26. Coming back for them

Shivaay remained frozen in place, staring down at the mangalsutra in his hand as if it was the heaviest thing he'd ever held. The silence was deafening, save for the faint echo of the door shutting behind Niharika. He felt an emptiness he couldn’t name, a gnawing regret that churned in his chest.

Shweta stepped forward, her eyes filled with disappointment and anger. "Shivaay," she said, her voice trembling but firm, "I never expected this from you. You, my son, were supposed to protect her, not destroy her spirit."

Shivaay flinched at her words, each one hitting him like a punch to the gut. He looked at her, his face a mask of confusion and guilt.

"Go," Shweta continued, her voice gaining strength. "Go and bring her back. You have no right to let her walk away like this. Fix what you've broken before it’s too late."

"But—" Shivaay began, his voice hoarse, only to be interrupted by his father.

"Your mother is right," Indra said sternly, stepping closer to him. "You have made a grave mistake today. Niharika may have left, but if you let her go without trying to make amends, you’ll lose not just her but the respect of this family forever. Do you understand?"

Shivaay felt his throat tighten. "I... I didn’t know," he muttered, his words stumbling out. "I thought—"

"You thought wrong!" Shweta snapped, her tone sharp. "You let your anger and arrogance cloud your judgment. That girl deserves far better than what you've given her."

Anita chimed in, her voice softer but equally disappointed. "Shivaay, a true man admits when he's wrong. You owe her an apology, and not just words—a true effort to show her she matters. You made her feel like an outsider in this house, but she belongs here more than anyone."

Shivaay swallowed hard, the weight of their words sinking in. He turned toward the door, his legs heavy as though weighed down by his guilt. His mind raced with flashes of Niharika’s tearful face, her trembling voice, the strength it took for her to walk away. For the first time in his life, he felt the sting of true regret.

"Where would she go?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Figure it out," Shweta said firmly. "If you care for her even a little, you’ll find her. And this time, Shivaay, don’t let her leave."

Without another word, Shivaay bolted out of the mansion, the mangalsutra still clutched tightly in his hand, as if it were the only thing tethering him to the hope that he could make things right.

Shivaay sat in his car, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. His mind raced as he thought about where Niharika might have gone. He told himself she couldn’t have gone far, not in this rain, not without a proper plan. But as he drove through the familiar roads, scanning every corner, every passerby, she was nowhere to be seen.

Frustration clawed at him. "Where are you, Niharika?" he muttered under his breath, his jaw clenched. He realized he had no idea what she would do in such a situation—no idea about her favorite places, her safe spaces, or even where she might find comfort. The thought stung.

Meanwhile, at the bus stand, Niharika sat on a wooden bench, her suitcase resting by her side. Her dupatta was slightly damp from the rain, but she didn’t care. Her gaze was distant, her mind replaying the moments that had led her to this point.

She thought back to the day of her marriage, the day she stepped into the Ranawat mansion with hope and apprehension. She remembered Shivaay’s cold declaration: "You are no one to me." The words echoed in her ears, followed by the countless moments where his indifference had pierced her heart.

The dinner chaos resurfaced in her memory—the humiliation, the constant questioning of her worth. And then there was Shweta’s kindness, the kangan that felt like a ray of warmth in a cold house. But even that had been overshadowed by today’s events.

Today was the last straw. The accusations, the mistrust, the public humiliation—it was too much. Her heart ached with a pain so deep it felt like it might never heal. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to cry any more.

"Why do I always have to prove myself?" she whispered to no one in particular. "Why am I always questioned, always doubted? Even when I try to give my best... it’s never enough."

The rain began to fall more heavily, the rhythmic patter a stark contrast to the turmoil inside her. She hugged herself for warmth, her mind spinning with the possibilities of what lay ahead.

Back in his car, Shivaay drove past the bus stand but then reversed suddenly, his eyes catching a familiar silhouette through the misted glass of his windshield. His heart skipped a beat. There she was, sitting alone, looking fragile yet strong in her solitude.

He parked the car hastily and stepped out, the rain drenching him instantly. But he didn’t care. All he could see was her—his Niharika—lost in her thoughts, the pain on her face mirroring the storm within him.

As he approached her, he hesitated. For the first time, he wasn’t sure what to say. Would she even listen? Did he have the right to ask for forgiveness? Taking a deep breath, he decided he had to try.

“Niharika,” he called softly, his voice barely audible over the rain.

She looked up, startled, and for a brief moment, their eyes met. Hers were filled with hurt, his with regret.

Shivaay sat silently on the bench, his posture tense but his expression calm, as though he were forcing himself to appear unaffected. He didn't glance at Niharika, though her presence was impossible to ignore.

She shifted further away from him, the space between them growing in an unspoken declaration of the emotional chasm she felt. The rain fell steadily, drenching them both, but neither moved.

After a moment, he broke the silence, his voice low yet commanding. "Come home."

Niharika turned her face toward him, her eyes blazing with hurt and defiance. "No," she said firmly, her tone carrying the weight of her pain. "Not after what happened today."

Her words hung in the air like a challenge, and for the first time, Shivaay glanced at her. Her resolve was clear, her anger evident, and it was apparent she wouldn’t yield easily. For once, Shivaay found himself at a loss for what to say.

Shivaay sat on the bench beside Niharika, maintaining a small distance as she immediately shifted away, crossing her arms defensively. Her face was turned away, her silence cutting deeper than any words could.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The distant sound of buses coming and going filled the air. Shivaay clenched his fists, trying to muster the courage to break the heavy silence.

“Niharika,” he finally began, his voice low and strained. “I know I’ve wronged you. I know I don’t deserve even a moment of your time. But please... please don’t leave like this.”

She turned her head slightly, her sharp gaze meeting his. “Why shouldn’t I, Mr. Shivaay Singh Ranawat? Give me one reason.”

He inhaled shakily, the weight of her words pressing on his chest. “Because... I—I know I made a mistake. I know I misunderstood you, accused you, and hurt you in ways that you didn’t deserve. But if you leave now, I’ll never get the chance to make things right.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Make things right? You think an apology will fix everything you said and did? You think I can forget all the humiliation, all the insults?”

Shivaay’s eyes softened, the harsh facade he always carried now completely shattered. “I don’t expect you to forget or forgive me. I don’t even expect you to believe me when I say I regret everything. But please, Niharika, don’t leave the family like this. Don’t punish them for my sins.”

Her lips trembled as his words struck a nerve, but she quickly steadied herself. “The family? The same family that stood there silently while you insulted me? The same family that didn’t even try to stop you?”

“They didn’t know the truth,” he said quickly, desperation creeping into his voice. “They didn’t understand what was happening. They’ve accepted you as one of their own, Niharika. They love you.”

She laughed bitterly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Love? If that’s love, then I don’t want it.”

Shivaay moved closer, his tone growing more urgent. “Please, Niharika. I’m begging you. Don’t leave like this. If not for me, then for maa, for Riya, for Bauji... They’ll be shattered if you go.”

Her expression softened momentarily at the mention of their names, but the anger and pain in her heart refused to dissipate. She clenched her fists, her voice trembling as she spoke. “And what about me, Shivaay? What about how shattered I feel? Does that not matter?”

“It does,” he said, his voice breaking. “It does, Niharika. I don’t know how to fix this, but please, don’t walk away. Give me... give us another chance to prove that you belong, that you’re loved.”

She looked away, her heart battling her mind. She wanted to believe him, to believe that things could change. But the scars of the past wouldn’t let her trust so easily.

“Why should I trust you?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Shivaay had no answer. All he could do was sit there, his head bowed in defeat, silently pleading for her to stay.

Niharika's gaze flickered toward Shivaay. His head was lowered, his once-proud demeanor crumbling before her eyes. For a fleeting moment, she saw vulnerability in him, something she had never thought he was capable of. But her heart ached too much to let him in.

“Trust is not given, Shivaay,” she said quietly, her voice firm despite the tears welling up in her eyes. “It’s earned. And you? You’ve only broken mine.”

He looked up at her, desperation etched into every feature. “Then let me earn it, Niharika. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

She shook her head, standing up from the bench and clutching her suitcase tightly. “I don’t think you understand, Shivaay. It’s not just about today. It’s everything. From the moment we got married, you’ve made me feel like an outsider, like I was nothing more than a burden in your life. Do you know how that feels?”

“I do now,” he whispered, standing as well. “And I can’t bear it. I can’t bear the thought of you leaving, Niharika. Please... just come back home.”

She turned her face away, not wanting him to see the tears that had begun to escape her control. “Home?” she scoffed. “That house never felt like home, Shivaay. It felt like a prison. A place where I was constantly judged, constantly insulted. Do you think I want to go back to that?”

His hands fell limply to his sides, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “You’re right,” he admitted. “You’re absolutely right. That house hasn’t been a home for you, and that’s my fault. But it could be. I promise you, Niharika, I’ll change. I’ll make sure it becomes the kind of home you deserve.”

She turned back to face him, her tears now flowing freely. “Promises, Shivaay. That’s all you’re good at. But I’ve had enough of promises. I’m done waiting for you to change.”

Shivaay stepped closer, his voice trembling as he spoke. “You don’t have to wait, Niharika. Just give me one chance. One chance to make things right. If I fail, you can walk away, and I won’t stop you. But please, don’t leave like this. Not without giving me a chance to fix the mess I’ve made.”

She looked at him, her heart torn between the pain he had caused and the sincerity she could now see in his eyes. For the first time, he looked like a man who truly regretted his actions.

“I don’t know if I can do this, Shivaay,” she said, her voice breaking.

“You don’t have to decide now,” he said quickly. “Just... come back with me. For the family, if not for me. Give it a few days. If you still feel the same way, I won’t stop you from leaving.”

The mention of the family tugged at her heart. She thought of Shweta, Riya, and even Indra, who had always been kind to her. A part of her wanted to believe that things could change, but another part of her warned against getting her hopes up.

She sighed, wiping her tears. “Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll come back. But not for you, Shivaay. For them.”

Relief washed over his face, but he didn’t dare smile. He knew this was just the beginning, and he had a long way to go to earn her trust.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

Without another word, she began walking toward his car, leaving him to follow behind her, lost in his thoughts. He knew he had a chance now—a small, fragile chance—and he wasn’t going to waste it.

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