?"

Oh no. She's definitely going to catch on if I don't think of something quickly. "Not exactly," I say, rubbing my neck. "It's... minimalist, you know? No crowd, no interruptions. Just, uh, private."

Her eyebrow shoots up, and I swear she's about to start laughing. "Minimalist? Rohit, this looks like a scene out of a horror movie. Are we about to get kidnapped or something?"

I nearly choke on my own spit. "Wha-no! No kidnapping! No horror! It's just... very modern and... exclusive. Super exclusive, actually."

She's clearly not convinced. "Uh-huh. Exclusive. Sure."

We make our way toward the entrance, and I try my best to act like I'm cool with all of this. The truth is, my stomach feels like it's doing flips. If she finds out that I literally bought the entire theater because I panicked-well, I'm not sure she'll ever look at me the same way again.

As we step inside, the emptiness hits us both at once. The place is completely deserted. I notice Aashika looking around, her eyes scanning the hall like she's trying to figure out if I'm secretly trying to pull some elaborate prank. She immediately speaks up.

"Rohit... where is everyone? There's literally no one here. Not even a staff member. Did you-did you rent the whole place out or something?"

I BOUGHT THE WHOLE PLACE! My mind mentally screamed. But I can't let it out! Chup! Quiet! Quiet!

I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. "Oh, well, uh... staff meeting," I stammer. "Yeah, they're... all at a meeting. Big corporate thing, you know? So, yeah, it's just us. Private screening."

She looks at me like I'm out of my mind. "Staff meeting? At night? In the middle of a movie?"

I nod quickly, trying to sound as confident as possible. "Yep! Big meeting. They're all in the backroom, dealing with some important stuff. Very exclusive."

Aashika stares at me. "So let me get this straight. There's no one here because they're all... having some sort of VIP staff meeting?" She crosses her arms. "Seriously, Rohit, this is insane."

I wince. "It's, uh... a new thing. VIP treatment. You know, like in those fancy restaurants where they don't serve too many people at once? It's that kind of exclusive. No distractions. All for you." I try to sound smooth, but it comes out like I'm digging myself deeper.

She doesn't buy it for a second. "Right. So what happens next? Do you pull out a golden popcorn machine or something?"

I almost panic. Oh no, she's onto me. "Uh... well, the popcorn machine's a bit out of order... but don't worry, I'll-"

Aashika cuts me off, rolling her eyes. "Out of order? Of course, it is."

I nod quickly. "Yeah, but, uh, we've got this, don't worry. I promise, the movie is going to be really good. Trust me."

She lets out a sigh and walks toward the theater doors. "I swear, if it won't be a good movie, I'm not letting you come inside my house ever, even if you're thrown out of your own house!!"

WHAT!? NO!!!

I follow her, praying this movie is at least somewhat entertaining. Once we get inside, I finally let out a breath, but Aashika's glare tells me she's still suspicious.

As the movie starts, there's a lot of dramatic music, people staring at each other with mysterious looks. Aashika leans over to me. "This is the movie? What is this, a staring competition? I'm just waiting for someone to blink."

I bite my lip, trying to stay cool. "It's all about the suspense," I reply, trying to sound convincing. "It builds... slowly. Intense build-up, you know?"

"Yeah, well, I'm feeling the boredom," she shoots back, clearly not impressed.

I try to save face. "No, no. Just wait. It gets better. Trust me."

Aashika raises an eyebrow. "Oh, I trust you alright. I just need to trust my patience more."

Oh god! Where is horror?? WHERE ARE YOU, HORROR?? C'mon big brother come on the screen now. Since morning, everyone are getting on my nerves, shouting, that this is HORROR!? Where is Horror?!

I would legit say, sitting beside Aashika Singhania is way more horrifying than seeing people staring each other! I could hear her rip apart my choice of movie.

Of course, the horror movie was getting progressively worse. The more the ghost crept around the house, the more Aashika couldn't hold back the sarcastic comments.

She raised her hand and gestured to the screen. "Is this ghost just chilling around the house for no reason? What's the deal? 'Hey, I'm dead, but maybe I'll just wander around aimlessly. Anyone want to chat?'"

I couldn't help but snort. "Well, maybe it's just... lonely. I mean, when you're dead, there's no one to talk to. Maybe it just wants to hang out with the living."

Aashika snickered, glancing at me sideways. "What's next? Is the ghost gonna order a pizza while it's at it? This is absurd."

"Could be," I responded, totally going along with it now. "It probably doesn't have a lot to do in the afterlife. You know, things to catch up on."

At that point, the film's "romantic" moment came up-yes, you heard that right, a romantic moment in a horror movie.

Aashika turned to me, utterly deadpan. "Are you seriously trying to make me cry over a ghost's nonexistent love life? Though it was a movie about ghosts right? So where is the ghost, here I can see Ruh baba and Meera dancing instead, they're not ghosts I think."

I barely stifled a laugh. "Well, uh, it's tragic. Anyone can be the ghost..maybe them?"

She stared at the screen, trying not to smile. "Yeah, tragic like my high school plays. But wait, are you a ghost too?"

"Yeah I wanna haunt you by coming in your dreams." I muttered under my breath.

"What?" Her gaze shifted to me.

"Nothing...nothing... let's focus on the movie!" I passed her a sheepish grin before looking back at the screen but I saw her smirk...Wait, did she hear me? Oh no! But Oh yes! She smirked that means she feels the same way as I do! Butterflies are now dancing in my stomach, a positive sign? Yes! Oh my god! This disaster night is turning good now!👽

The growing feelings, (Aashika's POV)

The sun was still creeping through the blinds, casting long, golden rays across the polished surface of my desk. But inside, my mind was far from calm. My thoughts were consumed by him. Rohit.

I couldn't get the image of those lilies out of my head. Not just a bouquet, no. All the lilies in the town. Every single one, except the pink ones-the ones I had always hated. He had done it for me. He knew exactly what I liked, what I didn't, and it was all there. A mass of delicate, pure white lilies, filling my office with their fragrance. He'd yelled at me just once, and then made this grand gesture, as if to undo the hurt with something so sweet, so sincere. Will anyone ever love me like that? No, in fact NEVER!

I smiled despite myself, a lump forming in my throat. Was this real? Was this love, or was I being swept away by the idea of it all? But in that moment, I didn't care. The gesture-his effort-moved something deep inside me. He was just perfect, he was everything.

I shook my head to clear the fog of emotion. Rose's voice brought me back to reality.

"Hey, Aashika, you okay?" She stood by my desk, concern on her face. She could always tell when something was off.

"I don't know, Rose," I whispered, swallowing hard. "I think I'm falling for him. Falling hard. But I don't want to, actually I shouldn't."

Rose sat down across from me, her eyes narrowing with concern. "You're thinking about last night?"

I didn't know how to explain it-how to untangle the web of emotions that had taken over me. It wasn't just last night. It wasn't just the lilies. It was everything. Him.

"I love him, Rose," I blurted, and for the first time, I didn't try to hide it. I need to let it out in front of someone otherwise I would die!
"I love him more than I've ever loved anyone in my life. I want him by my side-always. I want him to be with me at every business event, every party. I want the world to know he's mine. I want him to claim me as his every moment. I want to live my life with him. I want to be in his arms, I want to die in his arms. And I want him. I just want him. In fact, I need him."

The words spilled out, raw and desperate, without any filter. I couldn't stop them. Couldn't stop myself. It was like a dam had broken. I had never said anything like that before.

Rose stared at me, shocked, her mouth slightly open. She had never seen me like this, not with anyone. "Aashika... You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

I nodded, my hands gripping the edge of my desk, as if I could hold myself together by sheer force. "I can't stop thinking about him, Rose. It's like... he's all I want. All I've ever wanted. But I don't know how to make sense of it. I don't want him to get hurt because of me. I don't want the world to misunderstand him again. He deserves so much more than that."

Rose leaned back in her chair, studying me carefully. "But then why did you even bother to help him out of his mess when you knew he didn't marry Mita because of love? Why did you fight for him when it could just make things worse?"

The words hit me harder than I expected. Why had I stepped in to help him? Why had I defended him? Why had I cared so much when everything about this situation screamed complicated?

I didn't have an answer.

"I... I don't know," I whispered, feeling vulnerable. "I couldn't let him suffer like that. He was all vulnerable, suffering the cold gazes of his family, living a life he never imagined, he never deserved actually. Maybe I wanted to believe in something real. Maybe... maybe I wanted him to be the better."

Rose raised an eyebrow, clearly still processing everything. "You're really sure about this, Aashika. You want him, but you're still holding back. Why?"

"I'm scared, okay?" I exhaled sharply, frustration rising in me. "I don't want to bring him into this mess. I don't want to drag him into the chaos of my world. I don't want everyone to think he's just another guy who messed up. I don't want to lose him by pushing him too far."

Rose looked at me quietly, and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of my breathing. Then she spoke, softer now. "You know, Aashika, maybe it's time you stopped resisting what you really feel. Maybe it's time you let yourself have him."

I looked at her, taken aback by her words. "I can't," I whispered, shaking my head. "I don't want to hurt him again. I don't want him to be misunderstood anymore. He doesn't deserve that."

But Rose wasn't letting it go. She stared at me, her voice insistent. "But then why did you even want the truth to come out? Why did you care so much about getting him out of his mess if you weren't ready to accept what's between you two?"

Her question made me freeze. It was like the truth hit me all at once. Why had I cared so much? Why had I put myself in that position? I thought I was protecting him, but now, I wasn't so sure. The internal war was so much louder now.

I swallowed hard and turned away from Rose, trying to collect my thoughts. My mind was spinning. Then, it hit me. The Pooja. The one at the Bhardwajs' house in a few more, like 20 days around.

After the guests had left, after everything had quieted down, I would talk to Rohit. I would explain everything. I would put it all out there. I would tell him that it's not good for us. And if it broke his heart, then so be it. At least then, we'd both know where we stood.

"Rose," I said softly, more to myself than to her, "I'll do it. After the Pooja, I'll talk to him. I'll end this-no matter how much it hurts."

Rose didn't say anything, but I could see the worry in her eyes. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. She knew I was about to make a choice that could change everything.

But in that moment, I knew I had to do it. I had to tell him. Even if it broke us both.

The day before Pooja, (Author's POV)

And here came the thing which broke her thread of patience, 20th day after they met and the 20th bouquet of lilies on her desk!

Every day!

Every day, he would send a bouquet with a self written note on it! A note which makes Aashika feel confident about her own self. It has been days that she has started to see her own talents, to believe her own self, to admire herself in front of the mirror and know how crucial she could be for someone, for him! But tomorrow she had to destroy it, crash it, all at once! She looked again at the bouquet. Admired it! And hugged it tight! Will it be the last bouquet from him?
Today, the note said,

"You never know what's coming to you next! God always tests his favourite ones the most, to let them know that when their world is at the brink of crashing, a whole new world awaits them!♡"

Wait, was it something like the silence before the upcoming storm?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the most excited man of the world sat, surrounded by a group of people like him...excited? Too much excited!

And here the silence breaks, Rivan dropped a glass from his hands, intentionally!

Ruhan groans, "What's your problem? Why did you drop it?"

"Kaanch tutna shagun hota hai!" Rivan looked at them with a sheepish grin.
(Breaking of a glass is considered a good omen)

"Let's break all the glass things of the house then!" And here our fallen Dr. Rohit Bhardwaj came with his hilarious idea. Only to earn death glares from the family.

"Rohit, please calm down now. Everything is all set. The whole garden and the house is adorned with Aashika's favourite lilies. And we've a perfect setup, Aashika will never know that this Pooja is fake and we've just done all this so that she comes to our house and we convince her." Mansi handed over a glass of water to Rohit hoping him to calm down.

But no, "Lemme go and have a check on the arrangements once again." Rohit stood up and ran towards the garden checking every detail for the n'th time.

"Oh god! I'm his twin. He never loved me so much and look at him now, he has spent around four nights in the garden working on every detail, every colour, every gradient for his CEO. He never did this for me." Rivan ended with a dramatic pout.
Others burst into immense laughter while Rohit was still dreaming, maybe something impossible and Aashika was planning, something which she would never be able to do!

The showdown, (Author's POV)

The villa was a sanctuary of silence, but the air crackled with anticipation. Aashika hesitated at the threshold, the light green gown she wore blending perfectly with the garden's muted elegance. Her heart pounded like a drum as her gaze fell on the lilies adorning every corner-their fragrance heavy, intoxicating and maybe suffocating. It was as if they mocked her indecision, their delicate petals a reminder of the love she feared yet longed for.

As she stepped inside, her footsteps seemed to echo louder than they should. Her eyes darted to the Bhardwaj family standing at a distance, their faces a portrait of cautious hope. Rohit stood at the center, his smile uncontainable, his eyes bright with unspoken promises. Aashika forced herself to offer a polite, "Hello, everyone," her voice cracking slightly.

Mansi stepped forward, her smile trembling with emotion. "Aashika, beta, you look beautiful."

"Thank you," Aashika replied softly, her hands clutching at the folds of her gown. She nodded to others, but her gaze inevitably fell on Rohit. His energy was overwhelming, and the sheer joy radiating from him made her chest ache.

"Rohit," she began, her voice cautious. "Where are the priests? The guests? I thought this was a pooja?"

Rohit's grin widened, and he stepped closer, his excitement palpable. "This is different, Aashika. Today is about us."

Her breath hitched.
It can't come so early....No please. Her mind shouted but she maintained herself.
The weight of his words pressed down on her, but she tried to compose herself. "What do you mean? What's happening here?"

Before she could finish, Rohit said, "Aashika, I always wanted to give you time. After that day, I've tried to give you every moment to remind yourself how special, important you are! And today.." His voice cracked slightly, and his vulnerability shone through the usual confidence.

The family exchanged emotional glances, each of them silently rooting for him, their hope evident.

Aashika, however, felt her walls rising. She looked at Rohit, her voice trembling as she said, "Rohit, before you say anything, I need to talk to you."

His face fell, the exuberance dimming slightly, but he nodded. "Okay. I'm listening."

Aashika drew in a shaky breath, her throat tightening. "I've seen how much you've done, how much you've given to this... to us. And it's overwhelming. But..." She faltered, her eyes misting over. "Sometimes love isn't enough. No matter how much we want it to work, destiny has its own plans. You're understanding it, right? I'm not saying you're at fault, but still it just can't workout..."

The words hung in the air like a death knell. Rohit's smile vanished, replaced by a look of sheer disbelief. The family froze, their eyes wide with shock.

"Not enough?" Rohit's voice was barely a whisper, his hands trembling. "Aashika, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm scared, Rohit," she confessed, her voice cracking. "I'm scared of dragging you into my mess. You deserve someone whole, someone who can give you everything. I'm not that person, I can't be that person."

The vulnerability in her words shattered the room's fragile tension. Mansi said, sensing the unspoken tension, "Aashika, do you even understand how much you mean to him? To us?"

Aashika turned to her, guilt written all over her face. "I do, Aunty. That's what makes this so hard."

Rohit staggered back slightly, as if her words physically struck him. His voice was raw when he spoke. "You're scared? Aashika, I've spent every day trying to show you that you're not alone. That we can face anything together. Why don't you believe me?"

Tears streamed down her face, and she shook her head. "It's not about belief, Rohit. It's about reality. You're building your life around me, why can't you see others?"

He clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with desperation. "Don't you think that should be my choice? Don't you think I should be the one to decide who is enough for me? Don't I get a say in this?"

The room fell silent as Rohit's voice cracked under the weight of his emotions. His family watched helplessly, their hopeful expressions giving way to heartbreak.

"Why, Aashika?" he asked, his voice breaking. "Why are you pushing me away? Why do you think you can't love me? Why?"

She hesitated, her lips trembling. "I don't know, Rohit. I don't know why you'd choose someone as broken as me?"

His voice softened, but his pain was evident. "Because you're my Reason to Breathe, Aashika. You're the one thing that makes sense in this chaotic world. And if you walk away now, I don't know what will be left of me. Will I even be there? Will I be able to exist? Aashika, these 2 years I loved like a moron, trying to find you in every thing where you can't be. You're the least and the most I can imagine!" Tears brimmed down his cheeks as he finished.

Aashika's knees buckled, and she pressed her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob. The rawness in his voice, the sheer intensity of his love, was too much to bear. The family stood frozen, their hearts breaking for the man who had given everything and asked for so little in return.

"I can't..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I can't do this."

Rohit took a step back, his face pale. His voice slightly higher than ever, "Then tell me you don't love me, simple!" he said, his voice trembling. "If you say that, I'll walk away. But don't leave me hanging in between, Aashika. I deserve at least that. Just say and I promise I'll never show you my face, never try to make you believe in this...this love."

Her silence was deafening. She waited for a few moments knowing this was impossible, she can't say that. She loved him to her deepest core.

She walked away from the place without any further words.

Rohit exhaled shakily, turning to leave. His family didn't stop him-they knew he needed space. As he walked away, his shoulders slumped. It's the third time he was vulnerable with pain and grief. They never saw him so vulnerable except the times he lost someone he loved.
If not her, then no one!
The lilies around swayed gently, as if mocking the broken hearts left in their wake.

The Internal Turmoil, (Aashika's POV)

I could still feel the weight of his words crushing my chest. The silence in the room had been suffocating, but what followed after was even worse-the aftermath of his pain, his raw vulnerability, hung in the air like an unspoken confession.

I pressed my hands to my face, trying to stop the tears from spilling, but they came anyway-ruthless and uncontrollable. His voice, his words, they haunted me.

"You're my Reason to Breathe, Aashika."

I felt the words echoing inside me, over and over. Reason to Breathe.

What was I supposed to do with that? How could I possibly let someone feel that way about me? I couldn't even wrap my mind around it-how could he love me so fiercely when I couldn't even love myself enough to believe in us?

His question rang in my ears: "Why are you pushing me away?"

I had no answer. There were too many reasons, too many insecurities, too many walls I'd built around myself. I had convinced myself that I wasn't worth his love, that I couldn't be the person he deserved. How could I? I wasn't enough-I never was.

His voice had cracked, raw with pain, and it felt like it was breaking me too. "Don't you think that should be my choice?"

I wanted to tell him, to scream at him that I wasn't enough. But I couldn't. He deserved someone who could embrace him without hesitation, not someone who pushed him away at every turn.

"These two years, I loved like a moron," he had said. And the pain in his voice-it shredded me. Why was I making this so hard? Why couldn't I just believe in him, in us?

I sank to the floor, wrapping my arms around my knees, my heart pounding in my ears. "I don't know why you'd choose someone as broken as me."

It was the truth. He could have anyone. Anyone who was whole, anyone who wasn't so tangled in their own mess of emotions and fears. But he chose me. And that felt impossible.

The words I needed to say-the ones that would make everything right-stuck in my throat. I couldn't. I couldn't tell him that I was afraid. Afraid of the hurt. Afraid of the responsibility that came with his love.

"Just say you don't love me."

The desperation in his voice hit me like a slap.

How could I say that? How could I tell him that I didn't love him when every part of me screamed that I did?

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. I felt like I was drowning, suffocated by the weight of my own fears, the burden of my own doubts. I wanted to scream, to push all my walls down, but my heart-my broken, terrified heart-wouldn't let me. I couldn't just destroy everything he had given me.

I tried to steady my breath, but the weight of everything-his love, his pain, his raw honesty-felt too much to bear. And yet, the thought of losing him was unbearable too.

"I can't do this." My words were barely a whisper, the cracks in my voice betraying the turmoil inside me. I knew he heard me. I knew he felt my hesitation, my fear.

But I couldn't take it back now. I couldn't walk away from him, from this. He needs me. He wants me.

I wiped the tears from my face, my hands trembling. I had to fix this. I had to give us a chance. I wasn't going to lose him. Not when he had shown me more love than I had ever thought possible.

I wanted someone better for him. But can't I be that better? His pleading eyes, his true love, everything about him, gives only one answer. It shouldn't be a choice, I should be that. He lives for me! And it's my duty, at least I cannot make him feel abandoned.

Suddenly something clicked in my mind, his note! Yes, his note! There can be a complete new world awaiting for me. And even if I end up doing something wrong, I think I can mend it. We can mend it together.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up, pushing myself to move despite the shaking in my legs. The world felt like it was closing in on me, but there was no turning back.

I couldn't walk away from this. He loves me unconditionally, selflessly, so much so that he's ready to let me go away if I say so! Not an obsession, a love, true love! Doesn't this true love deserve the same? Yes it definitely does!

"Rohit," I whispered to myself, the words a promise, a prayer. "I will try. I'll try to make myself that better."

I took a step forward, knowing that the journey ahead would be messy, painful, and terrifying. But for the first time in a long while, I knew it was a journey worth taking.

Enough! The next time I meet him, I'll clean all the mess I've done!
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Blurb of the next chapter:

"Oiye!" she yelled on the top of her lungs, while running behind him. But he didn't stop.

But then he heard her scream, ensuring him that it wasn't a dream.

She was real!

My mind raced, but wait, what the hell! She fell down. Why do these girls even wear heels? I swear I'll throw all her heels once I get a chance. I ran towards her and cradled her in my arms. But guess what, she smirked. She wanted to stop me by this!

This smart CEO!👽 She is definitely her.

He puts her down on the ground and walked back toward the car. She looked at him in disbelief. Obviously he has the sole rights to increase her longing now!🤣

"Oiye! I love you! Apni biwi ko aise raaste pe chod ke jaoge kya!!!!!" She shouted. But wait, what? What did she say!?
(Hey! I love you! Are you really going to leave your wife like this on the street and walk away!!!!!)
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(6.2k words)
So, how much are y'all enjoying this?

I know I'm not focusing on other couples and I think I won't do much for the next few chapters! As there will be only a few updates till my examinations! (Regular Updates after 20th Feb, promise!😗)
Next update is scheduled on 30th December!

With regards,
Wings_Of_Passion