Karan gulped and finally decided to press the bell. He brought his hand near the door but the shame, the regret, the guilt had weakened him too much.
He closed his eyes and clenched his jaws. It was his fault and he needed to make things right. The heart he hadn't even owned fully, was broken because of his stupidity. He needed to take care of it.
He needed to mend that heart again.
Finally pressing the bell, he held his breath. It was quarter past twelve in the night. What if they all were already in deep slumber?
Five minutes passed and he rang the bell two times. He looked here and there and noticed the whole street was empty except for the guard who was sitting at the corner of the society's gate.
His heart started beating faster when he heard a door opening inside. Suddenly, he saw the faint light stopping at the curtains of the window.
He bit his tongue and pressed his lips tight until- the door opened.
He gulped when his tired-looking mother-in-law came in sight. She was rubbing her eyes and they immediately lit up as soon as she realized it was him. A smile curved on her lips that reminded him of his Preeta too much.
"Karan, beta." He saw her suddenly frowning. "At this time? Is everything alright? Come inside, first."
She sounded so sweet and welcoming while he just couldn't meet her eyes at knowing what he had done to her daughter. He rubbed his forehead and saw her turning to finally look at him.
He sighed and looked in her eyes.
"Preeta," he said desperately.
He saw her eyes turning teary as she smiled sadly. He squeezed his eyes shut and lowered his face. He was about to ask for forgiveness when she quietly choked out.
"In her room. Old room."
He let out a huge breath and looked up towards the stairs. He had a stronger urge to fly up towards her room but he stood and looked in his mother-in-law's eyes.
"How's he?"
Sarla Arora smiled sadly. "Maybe, awake. Go."
He felt a sudden wave of enthusiasm passing through his body and without wasting anymore time, he stepped hurriedly on the stairs.
He reached the door and immediately knocked. In that silent home, it felt weird to bang on the door but then he didn't care. He just needed to see her. Hold her. Take her in his arms.
He restlessly banged on the door again and was frozen when it finally opened.
There she was, standing in a light yellow saree, hair down, eyes swollen and bloodshot while lips slightly trembling because of the sob that was erupting from her heart.
His lips parted and eyes were stunned. This was the innocence that had melted the selfishness in him. This was the purity of heart that had enlightened his mind to look at things with a different perspective. Yet he was so narrow-minded. Yet he was so pessimistic. Yet he became that sadist.
"Preeta."
It was a whisper. A faint sound that had reached her ears, her heart. The sudden realisation hit her face when he blinked. She shuddered. He noticed her fully-- as if she just realised that he was really here.
Her mouth opened in fright along with her eyes. She stepped back while shaking her head. Her face had paled and eyes had pooled with tears. She hurriedly tried to close the door and he immediately frowned.
His eyes narrowed as he stepped ahead and pushed the door before she could bolt it. She was so weak against him, against the door. But that didn't stop her to put her energy into it. A sob escaped her mouth as she tried hard to close the door but Karan had already entered the room partly.
