Hues of Love

Part 41

"I cannot marry you, Ashok. Why don't you understand? The last time I agreed to the demands arising from your love, in a moment of unfortunately devastating weakness, I lost my Arnav physically. If I were to accept your proposal, I should give up his place in my heart too and I won't accept it," spat Rati, staging a walkout as she shut the door of her room with a thud after collapsing behind it.

Arnav and Khushi, who were escorted into the living room by her secretary, happened to witness the exchange between the woman who influenced him more than anyone else in life, directly or indirectly, and the man who sought her presence in his life as much as she had sought Arnav's.

"What does she mean?" whispered Arnav, involuntarily, unknown to the fact that his whisper was loud enough for Ashok to hear him.

"Oh, whom do we have? Arnav Singh Raizada. What brings His Majesty here?" mocked Ashok, condescension and derision lining his tone in a way which made Arnav's insides churn. But that feeling was nothing in relation to what he had experienced when he heard Rati uttering those words.

"Why is she not ready to marry you? She...uh..anniversary..you were there..." Arnav stuttered, unable to make coherent sentences as he felt his mind reeling with multiple thoughts.

"Oh well, Mr. Raizada, you still don't realize, do you? She never wanted to be in that place. I made her weak by giving her the hope of sanity and showing that I was standing in the same boat of unrequited love as her. Whether it was friendship that forced her to erase my pain or her own pain which guided her, I do not know, but I know that she regretted that moment for every moment which followed, going as far as attempting to suicide by etching your name into her forearm, but how would you know? You didn't even bother calling back despite several calls from our side and knowing that she was admitted in hospital. Neither then nor now, probably I will never understand her love for you but probably so do you," spat Ashok, causing Arnav to stumble back as Khushi supported him, knowing well what he was enduring but it was for the same reason that she brought him in the first place.

"But the reports? The news?" wondered Arnav, raking his fingers through his immaculately set hair, messing it up in the course, much like his mind at the moment.

"Looks like the probability of not understanding, in your case, is inching towards one, Mr. Raizada. It was obviously false and you never bothered crosschecking the facts because you wanted them to be true. In fact, you circulated the news further," lashed Ashok, furiously, thanking that Rati's room was soundproof as she could not hear the conversation.

"Why didn't she ever refute? She could have done anything to prove me wrong," retorted Arnav, his features expressing his frustration.

"Because you never believed her. The producer took advantage of her drunk state and it amounted to date-rape, which was even proved in court. But, you, her own husband, did not believe her but the media which always twists and turns the words. The same media caught you speaking to your friend about her infidelity and published a report, she thought you had no trust on her. Added to that were your constant demands to have children when she had no idea what to do. Whether to disappoint you with the truth or take the risk, and in the end she chose to pull you to edge, hoping that you fulfill your wish. Bloody Hero Complex, she has, after all the roles she portrayed! She was truly caught in a limbo; unable to leave the only family left in the world and unable to tolerate the pain she was struck in. It was her consulting physician who advised her that it is better she attends parties to keep her mind away from sorrow rather than losing herself in alcohol and that is why she began going as date to her industry friends but it was strictly platonic because she truly never gave your place to anyone in her life - professional or personal, in mind, heart or soul," revealed Ashok, tears stinging in his eyes as he reminisced the medical reports analyzed by the physician indicating her depression and damage caused by alcohol.