ZERO

I won't be there for you to return to...

A month until the trial or 30 days of trial?

A month until she saw him again or 30 days of reminding herself that she will not see him ever again?

Mauli shook her head, bringing herself back to the mundane present where the sharp corner of her passport cover bit into her palm and the queue at the airport continued its way towards the counters.

Whatever they will turn out to be, 30 days were all that she had to rediscover herself; for she would loath it, absolutely abhor it if she had to face Kunal Malhotra as Mauli Malhotra once more.

Mauli Malhotra was dead, buried by the hands of her loved ones while her heart was still beating, withering in raw agony. While she was still trying to come in terms of how this betrayal came about. Where she went wrong?

In her place was born a monster that had no big heart that could forgive and forget. She refused to forgive the man who strayed from his path, refused to forget the moment when she saw another in his arms. She also refused to move on or acknowledge the hurt he had caused her. The right to work for his dream had suddenly been snatched from her and it was then she realized that she had no dreams of her own?

Her life split in two eras before and after Kunal were separated by a chasm so deep that she could hardly recall what Mauli used to be. Perhaps that was where she went wrong, in the night that she spent crying in the darkness a puffy eyed Mauli had decided. So she set out, as soon as the fate set its course to find herself once more.

There were only a couple of people in front of her now. An obese woman with purple highlights munching and blowing out a pink bubblegum and a bony man with an electric blue guitar wearing headphones. It was then she heard her voice.

"Mauli!"

Instantly in an unconscious reflex she turned around and wished she had not. Nandani stood there, her lower lip already trembling. Even after repeating the same thing again and again for weeks no less, it seemed she had not yet understood. Mauli remembered their last conversation too well to doubt where this possible dialogue would lead.

"You can't run away from your problems - you have to face them!"

Mauli sighed. So says the friend who wants to reunite her with her husband. Mauli recalled holding her gaze in silence until she had blinked and dropped her gaze. The sheen of tears in her big eyes would have made her die of guilt but the monster nudging in her mind kept her sane.

"Why?" She questioned back. "Why should I play a part in your redemption? Why should I put myself through pain so that you can relieve your guilt?"

The pause that followed was enough for her to walk away, but she called after her voice cracking.

"But - I heard it's dangerous where you're going. There's - there's a war going on!"

Her lips curled in a bitter smile. Was there a place in this world where there was peace? Was not there a war being waged in her heart at the moment? Was she not the woman who brought a battle of heart and soul, morals and emotions to her doorstep? Could there be anything possibly more dangerous than right here with her?

"Is revenge worth dying for?" She called after still and Mauli finally stopped. It was now that she understood where Nandani was coming from. Well, given her view point perhaps she could not imagine another scenario. She thought Mauli would die without Kunal? Her ex - best friend thought of her like that?

"I'm not going there to kill myself." She said curtly, her tone clipped. "I don't believe a woman needs a man to live. At least I don't."

As you might have noticed this is inspired from Silsila Badalte Rishton Ka. But it is a ff that is not a ff because apart from Mauli none of the show's characters or it's storyline will have any impact on this story.
Apart from Mauli who I borrowed from the show mentioned above all characters she meets from chapter 1 belongs to me. In borrowing her no copyright infringement was intended. The other two leads will not be featured after this update other than in a passing by reference.
on a different note, You might have noticed all the creations are snow white themed. Let me tell you why. There is a significant similarity between Mauli and the fairy tale character. Snow white was led to the woods and left there because she trusted the huntsman. Snow white was poisoned because she trusted the farmlady ( the step mum in disguise) and took a bite of the Apple.

It is trust that led her to her doom. Rest I leave for your imagination. 

Thank you for reading!

ps: This A.N. had been deleted by mistake before and has been added again.