Mahesh stared at Supriya, his expression unreadable. He scoffed, masking whatever unfamiliar feeling was creeping into his chest.

"You loved me… or my money?" he asked, his voice laced with bitterness.

Supriya didn’t react. She simply looked at him, her eyes carrying a quiet pain that words couldn’t describe. "If I loved your money, Mahesh, I would have left a long time ago."

Mahesh chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "After a few days, you’ll come back on your own. I know your type—you can’t survive without this house, without my mother’s love… without me."

Supriya’s fingers tightened around her bag. Her heart felt heavy, but she refused to let it break in front of him. She had spent five years waiting for him to see her. Not anymore.

She took a deep breath, forcing a small, sad smile. "If that’s what you believe, then let’s see, Mahesh."

And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving the divorce papers in front of him.

The Days That Followed…

Mahesh expected her to return.

But she didn’t.

At first, he didn’t care. He told himself this was what he wanted. The house was quieter, and he should have felt free.

But then, the emptiness started to sink in.

There was no warm tea waiting for him when he got home. No soft voice asking if he had eaten. His clothes weren’t folded neatly, and his mother’s smile seemed dimmer.

Rajalakshmi noticed it too. One evening, as he sat in his study, staring at nothing, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Mahesh, have you spoken to Supriya?"

He exhaled sharply. "She left, Maa. Just like I said she would."

Rajalakshmi sighed, her voice softer this time. "No, dear… you let her go."

Something inside Mahesh twisted at her words.

That night, for the first time, he sat in silence, staring at the divorce papers. His fingers traced her signature absentmindedly.

He picked up his phone, hesitated, and dialed her number.

It rang.

And rang.

But she didn’t answer.

Mahesh clenched his jaw, tossing the phone aside.

For the first time, it felt like she was truly gone.

____

That night, Mahesh sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the dimly lit room. The silence felt heavier than ever, pressing down on him.

For the first time, his room felt empty.

A strange chill ran through him, making him uneasy. He glanced toward the corner of the room, where the shadows seemed darker than usual. It wasn’t the darkness itself that unsettled him—it was the absence of her.

Then, suddenly, a memory surfaced.

His mother’s voice, filled with concern—"Mahesh, Supriya is scared of the darkness… come home early."

She had called him so many times, asking him to come back before nightfall.

But he had never listened.

He had always brushed it off, thinking it didn’t matter. But now… now he was the one sitting in the darkness, feeling the same fear she must have felt.

Mahesh exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His eyes fell on the empty side of the bed—her side.

She wasn’t here anymore.

She wouldn’t be waiting for him.

His chest tightened. He reached for his phone, hesitating for a second before dialing her number.

The phone rang.

And rang.

But there was no answer.

He gripped the phone tighter, his pulse quickening.

Why wasn’t she answering? Where was she?

For the first time, he felt afraid of losing her completely.