Page 59 of Since You Came Along

The fury in him burned hot and bright. Raghav wanted to rip out the asshole’s heart, to make him feel the pain of his betrayal. The thought of Rutvik trying to worm his way back into her life broke his heart.

‘What did you say?’ Raghav’s voice faltered, the uncertainty creeping in.Would she want to go back to him?The very thought made him sick to his stomach.

‘I put him in his place. Don’t worry about him. He’s not worth it,’ Meera said and turned to look out the window.

They fell silent again. If Raghav was worried about her reaction to Rutvik, he didn’t need to. Rutvik wasn’t even on her radar anymore. All she could think about was the love she felt forRaghav. Just like before, she fell in love. And just like before, her love would remain unrequited.

Meera understood now that if she told Raghav how she felt, he would accept it with kindness, perhaps out of duty or sympathy, but he would never return her love. His heart remained bound to Veronica. While that knowledge filled her with a loss so deep she wanted to cry, it also set her free.

Meera had spent so much time agonising over Rutvik, over her past with him, that she hadn’t allowed herself the space to see who was in front of her. She could finally let go of the weight of his betrayal. The sting of it would fade in time, she knew.

But as she looked at Raghav, she realised something else. She had been a second choice before. No matter how much she wanted to be loved by Raghav, she could never settle for being his second choice. And knowing Raghav, for him, Veronica would always be his only love. Meera didn’t want to live off the crumbs of his love, given out of guilt or pity.

Raghav focused on the road, his features hard and unreadable. At that moment, Meera understood. He was her husband, but he would always be Veronica’s man.

Meera asked herself then if her feelings for him would change, knowing he would never love her the way she loved him. And her soul whispered no.

She had to learn to be okay with what he was willing to give her. What mattered was that he respected and cared for her in his own quiet way. And that would be enough for her.

So, she decided not to tell him she was in love with him. She would keep her feelings locked away, tucked away into the corners of her heart where they wouldn’t cause either of themany pain. Instead, she promised herself to be content with what she had.

Chapter 21

Siya dragged her suitcase out of the elevator and made her way down the quiet corridor. It was still early, almost seven in the morning, but she knew Meera would already be awake. When she reached the door, she knocked.

But when the door swung open, Siya didn’t get the cheerful greeting she’d expected. Meera didn’t say a word, but hurried back into the living room.

Worried, Siya followed until she found her curling up on the sofa. Meera was watching the TV, dabbing at her face between sniffles.

‘Mihu, what happened?’ Siya asked, her voice laced with concern.

Meera looked up, her face blotchy from crying. Her lower lip quivered as she pointed to the screen.

‘Alpha’s homecoming video. He was such a small puppy when we brought him home,’ Meera whispered.

‘Why don’t you video call him, silly?’ Siya asked, throwing away the littered tissues on the floor.

‘Mom & Dad are on their trip and Gauri will video call in the afternoon once she’s back from college. Until then, I have to make do with this,’ Meera said, her eyes fixed on the screen.

‘Well, now he’s grown into a big doggo, always attacking people for hugs and kisses. How about I make you some hot chocolate and we can start the video all over again, yeah?’ Siya added, making her chuckle.

Meera nodded without saying a word, picking up the tissue box as she strolled into the kitchen.

Siya placed the milk on the stove to boil, glancing around the room. ‘Where’s Raghav?’ she asked, noticing the silence in the apartment.

‘Office,’ Meera replied.

‘This early?’ Siya raised an eyebrow, surprised. ‘It’s only seven in the morning.’

Meera didn’t respond, and Siya caught the subtle shift in her posture. She could feel something wasn’t right, but Meera was keeping it to herself.

As the minutes passed in silence, Siya turned to see Meera sitting on the kitchen counter, her eyes glued to the tissue box in her hands.

‘You know, Raghav gave me this when we came to see this place for the first time,’ Meera said, turning over the box.

‘A tissue box as a gift? That’s romantic,’ Siya teased, trying to make her smile.

Meera whispered, ‘It was.’

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