"Yes, I'd really like to get this done as soon as possible. I want her gone as soon as possible."
Rohan hung the phone up as he walked out of his room into the living, he was focused on his phone that he didn't realise when he collided with something. Or rather someone. His phone flew out of his hand and he felt the person slip and almost fall. Out of instinct, he wrapped his arms around the person only to come face to face with his wife. Just like the first time they had met as strangers. And fate was playing dirty jokes on the two as they gazed at each other, still strangers. Strangers bound together by the seven sacred vows they made to each other.
Rohan quickly pulled her up before letting go of his grip around her waist, Chhaya too stepped back and mumbled a sorry before rushing into the living where everyone was sitting, including Priya. Although she was unwanted by all the members, she still didn't have any shame and would join in anyway.
Meesha and Vihaan were still terrified of the woman and would ask their parents over and over again when her sleepover would be finished and she would go away. Meesha cuddled closer to her father as Priya smiled her way. The sinister smile caused shivers to go down the little spine and she just wanted her dadda to hide her away. Vihaan would try to be strong, but his mother knew that her little baby was terrified on the inside.
"Vihaan, Meesha. Why don't you babies go for a walk with me, hmm? I really need some help picking out flowers for tomorrow morning's pooja." Suman tried her best to keep her grandkids away from the drama, she didn't want to be traumatised any more than they were. The two hurried over to their grandmother before racing to the garden.
Rohan cleared his throat as he sat down on the sofa. Everyone watched on in anticipation, knowing he had something to say but couldn't due to the presence of Priya. But to their luck, a notification went off on her phone, she gazed down at it, and her eyes flickered with a certain emotion before looking up as if nothing had happened.
"Aarav, mere liya gadi nikhalva do. I need to go somewhere."
(Get the car for me.)
Aarav looked around before calling one of their drivers to come to pick her up. Rohan watched Priya walk out with a slight smirk on his face before turning to his family when he was certain she had left.
"Bohot jald hi yeh Priya ka kissa khatam ho jayega." His eyes went to Chhaya before he continued, "aur phir Chhaya ka bhi koi hal nikal lunga."
(Very soon, this Priya situation will be over.)
(Then I'll find a solution for Chhaya as well.)
Chhaya's heart plunged to the pit of her stomach at his words before a sudden rush of fury ran through her body. The way he looked at her as if she was some sort of pest irritating his eyes and polluting the air around him.
She returned his glare with equal distaste before deciding it was time to stand up for herself, she had enough of being the target and being disappointed by every person in her life.
"Kya matlab hai hal nikal lunga? Kya hal nikaloge? Mujhe chod do ge?"
(What do you mean by finding a solution? What solution will you find? You'll leave me?)
The family looked at their daughter-in-law sitting opposite their son.
"Exactly."
Hearing that Chhaya abruptly stood up, heaving in a deep breath she exhaled all her frustration. It was time for her to be heard.
"Aur kaise chodo ge? Legally married toh hum hai bhi nahi, woh toh tum aur Priya ho. Hume sirf mere galle ke mangalsutra ne jod ke rakha hai na?"
(And how will you do that? We're not even legally married, that's you and Priya. The only thing binding us together is the mangalsutra hanging off my neck, right?"
Neel and Reema's eyes widen and their daughter-in-law clutched onto the delicate thread. With a harsh tug, the thread snaps and the black beads fall to the ground, scattering like their marriage. The sound of the chain being tossed onto the floor echoes in the room. It lands at Rohan's feet, he glares at the woman standing in front of him as she harshly wiped her tears away.
"Bas 24 ghante aur. Phir mein aur mujhse judi koi bhi cheez tumhe kabhi nahi dikhegi."
(Just 24 hours more. Then you'll never have to see me or anything remotely connected to me.)
"Chhaya-"
Shourya goes to step forward to talk to Chhaya to reconsider her words, only to be held back by his wife. She shook her head and tugs him back.
"Zindagi bhar mene logon ko safai di hai, aur bas ek bar aur karungi. Phir yahan se bohot door chali jaaongi."
(I've had to explain myself to people my whole life, I'll do it one more time. Then I'll go somewhere far away from her.)
"Accha hai! Jitni jaldi ho sake, utni jaldi niklo. Kyunki mujhe tumhari yeh manhoos shakal nahi dekhni."
(Good! Leave as soon as you can. Because I don't want to see this inauspicious face of yours.)
By now Rohan was also on his feet, fisting his hands to help calm his boiling anger and frustration. He didn't think Chhaya would react this way, and for some reason, even though she had just promised to leave in 24 hours, he just felt more frustrated.
Riya flinched at her cousin's tone and way of speaking, her eyes welled up with tears at the thought of how hurt Chhaya must have been feeling. Aarav wrapped his arm around her and she clung to him, wanting everything to just end. Little did she know that Chhaya didn't feel hurt, because unlike Riya, who had lived a protected and loved life, Chhaya had faced taunts her whole life.
Reema also silently sobbed at the scene unfolding in front of her, knowing that she had played a huge role in creating the insecurities rooted deep down in Rohan.
Chhaya humourlessly chuckled at Rohan, "tumhe lagta hai ki yeh sab keh kr tum mujhe chot pohoncha sakte ho? Agar aisa hai toh galat lagata hai. Kyunki zindagi bhar logon ne mujhe manhoos kaha hai. Log kehte the ki paida ho kr maa ko khaa gayi, itni manhoos hai ki paida hote hi ghar ki shanti loot li. Iske aane ke baad acha khasa, naukri jaane wala, iska baap, pee kr gandi nali mein pada rehta hai.
(Do you think I'll be hurt by the things you're saying to me? That's not the case. Because my whole life people have called me inauspicious. People would say that I killed my mother, I'm so inauspicious that I stole the peace of my home. After she came her hardworking father gets drunk and finds himself in a dirty gutter.)
Tears fell from Raj's eyes as he watched the young girl, the same age as his own daughter talks about society's role in ruining her life.
"Aare dekho raat ko der se aa rahi hai, pata nahi aisi konsi naukri hai. Pehle maa, phir baap, abh iski bure saaye ki wajah se bhua ko canser ho gaya."
(Hey look, she comes home late at night, who knows what kind of work she does? First, her mother, then her father and now her awful presence has caused her aunt to get cancer.)
"Log apni bacchon ko mere saath khelne nahi dete the, ki kahin meri nazar na lag jaye. Aur tumhe lagta hai ki tumhare baaton se mujhe dard hoga!"
(People would stop their children from playing with me so that I don't ward an evil eye on them. And you think I would be hurt by your words!)
Aarav hugged his sister, the siblings clearly distressed at the new revelations. Reema held onto her husband's hand as tight as she could to stop herself from falling on the couch. Every member present felt the heaviness dripping from the eyes of the bubbly, sweet girl they had known.
"Aare tum ho kon? Ek ladki ke liye uske baap se zaada pyaara aur koi nahi hota, baap ka farz hota hai ki apne baachi ko har bure saaye se baachaye. Aur mera baap? Char saal ki thi jab pee kr, kahin chala gaya. Aaj tak nahi milla, pata bhi nahi hai ki woh zinda bhi hai ya nahi. Mein yeh sab deserve nahi krti."
(Who even are you? For a girl, the most important man is her father. It's his duty to keep his daughter away from every evil shadow of this world. And my father? I was four years old when he left the house drunk and never came back. I don't even know if he's alive or not. I don't deserve any of this.)
So guys!
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