Hi ya! Late night upload. Hehe... Back with the 18th chapter. Hope you like!

Scene created/ Idea credit : GiftaRegildaFibi

Moving on...💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes." - Talking

'Words in single quotes.' - Thoughts

Timeline - After Ragini acts like she's lost her memory.

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Another Chance

"I should throw you out right now!"

"No need. I'll walk out myself."

Laksh grit his teeth in anger. "Shut up!"

Ragini sighed, but nodded.

Swara decided to step up to Ragini. "Why now?"

Ragini could only sigh again in defeat. "I'm done Swara. And I'm sorry. I did injustice to you for nothing." she uttered with a bitter smile.

Swara's eyes softened. "Rag-"

"I betrayed you, took over the Maheshwari property! And I'm sorry for it everyone." Ragini spoke addressing the entire family. "But it was all worthless because...because Laksh would never love me no matter what. Even my memory loss won't affect him. I understand that now."

The Maheshwaris stood there frozen from shock of what was happening.

Ragini was found with amnesia is what they thought. However, Ragini was now admitting it was all an act.

"You shouldn't be forgiven!" Laksh shouted in anger. "You deserve to pay!"

Ragini just smiled wryly. "I'm already suffering ever since you revealed your feelings about Swara. To love someone who would never love you back...what more of a punishment could I get?" stepping aside, rubbing away the single tear that fell, Ragini stood before Durgaprasad. "I want to leave...for good."

He nodded. "Beta, I wish the best for you."

With almost a non-existant smile, Ragini left.

Laksh balled his hands into fists, wanting to follow her. "Come back! I'm not done speaking!"

"Let her go Lucky. Don't hurt her more."

Laksh scoffed. "Even after everything she did, you're defending her Sanskar?"

Sanskar looked down in sorrow. "If she's finally given up on you, then I hope she changes to the Ragini once I knew. It's my fault for turning her like this."

"You emotional fool!" Laksh shouted, turning to Swara. "She did the most injustice to you. Are you going to let her go...just like that?!"

Swara swallowed. "She did do me wrong. But it was all because she was pushed to the limits. Everyone always ignored her wishes. Who would have stood up for her if not herself?"

Laksh just shook his head in disbelief. "Maa, Papa. We can't just let her go this easily! Make her stay here and work for us. That way she'll pay for her deeds!"

Annapurna looked away. "Like Sanskar, I too want the earlier Ragini back."

"At least you say something Papa. I can't believe you just blessed her when she left!"

Durgaprasad sighed and crossed his hands behind his back. "When I chose Ragini for, I met up with their neighbors. All they had to say was how lucky I was to have Ragini as my daughter-in-law." he glared at Laksh. "If you had not created the mess, we would have been a happy family."

"I'm at fault now?!"

"You're a mature boy Laksh. Think." without another word, Durgaprasad left.

The other family members left silently as well, leaving Laksh alone to fume in anger.

#Next Day#

Ragini closed her eyes as played her Sitar. It had been a long time since she played it. And with the coldness she was receiving from the family except for her Dadi, it became her only companion.

Feeling eyes on her, she opened them. "Laksh?" putting down her instrument, she got up to greet him.

"I hate you so much. Do you realize what you did?!"

Ragini snorted. "Of course. I was the one who did them, remember?"

"Why y-"

"Just tell me why you're here Laksh!" Ragini bit out in frustration. "Or leave!"

Laksh glared, but shut up.  Taking out his phone he handed it to her. "You removed your contact. Add it!"

"Eh?"

Laksh looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. "You had reorganized my room. Now, I can't find anything right. So I'll call you when I need something."

Ragini couldn't help but smile. 'You always were a messy lodger.' it saddened her to recall she no longer was his wife. Nevertheless, she did what she was told. "Done. Here." Ragini turned to leave. However, Laksh held her back by the wrist. "What now?"

Laksh seemed to be in a conflict with his mind judging by his expressions. "Aishhhhh! What did you do?! You've poisoned my mind!"

"What?! You've gone crazy because of your pent up rage it seems. Go home and rest Laksh."

However, he wouldn't let go.

"You seem too eager to get rid of me. I thought you loved me!"

"I did and even now, I do." Ragini confessed. "But you won't ever love me back."

"I hate you!" Laksh grit out. However, his grip didn't loosen.

Ragini flinched and looked up with a wry smile. "I know. So please, leave. I...I understand I deserve to be hurt by your hate but...its too much. Have mercy and just leave."

Laksh only pulled her closer. "I hate you. But no matter how much I try to forget you, I can't. I try to remember all your wrongs and yet...yet, I end up remembering all the times we shared as a couple. I remember your care towards me, I remember how protective you were even when I got a slight cut. I remember how you wouldn't eat if you knew I didn't have any food at work. You did wrongs which piss me off! Yet, you cared for me. And, I can't seem to get you out if my mind."

Ragini swallowed hard at his confession. Nowhere was it a love, but the fact he thought about her made her heart beat faster.

"I hate you and yet, I can't help but miss you. You became a habit for me. Someone whom I can always rely on to be there for me, even if everyone else abandons me. You became a habit. You became my habit."

"What are doing Laksh? Are you saying all this to make me suffer more? I know you hate me, and yet you say I'm important to you?"

"People say there's a thin line between hate and love. And...and I can't seem to find the border any longer." Laksh looked at her with pained eyes. "I don't want to like you. I want to hate you because you did me wrong! And yet, I can't bring myself to forget you no matter how much I want to!"

Ragini could hear her heartbeat in her ears. She couldn't believe herself.

She did so many wrongs to get Laksh. None of it worked. But when she decided to be honest and speak the truth, Laksh was getting drawn to her?

'Maybe this was all I should have done from the start. I should have tried to win his heart with the strength of my love, not treachery.' Ragini gathered the courage to touch Laksh's face. "Does it mean that...that you're starting to feel something towards me?"

"I don't know anymore! I ought to hate you. But my heart wants to feel your closeness. I want to be away from you! But my body wants to drink your scent. I hate love you." Laksh let out a humorless laugh. "If that ever makes any sense. I'm a fool who can't get his heart to choose a right direction!"

"Then give me a chance." Ragini spoke with determination. "I admit I was wrong. Very wrong. But I've changed now. Can you give me a chance to make you fall for me again? Make you fall in love with me...this time...the right way."

Laksh sneered. "After everything that you did, you think you deserve forgiveness?"

"No. I don't." Ragini looked right at his eyes. "But I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for your love.  If it's a crime to love, than I am a sinner. It's my unconditional love for you that made me what I am. So, won't you let me show you the brighter side of my love, which can make me the angel that you want in your life?"

As Laksh looked into her eyes, he couldn't help but be drawn by the passion in them. His father's words rang in his mind.

It was indeed true. His actions were what messed everything up and made Ragini take extreme measures. Thinking back, he could recall moments of anger when he himself had thought of marrying Kavya, a girl hopelessly after him, just to spite Ragini, regardless of what impact it had on his family. That was how extreme he was.

'But Ragini's revelation prevented me. So what difference is there between me and her? Not to mention, it is my fault for turning Ragini evil.' Laksh sighed and sat down on the doorstep. "We're a mess."

"All great love stories are."

"I never said I loved you."

"But from your actions, I know you've decided to give me a chance."

Laksh glared at her smiling face. "Only. One!"

Ragini nodded. "And I plan to do it right this time!"

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I don't know if the scenes mixed up correctly. But tried my best. Hope you like it GiftaRegildaFibi. 🤗

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~ 🌹Mona🌹