Chapter 20: The Full Story and The Games Begin

The evening had fallen over Siddapura, the air still and quiet, with only the sounds of chirping crickets and the distant rustling of leaves. Arundhati and Shiv sat side by side on their porch, the tension between them palpable. Arundhati had asked the question, and now she awaited the answer that would reveal the truth she had suspected for so long.

Shiv stared out into the distance, gathering his thoughts, before finally speaking. His voice was steady but tinged with sorrow, as if the weight of the past was too much to bear.

"Ananya," he began, his voice low, "was someone I loved before I moved here. We were inseparable in college. She was my college sweetheart. We made plans together, dreamed of a future... but life took us in different directions. After college, I came here, and she stayed back. We lost touch. I thought I had moved on, but when she showed up here today, it all came rushing back."

Arundhati's heart clenched. She had suspected as much, but hearing him speak so openly about it brought a sting she hadn’t expected. She tried to keep her emotions in check, though her eyes betrayed the hurt she felt.

"Why didn't you tell me about her?" Arundhati asked, her voice tight. She was fighting the urge to cry, to let the anger and disappointment flood out, but she held it in, not wanting to show any weakness.

Shiv sighed deeply, his gaze never meeting hers. "I didn’t want you to feel like you were a replacement. Ananya was a part of my past, and I didn’t want to bring that baggage into our marriage. I thought if I didn’t talk about it, it would be easier for both of us. But now... now that she’s here, I can’t ignore it anymore."

Arundhati remained silent, processing his words. It was clear to her that Shiv had never truly let go of Ananya, and that fact cut deeper than she cared to admit. But she had to accept it. Their marriage had always been complicated, and this new revelation only made it more so.

Before she could speak again, the door creaked open. Ananya stepped into the room, her posture confident, but her expression softer than it had been earlier. She had been standing outside, listening, and now, with the moment of confrontation finally arriving, she was ready to take control of the situation.

"Shiv," Ananya said, her voice smooth but filled with a calm resolve. "I’ve been thinking, and I’ve decided... let’s just forget everything. Let’s not dwell on the past. We can be friends, can’t we? After all, we’ve known each other for so long. We don’t need to complicate things with old feelings."

Shiv turned to look at her, taken aback by her unexpected change in attitude. This wasn’t what he had expected. Wasn’t she the one who had just declared she still had feelings for him? Yet, here she was, suggesting they move on from it.

Ananya’s eyes glinted with something unreadable, and she flashed him a smile—sweet, innocent, but with a knowing look that made Shiv uncomfortable.

"Friends," she repeated, her gaze now shifting to Arundhati. "I understand it’s a little strange for you, but I’m not here to disrupt your life. I just want us all to get along. After all, we’re all adults here, right?"

Arundhati felt the tension in the room rise again. Ananya’s words were too carefully chosen, too calculated. Arundhati could sense that this was not just about being friends—there was something deeper, something that Ananya was scheming, something that didn’t sit right.

Shiv, still processing Ananya’s sudden shift in demeanor, nodded slowly. "I... I suppose we can start with that. I never wanted things to be complicated, but I’m not sure where we go from here."

Ananya stepped forward, her expression softening further as she placed a hand gently on Shiv's shoulder. "We take it one step at a time, Shiv," she said, her voice almost coaxing. "Let’s just be friends. Let’s just leave the past behind us and move forward. We all have to live our lives. Why not make it easier on ourselves?"

Arundhati watched the exchange, her pulse quickening. She had seen the way Ananya had looked at Shiv, the way she had placed her hand on his shoulder, and the way Shiv had not pulled away. There was something more to this than just friendship. Ananya had a plan, and Arundhati wasn’t sure if she was ready to uncover it just yet.

Ananya turned to Arundhati, giving her a small, almost sympathetic smile. "You don’t need to worry, Arundhati. Everything’s fine. I’m not here to cause any trouble. I just want to catch up with Shiv, and I hope you understand that."

Her words, though sweet, were laced with an undercurrent of manipulation. Ananya knew exactly what she was doing—playing the part of the benevolent, understanding ex-lover, making herself appear innocent and harmless, all the while planting seeds of doubt and confusion in Shiv’s mind.

As Ananya turned away, heading for the door, Arundhati couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Ananya was playing a game—one that Arundhati had no idea how to play. But she was determined to find out.

Shiv watched Ananya leave the room, the weight of the conversation hanging between him and Arundhati. He didn’t know what to think. Ananya had just made it clear that she wanted to stay in his life, but how could he balance his past with his present?

Arundhati stood there silently for a moment before speaking, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "You have to decide, Shiv. Whether you want to let her back in or let her go. But you can’t have both."

Shiv felt a pang of guilt as he looked at her, knowing she was right. He couldn’t have both, and he couldn’t keep living in the past. But as the night drew on, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Ananya’s plan had only just begun.

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