Battle of Hearts (Completed)

Part 1

As Prachi stepped inside the mansion, which was tastefully decorated with flowers, silk draperies on the glass windows and lights, accompanied by Parth, she looked around. Her beautiful eyes were filled with the bone deep dejection that had become her constant companion. Only she knew how difficult it had been to convince herself to come here, to participate in the engagement, to see the one man she loved and wanted for herself taking the first step towards belonging to someone else. How he must hate her. And he should. It will make it so much easier for him to move on in life and leave behind the memories of the time they had spent together as nothing but a hideous nightmare. He will move on and live a life full of happiness with his family. But what about her? Would she ever be able to forget him and move on in her own life? Prachi sighed dejectedly. No. No, she wouldn't be able to forget him. How could she? He was her first love, her only love and she was aware of his love and loyalty towards her. How could any other man measure up to him, her Ranbir? Prachi's musings broke abruptly as someone called her. Blinking in confusion, she turned around.

"Prachi, why did you stop here? Let's go inside." Parth urged.

Turning away from him with an irritated hiss, Prachi made her way into the hall. Parth was such a pain in the neck but she had to bring him as it would be the last step to enable Ranbir to sever any remaining tie with her.

Prachi stopped when she reached almost in the middle of the room and looked around. The members of Mehra, Khanna and Kohli families were engrossed in welcoming the guests and conversing with them. Even after being surrounded with so many people, Prachi felt alone, so alone. The one man who had become not only the love of her life but also her best friend and shield, the one man with whom she could share anything, was not with her. She could not share the crippling grief, the truth behind her terrible behavior with him. Her mother's life and happiness depended upon it. She could only apologize to him but was unfortunate enough not to be able to do so aloud. She could only apologize to him in private.

Forgive me, Ranbir. You will never know how sorry I am. My heart broke too while breaking yours.

Prachi smiled through the unshed tears glittering in her eyes. Her throat burned with the need to howl out in excruciating agony. Her beautiful features distorted with pain as she stared vacantly in the distance. A voice made her blink and a few tears cascaded down her cheeks. She stiffened instantly and swiftly rubbed her cheeks off, cleaning the evidence of her agony.

Slowly, she whirled around. A few feet away from her was standing the groom to be, Ranbir Kohli. She schooled her features to look as nonchalant as possible as Ranbir began to close the distance between them.

"Welcome, Prachi Arora. Welcome to my engagement party. Do you like the arrangements? And where is your 'current' boyfriend?" Ranbir's eyes were glittering with a ruthless determination.

"Oh, the arrangements are fabulous as always. And Parth is right here. Parth, could you come up here, please?" Prachi called out as she met Ranbir's gaze with an indifference she had struggled long and hard to portray.

As Parth came and Prachi looped her arm around his, the only thing that betrayed his feelings in Ranbir's otherwise blank face was slight tightening of the jaw. Then, however, he smiled, though the smile never touched his eyes.

"Ah! Here she comes. My beautiful would be fiancé." Ranbir stretched a hand towards Prachi and even as Prachi stared at the outstretched hand in innocent confusion, he moved it towards her left and a petite, female hand was placed on his outstretched one.

He pulled her towards himself until the other woman was standing by his side and placed an arm around her shoulder. Rhea grinned like the cat that got the cream while Ranbir smirked.