Symphony of Broken Ties - Abhirohi

Chapter 7

Guys I will be slow in updating chapters. I'm held up with new projects in office so not getting enough time. But I promise I won't leave the story in between.

In the vibrant and bustling Goenka mansion, the air was filled with the anticipation of the upcoming pooja. The family members hurriedly prepared for the auspicious occasion, adorned in traditional attire. Manish and Swarna was ensuring everything was in its place.

Meanwhile in Birla mansion, Abhimanyu stood before the mirror in his room, adorned in his traditional attire. He stared at his own reflection, questioning the emotions that seemed to entangle him.
Why am I not happy? This is what I wanted right? If yes then why am I feeling restless. Why am I letting Arohi affect me like this? he questioned himself. Memories of their shared past and the events leading up to this moment played like a haunting melody in his mind. He closed his eyes, attempting to refocus on Akshara, the woman he believed he loved. Akshara is the one I should be thinking about, he reminded himself.

As he grappled with his thoughts, Neil entered the room, noticing Abhimanyu's contemplative state."Bhayya, everything okay?" he inquired, concern etched on his face
Abhimanyu, breaking away from his contemplation, reassured Neil, "Haan, I'm fine.
Neil, perceptive as ever, couldn't help but sense the unspoken turmoil within his brother. But he thought to not ask anything more at the moment.
"Bhai, sab taiyar hain. Pooja ke liye chalein?"

Abhimanyu: Yeah let's go.

In the Goenka mansion, Arohi sat alone in her room, her gaze fixed on a distant point. The vibrant colors of her traditional attire failed to reflect the turmoil within.

Kairav entered the room, concern apparent in his eyes. "Aaru you are not ready yet?" he urged.

Arohi sighed. "Nai bhayya. Main theek hoon yahan. Aap sab jao, I don't feel like coming"

Kairav persisted, "tume bhi pooja mein shamil hona chahiye. Aur waise bhi, tumare bina it will be incomplete"

Arohi looked at her brother, a mix of emotions in her eyes. She finally nodded, a reluctant smile appearing. "Thik hai... I will come bhayya.. just for you".

Both families reached the temple. The families exchanged polite greetings.
Akshara gracefully approached the Birla family, acknowledging them with a warm smile. Abhimanyu found himself inexplicably drawn to Arohi. His eyes, like magnets, sought her out in the crowd. Arohi, sensing his gaze, intentionally avoided meeting his eyes, her attention fixed on the temple's intricate details. Unbeknownst to Abhimanyu, Akshara, standing beside Arohi, felt the weight of his intense gaze. Mistakenly attributing it to herself, she blushed, thinking Abhimanyu's eyes were on her.

.
.

As the pooja rituals unfolded, Akshara and Abhimanyu stood together. However, Abhimanyu's stolen glances were betraying a different story-his eyes involuntarily drawn to Arohi, who stood at a distance, lost in her own thoughts.

Arohi's mind surrendered to the haunting images of her marriage day - the day that unraveled her hopes...a day that turned her life upside down. Images of Akshara, standing beside Abhimanyu during the rituals, paralleled with the memory of Akshara's intervention on that painful day. Arohi's heart ached with the sting of betrayal, yet she concealed the turmoil behind a stoic exterior. In those stolen glances, Abhimanyu couldn't fathom the emotional tempest raging within Arohi. The intensity of her gaze held a silent narrative, a tale of heartbreak and resilience. Unbeknownst to him, Arohi battled the ghosts of her past, trapped between the sacredness of the present ceremony and the scars of the past.

Pandit ji began the ritual. The ornate thali, a treasure trove of sacred items, was presented. As he opened it, revealing the symbolic items, the air thickened with suspense. To everyone's shock, the name inscribed on the leaf was not Abhimanyu and Akshara's but Abhimanyu and Arohi's.

A gasp rippled through the gathering, eyes widening in disbelief. Akshara, her eyes narrowing, shot an accusing gaze at Arohi. The accusatory silence echoed in the temple. Arohi, equally surprised, shook her head in vehement denial, her eyes mirroring confusion and innocence.

Akshara: This is your doing, isn't it?

Arohi, taken aback: I didn't do this, Akshara. I swear!

BP: Arohi??

Arohi: Bade papa... Why would I do that?

Surekha: Arohi, you've gone too far this time.

Arohi: Chachi.. Sach me meine Kuch bhi nai kiya.

The accusations began, like an unstoppable cascade, each family member adding their own flavor to the blame.

Arohi, unable to hold back her emotions, felt tears welling up, her family's trust slipping through her fingers like sand.

Arohi, now in tears, pleaded: Akshara, I swear on my parents' memory, I didn't do this.

Neil: (assertively) Everyone, let's not jump to conclusions. Accusing without evidence won't solve anything. If she is saying she didn't do It. She might haven't do it.

Amidst the accusation drama, Kairav stood as a silent spectator, torn between the two sisters.

Even Abhimanyu took a step forward, urging Akshara to calm down. But the tension thickened as Akshara, her eyes reflecting a mix of anger and hurt, turned the spotlight onto Arohi.
Akshara: You did this because you think you love Abhimanyu? You shouldn't have done this, Aru. Akshara's victim-like tone cut through the tension. Arohi, her patience stretched thin, couldn't bear Akshara's insinuations. The accusation struck a nerve, and Arohi's eyes flashed with anger. "Enough, Akshara!" she exclaimed, her voice shaking with a mix of rage and frustration. "Just because I'm not saying anything doesn't mean I don't have anything to say."

She took a deep breath, looking Akshara in the eyes. "You should be the last one to say this. Have you forgotten what you did to me just a few days back in this same temple?" The reference to a past incident hung in the air, and Arohi continued, "I'm not you. And yes, for your information, I don't love Abhimanyu. Get that clear."

As Arohi spoke the last sentence, she crossed her fingers, a silent plea to the gods for lieing by standing in temple. And her eyes became teary. She felt the weight of her own words, the lie she was forced to tell.

Abhimanyu's head shot up, his gaze piercing through the chaos of the accusations. A mixture of hurt and anger flickered in his eyes, emotions swirling within him for reasons even he couldn't fully comprehend. Arohi's denial, though intended to protect herself, had unwittingly become a source of pain for both of them.