Check if you've read the previous update.
Do listen to the song in the header to feel their emotions. (I missed to include this in last chapter actually)
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Flashback:
Sana couldn't sleep the whole night. Suddenly her phone screen light flashed. It was a facebook notification. The pain she experienced became more excruciating after looking at the notification. Her elder brother had updated his relationship status as married in Facebook. She realised how lonely she was and had no one.
It had been almost a year that she had eloped from her parent's house with a person who actively followed her and persuaded her to believe that he loved her.
While most of her counterpart wanted to settle in a government job after their post graduation, she wanted to set up her own business and create job opportunities for others. Her family belonged to a middle class income group who didn't dream big than what they could afford.
She went to attend a seminar for new and budding entrepreneurs, where she met Mr. Ex. She didn't show any interest in him however he was smitten by her beauty and didn't cease to stop trying to impress her.
In the name of helping her in designing a project, he got closer to her. She got lured by his undivided attention and extra sweet talks. He showed how supportive he was towards her ambition and she started believing him.
After 3 months, he told her that he had to go back to his hometown as his job was over here. He asked her to flee with him since her parent won't allow her to marry a person who is from a different religion. She agreed and fled with him to the unknown city with no money.
He didn't have any family of his own so they married in a small ceremony as per his culture. He used to be away from home for days in the name of work trips. Whenever she seeked his support to setup her own business, he procrastinated it giving reasons of him being busy or having financial problems. She was dependent on him for everything as she couldn't even work outside as she didn't carry her educational qualification certificates.
Amidst all this she became pregnant as well but due to his irresponsible behaviour she slipped down the stairs and miscarried the baby and lost the power of bearing a child in future.
His work trips and absence from home became longer and soon one day he walked in with another lady and showed her the divorce document.
She was broken but Sidharth's care had healed her and she developed feeling for him however his denial followed by silence made her feel like a stranger.
'Today, I successfully completed the task I had taken in hand of renovating the old bookstore into book cafe. I don't find any reason to stay here now. When I came here, I only wanted a shelter to protect myself. However, soon I realized that more than shelter, I longed for love which I felt I found in Sidharth.
His caring nature, his trust on me and those subtle blushes which I observed when I complimented or hugged me made me feel special and loved. However, I was wrong. In hurry to find a new start to our relationship, I ended up pushing it back to being strangers.
He avoids having eye contacts with me and he doesn't talk to me. I tried a lot to pretend that it didn't affect me but no more. I can't take this cold behaviour of his any more. How long can I stay here as a stranger when I know I am in love with him. I have started to feel like a burden on him now enjoying free meals.'
She packed her bag and left home immediately after he left to his radio station.
Flashback ends.
"Oh wow!! Looks like someone is on the streets again? A beast who knew how to satisfy a woman must have realized that you ain't a woman. A lady who can't bear a child isn't a woman but just useless and barren. I had offered you to stay as my mistress after the divorce. What difference would it have made? You were sleeping with me earlier as well. I would have slept with you once in a while when I needed a change from my new wife. But for you, your false dignity was more dearer then a shelter. You left the house and found an old man for pleasure. Where did your dignity go then? You slut!! Now that you are back on streets, I feel it serves you right.", Mr. Ex laughed.
"Shut up you rascal. Did I ask you for your help? I really don't see a need to explain a foolish emotionless bastard like you because your pea sized brain won't be able to process it. Explaining a fool is bigger foolishness. Poda patti {Get lost you dog}.", She yelled at him sitting on the little pavement not interested at looking at his filthy face.
However, before he could react or say anything, he felt two palms griping his shoulders tightly and saw two fiery eyes staring right into his eyes giving him the shiver traveling until his gut. Until he could gather courage to open his mouth, he was kicked on his genitals with full force by a knee.
Mr. Ex shrieked dragging Sana's attention. Her mouth was open agape when she saw Sidharth standing infront of Mr. Ex, who now ducked down holding his genitals.
Mr. Ex was 28 year old, 5'8" tall with an average physic as compared to Sidharth who was 6'2" tall with a well chiseled physic even at the age of 49.
Flashback:
While Sidharth was walking toward the exit of the park, a ball crosses his path. The kids at the distant request him to pass the same. So he nods his head and swings it with full force towards them. Before he turned back to exit the park his eyes fell on a big blue trolley bag near the concrete fence of the park. His eyes glowed since he recognised it. He raced towards the bag and stopped when he saw Mr. Ex standing and abusing Sana. His abusive language and all the accumulated emotional turmoil during whole day, was enough to raise Sidharth's mercury to explode on Mr. Ex.
That's when Sidharth reacted instantly by kicking Mr. Ex's balls without giving a second thought.
Flashback ends.
"Sidharth?", Sana said in shock.
Sidharth looked at Sana. His eyes were red and face showed mixed emotions of pain and anger. He took few steps forward and pulled her wrist by one hand and with the other he dragged her big blue bag. She silently followed him without uttering a word not bothered about the shrieking Mr. Ex.
Upon reaching his car, he unlocked it and opened the gate of the car for her. She quietly occupied the seat. He then went back and kept her bag into his car trunk and closed it. He got onto the driving seat. Sana looked at him while he eyes were aimlessly looking through the front glass.
After a while, he glared at her and leaned towards her to pull her seat belt but before he fastened it, she held his hand to stop him from doing so.
"Sidharth, I don't want to go back to your home.", She said looking at his face.
He looked daggers at her.
"It's a torture to stay there when you don't even have a word to speak to me forget about reciprocating to my feelings alone.", She said.
"What do you expect me to do Sana? Marry you and have kids with you? Do you realise that I am double your age?", He asked angrily.
"I can't have kids Sidharth!", She said crossing her hands and looking outside through the front window.
His heart sinked at her statement.
"I know that you are double my age. What does it has to do with the topic we are discussing?", She asked.
"I don't know how many years of life I have left with me Sana. You are young enough and have a whole life infront of you.", He tried explaining.
"And exactly how many years does my life consist of?", She asked staring into his eyes.
"I don't know, but it would definitely be longer than mine.", He said.
She chuckled. Next moment Sana started to search for something.
"What happened Sana?", He asked curiously.
"Did you peep into my bathroom while I was bathing by any chance or saw me while changing my clothes?", She asked.
"What? Do I look like a pervert to you?", He spoke annoyed.
"No, but I couldn't find my expiry date printed on my skin which is visible right now so was wondering if it was printed in any area which was covered under my clothing.", She said.
He rolled his eyes in disbelief.
"Sana, there is something called as average life expectancy. Which is around 70 years at present. So with this logic, I would survive for 20 years more whereas you have around 45 years atleast.", He stated
"Hmm.. Your ex-wife, is she alive?", She asked.
"Huh? Which one are you asking about?", He asked
"What? How many did you have?", She asked with her eyes wide open.
"Two!", He said.
"Two?", She was surprised.
"Yes, first expired while giving birth to Shreyas and other divorced me within a year.", He said.
"Oh! So Shreyas' mom must have been around 69 or 70 year old at that moment, right?", She asked.
"Huh? What? No, she was 21.", He said.
"Really?", She asked.
Sidharth got the point which she was trying to prove.
"Pardon me for asking but why didn't you check Shreyas' mom's expiry date before marrying her?", She asked.
"Enough Sana, I got your point.", He said.
"Pheww!! That was exhausting. So tell me what other factors do you consider before falling in love?", She asked.
"I.. I don't know!!", He said lifting up his hands and dropping them loose.
"Society pressure? Family pressure?", She probed.
"No.. no..", he nodded with his head down.
"Then? What's stopping you from reciprocating my love, Sidharth?", She questioned pushing his head up by his chin. He looked into her eyes.
"The way you saw me yesterday when I walked out of my room in saree, it didn't feel that I couldn't grab your eyeballs. The uncontrolled facial reaction you have when I hug you tells a different story.", She said.
"The pain in your eyes which I saw few minutes back. What was that? Why are you making it complicated for yourself and for me? If age was the only reason for your insecurity then I am telling you that it doesn't matter to me. Don't break me Sidharth. I promise you if you leave me before I die than I will survive with sweet memories but please don't leave me broken with painful rejection. You never know, I might stop breathing in another 5 minutes. Are you ready to repent for wasting the 5 minutes in denying your feelings towards me? You have killed your every desire for other's happiness. But, do you realise that this time your are killing my desire along with yours and that nobody will be happy with this denial of yours.", She said.
He was silently listening to every word she had to speak while looking at his own image in her eyes. She leans further and kissed his lips. He felt a current pass through his entire body.
"I love you Sidharth. This time I don't need shelter. All I need is your love. I will come with you only if you are ready to give it to me. Else I don't mind sleeping under the sky.", she said looking into his eyes.
"I will Sana.. I will give it you.. not because you want it.. but because I want to give it and I want to be loved in return. I need you Sana. I love you." He confessed.
She couldn't stop herself from throwing herself on him and hugging him tightly. He hugged her back with same intensity and a content smile on his face.
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To be continued.. ❤️❤️
Sorry, for delaying on your requests.. I feel overwhelmed when you find the chapters interesting and ask me for another update.. but my other two books look like a malnourished children since I am paying more attention to only this child.
Few more chapters before you get an epilogue, so keep showering your love and votes. 😍
Note: Mr. Ex was deliberately used, instead of any name, not to hurt anyone's religious sentiments.