The Twisted Knots

22.

I inhaled deeply before turning the doorknob, stepping into the room with a sense of anticipation. Doubts lingered about Maya's words—were they truth or merely a fabrication? While my trust in Yash was steadfast, the need to unravel the motives behind Maya's tale compelled me forward.

As the door creaked open, a scene unfolded before me: Maya on the floor, eyes wide with astonishment, and Yash nearby. Negotiating the shards of a shattered vase underfoot, I approached Maya cautiously.

"Are you okay, Maya?" I queried, mindful of the fragmented glass crunching beneath my shoes.

Without a moment's hesitation, an unexpected question escaped my lips before rational thought could intervene, "Did you push her, Yash?"

"What? No!" Yash responded vehemently, a defense emerging in the urgency of the accusation.

"No, I slipped," Maya asserted, rising with my assistance, her explanation hanging in the charged air of the room. "I am fine."

Yash's voice thundered through the room, each word an accusation, "Tell the truth, Maya! Why are you lying!"

Maya, defiant but composed, responded, "I told you the truth, Yash. You need to believe me, Tara."

Yash, fueled by frustration, took a menacing step toward her, but a sudden pause and a deep inhalation interrupted his approach. His expression transformed, a flicker of remembrance crossing his face. "Wait a minute," he exclaimed, "I was with Rajveer last night. He can vouch for where I was." Determination etched on his features, Yash swiftly retrieved his phone.

Dialing Rajveer's number, Yash muttered, "You'll hear it from him." The phone pressed against his ear, he turned to Maya, voice tinged with gravity, "Maya, you have no idea what you've unleashed." We stood in tense anticipation as Yash's call rang out, but Rajveer remained silent on the other end. Yash clenched his phone, the tension palpable, as if the very device he held might detonate.

Yash's frustration deepened as he muttered, "Rajveer's not picking up." Turning to me, Yash revealed a part of his past that cast shadows on the present, "You know, Maya and I used to date back in school. But she cheated on me with another guy."

Shock and confusion etched across my face, I asked, "Is this true, Maya?"

It clicked in my mind – Rajveer had mentioned a girl from Yash's school days who broke his heart. Could that girl be Maya?

Yash, a mix of anguish and disbelief in his eyes, confronted Maya, "Why are you doing this, Maya? I finally found happiness after all these years."

Maya, her facade beginning to crack, struggled to respond as the weight of her actions hung in the air.

Yash's phone rang, and he swiftly answered it in a single ring—it was Rajveer. "Took you long enough," Yash grumbled, his impatience evident. Cutting to the chase, he interrogated Rajveer about his whereabouts last night. Without waiting for a complete response, Yash put the phone on speaker.

"Why?" Rajveer inquired.

"Just answer the question," Yash demanded. Rajveer hesitated for a moment before stating, "You were with me the whole day yesterday." Yash pressed further, "And at night?"

"With me," Rajveer replied. I interjected, questioning Rajveer's whereabouts with Tara. Before Rajveer could answer, Yash abruptly ended the call. "See, Tara, I told you the truth," I affirmed to Yash.

"Why did you do this?" Yash confronted Maya. Defiantly, she retorted, "I was told to," and stormed out of the room, leaving a lingering tension behind.

Yash's eyes met mine, sincerity etched in his gaze. "Tara, I could never cheat on you," he confessed, his words carrying the weight of honesty.

I searched his eyes for any trace of deception and, finding none, responded softly, "I believe you, Yash."

A palpable sigh of relief escaped him as he pulled me into a reassuring embrace.

"You would never do that." I say strocking yash on the back. We break hug when the door opens amd we see Rajveer standing there, concern on his face.

"Are you allright?" Rajveer questions as he makes his way towards us.

"We are fine," yash says but rajveer pays no attention to him. Instead his focus is on me. "We are fine" when i say thats when he averts his eyes from me.

As Rajveer finally arrived, I couldn't help but question him about his tardiness. "Where were you, and why are you so late?" I asked with a hint of irritation.

Rajveer offered a sheepish smile, "I'm sorry, Tara. Got caught up in some work."

His apology was accompanied by a sincere compliment, "You look beautiful, Tara," he said, his gaze sweeping from top to bottom, admiration written all over his face.

Suddenly, from behind, Yash cleared his throat. Riya, entering the room, seized the opportunity to add a touch of drama. "Who is she?" she exclaimed, referring to Maya.

Yash swiftly answered, dismissing her with a nonchalant tone, "No one important."

Taking charge, Yash grabbed my wrist and started pulling me back towards the stage. I exchanged a glance with Riya, mouthing that I would fill her in later, and she nodded in understanding.

Back on the stage, we seamlessly resumed the charade of the to-be bride and groom, putting on fake smiles and playing our roles as if the peculiar occurrences behind closed doors had never transpired.