Hai Tujhe Bhi Izazat

Chapter 50

Abhi sat on his terrace watching the moon quietly, lost in his thoughts. How easy was it for her to finish everything? Just like that. She even blocked him. He was punished for being someone's son. What was his mistake? He was born into this family?

He gets it that she was in a tough position right now. But she did not consider his feelings for once. Not even once. But this is what she has done earlier too. Whenever she is in her hometown, something makes her realise that he was a mistake. That they were a mistake.

Didn't she promise him not to back out no matter what happens? He wanted to be there for her tough times. And he expected the same from her. But it's of no use now. He cannot force her to be with her. He doesn't want to force her. He is tired. Is it too soon to be tired? He doesn't care. If she had loved him even for once, she would not just shut him out of her life like this. He didn't deserve this. No one does.

The last few days were very hectic. The day Aaradhya finished everything with him, he blamed his father. He went to his office and poured all his anger there.

"I have never hated to be your son ever. But now I hate it, I regret it," he told him. His father appeared to be sad by his words but not sad enough to undo the wrongs he had done with the Raghuvanshis. And that is when his brother stepped in.

His brother Abhimaan was a man of few words. He always did what he was expected to do. He is even ready to leave law and accept business after two years. But when he saw Abhimanyu in pain, he lost it. He asked his father to take the Police complaint back and step back from everything that is connected to Raghuvanshis otherwise he would step back from his promise. His father can manage the business alone. He would not care for his father's dream if his father was not concerned about his son.

And that scared him. Scared him enough to take the complaint back and step back. He can run his empire without stepping into the construction business but sooner or later he will need an heir. And he cannot risk that. Though he was very disappointed and sad about this. He had planned all this for the last two years but he didn't have much option. Because he knows one thing, Abhimaan does what he says.

Abhimanyu sighed. How was he surrounded by such selfish people? Even Aaradhya. All she thought was about her father, her family, her family's future, her father's business. Was Abhi not hers? Maybe he never was. Maybe she never accepted him.

It suffocated him to live here. He doesn't want to go to the same University as hers. He doesn't want to go near her. She did not call once even after when things became normal. Not even to ask if he was the reason his father stepped back.

And after all this, he has decided one thing. He would complete his specialization from The United States. He doesn't want to take the risk of crossing paths with her again. He doesn't want to feel more hurt than he already was. He'll leave this country.

She says there is no future for them. She is right. Because he was ready to be with a loser who at least dared to fight rather than a coward who stepped back instead of entering the battlefield. Coward and selfish. That is what she was.

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"Congratulations," everyone wished Aaradhya after the cutoff for her exams was released. She has secured decent marks and some good Universities were ready to accept her. It was five months after all that fiasco. It has been five months since last she talked to Abhi. Just a few days more and she will shift to a hostel. Then she will go and meet him personally wherever he will be. She'll thank him and they will get their final closure. Just a few days more.

"Where are you planning to take admission?" Tanu asked her over the video call. Everyone was on the group video call except for Abhi.

"I am still thinking about it," Aaradhya replied. Tanu and Yuvraj have decided to take admission to one of the reputed institutes of Mumbai. It was closer to their home and they could be together there. Anuj in Delhi and Teena in Noida. Because the difference in their marks doesn't allow them to take admission together. But these two places were not very far from each other. They can easily keep meeting there.

"Where is Abhi taking admission?" Aaradhya asked hesitantly. She knows she lost Anuj too with Abhi. His smile towards her was forced and she deserved it. She deserved every bit of it. But she wanted to know and only he could tell her.

"I don't know," he replied.

"You know. It's ok if you don't want to tell me," she said trying her best not to burst into tears.

"He.. He left for the US fifteen days ago," Teena told her.

"What? Why?" she asked shocked.

"Teena!" Anuj warned.

"She deserves to know. They were together for three and a half years, Anuj," Teena argued.

"Yeah, and she did a great job at keeping her relationship intact," he commented.

"To complete his specialization. He will study there," Teena said ignoring his remark.

"Why did no one tell me this before?" Aaradhya asked.

"And why would we tell you about him? Who are you exactly to him?" Anuj asked.

He has been trying to control himself a lot. He ignored her because he knew the day he talked to her, he'd say something that would hurt her. He didn't want to. She was his friend. One of his sweetest friends. But what she did with Abhi was not acceptable. She was in a tough situation but she could have at least tried to save their relationship. Abhi's voice broke when he called Anuj last time. He cried. Abhi was one of the strongest people Anuj had seen in his life and seeing him like that broke him.

"What's wrong with you Anuj?" Teena hissed. This boy has lost all the sensitivity he used to have.

"It's ok Teena. He is right. I am no one to ask that. I'll talk to you guys afterwards. Bye," Aaradhya said hanging up.

And she hesitated for a few minutes before unlocking her phone again. She unblocked Abhi's contact and called him. Switch off. She dialled again and again. For the rest of the month, she kept trying. Switch off. He changed his number. Anuj must have it. He'll never give it to her. And even if he did what is she going to talk to Abhi?

She accepted a University in Lucknow itself. She doesn't want to go far from her home now. There is no use for it. It's not like she'll be able to meet him ever.

And two years passed just like that. With her crying every day to sleep. With her blaming herself every day for the hurt she caused to herself and him. With her working so much that exhaustion takes over her until she stops thinking about him. With her wanting to go back in time every day and think more rationally instead of just finishing off everything.

The only good thing was that her professors believed that she was going to be one of the best Cardiologists, because of her perfection in everything she does.

She has offers from some decent Medical Hospitals just after her specialization. Everyone expected her to choose Lucknow again. She'll be close to her family. Work and home in the same city. What's better than that?

But she accepted the one from Delhi. Sanjivani Hospital,  one of the best hospitals in India offered her to work under Dr Ramesh Dalmia. He was a very reputed and well-known name in the medical field. Her family supported her thinking it was a good opportunity for her. She can always come back and work here whenever she feels like.

And Dr Dalmia was the reason for her choosing that place. One of the reasons. Delhi was Abhi's hometown. There was a slight chance, just a slight chance that she would meet him in that city someday. He was not back yet. Maybe he'll never come back. But there is a hope that maybe he will.

Don't they say the world is built on hope? And she is willing to take this chance. Even if he hates her if he sees her again, she is willing to go through that pain instead of going through the same pain that she is going through every single day.

Hope. That's all she is left with and she'll stick to it until her last breath.

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And do check the aesthetics of the other story that I've posted. I'll start that one after this one is finished.