22. Divorce Decree Day

Author's POV

Today, both Sahil and Ishika are going to court to receive their divorce decree. In a few moments, they would walk out of this place as strangers in the eyes of the law. It had been a month since they filed for divorce, and now the final decree was ready. By the end of the day, their marriage would officially be over.

Sahil shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his gaze drifting toward Ishika. She sat with her back straight, poised and calm, but what caught his attention was her face. She looked radiant—too radiant for someone on the brink of ending a marriage. Her smile was wide and unforced, and her eyes sparkled with a light he hadn’t seen in years. It was as if she were on the verge of a new beginning rather than closing a chapter. Unable to hold the sight any longer, he turned his face toward the window.

Ishika, on the other hand, felt the opposite. She was brimming with joy, a quiet but fierce happiness that bubbled just beneath the surface. The weight she had carried as Mrs. Malhotra was finally beginning to lift. Every inch of her body felt lighter, as if she had been holding her breath for years and was only now learning how to breathe again.

Today marked the first step toward reclaiming herself. She would no longer be tethered to a name that had become a chain around her neck. No more pretending, no more humiliation. The suffocating pretense of being the perfect wife in a marriage that had long since crumbled would finally end.

Her thoughts flicked ahead—six more months. Six more months until she was completely free, until every lingering tie was cut. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ishika saw a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Freedom wasn’t just a dream anymore; it was within reach.

And today, she would take the first step toward it.

At Court,

Sahil and Ishika were waiting in the office. Sahil’s lawyer friend, Rajveer Khanna, handed the divorce decree to Ishika after receiving it. Ishika felt a twinge of sadness as she reflected on her married life. She had never imagined that her marriage would turn into a disaster, ending in divorce one day. Meanwhile, Sahil simply gave Rajveer a firm nod before walking away.

Ishika looked elated, her excitement almost palpable as she held the decree in her hands. Once seated in the backseat of the car, she pulled out her phone and texted Aditi: [I got the divorce decree. It’s official—I’m finally divorced!]

Aditi's reply came almost instantly: [Congrats! This calls for a celebration—you’re officially single again!]

Ishika smiled, her fingers flying across the screen. [Of course, we’ll celebrate!]

Aditi responded with enthusiasm: [There’s a new restaurant that just opened in our area. Let’s go and try it out!]

Ishika chuckled, her happiness evident, and replied, [Okay, let’s go tomorrow after school.]

Meanwhile, in the back seat, Sahil sat silently, his face a blank canvas, betraying no emotion. His gaze shifted to Ishika, who was completely absorbed in her cheerful texting, her smile lighting up her face as if she had just won the jackpot. The sight stung more than he cared to admit, but he quickly turned away, retreating into his thoughts as the car sped forward.

Next Day,

Ishika and Aditi entered the new restaurant, taking in the cozy atmosphere. The warm lighting and soft buzz of conversation created the perfect ambiance. Couples were whispering sweet nothings, families were sharing stories, and friends were laughing over shared plates. Ishika scanned the room, her eyes wandering until they stopped dead on a figure she wished had vanished from the face of the earth.

Dhruv Singhania.

Her stomach twisted as she quickly averted her gaze, grabbing the menu card and holding it up like a shield.

Aditi, noticing her friend’s odd behavior, raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing? Are you hiding from the CBI or something? Did you rob a bank without telling me?” she asked, laughing.

Ishika sighed deeply, lowering the menu slightly to whisper, “Look behind you. There’s a guy in a leather jacket.”

Aditi turned immediately, her movements anything but subtle, and said, “Yeah, I see him. So what?”

“That’s Dhruv Singhania,” Ishika said, exasperated. “The guy I told you about. The one Sahil made a scene about?”

Aditi’s expression turned serious. “Oh. Him. Okay, should we leave? We can find another place.”

Ishika shook her head, determination in her voice. “No, no. We’ve already ordered. I’m not wasting my food for him. Besides, he’s with his friends. He won’t notice me.”

For a moment, Ishika relaxed. The food arrived, and they started eating, laughter returning to their conversation. But her peace was short-lived. A chair scraped loudly against the floor, and suddenly, there he was, grinning like he owned the place.

“Hi,” Dhruv said, waving his fingers in the air like he was in a toothpaste commercial. His signature smirk was firmly in place. “Oh, noodles! My favorite.”

Ishika looked up and promptly choked on her food. Aditi handed her water, trying not to laugh as Ishika cursed her fate between gulps.

“What are you doing here?” Ishika snapped, her irritation cutting through the air. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”

Dhruv leaned back, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Wow, is that how you treat an old friend? I saw you and thought, hey, let’s say hi! And this is what I get?”

Aditi shot him a polite but firm smile. “Well, we’re having lunch. So if you could just excuse us…”

“Oh, perfect timing!” Dhruv said, clapping his hands. “I’m hungry too. Let’s eat together!”

"Wait... what?" Ishika said, frustration in her voice. "Listen, we only ordered for us. And besides, look at you—your friends are out there; they must be waiting for you. You should join them."

Dhruv glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "Oh, don't worry about them," he said. "They can manage without me. And if you're worried about my food, sweetheart, don't be. I can order for myself," he replied, winking at her.

Ishika rolled her eyes so hard she could’ve seen her own brain. She leaned toward Aditi and muttered, “Let’s eat quickly and get out of here before I lose my sanity.”

They finished their food in record time and got up to leave, but Dhruv wasn’t done. “Hey, hey, you can’t leave your friend like this! I haven’t even finished my food!”

Ishika gave him a sickly sweet smile, dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, believe me, we can. Watch us.”

With that, she grabbed Aditi’s hand, paid the bill, and left, her head held high. Dhruv watched them go, chuckling to himself as he shook his head. “She’s feisty,” he muttered, clearly amused. With a grin, he resumed eating, unbothered and, frankly, a little impressed.

****

Ishika was reading a novel, unable to sleep. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a call from her uncle. She greeted him politely, but his nonchalant reply instantly set her on edge. She knew what was coming—another request or, more accurately, a threat. As expected, he wanted her to convince Sahil to hand over some shares from his upcoming ventures to offset losses and secure profits.

Ishika furrowed her brows, feeling a wave of exhaustion. She was sick and tired of the corporate games that came with her family’s business. The endless demands, the manipulations—it was all too much. Every time she approached Sahil on behalf of her uncle or her parents’ company, she felt a deep sense of shame. But denying her uncle outright was impossible; he always had leverage.

Every time, the leverage was her brother, Abhi—the only family she had left after their parents’ passing. Ishika and Abhi were fiercely protective of each other, and her uncle knew it.

Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt when her uncle’s impatient voice broke through.

"Are you even listening to me?"

“Yes, Uncle, I’m listening,” Ishika replied quickly.

“Good. Look, our company is facing serious losses. If this continues, we’ll go bankrupt. This company was your father’s pride and hard work. Surely, you don’t want all of that to go to waste, do you?”

The mention of her father tugged at Ishika’s heart. He had been her hero, her guiding light. She had always admired his dedication to the company, and the thought of it crumbling filled her with guilt.

“I’ll try to convince Sahil, Uncle,” she said reluctantly. “But I can’t promise anything.”

Her uncle’s tone shifted, almost smug. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll manage to convince him.”

With a heavy sigh, Ishika set her phone down, her uncle’s words echoing in her mind. His request had been straightforward, but the implications were anything but simple. How was she supposed to convince Sahil? The mere thought of reaching out to him sent a wave of anxiety crashing over her.

Everything between them was still raw. The divorce was fresh—papers signed only weeks ago. The arguments, the cutting remarks, and the silence that had followed were all too vivid in her memory. Their relationship had disintegrated into a mess of misunderstandings and resentment.

She knew Sahil well enough to predict how he would react. Asking for his help now would feel like walking into a lion’s den. He would seize the chance to remind her of every harsh word, every decision that had driven them apart. He’d call her a hypocrite—demanding freedom from their marriage and then turning around to ask for favors. The thought alone made her stomach twist.

But it wasn’t just about pride. It was about the fear of exposing herself to more pain, of giving him another opportunity to hurt her. She had fought so hard to build walls around her heart, to protect herself from the man who had once been her greatest ally but had become her fiercest adversary. Reaching out to him now felt like undoing all of that, leaving her vulnerable once more.

Yet, deep down, Ishika knew she had no choice. Her uncle’s request wasn’t something she could ignore. It was important—important enough to swallow her pride and face the man she had tried so hard to forget.

And to complicate matters further, Sahil hadn’t even come home tonight. The empty house felt colder and more oppressive with every passing hour. Ishika had grown used to the silence over the past few months, but tonight it carried a different weight. She glanced at the clock on the wall—the steady ticking the only sound breaking the stillness. Midnight had come and gone, yet there was no sign of him. No message. No call.

As she stood there, staring at the door, a bitter realization took hold: Sahil’s absence tonight was just another reminder of how far they had drifted. The man she once loved—the man who had been her entire world—was slipping away, and soon, he might be gone for good.

But strangely, she didn’t feel the pang of sadness she once would have. Instead, there was only a quiet acceptance. This was their new reality. The divorce was final, and the marriage now existed only as a facade for the world—a hollow arrangement that would last another six months. Six months of pretense, smiles for appearances, and careful lies to keep up the illusion.

With a heavy sigh, Ishika turned away from the door. Exhausted by the conversation with her uncle and the swirl of emotions it had stirred, she knew there was no point in dwelling on it any longer. Resigned, she placed the novel she had been reading aside, pulled the blanket over herself, and finally succumbed to sleep.

________________________________

End of the Chapter.

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