PUNARVIVAAH - ARRANGED TO LOVE (L&M #3)

SHOT 18

Vaiga's pov!

As we drove along the desolate road, the car rattled ominously, the engine emitting a series of unsettling noises before finally sputtering to a halt.

Dev ji cursed under his breath, his frustration reaching its peak as he slammed his hands against the steering wheel.

"Great, just great!" Dev ji exclaimed, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he shot a glare at the dashboard. "This is all we need right now."

"What happened to the car?" I asked softly. I just wanted to get away from him. He was making it absolutely clear that he finds me annoying. And having to spend more time with him was unbearable.

"Hmm? The car decided it wanted a rest. So, it just stopped." Dev ji said sarcastically.

"All because of you and your stupid college formalities!" Dev ji said furiously.

I flinched at his harsh words, my heart sinking at the venomous tone in his voice. I had never seen Dev ji this angry before, and it frightened me. Not that I have known him for long. But the past few days I have been living with the Agnihotri family, Dev ji had always looked calm, though detached from everyone. But this anger..

"What did I do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as I met Dev ji's gaze.

"What did you do?" Dev ji scoffed, his anger bubbling dangerously close to the surface. "You ruined my entire day, that's what you did!"

"I didn't mean to cause any trouble for you.." I said softly and heard him scoff.

"Who are you even? Why should I be saddled with the responsibility of your studies?" Dev ji asked and I didn't have an answer for that."

"I am sorry, Dev ji. I didn't want to be a burden on you. I would have come alone, but Anjana Maa insisted." I apologised, because he was absolutely right. Why should he be saddled with the responsibility of my studies?

"Who the hell is Dev ji? This is not the first time you are calling me that!" Dev ji asked, equal parts confused and equal parts furious.

"Your name is Abhay Dev. My Maa used to refer to you as Dev in her journals. Her journals were full of stories about you. I have never seen my Maa. She died giving birth to me. The only connection I had to her was through her journals and I have read them a million times. So, the name Dev stuck.." I said softly and he didn't respond to that.

"Just call me, Abhay.." He said in an offhand manner.

Abhay's pov!

I got out of the car and looked to see if there were any other vehicles coming this way. Very few vehicles passed by, but none of them stopped.

I got back to the car, gritted my teeth in frustration as I dialled the number for a local mechanic, hoping to get some help with the car trouble. The line rang for what felt like an eternity before finally connecting.

"Hello? Yes, this is Abhay Dev Agnihotri. My car broke down on the pocket road near Jyoti Nagar. Can you send someone to fix it?" I demanded, my tone laced with impatience.

There was a pause on the other end of the line before the mechanic responded, his voice strained with urgency.

"I am sorry, sir, but the situation here is chaotic. The riots have spiralled out of control, and it's impossible for us to reach your location. I suggest you find a safe place to wait it out." The mechanic said and hung up.

My frustration boiled over at the mechanic's words, and I slammed the phone shut with a curse. The last thing I needed was to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no way to get back home.

Turning to Vaiga, I couldn't contain the anger that surged within me.

"This is all your fault!" I snapped, my voice harsh and accusatory.

Vaiga flinched at my words, her eyes wide with hurt and confusion.

"I-I didn't mean to..." she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

I scoffed at her feeble attempt to defend herself, my temper flaring even further.

"Of course you didn't mean to. But that doesn't change the fact that you have managed to ruin my day," I spat, the bitterness in my tone palpable.

"And don't even get me started on your ridiculous attachment to Kriti!" The annoyance that had been within me during these past days also bubbled to surface.

"What is wrong with caring for Kriti?" Vaiga retorted, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Who are you to care for her?" I shot back angrily and she flinched.

"She is just a child who needs love and attention. Is there something wrong with that?" Vaiga asked, her voice feeble yet stern.

It amazed me to realise that until now, I have shouted and accused her, but she silently listened to it all. But when it came to Kriti, she was looking ready for a fight.

Does my daughter mean that much to her?

"You wouldn't understand," I muttered, turning away from Vaiga to stare out. "You don't know what it's like to be responsible for someone else's happiness."

"I may not know what it's like to be a parent," Vaiga said softly, her voice filled with sadness. "But I do know what it's like to care for someone, to love them unconditionally, even when they push you away."

For a moment, it felt like she wasn't talking about Kriti. I turned to look at her and sucked in a sharp breath seeing the anguish in her eyes. She was probably thinking of her ex husband. A bout of sympathy hit me and it managed to cool down my anger.

"Listen, I understand you care for Kriti. I also know that you have been through a lot recently and being with Kriti makes you happy. But I cannot ignore what happens in the long run." I said and she looked at me in confusion.

"Kriti is getting very much attached to you. Have you thought about her condition once you leave? You know the pain of losing someone you love, don't you Vaiga? Do you want Kriti to go through the same?" I asked and heard her sucking in a sharp breath.

"I didn't think-" She trailed off softly, a tear rolling down her cheek and I felt guilty for lashing out of her.

"I know you didn't. But now you can. You have three weeks ahead of you. You can use your studies as an excuse to stay away from Kriti. She is a baby now. She will forget you soon. And after the exams, when you leave, it wouldn't affect Kriti much if this is the case."

A/N

Here goes the next shot..

Abhay is being annoying.. I know. His anger towards Vaiga all stems from his fear of what would happen to his daughter when Vaiga leaves. 

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Love,

SF❤️