ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's ᴘᴏᴠ

"What about that property case?"

"Nothing to worry baba, case will be in our favour only. I have talked to Rawal he will handel everything." Raghuvendra spoke out as sitting in the living room both the father-son were having some discussion.

"Maalik!"

(Sire!)

They both snapped at the servant who arrived with a lot of hurry.
"What happened?"

"Chote maalik__"

"What about rudra? And where is he? Say fast, why are you silent?__" Pratap panicked at the servant's tone as somehow raghuvendra tried to calm him.

"Dadu!" They both looked towards the main door from where rudra entered taking the support of another servant. They both went to him as raghuvendra helped him to settle on the couch.

"What happened to you? And how did you got injured? Where had you gone?"

"Papa! Please don't panick. Nothing has happened, I was attending a call while driving and a truck was coming from opposite side. Before I could realise my car hit with that but fortunately that truck driver paid attention. Just some minor injuries are there___"

"Have you gone mad rudra? What was so urgent that you risked your life?" Pratap scolded him as for a second he had gotten heart attack. He sat beside him and held his wrist to which rudra hissed and his face curved painfully.

"Raghu, call the doctor!"

"OMG rudra!" Samaira yelled as the three men looked at her. Rudra huffed under his breathe. She ran to him and sat beside him, holding the injured hand only.

"Ahh! Slow down!"

"What are you doing, girl? Can't you see, he is already in difficulty." Pratap scolded hearing his grandson's hiss while samaira muttered a sorry before turning to rudra again.

"How did it happen? You are fine, right?"

"I'm fine! And please don't panick, seeing you everyone will get hyper." He whispered not wanting others to listen.

After hearing samaira's high pitched yell mamta, gauri, meera, akshita and all the other members arrived. Everyone was one by one asking questions which was making him feel uneasy. He was just wanting some space which was far away to get. While akshita, after seeing him was shocked. She just couldn't proceed and stood numb in a corner. Her eyes we're stuck over him with tears filled in them. Her heart almost slipped from its place seeing him like that. Though there was no reason to get panick but after what her father in law told she just couldn't stop herself from thinking about the consequences if the driver hadn't paid attention. It would have become a major accident.

She was lost the whole time as the doctor came and checked him. His wrist had been fractured and the arm was bleeding which the doctor cleaned and did the dressing.

Mamta was scared but somehow rudra calmed her telling nothing has happened and he excused everyone to get some rest.

It was now the night time as everyone had their dinner expect rudra and akshita. Rudra because he had no mood to eat anything while akshita was deep in her guilt to gulp down the food. She was unable to go before him as after what happened was because of her.

She finally gathered some courage and pushed the door of their room. He was laying on the bed which slowed her moves as without making any noise she locked the door and made her way towards him.

He was struggling with his injured hand as it wasn't allowing him to sleep and her presence added more. He just opened his eyes and gave a not so interested look.

Akshita saw his arm and felt more guilty, she sat on the edge then taking a pillow with utmost care placed it under his arm, but he again shifted to other side not wanting to spoil his mood.

"I don't need your help!"

"Rudra__"

"I beg you akshita! Please leave me alone, i am more than enough of your drama. For God sake leave your right at this time and let me rest." He snapped at her but the sight before him melted his heart. He noticed her eyes which were filled with tears while her lips were quiring. He sat up and moved a little near her.

"See don't cry! I didn't say anything to cry over__"

"I am sorry! I am really sorry! Everything happened because of me. You wouldn't have left if I had not argued with you. Today anything could have happened with you. If that driver had not paid attention then maybe you would have faced with a major accident." Her heart clenched uttering those words as she paused and sobbed more.

"I shouldn't have trouble you. Please forgive me! I promise, from now onward I won't do any silly thing. I would agree to everything you say. You__you don't want this marriage. Okay, we won't continue it. I am ready to__to sign the papers but please you don't risk your life because of me. I don't want anything at the cost of your life." Her sobs grew more as her body began shaking.

Her heart broke into pieces while confessing her decision but then there was nothing more important than his life for her.

Whereas rudra had lost it. Didn't know why but he doesn't like the way she was crying. It felt bad to him. For no reason her words seem wrong to him. She was ready to divorce him because there was a fear in heart that if she won't divorce him then he would risk his life like today. For the first time he was unhappy knowing she would sign the papers. But why?

No answers! There was again a big confusion in his heart and mind.

At that time he ignored everything and leaned near her. He sank his arms around her and pulling her into his embrace. Akshita clutched on his shirt as she sobbed hiding her face in his shoulder.

"Shh! Everything is okay! Calm down, I'm here."

His convincing words turned her hold tighter than before.

They stayed in the same position as he tried to console her while creasing the back of her hair soothingly.

"Please don't cry akshu!"

He called lovingly that she couldn't hold and pulled back wiping her tears. Rudra too wiped her wet cheeks with his palm as then he took a hold on her palm with his injured one with lot of efforts.

"My intentions were not that! I was just tierd of hearing everything and that made me yell at you. See, you don't have to take decision under any kind of pressure. I'm not so desperate for divorce. I was mad because of your again and again claiming right over me as a wife."

He paused for sometime. Her face was lowered as she was still sniffling while hearing him carefully.

Rudra slipped his palm under her chin and made her look at him.

"Look, you are a well educated girl and so I don't want to force my decisions upon you but you have to understand that our marriage isn't normal. Those circumstances were wrong and it was illegally happened. We both were never included in it. See, you should focus on your career first and you are very smart and beautiful that anyone will fall for you. You will get a deserving guy. It's good for both of us to part ways. Are you understanding?"

He asked very softly as she shook her head positively with those tear streaming eyes.

"I understood everything and I promise that I won't trouble you anymore. We will file for mutual divorce as soon as possible. I don't want anything more than your life. I understood that if I force you to accept me then none will be happy and both will feel suffocated under the weight of this relationship. You just make the papers and I will sign them. I will go far away from your life and will never come back___"

"Hey, stop it! You don't need to do anything like that. We are breaking this marriage not our friendship. You were my bestfriend in childhood and we will be the same. I want the same bond between us, we will be like before. The same happy friends we were!" He smiled mentioning that as her face turned shocked. Does he really consider him that?

"Do you really want to keep it?" She asked as he chuckled seeing her innocent face. Her nose was red and eyes we're swollen due to all the crying. He wiped the remaining tears then squeezed her plam with his and continued.

"Yeah, I do! I am sorry akshu, I am hurting you after knowing about your feelings__." She immediately shook her head and smiled, still with tears.

"Don't be! Those are my feelings and I can't force you to love me back. I am just happy that you considered me worthy enough to become your friend." She smiled with mixed feelings as somewhere there was extreme pain that she won't get her love but at same time there was happiness as atleast she would get his friendship.

Rudra was feeling bad from inside but then it was good for both of them. He knew that akshita deserves much more better than him as sometimes he himself is confuse about his own feelings. He doesn't know if he will be able to love anyone, already he hadn't given any answer to samaira. She was dreaming for a life with him and here he doesn't want any commitment.

His thought process broke as he felt some movement near his hand and the next moment a slight hiss left his mouth.

"Ahh!!"

"Sorry! I am really very sorry. I didn't want to hurt you." Akshita apologize as she took her hand back.

"It's fine!"

"Is it paining too much?" She asked again looking at his face. He smiled and shook his head.

Her face glowed up little as his only smile was everything she could wish. Every time that smile of him pull her heart more towards him. But somehow, now she has to console her heart. She has to accept the reality and that's he is someone else's.

"You hadn't eaten anything, should I bring your dinner here?" She asked out of concern but he shook away.

"I have no mood to eat anything."

"Fine, take rest now! I am here only, tell me if you need anything." She said getting up from her place.

"Where are you going? Sleep here, I will go on my place__" He tried to stand up but she pushed him back on his place.

"Don't! You are not allowed. You have already broke your wrist and sleeping on couch will create more problem. I will go there." He opened his mouth to speak something but she already took her place on the couch making him sigh in defeat. He laid back as akshita came to him and helped him with his hand. She pulled the covers for him and once he adjusted went back on her place.

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