Page 32 of Shattered

“She’s okay, I mean, still breathing if that’s what you’re asking. But that’s not what I meant,” I take a momentary pause before I launch into my questions. “What I want to know is why there were hundreds of calls from you to my sister mere days before her accident. And why didn’t you tell me you two were in touch over the phone? Why hide it?” I ask, watching the color drain from his face, causing my heart to race in my chest as I prepare to hear something I may not be ready for.

He runs his hands through his hair, his eyes locked onto mine. “How did you find out?”

“That’s beside the point. Tell me why you two were in touch,” I repeat, my patience wearing thin by the second. “And you better tell the truth, for once.”

“Nisha…”he starts, his voice faltering just as the waiter places his coffee in front of him. Deepak waits for the waiter to leave before continuing,“She found out about my affair with Maya and was telling me that I should tell you before she did.That’s why I kept calling her—just trying to buy time.”

“My sister knew about your affair?” I whisper, staring at him, feeling thepain tighten its grip around my chest.

“She did,”he admits quietly.

“Did... did you... Is that why…. Are you responsible for the accident?” I can’t help but ask despite knowing the danger and risk of confronting him before Officer Viraj gives the green signal.My breath catches and my voice trembles as I push through the fear gripping me.Fear, anger, and desperation all grip me at once, making it impossible to suppress the overwhelming need to know the truth, damn the consequences.

His eyes widen in shock. “What the fuck, Kavya?” His tone rises a little, but when he looks around and notices we’re in public, he quickly lowers his voice and continues, “Hell no, Kavya.How could you even think that? Do you really believe I can stoop so low?”he asks, sounding both hurt and offended.But despite the mortified look in his eyes, I can’t bring myself to feel anything for him, not even guilt for asking him such a question.

“To be honest, I don’t think I know you at all or what you’re capable of.”

“Come on, Kavya, you know me well enough. You fell in love with me and trusted me to spend your life with me. We were engaged, for God’s sake,” he points out, trying to remind me of our past. However, instead of softening, it only fuels the anger and hatred I have for him.

“You’re right; I did fall in love with you and trust you completely. But you shattered that trust, and now I regret every moment of it,” I snap back, bitterness lacing my words. “Get this through your thick skull: your cheating isn’t easy to accept—neither yesterday, today, nor ever. All it does is make me doubt whether I ever truly knew you, especially since I failed to see that you were capable of such deceit. That’s why I’m questioning you about whether you had a hand in the accident.”

He runs a hand over his face, letting out a long, weary sigh.“I know I messed up, and I hurt you in ways I can’t take back. I’m fully aware of the pain I’ve caused you and that I turned our relationship ugly. I understand that you don’t trust me. But please, Kavya, believe me when I say I had nothing to do with your sister’s accident.”

As much as I hate him and can’t trust him again, there’s something inside me that tells me he’s not lying. He may be a cheater and a liar, but I don’t believe he’s capable of murder.

“I’ll find that out for myself rather than go by your words,” I say, my tone deliberately distant to make it clear that I’m not fully convinced by his words.

“Fair enough,” he responds quietly. “I have no doubt that, in time, you’ll see that I’m not lying.”

“I really hope, for your sake, that you’re being honest for once. Because while I’ve come to terms with your infidelity,if you had anything to do with that accident, I promise I will ensure you pay for it.”

“I heard you loud and clear,” he states, his eyes locking onto mine with sorrow and regret. “I loved you, Kavya. I still do.”

A bitter laugh escapes my lips. “You certainly have a unique way of showing your love. It’s baffling how shameless you can be, confessing your love after cheating on me and getting another woman pregnant with your child,” I remark dryly.

He swallows hard. “I wish I could turn back time and make things right. I’m miserable without you. Maya isn’t the woman I thought I wanted to be with. I’ve realised that I want you, not her.”

“Your words no longer matter to me,” I reply coolly. “I’ve realised I don’t want to be with a man who changes his heartas easily as the seasons change. I’ve moved on and have no desire to revisit the past.”

“Don’t say that,”he pleads, leaning forward.“Please, give me another chance to prove that I’ve changed.”

Unable to continue the conversation any longer, I swing my purse strap over my shoulder and stand up. “I’m done with this conversation,” I say, my voice wavering with frustration. “You’ve proven to be a terrible life partner, but please try to be the dad your kid deserves.” Without waiting for his response, I walk out, determined not to let the tears, hot and stinging like acid, spill from my eyes. He’s a closed chapter in my life, and I refuse to shed another tear for him.

Chapter 16

Reyansh

“God, this is so good!” Kavya exclaims with a smile, dipping another piece of sushiinto the sauce before popping it into her mouth.

“I’m glad you like it. I wanted our first date to be perfect,” I say,watching her savour every bite. She’s absolutely breathtaking. It’s not just the captivating knee-length dress with vibrant red sleeves that enhances her beauty, but it’s her appreciation for every little thing that sets her apart as truly exceptional.

She shakes her head, smiling. “You’re not going to stop calling this a date, are you?”

I shrug, “I like to call it as I see it.” And that’s how I really feel. I won’t accept anything less than a real date when it comes to her. When I first told her that I wanted to take her out on a date, she was hesitant, and I could see her deliberating, almost ready to decline. However, I reminded her that she promised to give us a try and told her I was holding on to that promise, which ultimately made her give in. Now, seeing that gleam in her eyes, I’m glad I planned this and didn’t give her a chance to bail out on me. A little push is all she needs.

“I know I won’t win that argument, so I won’t even try,” she shrugs, then leans in as if about to share some juicy gossip, causing a smile to spread across my face. “Would I be labelled as a stick-in-the-mud if I confessed that I’ve never actually tried sushi before?”

“Not at all,” I reply with a chuckle. Now, I’m thrilled that I chose this authentic Japanese restaurant for our date, offering her the chance to experience something new. “In fact, I’m happy that I could fix that, and we certainly aren’t leaving this restaurant until you’ve tried all my favourite dishes here,” I add with a wink.

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