The way I used to live✔

chapter 25✔

Daksha's POV:

After they left the hospital, I got busy with the regular appointments.

Today I decided to leave the hospital a little earlier than usual, so I left the hospital at 4 p.m. in the evening.

After I left the hospital, I didn't drive to my apartment. Instead, I started driving to the place which gave me the wonderful memories of someone who holds an important place in my life.

While driving, I thought about all the happenings of the day.

Even though Arjun irritates the hell out of me, apart from my family and friends, he is the only person with whom I have felt comfortable.

I can be myself without having any restrictions when I am with him. Even today when he pulled that stupid act, I didn't get angry at him. Instead, I pretended to be angry at him. I kind of enjoyed that banter.

He looked cute in that confused look when I thanked him for praising me. He just behaved like a child who wanted to get an upper hand in the conversation. I smiled remembering his cute and idiotic behavior.

With these thoughts, I finally reached that place. I pulled over the car and parked it aside.

When I came out of the car after locking it, I was greeted by the sight of the building called "Aadharana - A home for the needy".

Yes, it is an orphanage and an old age home. This was actually started by her. Now my friends and I are taking care of this home.

The irony was, most of the children who lived here were not orphans, they at least had one living parent or most had some extended families, and most of the old people who lived there were from rich families too who were abandoned by their own children.

This place provided grandparents to those children and grandchildren to those old people. It was her idea as she herself was an orphan.

All her life, she craved a family and when she finally got a family to call her own, fate played a cruel game.

After letting out a sad sigh, I went to the backyard and reached the place where we used to hang out in the past. I sat on the stone bench which was under the tree and stared blankly at the sky.

This place holds so many beautiful memories of us. Thinking about the past, my heart clenched in pain. She died right in front of my eyes. How helpless I was back then! I couldn't save her even when she breathed her last right in front of me.

I still remember her lifeless body amidst the pool of blood. The sight that haunts me every day in my dreams.

I didn't know when the tears started to trickle down, my silent cries turning into sobs.

I brought my legs onto the bench and placed my head on my knees and started crying over my past.

"Teju, do I actually deserve a happy life after snatching everyone's happiness? Can I ever live a guilt-free life? I miss you so much, Teju. I miss your presence. I miss your smile. I miss everything about you."

" Why did you leave me? You promised me that you will be with me forever. Why did you lie to me? Why should we be the ones to suffer when the culprit is roaming outside happily?" I cried badly even more at that thought.

" I am getting married, Teju. His name is Arjun. He is a nice guy. His mother loves me and treats me like her own daughter. He doesn't know anything about my past. Do I really deserve him? Can he still be with me even after knowing my past? I don't know, Teju, but when I am with him, I feel a sense of contentment. I feel so safe and secure when he is around me. I don't want to lose him and at the same time, I don't want to be with him as he deserves someone who is so much better than me. These feelings are confusing me, Teju. Did I really do the right thing by agreeing to this marriage?" I asked her for my sobs.

Just as I finished asking this question, a wave of cool breeze hit my skin as if it was telling me that I made the right decision.

I smiled a little, feeling the touch of the breeze. I sat there for a while and decided to leave the place.

I thought of leaving the place without anyone noticing me because I was not in the mood to spend my time with anyone at the moment.

When I was leaving, Lakshmi Ma, who was the caretaker there saw me and came near me to greet me.

After noticing my puffy eyes due to all the crying, she understood the situation and told me to drive safely.

I nodded at her after smiling a little and left that place immediately. I pulled out my car and started driving back to my apartment.

When I was halfway through, I received a call from an unknown number.

I pulled over the car to the side and turned the engine off. After that, I attended the call and placed the phone near my ear.

Nobody spoke from the other side making me wonder whether the call was still ongoing or not. When I was about to open my mouth, I heard the voice which brought tears to my eyes.

"Darling! How are you?"

Thanks for reading.

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