To regret something is to wish it had never happened. Regret is often called a useless emotion, because you can only regret what has already taken place. It's too late to change things, so all that's left to do is regret. And sometimes, you can't change things when it's ruined beyond repair.

After 3 years,

Raavi took Shiva's photograph and lightly caressed it. She smiled and remembered their moments, memories about her Kaddu Bhootnath, her Shiva. Her eyes twinkled and lips curved into a thin smile recalling how he used to care for her, how he used to irritate and pamper her. Smiling, she uttered: Bhootnath kahika.

Suddenly, she was welcomed by a tight slap of the harsh reality about how she single handedly destroyed her fairytale life, her happily married life and her relationship. Her mind flashed with the past events, about the days, where she left no stone unturned to humiliate Shiva, when he was only caring and supportive towards her, when he only wanted to help her and love her but she brutally refused him and trusted someone else. Once, she also regretted her decision of loving him. Now, she cursed herself for even having that thought. But it's too late now.

She regretted everything, she regretted her hurtful words towards the person who was her only support system. She couldn't understand her own husband, the person whom she claimed to love, she couldn't understand his emotions and his grief. She felt someone pierced her heart. After that incident, she understood what blunders she had done, how she mistreated an innocent soul who only selflessly loved and protected her. She was sobbing badly, she regretted her every move, if only she would have looked at everything from both sides and understood his point of view, then things would have been different. But it's too late now. She still remembers that day which changed her life forever.

Flashback,

Before 3 years,

After that dreadful night, ( Shiva's emotional outburst)

Few days later,

Shiva had returned to Somnath for his exams. His family members supported Raavi and tried to convince Shiva to let it go as it's "normal'' in marriage. Initially, he didn't say anything as he was busy with his studies.

During those days, he only paid his attention towards his studies, focusing his mind on his subjects by excluding every other unrelated thought, ideas, feelings, and sensations, even his usual family drama or so called "kaands". He completely isolated himself from his family members. His family members were a little confused though, also they were suffering without him too, I mean it's not that they were missing him terribly, but after Shiva left for Delhi, their workload in store and also other essential matters increased. So...

Raavi tried to pacify him but he didn't give any reaction. Being irritated and annoyed by his ignorance, in anger, she had sometimes unintentionally uttered some words which made the situation worse. After those incidents, Shiva completely isolated himself from Raavi too.

At Shiva's room,

His feelings, his love, his care, his almost losing his life to save her , him to be her constant support during her crucial days, him standing up for her against his family, his emotions, his inner turmoils were mostly shrugged and ignored. The constant blaming, guilt tripping, false accusations, frequent insults were intolerable now. A sense of disappointment, anguish, pain, devastation and misery engulfed him. The girl who he loved unconditionally regrets loving him, insults and misunderstands and blames him for things which he has not even done. He held no importance in her life. Shiva took a deep breath and moved towards his cupboard.

Raavi entered.

Raavi: Dekh, bahut ho gaya hai, main samajhta hoon ki ek misunderstanding ho gayi hai. Sorry. Mujhe kanwar yatra wala kaand pata nahi tha aur tune bhi pehle kuch bataya bhi nahi. Chal na ye sab bhul jaate hai, firse sab pehle jaise karlete hai.

Shiva: Pehle jaise kuch nahi ho sakta. Mujse aur nahi hoga.

Raavi: Ye tu kya bol raha hai! Nahi hoga matlab! Aise ek rishta kaise chal sakta hai.

Shiva: Rishta! Kaun sa rishta, sach to ye hai, humare bich aur kuch bacha hi nahi hai. Jo rishta mein bharosa nahi hai, hamdardi nahi hai, izzat nahi hai, sirf ladai aur galat fehmi hai, usse zabardasti jod kar kya hoga! Hum dono ne hi pehle galti karte the, par main ye dusri baar shaadi ke baad puri tarike se apni galtiyan sudhar ne ki koshish kiya tha, barabari ka rishta humesha nibhaya bhi tha, tune bhi competition ke time, meri padhai ke time sath diya tha mera, main is baat pe bahut shukar guzar hoon par uske baad hamara rishta phir se badal gaya. Tu to mujhe pyaar karke bhi pachta rahi thi. Jab tu ye baat kuch din pehle akela bol rahi thi, maine sun liya tha. Ab baata, ye sab ke baad bhi kuch ho sakta hai kya?Main bhi ek insaan hoon, aur nahi bardasht ho raha mujse. Jo insaan mujhe samjta hi nahi hai, uske sath main kaise rahunga! Main tut chuka hoon Raavi. Haar chuka hoon. Ye dard se mujhe mukti chahiye.

"Ye tu galat kar raha hai Shiva. Raavi ka itna bhi kya galti thi"

Dhara uttered from behind.

"Ha Shiva, sahi to keh rahi hai Dhara, tu overreact kar raha hai aab" - Gaumbi

Shiva shook his head sadly. Clenching his fist, he slammed his eyes shut for a moment. Then he yelled.

Aa gaye aaplog!. Sahi hai. Aap Logo ko main hi humesha galat dikhta hoon, to kya karoge aab aaplog! Bhabhi, danda laun kya! Marna hai mujhe, chalo maarlo.

Gaumbi, apna chappal nahi utroge kya! Maro mujhe chappal se. Kya hua! Yeh to chal hi raha bahut dinon se. Aap log kehte ho ki aap mere apne ho par aap logon ne kabhi bhi meri feelings nahi samjha, mera sath kabhi nahi diya. Main aaplogo ko bhagwan ke jagah ke de diya tha par aap logo ne har waqt mujhe zaleel kiya. Jab bhi maine apna koi opinion rakha, mujhe harwaqt galat dikhaya. Bahut izzat karta hoon main aaplogo ka par isbar baat meri izzat paar aaya hai, sirf isbar nahi, bahut baar aya hai, par isbar main khud ke baare mein sochunga. Main is ghar ka beta hoon, mera is family mein responsibility hai, aur main bahut khush hoon ki main itni saal tak ye responsibility thik se nibhaya hoon par ek tarfa rishta nahi chalta, mera bhi to kuch umeed ho sakta hai aap logo se! Kya ye galat hai? Mera hissa ka khusi, izzat kyun nahi hai yaahan, bata sakte ho? ( He laughed sarcastically and said) pata hai jawab nahi hoga.

Gaumbi and Dhara had never expected this so they get shocked to see Shiva's outburst.

Due to Shiva's insistence, Shiva and Raavi got mutually divorced. Finally they completed the formalities for their separation and part ways with a sense of renewed hope. Raavi was unhappy but she had no other choice.

After that, he left Somnath, leaving everyone and everything behind for a new hope, a new chapter.

He passed the exam with pretty good marks. After completing his 12th, he focused on his job completely. Even he joined for other private courses to gain knowledge. The constant support and faith of his boss, friends and colleagues excited him to take up greater challenges and risks without the fear of failure or backing. He would take sufficient time for his self care too which he had never done earlier. Life was still difficult for him but he fought against every obstacle and continued the race forward and finally reached the top. He was also hurt with the separation from Raavi but he knew that it was needed. He started focusing on the good things in the current situation, his friends, his job and other things. After divorce, he took one and a half years to completely move on, where in the 1st one year, he took time to work through his feelings about their relationship and letting go; but then, slowly, he started moving on. Obviously he couldn't forget his past , he couldn't forgive his way out of such a profoundly emotional experience. But through self-talk, self- motivation and involvement in other positive activities, he got a new hope, a new taste of life. And after a couple of months later, he came out of it stronger and healthier and finally moved on. He was feeling confident, free and content now.

Flashback ends.

Coming to the present time,

At Raavi's room,

Ruhi came to meet her.

Raavi greeted her and smiled.

Ruhi: Aab kaise hai tu?

Raavi: Tujhe to sab pata hi hai, waise thik hoon.

Ruhi: Shiva se to ghar walo ka bhi baat nahi hota hai abhi. Hai na?

Raavi sighed and said: Suman maa ka ek saal pehle death hone ke baad aur kuch baat nahi hua. Tabhi aya tha wo, bahut toot chuka tha. Baas, wahi aakhri mulaqat hua tha. Gharwalo se bhi uska koi contact nahi hai. Suna hai Bahut jagah pe jaata hai kaam se, bahut successful ho gaya hai. Kuch mahina pehle suna tha ki he is dating someone, shayad khush bhi hai uske sath.

Ruhi: Main teri dard samaj rahi hoon. Aur kuch pata hai Shiva ke baare mein?

Raavi sadly smiled and said: Nahi, Mujhe usse baat kaha hota hai! Waise bhi isse kya hi farak padta hai, agar ye pehle hota to main gussa karti, par abhi sirf guilt aur regret hi bacha hai, Wo akela hai ya kisi aur ke sath hai, ye baat important nahi hai! Kyunki main itna janti hoon ki wo sach mein hi move on kar chuka hai, aapne zindagi mein aage badh chuka hai, ek saal pehle hi jab Shiva ko aakhri baad dekha tha, tab hi ye samaj gayi thi, asal mein dekha jaye to sahi kiya usne. Wo bhi to ek achhi life deserve karta hai. Main bahut lucky thi ki mujhe Shiva jaisa Pati mila tha par main khud hi sab kuch badbaad kar diya. Aab wo jiske sath hai wo bhi bahut lucky e hogi, Shiva jaisa partner milna bahut khush kismaat ki baat hai. Kash agar main teri baat maan leti to aaj uska zindagi ka hissa main bhi baan paati. Pata hai, pehle samaj nahi payi par Shiva ke jaane ki baad maine uska importance samjhi, but bahut der ho gayi. Arnav ka itna achha banna ke piche bhi ek maksat tha, pasand karta tha mujhe, pehle achha to banta tha par uska asli roop baad mein pata chala jab main use mana kar diya tha. Sach mein hi mujhe ek boundary maintain karna chahiye tha, aur ye sirf Arnav ke liye nahi, har koi ladka ya ladki ko kuch professional boundaries maintain karna chahiye, chahe wo insaan acha hi kyun na ho! Main Shiva ke sath bahut galat kiya tha. Actually humare rishte mein dono ne hi galti ki hai, par wo apna galti sudharta tha, maafi mangta tha. Main apni akaar mein aise andhi ho gayi thi ki mujhe apni galti bhi nahi dikhi. ( She was fighting back tears now)

Jo insaan mera itna khayal rakha main use hi taken for granted le liya tha, apna rishta hi badbaad kiya, kaise kiya,

( she cried) Kyun kiya....Kyunnn....

Note: Sometimes moving on from a toxic relationship for one's own sanity is important. Relationships which have no understanding and trust, where one partner regrets for falling in love with her spouse, relationship which becomes destructive and hampers self-esteem should end. Everyone deserves a healthy relationship and moving on from the past is essential. Letting go of the past can be difficult, but it's important for our mental health and if one truly moves on after suffering from an unhealthy relationship, it really creates positive change.

I tried to write a story from a man's point of view in this era, where the mls are always judged, where the fls are sympathized and glorified even after they made big mistakes, where mls are thrashed and punished for both the smallest and biggest offences, where people generally shrug off the ml's feelings and emotions even after they are being treated the worst.

Thank you.

The end