17-06-2026, 12:17 PM
Chapter 50 : Nikitha stuck between two Challenges
“Do you still have feelings for your husband?”
The question was left hanging in the air.
What Nikitha had wanted was to test Tharun. He had indeed passed — beautifully. But Tharun’s question suddenly put her on the spot. She sensed, in that moment, that she was failing her own unspoken test. Tharun hadn’t tested her; he had simply asked for an honest answer. The question reflected his seriousness toward her.
For a moment, Nikitha questioned herself. But the silence kept dragging on.
Looking at her quiet for almost a full minute, Tharun asked gently, “Don’t think too much. Just tell me… do you still have feelings for him?”
Nikitha looked down at the table, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I… don’t know.”
Tharun studied her for a long moment. He realized something deeper was at play — something beyond simple attraction or rebellion.
He stretched his hand across the desk, his palm gently covering hers.
It wasn’t romantic or lustful. It was warm, steady, and reassuring.
“Open up, dear,” he said softly. “I’ll listen. I’ll console you. I’ll stand by you.”
She didn’t pull away. She let his hand stay.
After a brief, heavy silence, Tharun spoke again.
“Looks like you loved him too much.”
Nikitha’s eyes met his. Those words hit her like a echo of Jay’s challenge — “I will prove you love me more than I do.” Tharun was saying almost the same thing without knowing the full story.
She was in denial.
“I don’t believe that anymore,” she said plainly. “My husband used to tell me that.”
Tharun shook his head gently. “It’s not bad to admit you loved someone truly. I did the same for Mithra. After a point, what matters is whether that love is reciprocated. Let me be frank — I don’t want to manipulate your mind to choose me. I don’t want to cause hindrance in an ongoing relationship. Let’s just begin a bond that we both find missing with our partners. When you yourself come out of whatever you’re stuck in… remember I was here. Choose me.”
Nikitha looked at him, searching his face.
“So you are serious about me.”
Tharun nodded. “Yes.”
Tharun: He asked softly, “What stops you from explaining things to your husband?
“Do you fear him?”
She smiled faintly. “Fear? Not at all. He is my best friend.”
Tharun looked surprised. “What? That’s… strange.”
Nikitha sighed. “That’s the issue. I cannot hate him… but I cannot love him either after everything that happened. We did spoke, Even if you had not came in my life i think i still would have said him, may be a later stage.”
Tharun: What did he said?
Nikitha: its complicated, I fear hurting him.. after all he is the man who stood for me at my worst time.
Tharun asked carefully, “Can you share your story? You haven’t even told me your husband’s name… or what he does? Im just trying to understand you, the issue with your husband.”
Nikitha shook her head. “I’m not ready to share that yet. When the time comes, I will.
Tharun ,I’m not lying. I’m just hiding it for some time.”
Tharun nodded, understanding. “How long will you stay in this phase? Sometimes you need to take a solid decision.”
Nikitha said, “Maybe five months.”
Tharun looked stunned. “Five months? Why that long?”
Nikitha gave a small, tired smile. “My husband had a challenge with me… that he will prove his love and bring out my love for him. If nothing happens, we walk our separate paths.”
Tharun was silent for a moment, then a determined look crossed his face.
“So I have a real opening.”
Nikitha smiled faintly. “Maybe…” but “All depends on what he does. He is a madman. He gets angry so soon. I know his softer side that no one see, he would be broken for sure. I could not see him suffer. As i said earlier, He was the one soul who stood with me at the right time. I need to give my entire life for him… but I also wanted some love too.”
Tharun tightened his hand gently over hers — an assurance, not possession.
“Don’t worry. We will cross this. I won’t question you or push you for your side story. You will tell me yourself one day. I will wait for that day.”
But, I'm intrigued.
Don’t think only your husband can challenge. Even I can. Before those five months end, I will win you. I will make you choose me over him. You may love him big, he might have loved you even better… but I will do more than him. Trust me. I will make you choose me before the five months are over.
He gave her hand one last gentle squeeze, then smiled.
“Let’s have a coffee outside — a small shop. Then I’ll drop you a street before your house. No neighbor would question you.”
Nikitha looked at him. For a split second, she realized she had once again put both men in the same arena.
Both had challenges now.
One was challenging to make her fall in love again.
The other was challenging to bring out the love she already had.
And she was caught in the middle.
“Do you still have feelings for your husband?”
The question was left hanging in the air.
What Nikitha had wanted was to test Tharun. He had indeed passed — beautifully. But Tharun’s question suddenly put her on the spot. She sensed, in that moment, that she was failing her own unspoken test. Tharun hadn’t tested her; he had simply asked for an honest answer. The question reflected his seriousness toward her.
For a moment, Nikitha questioned herself. But the silence kept dragging on.
Looking at her quiet for almost a full minute, Tharun asked gently, “Don’t think too much. Just tell me… do you still have feelings for him?”
Nikitha looked down at the table, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I… don’t know.”
Tharun studied her for a long moment. He realized something deeper was at play — something beyond simple attraction or rebellion.
He stretched his hand across the desk, his palm gently covering hers.
It wasn’t romantic or lustful. It was warm, steady, and reassuring.
“Open up, dear,” he said softly. “I’ll listen. I’ll console you. I’ll stand by you.”
She didn’t pull away. She let his hand stay.
After a brief, heavy silence, Tharun spoke again.
“Looks like you loved him too much.”
Nikitha’s eyes met his. Those words hit her like a echo of Jay’s challenge — “I will prove you love me more than I do.” Tharun was saying almost the same thing without knowing the full story.
She was in denial.
“I don’t believe that anymore,” she said plainly. “My husband used to tell me that.”
Tharun shook his head gently. “It’s not bad to admit you loved someone truly. I did the same for Mithra. After a point, what matters is whether that love is reciprocated. Let me be frank — I don’t want to manipulate your mind to choose me. I don’t want to cause hindrance in an ongoing relationship. Let’s just begin a bond that we both find missing with our partners. When you yourself come out of whatever you’re stuck in… remember I was here. Choose me.”
Nikitha looked at him, searching his face.
“So you are serious about me.”
Tharun nodded. “Yes.”
Tharun: He asked softly, “What stops you from explaining things to your husband?
“Do you fear him?”
She smiled faintly. “Fear? Not at all. He is my best friend.”
Tharun looked surprised. “What? That’s… strange.”
Nikitha sighed. “That’s the issue. I cannot hate him… but I cannot love him either after everything that happened. We did spoke, Even if you had not came in my life i think i still would have said him, may be a later stage.”
Tharun: What did he said?
Nikitha: its complicated, I fear hurting him.. after all he is the man who stood for me at my worst time.
Tharun asked carefully, “Can you share your story? You haven’t even told me your husband’s name… or what he does? Im just trying to understand you, the issue with your husband.”
Nikitha shook her head. “I’m not ready to share that yet. When the time comes, I will.
Tharun ,I’m not lying. I’m just hiding it for some time.”
Tharun nodded, understanding. “How long will you stay in this phase? Sometimes you need to take a solid decision.”
Nikitha said, “Maybe five months.”
Tharun looked stunned. “Five months? Why that long?”
Nikitha gave a small, tired smile. “My husband had a challenge with me… that he will prove his love and bring out my love for him. If nothing happens, we walk our separate paths.”
Tharun was silent for a moment, then a determined look crossed his face.
“So I have a real opening.”
Nikitha smiled faintly. “Maybe…” but “All depends on what he does. He is a madman. He gets angry so soon. I know his softer side that no one see, he would be broken for sure. I could not see him suffer. As i said earlier, He was the one soul who stood with me at the right time. I need to give my entire life for him… but I also wanted some love too.”
Tharun tightened his hand gently over hers — an assurance, not possession.
“Don’t worry. We will cross this. I won’t question you or push you for your side story. You will tell me yourself one day. I will wait for that day.”
But, I'm intrigued.
Don’t think only your husband can challenge. Even I can. Before those five months end, I will win you. I will make you choose me over him. You may love him big, he might have loved you even better… but I will do more than him. Trust me. I will make you choose me before the five months are over.
He gave her hand one last gentle squeeze, then smiled.
“Let’s have a coffee outside — a small shop. Then I’ll drop you a street before your house. No neighbor would question you.”
Nikitha looked at him. For a split second, she realized she had once again put both men in the same arena.
Both had challenges now.
One was challenging to make her fall in love again.
The other was challenging to bring out the love she already had.
And she was caught in the middle.
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