Last chapter for today, trust me, you'll cry and fall in love with Rey if nothing else. You might have not even expected Rey to react this way if not someone else.
Enjoyyyyyyy!
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Author's POV
"You knew about them...didn't you?"
Taani looked up at him only to see acute pain and hurt in his eyes, along with a request that she denies his claim, but as soon as her head again bowed down his feet staggered. He again asked,
"Taani, you knew?"
She felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she subtly nodded,
"Ji!"
Only one word, her one yes and it was enough to drive the stake through his heart. his pain just increased tremendously in a second hearing his wife too was a part of the betrayal. He looked at her with accusatory glance and asked,
"Since when?"
"Rey meri baat..." Ashish tried to say but Rey showed his hand stopping him from speaking and saying,
"Ye mere or meri wife ke beech ki baat hai, I don't want you both to say anything abhi."
The order was clear in his voice, both AshNa dreaed whatever future holds for Taarey knowing Rey was more than just hurt now.
"Since when?"
Rey repeated his question when Taani looked at him and whispered,
"Durga pooja!"
Her low whisper was audible enough for his ears. Five days! Five days of love, passion, endless talks and lovely moments and she couldn't find a single moment to tell him this. He chuckled sadly,
"Of course, you too thought the same about me as them, right?"
Taani and the couple looked at him surprised when he took it all wrong, Naina immediately jumped in her bhabhi's defence,
"Nahi bhai, bhabhi ne to balki humse kaha tha aapko batane ko, she always took your side saying aap hume humesha support karoge. Ki aap humari khushi se zyada kuch nahi chahte, vo to mene hi bhabhi ko apni kasam deke roka tha."
Rey's heart relieved a little hearing taani supported him behind his back, that she knew he would never hurt his best friend and sister, but still his hurt was too big to accept any of the explanations. He looked straight at Taani and said,
"Huh kasam...agar kasam ki hi baat hai to vo to mujhe bhi di hai, nahi?"
Taani looked at him with a jerk when he said, "Shaadi ke waqt ki tum mujhse har cheez share karogi, jhooth nahi bologi, apne dil ki har baat bataogi. Or shaadi ke baad bhi, remember Taani? Our promise? That we can share each and everything with each other? That we WILL share everything with each other? Chahe kuch bhi ho?"
Taani felt her guilt increasing along with shame as she realised that she broke their promise. A promise which he built after so much of hard work and efforts from his end. His immense care, him discussing everything from kids, her education, her past, her periods and everything else with her, asking her the same that she discusses everything with him too. Their promise wasn't just a promise, it was a long and heartfelt effort from his side to make her believe they were each other's diaries, that they could write anything on the other's pages and none else would know about it.
She couldn't believe she broke it!
Her thoughst muddled as her conscious screamed,
Oh god, what have I done?
She looked at him who was looking at her, waiting for something, any answer when he again said,
"Hnn, maybe tumse kiya hua promise, humare promise se zyada important tha, merese zyada important tha, haina?"
Rey asked her making the couple still and Taani gasp. she couldn't believe he just said this, Ashish tried saying,
"Rey, ruk...sochke bol, tu hurt hai abhi. Hum baad mein baat karenge."
Rey chuckled and shook his head,
"Don't worry, teri behen ko kuch nahi bol raha, na hi gussa karunga, khud se promise kiya tha ki ye vo face kabhi nahi dekhegi."
Taani felt tears racing down her eyes uncontrollably as he turned towards the couple and said,
"And don't worry, tumhe meri tension lene ki zarurat nahi hai, main itna bhi bura nahi hun ki do log jo pyaar karte hain unhe alag karu, jab main khud isse alag nahi reh sakta."
He said pointing at Taani which broke her heart a little further, her guilt increasing if possible when he smiled at them, painfully though,
"You guys have my consent and blessings!"
He told this to the couple who was just standing there in guilt and pain, and even though Rey accepted them they couldn't celebrate it and feel happy. Maybe because they knew how much hurt the three of them caused him. Rey looked at Naina and said,
"Family ko tum bataogi, ya main batau?"
Naina looked at him, then at Taani, she felt more guilty knowing she was the reason Taani and Rey both were having differences,
"Jesa aapko thik lage."
Rey nodded and started moving out, Taani looked at him as he stopped near the door without turning and realised he was waiting for her. she looked at the couple and nodded softly, the duo looked at her apologetically before she followed him. he was already sitting in the car when she came and settled,
"Reyansh meri baat..."
But before she could have continued he raced the car and drove making her keep her mouth shut. She looked out of the window to see it was still raining and couldn't help think about how fast the night changes. Just an hour back they were enjoying this rain, romancing each other and now she could feel a distance of a sea between the both of them.
It was late night when the duo reached home, everyone was in their rooms, Rey gave the keys to the valet too hurt and angry to say anything. Taani looked at him as avoiding her he started going in. she climbed out of the car hurriedly and followed him trying to say,
"Reyansh...Reyansh meri baat..."
But he wasn't listening and kept walking, she tried matching his pace and request,
"Rey please meri baat to..."
But he didn't even look at her once and started climbing stairs towards their room when her feet stumbled due to the dupatta and her leg sprained making her fall on the ground with a shriek,
"Ahhh!"
She sat on the floor painfully clutching her foot. Rey halted hearing the scream and turned around only to see her there on the floor holding her foot. He closed his eyes in pain for a second, before sighing shaking his head and climbing down stairs towards her. Taani saw him coming towards her with tears in her eyes, when he came and lifted her bridal style. Her heart squeezed in pain as he took her upstairs without even throwing her a glance, he was helping her not able to see her in pain even though she was the one to cause him pain. Sometimes, his selfless nature just left her speechless and overwhelmed. It was one of those times.
He entered their room and made her sit on the bed, she was saying,
"Reyansh, I never ever imagined to cause you pain...I ...."
But before she could have complete he brought the pain relievr spray and bandaid from the cupboard nd sitting in front of her, took her foot to spray it making her wince as it burned a little. He blew air on it softly and she could feel tears not stopping from flowing down her eyes, he wrapped the bandaid and left to washroom to wash his hands.
She stood up determined to talk to him when he comes back,a nd immediately walked to him fumbling on her steps a little, she was gonna fall when he said caught her and said frustratedly,
"Taani, what the hell you think are doing walking with your sprained foot?"
He was gonna make her sit when she held his collar and started saying,
"Reyansh please, ek baar rukiye. Mereko baat karni hai, aap sun hi nahi rahe, main kabse bolna chah rahi hu."
Rey sighed looking in some other direction when she asked,
"Reyansh, I know mene galti ki hai, I know you are hurt. Mera koi intention nahi tha aisa karna ka. Vo ..vo bas Naina dari hui thi, aapke hi nahi sabke reaction se, isliye usne mujhe kasam di or mene aapko nahi bataya. I am sorry, I know mujhe humare promise ke bare mein sochna chahiye tha, but...but uss time muje laga mera ye baat batane ka haqq nahi banta. Ye baat Ashish bhai or Naina kit hi, isliye I thought agar vo aapko bataye better hoga."
He was still looking away when she tried turning his face towards her and saying,
"Reyansh please idhar dekhiye, aap bol kyu nahi arhe hain kuch. Aap...aap please aise chup mat ho, aapko jo karna hai karo, jo bolna hai bolo, but please don't stay silent. Pleasee, main aapka gussa bhi...."
But she was cut off by him,
"Kya gussa Taani? Konsa gussa? Do all of you think of me as a monster? Ashish or Naina ne mujhse share nahi kiya coz they were scared of my anger? Yahan tum bol rahi ho tum mera gussa bhi jhel logi? What do you guys think of me?"
Taani tried speaking when he said, "Taani, I am not angry, hell I am hurt. Or kya chahti ho tum, kese nikalu main tumpe gussa? Tumpe chillau? Tumhe accuse karu? Tumhe maaru? Ya kya karu? Vahi sab karu jisse bachake, jisse protect karte aaya hun main aaj tak tumhe? Jiss duniya se tumhe nikal ke laaya hun, jinn logo ko tumhari zindagi se nikala hai, unki hi tarah ban jaun?"
Taani sobbed as she heard him, her heart was paining with his every word, she knew he was pure, so pure that she sometimes felt tainted but she was seeing it herself now. He spoke still holding her softly as if she was a glass doll,
"No Taani, I won't do that. I won't raise my voice on you, let alone raise my hand. Meri wife ho, koi dushman nahi jo tumhe vese treat karunga. I am not that man. Jiss din shaadi kit hi I vowed to myself mera vo chehra kabhi nahi dekhogi jo sirf mere enemies ke liye hai, unke liye jo meri family ko hurt karna ka sochte hain. That's not what you deserve."
Taani was sobbing looking at him with all the love she could muster, when his next words broke her heart,
"But I didn't deserve what I got either. I never forced you for anything, never asked anything in return beside honesty, par..."
He stopped saying remembering whatever happened, she cried cupping his face keeping her forehead on his,
"Reyansh....."
He held her hands and pulled them down,
"I need time!"
Saying that he moved a little away making her shocked, she tried saying when he held her and helping her to bed made her lie down and switched off the lamp on her side.
She just looked on as he went to his side of the bed and laid down, but what broke her heart was he lied down with his back to her. she sobbed and turned around showing her to back as she tried to stifle her cries.
Rey felt a coupel fo tears escaping his eyes seeing hwo she was trying her best to numb her voice while crying, how his best friend and sister thought of him, how they all lied to him. he could feel the hurt now coming in the form of tears. But more than his pain, he couldn't handle the sobs of the person who was crying her heart out beside him. she wasn't stopping even after an hour, and he knew he need to turn around and calm her down because this way she would fall ill.
Wiping his own tears, he turned on his back and looked at her before keeping a hand on her shoulder. Taani froze feeling it before lookin at him, she could see him looking at her with a blank face but she didn't miss the redness of his eyes which clearly showed he cried as well. Seeing that it broke her heart a little more and she sobbed again, he pulled her in his arms as she mumbled clutching his vest,
"I am sorry! I am so so so sorry! Mereko maaf kardo plz. I am sorry Reyansh!"
He just embraced her and kept caressing her head trying to keep his hurt away for the night as he muttered shushing,
"Shhh! Sleep now, it was a long day."
Taani stopped saying but kept sobbing momentarily in his chest. He covered the both of them with a duvet, and looked at her face who dozed off in his arms too tired. Caressing her head, he kissed her on her hair and said,
I know you are sorry Taani, par mujhe sab bhulne mein time lagega. Please, tab tak apna dhyaan rakhna. Tumhe aise dekhke main tumse dur nahi reh paunga or, kuch waqt tak, na pehle ki tarah tumhare sath.
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That's all for today!
Honestly, tell me, who all didn't expect Rey's this reaction? I mean I was tired of Rey being the angry young man in every Taarey story, screaming on Taani, cornering her or accusing her. For once, I wanted a different angle and fortunately I got this one, where he shows his hurt but keeping himself in check and like the best guy he is. He is angry and upset, but won't treat Taani any less than she deserves. Isn't this what we all always expect.
I didn't wanted this to be any other marriage story where he will acusse her, shout at ehr ro hit her, she would leave him or they'll have a huge misunderstanding. From day one, I am trying my best to make this story a different one. Talking about things that we overlook, just like in story how it is not good to accuse or manhandle your partner even in anger and hence Rey's this reaction. Truly speaking, if I would have shown his reaction as same as the other stories, then there was no point of everything that i build his character on since the start. No matter what, he would never show Taani his demonic side just because of her single mistake, because that side is not meant for her.
I hope you all like this change here, and I hope it didn't steal the essence of the scene. However, I would never ever change this scene for anything else if if this turn is a huge flop.
Do vote and comment big guys! I really want to know your opinions on this. Waiting for them.
Love you <3 <3