chapter : 45
clearing debates

OKAY. OKAY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

‼️‼️‼️PLEASE READ‼️‼️‼️

• first things first, here we are at the last chapter of royally trapped. it's weird to process but it is what it is. kabir & noor became an integral part of me, and they gave me immense joy. i remember writing the book in my house's living room with taarak mehta playing in the back ground, during my after uni-vacation. that's when i first started posting it.

• it's been a short and sweet journey, i have met so many new people and loved reading all your comments and views!

•this one's a bit important- everyone, even all the silent readers, it's my humble request if y'all could just drop in your REVIEWS/COMMENTS for today! it would make me the happiest. :)

• IMPORTANT: BONUS CHAPTERS - i have planned 2 bonus chapters already, but i want YOU ALL TO SUGGEST ME SOME MORE SCENARIOS IN WHICH YOU PICTURE NOOR AND KABIR- i am hosting a QNA on INSTAGRAM TONIGHT AT 7 PM, so PLEASE DROP IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS! (paintingmyfairytale)

• Bonus chapters would be posted after mid july! there's going to be one extremely smutty bonus, lol.

• EPILOGUE- on 3rd June

• PLEASE PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND WRITE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE W THE BOOK!!

For the final time, until the epilogue!

Happy Reading!

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n o o r
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"I am handing over my resignation, Kabir."

"I am sorry, Noor."

We utter the very moment we both see each other, the office floor was eerily quiet when the elevator I used to come up dinged loudly. The desks were empty, but the lights were still on. I knew Kabir was in his cabin as my father had informed me.

I hadn't bothered to knock, just pushed the door open to find my husband's chair and turned to face the window. He was seeing the sky, a habit I have realised he does when he is stressed or lost deep in his thoughts.

The closing of the door behind me had announced my arrival, and he had turned back sprightly. Our gazes had locked and even from afar, I could see the tempest of resistance and repentance, in his iris. It shone bright against the white and yellow light falling from the glass panel.

He had stood up and made a dash towards me. And that's when we both uttered our sentences, at the same time.

"I...I get it. After today, I know. I respect that. I—"

"No, you don't understand, Kabir. Let me tell you the reason I want to resign. It's not because I am scared, not anymore. I have come to a realisation." He doesn't stop or interrupt me. He lets me speak, he can see how difficult it is for me, and so he lets me. Like he always does. Motivates me with his mere presence.

"I love you. I have for a long time now but after all, I realised I had a tiny piece of my heart that I was hiding away from you. A piece that holds all my inhibitions, my fears, my doubts and my insecurities. You had bared yourself in front of me but I concealed this part. So here it is, the entirety of my heart. With this resignation letter, I am surrendering my fears and shedding them. Completely."

"I don't think I am understanding it."

"Kabir, I have always wanted to start my own business. You know that very well. I was pushing myself for all these years to save money and to survive on my own. Today, I let go of the strive. I know I have you, I have someone who has my back, so I would want to and can invest all my time in my business. Something I could never do before today, something that ruffled all my wrong feathers. With this resignation, I am officially accepting to become your burden. And I am not afraid."

"You'll never be a burden, Noor. Never." A sentence that finally heals the wound I had been roaming around with. To many, it might even be insignificant or uncalled for, but to me? It's my happy ending. To the girl who had love around but never within, to a girl who grew up to act strong but could never feel the strength, to my younger self who grew up and yet wept for her lost happiness. It's for me.

He's kissing me now, pulling me closer and angling my neck. His hand wrapped around my throat while the other snakes around my waist. I am standing on my tip-toe, my eyes closed, relishing the moment.

It's nothing like ever before. It's slow and unhurried. It denotes freedom and love and everything in between. I can feel those weird tingling sensations in my lower belly. It tickles and soothes, caresses and erupts.

A lone tear escapes my right eye, it traces its path down my cheek, and I can feel it. Sensing its motion, as it signifies closure. One I craved for the most.

When we part, he doesn't move away, he stands there close enough. Forehead leaning on mine, breaths mixing, hearts beating in a similar rhythm. We let out a sigh, together.

"Love you."

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"I don't like the ending. It makes me sad, it's wrong and why do things have to end?"

"It's how things are supposed to be. There's an end to everything."

"I mean, why? They didn't have to do this. I feel sad. They could have stopped, but no...they needed to show Jake leaving." Kabir pouts as he sniffs back his tears.

We finally finished watching the last episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and clearly, my husband was disappointed. I had already watched this episode months back but Kabir finally completed the series.

"I feel empty."

"That's a normal feeling after you finish watching a series or reading a book that you were invested in. It's okay, baby." I lay my head on his shoulder, snuggling closer to Kabir. He tightens his hold around me, adjusting the blanket over us.

"Endings are bittersweet. I don't even know if I should classify it as a happy or sad ending?"

"It's a happy one."

"I beg to differ."

"Kabir, he made that choice himself. It was his way of doing his part, of becoming the father he wished he had. So, it's a happy ending."

Growing and learning has been an important part of our lives, after the day of our reconciliation, we treated this relationship more seriously.

Love doesn't always have a happy side, it's like a coin. One with the good and bad, both. We learnt to handle our insecurities, we learnt to trust and let go.

It's not that we don't fight anymore. He is still the devil, who is a neat and control freak and I am still the messy, loud person. We bicker but we make up. We are still vulnerable but we allow each other to see that part of us. We trust each other.

That's what I have realised.

Marriage doesn't just work on love, it needs trust and loyalty. Love, you can grow but the others? You need to build, they are more time-consuming and demand efforts, from both the counterparts.

Our start wasn't the most traditional but it was ours. As complicated as it was, I would never want anything to change. Every single moment means more and beyond. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. It will always be my calm in the chaos.

From being his fake date to agreeing to a contract to marry him to falling in love to healing.

It wouldn't have started if we weren't too caught up in our past, too tangled in the web of lies and fears. It wouldn't have begun if we weren't Royally Trapped.

"What are we supposed to do now, wifey?"

"We rewatch, baby."

We share a smile, but before I press on season 1 again, there's a knock at the door. Both Kabir and I look surprised at it. It's already midnight, and we aren't expecting anyone.

We both stand up, abandoning our comfortable position. Walking towards the door, Kabir first checks the visitor from the camera and opens the door.

"Yes?" His tone is measured and reserved. There is his CEO Kabir Sood persona.

"Hi, I am Dr. Elakshi, your new neighbour. I have just moved into the flat right opposite yours. I have some packers scheduled for tomorrow, just wanted to apologise in advance for the nuisance it is going to cause you. It's going to be for an hour or so, not more, I promise."

My husband starts to grunt in irritation realising that his Sunday is going to be disturbed by the sounds. Before, he responds, I push him out of my way. Greeting the new neighbour with a smile.

"Hi, I am Noor. It's fine, we understand. Happy moving, we are delighted to have you around."

"That's kind of you, thank you! Goodnight." She wishes us well and turns around to leave as I close the door.

"She seems sweet. And she is a doctor, too. Thank God I recognised the expression on your face, and interrupted before you sent her back with a snarky remark. I once shifted here too, it is a part of the moving home process." I keep babbling when I plop down back on the sofa in our spot only to find my husband still at the door.

"Kabir?" I call out for him. He looks at me intently, tilting his head to a side, he usually does it when he is making deductions.

"What are you thinking?"

"You know, I just realised something." He says, walking back to me.

"Yes?"

"How did I never find out about you?"

"What?"

"How did I never find you being my neighbour? You were right next door and still, we never met. Tell me. I am curious."

"Well, I am just that good."

Royally Trapped.

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here we are, at the end!

HINT HINT - ✨ DR ELAKSHI ✨ ;)
(DTS)

COMMENT GUYS!!

always,
royally yours,
meethi.