Jai gently touched Srishti's palms, clasping them tightly in his reassuring grip. He could feel the tension radiating from her. Srishti glanced at him. Offering a faint smile.

"Everything will be alright"he assured her softly.

She nodded as her heart felt heavy. They were on their way to meet Arjun. She had been thinking about it for a while now. She had accepted a life with jai. He was the man she was in love with. She feared arjuns reaction to everything. She knew she's gonna break his heart today. But she was left with no choice. Only let him go. She knew he deserved much better person than her. Whatever they had, has to end.

She turned her gaze back to the window of the car. Watching the world blur by as they approached the restaurant.

Jai stepped out first and opened the door for her. Srishti was lost in her thoughts, her mind racing with what lay ahead. He extended his palm toward her, and she took it. Squeezing it tightly as if it were a lifeline. Together, they walked toward the entrance, where guards gestured them to the Golden Cabin reserved for their meeting.

Inside, the atmosphere was calm, with only a few patrons scattered about. They settled into their chairs. But Srishti's fingers were crossed in anxiety, betraying her inner turmoil.

"Srishti....Just breathe. I told you I'm with you. We'll handle this together"Jai said gently, leaning closer to her.

"I...I'm alright"she managed to say, though her voice trembled slightly.

A guard entered the cabin and both jai and srishti turned towards him

"Sir..he's here"

Jai looked at Srishti, who composed herself with a deep breath and nodded resolutely.

"Ask him to come in"Jai instructed to the guard who nodded and walked away.

"Srishti. Just say whatever you want to okay. Relax. It's gonna be fine. I'm in the next cabin. Please call me once you feel so"jai said to her. She bit her lips in anxiety.

"Okay"she whispered. He gave her an assuring smile and kissed the back of her palm. Then he got up and walked outside leaving her alone in the cabin.

After a few moments that felt like an eternity, Arjun walked into the cabin. His face lit up when he saw Srishti.

"Hey"he said with a smile to which she smiled back in response.

"Hi. Come sit"she said.

"You know I was surprised when I received your message"he said as he sat down across from her. She sighed, looking at the ground.

"How are you, Srishti?"he asked softly.

"I'm good, Arjun. What about you?"

"Terrible....but now...I feel better"he said with a smile. The weight of unspoken words hung heavily between them.

Srishti took a deep breath and steeled herself for what she needed to say.

"Arjun, see...he told me that you came to our home that day..."

"Yeah. I came to meet you. But you weren't there"he said.

"I think I need an explanation about the things you said that day"she said firmly but gently.

"Nothing more, Srishti. I told him that we need to move on in our lives. How long are you going to stay stuck in this marriage? He told me that he needs time to think about us..."

"What do you mean by 'us,' Arjun?"

"You and me Srishti"His words hung in the air like a fragile thread ready to snap.

Srishti composed herself again before responding.

"Arjun. You've misunderstood the entire thing. About us. I know that day I came back to you and begged you to forgive me. It was because I felt guilty. Guilty for the hurt you experienced because of me. But there is nothing more"

"Are you sure about that? Srishti. Please stop lying to yourself. You opened up everything with me. You told me that you wouldn't be happy with him"

"Yes...I said so"she admitted quietly.

"Then?"

"But that didn't mean I was trying to make something happen between us Arjun. I was telling you everything that had gone wrong in my life. Because I thought you deserved to know it. More than me, I was concerned about your pain. I knew I just left without an explanation. And I thought you had to know everything. How my marriage happened and why it happened"she explained.

He took a deep breath, trying to process her words.

"Now what do you want me to do, Srishti? Don't say that you don't have any feelings for me. You still have my ring on your finger"he looked away as if ashamed of what he had just said.

"Arjun. I respect your feelings. And maybe you're right. During the initial days of my marriage, I felt terrified and trapped. I needed someone. I think I needed you then more than ever. But things have changed"

"Nothing has changed for me, Srishti. My love for you hasn't wavered. It hasn't changed a bit"

"But I've changed" she said softly with a sigh that seemed to carry all her burdens.

"Arjun...be calm and listen to me. Yes, I loved you deeply. But as a friend and nothing more. You were my lucky charm. My best friend. I spent some of the most beautiful moments of my life with you. I would never forget how you were always there for me. But....."she hesitated before continuing.

"But now....now there's someone else who has shown me what love truly means"

Arjun's expression shifted as he listened intently. Pain flickered across his face as she spoke of Jai.

"Arjun. He's a gem of a person. A man with a golden heart. Before him, I never believed love existed in this world. But when I met him...everything changed"Her voice softened as she spoke of Jai. There was warmth and sincerity there that even surprised her.

"Even after treating him so badly with my words, words born from confusion. He tried to keep me in my comfort zone. I feel safe whenever he's around me now. He makes me feel things I never thought I would do. I didn't knew it was love. Until I realised what I actually felt for him. And what he felt for me was much more and it's something I can never match"

Arjun listened silently as tears threatened to spill from Srishti's eyes. She felt lighter as she spoke her truth aloud.

"I love him, Arjun. I truly do"

The realization hit Arjun hard. He could see the depth of emotion reflected in her eyes whenever she mentioned Jai's name. The love was unmistakable.

"It's not because he's a Superstar or a person I've always admired. It's because of the person he is. I've fallen in love for the man he is arjun"she whispered as a drop of tear rolled down her eye.

"Srishti"Arjun said softly after a moment of silence

"You're saying all this now...but what about us? Srishti. Please give me a chance. I love you so much"he said.

"I admire your feelings so much Arjun. But I'm so sorry. I'm his wife. I'm a married woman. I don't want to give you any false hopes Arjun. I love him. And I love and respect you so much as a friend. I'm sorry for hurting you like this but.....it's the truth"she said softly.

She looked down at her hands before meeting his gaze again with determination shining through her tears.

"I have found happiness with him. And i also have a family who supports me. It's time for both of us to move forward"

Arjun looked down at his hands resting on the table between them. They were trembling slightly as he processed everything she had just shared. He reached out tentatively and touched her palms gently before whispering almost inaudibly.

"Srishti....I want to meet him"

She nodded slowly and dialed Jai's number with shaking fingers. After a few minutes filled with anxious anticipation, Jai walked into the cabin and took a seat beside Srishti.

"Hi Arjun"

The three of them sat in silence for a moment. An unspoken understanding passing between them like electricity in the air. As they waited for Arjun to speak first.

Finally looking up at them both, Arjun smiled faintly

"Sir...you're lucky to have her"

Jai smiled back warmly, entwining his fingers with Srishti under the table.

"She's right. I shouldn't have walked into your lives... but now it feels like closure. A closure for everything"arjun said.

"Srishti isn't going away from your life, Arjun. She'll always be there for you. As a good friend. And so will I"jai said.

Srishti nodded at Arjun with an assuring smile that held both sadness and hope. Arjun let out a breath.

"Thank you for your time. I should. Leave now"

As Arjun stood up from his chair slowly, his heart heavy. Srishti called out softly

"Wait a second arjun"

He paused and looked at her.

With trembling hands, she removed the ring from her finger and placed it gently into his palm before clasping it tighter between them one last time.

"I don't deserve this. Give it to your girl whenever she walks into your life. And trust me...she'll be the luckiest girl in the world"

Arjun gave her a weak smile filled with gratitude yet tinged by sorrow before nodding silently. His heart aching as he dropped the ring into his pocket. A final token of their past now forever sealed away from what could have been.

"Thank you Srishti. I should go"he said making her nod.

"Keep in touch Arjun. We'll see you soon"jai said as he aimed for a handshake. Arjun nodded firmly. Shaking his hands with jai.

"Goodbye sir"

"Bye"

As he walked toward the door. Srishti watched him wipe away tears cascading down his face. In a moment the door closed.

And he was gone.

Srishti stood frozen as she replayed all the moments she had with Arjun. From their first meet. To becoming best friends. The endless teasings and now finally a goodbye. Their journey was a painful one. But she knew no one could love like him. He deserved better.

Jai moved closer beside Srishti. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders protectively. He wiped away her tears tenderly using his thumbs.

"I... hurt him"Srishti whispered brokenly against his chest.

The weight of regret heavy upon her heart as sorrow threatened once more to overwhelm everything else inside of her soul.

"Sristi. Some people are destined to walk away from our lives but this isn't a goodbye. Trust me...arjun will always be there whenever you need him"he said.

Srishti fell against Jai's chest fully now. Her heart breaking open wide as she cried freely into him. Letting go of everything pent up inside while finding solace within those strong arms surrounding her.

He hugged her back tightly. Gently patting her hairs. Letting her cry into his arms.

Together they stood there embracing one another tightly. Their hearts intertwined amidst fresh starts awaiting just beyond this moment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Precap - Jai leaving for Switzerland shoot

♡ Nila ♡