MY ENDLESS LOVE FOR YOU.

CHAPTER-39

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."

PRITHVI

Jyothika was hiding something.

I sighed blinking back from my daze. My mind used to be occupied with tons of issues. If not business, then it's future investments or it would be comparisons between my past and present. Now, with nothing to do my memories were reeling back. From fighting every day for surviving, getting beaten by random shitty people, saving Arjun from involving in dangerous risks to living my life with better food, clothes, bathing, sleeping, and education facilities.

From a boy in slums to the owner of a multi-millionaire company. The story of rags to riches. There wasn't a single day I felt arrogant about my achievements. I just got lucky by chance but worked hard to maintain that luck.

Importantly, Arjun was safe, secure, and happy in his life. It was one of my earnest wishes in life. Then my family was expanded with Azar, Kavya, and Jyothika. I don't know if it was God's way of reimbursement for losing Ma that I met another reason to keep moving on in life. Azar and Kavya are a special part of my heart. Regret clenches my entire being for ignoring them for months due to my selfish needs. Especially, Kavya. She was the most silent member of our group. They think it was me but just because I wasn't talkative doesn't mean I was resolute. Kavya might be a chattering box, creating a forefront to not make others worried. When it comes to expressing her emotions or heart, she curls quickly into her shell.

Azar expresses it through his poetry, Arjun with his anger, Jyothika with her defensiveness only I and Kavya pick up silence as our shield. Maybe that was the reason she connected with me more and harbored deeper feelings. Even if my stomach coils with the thought that she had such feelings, I won't disrespect them.

I was the last person to judge anyone's love. I fell for my best friend too and couldn't muster the courage to confess to her for years. The depressing part was, that Kavya dealt a lot alone. And she was guilty or embarrassed about her feelings for me. If anything, I was to be blamed for being so ignorant and indirectly being the reason for her haste in marriage.

Even if I and the rest of B-5 don't know Kabir personally there was no denying the man was admirable and reverent. I hoped she was over her past and found peace and love with her husband. She deserved the purest and most devoted love that completes her. I wasn't part of her story. Just a passing, a mere chapter that should hold no significance in front of her bright and blessed future.

Because as harsh as it sounds, she wasn't and never could have been more than a best friend in my life. It was always Jyothika or no one for me.

God, I miss my wife terribly. If not for Priyansh who must have coordinated with Arjun, Meera, and Azar, I would have half died worrying for her here. She was a strong woman but with a fragile heart. Remembering her crest fallen face, eyes that refused to meet mine, my heart clenched in profound ache. I folded my arms around my chest to hold back the shivers.

The loud clank of sticks on the iron bars rips my eyes open. I take a few seconds to adjust my blurred vision. The constable mutters something in Marathi and steps aside.

There on the chair, a figure waves his fingers in the air. "Long time no see, asshole,"

I shook my head once to confirm then twice more in exasperation over my luck. Of course, it's him. He raises his brow in amusement and despite the warmth in my heart, I pretend to wave my greeting but end up showing him the middle figure. I smirk in satisfaction to see his scowl.

I didn't notice the lady officer was audience of our greeting session. She almost seems like cursing in her mind then grits out, "Arjun Ji,"

Arjun snaps his attention on her going as far as attempting that he has to deal with her. "Rati Ji,"