Miles to go

Chapter 25: Breaking the habit

The situation was getting out of control as Shiv was still furious and not willing to listen to anyone. He kept on shouting, "You are try to take away her as well from me, you think I am nothing but your shadow, now everyone will know who is whom shadow."

Alex, thinking quickly, took out her phone and dialed 911 while also instructing her bodyguards to come over to Sparsh's house as soon as possible.

Simar was scared and hiding behind Loveena, who was trying to calm her down. Sparsh was trying his best to calm Shiv down and explain the situation to him, but it seemed like he was not in a mood to listen.

Within minutes, the police arrived along with Alex's bodyguards. They separated Shiv from Sparsh and made him sit down. The police officer tried to talk to him and understand what was going on, but he was not in a state to explain himself.

Meanwhile, Loveena and Simar were taken to a separate room by Alex and her bodyguards, where they were given water and made to relax. Alex assured them that everything was going to be fine and that she would take care of the situation.

After some time, Shiv finally calmed down and was taken away by the police. Sparsh, Alex, and Loveena talked to the police and explained the situation to them. The police then left after making sure that everyone was safe and that the situation was under control.

It was a scary experience for everyone, and Simar was especially shaken.

The incident had serious consequences for Shiv. He was taken into custody and charged with instigating violence. His actions had put his job at risk as well. Microsoft, being an employee-friendly company, was concerned about the well-being of its employees. When they learned about Shiv's behavior, they took a step back from supporting him.

Sparsh, Loveena, and Simar were deeply upset about what had happened. They had tried their best to help Shiv, but he had refused to listen. The incident had also affected their own mental health.

The government-appointed lawyer tried their best to defend Shiv in court, but the evidence against him was strong and he was ultimately convicted for instigating violence. Meanwhile, the news of his misconduct had spread like wildfire and it became a topic of discussion among their common friends.

The incident involving Shiv received extensive media coverage as well, and the news soon spread like wildfire. Alex's involvement in the incident only added fuel to the fire, and it became a hot topic of discussion across the country. The coverage of the incident was so widespread that it began to impact the image of Asians and Indians in the US, particularly those who were seeking jobs. Many people started to associate Asians and Indians with violent behaviour, which created an uncomfortable environment for those who were living and working in the US.

As the news of the incident continued to spread, it also affected the reputations of the companies that the individuals involved were associated with. Microsoft, in particular, faced a lot of criticism for employing someone who had such a violent streak. Microsoft, being a company that upholds high ethical standards, conducted an internal investigation into the matter and found Shiv guilty of violating their code of conduct. As a result, they terminated his employment, citing his unprofessional behaviour and violation of company policies.

This decision by Microsoft not only affected Shiv's career but also strained his relationship with Sparsh and other friends. Many of them were disappointed with his actions and felt betrayed by his behaviour. Shiv realized his mistakes and tried to apologize to everyone but it was too late to mend the broken relationships. His family was shocked and embarrassed by this and had a difficult time coming to terms with what had happened.

Shiv was kept in 3 month judicial custody. One day Simar went to prison to meet him and seeing him with swollen eye, she started crying like anything and started yelling, "Why shiv, why?"

Shiv, with his head down, said sorry to Simar and told her that he was ashamed of his actions He explained to her that he was going through a tough time and was unable to handle the stress, which led to his outburst. Simar, though hurt, asked him to relieve her from this relationship and she cannot survive this toxic relationship.

Shiv understood Simar's decision and apologized for his actions. He also promised to seek help and work on himself. Simar left the prison feeling sad, but also relieved that she had finally ended things with Shiv.

Meanwhile, Sparsh and Loveena were trying their best to support Simar through this difficult time. They spent time with her, took her out, and helped her with the moving process. Slowly but surely, Simar started to heal and move on from the traumatic incident.

Sparsh also realized the importance of maintaining healthy relationships and the impact of toxic behavior. He made sure to communicate effectively with his loved ones and seek help whenever needed. Loveena and he moved forward in their relationship, but also made sure to give each other space and prioritize their mental health.

The incident left a lasting impact on everyone involved, but they all learned valuable lessons and grew from the experience.

After his release from prison, Shiv was ordered to do community service for a year as part of his punishment. He had to work for various non-profit organizations and participate in social work activities. He realized his mistake and was determined to make amends for his actions.

However, the consequences of his actions didn't end there. The incident had brought negative attention to the Indian community and had caused damage to their reputation. The authorities made it clear that any more complaints against Shiv would result in immediate deportation to India.

Simar couldn't believe what she was seeing, shiv was was picking garbage from the community. The man she once loved and cared for was now doing community service as a form of punishment for his violent outburst. Memories of their past relationship flooded her mind, and she felt a mixture of sadness, anger, and disappointment.

Shiv noticed her and felt tons of emotions in his heart. He knew he had hurt Simar deeply and seeing her again made him realize the gravity of his actions. He wanted to approach her and apologize, but he was afraid she wouldn't want to talk to him.

Simar, on the other hand, was torn. Part of her wanted to confront Shiv and demand an explanation for his behavior, while another part of her just wanted to forget everything and move on.

As Shiv continued his community service, Simar couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness for him. She knew he had made a mistake, but she also knew that he was a good person deep down. She decided to approach him and have a conversation.

"Shiv, can we talk?" Simar asked tentatively.

Shiv looked up and saw Simar standing in front of him. He nodded and said, "Sure, Simar. What do you want to talk about?"

Simar took a deep breath and said, "I just wanted to say that I forgive you. I know you were going through a tough time, but that doesn't excuse your behavior. I hope you've learned your lesson and that you'll never do something like that again."

Shiv was taken aback by Simar's forgiveness. He had expected her to be angry and resentful, but instead, she was showing him compassion and understanding.

"Thank you, Simar," Shiv said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry for what I did, and I promise I'll do everything I can to make it right."

Simar smiled sadly and said, "I hope you do, Shiv. I really do."