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You may begin now.

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This chap is affectionately dedicated to -
Praptitrupti🖤✨

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NOTE:-

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~~~

"Why can't people see the good things in front of them?

Because they think they have time for it later........................"

Putting down the pen, Manjiri softly smiled to herself. She literally lost the track of time whilst penning down her emotions, her dilemma, her insecurities, her guilt, her love... Every damn thing which she had experienced and was experiencing in her brown diary. The same diary which was with her since her teenage days. The same diary in which she used to keep three photographs safely.

She had read somewhere that writing down your emotional conflicts help you to sort out your frazzled mind. And it definitely worked for her. She felt light, she felt liberated. It literally took no special effort from her side except that she had to keep checking him from time to time whilst writing down.

She had written everything down indiscriminately. In the process of writing, her feelings and emotions became clearer and her hidden thoughts and feelings came to the surface to bring a more complete light to the entire situation. Her spiralling thoughts were no longer inducing an unexplained worry within her.

As she wrote, she got closer to get to the core feeling at work that was preventing her from knowing what she really wanted in life or knowing what was holding her back.

The paragraphs where she mentioned her love for him were staring up at her from the page and demanding an action. All because she'd put them in the open. She was in mood to write some more but then suddenly he stirred a little in his sleep and rolled to his side, towards her, and wrapped an arm around her stomach.

She was sitting against the headboard with her legs outstretched. She knew that he could be up at any moment now. It was almost his time to get up and leave bed.

In a trice, Manjiri got up from the bed careful enough to peel his arm off her and place it inside the blanket instead. She hurriedly inserted the pen in between her diary and then locked it inside her wardrobe.

She couldn't take a chance in leaving it unattended for him to go through. It wasn't like that she didn't want him to read it, it was a letter for him only in the first place. But she just want him to read it when he would be free, unhurriedly and collectedly.

Perhaps, if it was just a love letter, Manjiri wouldn't be in such muddle. And since it wasn't, she was a little scared too. In it she had bared everything. At one end she wanted him to know the truth and didn't want to hide anything from him but at the other end she wanted to keep him and his heart away from guilt and harm.

However, she had made up her mind to give it to him the moment he would again question her about on behaving uncharacteristically before the entire hospital scenario. Cause She too wanted to get rid of her heavy emotions of guilt at the soonest.

"As long as you know your intentions are pure, never stress yourself about anything or anyone. You have to trust that you will always end up being where you're meant to be and that it's never your loss respectfully...................."

_

_

_

"I think I might always be in some kind of love with you......................"

"Good morning!"

Manjiri greeted with a smile on entering the room when Shaurya was seating on the edge of the bed whilst going through his phone.

"What's good in this morning?"

He asked even without sparing her a glance. She could see him rubbing his fingertips on his forehead time and again.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing... Just this slight headache isn't helping." He finally added looking up at her. "Seems like I have to take a pill after having something in breakfast."

Manjiri shook her head at him. He had become too dependent on medication. Even for the slightest of issues, which she would have ignored if she had that, he very casually doesn't even take a minute to gulp a medicine down his throat for it.

She took a note of his changed clothes. He was in his work clothes and it meant that he had to leave early. And before she could walk up to the dressing table, his voice stopped her in the middle of her way.

"No oil, please."

"Just this little. No one would come to know that you too put oil."

When Manjiri said that, Shaurya's eyes sparkled on catching his wife's amusement. He was to speak something when she added,

"Trust me, you'll feel better in minutes."

He wasn't really in mood to make his head oily that too right in the morning but when she was thinking for him so much, he readily wanted to bask under her care and concern. After all, she was being the Manjiri he knew after days.

She came closer and stood in front of him. She slowly took off his specs making him look up at her. Applying some coconut oil on her palms, she gently started running her fingers inside his hair. She moved her fingers everywhere, massaging his hair and forehead well. His eyes drooped with the satisfying feel of her focused touch.

Soon he felt better. He opened his eyes and found her still doing magic on his head.

She was standing very close to him, her chest and his face were directly lined up. He tried to look away but couldn't. He wanted to press his face there and wanted to know how it felt like.

Getting overpowered by that sudden whim, he let his hands glide over to her. The working of her hands faltered on sensing his palms over the swells of her chest and ribs. She was to scoot away from him when he grabbed her by her waist and hugged her. But she couldn't hug him back as her hands were oily. She tried to keep her hands away from him lest his shirt had gotten ruined. She hesitantly breathed out to issue a warning,

"Shaurya."

"Hmm?"

He hummed nuzzling against her. She obviously wasn't anticipating that, but she didn't want to complain either. But eventually she had to when she sensed him planting rough pecks, teasing her with tiny scraps of his teeth here and there. She squirmed followed by a low gasp,

"Stop doing this."

"Ok!"

He generously mumbled and upped his lashes to peer at her. She smiled, as if she really did something big by making him oblige her. But her contentment was short-lived because in a single pull, he made her sit on his thighs and braced his arm around her to keep her in place. With a smirk pasted on his face, his eyes roamed her face.

"How about this?"

"You're taking too much advantage of my hands being oily, don't you?"

She lifted her face, frowning at him. He faintly smiled and kept looking at her for some time, as if drinking her in. And then added,

"Whose plan was it? I didn't tell you to put your hands in oil, did I?"

He asked in all innocence tracing the outline of her lips with his thumb making her eyes go close with that action.

"No one counts the good deeds in this big sinners' world."

She spoke and then heard him chuckle against her jaw in response, his breaths whispering all over her unclothed warm skin.

"Good deed? You rather increased my work, Silly Head. Now, I've to rinse my head yet again. I can't go on with my day with this greasy hair. You remind me of my school days."

"It isn't that much. I've put very less oil."

She muttered griping his hair and analysing it. Soon she heard him mock at her in response.

"Less? Seriously?... One can deep fry pakoras (spicy fritters) in this much oil."

"Stop exaggerating! It's not much. You can go on with your day with this same head."

Her words were followed by a sharp hiss as he not just pressed his mouth in the crook of her neck but also left a soft bite there. He mumbled out in a husky tone still burying his head in her neck,

"Never! Moreover, today, soon after getting done with the work I would have to rush for attending a party. You know..."

Before he could complete, Manjiri intervened. Why he had to make her remind of that? She gulped looking away. Couldn't they just survive a single day without the mention of Priyal or the things related to her. She pushed her face backwards, away from him to look at him.

"Yeah, I know. Papa had just announced that Raut Uncle has personally invited all of us for Priyal's engagement."

Sensing the sudden change in her body language, Shaurya's gaze bored into hers. He knew she hadn't been quite herself since a few days. Though, the day had begun on a positive note as he saw her smiling quite a few times but still there was something on which he couldn't put a finger on. But he wasn't in a hurry, he was fine with waiting. He wanted her to divulge everything when she would be at ease and comfort. Till then no prying senselessly.

"Nothing. Just leave me or else you'll get late for work."

She said a bit irritated. Her hands were tired of hanging aimlessly in the air. But nothing worked on him, he took his mouth close to her and whispered over her lips. She was expecting a peck over there but she earned one on the tip of her nose instead. A flush crept her neck and cheeks when he laughed at her caressing her closed eyes with his breath whilst vocalising,

"Say something convincing, Silly Head."

She made a disappointed face and then took a sigh before speaking in an utterly sweet voice.

"Dr Shaurya, allow me to go. Please!"

"Good attempt. But I'm still not convinced."

He breathed out sassily, thus making her to shoot daggers at him.

"Aren't you being very pricey? Leave me or else I'll wipe my hands on your shirt."

"Go ahead with whatever you want. But do remember you would have to bear the consequences of your actions too afterwards."

He maintained his sass. Whereas a slight scowl simmered on her lips hearing his threatening words.

"I'm serious, Shaurya."

"So am I. I'm not gonna let you leave me alone. No running off from now on."

He whispered pulling her more closer, closer than she already was, by holding her wrists. His words and the intensity of his grip on her hands instantly made her remind of her early morning's dream. The whole reel started playing in front of her eyes in full speed.

It took her a great effort to stop herself from thinking about it, she slowly inched closer to his face to fan his skin. He hardly could blink his eyes to process her action when there was nothing more mention worthy than the absolute softness making a slight contact with the skin of his cheek.

The grip of his hands around her wrists had gone weak, thus giving her an opportunity to escape. She twisted herself out of his hold and ran towards the washroom to wash her hands but not before teasingly smile at him.

"See you, Dr Sahab!"

"Running off is running off. The technique you used was so insincere. I'm not yet convinced."

He replied shaking his head, still not quite believing that she was capable of being so cunning. What he received in response from her made him smile to himself.

"Whatsoever!"

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out........................."

_

_

_

"I love the way you make me feel, so safe, so calm........................."

Shaurya passed his time on a phone call whilst waiting for Manjiri. He didn't know what was taking her so long. He made his way to his room to check.

"Yes, I've checked those reports and even sent them to Dr Sheena. Will wait for her to check..."

His words didn't come out as his eyes fall on her. She was indeed a sight for sore eyes. She was dressed in a plain black saree with a floral printed contrasting blouse. Nonetheless, her saree was very simple but it was appealing on her well.

She wasn't a fan of wearing too much makeup and too many accessories. Therefore, she kept her look very ordinary yet her hair was her best accessory. She had tied her hair in a sleek back low middle parted ponytail.

"I'll call you later."

He muttered on the call and then cut it to make his presence known to her when she was adjusting the pleats of her saree in front of the mirror.

"Shall we go?"

Manjiri asked walking up to him. Shaurya had been waiting for her from very long. But all his maddened thoughts that were there before she arrived, had completely vanished as soon as he laid his eyes on her. He was struck speechless.

"Shaurya, shall we?"

She asked again gripping his hand so tight, forcing himself to break out of his stupid reverie.

"Yes, let's go."

He replied walking ahead of her, thus making her hand unclasp his arm. He turned a little and smiled. Suddenly, at that moment, she couldn't help but jog her memory towards her morning's dream. His moving ahead, then turning behind and smiling at her, she had seen him doing all that in that dream too.

The only things which didn't match were the emergence of a violent storm, him going away alone and her being pushed into the water to drown and die.

"Being in love scares me but for this one person I would risk it all...................."

_

_

_

"Isn't friendship its own miracle, the finding of another person who made the entire lonely world seem somehow less lonely?...................."

"Wanna escape this unending madness?"

Dev whispered in Manjiri's ears with a smile. Manjiri whispered back with a huge smile to not let anyone notice her displeasure towards the group talk around.

"Please!"

"Excuse us, guys! Someone is waiting for us there." Dev announced. Shaurya along with his friends looked at him, acknowledging his say and then again getting indulged in their talks. Dev added leading Manjiri away from that crowd, "Come!"

"I really owe you one, Bhaiya. I was feeling so out of place there that I can't tell. I always feel alien in between his friends."

Manjiri spoke up, her eyes roaming around to see her parents-in-law congratulating Priyal's parents along with some other people.

Just five individuals from Mohan family had joined that event. She, he, his parents and Dev. Shreya had reached there with her son and husband separately a short while ago.

"I can relate. They all are actually fun but at times they just care less for the people around them." Dev voiced and then added with a teasing tone, "Don't mind their teases. Just mind him being caught up with so many fair maidens."

"I don't mind that as well."

Manjiri mumbled, not even bothering to glance at the stage area. She was supposed to be at ease but somehow she was unable to not feel all those ugly emotional yet again.

Maybe because Priyal's presence and her those emotions had eventually become synonymous to her.

A strange kind of fear had gripped her heart tightly. She had him but she feared it was a matter of time until he would get over her. She didn't know why but she actually felt very insecure and inadequate whenever she used to see him with Priyal.

Perhaps she was being immensely over-possessive. She was jealous of Priyal despite the fact she was at her engagement party.

A while before, she noticed him whispering something into Priyal's ear and after which she let out a small laugh.

That sight disturbed Manjiri's mind to no extent. She didn't want him to be close to any other woman other than her. Even if it just a friend. She wanted to be his everything, like he was hers. Why does he always overlook her in front of his friends and especially Priyal?

"Don't lie. It's written all over your face." Dev smiled and then asked softly, "Is there anything that you want to talk about?"

"There's nothing, Bhaiya."

"Then where's your million dollar smile? Have you dropped it somewhere?"

"Is this fine now?" Manjiri asked pulling her lips to form a smile. She was glad that atleast Dev was there to stick around her, unlike Arsh's wedding party where she had felt abandoned when Shaurya had left her alone. "I'm never good with this continuous loud music. This does nothing but induces headache."

"Let's go and sit somewhere else then."

Dev suggested and then guided Manjiri to a less crowded corner.

"Bhaiya, do we learn to love someone or it just happens on it's own?" Manjiri asked taking a seat only to earn an amused look from Dev. She swiftly rephrased not giving him any opportunity to laugh out aloud on her. She somehow regretted asking that. "I mean I'm just confused. It's only a query nothing else."

"Do you like him?"

Instead of laughing, Dev directly asked her. She paused for a moment and then drawled.

"He isn't that bad. But that's not the answer I asked for."

"Do you love him?"

He quizzed again, catching her off guard yet again.

"Never given a thought. I don't know."

"What a beautiful lie!" Dev chuckled shaking his head at her. "There are so many uncertain and confusing things in life, but I believe love should never be one of them."

"Bhaiya, how and when did you know that Sam is the one for you?"

Manjiri asked. She had so many doubts in her head. And out of all, Dev was the only one to whom she could talk without the care of anything. She perfectly knew he would never judge her. He wasn't like that. He used to tease her but also take great care of her.

"When you have 20 breakups or so with the same girl, you kind of start knowing that she's the one."

Laughing out aloud, Dev answered. Manjiri smiled too at that. However, his next words made her smile get squeezed.

"Therefore, this super experienced man would like to suggest you to not be afraid of falling in love..."

Interjecting his utterance, Manjiri spoke up in all honesty.

"I'm not. I'm just afraid of being the only one who falls while the other just pretends."

Thankfully the music started playing very loud and Dev couldn't hear Manjiri's words properly.

"Pardon!"

Before Dev could ask her to repeat, an acquaintance barged in and drew his attention.

"Hello Dr Dev. So good to see you here."

Manjiri politely smiled looking at the unfamiliar face and then turned to Dev excusing herself to use the washroom, "I just come."

_

_

_

"What is stronger than the human heart which shatters over and over and still lives?..................."

"I felt happy when you called me yesterday. I had been thinking since long to visit you but then I thought either you will like it or not."

Shreya muttered looking at Minal, her friend, who was busy fixing her lipstick whilst peering in the washroom's mirror. Minal passed her a fake smile and then washed her hands in the counter basin as she spoke,

"Good to know that you're happy. I had to invite you to my sister's engagement after all. It's just a repay nothing more. Remember you too had invited me to your brother's reception despite knowing what damage you and your family had done to my sister."

"See, I know we don't share a healthy bond now. But Minal don't be so ignorant to my efforts. You know how hard I'd tried at then."

Shreya sighed. She was tired of giving explanations to her friend since Shaurya and Manjiri's marriage. Maybe she should drop the idea of reconciliation with Minal. But then they both were childhood besties. It wasn't that easy to let go of her friendship.

"Of course you did and as a consequence of your those efforts, my Priyal had to go through such humiliation and pain." Minal added with no sarcasm in her voice, "Anyways, I'm glad that she is with Vinay now. A guy who deserves her, values her and most importantly respects her emotions unlike your brother."

Shreya couldn't speak anything after that, she just lowered her gaze.

"I'll never forget how disgusting he and your mother did was. Priyal held feelings for him and he knew it, still he chose to marry that girl over my Priyal." Minal snapped. She had felt betrayed when she had been greatly hurt by her own best friend and her family, "You people shouldn't have sent the marriage proposal if you were never in a mood to marry Shaurya to Priyal. You shouldn't have given us the false hopes, Shreya. I can never forget anything and I'll never forgive anyone."

"I'm sorry. But you know situations weren't conventional at then. I was against of it all, but nothing was under my control. I can only imagine how hard it must be for your sister to see him with somebody else..."

Before Shreya could even complete her say, Minal hissed in an impatient manner.

"No, you can't. You can't imagine because only I can. I've seen my sister responding like a lifeless body for days. I've wiped her uncountable tears. I've heard her aimless utterances. I hadn't left her alone because of the types of thoughts which used to cross her mind. She had gone through it all just because of Shaurya, your brother."

Minal added after taking a disappointed heavy sigh,

"Anyways, who am I to still complain when Priyal herself has no complain from Shaurya or his wife even though those two caused her so much emotional distress. Now move aside. And yes don't leave without having food."

Unbeknownst to both the ladies out there, there was someone else too who had heard everything.

_

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_

"What should I do if I don't find anyone to talk to, to whom I should give my words, and who will share with me my silence?......................"

Manjiri took a deep breath trying to calm her aggravated nerves. Her brain had literally short circuited. Nothing made sense to her. 'It's all a lie' - the rational part of her mind kept chanting it aloud.

A flurry of emotions passed in her eyes as she dragged her feet down the corridor. She could've went the other way, back to where she knew he would be. Sadly she didn't have that confidence because deep down inside she knew some truth duly rang in Minal's words. It was like she had given a green flag to confirm Manjiri's doubts.

She wasn't wrong in doubting Shaurya and Priyal's friendship before. They shared a history. She had been feeling of her thoughts uselessly. She was correct. Her assumptions were correct.

She couldn't stand that place anymore now. She immediately turned on her heel and did what she was seemingly best at. Escaping out of awkward situations at the earliest.

She barely had welcomed the night breeze outside when she heard Dev call after her and follow her.

"Bhabhi, what is it?"

"Can you please take me home?"

She whispered when he reached her, and she wasn't even sure he heard her until he nodded and asked.

"Did your headache worsen?"

She meekly nodded despite the fact she had got nothing but heartache and only heartache.

Soon she was back home. Dev drove back to the party as the people there too needed a car to come back home after the party.

Manjiri's body seemed to be on autopilot mode when she entered the entrance hall. She could only find Ved sitting up on the couch watching TV and no one else.

Ved's head snapped to her. He stood up with a worried look on his face.

"You're back so soon. Why? Where are rest?"

Nothing came out of Manjiri's mouth. She simply closed the door behind her and began making her way to upstairs.

On receiving nothing except an odd look from her, Ved followed her on the stairs. Moreover, it was not good to chat downstairs and disturb others. Adishri had been shifted downstairs lately. She would stay there until her delivery.

"Miru? Miru?"

"Who Miru? The same Miru who is a joke to you all?"

Manjiri turned around on the stairs and snapped in a low but pointed tone. Ved didn't understand anything. He saw nothing but innumerable complains in her eyes at then.

"What happened? Are you angry with something or someone? Tell me!"

"In spite of anger, I'm more in shock, Jiju, that I can be so inferior for the people who are more important for me than my own life. It feels as if somebody has pushed me from the sky and I'm falling deeper and deeper in a dark pit."

She spoke after turning around to resume climbing the stairs. Ved resumed behind her too.

"Miru, why are you saying such heart trembling words?"

"Jiju, I'm unable to hate you and Dii even if I want to because I'm unable to believe that you two can do injustice to me or any other girl." Blinking her eyes which were lined with tears, she added directly looking at Ved, "Shaurya or this whole family was no one to me, all were strangers but you and Dii were my own. Weren't you?Then why did you both eat my self-respect?"

For some reason which was unknown to even himself, Ved had no strength to look into Manjiri's eyes. It felt like she was looking into his eyes and was trying to read some hidden truth.

"What are you saying, Miru? Firstly, calm down. Ok, listen to me..."

Cutting his words in the middle, she distanced from him sniffing hard.

"Why should I listen to you? I've listened to you everytime but did I gain, huh?" She grumbled hiding her face in her palms, "I'd trusted you. Jiju, I'd trusted you blindly. But who knew you were making me blind in real."

"What as such I've done my dear?"

Ved marched forward to hold her by her shoulder. But she scooted his hand instantly,

"You and Dii have done all that, which you shouldn't have done."

Finishing up her words, she turned the door's knob of her room and got inside.

"Miru, stop! Listen here."

"Don't try to stop me or follow me, Jiju. I request you. I'm really tired of this all. Please just let me be."

She kind of begged before closing the door on his face.

Not knowing what to do and how to do, Ved immediately dialled Shaurya's number. Maybe, he could tell what abruptly had gone wrong.

_

_

_

"I love you so much that I don't even mind getting stuck in this loop of torture where I can't leave you, yet I can't have you...................."

Within an hour, Shaurya returned home with others. Ved couldn't ask or inform much to him since someone or the other was constantly around them. He just reported to Shaurya that something was up with Manjiri .

Shaurya had grown tired of his wife's erratic temperament lately. He was unable to figure out what exactly does go wrong with her at times. It had become really hard to keep up with her. He was done asking her.

First, she left from the party without informing anyone. If he wasn't in her reach then she could at least inform his mother. But no. Then she didn't even answer his any call. And on top of everything, she broke her damn of tears in front of Ved still not stating the actual things which bothered her.

What did she want to tell Ved with all that, that she wasn't happy with her husband?
He could stand anything but not receiving any news related to her from someone other than her.

At one moment, it felt like there was no issue in between them. And at next moment, it felt as if there was nothing in between them except some major unexplained issues.

He quickly made his way towards his room. The room was dimly lit. He would have mistaken that the room was empty if he hadn't heard the clinking sound of bangles from the other end of the couch.

He walked over there only to find her seating on the floor whilst resting her back against the couch and hugging her knees. He took a note of her appearance. She hadn't changed her clothes. She was in that same black saree.

Taking off his blazer, he slowly sat on the couch and bent forward to look over her shoulder.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?"

"Because I was kept in the dark throughout."

She replied, a sudden spurt of anger making it's way from within her.

"What do you mean?" He eventually settled down beside her on the floor removing her hands from her face. "What as such has happened that you left from there so early without informing anybody?"

"Fraud has happened. Do you get that? You and your entire family has not only cheated me but also that girl who I'd been loathing all through....................."

"What if I told you I'm tolerating my own heart?...................."

~~~

Dear ones, do share your honest views on this chap and the story, as this is the only source of motivation which literally pushes me to pen down.
This can also help me in improving. So yes, eagerly waiting now.

I would really appreciate if each one of you will come and put forward your genuine reviews + expectations from me and
"JI HUZOORI".

~~~

This is it for now. Hope you liked it. I am sorry for the mistakes.

In case if you want to share your views or suggest something, you are more than welcome.

⭐My sincere request to all the SILENT READERS - Do vote this chap.⭐

Till then take care and stay connected.

Love ♥️✨