(A/n): songs for this chapter:

Traitor by olivia rodrigo.

Reckless by madison beer.

1 month later

Shubman's pov:

"Aash-aash...."I was about to moan her name as I kept thrusting powerfully into someone else.

But I was interrupted by her moaning my name. I shut my mouth, her voice cannot match Aashna's. Saved the nth time.

I focused on my orgasm and ignored her voice. All I could think about was Aashna and imagine her face as I came in the latex.

I didn't waste another second pulling out and rolling off her. I kept laying on the bed and stared into space. Just to help the fake assurance that Aashna was laying beside me.

But I came out of my trance when she said something and tried to hug me.

I quickly got up and excused myself to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror shirtless, something on my chest caught my eye.

A tattoo. Which I got last year.

I inhaled deeply and entered the shower

I don't know how long I stood beneath the shower. The water burning my eyes which had gone dry by now.

I wish I had fought harder. For us. It regularly keeps pining me that she is no longer mine.

I felt a pair of hands wrap around me from the back. But it felt pretty much like cheating, to be all lovey dovey. So I excused myself again.

She however, tightened her grip around my waist, it annoyed me.

I hold her hands and separate us.

"Shubuuuu....come on....how long now?" She whined.

"I'm sorry, but I just need my space, I hope you understand that Sara." I said without looking at her and walking out.

I was wearing my cologne over my clothes when she stepped out of the shower.

She pulled me closer by my collar.

"I suggest that you wear some clothes." I said.

"Round two?" She winked and said.

"I have to go meet Ishan....uhh so..." I trailed of.

"Sometimes I think that you should go fuck Ishan only....the way you're spending time at his house!!" She said and I walked out of her room, the main door, in the elevator and out of her building only to be met by a hundred paps.

Just fucking great!!

Now they'll make a story out of it!

My bodyguard moves in front of me and I hurriedly wear my sunglasses.

"SHUBMAN SIR, SHUBMAN SIR!!"

"SHUBMAN!!"

"SHUBHAMM!!"

"SHABNAM!!"

I hate those horrendous names they call me.

"Shubman what would you say about your break up!?!" They shout.

"Shubman, aapka breakup ho gya he aap kesa feel kar rhe he?!"

Seriously?

"Shubman, are you dating Sara?"

"Are you guys back together?"

"Shubman, 3 saal baad aap Sara ko finally date kar rhe he kya??"

"Shubman, aap Sara ki building ke bahar kya kar rhe he?"

The noises finally shut down when I shut my car door.

Ishan's flat is not that far so we reach in around 20 minutes.

I ring his doorbell. He opens the door with his phone to his ear.

"Everything will be fine honey, don't think too much, we all are with you, alright?" He says into the call and hands it to Aditi.

"Agar kuchh bhi ho toh feel free to call us, pakka? Ok baby, bye, love you so much!!" She says and hangs up.

"Is this a bad time to come?" I said gesturing to the call.

"Oh no, it's just Aashna, I usually call her....to make sure she's ok. You sit down! Me paani laati hu." I'm surprised to hear this.

"You- you call Aashna?!" I whispered shouted to Ishan.

Aditi came back with a glass of water and gulp it in one go.

"Haan...I mean relationship tera tuta he, hamara nhi! She's still our baby!!" Ishan said.

I take a deep breath.

"It's just.....everywhere I go....all I hear is....Her!" I said.

"Don't overreact! Agar itna hi impact hota na uske naam ka, you won't be fucking your ex!" Ishan said.

"Chal na! We're not just fucking!" I said.

"Haan haan, go on argue with me! Why isn't she here with you, I said you could bring her! You refused!" He said.

"Ishan yaar, I'm here to take my mind off things, please stop taking me back there!" I tried to pry him off.

"Admit it, she annoys you!"

"Alright! She does, so what?!" I said irritatedly.

"So why are you even dating her?" He said.

Tbh, even I don't know how did I land in this situation.

"I don't know." I answer honestly.

"Come on guys! Stop!" Aditi said and Ishan closed his mouth immediately.

"Thank you so much!" I said.

"2 weeks and......I can't understand." Ishan said lowly.

"Mujhe samajh nhi aa rha guys, what should I do? I can't forget her and all the time I feel like shit!!" I told them.

"No way! So that means that Sara is a distraction?!" Aditi said in disbelief.

"No, I mean....she's just a way to take my mind off things...so.." I smiled showing my teeth.

"That's what it means, does it not?" She said.

"I think you can start with spending your nights at home and not in a club drinking away destroying your liver!" Ishan said.

"No like seriously!" I said.

"Get married." Ishan said.

"What?!" I said.

"I think it's a good idea!" Aditi joined him.

"To whom?" I asked.

"Sara! Who else duh?!" Ishan said.

"Guys, it's only been a week! Plus what about Aashna?" I said.

"What about her?" Ishan said.

"Don't act like you care about how she feels!" Aditi said.

"Yaar tu usey itne saalon se jaanta he, so I think it's okay!" Ishan said.

"Mujhe lagta he ki agar shaadi ho jayegi fir sab dheere dheere theek ho jayega. And think about Sara, ek time tha jab uske alawa tujhe kuchh nhi dikhta tha. You guys were so in love!" Ishan said.

1 hour later

Third pov:

"Guys ab bss karo tum dono, kese kar lu usse shaadi? Pichhle ek ghante se lecture diye jaa rhe ho shaadi ke upar, just stop it!" Shubman said irritatedly.

"Dekh Shubman, I think it's the best option for many reasons. 1st, she loves you. 2nd, she's pretty. 3rd, she can really save you and help you move on. Aur pyaar toh dheere dheere ho hi jayega." Aditi consoled Shubman.

Shubman took a deep breath and checked his watch.

"My flight is in 1 hour, so I think I should go." And with that, he stood up.

The couple bid him goodbye and closed the door to their home.

They looked at each other with a knowing look and squealed like a kid and high fived each other before pulling into a hug.

"Ishu, I really hope our plan works!" Aditi said.

"Baby, don't worry, people who are made for each other always find their way back. Aashu and Shub will too." Ishan assured his wife.

"Wait, let me just inform Shahneel di about our chat." Ishan hurriedly called Shahneel and she picked up in 2 rings.

"Di, hamne Shubman ke dimaag me thought daal diya he, abhi 1 ghante me uski Chandigarh ki flight he, ab aapko apna move dikhana he." Ishan said.

"Alright, as much as it hurt me to do that, I'll help you. Aashna ke alawa koi aur bhabhi nhi chahiye mujhe!" Shahneel said.

"Ab aap dekhlo how you'll do it!" He said.

"Oh I've already sorted it out! Don't worry! Sab mere upar chhod do!" Shahneel said.

They talked a while before they hung up.

In Chandigarh, Shahneel tiptoed to her mom's room to execute the 2nd part of their plan.

"Mummy, me aa jaun?" She said.

"Haan haan bol kya hua?" Keart said.

She rushed inside and sat down beside her.

"Aapne Shubhi ki nayi wali photos dekhi aaj ki?" She said and opened her phone to the paps video.

Sara's name could be heard shouting by people while Shubman ignored the questions.

"Ye Sara ke flat ke bahar kya kar rha he?" Keart asked her daughter.

"They're dating! Aapko nhi pata?" Shahneel asked in faked disbelief.

"Kaka aur Sara ek saath......?" Keart whispered.

"Haan! Aur log bohot excited he unki dating ko lekar....wese saath me acche lagte he dono...." Shahneel trailed off. Her mind filled with disgust on having to say that.

"Haan haan! Mujhe toh Sara bohot hi acchi lagti he shuru se, kaash breakup kabhi hota hi nhi kaka ka, itni pyaari bacchi he." Keart said and Shahneel literally had to resist her eyes from rolling, only if she knew.

"Haan, aur dono ne bohot time tak date bhi kiya he, ham log usey jaante bhi he, par mujhe lagta he ki ab Shubhi ki shaadi ki age toh ho hi gyi he, ab usey settle hone ke baare me sochna chahiye." Shahneel said hoping the conversation would go as planned.

"Haan baat toh tu sahi keh rhi he." Keart agreed.

"Par agar usse kucch bolenge toh wo gussa karega." Shahneel said.

"Oye tu fikar na kar, me hu na, me samjhaungi usey, aur esa karte he, Sara se bhi baat kar lete he, fir agar wo maan jayegi toh tere papa se bol kar Sara ke parents se bhi baat lar lenge." Keart planned very excitedly.

Shahneel smiled knowingly.

"Accha Sara ka number he kya tere paas? De toh zara!" Keart asked Shahneel.

"Haan mummy hoga." She said and opened the restricted contacts on her phone.

She gave the number to Keart.

Keart instantly dialed Sara's number.

After a few rings she picked up.

"Hello?" Sara said.

"Hello, Sara beta? Me Keart! Shubman ki mummy! Pehchana?" Keart said.

"Oh my god! Aunty how are you?" Sara said.

"Ham sab theek he beta aap kesi ho?"

"Aunty me bilkul sahi hu, wese Shubman abhi yahin tha, thodi der pehle, ham log........forget it, aap batao aapne kese phone kiya?"

"Beta aap bura na maano toh me ek baat kahun?"

"Haan aunty, what happened?"

"Mere bete ke saath aap bohot acchi lagti ho, sach me, kya tum log date kar rhe ho?

"Arey aunty....wese ham log 2 week pehle hi mile the by chance, par haan abhi ham dating wali stage par nhi aaye he."

"Beta aapko mera beta kesa lagta he? Accha nhi lagta kya?"

"Arey ye aap kya keh rhi ho? Sach bataun toh mujhe aapke bete se pyaar he, I love him."

"Shaadi karogi usse?"

"Haan aunty, par wo mujhse shaadi nhi karega, wo abhi bhi apni ex ke gam me dooba rehta he."

"Arey bhaad me jaane do esi ladki ko, me usey samjhaungi. Tum shaadi ki taiyaari shuru karo." Keart said and Sara couldn't help but feel butterflies in her body. She had an obsession with Shubman.

Shubman was her ambition, a challenge, an obssesion she wished to conquer. She was this close to winning the silent competion that went on between her and Shubman, his friends who had rejected her for him, his sister, now she was about to win.

She will now have Shubman all to herself. At her feet. She smirked thinking about 'The Shubman Gill' losing to her.

But love is not about winning yourself. It's about letting those who you love win. Or even better, winning together.

Sara was selfishly chasing after Shubman. Not even imagining how he would feel when he'll come to know about this.

Keart discussed the matter with Lakhwinder and he, in one go agreed to what his wife had to say.

Not wasting another moment, they dialed Sachin Tendulkar's number and discussed it with him.

When he came to know that his princess daughter was actually in love with Shubman, he sceptically enough said yes to their wedding.

Now the most important thing was left, discussing it with Shubman.

Shubman however, was sleeping on an airplane seat with his airpods in his ears and a wierd random song playing. He was unaware of what waited for him at home.

.
.
.

Aashna's pov:

I started going to work from the other day. I can't stop my life too because of Shubman, given that my heart is already frozen.

That's my routine nowdays, waking up, going to work, coming back, drinking a bit and sleeping, tending to Bear every once in a while.

I have stopped going to the gym, well for that case I have stopped eating either. Lost a little weight. Started feeling dizzy every now and then.

Each day goes by, and each night I cry.

I sometimes lay in my bed for 2 minutes just staring into space, when all thoughts come off as a blur in the background. And before I know it, hours have passed.

It's like I'm skipping timelapses.

I have distanced myself from everyone. However there are people who check on me regularly.

Like Ishan and Aditi, I met her last year and we instantly became friends.

Like jugnu and Shahneel di. She calls me everday.

Like Abhishek, he's also a good friend of mine now.

I have almost stopped using social media, for all those comments that call me bad things. Or the rumors going around about him dating his ex.

I don't know what to do.

It's almost 10 at night and I have nothing to do so I just decided to take a shower and sleep.

I strip in front of the mirror and it hurts me to look at myself. I aimlessly try to ignore the ink of his name etched on my bikini line. A thing that I got after he proposed. I told him and he wanted to see but I said that he'll just have to wait for the opportunity.

Should I just get it removed now?

After the shower, I layed in bed and opened my phone.

There was this video of him on Instagram. Coming out of this building where Sara Tendulkar resides in Mumbai.

A number of questions thrown at him as he stepped into the light.

He wore his sunglasses and walked ahead without entertaining any paps.

I clicked on the comment section and all comments basically stated the same fact that they are made for each other and are meant to be together and I was just a distraction.

So it's true, he is already dating. What has it been, a month and if this app speaks the truth, then they're together for 2 weeks already. So it took him 2 weeks, to replace me.

I think he never loved me. And he's that one guy who'll always find his way back to the love of his life. Sara.

And me? I was that one stranger to keep him walking to his destination or maybe a distraction. I was never the destination. She was, all along.

It felt a bit bad tbh.

But with a smile on my face, I close my phone and turn off the lights. Bury my face in the pillow and let myself go...as I do daily.

AUTHOR'S RANT: Hey guysss, here, things take an unexpected turn but believe in me, everything will be alright. I swear.

Vote and comment, see you guys with the next chappie, love ya❤❤❤.