BATTLE OF LOVE (completed)

CHAPTER 26

In the courtroom:

Arjun's POV: 

I entered the courtroom and walked towards the throne-like chair. It was designed for two people for me and Dharani as a couple. I felt awkward to sit on the throne while Dharani would be standing in front of me. So I chose not to sit and asked to start the session. I had to constantly control myself from looking at Dharani. My heart wanted to interpret her thoughts but my duty forbids me from doing so. What's worse than a judge constantly looking at a particular lawyer and trying to interpret her feelings. Anyway, the session began and the lawyer from the man's side spoke first.

"I think it's clear sir," he said, "Tej's wife hit him as it is evident from the wounds. I need not prove anything as Swetha herself accepts that she had done that."

I looked at Swetha and she didn't speak anything. I was expecting something from her side. What's wrong with her? Dharani, however, took charge.

"Yes she did hit him," she said, "but here there is an important question that should be answered. Why did she do that?"

"Cause she hates me, princess," Tej responded instantly. He lied.

"Can you please describe what exactly happened?" Dharani asked again.

Tej was taken aback. Yet he pretended to remain confident.

"Well I just entered the house and there she was with a stick in her hand. I asked her if everything is alright and then she just hit me. She wanted to kill me and I ran out screaming for help."

"That's a beautifully crafted lie," Dharani said, "Let me explain what the truth is. You are an alcohol addict and an abusive husband. You forcefully take money from her or to be precise steal money from her every day to get your daily dose of alcohol and was about to do the same yesterday. But this time the money was needed to pay the house rent which forced my friend to attack you in order to save her hard-earned money. It was just an involuntary defense act and was in no way a murder attempt. Cause if she wanted to kill you she would have hit you continuously. and there is no way she would allow you to run out of the house."

I noticed that Dharani never faced me. Why Dharani why? You seriously think looking at criminals is better than looking at your husband?

"You need to prove your point, princess not just say it," Tej's lawyer said.

"Of course, I'll prove it," Dharani said as she turned towards Tej.

"What do you do for a living?" Dharani asked him.

Tej had no answer.

"Where do you spend your evenings?" Dharani asked again.

"I go out for a walk," Tej replied.

"Minjan is too small and people here are aware of their surroundings," Dharani said, "You better be specific, else I might have to ask someone else."

"I go to the bar for a drink," Tej said.

"But that doesn't prove that he is a thief," Tej's lawyer defended, "There is a huge difference between an alcoholic and a thief."

"So you are accepting that he is an alcoholic. Now let us prove that he is a thief," Dharani continued, "Tej had accepted that he does nothing for a living. Neither does he have any property that could bring him money which means he doesn't have any source of income. He spends his evenings drinking and if I am not wrong Minjan is yet to have a bar that serves drinks for free. So we are left with two options. He either gets his money from his wife or from his friends. Now, what is the probability of a wife willfully giving her hard earned money to her husband so that he could drink every day and abuse her?"

"He could also get money from his friends," the lawyer argued.

"In which case, his friends would be bigger culprits. Giving money to someone so that he could drink every day and ruin his own life as well as the lives of people around him. I wanted to know just in case are you the friend who gives him money?"

The lawyer had no answer. 

"Do you have anything else to say?" I asked looking at both of them.

Dharani shook her head and left thanking me for listening to her. I wish she stayed. Why was she being so rude? After a while, I noticed that she was looking at me from the first-floor corridor waiting for what I would be saying.

"So it is evident that what Swetha has done was an act of involuntary defense but," I continued as my heart cried knowing the consequences of my decision, "it was nevertheless wrong. Your situations are not excuses to commit crimes. I sentence Swetha to one-month imprisonment."

I looked up to see how Dharani would react but she was not there. She just walked away. Walked away before I could finish my verdict. Is that the amount of trust she has on her husband?

"I promise you Swetha," I continued, "I will make sure you will not have to suffer for Tej's addiction once you are out. It's up to you whether you want to live with him or not but no matter what your choice is, I will always be there for you like a brother."

Swetha nodded and a tear rolled down from her eyes.

"Thank you, sir" she spoke for the first time.

"And you mister," I continued turning towards Tej, "You've committed a lot of crimes. You were abusive towards your wife, stole money from her, and also lied in the court. I sentence you to six months in prison and trust me if you do not give up your addiction you are not coming out."

(Hey guys. Thank you for making it till here. Please vote and comment. Also, the next chapter will be published on 8 December 2018. So stay tuned. Thank you and love you all)