Broken Strings

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - O N E

"Why do you look so sad today?" He said.

"Maybe it's because we all fall in love too easily and get heartbroken too easily. Or maybe it's because some people don't get love at all even when they deserve love the most."

- jwfeelings

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Anisha didn't say a single word. She simply stood and stared at Andrew, realization slowly setting in. The quiet silence that followed was heartbreaking. But nothing hurt more than the question he had just asked.

The cup of tea slipped from her hands and fell to the floor. The shattering of the cup was the same as her broken heart.

She still couldn't understand.

Mira? What was he even trying to ask? About whether or not Mira was his?

Here, she had thought he couldn't possibly hurt her anymore.

But again, he proved otherwise.

He always proved otherwise.

A dry, pathetic laugh escaped her lips.

She didn't even know what to say. She watched as guilt and anger highlighted his face.

Maybe their relationship was never meant to be. Andrew, her husband, the man she had been wed to for seventeen fucking years, didn't have the smallest bit of trust in her.

Never. Not a single bit.

He didn't trust her when it came to his sister. And apparently, now he didn't even trust her when it came to his daughter.

Anisha gripped onto the counter, holding on for dear life. She tried to control her anger. She had been mistreated her entire life.

Being accused, she was used to. Being lied to, she was used to it. Being used, she was all fucking used to it.

It was nothing new.

But her daughter. No. she wouldn't let anyone treat her daughter like that.

She took a small step towards Andrew, waiting for him to clarify. She wanted him to clarify.

Maybe it was the pills. Maybe she was hearing things. That was why needed him to clarify.

"How dare you?" Her voice was low. And Andrew couldn't help but flinch from the coldness in it.

The minute the question had left his lips, he had regretted it.

It sounded so fucking stupid. He didn't mean to accuse her. He really didn't.

"I...I just." He just didn't know.

And whether or not Andrew would admit it, his naivety was his biggest weakness. He acted too quickly, always. He took things too directly, always.

Before Anisha knew it, she stood directly in front of Andrew. She was a few inches shorter than him; her eyes level with his jaw.

Her eyes slowly fell on the fading mark on his neck. A love mark. On her husband's neck. And she wasn't the one who had left it there.

Everything, right there and then, faded away for Anisha. It all came crashing down. All of it.

"Anisha Hayes, it has a nice ring to it. Doesn't it?"

"Um, I...I...wwas wondering if you would like to go out. Like on a date, with me. Only if you want. I mean there's the cafe downtown."

"I want this. I want us, Anisha. I want me and you."