TERE AA JANE SE

Ch 34 I am bloody slut !

She continued to sob, her cries now resonating loudly. The words of the servants still pierced her ears like thorns, replaying in her mind. Overwhelmed, she questioned her existence, "Why is there so much pain in my life? If my life is filled with nothing but agony, why doesn't death embrace me?" Frustrated, she forcefully removed each broken glass bangle, tossing them aimlessly on the floor.

In a fit of rage, she exclaimed, "Why are there so many thorns in my life?" Wiping her tears, she muttered, "If my life is drowning in sorrow, why doesn't death rescue me?" The very adornments meant for today's celebration seemed burdensome, no less painful than snake bites. She angrily discarded the precious earrings given by Shalini just yesterday, along with numerous other pieces of jewelry.

The valuable diamond nose pin, the glittering necklace around her neck, the rings on her fingers, and the tinkling anklets on her feet – she removed them one by one, throwing them in all directions as if trying to shed the weight of her decorated existence.

After wiping away the lipstick with the pallu of her saree in frustration, she sobbed, "I thought my journey from here would be better... I tried to accept our relationship and genuinely wanted to make it work from my heart... but what did I get to hear? What did I get?

A greedy woman, a slave, one who misuses her beauty... Today, indeed, my own beauty has drowned me. I am tired; my life has become unbearable. I need peace now. And this liberation will come to me only after death. I don't want to live anymore. I don't want to live."

Hiya was genuinely distressed by her ill fate today. The desire to live was almost nonexistent in her. Ahil had brought a new ray of hope for her, but even that hope was shattered. She didn't desire wealth or money; all she wanted was respect and love, and these were the two things her destiny had denied her. She cried for a long time, and in the process, she didn't realise when hunger forced her to lie down on the floor and sleep.

__________

Late at night, as Ahil entered his room, the lights abruptly went out. Advancing further, he collided with an object on the floor, causing him to tumble. Frowning, he explored the surroundings, and upon realising there was a girl sleeping, he muttered, "Why is this girl sleeping here... idiot!" Anger had marked his forehead with numerous lines, but it appeared that his rage had diminished from earlier.

When the lights flickered back on, Ahil noticed Hiya lying on the floor, adorned in a black saree that accentuated her beauty despite the tear stains on her flushed face. Her ruined lipstick and red marks on her neck hinted at a struggle or an attempt to resist. The necklace, possibly a casualty of this encounter, left visible signs on her delicate skin.

Observing the scattered remnants of her jewellery, Ahil's gaze moved to Hiya's hands, which still bore fragments of broken bangles and vermilion. Her condition began to stir conflicting emotions within him. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to lift her and take her towards the bed. When in her sleep, Hiya mumbled, “It seems like the master has returned, and now it's time for me to provide service to him. Afterall, I'm a bloody slut and nothing else!” And Ahil gasps at her words while eyes go wide open.

The atmosphere gets charged with a mix of tension, vulnerability, and an undercurrent of emotions that hints at a complex relationship between them.

Ahil, infuriated by Hiya's words and struggling with his own emotions, lashed out as he saw her distressed state. In a sudden burst of anger, he forcefully made her lie down on the bed, scolding her for her actions.

"Hiya, what nonsense are you spewing?" he bellowed, his frustration palpable. The lines he had uttered just hours ago echoed in his mind, but witnessing Hiya in such a distressed condition ignited an unexpected fury within him.

His stern voice reverberated through the room, demanding an explanation from Hiya for her behavior. She, still reeling from the recent turmoil, found herself on the receiving end of Ahil's wrath, unsure how to navigate this intense moment.

Frustrated by his own emotions and the tense atmosphere, Ahil's stern tone softened slightly as he commanded Hiya to stay seated. As her teary eyes met his, he gently wiped away her flowing tears.

"Stay here. Tell me, have you had dinner?" Ahil questioned, showing a momentary concern. Hiya, still recovering from the emotional turmoil, fidgeted under his gaze, avoiding a direct response and nervously glancing around the room.

"No...!"
"If you'll eat together, then I'll eat." He said, gazing at her gently. Trying to get up again, Hiya insisted, "I... will make something."

"What do you think? At this time of night, I'm going to order you to make food for me? Just sit here." He answered firmly, unbuttoning his shirt as he stood up from the bed.

Seeing him do that, she immediately retorted, "Oh, I forgot... I'm here for some other work." Her words struck him once again. He angrily threw his shirt aside, approached Hiya, glared at her with gritted teeth, and shouted, "What do you mean... What work are you here for? Tell me!”

"That same thing you said a few hours ago." Hiya replied, tears streaming down her eyes without blinking, fearlessly locking eyes with him.

"I was angry back then." He responded, controlling his temper. "Angry people often speak their hearts out." She responded firmly once again.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. His maid had brought a trolley with food, which Ahil had ordered from a restaurant for Hiya. Ahil quickly went to the gate, grabbed the food trolley, locked the gate, and returned with the food.

"Forget everything and have your meal," he said, then headed towards the bathroom.

Initially, his intention was to take a bath, but seeing Hiya's condition, he didn't feel like wasting even a minute away from her. When he came out, he saw Hiya still sitting in the same position, trembling.

Sitting beside her in a cheerful mood, he said, "Haven't eaten anything yet? No worries, I'll feed you." He had just prepared dal fry and naan when, with teary eyes, she softly uttered, "I'm not hungry.”

"Never mind... still, you have to eat. Consider it a threat or an order," he said, coercively creating small bites with his hands and feeding her. Balancing his dangerous anger with his love was a challenging task for Ahil.

After dinner, she struggled to stand up, attempting to change into a knee-length blue nighty. As she staggered out, Ahil, who had been waiting for her, rushed to hold her.

He quickly checked her body and realised she had a high temperature. Placing her gently on the bed and covering her with a blanket, he asked, "How did your body temperature suddenly become so high?" Ignoring his words, she closed her eyes. Her eyes were shutting due to a headache as well. Despite being unconscious, she had clenched Ahil's hand tightly.

Seeing her deteriorating health, Ahil was extremely distressed. He couldn't comprehend why he couldn't bear to see her in pain, despite of harbouring so much hatred towards her.

He quickly got up, intending to leave, but Hiya, in her unconscious state, grabbed his hand again.