Shadows of a Forgotten Love (A Love Born Late. A Betrayal That Came Too Soon) - Chapter 3

 

Chapter 3: A Love She Didn’t Ask For

He loved a memory. She lived in the present.

Weeks passed.

Their house was big, modern, beautifully quiet. Like a perfect shell — elegant on the outside, hollow inside.

Aditi took charge of the home effortlessly. She organized the kitchen, learned Aditya’s schedule, greeted his parents respectfully, and never stepped over boundaries. She was an ideal wife — in routine, in behavior, in form.

But never in heart.

Aditya, on the other hand, showered her with everything — flowers, surprises, dinners, compliments. He praised her cooking, he noticed her sarees, he even made her tea sometimes when she had a headache.

He was gentle. Patient. Present.

Yet distant.

There was warmth, but not fire.
There were gestures, but not connection.
There was silence — but not comfort.

The Birthday Surprise

One morning, Aditi woke up to find the house filled with roses. A violinist played softly in the corner, and a gift box sat on the dining table.

Aditya stood there with a rare, genuine smile.

“Happy Birthday.”

She was stunned.

“How did you know?”

“I asked your mother last week.”

He handed her the box — inside was a diamond bracelet, delicate and elegant.

She touched it with care, but said,

“This… this is too much, Aditya. I don’t need—”

“I wanted to,” he interrupted, placing it around her wrist. “It suits you.”

The gesture was sweet, almost romantic. And for the first time, her heart fluttered.

But deep down, she wondered…

Would he have done the same if I didn’t remind him of someone else?

The Shift in Her

That day, Aditi stood in front of the mirror for a long time. She wore the bracelet and stared at her reflection.

Was she changing?
Why did she smile when he looked at her that morning?
Why did her heart ache when he turned away too fast?

She had not asked for love.
But she feared… she was falling for him.

Aditya’s Confusion

Aditya too had changed. Slowly, unknowingly.

He still thought of Riya — but not every day now.
He still compared Aditi to her — but the edges were blurring.
Sometimes, he forgot the differences.
Sometimes, he smiled at Aditi for who she was, not who she reminded him of.

But he didn’t admit it to himself. Because deep down, he still believed:

“My love was always for Riya. Aditi is just… comfort.”

He didn’t realize that comfort… was becoming home.

A Moment of Closeness

One night, during a thunderstorm, the power went out. Aditi, who rarely showed emotion, gasped softly when a loud thunderclap echoed through the house.

Aditya instinctively reached out and held her hand.

They sat near the window, wrapped in a shawl. No words, just warmth.

Aditi whispered,

“I used to be scared of thunder as a kid. Papa would hold my hand and tell me stories.”

Aditya smiled gently,

“Want me to tell you one?”

And for the next few minutes, they shared laughter and memories — no ghosts, no shadows. Just them.

And Aditi… began to fall.

Some lines: -

She didn’t know when it happened, or how, but she was no longer neutral.
She was slipping. Slowly. Deeply. Dangerously.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unspoken Sparks - Chapter 6 (Last Episode)

  Chapter 6: The Confession & The New Beginning The tension in Raychand Industries had reached its limit. Rumors swirled. Whispers about Aditya and Aditi grew louder. Some speculated. Some envied. But Aditi stayed focused, as always—poised, distant, dedicated. Except now, her heart wasn't as quiet as her face. And neither was Aditya’s. He saw her in everything. In every decision. Every plan. Every moment of silence. Her absence made the air feel heavier. Her presence? Like calm fire. He had denied it for weeks. But now… he couldn’t anymore. That Friday Evening – Office Rooftop Aditi had just wrapped up late-night reporting. The office was nearly empty, and the city lights sparkled in the distance. She stepped out to the rooftop for a breath of air. What she didn’t expect… was him. Aditya stood there, sleeves rolled up, no phone in hand—for once. Just… waiting. He turned as she approached. “You’re still here?” she asked. “I was waiting for you,” he said softly....
Read more

🖤 The Monster Inside Me 🖤 - Chapter 5 (Second Last) [“He thought he was a monster—until she looked into his darkness and chose to stay.”]

  Chapter 5: The Monster’s Voice Silence. That’s what Aditi chose after walking out of Aditya’s penthouse. Not the dramatic kind. The real kind — the kind that hurts more than any scream could. No calls. No messages. No replies. Nothing. And Aditya… he let her go. Not because he didn’t want her. But because he wasn’t sure he deserved her. It had been four days. Four long, echoing, manuscript-free days. Aditya sat in his study, the room heavy with memories and ghosts that had grown louder since Aditi left. Her absence was not quiet — it thundered in every corner she used to sit, in every coffee cup that remained untouched. So he did what he had always done with pain. He wrote. But this time, it wasn’t a book. It was a letter. A manuscript with no chapters, no structure, no edits. Just a title: “The Girl Who Dared to Touch the Monster” 📓 Excerpts from the letter: “I never told you, Aditi, but your voice made the screaming inside me quieter.” “You didn’t...
Read more

🖤 The Monster Inside Me 🖤 - Chapter 6 (Last) [“He thought he was a monster—until she looked into his darkness and chose to stay.”]

  Chapter 6: Our Monsters Can Coexist Final Chapter Healing isn’t a sunrise. It’s a dim lightbulb that flickers. A hallway that echoes with memories. A slow dance with shadows that sometimes lead, sometimes follow. But when Aditi and Aditya began again — this time, it wasn’t about fixing each other. It was about accepting that maybe... they were never broken to begin with. Just bruised . And still beautiful. 🌅 One Month Later: Aditi moved into Aditya’s penthouse — not because she needed a place, but because he needed her in his. It wasn’t romance that brought her there. It was presence . Some mornings were silent — both typing, heads down, coffee cups clinking now and then. Other days were stormy — Aditya still woke up drenched in nightmares, still sat at the piano with eyes closed, fingers trembling. But now, when he broke... She was there to hold him. Not to fix. Just to hold. 🛋️ Their Therapist Asked Once: “How do you define your relationship?” Aditi...
Read more