Part 6
Ruhi's mind spun, reeling from Rohith's bombshell. The weight of his words crashed down on her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless and stunned. Her hands shook as she picked up the papers, her eyes scanning the legal documents that declared her marriage to Armaan null and void."
You can't do this!" Ruhi's voice cracked, her emotions raw and exposed. "You can't just decide our fate like this, Rohith!"
Rohith's gaze was steely, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. "I can and I have, Ruhi. You deceived me, lied to me, and betrayed our marriage. You never intended to let go of Armaan, and now we're all paying the price for your actions."
Ruhi's heart pounded, her chest tight with anguish and disbelief. "I made mistakes, yes, but I never wanted to hurt anyone," she pleaded desperately, tears streaming down her face. "Please, Rohith, don't do this. We can talk through this. I love Armaan, I always have."
Rohith's expression darkened at Ruhi's admission, his disbelief palpable. He clenched his jaw, struggling to contain the torrent of emotions raging inside him."
You love Armaan" Rohith's voice was low, filled with a mixture of hurt and betrayal. "Of course I know it but what about the deceit you did to me?"
Ruhi's tears continued to flow unabated, her voice trembling as she tried to explain. "Rohith, I... I never stopped loving him. But I married you because I thought I could move on, that I could bury those feelings. I never wanted to hurt you."
Rohith shook his head, his voice rising with bitterness. "You never wanted to hurt me? Ruhi, do you realize what you've done? You've torn our family apart. You've shattered my trust in you, in us."
Ruhi reached out to him, her hand trembling as she tried to touch his arm. "Please, Rohith, let's not do this here. Let's talk, let's find a way—"Rohith pulled away sharply, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and pain. He stepped back from Ruhi, creating distance between them."
There's nothing more to talk about, Ruhi," Rohith said, his voice cold and clipped.
Ruhi's heart sank at his words, the finality of his tone piercing through her. She felt the weight of his accusation and the truth in his words. But she knew she couldn't give up without trying to salvage something from the wreckage.
"Rohith, please listen," Ruhi pleaded, her voice wavering as she fought to maintain her composure. "I... I understand if you can't forgive me. But I need to sort this out legally. Armaan and I..."
Rohith cut her off, his voice laced with bitterness. "Armaan and you what? Do you think I care about your legalities now, Ruhi? You've broken our marriage in every way possible."
Ruhi struggled to hold back tears, her hands trembling at her sides. "I just want to do what's right now, Rohith. Please, let me go."
Rohith stared at her for a long moment, his gaze searching her face as if trying to understand her motives. Finally, he nodded curtly. " I don't want a person like you in my life, Ruhi. If you think that's the reason why I took this step, then you are wrong. But that doesn't mean I would make your life any easier."
Ruhi felt the weight of Rohith's words crush her spirit, but amid the tense silence that followed, she turned to face Armaan. His presence, along with the watchful eyes of her family, added another layer of complexity to the already agonizing situation. Feeling their collective gaze upon her, Ruhi gathered her resolve and walked towards Armaan, her heart heavy with the weight of her decisions.
Armaan met her eyes, his expression unreadable yet filled with a somber understanding of their predicament. His silence spoke volumes as he listened to the unraveling of their intertwined lives. Ruhi reached out to him, seeking some semblance of solace or direction in the chaos that surrounded them..
"Armaan," she murmured softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "What do we do now?"
Armaan regarded her for a long moment, his eyes reflecting a mixture of regret and resignation. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, offering silent support amidst the turmoil."Ruhi," he began quietly, choosing his words with care, "I think we both know what needs to happen next. This... legality, as Rohith mentioned, it's not just about us anymore. It's about respecting what's right."
Ruhi felt a surge of desperation mingled with hope as she looked into Armaan's eyes, searching for any sign of reassurance or a path forward amidst the chaos. His hand on her shoulder was both a comfort and a reminder of the reality they faced.
"Armaan, please," she implored, her voice quivering with emotion. "There has to be something we can do. I can't lose everything like this."
Armaan sighed softly, his features reflecting the weight of their situation rather than personal anguish. He withdrew his hand gently and took a step back, maintaining a respectful distance."
Ruhi, I understand how difficult this is for you," he began, his tone measured and calm. "But legally, Rohith is right. Our marriage was declared null and void. There's no legal standing for us to continue."
Ruhi's heart sank at his words, but she refused to give up. "But what about us? What about what we feel?"
Armaan shook his head gently, his expression regretful yet resolute. "Feelings, Ruhi... they can't change the legal reality. We have to accept what's happened and find a way to move forward."
Tears welled up in Ruhi's eyes as she struggled to comprehend the finality of their situation. She reached out to Armaan again, this time more urgently, as if clinging to the last shreds of hope.
"Armaan, please don't say that," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "I can't lose you like this. We can find a way, we have to."
Armaan met her gaze with a mixture of compassion and firm resolve. "Ruhi, I don't love you," he admitted quietly, his words hanging heavily in the air. "I married you out of duty, but my heart has never been with you. I mentioned this to you even before our marriage. It's time for us to accept that."
Ruhi recoiled as if struck, the truth of his words piercing through her heart with a painful clarity. She struggled to speak, to find the right words to express the depth of her turmoil and the desperation to salvage something from the wreckage. As Armaan's words sank in, Ruhi felt a surge of emotions boiling within her—a mixture of heartbreak, anger, and a profound sense of betrayal. She pulled her arm away from his touch, her eyes blazing with intensity.
"You don't love me?" Ruhi's voice cracked with raw emotion, her words laced with bitterness. "After everything I've done for you? I waited for you, Armaan. I watched you with Abhira for ten months, pretending like it didn't tear me apart every single day."
Armaan's expression softened slightly, his eyes reflecting a mixture of regret and sympathy. "Ruhi, I never asked you to do any of that. I never wanted you to sacrifice anything for me."
Tears streamed down Ruhi's face as she continued, her voice trembling with anger and hurt. "I sabotaged Abhira's proposal to you, Armaan. I revealed Charu's truth only to stop her. I got insulted by your mother for bringing your divorce papers. I stayed in this house for you. I got chained myself in this family which is no less than a circus for you. I did that for you! I sacrificed my morals, my dignity, everything for you. And now you stand here, telling me you never loved me?"
As Ruhi poured out her heart, recounting the sacrifices and pain she endured for Armaan, the room fell into a stunned silence. Armaan's expression darkened with each revelation, his mind racing to process the weight of her words. He felt like a thunderbolt had struck him, Abhira loved him. Wasn't he enough guilty that he drove her away brutally? Now with the truth that she loved him brings out another guilt. He had broken her heart. She endured all the disrespect his family subjected her to because she loved him. And with the slightest misunderstanding Ruhi caused by using Charu against Abhira, he ousted Abhira from his life.
Rohith, who had been silently listening, couldn't contain her shock any longer. "Armaan, Abhira loved you! She was going to propose to you, and you pushed her away because of Ruhi!" His voice rang out, filled with a mix of disbelief and anger.
Charu couldn't hold back any longer. "And you, Ruhi," she interjected sharply, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. "You dare to accuse Armaan of not loving you? Look at what you've done. You manipulated situations, sabotaged relationships, and now you stand here playing the victim?"
Ruhi turned towards Charu, her face contorted with pain and defiance. "I did it because I loved him, Charu. I did everything for him!"
Charu shook her head, her voice filled with disdain. "Love? Is this your definition of love, Ruhi? Destroying others' lives and then expecting sympathy? You've crossed every line of decency."
Armaan caught between the accusations and the weight of Ruhi's revelations, struggled to find words. "Ruhi," he began, his voice thick with emotion, "I never wanted any of this. I never asked for your sacrifices."
Ruhi turned away, tears streaming down her face as the reality of her actions and their consequences crashed down on her. The family watched in solemn silence, the air heavy with the aftermath of Ruhi's confession and harsh truths.
Apologies for the late update.
Let me know your thoughts about this part.
Edited by chinnuu_20 - 3 months ago
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