Eternal: A story of unbounded love & unwavering devotion

Prologue

In the quiet hours of the night, when the world is sleeping beneath a canopy of stars, Drishti finds herself drawn to the window, Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moon. She stood, a solitary figure amidst the velvety darkness, her gaze fixed upon the celestial orb that hung suspended in the heavens.

A wistful smile graced her lips as she surrendered to the tender embrace of memories, each one a delicate thread woven into the tapestry of her heart. She remembered the laughter shared, the whispered promises exchanged, and the stolen moments of bliss that had once filled her days with joy.

But it was the memory of him that lingered most vividly in her mind—the way his eyes sparkled with mischief, the warmth of his embrace, and the love that had flowed between them like a river, deep and unending. In the quiet hours of the night, she found solace in the remembrance of their shared moments, each one a precious treasure she held close to her heart.

Her gaze then drifted to the photograph that adorned the nearby table, a poignant reminder of the love she held dear. A blush crept upon her cheeks as she regarded the image of her beloved husband, his smile frozen in time, a silent testament to the bond they shared.

With a tender sigh, she whispered softly to the photograph, her voice a fragile echo in the stillness of the night.

"Aaj aap ke intezaar ka ye aakhri din bhi beet gaya, ek-ek second katna ab mere liye mushkil hota ja raha hai." She confessed, her words tinged with a mixture of longing and anticipation. "jaldi a jaiye, Mr. shergill ab mujhse aur intezaar nahi hoga.'' She sat on the sofa and fell into a deep slumber with the photograph placed near her heart.

As the first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and gold, Drishti descended the grand staircase of the shergills, adorned in the vibrant elegance of a crimson saree, draped gracefully around her, a symbol of her unwavering devotion and hopeful anticipation.

Today was no ordinary day—it was Karvachauth, a day that symbolises the depth of wives' love for their husbands. As she entered the temple of the house, she touched the feets of taiji and her mother-in-law, taking their blessings.

"Chachiji! aj to apki paro k age chand bhi fail ho jayega, kahi aisa na ho aaj Rakshit Drishti ko dekhkar hum sab ko bhool hi jaye!" Her sister-in-law jestingly remarked, observing her radiance.

"Chinta mat kar divya sabse pehle rakshit ko bolungi tum sab se mil le, jab tumhara use ched ke man bhar jaye na tabh bhejna use drishti se milne, akhir thoda use bhi to chakhne mile intezaar ka swaad, meri bahu ko itna intezaar jo karaya hai, achche se khabar le lena uski."Her mother-in-law remarked affectionately.

But amidst the whispers of anticipation, a discordant note pierced the air as a woman commented, "ab kya fayda itna sajne sanwarne ka bhabhiji, jab ye sab karna chahiye tha agr tabh kiya hota to aaj pati hath se na nikalta iske."

"Hn behnji, ab vrat kyu rakha hai isne? sabko pata hai Rakshit ke karname ke bare mei, are ye baat to puri duniya janti hai, fir kyu ankho pe patti bandh li hai apki ladli bahu ne? Aur ab aap sab log kyu jhoota dilasa de rahe hain ise? aap logon ko to samjhana chahiye. bechari, itni si umar mei kitna bada dukh diya hai bhagwan ne ise! haye! aisa bhagwan kisi dushman k sath bhi na kare." said another woman.

Disregarding the doubts cast upon her, Drishti affirmed her unwavering faith in love and destiny, asserting, "Mujhe yakeen hai wo aayenge; mujhe unpar pura bharosa hai."

Moments later, when everyone had left the hope of his arrival, Drishti remained, still waiting, hungry, her hope clinging to the belief that her beloved husband would come and feed her with his own hand. However, the day had already drawn to a close; it was 2 am in the morning, and Drishti continued to wait for him indefinitely. Suddenly, the heavy wooden gates swung open, revealing the figure of her beloved standing at the threshold, assembling the excited family members. But the sight that greeted them was not what they had expected.

Hand in hand with Rakshit stood another woman, her presence a jarring intrusion upon the tender moment of reunion that had been anticipated for so long. The air crackled with tension as the scene itself sang the truth of his betrayal. Despite the harsh reality, Drishti clung to the thinnest thread of hope, unwilling to acknowledge the depth of her despair. She continued to wait, her resolve unyielding, desperately clinging to the belief that her husband would somehow explain it all away.

But the tranquillity of the moment shattered when Rakshit's mother confronted him about the woman by his side. With a smile, he announced, "Ma, Meet my girlfriend, Vartika, soon to be Mrs. vartika Shergill."

The weight of his words landed heavily on Drishti's heart, shattering the last remnants of her hope. In a moment of despair, she inadvertently collided with a nearby vase, the sound of its destruction echoing the devastation within her. Her sister-in-law rushed to her side, offering comfort amidst the chaos.

In the deafening silence that followed, Rakshit's revelation hung heavy in the air, his mother's voice breaking through the stunned disbelief. "Girlfriend? Marriage?" she demanded incredulously. "Rakshit, Tera dimag kharab ho gaya hai kya? Teri shadi Drishti se ho chuki hai. Ek saal mei yaddasht bhi chali gayi hai kya?"

"To wo jo khabarein thi tere baare mei, woh sab sach tha?  His brother, Shikhar, confronted him about the rumours surrounding him, to which Rakshit admitted with callous indifference,

"Hn bhaiya, aap logon ne jo suna hai sach suna hai."

"Ye kis tarah ki batein kar raha hai tu?" Rakshit's taiji spoke up angrily. "Koi matlab hai insab ka ab? Wo tu hi tha na jisne tum dono ki shadi k liye razi kiya tha mujhe, fir dedh saal mei aisa kya badal gaya ki tune itna bada kadam uthane se pehle ek-baar bhi ghar ki izzat ke bare mei nahi socha? Kam se kam apni biwi ke bare mei to soch leta, ye bina khaye piye intezaar mei baithi hai kabse intezaar kar rahi hai, ek baar bhi iska khayyal nahi aya tere man mei?"

"Mei janta hu taiji ap sabhi ke liye ye accept karna mushkil hai pr sach yahi hai. Mei drishti se pyaar nahi karta, uska mera koi match hi nahi hai. Hum dono ke beech jo kuch bhi tha wo mehez ek galti hai pr ab mujhe lagta hai humei us galti ko sudharna chahiye. Isliye mein yahan aaya hu is rishte ko khatam karne aur ek naye rishte ki shuruaat karne aap-sabhi ke aashirwad se."

His words hung heavy in the air, Drishti's eyes filled with tears as they met Rakshit's.The shattered pieces of vase mirror the fragments of her trust and dreams. It was a moment of shared pain, a realisation of the betrayal that had shattered their once-happy life.

Drishti found herself standing at the precipice of uncertainty, torn between the cherished past and the uncertain future. Little did she know, the journey ahead would be fraught with trials and tribulations, testing her strength and resilience, and ultimately leading her to discover the true depths of love's enduring power.