Shobhana's POV

The day had come. I was standing at the airport, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. I hadn't seen Shubman in what felt like forever. 

We'd been so distant lately. I hadn't heard much from him—no calls, no texts, just... silence. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

Something had changed, and I wasn't sure what it was.

When I landed in Mumbai, I felt an odd pit in my stomach. I was here for his birthday, but something felt off. 

Had I done something wrong?

I shook my head as I walked out of the terminal, trying to shake off the anxiety that was building inside me. 

Everything will be okay, I kept telling myself.

"Shobi!" I heard Ishan's voice echo through the crowd. I turned to find him waving enthusiastically, and I couldn't help but smile. 

At least I had him.

"Hey!" I said, running up to him and wrapping him in a tight hug. "I missed you, idiot!"

"I know, I know, I'm the best," he said, grinning. "Let's go, we have a lot to do!"

I followed him to the car, our conversation mostly consisting of stupid jokes and random stories about what was going on in New York.

"I can't wait for Shubman to see you," Ishan grinned. "This surprise is going to be epic."

"I know! He's going to freak out when he sees me," I said, excited, but something about the mention of his name made my heart ache.

We arrived at the place, and Ishan snuck me into a room, saying, "Get ready here. Come downstairs by 7 pm, okay?"

"What? What are you up to now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I looked at him suspiciously.

"Just trust me, get ready," he said, already running off.

I sighed, my stomach twisting. 

I just hoped this surprise would fix things between Shubman and me.

I glanced at the clock: 6:30 pm. Time was ticking.

After a few moments, I decided to go for something simple but cute. I slipped into a black dress that hugged my body in all the right places and threw on a leather jacket for a little extra edge. 

I tossed my hair into a messy bun, hoping the casual look would still leave a lasting impression.

I grabbed the gifts I had gotten for him and walked downstairs.

When I got to the party area, everyone was there. It was crowded with people from our circle, family, friends, and others who had come to celebrate.

The moment Kriti saw me, she shrieked in excitement and jumped on me. "Shobi, you look amazing!" she said, pulling away and admiring my outfit. 

"Shubman's gonna lose it when he sees you."

"I hope so," I smiled nervously, glancing around, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Suddenly, Ishan appeared with a camera, shouting, "Everyone, get ready! You two, come inside now!"

He was talking to Shubman and Abhishek, who had their blindfolds on.

"Tu kya kar raha hai?" Shubman grumbled as he bumped into a table, making everyone laugh.

"Open the blindfolds!" Ishan yelled, and as they did, the room screamed, "Surprise!"

Shubman froze, his eyes scanning the crowd before they landed on me. His expression shifted. 

"What? What are you doing here?"

I smiled and stepped forward, handing him his gift. "I thought I'd surprise you, silly."

Shubman blinked, still processing everything. "You're here for me? Like, really?"

I nodded, trying to push aside the growing anxiety inside me. "Of course. Happy birthday, baby."

He smiled faintly, but something about it seemed forced. As soon as the cake was cut, the party erupted into chaos—people laughing, dancing, and celebrating, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"I'm sorry, I gotta ask you something," Shubman suddenly said, pulling me aside as everyone else continued dancing.

I looked at him, unsure of what was going on. "What is it?"

He hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. 

"Someone told me... you're just using me. That you're with me to get ahead, to build your career. They said that's why you got picked for NYC Vogue."

The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. My chest tightened, and my mouth went dry. How could he say something like that?

"What?!" I whispered, barely able to get the words out.

"Well," he shrugged, "it makes sense, doesn't it? You're always moving up, and I just thought... I don't know, maybe I was just part of the plan."

Tears started to sting at my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. 

"Shubman, you think I would do that to you?" I could feel the heat rising in my face, the shock and hurt overwhelming me.

He didn't say anything for a while, his eyes clouded with confusion. 

"I don't know what to think anymore, Shobi. Maybe we should just end it here."

I froze. What? He was breaking up with me?

"Is that your final decision?" I asked, my voice trembling. My chest felt tight, my heart aching in a way I couldn't describe. 

Was he really doing this to me?

He nodded slowly, taking the gift I had gotten for him and shoving it into his hand. "I think it's best if we just move on."

I didn't know what to say. The tears were already threatening to spill over, but I refused to let them. I turned around and walked away quickly, trying to keep my composure.

I found myself bumping into Virat, who looked at me with concern. "Shobi, are you okay?" he asked softly.

I could no longer hold back. I started sobbing uncontrollably, the weight of everything crashing down on me. 

How could Shubman say that?

Virat pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back gently. "Hey, hey, what happened? What's going on?"

"He... he thinks I'm using him," I choked out between sobs. 

"He thinks I'm with him to build my career. And now... now we're done. Just like that."

Virat's face darkened. "What an asshole," he muttered under his breath, continuing to rub my back. "You don't deserve that, Shobi."

"I don't know what to do anymore," I whispered, feeling completely broken. "I never wanted to hurt him. I love him, Virat."

"I know, baby, I know," Virat said, his voice soothing but filled with anger. "Don't let his stupidity get to you. He'll regret this. Trust me."

But nothing in that moment could make me feel better. The words Shubman had said were like a deep wound in my heart, and I didn't know if it would ever heal.