They had there dinner in silent. Ritika just took two three bites of roti and got up pushing the plate.
He held her hand before she could left, 'Ritika you barely eat anything.. atleast finished one roti...'
She took her hand from her grip, 'I am already full...mujhe aur nahi khana .... tumhara khana ho jaay toh kamre mein aa jana'
With that she left from there. He stared at her retreating figure. By seeing her half eaten plate,he too got up not feeling like to eat anymore.
When he goes inside his room,he saw her already lie down on the bed with closed eyes. It was the first time she didn't wait for him.
He slept beside her . She was facing him back. He slowly snuggled towards her wrapping his arm around her waist.
But next moment he stiffened when she pushes his hand from her waist.
'Ritika??' he murmurs.
'Aaj please tum aise hi so jaay..i am not feeling good..' she murmurs clutching her pillow.
He still held held her shoulder, 'Gussa ho mujse? Agar gussa ho toh please mujhse gussa kar lo..aise khamosh mat raho, nahi dekha jaa raha mujhse...'
She shook her head,voice almost breaking, 'Mein gussa nahi hu Ahaan'
'Toh phir mujhse baat kyu nahi kar rahi ho Ritika?? Hum kal phirse kisi aur doctor ko dikhayenge ...aise toh hum haar toh nahi maan sakte na..aj kal bohut naye naye method aa gaye hain ..jisse ki we can have our child'
Silence.
She didn't respond, didn't even move.
His throat burned as unshed tears blurred his vision. A painful lump formed in his throat, making it hard to breathe.
He swallowed his pain and shifted back to his side of the bed, whispering,
"Alright... get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow."
His voice cracked at the end, betraying the turmoil he was trying to hide. He turned his face away, allowing his silent tears to soak into his pillow.
She doesn't realize that as much as she is hurting, his pain is even greater. Yet, despite his own suffering, he is trying everything to make her feel better, to hold on to the love they once shared. But in her grief, her silence is becoming his deepest wound. The very person he loves the most is unknowingly breaking him, piece by piece.
For the past two days, everything had been the same-her silence and his relentless efforts to bring a smile to her face. No matter how much she distanced herself, Ahaan kept trying, finding new ways to lighten the heaviness between them.
Today, he decided to make her favorite white sauce pasta. He wasn't an expert in cooking, but that didn't stop him. He wanted to do something-anything-that might bring even the slightest warmth back into her eyes.
With an excited grin, he gently grabbed her wrist and led her to the dining table. "Arey, at least take a look at what I made for you!" he beamed, placing the plate in front of her.
"Your favorite-white sauce pasta! Taste it and tell me how it is... I know it won't be as good as the one you make, but still, try it once, just for me." His voice held a hopeful eagerness as he settled beside her.
She merely played with the spoon, her gaze fixed on the plate but making no effort to eat.
"Ahaan, I need to tell you something." Her voice was calm, but there was a weight behind her words.
"Of course, tell me... but eat first. I'm not going anywhere, am I?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
But she didn't smile. Instead, she looked straight at him, her tone turning firm. "No, Ahaan. Listen to me first. This is important."
His grin faded slightly, but he nodded, holding her hand gently. "Okay, tell me. I'm listening."
She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "I want to go to my mother's place for a few days." Her voice was soft, but the words hit him like a storm.
His smile froze, his heart tightening in his chest. "Your mother's place? All of a sudden? Is everything okay? Is she not feeling well?" He asked, trying to understand.
"She's absolutely fine... I just feel like spending some time with her. I need a break from everything," she admitted, looking away.
Ahaan opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself. His heart ached at her words. She wanted a break-from what? From him? From their marriage?
It wasn't that he didn't want her to visit her parents. He knew she had every right to. But... what about him? Where was he supposed to go for comfort? Whose arms would he run to when the weight of everything crushed him?
He had no one else in this world. His parents had left him at a young age. Ritika-his wife, his childhood love-was his only family. She was the only person he relied on, the only place he found solace. And now, when he needed her the most, she wanted to leave.
Deep down, a part of him had hoped-prayed-that Ritika would understand his pain. That despite everything, she would stand by him, hold him the way he longed to hold her. But reality shattered that fragile hope into pieces.
He wanted to cry, to beg her to stay, to tell her how much he needed her right now. But instead, he blinked back his tears, forcing himself to smile. If this was what she wanted, who was he to stop her? Maybe, just maybe, spending time with her parents would help her feel better. Maybe she would return to him in few days with the same warmth she once had.
So he simply nodded. "Okay... if that's what you want." His voice barely concealed the pain beneath.
She gave him a small, almost indifferent smile before getting up.
As he watched her leave, his gaze dropped to the untouched plate of pasta. The effort, the love, the silent plea behind it-all of it had gone unnoticed.
Just like him.
She came downstairs with her luggage, her expression unreadable. The Uber she had booked was already waiting outside.
Ahaan stepped closer, his heart pounding, and without a second thought, he pulled her into a tight embrace. His arms wrapped around her like he was trying to memorize her warmth, as if letting go would mean losing a part of himself.
He bit his lip hard, willing himself not to cry. But the ache in his chest was unbearable.
"Jaldi aa jana ghar... tumhare bina yeh ghar suna suna lagta hai," he whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears.
Pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek, he held onto her just a little longer, hoping-praying-that she would hold him back. That she would say something, anything, to make this pain easier.
But she didn't.
She simply nodded and muttered a small "bye," before walking away. She didn't even glance back. Not once.
Ahaan stood frozen in place, watching her disappear through the door. The sound of her suitcase wheels rolling against the floor, the faint rumble of the car engine-it all faded into the background.
And then, silence.
A deafening, unbearable silence.
A sob escaped his lips, shattering the quiet around him. His hands clenched into fists, his entire body trembling as the weight of it all crashed down on him.
"Why?" The question echoed in his mind, relentless and cruel.
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