Chapter 4 – Between Anger and Silence

Ravi pushed open the door to his room, his steps slower now, the weight of everything finally settling in.

Gayathri was sitting on the edge of the bed, still in the same white saree, her hands resting lifelessly in her lap. Her eyes were swollen, but the tears hadn’t stopped completely—they just came quieter now, like a pain that had learned to exist silently.

Poornima stood beside her.

The moment she saw Ravi, she walked toward him, her expression filled with worry.

“Take care of her,” she said softly, her voice carrying both trust and helplessness.

Ravi nodded once. “Take care of Inayat,” he replied quietly.

Poornima gave a small nod and walked out, closing the door behind her, leaving them alone.

Silence filled the room.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Gayathri slowly lifted her eyes and looked at him.

“Why?” she asked.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t angry.

It was broken.

Ravi exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair before answering. “I did what needed to be done.”

She stared at him, her lips trembling slightly. “That’s not an answer.”

He looked at her then, his expression turning hard, almost defensive. “Don’t expect anything from me.”

The words landed heavily.

Gayathri didn’t react immediately. She just looked at him, as if trying to understand what he meant.

“I didn’t do this for… anything else,” Ravi continued, his tone controlled. “You’re safe here. That’s it.”

She swallowed, her voice coming out faint. “I didn’t ask you to do this.”

Something in him snapped.

“Oh, really?” he shot back, his anger rising suddenly. “Then what were you going to do? Stand there while they threw you out? While everyone blamed you for something you didn’t even do?”

“Don’t taunt me,” she said, her voice shaking now. “I already lost everything. I don’t need your words to remind me.”

Ravi clenched his fists.

“Now you know who stood for you,” he said sharply.

“I didn’t ask you to stand for me!” she replied, her voice breaking completely.

The room fell silent again, but this time it was heavy… suffocating.

Ravi looked away, jaw tight.

“Fine,” he said after a moment, his voice colder now. “Sleep in your room.”

Gayathri froze.

Something in his tone… something in the distance he created… it hurt more than his anger.

She didn’t say anything else.

She simply got up slowly and walked out of the room.

Ravi didn’t stop her.

Gayathri walked down the corridor without knowing where she was going.

But her feet already knew.

She stopped in front of a door.

Rehan’s room.

Her hand trembled as she pushed it open.

The faint scent of him still lingered inside.

Everything was the same.

Untouched.

Unchanged.

Just like he had left it.

The moment she stepped inside, her composure shattered.

“Rehan…” she whispered, her voice breaking as she closed the door behind her.

She walked toward the bed and collapsed onto it, clutching the pillow tightly, as if it still held him.

“Why did you leave me…” she cried, her voice muffled but filled with unbearable pain. “You promised… you said you’ll always be there…”

Her shoulders shook as she cried, louder now, letting everything out—the grief, the anger, the emptiness.

Time passed.

She didn’t know how long.

At some point, exhaustion took over, and her cries softened into uneven breaths.

She lay there, drained, her eyes slowly closing.

The door opened quietly.

Ravi stepped in.

He stopped when he saw her.

Lying on the bed.

Broken.

Alone.

For a moment, he just stood there, watching her, something shifting in his expression.

Then he walked closer.

“Gayu…” he called softly.

No response.

He sighed lightly and bent down, carefully lifting her into his arms.

She stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open.

“Ravi…” she whispered weakly.

“Shh,” he said gently. “Sleep.”

Her fingers suddenly tightened around his collar.

“Why…?” she asked again, her voice barely there but filled with pain.

Ravi paused mid-step.

He looked at her, really looked at her—the tears, the exhaustion, the fear she wasn’t even able to express properly.

“Sleep, Gayu,” he said softly, his tone completely different now. “You’re hurting yourself… and the baby.”

Her grip slowly loosened.

And then, without thinking, she leaned into him, her head resting against his chest as she broke down again, her tears soaking into his shirt.

Ravi closed his eyes for a second, holding her closer.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered, almost to himself.

He carried her back to his room and gently laid her down on the bed.

But she didn’t let go.

Even in her half-conscious state, her hand clung to him, as if she was afraid he would disappear too.

Ravi hesitated.

Then slowly, he lay down beside her.

She moved closer instinctively, her head resting on his chest again, her breathing uneven as soft sobs escaped her.

He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer, steady, protective.

“It’s okay…” he murmured, though he knew nothing was okay.

Her cries slowly faded.

Her breathing softened.

And finally—

She fell asleep.

Ravi looked down at her, his own eyes filling with something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel until now.

Tears.

Silent.

Unseen.

He tightened his hold around her.

And somewhere between exhaustion, pain, and unspoken promises—

He, too, drifted into sleep.

Holding her close.

Not out of duty.

But because, in that moment—

Letting go wasn’t an option anymore.