Vairagya stepped forward again when Shikha almost shouted from behind, "Please listen to me... Ajit and Sarangi love each other deeply… What happened at that wedding was just a misunderstanding. Ajit deeply regrets it now, and Sarangi has also forgiven him… she wants to spend her life with him…"
Shikha began weaving her story, her voice laced with sincerity and concern. "Actually, Ajit and Sarangi have been in love since college. Their marriage was already fixed, but then those pictures… all of it was a conspiracy, designed by someone who wanted to ruin their happiness. Ajit was a victim of anger and betrayal, and that's why he acted out at the wedding. But now he has realized his mistake. Sarangi has a big heart—she forgave him, and they've decided to reunite. They were just waiting for the right time to tell you. You know how powerful love can be. When you see them together, it's like two long-lost lovers finally found each other. Please, don't come between their happiness. Sarangi can only be happy with Ajit now."
Tears welled up in her eyes to add more drama to her story.
"If Sarangi tells me this herself, I'll believe it… but not from the mouth of some random nobody like you…" he said and walked ahead. By then, Ajit had already left. Vairagya came face to face with her and asked, "What are you doing here...?"
Sarangi gasped at his voice and turned around, "You...? I thought you were in Mumbai…"
"That doesn't answer my question… What are you doing here? Whom did you come to meet?" Vairagya repeated, firm.
Sarangi looked at him in shock. She couldn't understand what he was doing there. Then, gathering herself, she said, "No one… I just came for shopping…" She avoided eye contact—she couldn't muster the courage to look into his eyes.
Vairagya's fists clenched at her lie, and his suspicion deepened.
"Fine then... Since I'm here myself, why should you shop alone? I'll stay with you... Let's go…" he said, trying to take her hand, but then thinking better of it, walked ahead without touching her. Silently, Sarangi followed him.
They stood in an expensive store where each saree cost lakhs. Beautiful sarees adorned with silk and zari work hung all around.
"Ma'am, please let us know what kind of saree you're looking for?" the salesgirl asked politely.
Sarangi couldn't say a word, stunned by the price tags. Her eyes widened—she had never seen such expensive sarees before.
"Answer her, Mrs. Rajvansh… She's asking you something…" Vairagya said in a harsh tone, his gaze fixed on her.
"No, I don't want anything…" Sarangi quickly started to leave.
"Why not? You came for shopping, didn't you?" Vairagya asked, following her, anger now evident in his voice.
"I'm just not in the mood now…" Sarangi snapped, unable to understand why he was suddenly questioning her like this.
Vairagya gritted his teeth, trying hard to control his anger. He couldn't say anything in public, and Sarangi was refusing to explain.
"Tell me, why don't you want anything?" he asked again, this time calmly but firmly.
"I have a headache… I want to go home…" Sarangi said tearfully.
Vairagya took a deep breath to calm himself and said, "The driver is downstairs. Go with him."
"You won't come…?" Sarangi asked, looking at him hopefully.
"You came with me, so obviously I should drop you off? Go with the one you came here to meet…" he said sharply and walked away. His words shattered Sarangi's heart. She felt as if Vairagya was completely distancing himself from her now.
Meanwhile, Rajveer had dropped off Vijay ji at the station and was turning the car back when he spotted Ajit. "What is this dog doing here...?" he muttered angrily. "Let me see… has he come to trouble Didi again? I need to talk to Vairagya…" His anger was boiling.
Vairagya, meanwhile, was beyond his limit of tolerance. He was sitting in his cabin, lighting a cigarette. When Rajveer entered, the room was filled with smoke.
"Vairagya… What's all this… a cigarette? You don't even smoke!" Rajveer asked, surprised.
"I'm not smoking, Raj… It's being forced on me…" Vairagya said bitterly.
"Vairagya…" Rajveer grew concerned.
"Raj, tell me something… If I had come to your house before Ajit and asked for your sister's hand in marriage, who would she have chosen—me or Ajit?" Vairagya asked with deep sadness.
"Vairagya…" Rajveer didn't know what to say.
"Tell me, Raj…" Vairagya insisted.
"Only you, Vairagya… There's no better life partner…" Rajveer said firmly.
"No, she would've chosen him… Ajit…" Vairagya said with disappointment, taking another drag from the cigarette.
"No, you're mistaken, Vairagya…" Rajveer tried to reason.
"Mistaken? That's what I was all this time, Raj… I was trapped in an illusion. You know, from school till now, I've been a crush for so many girls, rejected countless proposals… because I never felt the urge to look at anyone twice… never felt my heart beat for someone… never bowed down to anyone."
Vairagya's voice trembled, his eyes red, filled with a strange kind of helplessness.
"Vairagya…" Raj checked him carefully. Vairagya was drunk. It was impossible to tell when and how much he had drunk, but he was clearly not in his senses.
"The first time I heard her voice, my heart skipped a beat… Only I know how I suppressed the desire to look at her again… When I saved her from falling down the stairs and she landed in my arms… the peace I felt then—I can't describe in words… her fragrance seemed to seep into my breath… When I saw her drowning in the pool that day, my heart nearly stopped… I felt like I couldn't live if something happened to her… I'd die… Even then, I didn't realize my feelings…"
"Who are you talking about…? Is there someone in your life…?" Rajveer asked slowly, surprised by Vairagya's words.
"Don't interrupt me, Raj… just listen. I want to speak, so just listen…" Saying this, Vairagya stood up and staggered a little. Rajveer caught him. Vairagya rested his head on Rajveer's shoulder.
"When she came dressed up that day, I literally forgot how to breathe… How crazy I am, right…? When I saw her crying alone on stage, I couldn't stop myself… I don't know how I was so drawn to her… like there was some invisible string pulling me toward her. In the closeness of that dance, I realized what she meant to me… how much I loved her… and of all people, I fell in love with someone whose wedding was the next day…" he said, lowering his shoulder in defeat.
"Sarangi didi…?" Rajveer asked in shock.
"Yes, Sarangi… my life… I wanted to leave that very night, but the desire to see her one last time held me back. When I saw her crying, my heart burned… Everyone was accusing her, and she kept crying… I wanted to slap her, but then I thought she's so delicate, even my touch might crush her… I had no desire to possess her at that moment… I just couldn't bear her insult… and so I married her."
"So… you regret it, Vairagya?" Rajveer asked gently.
"No… never, Raj… Regret bringing the love of my life into my world? Seeing her in my room, my house, knowing she's mine brings a joy I can't describe… Regret? Me?" he paused.
"But…" Vairagya stopped mid-sentence.
"But what, Vairagya…?" Rajveer asked, puzzled.
"She doesn't love me, Raj… Her heart doesn't beat for me…" Vairagya's voice was full of despair.
"Give her time, Vairagya… It's hard for her to accept everything so quickly…" Rajveer tried to comfort him.
"If it was only about giving time, this Vairagya Rajvansh would wait a lifetime… but the problem is, her heart beats for someone else…" Vairagya said with a faint smile, though even his smile carried pain.
Rajveer was stunned.