Durga | ✓

44. Honour Shattered

This chapter contains few parts which may not be appropriate for all the readers. I have not described anything vulgar but as an authoress of this book, I felt it is my duty to intimidate you.

***

Durga was standing near the door, waiting for Rudra. She was occasionally eyeing on the plastic cover. It had silk dhoti, for Rudra. She had finally purchased the gift that she was planning from a long time.

It was a tradition in their community that the bride's family should gift the wedding clothes to groom. Durga was financially unstable then but now she had managed her expenses very well.

She heard the ringing of doorbell. She couldn't contain her excitement. She just opened the door to find Rishab standing there. She swiftly tried to close the door but he stopped it.

"I just needed to speak to you. Something very important about the company that you work in."

Durga thought for a second. "What is it?"

"Something that will help your company."

***

Rudra found a note on his table. It read

Come to my house at 4 o'clock sharp in the evening. I have a surprise for you.

-Durga.

Rudra laughed, "What could be the surprise? Is that the reason why she took holiday? Interesting."

Interesting? She took holiday the next day she got her salary.

Rudra heard Rosy's voice. "Sir, Durga needs to speak to you."

"Coming," he shouted and ran towards her desk.

"Hello! Durga, what happened?"

"Rudra, come to my house at half past four."

"Why is your voice little different?"

"Er... nothing Rudra, I have cold."

"Fine, take care of your health."

Rudra placed the receiver of the landline back to its position.

***

Durga thought for a while. Rudra will arrive in five minutes. There is no harm in letting him.

"Come in."

Rishab followed her and sat on sofa. He asked, "Could I get a glass of water?"

No sooner did Durga turned back than Rishab produced a small white cloth and placed it near her nose.

Before Durga could realise what had happened, she fainted. He rushed towards the door and opened it. A woman was standing with wide grin on her lips.

Rishab snapped at her irritatedly. "I have given you money for doing the work, not to keep standing and grinning at the door. Go and call that Rudra first."

She gulped and closed the door. Rishab picked Durga in bridal style and carried her to her bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed and was momentarily lost in her innocent face. Why did you hit me Devi? Why did you do this? If you wouldn't have done this to me, I wouldn't have done this too.

Rishab shook his head. He went to the living room. The woman looked at him. "It is done, Sir. I have convinced Rudra to come later."

Rishab nodded his head. "Well done, Rashmi. Now, go and execute the second phase of our plan. It is the most crucial part of our plan."

She nodded and went inside Durga's room. Closing the door and securely latching it, Rashmi carried on her work. After ten minutes, she came out of the room.

Rishab said, "Now you leave the house before anyone else sees you."

***

Rudra pressed the doorbell of her house. Rishab opened the door without his shirt. "Why did you disturb us?"

Rudra boiled with fury. He pushed Rishab and went past him, his eyes searching for his lady luck. When he couldn't find her living room and kitchen, he went to her bedroom. What he saw was the thing that was beyond his imagination.

Rishab stood behind him and smirked. Rudra turned towards him with raw fury in his eyes. Rishab gulped and took few steps back.

Durga lay on the bed, still unconscious. She was covered with a duvet though her bare collar bones were exposed. Her clothes were kept near the foot of the bed, neatly folded. Rudra shouted, "What have you done to my Durga?"

"Rudra, just listen to me-"

"What have you done to her?" Rudra shouted.

"S-she called me, telling that till the time R-Rudra comes, why don't you stay here."

Rudra shook his head vigorously. "No. No. No. I don't bloody believe you."

"Even I didn't believe her. But she started to touch me."

Rudra glared at him. "Why don't you come up with a good story where I can believe you for a fraction of second. I know my Durga. I know her character. I don't need any character certificate from a person like you."

Durga slowly opened her eyes. "Rudra..." she called him with faint voice.

Her feeble voice was enough for him to hear "Durga, don't worry I am here."

"Rudra!" Durga shrieked. "Where are my clothes? What happened?"

Rudra closed the door. He shouted, "First wear your clothes, we will talk about it later."

Rishab said, "She woke up? She fainted during the course of action."

Rudra growled. "Stop your foul mouth, Rishab otherwise I will pull out your tongue."

Durga came out wearing her salwar kameez. Rishab looked at her dupatta and remarked, "Why do you need that dupatta?"

Rudra lunged forward to hit himbut Durga was quick. She went and slapped him. His right cheek was red now.

Rishab looked at Durga and said, "Why did you do this to me Devi? Why did you humiliate me? Why did you slap me when I touched you in the marriage when the previous night we had slept together?"

Durga's eyes were wide open. Devi! I had hit this fellow in that marriage in Bengaluru? This idiot? But he said something about the previous night. W-we slept together! How dare he?

"Don't lie you... you... you..."

Devi Shakti! I don't know any swear words!

"You rascal! I am a virgin. How dare you question my purity?"

"You lost your purity the day you slept with me," said Rishab. "And I am surprised with you Rudra, how did you even fall for this girl? You know she was married for five years with that Indrajeet and had extramarital affair with me. God knows with how many people she had-"

Rudra left the house without saying a word. Durga sat on the floor, shattered. She didn't give a damn what society thought about her. What mattered to her was what her Rudra thought. But she felt that she had lost him.

Rishab smirked at her shattered form. He left her alone.

***

This chapter is somewhat influenced by the telly serial Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.

Believe me, this chapter was the most toughest chapter for me to write.

Thank you for reading.