Chapter - 25

                                    

                                          
Third Person’s POV 
Nilesh entered into the room and saw his wife, Aditi was sitting on the bed with a blank face. It was difficult to understand what she was thinking. 
NILESH : hey! Why are you sitting like this? What happened? 
ADITI : you still love ‘Her’… right? (Said without any emotions) 
NILESH : Aditi, what nonsense are you talking about? 
ADITI : Nonsense? I thought you were shocked seeing the picture of Pritika because of her beauty because I was also shocked seeing someone so beautiful. But today I understood. You’re were shocked because she exactly looks like 'Her'. 
Saying this Aditi showed  a book and took out a picture from it. 
It was a picture of a beautiful girl who was smiling beautifully looking at the camera. The girl on the picture looks like Pritika. At a glance, one can be mistaken her as Pritika. On the backside of the picture it was written “My Kriti”. 
ADITI : I tried to be a good wife ,a good mother, a good daughter-in-law but still… still I couldn’t able to make a place in your heart. After so many years, you still love her. 
Tears were rolling from Aditi's eyes. 
NILESH : no Aditi, you are thinking wrong. 
ADITI : don’t lie… I hate lies. I am not thinking wrong. I have seen you on our first year of marriage to see this book secretly. But I had never intervened in your privacy. I was curious to see the girl my husband love. I had heard from my father she is the most beautiful girl in the city. But Still I didn’t try to see the picture. But today I couldn’t stop myself. After you saw the picture of Pritika that day, you again started to see this book. I was confused. But today my all confusion got clear. Does Pritika reminisce your old love? 
NILESH : stop it Aditi… don’t assume nonsense. Yes I accepted,  I again started to see this picture but not because that I remember my love. Because I am guilty. 
ADITI : guilty? ( asked confusingly) 
NILESH : yes… I am feeling guilty for not helping her when she had needed me the most. 
Aditi was still confusingly looking at Nilesh, she didn’t understand anything. Nilesh sat besides her on the bed. 
NILESH : you remember the year Adesh born, the thakurs had broken 3 business deals with us? 
ADITI : yeah… 
NILESH : you thought maybe they had broken the deals with us because I didn’t marry their daughter. 
ADITI : yeah… because you had told me that you had told them you have married with me because you love me. So of course they were angry with you. 
NILESH : yes, they were angry with me, but they didn’t break the deal for that. 
ADITI : Then? 
NILESH : They had broken the deals… our relationship got more ruined because I did something. I helped Kritika to elope with her lover Prithvi. 
ADITI : What!! 
NILESH : I… I had no other option. I hadn’t married with her because I don’t want to cage her. I wanted her to live her life with her love…I thought she could able to manage everything after I broke our (Nikesh& Kritika) marriage. But she didn’t able to do that. 
Aditi didn’t said anything. She was quietly listening to Nilesh. 
NILESH : After two years her family again fixed her marriage with a son of their business partner. I didn’t want her life to get ruined. So I did I thought was right. I helped her eloped with Prithvi. It had effected our relationship, business with the Thakurs. My mom knew everything. She supported me. 
Nilesh and Aditi were quietly looking at the smiling picture of Kritika in Aditi's hand for some second. 
ADITI : But, I don’t understand… then why are you guilty? You had helped her. Then why are you saying , you didn’t help her? 
Nilesh sighed and again looked at the picture. 
NILESH : Almost 13 years ago…Kritika had come to my office for financial help. 
ADITI : you helped her to eloped but you didn’t help her financially?? 
NILESH : Help? I didn’t even meet her that day. 
ADITI : why? 
NILESH : we had again started our business with the Thakurs. I didn’t want to ruin our relationship again. Vikram had warned me, if I help Kritika then the remaining relationship would be break. They will consider us as their rival. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want that. That’s why I didn’t even meet with her. I drove her away from my office by my assistant. You know why she had come for help? Prithvi, Pritika's dad, her husband needed a operation. But he died because she couldn’t able to arrange money. 
Aditi didn’t said anything. She understood why Nilesh was feeling guilty. 
NILESH : Aditi, on that day when mom showed Pritika’s picture and told us about her parent’s death. I can’t tell you how I felt. I felt like I was the criminal. A nine year old little girl became orphan because of me. 
ADITI : No Nilesh, don’t blame yourself. If you would have known the reason of her asking for help, you would have definitely helped her. Don’t blame yourself. 
NILESH : Aditi, believe me… I didn’t agree on this marriage because I loved Kritika. I just wanted to atone for my action by giving a good life to Pritika. I know I could have done it other ways. I wanted her (Pritika) have a good husband. Adesh is a very good man. You have made him a very good man. I have just wanted Pritika have a good life with her husband. I had no other intention. 
ADITI : Please Nilesh don’t give me explanation. I am sorry… I am really sorry for saying those words. 
NILESH : No, don’t be sorry. It’s my fault. I have never showed my love for you. Aditi you are wife. We have been living together for so many years. How could I not love a person like you. Please forgive me, if my actions hurt you or giving you so much insecurities. 
Aditi hugged her husband, Nilesh also reciprocate the hug. 
NILESH : Thank you for forgiving me again. 
ADITI : Again? 
NILESH : The way I had married with you, you still forgive me and lived with me. Thank you. Thank you for accepting me in your life. Thank you for everything. 
Aditi smiled…she was happy hearing all these from Nilesh's mouth. They enjoyed each other’s embrace for some time. 
NILESH : Aditi you have to do something. 
ADITI : What? 
NILESH : I know you have taught Adesh, never hide anything from his wife, but I will tell him about Pritika’s relationship with Thakurs and you have to convince her to hide it from Pritika. I know he will never disobey you. 
ADITYA : what?? Why? 
NILESH : We can’t tell her. Please you have to convince Adesh. 
Aditi didn’t like the idea at all. She didn’t like the idea of secret between a husband wife’s. Maybe today she will convince Adesh as per her husband’s request but she have decided, she will definitely find a way. She will not let this effect her son's marriage life.