But for me…
It would never be just a door again.
That night, as Anushka slept beside me, her hand resting lightly over mine, I stayed awake a little longer.
Thinking.
Reflecting.
Understanding.
And I made myself a promise.
A simple one.
But one I knew I had to keep.
No matter what I see…
No matter how things look…
I will always choose trust first.
Because love… deserves patience before judgment.
That night, I didn’t sleep.
Not really.
Anushka lay beside me, her breathing slow and uneven, her hand still resting lightly over mine as if she needed that small connection to feel safe. Every now and then, she shifted slightly, her body still weak from the fever.
But my eyes stayed open.
Staring at the ceiling.
Thinking.
Replaying everything.
The bathroom.
The door.
Raju’s face.
My thoughts.
That moment.
It kept looping in my head like a scene I couldn’t escape.
And no matter how many times I tried to justify it, something inside me refused to settle.
Because the truth was simple—and uncomfortable.
I hadn’t trusted her.
Not even for a second.
The next morning, sunlight slipped quietly through the curtains, painting soft golden lines across the room.
Anushka was still asleep.
Her face looked calmer now, but there was still a faint tiredness beneath her eyes. I gently moved my hand away, careful not to wake her, and stepped out of the bedroom.
The apartment felt unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
I walked into the kitchen, poured myself a glass of water, and leaned against the counter.
That’s when I noticed it.
Her phone.
Lying there.
On the table.
A small detail.
But something about it made me pause.
She said she couldn’t call me because it was in the bedroom.
But last night… I had found it here.
In the kitchen.
A subtle uneasiness crept back into my chest.
Maybe she moved it earlier.
Maybe I was overthinking again.
I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair.
“Stop it,” I muttered to myself. “Don’t do this again.”
And yet…
The thought stayed.
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