Note:
1. First of all, I am extremely sorry for not giving the update on time and the reason was, I was caught up with some personal commitments. From now on, I try not to repeat it again. Once again I am sorry.
2. Thanks to those who have nominated my books for the 'South Asian Awards' and I am really grateful to receive such love from you all. If you find it worthy enough to get nominated, then please do nominate my works in the genre that you might find fit. As it's my first time being nominated, it's a kinda special moment for me. Thank you all once again for your love.
Happy reading : )
Unedited.
Aarna's POV:
"The meeting went well. Ravi informed me over the call." Mamayya announced while entering his room as I was in theirs to get help from Athayya with my saree.
Hearing his words, a genuine smile flitted my face, and from the time he left for the business trip, this was the only once I smiled genuinely and happily. I was truly happy and proud of his achievements and Somehow the guilt that was killing me inside was subsidized a little.
God forbid, if something wrong went with his deal, believe me, I could never forgive myself but nothing in such a way had happened. I trust in Dhruv's capabilities and my instincts were proved to be correct.
"Finally his hard work is paid off. My boy is just so awesome." Athayya gushed as I chuckled at her enthusiastic self.
It was not the first time Dhruv had achieved something big but every single time when he accomplished a thing, this would be her reaction. She would never fail to praise her son though she was so used to this by now and him achieving something was nothing new.
"You can praise him as much as you want once he comes back tonight. So for now, I don't want my eyes to be blinded by your gushing." He said with a scoff as Athayya glared at him.
Smiling at their banter, I rose from the bed and excused myself before going inside the kitchen with the thought of baking his favorite triple chocolate layered cake.
Ignoring the fact I already got ready in a saree for the event I had planned with my girls and Aadhya, I busied myself with the process carefully to not ruin my outfit in the process.
"At least, you are good at something." I thought to myself sardonically while looking at the outcome of my efforts.
Placing the cake in the refrigerator and untying the apron, I made my way upstairs to clean myself a little. After doing so, I again went downstairs, awaiting Aadhya's presence.
"God! Where is this girl? Still haven't reached home. It's so strange." I heard Athayya's voice as she was descending the stairs with Mavayya following beside her.
"Let it be. Once she comes home, make sure that she eats something before you guys left for whatever you have planned. Also, take care. We are leaving now." She said while picking up her clutch.
Actually, Dhruv and I had to attend a family event of one of his business associates and since he was out of the station, Athayya and Mavayya initiated to attend the event on our behalf. I nodded at her and followed them out.
"Athayya, wait a minute. Do you have any of the contact numbers of Aadhya friends'?" I asked her when she was about to get inside the car as she had thought for a while and nodded at me.
"I guess, I have the number of her only friend, Sandhya. Wait, I will forward it to you." Saying this, she immediately sent the number of the said person to me as my phone pinged.
Waiting for them to leave, I went inside and settled myself on the couch. I again glanced at the clock and sighed in worry. It was so unusual of her to be late. She usually comes home by this time even if she had any extra classes.
From what I had known about Aadhya, she was completely a closed person with a few friends and she never hung out with them. Even if she did, she would inform the same in the home and take a driver along with her.
Thinking of all these, I grew even more worried, and being alone in the whole house was not helping me at all as Gramps and granny too went out to meet their old allies.
Biting my nails, I decided to call her again and again but the calls went unanswered. So I called her friend with the hope to know about her whereabouts.
"Hello? Is it Sandhya? I am Aadhya's sister-in-law. I called you to ask whether she is with you or not." I asked her, once she attended the call.
"Hii. Yes! Aadhya? Isn't she home already? She left this evening without even attending the extra classes, saying that she had something planned out earlier."
"What! At what time did she leave the college?"
"Maybe around 4 or something."
I immediately glanced at the clock and saw it was already hitting seven. So it meant, it had been three hours since she left the college. Then where did she go? Was she alright? So many unwanted thoughts crawled into my mind at the thought of her being missing for nearly three hours.
"Do you know any places that she usually spent her time at?" I asked her as anguish filled my heart.
"I am afraid, I can't help you with it. She usually spends her time in the library and after the classes, she would return home. That's what I know."
"Thank you. Please let me know if you heard anything about her whereabouts." Saying this, I hung up the call and tried calling her again but still, the response was the same.
I called Dhruv and it was switched off as he must be on his flight and even Arjun Bava went with Dhruv as I got the same response when I called him. So I tried calling Indra Anna but he too didn't attend the call. I didn't know whom to call as I didn't want to worry anyone, thinking what if I was just being paranoid over nothing.
Meanwhile, I messaged Yuktha Akka, asking them to leave to the temple without us, saying that we would join her shortly.
I just sat there on the couch helplessly as I again tried calling her.
"Please, pick it up! Please pick it up." I chanted to myself as unshed tears blurred my vision but I sprang up from my seat suddenly as the call was answered.
"Aadhu, where are you? You know I am worried sick for yo-"
"Vadh-ina, ba-ck side of the Par..park residency." I stopped what I was saying when I heard her broken words as the call got ended immediately.
"Hello? Hello? Aadhya? Are you there?" I asked too stunned to realize that it wasn't an illusion and she did really attend the call.
Coming back to my senses, I hurriedly ran outside to the main road to hire a cab. I regretted being too lazy to get my scooty which was still in the officer's custody as they needed my signature for some procedure.
Luckily, I saw an auto approaching me and waving my head in front of it, I got on it once the driver stopped it in front of me. I immediately told him the address and urged him to drive fast.
Once we reached the location, I thrust whatever count of notes that came to my hand from my bag to his hands and rushed to the backside of the said place by walking to the other side of the street.
Stepping ahead, my heart started thudding in fear after witnessing the darkness shrouding the area but I chose to be strong for Aadhya as I continued walking, dreading for the worst but stopped in my tracks when I noticed a shadow near the tree because of the dim-lit light hanging on to it.
Gulping, I approached that figure slowly and sighed in relief after confirming that person was indeed Aadhya but stumbled back immediately when she lifted her head defensively and glared at me with her red shot eyes but seeing it was me, she softened her stance and lowered her gaze as she sat there numbly.
I rushed to her side and engulfed her in a hug after taking in her presence. She immediately broke down into tears once I encircled my arms around her as I could feel the erratic beatings of her heart. I didn't know what happen to her but seeing her state, I could tell that it was no good.
Though I had so many questions, I didn't want to ask her as I knew she would confide to me once she regained her composure. For me, taking her out of this place was the priority for now.
"Shhh. Cry no more. Let's get you out of this place." Saying this softly, I detached myself from her, and standing up, I held her hands with the thought of helping her up but stumbled forward as she got slumped down immediately.
That was when I noticed something was wrong and glanced at her feet to see that they were tied together with her dupatta as her hands had so many bruises like someone had held them forcefully and dug their nails into them.
Anger marred my vision when I understood what I might have happened and glanced at her who she was staring ahead blankly as if she was in her own world. Just when I bent down to untie it, I felt the scalding pain in my head as someone had tugged it forcefully. I hissed in pain when I felt myself pinning to the trunk of the tree.
My face was burning as it got ruptured to the bark of it but I had no time caring about it as I saw Aadhya crawling back in fear and sobbing while covering her mouth with her hands.
"Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?" I heard the hard voice as I started wriggling in his hold.
"Leave me! You don't know who you are messing with." I warned him and hissed immediately when I felt him pressing me more into the tree and twisting my hand.
"Ohh. Trying to be cocky. Whoever you are, I cared less. Just tell me how do you know this place or be ready to face the consequence." He spat coldly as fear engulfed my senses but it wasn't the time to be weak.
"I asked you a damn question. Answer me or else.." He yanked my hair forcefully again and turning me to face him, he raised his hand to slap me.
"I was the one who called her. Please, don't harm her. I beg you." Aadhya spoke out hurriedly when she noticed his actions as tears were flowing down continuously from her fearful eyes.
I closed my eyes helplessly and scolded myself for being so useless, seeing her in such a pathetic state. She was the princess of our family and she was treated like one till now and seeing her begging that scum of a human, my blood boiled but I chose to stand there numbly, just waiting for an opportunity.
Hearing her reply, he marched towards her angrily and slapped her so hard as she held her burning cheeks while crying so badly. All was happening in front of me only but I couldn't do anything and when he lifted his leg to kick her, I couldn't stop being doing anything.
"Stop! Stop it, please. Do anything to me but not to her. You can choose to thrash me instead of her and do whatever you want with me." I shouted as I discreetly glided my hands inside my bag in search of the pepper spray.
He halted in his actions and chuckled in response.
"Really? I can do anything to you?" He asked me while taking the threatening steps towards me as I just nodded my head blankly, gritting my teeth. He seemed to be the same age as Aadhya or maybe a year older.
"Vadhina, no. He is up to no good. Please don't do this to yourself." She pleaded when she saw him pinning me to the tree.
"Vikas, stop it. She is older than you. Stop insulting her in a such way." She begged as he passed me a sweet smile while running his fingers over my face, making me close my eyes in disgust at his mere touch.
"Tsk..tsk. Are you disgusted by my touch now? You should have expected this when you told me to do whatever I want." He said with a sickening smile and attempted to hold my waist. How much repulsive his touch was, all I could only do was endure and let him play his game.
Aadhya crawled to our side and held his legs in an attempt to stop him but he thrashed her away with his legs.
"I told you to don't lay a finger on her." I glared at him after seeing his ruthless actions.
"Oops. I am sorry." Saying this, he made circles over my exposed waist, making me sick.
"You really have a good figure and on top of it, you are so pretty. Hehehe. I must say your brother is so lucky." He said with a smirk while looking back and forth at me and her as I closed my eyes which were brimming with the tears of humiliation as I was never being shamed in this way.
"Now now, both of you must look at me. Mainly you, Ms. Aadhya, you humiliated me in front of the whole college when I proposed to you and threatened me with your brother's name. Now see how the situation was turned and you have to watch me humiliate that very brother's wife in front of your eyes and have to beg me, putting aside your mighty self." He said in a scathing tone while his hand started crawled upwards as I balled my fists, digging my nails into my palms and I really wanted to beg him to stop doing this but I didn't. Instead, I stood there numbly allowing him to carry on with his creepy acts.
She shook her head painfully as I shut my eyes and a sob was threatening to escape from my mouth at his actions. I never felt this much humiliated and helpless in my life and I just hope it to be a nightmare and it would end once I opened my eyes but no, everything was real. My humiliation and pain were real and her struggle was real.
"You are a psycho!" I spat out, only to welcome a slap as my face got twirled to the other side due to the impact of it.
I controlled my tears and matched his gaze stubbornly.
"Why? Are you angry but isn't it true? You are a scumbag who entertains the idea of dominating the helpless people, who can't take a 'No' as a 'No', and with that twisted personality of yours, you are no less than an animal. I just hope you to rot in hell." I yelled at him angrily and he immediately clutched my cheeks in his painful grip and glared at me furiously.
"This pretty little mouth of yours needs to be taught a lesson, I guess." Saying this, he inched his face forward to mine as I widened my eyes in fear, understanding his gesture. When his lips were about to touch mine, I called his name.
"Vikas?" I cried in despair and the moment he opened his eyes to meet mine, I gathered all the courage I had in mine and sprayed his eyes with that pepper spray that I held discreetly till now.
"Ahhh" he shouted in pain while rubbing his eyes with his hands furiously. Taking this chance, I pushed him off my body as he landed on the ground with a thud.
Wiping my tears furiously, I rushed towards Aadhya and untied her legs. Helping her up, I tried to drag her out but she refused to do so and went back to him. After doing so, she started kicking him so badly as I just stood there and let her vent out her anger.
When I thought it was enough, I held her hand and shook my head at her to stop it but she didn't and as if she was in a trance, she continued to kick him while crying so badly.
"How could you humiliate her? How could you?" She kept on mumbling this as I blinked back my tears, refusing to let them down anymore, and dragged her back forcefully.
"It's enough, Aadhya. Let's go."
I didn't know how we hired a taxi and got on it as all I could hear was her continuous mumbling of ' I am sorry' and I so badly wanted to console her and ask her to not cry but I wasn't in a position to do so when I myself was in the worse condition. Still, I pulled her into my embrace as she started sobbing and telling me how sorry she was in her muffled voice.
All of sudden, I suddenly felt her going limp in my arms as a worried frown etched my face.
"Aadhya?" I shook her and patted her cheeks but she wasn't responding. Knowing that she had collapsed, I hurriedly asked the driver to drive me to the nearest hospital while praying for everything to be fine.
Holding her unconscious form with one of my hands, I wiped my tears furiously with the other, while watching the city lights and thinking how everything got changed just like that.
Admitting her to the hospital, I sent a message to Dhruv and Indra Anna asking them to reach the hospital as soon they saw the message.
As I sat there numbly waiting for the doctor to come and tell me something. Then the nurse came and asked me to do the formalities.
After completing it, I made my way to the restrooms, and standing in front of the mirror, I splashed some handful of water on my face and hissed at first when the water made contact with the gashes on my cheek. Wiping my face with the end of my saree, I glanced at myself in the mirror and blinked away my tears, at the memory of what I had gone through a while ago.
I parted my hair sideways to cover my cheek as I made my way outside. Once I was near the Aadhya's room, I saw the back of solemn dhruv as he was listening to what was saying by a doctor with a frown. Seeing his presence, I had an urge to run into his arms and pour him my heart out.
Walking up to him, I called out his name as he glanced at me indifferently and I saw the doctor excusing himself.
"Dhruv, what did the doctor say? Is she okay?" I asked him and suddenly a fear gripped my heart when I noticed him sparing me no glance.
"Dhruv, say something." I urged him as he wasn't saying anything and the coldness in his eyes was so unbearable to take in.
"What should I say? I don't want to say something I would regret later but how can you do this to her?" He asked me in a painful tone.
"What? What did I do to her?" I asked him while scrunching my eyebrows, not understanding where he was going with his words.
"You are asking me about it? Where the hell did you take her and what happened there? Don't deny it. Yesterday, I heard you forcing her to come with you. I didn't expect this from you at all, Aarna. She must have suffered a lot to be put in such a situation. " He accused me as his eyes teared a little when he was speaking and I looked at him in disbelief.
"Dhruv, you are misunderstanding everything-"
"Stop it. Don't you dare to utter a word and keep your presence as far as possible from my sister? " He stressed each word while distantly gazing at me as I nodded to myself after understanding something while wiping my tears fiercely as I took in his every word.
"Is it what you have really thought of me? Great! You know, Dhruv, the moment I saw you here, I rushed to you to cry my heart out in your arms but, with your immense belief in me, you don't deserve the truth. You don't deserve it. Thanks for having so much trust in me and thanks for letting me know my place, Mr. Dhruv. Really thanks a lot. Don't worry, not only from her, but I will stay far away from our...sorry... your whole family from now on. This is what I have dreaded the most, the feeling of being unwanted and you proved me how unwanted and useless I was, with just a few words of yours. I, for sure, don't know when I will gain my confidence but this time I won't let it affect me. Trust me, If I c ry today then this would be the last time I cry for you." I said, gulping painfully and turned my back to him before walking ahead aimlessly.
"How much more do I have to endure in the quest of love and peace?" I asked myself and stumped in the middle of the road before burying my face in my knees to cry over my miserable life.
••••••
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