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Chapter 4 - Fallout
"Um Ranvir... I should probably go."
Aanchal mumbled before leaving the scene awkwardly. She could feel Ranvir's confusion and Kabir's blazing gaze on her but decided to ignore. As she closed the door to Ranvir's cabin, she started running, didn't care about the weird looks she got from the employees and only stopped when she reached her own cabin. She slumped down on the chair and hugged herself.
Her life was officially a mess.
***
"Bade you don't understand. That girl is not right for you!"
"Kabir! Stop it man! You don't even know her!"
Ranvir nearly yelled. He couldn't contain himself. He could understand that his little brother was being protective like always but he wouldn't hear a word against Aanchal. Not even from Kabir.
"You don't know her Kabir. And I am old enough to know what is good for me and what is not. You don't even know the whole story yet."
"I don't need to know anything to tell you that that girl is using you bade! Just like she was using me! I thought I was playing a game with her while it was she who was playing me all along. How could I not see it coming?"
Ranvir furrowed his brows
"What are you talking about Kabir?"
His voice was thunderously calm which hinted the impending storm.
Kabir looked at him in the eyes
"It all started right after we won the case."
***
"And you planned to leave her on the day of the engagement?"
Ranvir's voice was edgy, like he would burst into flames any moment.
Kabir's was unwavering however. He shrugged
"Yeah I mean that's how I had planned I would insult her and my revenge-"
The harsh contact of Ranvir's palm against his face and the reverberating sound of the slap literally made him choke on his words. Ranvir had slapped him. His Bade had slapped him. Kabir didn't know how to handle the shock. He just stood rooted to his spot with his mouth agape.
"You thought of hurting Aanchal?"
Ranvir let go all of his restraints. His tone made Kabir shudder. He had never seen his Bade getting this furious. He was literally seething in anger. His hand clenched in a fist at his side.
"Bade..."
It was all Kabir was able to blurt out. He was stunned. He was utterly unfamiliar with the man standing in front of him with a brutal stare.
"Enough..."
Ranvir's voice toned down but the threat was still there.
"All my life, I thought I was being a good influence to you. That I was being a good elder brother. But you have proven me wrong."
Kabir shook his head vigorously, tears forming in his eyes
"No Bade. No I-"
"It is not your fault Kabir. It's my fault. I didn't let you learn from your mistakes. Instead, I helped you cover them. I thought... I thought-"
Ranvir's voice choked. He could feel bile rise up his throat. He failed. He failed his brotherly duties. Badly.
His breath hitched as Kabir hugged him. He held onto him as if his life depended on it. As if Ranvir was his lifeline. And it was a truth that both the brothers knew.
"I am sorry Bade. I am so sorry. I failed you. I am so sorry. I promise I will change Bade. I promise."
Ranvir swallowed hard. He gathered all the strength that he had in him and jerked away from Kabir. Kabir looked at him longingly, agony evident in his eyes. Without another word, Ranvir turned on his heel and left, while Kabir held onto the desk for support.
He had never ever imagined in his darkest nightmares, that his Bade could be this upset with him.
***
Aanchal nearly jumped on her swivel chair as she was startled by her cabin door being pushed open roughly. She looked up to find Ranvir, visibly upset, looking straight into her eyes. She could see accusation sketched on his otherwise passive appearance. He looked confused, angry and hurt.
"Kabir..."
His voice was choking. Aanchal didn't like where this was going. Not at all.
"Kabir said that he was.. that you were... that you.. in Mauritius..."
Ranvir was huffing like he had raced a marathon. He felt betrayed. By his brother. By the woman he loved with all his heart. All the emotions were wrapping him up like vines, holding him in a chokehold and threatening to strangle him.
"Ranvir-"
Ranvir cut her off holding up his hand. Aanchal didn't blink. This man had something in him which made her not be intimidated yet somehow be controlled. And it was not in a bad way.
"I don't know how to feel Aanchal."
Ranvir looked away for a minute or two. Aanchal could see his eyes glistening. And her heart cracked a bit at that sight. She was responsible for the torment caused.
"I thought... I thought that we had something special. I didn't know that you had feelings for Kabir. Why didn't you tell me?"
Aanchal nodded her head trying to say something in her defense. She couldn't deny the fact that she was indeed attracted to Kabir. She wasn't sure if she actually felt something towards him but his actions for the past few days had made a soft place in her heart. But it was definitely not something as strong as Ranvir hinted.
"Ranvir, I, we, we had a, we might have had a few moments, it was... I.."
"Why did you accept my proposal then?"
Ranvir turned his gaze back on her. He let the tears stream down his face this time. He couldn't hold it back any longer.
"I need an honest answer Aanchal. And please don't lie this time. Why did you agree to marry me? To be mine when your heart belonged to someone else?"
Aanchal felt herself getting desperate. Like something was slipping out of her hands. It reminded her of the time when Ranvir caught her spying on him red handed. She didn't want to go through that feeling again. She couldn't bear Ranvir being that upset with her again. Somehow it felt unbearable.
"Ranvir! Ranvir it's not like that. Please let me explain-"
"I don't want an explanation Aanchal. I just want a simple answer. Do you love me?"
Aanchal gasped as she stared into his eyes. He was looking at her as if his life depended on her answer. Like it would turn his world upside down.
But she couldn't lie to him anymore.
"No..."
That was all she could say and that was all Ranvir heard before he felt his remaining strength collapse and he could literally see red taking over his visions.
He looked at Aanchal one last time, his heart squeezed with immense pain, his vision blurred with tears.
Before Aanchal could utter another word, Ranvir pulled open the door in one swift motion and strode out of the room.
Aanchal gripped the edge of her desk as she cried
"I am sorry Ranvir."
-
So guys! What turn will Aanchal and Ranvir's relationship take now? What do you think? 😉
"Um Ranvir... I should probably go."
Aanchal mumbled before leaving the scene awkwardly. She could feel Ranvir's confusion and Kabir's blazing gaze on her but decided to ignore. As she closed the door to Ranvir's cabin, she started running, didn't care about the weird looks she got from the employees and only stopped when she reached her own cabin. She slumped down on the chair and hugged herself.
Her life was officially a mess.
***
"Bade you don't understand. That girl is not right for you!"
"Kabir! Stop it man! You don't even know her!"
Ranvir nearly yelled. He couldn't contain himself. He could understand that his little brother was being protective like always but he wouldn't hear a word against Aanchal. Not even from Kabir.
"You don't know her Kabir. And I am old enough to know what is good for me and what is not. You don't even know the whole story yet."
"I don't need to know anything to tell you that that girl is using you bade! Just like she was using me! I thought I was playing a game with her while it was she who was playing me all along. How could I not see it coming?"
Ranvir furrowed his brows
"What are you talking about Kabir?"
His voice was thunderously calm which hinted the impending storm.
Kabir looked at him in the eyes
"It all started right after we won the case."
***
"And you planned to leave her on the day of the engagement?"
Ranvir's voice was edgy, like he would burst into flames any moment.
Kabir's was unwavering however. He shrugged
"Yeah I mean that's how I had planned I would insult her and my revenge-"
The harsh contact of Ranvir's palm against his face and the reverberating sound of the slap literally made him choke on his words. Ranvir had slapped him. His Bade had slapped him. Kabir didn't know how to handle the shock. He just stood rooted to his spot with his mouth agape.
"You thought of hurting Aanchal?"
Ranvir let go all of his restraints. His tone made Kabir shudder. He had never seen his Bade getting this furious. He was literally seething in anger. His hand clenched in a fist at his side.
"Bade..."
It was all Kabir was able to blurt out. He was stunned. He was utterly unfamiliar with the man standing in front of him with a brutal stare.
"Enough..."
Ranvir's voice toned down but the threat was still there.
"All my life, I thought I was being a good influence to you. That I was being a good elder brother. But you have proven me wrong."
Kabir shook his head vigorously, tears forming in his eyes
"No Bade. No I-"
"It is not your fault Kabir. It's my fault. I didn't let you learn from your mistakes. Instead, I helped you cover them. I thought... I thought-"
Ranvir's voice choked. He could feel bile rise up his throat. He failed. He failed his brotherly duties. Badly.
His breath hitched as Kabir hugged him. He held onto him as if his life depended on it. As if Ranvir was his lifeline. And it was a truth that both the brothers knew.
"I am sorry Bade. I am so sorry. I failed you. I am so sorry. I promise I will change Bade. I promise."
Ranvir swallowed hard. He gathered all the strength that he had in him and jerked away from Kabir. Kabir looked at him longingly, agony evident in his eyes. Without another word, Ranvir turned on his heel and left, while Kabir held onto the desk for support.
He had never ever imagined in his darkest nightmares, that his Bade could be this upset with him.
***
Aanchal nearly jumped on her swivel chair as she was startled by her cabin door being pushed open roughly. She looked up to find Ranvir, visibly upset, looking straight into her eyes. She could see accusation sketched on his otherwise passive appearance. He looked confused, angry and hurt.
"Kabir..."
His voice was choking. Aanchal didn't like where this was going. Not at all.
"Kabir said that he was.. that you were... that you.. in Mauritius..."
Ranvir was huffing like he had raced a marathon. He felt betrayed. By his brother. By the woman he loved with all his heart. All the emotions were wrapping him up like vines, holding him in a chokehold and threatening to strangle him.
"Ranvir-"
Ranvir cut her off holding up his hand. Aanchal didn't blink. This man had something in him which made her not be intimidated yet somehow be controlled. And it was not in a bad way.
"I don't know how to feel Aanchal."
Ranvir looked away for a minute or two. Aanchal could see his eyes glistening. And her heart cracked a bit at that sight. She was responsible for the torment caused.
"I thought... I thought that we had something special. I didn't know that you had feelings for Kabir. Why didn't you tell me?"
Aanchal nodded her head trying to say something in her defense. She couldn't deny the fact that she was indeed attracted to Kabir. She wasn't sure if she actually felt something towards him but his actions for the past few days had made a soft place in her heart. But it was definitely not something as strong as Ranvir hinted.
"Ranvir, I, we, we had a, we might have had a few moments, it was... I.."
"Why did you accept my proposal then?"
Ranvir turned his gaze back on her. He let the tears stream down his face this time. He couldn't hold it back any longer.
"I need an honest answer Aanchal. And please don't lie this time. Why did you agree to marry me? To be mine when your heart belonged to someone else?"
Aanchal felt herself getting desperate. Like something was slipping out of her hands. It reminded her of the time when Ranvir caught her spying on him red handed. She didn't want to go through that feeling again. She couldn't bear Ranvir being that upset with her again. Somehow it felt unbearable.
"Ranvir! Ranvir it's not like that. Please let me explain-"
"I don't want an explanation Aanchal. I just want a simple answer. Do you love me?"
Aanchal gasped as she stared into his eyes. He was looking at her as if his life depended on her answer. Like it would turn his world upside down.
But she couldn't lie to him anymore.
"No..."
That was all she could say and that was all Ranvir heard before he felt his remaining strength collapse and he could literally see red taking over his visions.
He looked at Aanchal one last time, his heart squeezed with immense pain, his vision blurred with tears.
Before Aanchal could utter another word, Ranvir pulled open the door in one swift motion and strode out of the room.
Aanchal gripped the edge of her desk as she cried
"I am sorry Ranvir."
-
So guys! What turn will Aanchal and Ranvir's relationship take now? What do you think? 😉
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