Chapter: Three Years Later

Three years slipped by.

Time had healed some wounds.

Others had only grown deeper.

---

Roy Mansion

The once-broken Roy family had found a fragile rhythm.

Abhina had completed her law degree with distinction. She had become a confident young lawyer, known for her intelligence and determination. Yet, beneath her professional smile, an old scar remained.

She was still legally married.

The divorce had never happened.

Hrittik had never signed the papers.

Whenever people asked about her marital status, she would simply answer,

"I'm married... but separated."

No further explanation.

---

Vedant had transformed as well.

He successfully completed his BBA and enrolled in a Business Management programme. The reckless young man who once chased revenge had become responsible.

His greatest motivation was his daughter.

Little Vaishnabi was now three years old.

The lively child filled Roy Mansion with laughter.

She adored everyone, but she was especially attached to two people.

"Mumma Abhi!"

she would call Abhina, running into her arms.

Abhina laughed every time.

"I'm your aunt, silly."

Vaishnabi would shake her head.

"No!"

"You are Mumma Abhi."

Mareena smiled.

"The poor child barely remembers her real mother."

Every night Vaishnabi slept between Mareena and Abhina, listening to bedtime stories.

---

Hrittik's Fall

Across the city...

Hrittik had become almost unrecognisable.

The confident businessman who had once built his own company had fallen apart.

The business had collapsed under mounting losses and poor decisions made while he struggled with depression and alcohol dependence.

His office had been sold.

His employees had moved elsewhere.

His apartment was untidy, bottles scattered across the floor.

Every evening he sat alone with a glass in his hand.

The walls of his house were covered with sketches.

Every single one...

...was of Abhina.

Some showed her smiling in college.

Some wearing her bridal saree.

Some holding little Vaishnabi.

Some simply laughing.

He often stared at one portrait for hours.

"I never betrayed you..."

he whispered.

"But I couldn't prove it."

His neighbours had begun calling him mad.

He no longer cared.

---

A New Friendship

Abhina slowly rebuilt her social life.

Among the people who stood beside her was Rishab.

The same college friend who had once come for group study had remained in touch.

Now both of them often discussed legal cases together.

They attended seminars.

Worked on legal research.

Shared coffee after court internships.

Their friendship naturally deepened.

One evening Abhinav watched them laughing together.

He smiled.

"Mareena."

She looked up.

"I think Rishab genuinely respects Abhina."

Mareena remained thoughtful.

"He does."

"But..."

"She still wears Hrittik's sindoor box in her cupboard."

"She never threw away her wedding album."

Abhinav sighed.

"She's waited three years."

"If Hrittik won't move on..."

"Should she remain alone forever?"

Mareena had no answer.

---

Elsewhere...

Krutika's life had also changed.

The guilt she had buried for years had finally become unbearable.

She had begun dating someone.

It was Aryan.

Years after divorcing Shomili, Aryan had rebuilt his own life.

The two had met during a business conference.

Their friendship slowly became companionship.

There was a fifteen-year age difference between them.

Ironically...

The woman who had once mocked Hrittik's age-gap marriage was now in one herself.

One evening, Aryan noticed Krutika unusually quiet.

"What happened?"

She lowered her eyes.

"I've been hiding something."

Aryan listened patiently.

Tears rolled down her face.

"I destroyed someone's marriage."

Aryan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Krutika confessed everything.

How she had entered Hrittik's apartment.

How she had drugged him.

How she had staged the scene.

How she had lied before Abhina.

Every word left Aryan stunned.

When she finished, silence filled the room.

Finally he asked,

"So..."

"Hrittik never cheated?"

Krutika shook her head.

"No."

"I ruined everything because of jealousy."

Aryan stood up slowly.

"You've carried this for three years?"

She nodded, crying.

"I thought I'd get Hrittik back."

"But I only destroyed innocent lives."

Aryan looked disappointed.

"What you did was cruel."

"But if you truly regret it..."

"Then hiding the truth is another mistake."

Krutika wiped her tears.

"I want to apologise."

"I want Abhina to know that Hrittik was innocent."

Aryan nodded.

"Then we'll go together."

"You owe them the truth."

---

Roy Mansion

The next day, Vedant received a call from Aryan.

"Dad..."

"I need to meet everyone."

Vedant agreed.

Hours later, Aryan arrived outside Roy Mansion with Krutika.

The moment Vedant saw her, his face darkened.

"You?"

Krutika lowered her head.

Vedant looked at Aryan in disbelief.

"Dad..."

"Out of every woman in the world..."

"You chose the one who destroyed my sister's marriage?"

Aryan answered calmly,

"I didn't know the truth when we started seeing each other."

"I know now."

Vedant clenched his fists.

"I hope she has come to confess."

Krutika stepped forward.

"I have."

"And today..."

"I want to tell Abhina everything."

For the first time in three years...

The truth that had destroyed two lives was finally ready to come into the light.