Her eyes burned with fresh tears, but she didn’t look away. He had broken her like this many a time. Tonight was nothing new.
“You are living in a delusion, Karan. There’s a difference between truly hating someone… andpretendingto hate someone.”
His jaw clenched.
“You don’t hate me,” she continued. “You are onlytryingvery hard to hate me. And I don’t understand why? What have I done to deserve this?”
He didn’t move. Didn’t blink.
“You wanted to destroy my brother’s business… but then you proposed marriage to save it,” she said. “You made me your wife… and now you claim you hate me. What does any of this even mean? Why can’t I have one honest answer? Why can’t we have a real conversation about this marriage?”
His grip on her waist loosened. Karan was about to turn and leave when she gripped his shirt tighter over his chest, not letting him move until he answered her.
“Everyone close to you knows the truth,” she muttered. “Rajat knows. Abhimanyu knows. Maybe even Kanika knows. OnlyI’mthe one ignorant. Only I’m the one trapped in a marriage whose reasons I’m blind to.”
Her voice broke on the last line. “It’s not fair.”
He stared at her for a long, unbearable second. And then slowly… very slowly… an emotionless smirk curled on his lips. He caught both her wrists in one swift movement and shoved her away, breaking every inch of closeness they shared.
He didn’t justify, only let that mocking smirk twist deeper… and then turned away without a word.
Mishti stood rooted to the place for long after he disappeared down the hallway, her throat still burning, her heart still breaking.
Tonight, she had asked for the truth. But he had shown her how expertly he could walk away from it. Like every other time.
CHAPTER 13
Keeping the sting of Karan’s earlier words buried somewhere deep within her, Mishti stepped into the garden area where the party was unfolding. Guests mingled around in relaxed groups, as she moved forward slowly, her eyes searching through the crowd. She did not know many people here and needed someone she trusted by her side, at least until she settled into the role of the host’s wife.
Expecting help from Karan felt pointless. Which was why she looked around for Abhimanyu instead. He would at least guide her through the initial greetings, help her blend into their world.
But just as she took another step forward, she saw Komal walking toward her, much to her relief.
“You look so pretty in red,” Komal said sincerely, giving a brief hug to Mishti, taking in the red saree she wore.
“Thank you. You look very elegant as well. And I’m so glad you are here.”
“Oh, trust me, I had almost cancelled my plans,” Komal admitted, almost looking once behind Mishti before meeting her gaze again. “But then I thought it would be nice to see you again outside those four clinical walls. So, I’m here.”
Before Mishti could understand who she glanced at, Abhimanyu reached them first, followed by Rajat. Both men greeted Mishti warmly, who then introduced Komal.
“Rajat, this is Dr Komal Sharma. She is the one who has been taking care of me ever since the accident.”
Rajat stepped forward, slightly curious.
“So,youare the doctor who doesn’t get along with Karan,” he asked, as if he had been waiting to confirm it.
Komal blinked, genuinely taken aback. Mishti too stared at him, surprised how he knew Karan and Dr Komal never got along.
Rajat smiled, clearly enjoying their reactions. “Please don’t look at me like that. Karan and I are best friends. We may not gossip the way people assume women do, but trust me, we are not saints either.”
Both the women looked at each other, amused, as Rajat continued, “When he told me Mishti’s doctor practically threatened not to discharge her unless he behaved properly with his wife, I imagined someone older and strict. Definitely middle-aged.”
He paused, just enough to make the moment playful.
“But you… You are quite young, and if I may add without risking my life, far too beautiful.”
Komal let out a soft laugh. “If that is your polite way of saying I scared your best friend, then I shall take it as a compliment.”
