Two weeks passed. Everyone got busy with their lives. Jais absence had affected srishti. Even though she tries her best not to think of him. Being inside his room. Made her think of him more. She knew she missed him. But she didn't knew what exactly was she missing. Was it him or the way he cared for her? She didn't knew.

Her exam preparation kept her quite busy. Jai also sent her texts whenever he got time. That made her feel good. She didn't knew if he was also missing her like she did. Feeling stupid of her thoughts. She decided to divert her mind.

It was a Sunday. Srishti was busy with her studies. She was going through her notes when she felt. A knock on the door. Getting up from the couch. She went to get the door. Two maids stood outside the door with some clothes.

"Yes?"

"Mam....these are Jai sirs new ironed blazers. Can i keep them in the wardrobe?"the maids struggled to hold them together. Srishti took them in her hands

"I'll do it. You can go"

"Thank you mam"the maids said and walked away.

Sristi walked to the wardrobe and opened it wide. Recalling how jai cleaned his wardrobe that day. Which ended up with their kiss. That memory made her both blush and feel awkward at the same time.

One part of the wardrobe had her clothes too. Which didnt leave much space. So she decided to keep the blazers in the dressing room.

The dressing room was as spacious as their bedroom. With four additional wardrobes. Srishti approached the first wardrobe. Which had the collection of his shirts and caps. She closed the door and opened the second one. Which was in complete disarray. Filled with a jumble of his pants, denims, and jeans. She sighed heavily upon seeing the mess.

"Being a superstar. He's completely lazy to clean his own wardrobe"she sighed. She cleaned almost everything.

Finally she found his blazers on the third wardrobe. She kept the ironed blazers inside and closed the door. She was about to walk away when her eyes fell on the fourth wardrobe. Wondering what would be inside. She curiously walked to the fourth wardrobe and opened it wide.

It had the most random things. His books. Many files. Diaries. A Tab. Old newspapers. She wondered why he maintained such a wardrobe even though there was enough space in his room. Thinking that it might be personal. She was about to close the door quickly when she found something familiar behind few books. She reached out her hand and pulled it. To her shock , it was her dupatta.
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Jai was sitting in his caravan. Getting ready for a shot. He got dressed and sat on his chair. Scrolling through his instagram. He had been informed that the shot was still 15 minutes away. Which gave him some time.

After a while his guard let inside his makeup man.

"Good morning Jai sir"shravan wished him cheerfully.

"Shravan. Good morning. Come come"jai smiled when he saw him.

"I'm so glad you came. The director was totally pissed at the old makeup artist"jai sighed.

"Leave it sir. Now i came right. Anyway, how have you been sir? Is your health better now?"Shravan asked opening his box to do his final touch up.

"Im doing great. How are you. And your girlfriend?"Jai asked. Making Shravan blush.

"All good sir. How's Srishti Madam?"

"Ah....she's good"Jai said and smiled to himself.

Shravan started doing his touch up. Jai looked lost for some reason. He was thinking about srishti. It's true that he sent her texts randomly whenever he got time. But they didn't have a proper conversation. Once he left for shoot. Even though Kumari and shruthi keeps updating him about her. He wished to talk to her. But he didn't wanted to disturb her in between her studies. So let it be.

"Shravan?"

"Yes sir?"

"Um....do you and your girlfriend text each other all day?"jai asked.

"No sir. We don't have much time know. She's busy with studies and here I'm. Running from caravan to caravan. All day"shravan sighed.

"So how do you deal with this relationship? Without proper communication?"jai asked.

"We understand each other sir. I mean. She knows that I'm busy with work. And I understand that she needs time with her studies. So I just keep her updated whenever I get time. She does the same. This way we both will know what we've been upto. And the other person will be happy"shravan said.

"Hm"jai kept thinking about texting srishti.

Shravan left the caravan once the touch up was done. Jai grabbed his phone.

"Should I call her?"

He typed Srishtis name in the contact list

"Come on jai. She is having her exams. You shouldn't disturb her"his mind said.

"Youre just checking upon her. One call changes nothing"other part of him said.

"Why are you so bothered because of her? Last time you didn't even call her for once" He argued within him again.

"Yeah but now.....she's my good friend. So there's no problem in calling her once. I'm just checking upon a friend. Nothing else"

He nodded and dialled her number. To his disappointment she didn't pick up the call. He was about to dial into her again. When he was informed that. The shot was ready.

Jai sighed and kept his phone back. He got up and before he left. He sent her a text through WhatsApp.

Hey....Tried calling you. I was just checking on. Hope your studies are going well. Take care. See you soon ☺️
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Srishti ran her palm. Through the material of her stole.  The faint marks of the blood. Was still there. She knew it was hers. And she had tied it around his wound. When he met with the accident. But there's no way that he kept it safely. For this long. That too in his personal wardrobe.

"Why didn't he just threw this away?"she asked herself.

She recalled that day when he stopped her. From cleaning the wardrobe. He was behaving weirdly. And may be he didn't wanted her to find this out. But why?

Lots of thoughts clouded in her head. To break her thoughts. Someone knocked on the door again. Srishti looked up to see shruthi at the door. Who walked inside.

"Srishti. I hope I'm not disturbing you. But can you please help me write an abstract of my project. I really suck at....."shruthi paused when she saw Srishti. Holding the stole.

Both went silent. Shruti looked up to see. Srishtis eyes welled up.

"Are you okay srishti?"she asked.

She didn't say anything. Shruthi held her hand and made her sit in the bed.

"What's wrong?"

"I...I don't know shruthi. You see this dupatta? This is actually mine. I had tied it around your brothers head that day when he met with the accident. And I just found it from his wardrobe. I'm just wondering. Why didn't he threw this away. Why is he still keeping this with him?"she asked.

Shruthi smiled at her.

"I knew this was yours and i also knew annaya had kept this with him"shruthi said.

"You...knew?"Srishti asked surprised.

"Yeah. And even Maa knows. One day we were cleaning his room. And Maa had found this out. When she questioned him about this. He said. He couldn't throw it away"shruthi said.

"But....why would he still keep this with him?"Srishti asked.

"You really want to know why?"shruthi asked. Srishti nodded.

"May be he didn't wanted to throw this away. Because somewhat he felt that this duppatta is special. And so is the person who saved his life"shruthi said.

Srishti looked down at the duppatta again

"He knew this was yours when he came to know that it was you who saved him from the accident. And he didn't wanted to throw this away because. He thought it was special. He thought you are special srishti" shruthi said.

Srishti felt shivers the moment she heard that.

"Shruthi....I don't think so"srishti said without meeting her eyes.

"Why? You don't think he consider you as his special someone?"shruthi teased her.

"That's not what I'm saying"srishti argued.

"I know girl. You both are hiding from each other. Pretending that everything is right when you both doesn't know how this will end"shruthi sighed.

"I...I don't belong here shruthi. You know that right. Everyone knows how this happened"srishtis eyes teared up.

"But this can't go on forever srishti. You both can't pretend to be like this lifelong. You both are married. He's your husband and you are his wife"shruthi said. Srishti shut her eyes as tears rolled down.

"I'm sorry. But what I'm asking is....can you both forget everything and live like a normal couple?"shruthi asked

Srishti knew her answer. It was a no. But her throat tightened thinking about leaving him. For some reason she felt it would be hard. But a part of her felt it right. If they both can't live like a normal couple. What's the use of staying?

Shruthi touched her hand and squeezed it right.

"It's not your mistake srishti. And neither it was annayas. It was mine. Everything was my fault"shruthi sighed.

Srishti looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean shruthi?"

Shruthi let out a big sigh.

"You know srishti. Ever since you've walked into all our lives. Nothing has been the same. When you came home that day. Maa told everyone about you. And everyone started liking you even without meeting you for once. I liked you too. Because you saved my brother's life. You saved all our lives. When Maa and I found this duppatta in annayas wardrobe she questioned him about this. She asked him. Why was he still keeping this with him. And he didn't had an answer. We thought....he started liking you srishti"shruthi said making srishti surprised.

"We thought he had a crush on you. And when you came home for the pooja that day. We all saw how annaya kept trying to make you comfortable. We've never seen him being this close to a girl. Maa even talked to annaya about this. But as usual he brushed it off. We thought that was it. Until all those rumours spread out"shruthi paused to take a sigh.

"Annaya never meant to force you for this marriage. He just had to. And it's because of me. I told my friend to convince him for this marriage. And that would be the only way to shut down this rumours. And save your life as well. It was me srishti. Annaya didn't had any option. It was me"shruthi said. Leaving behind a heartbroken srishti.

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Precap : A disturbed srishti, Jai and Srishtis conversation

♡ Nila ♡