BOUND By BLACKMAIL- Chapter 41 updated in Blog on Aug 1st - Page 85

The July has been ended but you still didn't updated 😭

Madamji where are you

Almost...almost at the end...Just some more time...🤗

Originally posted by: pravallika

So far, I was just silently liking all the posts without pestering you, satz... but I can't wait anymore yaar 😔 plz update soon dear

🤗

Originally posted by: matosarah

Almost...almost at the end...Just some more time...🤗

Hope you will post it today 🤞🤞

Waiting eagerly

Originally posted by: pravallika

Hope you will post it today 🤞🤞

Waiting eagerly

Yes, altho I am fighting sleep right now but I want to finish it and post tonight. It is only 520 p here and I don't want to sleep yet. Otherwise, i will be up whole night. I hate jet lags😔.

Writing, I think I would add one more page before concluding this chapter.

Originally posted by: matosarah

Yes, altho I am fighting sleep right now but I want to finish it and post tonight. It is only 520 p here and I don't want to sleep yet. Otherwise, i will be up whole night. I hate jet lags😔.

Writing, I think I would add one more page before concluding this chapter.

Hey satz!! Don't stress yourself. That's fine even if you post it tomorrow. Will wait dear 😊

Chapter 41:

Arnav doesn’t know howhe found strength to walk away from her. The weight of his guilt, her tears andthe ruin of their marriage was too great of a burden to bear. He couldn’t walkfar and collapsed on the floor of the adjacent room, room that Khushi waspreparing to welcome their baby.

Bereft of Khushi’slove, he was the poorest man on this earth.

The realization hithim hard, and unable to face the reality he covered his face and moaned loudlyas if in immense pain. It was pain only that filled his eyes and spilled on hischeek when he couldn’t bear it anymore. The irony was his wife, his woman hadloved him all along. Love that he always craved from her. But it was his shortsightedness only that had made him ignore and dismiss all the signs. What hewould not do to get her love back? He sighed dejectedly knowing the pain hemust have caused her by misunderstanding her each motive. Already, in her younglife she had been through so many hardships and struggles. As her husband, herlover, he should have been her support, her confidant, but he never understoodher, and only added to her miseries and tears.

No wonder, she hatedhis very existence now

Maybe it was his wayof repenting by suffering with this knowledge that no matter how many physicalcomforts of the materialistic world he acquires, he would never have thecomfort of her sweet embrace again. He would never experience that radiant glowof her smile when she sees him entering the room. It would be his punishmentonly, that he would live in their room and feel her essence in the very air hebreathes, but he would never be able to feel her, touch her or see her again.

There would never be amoment of peace in his life from this point onward.

In other room, Khushiwatched Arnav as he left the room. Her determination to stay aloof almostcrumbled as she observed his slouched posture and shuffling steps making slowprogress towards the door. Something that was stark contrast to his usual bold,confident, unapologetic strides whenever he makes his appearance. One part ofher wanted to reach out to check if he was alright. A part that would always bein tuned with his pain and love him no matter how much she kicks, scream anddeny that love. But that loving part of hers was subdued today by the stronger,more determined part of hers that would take some time to forget the pain hehad caused her by never believing in her or trusting her. And after suchperformance just now she was not backing down any time soon.

Yet she lookedhopefully and went rigid in anticipation as he hesitated for a moment at thedoor. She doesn’t know how she would have reacted had he turned around and comeback to her. But he never turned back and left after closing the door behindhim.

Shutting her off fromhis life.

She gasped.

It was soft click ofthe door that brought her back to reality as she stumbled back and almost crashedinto the side table she was leaning against and came out to the attachedbalcony. She doesn’t know for how long she stood there, with her mind andthoughts in state of jumbled confusion while staring out towards the farhorizon with dry empty eyes. The only thought that was clear and became muchclearer as the moments passed that she should leave him. But instead of reliefthat thought brought along an intense pain and heartbreak. An advice of Mrs.Roberts rang in her ear. But stubbornly she decided not to take the advice. Shewouldn’t take the advice, of not leaving Arnav and her baby’s rightful placebecause she was so mad and disappointed with Arnav’s behavior today.

Arnav who would havejumped at her throat and strongly deny her any wish to leave him, didn’t evenblink today at her declaration, but meekly nodded his head in understanding.

What shall she deducefrom his behavior, that to him she was too insignificant to even fight for?

A sheen of moistureappeared in her eyes, but she rapidly drank that in. Wasn’t it time now for herto come out of the delusional land where she was living for past few months andknow, she never meant anything to him?

Suddenly, she wasshaking in anger as another possibility struck her. “Maybe that’s what hewanted all along.” Her jaw tightened in determination as veil lifted,leaving her decision crystal clear. She only wished that when the time comes,it would be as easy for her to walk out on him, just like it had been for himto walk away from her today.

Her chain of thoughtswas broken as her cell rang. She almost ignored the call but as it rang again,she took a deep breath and took the call. It was a call from the interiordecorator’s office as they called to confirm the appointment for next day. Shealready had her initial session with them and now they were going to bringpatterns and swatches for the furniture and wall paper for the nursery. Thereality was getting even more painful after the phone call. After few minutesof chat, she postponed the meeting but did not cancel it yet. She didn’t wantto dwell on the thought that why she had not cancelled the meeting with theinterior decorators yet. Why, when she knew that the baby would never sleep inthat room which she had been preparing with all her heart and soul to welcome.As if the baby even knew her thoughts were centered around him, she felt astrong kick as a reminder and smiled ruefully, trying to reassure the baby.

Yes, maybe her littleone won’t have the luxurious room to live in, but there would be abundance oflove and care to shelter and welcome her baby. She would spend reminder of herlife making sure her baby lacked nothing. She doesn’t why but suddenly shewanted to spend some time in that place where she had spent few beautifulmoments weaving dreams about future with her husband and child. Maybe it washer way to say goodbye to that dream and that’s how she found herself in frontof the nursery door in a very emotional state. Quietly she got inside the roomand closed the door behind her. Surrounded by tall windows, this charmingL-shaped room oozed warmth, cheer and plenty of bright light. Her design ideas,pattern books etc. were littered on the small table next to the couch.Everything was just like the way she had left the place except it was not.

As soon her focusedcleared, she paled and almost lost her balance and had to anchor herselfagainst the wall. There was Arnav sitting on his knees in corner of the roomwith his eyes closed. She was shattered to see him looking so defeated. And assoon she noticed smudges of tears on his cheek, she put fist in her mouth tosmother the loud cry that bubbled inside her. It was absolute silent in theroom, yet keening of his soul reached out and shook her to the core. Tearsburned in her eyes as she witnessed this private vulnerable moment of Arnav’sand knew immediately, he may not appreciate her witnessing it. Taking a hold ofher emotions, she stepped out of the room. From the corner of her eyes, shecaught a movement at the stairs below as Tanu and Aru made their way up talkingamicably. They had not seen her yet and for some reason, she was not in a stateto chit chat with her friends. Her heart was still wringing painfully in herchest recalling Arnav state. Quietly she slipped back in her room and couldhardly control the sob that wobbled out of her lips and tears rivulets down hercheek. Soon, everything that had happened since this morning took a toll on herand she succumbed to despair with a loud wail and cried for a long time tillher voice turned hoarse.

She couldn’t believethat she had done the exact same thing that she had accused Arnav of. Didn’tshe just now make an assumption and misunderstood his silence labelling it ashis disinterest and his desire to get rid of her? Even, for a minute if shethinks, he didn’t want her, but how could she accuse him of not wanting his ownbaby. She should have considered how deeply she must have affected him with herwords, when he decided to relinquish his rights on his baby.

“Oh Arnav,why are we hurting each other so much.” She sobbed some more as she recalled tears in his eyes. Once the floodof tears slowed down, she felt much lighter and was able to think more rationally.She knew for a fact now that Arnav was equally miserable and suffering. Whatshe was not able to figure out was his reason for not fighting with her on thistopic. Now as she thought more about it, she was puzzled by his subduedbehavior. From the dark recess of her mind, she recalled Arnav, his presence, histouch, his soft words as he sat by her bedside during her entire recoveryphase. At first, she thought, she had dreamt all that, but now she knew, shehad not dreamt, but Arnav was there with her throughout the period while shewas unconscious.

But thenwhy he was behaving so weirdly and out of character?

Arnav, she knew was aman of action and not someone, who would suffer silently. If she had notwitnessed the scene herself and somebody had related this scene to her, shewouldn’t have believed them.

Sorry dear, unknowingly I came in between your chapters.

That was an emotional chapter. Much needed and the way you turned it around was excellent. Both were retrospecting on the past events. May be that is what called a successful marriage. Not giving up on the life partner. Anybody can make a mistake. The person who learns from their mistakes is the better one and the person who understands and forgives is the best. I loved it. The events leading to the get-together were described nicely. The way friends interacted with each other and the way Rachel said "enough is enough and I want this baby out" looked so genuine. I personally had an easy pregnancy but, I have seen people reaching the end of their tether before completing 9 months.

Can't believe this story will come to an end soon.

Before we get to the next chapter, please take some rest. You need that after a long official trip to Singapore, which is more than half way across the globe.

Cheers.......