Roohi was consumed by feelings of guilt and remorse as she sat on the balcony with Siddharth. She couldn't shake off the image of Shruti's embarrassed face, and the knowledge that her actions had caused harm to someone innocent.
Siddharth noticed the change in Roohi's demeanor and asked with concern, "What happened? You're suddenly looking down." Roohi tried to brush it off, stammering, "Huh? Uh... nothing."
But Siddharth was not convinced. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you get into trouble again?" Roohi remained silent, unable to meet his gaze.
Siddharth's expression turned stern, and he asked again, "Come on, tell me. I know you did something again." Roohi knew she couldn't keep it a secret anymore. She took a deep breath and confessed, "Actually, bhaiya..."
Roohi told Siddharth everything - about the letters she had written, pretending to be him, and how she had been corresponding with Shruti. Siddharth's expression changed from concern to shock as he listened to Roohi's confession.
He thought back to his meeting with Shruti at the sports festival and felt a pang of regret. He realized that Shruti must have felt humiliated and embarrassed by his behavior, and he couldn't blame her.
"What did you do, Roohi?" Siddharth asked, his voice tinged with disappointment. "You shouldn't have done that to Miss Singh. She must be feeling very upset."
Roohi looked down, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, bhaiya. I didn't know it would end up like this."
Siddharth's expression softened, and he put a hand on Roohi's shoulder. "We must apologize to Miss Singh," he said. He called a servant and dictated a letter to Shruti, apologizing for the misunderstanding and explaining what had happened. He also invited her to dinner at the Rai palace, hoping to make amends.
As the servant took the letter to be delivered, Siddharth turned to Roohi and said, "Let's hope Miss Singh can forgive us and give us a chance to make things right."
The next day, at the Singh palace, Shruti had just finished her bath and was sitting in front of her dressing mirror, wrapped in a plush towel. She was gently patting her hair dry when she heard a soft knock on the door.
She saw the maid's reflection in the mirror and said, "Come in." The maid entered the room, holding a letter on a silver tray. "This letter is for you, miss," she said, placing the tray on the dresser.
Shruti's eyes narrowed as she saw the seal of the Rai estate on the envelope. Her anger and hurt from the previous day's encounter with Siddharth came flooding back. "The audacity to send this letter to me after denying knowing me," she muttered to herself. "You are really something, Mr. Rai."
She ignored the letter and got dressed, her movements swift and agitated. As she made her way downstairs to the breakfast table, she couldn't shake off the feeling of annoyance.
At the breakfast table, her father was engaged in a heated discussion with her mother about some business matters. Shruti tried to focus on her breakfast, but her ears perked up when she heard the surname "Rai" mentioned.
She tried to listen in on the conversation without appearing too interested, all the while pretending to focus on her plate. Her mother's surprised tone caught her attention. "Did they really?" she asked.
Her father's response was laced with displeasure and fury. "Yes, not only did they reject our offer, but they also said they don't want to be associated with us. Can you believe it?"
Shruti's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "What happened, Dad?" Her father explained that King Rai had refused to sign a deal with them, citing that they didn't want to be associated with the Singh family.
Shruti's thoughts turned bitter as she thought about the Rai family. "Guess the whole family is arrogant and egoistic," she thought to herself, her mind still reeling from the encounter with Siddharth.
Shruti tried to keep herself occupied throughout the day, engaging in various activities such as painting, reading, and attending to her work. However, her mind kept wandering back to the letter that Siddharth had sent her. Despite her initial reluctance to read it, she found herself curious about its contents.
As the night drew in, Shruti attempted to sleep, but her frustration grew as she couldn't shake off the thoughts of the letter. Finally, she threw off her covers and got out of bed, deciding to read the letter once and for all.
As she opened the envelope and began to read, Shruti's expression changed from one of skepticism to surprise. The letter explained that Siddharth's little sister, Roohi, had been the one responsible for writing the letters, pretending to be Siddharth. Shruti realized that she had misjudged him entirely, and that he was not the arrogant and egoistic person she had thought him to be.
Feeling a sense of regret for her earlier behavior, Shruti decided to accept Siddharth's invitation to dinner. However, she requested that the venue be changed, citing her embarrassment at attending the Rai palace. In reality, her concern was the ongoing conflict between their fathers, and she didn't want to exacerbate the situation.
"I wonder if Siddharth knows about the deal refusal," she murmured to herself, pondering the complexities of their families' relationships.
Shruti wrote a letter accepting the invitation and sent it the next morning. To her surprise, she received a reply by nightfall. "That was fast," she thought, chuckling to herself. "Guess they really are feeling guilty for causing me trouble."
The reply stated that a car would be sent to pick her up at 7 pm on Sunday evening. Shruti smiled to herself, feeling a sense of anticipation and curiosity about the upcoming dinner.
On Sunday, Shruti was busy getting ready for dinner, her excitement and curiosity growing with each passing minute. She slipped into a stunning red dress, the color accentuating her beauty and elegance. As she admired herself in the mirror, a maid knocked on the door, announcing that her pickup had arrived.
Shruti made her way downstairs to the main door, where she was greeted by a driver holding a bouquet of flowers. The arrangement consisted of red and white roses, which Shruti knew symbolized "sorry". The driver handed her the bouquet, bowing respectfully. "Mr. Rai sent these for you," he said.
Attached to the bouquet was a small note with a single word written on it: "Sorry". Shruti's heart swelled with emotion at the thoughtful gesture. She smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Siddharth, and sat down in the car.
As she arrived at her destination, Shruti was taken aback by the grandeur of the restaurant. The building was lavish and huge, with a beautifully designed façade. She stepped out of the car and walked towards the entrance, where she was welcomed by the servants.
"We were waiting for you, miss," one of the servants said, escorting her to a table. As she approached, Shruti saw a young girl sitting in a floral dress, chatting animatedly with a man. The girl's bright smile and infectious laughter immediately made Shruti think, "Must be Roohi".
The man sitting beside Roohi caught Shruti's attention, and her heart skipped a beat. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and a suit, his deep blue eyes fixed intently on Roohi as she spoke. His face lit up with a warm smile, and Shruti couldn't help but think, "How can he be so handsome?"
Siddharth noticed Shruti's arrival and immediately stood up, his face breaking into a wide smile. "Oh, Miss Singh," he said, his voice warm and welcoming. Shruti snapped back to reality, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks. She smiled, nodding graciously. "Good evening, Mr. Rai."
Siddharth walked over to Shruti, escorting her to the table. As she sat down, Shruti couldn't help but steal glances at Siddharth, feeling a sense of excitement and nervousness about the evening ahead.
"Thank you so much for accepting our invitation, Miss Singh," Siddharth said, his eyes warm with sincerity. "We really wanted to make it up to you." He nodded, his expression apologetic.
Siddharth then nudged Roohi, encouraging her to apologize. Roohi looked up at Shruti with big, round eyes, her face scrunched up in a remorseful expression. "Uh... I'm really sorry, Miss Singh, for causing you so much trouble," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Shruti's expression softened, and she smiled playfully at Roohi. "You really are a troublemaker, aren't you?" she teased.
Roohi's eyes widened in denial, and she waved her hands frantically. "No, no! I'm usually very sincere," she protested.
Shruti raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching with amusement. "Really?" she asked, her tone skeptical.
The tension was broken, and they all burst out laughing. Roohi's face lit up with a bright smile, and she exclaimed, "But I'm really a fan of your paintings, Miss Singh!" She added, "The first letter I wrote was real, I swear!"
Shruti's laughter subsided, and she looked at Roohi with surprise. "Really? You wrote to me about my art?" she asked, her interest piqued.
Roohi nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with excitement. "Yes, I did! I loved your painting, 'The Sunset'. It's so beautiful!"
They talked th whole time about random things and as the dinner drew to a close, Roohi excused herself to visit the restroom, leaving Shruti and Siddharth alone at the table. The atmosphere was relaxed, with the soft glow of the candles and the gentle hum of conversation in the background.
Siddharth turned to Shruti, his expression sincere. "I'm sorry again for my behavior at the sports festival. I really didn't know you back then," he said, his voice filled with regret.
Shruti's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I'm afraid I can't accept your apology, Mr. Rai," she said, crossing her arms across her chest.
Siddharth's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Shruti's smile grew wider. "We did meet before the sports festival," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.
Siddharth's expression changed from confusion to surprise.
"Remember the art exhibition?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
Suddenly, the memory came flooding back to Siddharth. "Oh, now I remember! We met at the art exhibition," he exclaimed, his face lighting up with recognition.
Shruti nodded, her smile still playing on her lips.
"I'm sorry, Miss Singh. I was so busy that day, that I forgot about our meeting," Siddharth said, his voice filled with regret.
Shruti's expression turned thoughtful, and she leaned forward, her hand resting on the table. "But I don't understand one thing," she said, her voice filled with curiosity.
Siddharth's eyes met hers, his expression attentive. "What is it?" he asked.
Shruti's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Why did you come to the exhibition when you're not into arts?" she asked, her voice teasing.
Siddharth's face broke into a warm smile. "Roohi is fond of paintings. She always attends such exhibitions, but that day she was sick. Father told her that she couldn't go alone in that condition, so I accompanied her," he explained.
Shruti's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, so Roohi was there too?" she asked.
Siddharth nodded, his smile still playing on his lips.
"If she had seen me that day, then all of this wouldn't have happened," Shruti said, her voice filled with amusement.
Siddharth's expression turned thoughtful, and he said, "But I'm glad all of this happened."
Shruti's eyes met his, her expression curious. "Excuse me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Siddharth's smile grew wider, and he said, "Oh, I mean that's why I got the opportunity to share a dinner with you."
Shruti's heart skipped a beat as she met Siddharth's gaze. His eyes seemed to hold a deeper meaning, and she felt a flutter in her chest. "I... uh..." she stuttered, struggling to respond.
Just as she was figuring what to say, Roohi returned to the table, breaking the spell that had been cast between them. Shruti sighed in relief, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Roohi for interrupting the awkward moment.
