You are mine only

6. Aren't you married?

However, when Ranjana called out his name, he halted in his tracks. He took a deep breath and turned back to face her, a smile forming on his lips upon hearing his name in Ranjana's sweet voice after all those years. But Ranjana felt a tinge of sadness in his response, as he addressed her.

“Yes, Mrs Ranjana.”

"Don't call me Mrs. Ranjana," she said sadly, her voice filled with longing and pain.

"Aren't you married?" Virat responded, his smile tinged with sarcasm. The coldness in his words brought tears to Ranjana's eyes, and she couldn't help but feel the ache in her heart.

Virat took a couple of steps towards her upon seeing her tears, his hand instinctively reaching out to wipe them away. However, he hesitated, realizing that he had no right to touch Ranjana. He withdrew his hand and placed it back in his pocket.

"Perhaps you don't remember, but I can't stand to see you cry," he said, his tone serious and sincere.

They locked eyes for a few moments, the weight of their shared history lingering between them. Ranjana took a deep breath, wiping away her tears, trying to regain her composure.

"Is there... someone in your life?" Ranjana asked boldly, her voice filled with hope and uncertainty.

"Yes, there is someone. She is in my life, in my heart. I love her, and I always will," Virat replied, his face expressionless and distant. With those words, he turned and walked away, leaving Ranjana with a shattered heart.

Tears welled up in Ranjana's eyes as she failed to see the love he still held for her. Her tears flowed uncontrollably, her heartache growing unbearable with each passing moment.

"Jay, let's go home," Virat said as he slumped into a seat with his eyes closed. The image of Ranjana's flushed face lingered in his mind, intensifying the pain in his heart.

Upon reaching home, Virat went straight to the darkroom and opened a bottle of wine, drowning his sorrows. Jay, witnessing his behavior, immediately reached out to Manish, who was at work, seeking his help.

At night…

Entering the darkroom, Manish switched on the light, revealing a scene of chaos. Broken wine bottles and scattered cigarette butts littered the floor, amidst which Virat lay unconscious, surrounded by shards of glass. The overpowering scent of tobacco and alcohol filled the room.

Manish signaled for Jay to join him and together they carefully lifted Virat, carrying him to his bedroom and gently placing him on the bed. Manish sat beside Virat, keeping a watchful eye on him. Soon, the doctor arrived and attended to Virat, removing the pieces of glass that had embedded into his hand. Once the treatment was complete, the doctor departed, leaving Manish and Jay with their troubled thoughts.

Manish covered Virat with a blanket, ensuring his comfort, and then stepped out of the room accompanied by Assistant Jay.

"Where does she live?" Manish asked Jay.

“...”

…

Manish and Jay arrived at Ranjana's apartment and rang the doorbell. Ranjana quickly opened the door and was taken aback when she saw Manish standing there. There was a sense of familiarity about him that struck her momentarily.

"Manish..." she spoke immediately.

"Can you come in?" Manish asked promptly.

"Yes... please," Ranjana replied.

Manish nodded and glanced around the apartment, noticing the simple decoration in Ranjana's living space. He took a deep breath before continuing the conversation.

"Nice to see you here. How did you know I live here?" Ranjana asked with a gentle smile.

"I have returned from France to meet Virat," Manish replied slowly.

Did Virat inform Manish about her address?

"But how did he know?" Ranjana asked with surprise.

"Virat has become the most powerful businessman now, Ranjana. Knowing anything is a piece of cake for him. In just a month, you must have realized that nothing in the world is impossible for Virat," Manish explained. Ranjana nodded, a mixture of understanding and disbelief on her face.

"Ranjana, where is your husband?" Manish asked, causing Ranjana to immediately look at him.

"We are good friends. I can't leave without meeting him," Manish added, observing the expression on Ranjana's face. Ranjana hesitated for a moment before responding.

"Virat knew everything about me, so shouldn't you know that I'm not married?"

Manish looked at her with surprise, realizing his mistake.

Manish vividly remembered how Ranjana's father had tried to force her into a marriage with another businessman. He had insulted both Virat and Manish, warning them to stay away from Ranjana. Despite Virat's disbelief, he had made numerous attempts to contact Ranjana but failed to reach her. After his unsuccessful attempts, Virat had left the city, assuming that Ranjana had indeed married as per her father's wishes. However, he couldn't erase his feelings for Ranjana, even after all these years.

As Ranjana smiled, seeing Manish lost in his thoughts, she spoke, "I spent eight years searching for Virat, and when we finally met... I realized that someone else has taken the place in his heart where I once belonged." Hearing Ranjana's sarcastic remark, Manish stared at her in surprise.

"Someone else?" Manish asked, furrowing his brow. Ranjana nodded and confirmed that there was indeed someone else in Virat's life.

"Manish, I can't bring myself to believe that Virat has truly forgotten me. My heart refuses to accept that he could love anyone other than me," Ranjana said, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Manish looked at Ranjana, determined, and replied, "To find the answers to all your questions, there's only one way. Come with me." He stood up, urging Ranjana to join him.

After an hour of driving, the car entered through a large gate. Ranjana observed the surroundings outside the car window with curiosity. Whose bungalow could this be? The car came to a stop in front of a white building nestled amidst lush greenery, and Manish and Ranjana stepped out of the car.

"Manish, where are we?" Ranjana asked, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Follow me," Manish replied.