Page 30 of Shattered

“I to… told you it’s nothing,” she stutters, averting her eyes and avoiding my gaze.

I gently cup her face, ensuring her eyes meet mine, not allowing her to look away. “You and I both know that’s not true,” I assert softly.Before she can protest, I continue, “One thing you should know about me, Kavya, is that I protect the people I love, no matter the cost. And you, Kavya, are the heartbeat of my life. I will do whatever it takes to shield you from harm, even if it means I have to dig deep to find the truth.So, it’s up to you—you either let me in and trust me, or I’ll find out on my own, but I am not letting this go.”

“Ranveer, please don’t... please let me be,” she whispers, her eyes turning glassy.

“Kavya, I can’t just let you be. I am not wired to switch off my emotions when it comes to you,”I reply softly but firmly. “Seeing you like this is tearing me apart. I just won’t fucking stand by and watch you suffer in silence. Please, let me help you. Please, trust me enough to share your burden.” The last bit comes out as a plea.

She places her hands over mine on her cheeks and gives a gentle squeeze. “Reyansh, I appreciate your willingness to help, but please understand that this is my battle to fight—my battle alone.”

I stroke her cheeks with my thumb. “I understand that your battles are your own, but you don’t have to face them alone.”

“Reyansh, you don’t—” she begins, but I shake my head, silencing her.

“No, Kavya,” I command, my voice taking on an authoritative tone. I don’t mean to come across as harsh, but at this moment, she’s not leaving me with many options. I’ve respected her need for space and time, but now I am forced tobreak through and help her see things clearly—things that she’s struggling to comprehend. Holding her gaze, I continue. “Now, you listen to me, and listen carefully. You can’t just shut me out. There is no pushing me away. I won’t allow it. You need to hold onto my hand and trust me to take care of you.I am not backing off, no matter how hard you try to push me away. I am here for you, through thick and thin, because that’s what I do for the ones I care about. And you, Kavya, happen to be the one I love. I love you, Kavya.”

This time, my voice softens, and I notice her sharp intake of breath. Sure, she knows how I feel about her, but it’s the first time I’ve said those three words to her. While I hadn’t planned on blurting it out like this, envisioning a more romantic setting with flowers, candles, and a ring, I can’t deny that this moment feels incredibly perfect.I grin softly, letting the weight of my confession settle. “Yeah, I love you, Kavya. So, stop fighting me on this and let me help you.”

She inhales hesitantly, as though carefully choosing her words. “Reyansh, there’s so much going on that I don’t even know how to get through all this mess and let you in. I’d feel guilty pulling you into something that might be too much for you to handle.”

“You have nothing to feel guilty about because this is exactly where I want to be. I am here for you, ready to face whatever challenges come our way together. So don’t you dare underestimate my strength—I can handle just about anything. The only thing that’s breaking me apart is you shutting me out.”

She blinks, and finally, her walls start to crumble.“I won’t shut you out,” she finally concedes,her voice cracking as a single tear slips down her cheek. I gently wipe it away with my thumb.

“That’s all I ask,”I murmur softly, resting my forehead against hers.

“But can you please give me some more time before I can share the truth with you?” she whispers back.

I pull back slightly, locking eyes with her. “You can take time, but promise me you won’tkeep the truth hidden from me for long.”

“I promise I won’t hold onto it for long,” she assures me softly.

With a sigh of relief, I lean my forehead against hers once more, closing my eyes briefly.In this precious moment, Isilently vow to be her strength, to give her the happiness she deserves, and to be there by her side as she conquers the demons she’s battling.

Chapter 15

Kavya

The early morning sunlight filters through the room, and I find myself on the recliner, still in the same position as last night. Yesterday was a rollercoaster of emotions—some parts good and some bad. The good part was that Reyansh showed up, and I finally gave in, promising to give us a try and open up to him, which wasn’t a lie. I am done fighting—done with the endless push and pull, and tired of keeping him at arm’s length. For so long, I’ve been afraid to let him in, afraid of getting hurt. But now? I have come to realise how much I want this. How much I want us to work, to let him into my heart.

The bad part, which still feels like a heavy burden, was when I opened the file and pored over my sister’s call log. I found some of the things that didn’t sit well with me.

Even now, my stomach twists and I bite my nails nervously, all the while staring at Deepak’s name, which appears in her call history continuously for a week leading up to the accident. The shock isn’t just from the sheer number of calls, but from the fact that Nisha never liked Deepak. Sure, she tolerated him as my fiancé, but she always told me I deserved someone better. Whenever Deepak would drop by, or we’d meetup, Nisha and Deepak barely spoke to each other, keeping their interactions strictly formal.

I close my eyes as confusion spreads through my mind.Why the hell were there a hundred calls from Deepak to Nisha? What on earth did they have to discuss? And why wasn’t I aware of it?Questions swirl in my mind, each one more disturbing and confusing than the last. My ex, the man Kiara barely tolerated, reaching out to her incessantly just before her accident sure is a puzzle that feels like a punch to the gut.

The sudden knock on my door startles me, breaking my train of troubling thoughts. I sit up straight, quickly closing the file in my lap, just as Sunita Aunty steps in, carrying a cup of coffee in her hand.

“How are you feeling now?” she asks softly, placing the coffee on the small table next to the recliner and gently running her hand through my hair.

I want to confide in her, to share with her the pain I feel, as if a heavy weight is pressing down on it. But when I see the worry in her eyes, I know that I can’t bring myself to burden her further. So, I put on a cheerful smile and reach out to hold her hands softly. Looking into her eyes, I reassure her, “I am feeling much better, honestly. Work was so hectic yesterday. But I am sure after having your special coffee, I’ll feel even more refreshed.”

Aunty studies my face for a few seconds. I am not sure if she bought my lie, but I silently cross my fingers, hoping she doesn’t question me further.

“You really need to go a little easy on yourself,” she says gently, which makes me release a small breath of relief. I sure as hell hate lying to Aunty, but at this moment, I am glad I managed to get away with it.

I nod slightly. “You’re right, Aunty. I’ll try to take it easy from now on.”

“Reyansh is such a good boy, you know,” she blurts out, changing the subject or rather steering the conversation toward her favorite topic, a sly smile appearing on her face.

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