•Featured By WattpadChickLitIN•
In the bustling city of Mumbai, Radhika's life takes an unexpected turn when she is forced to marry a man named Vivaan Bharadwaj, who has been head over heels in love with her cousin, Sneha since their college days. D...
"Vakratunda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha NirvighnamKurume Deva Sarva-Karyeshu Sarvada||"
MEANING: "Oh god with a curved trunk, a large body whose aura is like the light of crores of sun, Please make my entire work obstacle-free, forever."
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LOCATION: POLICE STATION, BANDRA, MUMBAI
"It was raining cats and dogs. Not many dared to step out of his house in that ferocious weather that evening. While a lady aged around 25 was standing under the bus stop shed. The cold breeze made her body shiver." Reported a man to the Police Inspector.
"The lady was there throughout the day and I must mention she looked hopeless with a constant morose expression."
"I tried to ignore her presence but at last I couldn't when I saw her collapsed around 8 p.m. while I was about to close my general confectionery shop situated opposite to the location. I checked her nerves and tried to revive her consciousness, but nothing seemed useful. Henceforth I tried to call an ambulance, but due to heavy rainfall, all the services were scrambled over. So without any other existing alternative, I uplifted and put that unconscious lady in my car. I drove to a nearby hospital and admitted her there." Continued he.
The police Inspector nodded and with a genuine smile, he eulogized, "Well, you did a great job today for humanity." He continued, "I wish, India would be full of people who serves mankind."
The man smiled but his expression was dulled in a second and asked in a concerned filled voice with a prominent worry present his facial expression.
"Is that woman alright now?"
"Well, she is not well. I think a great hardship has made her bleak as well as reticent. She didn't even urge a single word to anyone after that incident. We have shifted her to a local NGO nearby. They will take proper care of her from now on until we get any piece of information about her family. No need to worry, she will be fine there."
"I hope so." The police Inspector said, "You must not leave the territory now without any official information. You may be required for further investigation if it turns out to be a serious case."
The man stood up with an assertive nod and later lowered his head as a sign of gratitude. He gradually reached outside the cabin without any gripe when he felt their conversation was already surmised for that day.
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LOCATION: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN, Mumbai
Women were chattering with each other and enjoying the mild breeze of the monsoon evening in the garden compound of their heavenly home. They giggled, embraced and appreciated their new lives as not everyone was much lucky as them to get a second chance to settle in this cruel world.
While a woman, named Radhika, alone at the corner of the garden, was buried under the weight of her continuous thoughts with a constant sombre expression. It looked that she has been living in grief for years.
With eyes fixed at the flower beds at the opposite corner of the garden and lost in her thoughts, She suddenly realised a hand on her right shoulder.
It was Mrs Meena Kapoor, the chief of the 'National Association of women' of Mumbai, with a bright smile on her face and new energy slash determination to make her new member respond. But Radhika was drowned in her world of grief, didn't even consider any significance to acknowledge anything around her or was too tired to react anymore.
Radhika's behaviour quite galled her but she composed her emotions and with a smile, she sat on the bench beside her. She faked a cough to grab her attention and thus initiate a proper cordial conversation like any other day, "You have been here for the last few days. And, as I can see, you have completely detached yourself from the world. I am very worried about you. If something is bothering you, you can share. Consider me as your elder sister and I promise, I will do my best to help you."
"Noone can help me and eradicate my suffering," she said monotonously. But anyone could feel the presence of immense anguish which she was trying to hide from the world with her continuous silence.
She has suffered a lot.
Mrs Kapoor concluded without knowing any apparent reason. And subsequently, it made her more tenacious to know about her past.
While Mrs Kapoor was trying to understand the meaning of those mysterious words, Radhika, to obtain solitude, stood up and strode towards the single room that was assigned for her stay there. She acted as nothing had happened but her words had surely cast Mrs Kapoor in turmoil. She just could watch her retreat absentmindedly with her jaw dropped in response.
As the door of Radhika's door clicked open and she was about to enter inside, Mrs Kapoor abruptly remembered the reason for her arrival there that evening and jogged towards her while calling her name loudly.
"Wait...have to inform you about something."
Radhika halted in the midway of the hallway with extreme silence and seriousness but still didn't turn towards her.
Mrs Kapoor approached her running, and it resulted in her puffing as her body was not adopted for this much intense exercises at that old age. But as soon as she saw the young lady's back and observed her immense attempt to ignore her, she got testy with her actions and couldn't control her mood at that time.
In a drastic voice, she confabulated, "Well, If you don't want to speak to me, It doesn't matter. I have just come to enlighten you that someone has come to see you."
The last sentence produced a massive jolt in her whole body. She turned to get a better look at Mrs Kapoor's flushed face just to ensure it was a joke. A little smile was suddenly formulated on her face which couldn't be missed by anyone. There were rays of hope in her eyes that even a blind could glimpse. But the change was like a lightning strike. It disappeared as quickly as it came.
"If you want to meet the person, You can follow me to my office."
With this, Mrs Kapoor started marching in the opposite gallery which led to the way to her office, followed by Radhika with her wobbly legs under the shade of immense guilt and fear.
