~Broken But Unbroken~

Chapter 5

“This is Divyanshi’s birth certificate. Her parents died in an accident when she was seven. She was raised by her uncle — the same man you thought was her father. But she never knew about the debt he owed you. He kept it from her.”

He pulled out a police record. “This is the FIR she tried to file the day you forcefully married her. The officers were bribed to bury it.”

Rudraksh’s throat dried up.

Aman turned a page. “And here—this is the school record. She studied there until she was fifteen. You can cross-check the signatures and stamps if you want.”

Each paper laid out a truth Rudraksh never cared to seek. His heart pounded louder than the rain.

“She had no idea about the money,” Aman said quietly. “She was just an innocent girl… who stepped into your hell without knowing what awaited her.”

Rudraksh felt the world tilt beneath his feet.

“No…” he whispered.

Arya’s voice was now trembling with fury. “Do you remember her eyes, Bhaiya? When she used to bring you coffee? Or when you yelled at her? She never fought back. Not once. She begged you silently to understand. And you… crushed her soul with your hate.”

“I didn’t know…” his voice cracked. “I thought—”

“YOU. NEVER. THOUGHT!” Arya screamed, tears spilling over her cheeks. “You were too blinded by your hatred to see the truth. You never gave her a chance. You accused her, punished her, humiliated her!”

Her chest heaved with sobs. “She used to wait for you every night with food, even when she limped from cleaning the floor for hours. She flinched every time you walked near her. And still… still, she never complained.”

Rudraksh could barely breathe. His heart twisted violently in his chest. Every word cut deeper than the last.

Aman stepped back. “We were late tonight because Arya insisted we find the truth. We hoped it wasn’t too late.” He paused, eyes sharp. “But it seems like it already is.”

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

Rudraksh staggered back, hand clutching the edge of the sofa for support. His eyes stared at the proof — but all he could see was her face.

Divyanshi.

Tears trailing down her cheeks as she begged him not to doubt her.

Her trembling voice saying, “I didn’t do anything…”

Her soft sobs behind closed doors.

His hand clenched into a fist.

“I hurt her,” he murmured, voice barely audible.

Arya walked up to him, eyes full of disdain. “No, Bhaiya. You destroyed her.”

Her words sliced like knives. “You married her to ruin her. You played God in her life. And now you want to play the victim?”

He said nothing. His eyes, for the first time in years, welled up with tears.

Arya took a step back. “If you have even a drop of humanity left in you… go find her. Bring her back. Or don’t bother stepping into this house ever again.”

Aman nodded solemnly. “She deserves better. But maybe… she also deserves justice.”

Rudraksh stood still for a moment.