Page 25 of Since You Came Along (Ever Since #1)

Meera didn’t take the bait, remembering all too well how he twisted words and wielded them like weapons.

Rutvik took her silence as encouragement and stepped closer, his voice dropping to a pleading whisper, ‘I can still be that man for you, Meera. It’s not too late.

I can give you everything you ever wanted, everything you deserve.

I can love you for the rest of your life. ’

It was in that moment that the contrast hit her, stark and undeniable. Rutvik had been the one to say, ‘I love you,’ during their four years together. But it had been empty words, void of the actions.

Raghav, on the other hand, showed her every single day how much she meant to him. In the little notes he left on the fridge, in the way he stocked her favourite snacks, in the random orchids he brought home just to see her smile.

Meera didn’t need the words. Her husband showed her how he felt in a thousand small, thoughtful gestures. And with that came the realisation of what she felt for Raghav as she closed her eyes.

She was in love with her husband. The knowledge filled her with a rush of emotion so strong it made her breath hitch. She wanted to tell him right then and there.

Her eyes snapped open, searching the room until they found him. Raghav was leaning against the wall, his face blank, though his eyes betrayed a storm of emotion.

Meera wanted to run to him, throw her arms around him, and tell him everything she’d just realised. But first, she had to deal with the bastard standing in front of her.

Rutvik, oblivious to the storm brewing in her, leaned closer, his smile taking on a sly edge. ‘You should give me another chance. We can keep it a secret, you know. Your husband doesn’t have to find out.’

The sheer arrogance of his words stunned her. Meera fought the urge to slap him for suggesting that, though the temptation was strong. Instead, she levelled him with a glare so sharp it could have cut through steel. How had she ever fallen for someone like him?

Meera had heard enough. Her stern gaze locked onto him as she coaxed herself out of his grip.

‘Listen, you fool, think twice before saying any of this, because I won’t let you disrespect me or my husband.

You were never in love with me. If you had been, the very idea of cheating would have made you sick. ’

She continued, ‘It wasn’t Ahana’s fault. She might have tempted you, but it was your disregard for me and our relationship that led to you sleeping around. Your blatant lies and manipulation just shows you haven’t changed. No one can tempt someone away from a person they love.’

Rutvik opened his mouth, but before he could utter a word, she raised her hand, silencing him. Her heart felt lighter with every word she spoke.

‘You cheating on me was the last straw, Rutvik. Your neglect, your blatant insults, and your utter selfishness played the biggest part in breaking us. The moment you first entertained the thought of fooling around with someone else, you broke my trust. The act of doing it was just, sorry for the pun, the climax.’

His eyes turned cold, the love he was faking slowly slipping away. Years ago, that icy look might have made Meera doubt herself, but not anymore. Her voice was resolute.

‘And no, Rutvik, you can never be that man for me. You never were. Even if you became one and offered me your heart on a platter, I wouldn’t think twice before saying no.

My husband is that man for me. He values the people in his life, and I value him.

You? You will never understand what it means to appreciate or love someone truly. ’

When she was about to move away, he discreetly twisted her fingers in his grip. A sharp jolt of pain shot through her hand and Meera winced in pain. She was all too familiar with his subtle tactic of hurting her when he got pissed off.

Before, because of her love for him or her fear of losing him, she dealt with it silently. Not today.

She planted her foot on his and dug her heel into his toe through his shoe. He let out a muffled yelp, immediately releasing her hand. The shocked expression on his face said it all. He had not expected her to retaliate.

Meera didn’t want to give him the satisfaction by rubbing her fingers to ease the pain. Instead, she flashed him the sweetest, most confident smile she could muster.

‘And you know what, Rutvik? I forgive you for everything you did, and even for what you weren’t man enough to do. Do you want to know why?’

She leaned closer, smiling at the anger simmering in his eyes. ‘Because I don’t even hate you. There’s no space for you in my heart, not even through anger. And if you ever try to talk to me again, I’ll be the third person to punch you.’

With that, she turned and walked away, head held high.

From a distance, Raghav had been watching. His hands curled into fists, itching to confront Rutvik, but then he saw her smile at Rutvik.

Raghav froze, his breath catching in his throat.

She smiled at Rutvik as if she was happy.

A heavy weight settled in his chest as doubt flooded his mind.

All this time, he’d worried that Meera might still have feelings for Rutvik.

Now, seeing that smile, it all became painfully clear to him.

She had made her choice. It would always be Rutvik for her.

Meera turned and saw Raghav standing just a few steps away. Relief coursed through her, but something in his expression gave her pause. She could tell something was wrong, so she hurriedly weaved through the crowd to reach him.

The suspicious feeling faded as excitement crept in.

Meera couldn’t wait to tell him how much she loved him and to hear those words from him in return.

But as quickly as that thought came, her stride slowed.

Her heart clenched at the memory of him saying, ‘I’ll never love anyone like I loved Veronica. ’

Raghav met her halfway, his hand resting on her shoulder. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.

Her throat tightened, emotions swirling too fiercely to form words. She nodded and held onto his hand. Unable to speak, she let him lead her back to where Abhay was waiting for them.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur.

The judges announced the competition results, and students cheered in triumph.

Meera went through the motions on autopilot.

She smiled and applauded for winners, but her heart wasn’t in it.

Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she desperately needed time to make sense of them.

Abhay tried to get her to open up, but she gave him a reassuring smile that felt hollow even to her. ‘I’m fine,’ she said, her voice unconvincing. She knew he didn’t believe her, but she hoped her silence bought her time.

Raghav and Meera stood by her car, watching as Abhay drove away. Meera passed the keys to her car to Raghav, too tired to move. Her fingers brushed his, a fleeting touch that felt heavier than it should have.

They climbed into the car and pulled away from the university. After driving in silence for a few minutes, Raghav asked her, ‘Are you really okay, Meera?’

‘Yes.’

‘What did he say?’ His question hung in the air, sharp and direct.

Meera closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. She felt too exhausted to carry the weight of the emotions still swirling inside her. ‘He apologised for cheating on me. He said letting me go was the biggest mistake he’d ever made.’

Raghav gripped the steering wheel in anger, his knuckles going white as he muttered under his breath, ‘Agreed.’

‘He said it’s not too late. That he can still become that man for me. He offered me everything I’d wanted back then.’

The fury in him burned hot and bright. Raghav wanted to rip out the asshole’s heart, to make him feel the pain of his betrayal. The thought of Rutvik trying to worm his way back into her life broke his heart.

‘What did you say?’ Raghav’s voice faltered, the uncertainty creeping in. Would she want to go back to him? The very thought made him sick to his stomach.

‘I put him in his place. Don’t worry about him. He’s not worth it,’ Meera said and turned to look out the window.

They fell silent again. If Raghav was worried about her reaction to Rutvik, he didn’t need to. Rutvik wasn’t even on her radar anymore. All she could think about was the love she felt for Raghav. Just like before, she fell in love. And just like before, her love would remain unrequited.

Meera understood now that if she told Raghav how she felt, he would accept it with kindness, perhaps out of duty or sympathy, but he would never return her love. His heart remained bound to Veronica. While that knowledge filled her with a loss so deep she wanted to cry, it also set her free.

Meera had spent so much time agonising over Rutvik, over her past with him, that she hadn’t allowed herself the space to see who was in front of her. She could finally let go of the weight of his betrayal. The sting of it would fade in time, she knew.

But as she looked at Raghav, she realised something else.

She had been a second choice before. No matter how much she wanted to be loved by Raghav, she could never settle for being his second choice.

And knowing Raghav, for him, Veronica would always be his only love.

Meera didn’t want to live off the crumbs of his love, given out of guilt or pity.

Raghav focused on the road, his features hard and unreadable. At that moment, Meera understood. He was her husband, but he would always be Veronica’s man.

Meera asked herself then if her feelings for him would change, knowing he would never love her the way she loved him. And her soul whispered no.

She had to learn to be okay with what he was willing to give her. What mattered was that he respected and cared for her in his own quiet way. And that would be enough for her.

So, she decided not to tell him she was in love with him. She would keep her feelings locked away, tucked away into the corners of her heart where they wouldn’t cause either of them any pain. Instead, she promised herself to be content with what she had.