I never thought that such a strange thing will happen in my life at the age of 60. A woman who was always vigilant, abiding by rules, and being attached to her family, husband, and children all her life, suddenly lost her mind one night and… I slept with a strange man.

As soon as I opened my eyes the next morning, the feeling of panic and shock came to me so loud that I thought my heart would stop beating. The man was lying next to me, his hair grey, his face strange, but a shuddered acquaintance.

Last night, at an old friend’s birthday party in Delhi, I drank too much. Since my husband’s passing, my friends often advised me to go out more to feel less lonely. I initially just wanted to go there for a while and have fun, but suddenly the alcohol and music drove me into a vortex of emotions. The man – Rajiv, came to the party quietly and politely. We got along well, and when I left the party, I only remembered a little bit that I had allowed him to take me home.

Everything that happened after that was a blur. I just remembered the sudden handshake, that heartwarming look, and the loneliness that had been buried inside me for years and that had clouded my mind. When I woke up, I found myself in an unknown apartment in Gurgaon, next to an unknown man. My whole body was trembling, scared and I felt that something was wrong.

I desperately searched for my phone, my watch… Then at that very moment, he turned around a little and smiled.

“Good morning… Are you okay?” – his voice was low and low, but as if he had something to hide.

My heart was pounding. Before I could answer, her eyes fell on me, then stopped at a picture placed right at the head of my bed.

The picture took me by surprise – it was Rajiv, along with another man I knew very well: my late husband, Anil.

I was stunned. Why was my husband, who died five years ago, in this picture with Rajiv? What was their relationship? Layers of memories resurfaced, and I remembered that Anil seldom mentioned the friends of his youth. He rarely talked about the past, and I never doubted it. But now, it was clear that they were close – at least enough to have a picture together, in a frame, in the most private place.

I asked emphatically:
“Who… Who are you? Why is my husband’s picture here?”

Rajiv was silent for a moment, then sighed.

“Anil and I… There were classmates, as well as companions. But we’ve been separated for a long time. I didn’t expect to see you again under these circumstances. ”

Those words made me shiver and chill inside. Why has a close friend of my husband’s never come to my decades-old marriage? Why did I know of their existence now, in this ironic situation?

Rajeev looked at me for a long time, then said softly:

“Actually, there’s one more thing… Which I think you should know. Before he died, Anil had handed over something to me. ”

I was stunned. For so many years, I had lived in horrific memories of that grief, always thinking that my husband had passed away suddenly, and didn’t have time to tell him anything. Even then… Was there a secret that was never revealed?

Early in the morning, sunlight was coming in through the curtains in the room, and I suddenly felt suffocated. Last night, my weakness dragged me into an uncertain cycle. But this morning, the truth came out, which made me even more nervous.

Rajiv offered me a cup of hot tea, his eyes still calm, but full of many hidden secrets. She began to narrate: When they were young, she and Anil were so close that they “lived together and died together”. They spent difficult years together, shared dreams, and secrets that no one knew except them.

Then he hesitated, slowly, uttering one word at a time:
“Anil… Before he died, he sent me a letter. In the letter, he told me to find a way to care for you if I had the chance. He knew that one day, you would be very lonely. ”

I had tears in my eyes. It turned out that the man I had spent my whole life with thought of me until his last breath. But why did Rajiv now appear in such a sarcastic manner?

She looked at me, her eyes a little sad:
“I didn’t think there would be anything like tomorrow. But maybe that’s what fate decided. I’ve always been upset about not being able to keep my promises to you. Now, I just want to tell you everything. ”

My heart sank. Part of me was relieved – I discovered that my husband had always been worried about me. But part of it felt trapped in a tangled relationship: I had fallen weakly into the arms of a man who was my husband’s best friend.

The truth was too heavy. I felt grateful, guilty, and anxious at not being able to find a way forward. Everything had happened so suddenly that a question flashed through my mind:

Was it luck… Or is it just a mistake that can’t be corrected?

Part 2 – The Mystery of the Letter

I just sat there, my hands shaking and I held out a cup of hot tea. Rajiv’s eyes seemed to descend into my mind, drawing me to a reality I had never prepared to face.

He sighed, then slowly opened the wooden drawer by the bed. Inside, I found a pale yellow envelope with a very familiar handwriting written on it: Anil Rao – my husband.

“This is the last letter Anil sent me,” Rajeev said in a heavy voice. “I have kept it for the last five years… But I haven’t had the courage to give it to you yet. ”

I took it with trembling hands and opened the envelope. Anil’s words seemed to emerge from the darkness of the past:

“Meera, if you’re reading this, I’m not here anymore.”

I have a truth that I have never told you.

Rajiv was not only my best friend… But also the man who saved my life many times. I will be indebted to Rajiv for the rest of my life. And I know, I’ll never be able to repay that debt.

I’m afraid you’ll be alone one day. So, if possible, let Rajiv be with you instead of me. He understands me, and he will understand you too.

But there’s one more thing… You should know: I didn’t die suddenly, as everyone thought. My illness was diagnosed long ago, and only Rajiv knew. I told her to keep it a secret, because I didn’t want you to be in trouble seeing me getting weaker day by day.

If anything happens, I just hope Rajiv will protect you. Forgive me… So many secrets to leave. ”**

My eyes became blurry, tears were constantly flowing. My heart felt like it was suppressed. For the past five years, I had always thought that Anil would suddenly leave me destitute. But the truth was that he knew, he had prepared, and he had even handed me over to Rajiv – a close friend I never knew.

“He… “Did you know about your illness?” – I whispered.

Rajiv nodded, his voice choked:
“Anil was diagnosed with his cancer very early. That’s what he told me. I once advised Anil to tell you, but he refused. He said, “If you see him getting weaker day by day, you will be in even more pain. So he decided to go quietly… It was as if death had come suddenly. ”

I clutched my chest, it felt like a thousand needles were pricking directly into my heart. A part of me was in pain because I felt betrayed, a part of me was full of love and grief for Anil.

Rajiv looked at me, his eyes full of confusion:

“Meera… There’s one last thing I didn’t say. Wind… He knows I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. And in the letter, she wrote: ‘If Rajiv truly loves you, I hope you can find peace with him. Don’t be alone. ’”

I was speechless, my whole body trembling. The letter was like a double-edged sword – both a consolation and a terrible burden.

I fell into Rajiv’s arms… But now, the truth had come out that maybe it was Anil’s plan.

Unanswered Question

I looked at Rajiv, I felt angry and relieved. My heart sank, half for Anil, half for the man sitting in front of me – my husband’s best friend who had held that letter for five years.

“Rajiv… Is it all… Is it destiny, or just a joke?” I whispered in a trembling voice.

He didn’t answer. He just stared at me for a long time, then took my hand.

In a room full of morning light, I felt as if the world was spinning. The truth was huge, very complex. And I knew, from this moment onward, my life would never be the same again.