Sanjana

I return from Prince Shaheer's birthday party with his driver, to find our car parked outside the cottage.

I saw him drinking at the bar when Shaheer asked me for a dance, and I know he was bothered by it. His flirting doesn't sit well with Bran, and with the news we read from the past life his worry is understandable.

But I never expected him to walk out from the party and leave me behind like he did. After the dance, I looked for him everywhere, until finally Princess Amaara told me he left long ago.

I hurry into the cottage, hoping he's alright, but what I see totally baffles me.

Bran is throwing his clothes into his suitcase angrily, like he's packing to go away.

"What's going on, Bran? Where are you going?"

"Back to US! So, you can go have fun with your darling prince charming. I'll gladly be out of your way!", he yells angrily, his loud voice making me flinch visibly.

"Bran", I begin gently, "It was just a dance. It was his birthday, I couldn't deny him out of courtesy. I promise it's nothing more than that. You've to trust me."

He laughs at my words, it's dark and angry, lacking any amusement.

"Stop pretending, now. You like him, it's okay. I'll make my peace with it!"

"No!", I raise my voice angrily, "I don't like him. He's not even my friend, Bran. What the hell gave you that idea?"

He visibly deflates at my words and crashes on the bed with his head between his hands.

"I had a vision", he says, but his words oddly sting even before he says anything. I can sense a baseless accusation coming my way already.

"In a corner of royal garden, you were hugging him, kissing his cheek, and telling him how it's a match made in heaven and you look forward to the wedding. I was coming to tell you we can run away at dawn instead of sunset, but you apparently had a change of heart in a single day!"

His voice is accusing, but the underlying hurt and pain in unmistakable.

"Bran, did it cross your mind that I could be lying to him? To keep up appearances?"

"I don't know! You looked genuinely happy, you were literally jumping in joy! I think I know you enough to identify if you were lying."

"I don't know what to say to that, Bran, because I don't know all the facts or why I did what you saw. All I can ask for is that you trust me."

He chuckles, "What's left to trust you on, Sanjana? You betrayed me for your Prince Charming! You agreed to marry him, and happily if I may add. And didn't you forget all about me when you were dancing away in his arms tonight?!"

"No I didn't! I didn't forget about you for even a second, even when I was in his arms as you put it. And even when I spent an hour looking for you everywhere, worrying about where you were, when you carelessly decided to leave me there alone because you had a disturbing vision! Does present me mean nothing to you? One sign of trouble from the past and you abandoned me in a heartbeat!"

"I didn't abandon you. You were happy together, he likes you, you enjoy his company. You both will fall in love eventually. I'm just in the way. Anyway, we have no future, your life is here, mine is in US. This is a more suitable prospect for you."

"Suitable prospect? Who gave you the right to decide my prospective matrimony with him? Who are you to decide if I was happy or not? I don't even love him, Brandon! Does that mean nothing to you? Is that why you fled to Britain last time too? You abandoned me because you wanted me to choose him over you?!"

He opens his mouth to rubbish my accusations, but I won't have it anymore!

"Don't. I'm not finished yet. You know, I had a vision last night too. I saw you sneaking into a dark corner, where a beautiful, English lady with her back to me, professed her undying, everlasting love to you. And you hugged her in response. I fled away before you replied to her. Did you see me bringing it up and accusing you of betraying me by eloping with her?"

Bran looks at me with a shocked expression, but I'm too angry to stop now.

"No. I didn't accuse you of betrayal because I trust you. I trusted you back then too. I knew you'd let her down gently, because you love me. Because I knew you'll always choose me over everyone and everything. But, the way you're abandoning me, I'm not even sure about that anymore. Why can't you trust me like I trust you, Bran?"

A traitorous tear trickles down my face, but I wipe it away angrily.

"You're right, we've no future. Not because we live thousands of miles apart. But because you have no faith in me. You don't trust me. You never trusted me, Bran. Not in this life. Not in last life. So, it's best, if you leave."

He opens his mouth to say something again, but I turn around and look away.

Behind me, I hear clothes rustling and suitcase zipping, before the wheels roll away, leaving me in a silence so loud, it's almost deafening.

I turn around and the room is empty, like the cupboard and the rest of the cottage.

He left.

Just like that. And my heart breaks so irrevocably, it's impossible to pick up the shattered pieces.

________