Bade Achhe Lagte Hain | ✓

50. Longing

"You did a good job, man. That jerk needed it," Adi exclaimed.

Neeraj had been arguing with Akki, spouting off nonsense, and it infuriated Ram so much that he did something he had long wanted to—he punched Neeraj in the face.

"What happened, Ram? Where are we going?" Adi puffed.

"To find Priya," Ram said, his voice tight with concern. "Sara Di saw Priya around during the fight. She must be devastated."

"Relax, Ram!" Adi said, trying to calm him. "I know it's hard for Priya to hear all this, but like you told once she won’t remember anything. It's almost evening, and soon she'll fall asleep. Just a night and she will have a clean slate tomorrow."

"Doesn't matter, Adi," Ram said, his voice breaking with emotion. "I dont care if she remembers it or not. I can't let her cry or suffer even if it's just for tonight."

***

Ram hurried down the hallway, his heart aching for Priya. He entered their room and saw her huddled on the floor by the edge of the bed, hugging her knees and stifling her cries. The sight hit him like a physical blow. He closed the door quietly and went to her.

He sank down beside her, his gaze softening as he took in her tear-streaked face. Seeing her so vulnerable and undone, a stark contrast to her usual composed self, twisted something deep inside him. It was a rare and painful glimpse into her true feelings, and it hurt him to see her so broken.

"Mr. Kapoor, are you pretending to be happy with me? I know you would never lie to me... but you're so kind and giving that you hardly complain. Do... do you ever wonder if things could have been different?"

She hesitated to fully articulate her fears, neither he needed her to voice it.

"I'm with you, Priya," he said gently. "Not just because of the vows we took, but because I am genuinely happy with you. I don’t regret anything about being with you."

"Not even the fact that you had to marry me for your sister’s happiness? Or if Akki hadn’t put forth the condition, you might be back with Vedika?" Her voice trembled with pain.

"If you want, I’ll talk to Akshay. Shivina will be as happy as she is now. If Vedika meant to be with you, then I won’t stand in the way," she said, her eyes falling as she tried to hide her tears. "I... I won’t come between you."

Ram's heart ached at her words. He wanted to reach out and hold her, to make everything right, but he struggled to find the right words. He would have confessed his feelings right away if she weren’t intoxicated.

He swallowed hard before saying, "If Vedika was supposed to be my destiny, her marriage wouldn’t have lasted eight years. She would have come back sooner."

Priya looked at him in surprise.

"You know, even if I had met you before, I’m not sure I would have been with you. Bri used to set me up on dates, but nothing worked out. Not because of the women,  but I had promised to keep loving Vedika no matter what, so I never let myself feel anything for anyone else," Ram explained.

Her teary, intoxicated eyes locked onto him.

"I wouldn't have let go of my past unless circumstances made me to. Just like you. It took our love for our family to bring us together," he said.

He placed a hand over hers. "So, if you think that Vedika’s marriage not working out was the universe giving me another chance with her, then maybe her marriage lasting until I met you was the universe saving me for you. Priya, I believe, not Vedika, but you are my destiny."