Author's POV,
As Rudra left the room, Pihu found herself engulfed in profound distress. She remained huddled in a corner of the bed, her body trembling uncontrollably. Tears flowed down her cheeks, a torrent of emotions she could no longer suppress. It was as if her very soul had fractured under the unbearable weight of the horrors she had been subjected to.
Clutching her knees to her chest, Pihu's heart cried out to the god, seeking solace and answers in the midst of her torment. Her pleas were filled with a desperate sense of injustice that reverberated through the walls, a fervent questioning of the universe itself. She couldn't fathom why such unspeakable misfortune had targeted her, a sense of unwarranted suffering that gnawed at her very core.
Pihu's thoughts raced, her ordeal having left her feeling as though countless lifetimes of agony had been compressed into mere hours. She could scarcely believe that less than twenty-four hours had passed since her world had been brutally upended, and the future, once full of promise, had transformed into a daunting abyss.
The image of the tortured man in the basement haunted her, his agonized cries echoing relentlessly in her mind like a never-ending nightmare. She couldn't rid herself of the tormenting questions that clawed at her sanity: "Why me? What could I possibly have done to deserve this unrelenting torment?" The sheer weight of the injustice bore down upon her heart, a suffocating burden that left her gasping for air.
Her dreams and aspirations, once vivid and radiant, now appeared distant and unattainable, fading like stars swallowed by an all-consuming darkness. The confines of her current reality had mercilessly crushed her spirit, and the once fiery courage within her had dwindled to a mere flicker. Witnessing the depths of cruelty that resided within Rudra had extinguished her fighting spirit.
In the depths of her despair, Pihu yearned for a solitary glimmer of hope, a lifeline to lead her out of the abyss that had engulfed her existence. She clung to the fragile belief that somewhere, somehow, there had to be a way to escape the unrelenting darkness and reclaim the life that had been cruelly stolen from her.
.
.
.
As evening descended, Pihu found herself sitting alone in her room, her thoughts still chaotic whirlwind of fear and despair. The weight of her circumstances pressed down on her like an unyielding force, making every breath a struggle. Tear-streaked cheeks bore witness to her anguish as she contemplated the harrowing nightmare that her life had become.
Amidst the solitude of her room, a gentle knock on the door startled her from her thoughts. Startled, she hastily wiped away her tears and called out, "Who is it?"
The door creaks open slowly, revealing Veer as he stepped inside. Pihu recognized him as Rudra's secretary whom she had interacted with only a few times during her brief tenure at the Rathore empire. The complexity of her emotions churned within her as she remained silent, she just want to be left alone on her miseries, her gaze cast downward, unable to meet his eyes, as she knew that, despite the kindness Veer had shown her before, his ultimate loyalty lay with Rudra.
Veer approached Pihu, his warm, brotherly smile contrasting with the somber atmosphere that enveloped her. He spoke softly, as if trying to dispel the darkness that had settled around her, "Pihu, you know I've wanted to meet you since this morning. Since it's our first official meeting, I thought I'd bring you a little gift."
Pihu's heart remained an impenetrable fortress, her refusal to engage evident in her silence. She couldn't bring herself to overlook the fact that while Veer might not actively be causing her pain, he was still an integral part of the world that had led to her suffering. Speaking to him, even in the face of a gift, felt like a betrayal of her own principles.
Veer, however, chose not to linger on her unresponsiveness. Instead, he continued with a quiet determination, "Okay, let me show you. I am sure you will like it. And I'm sure you will snatch it from my hand."
With practiced ease, he unwrap the small box, tied neatly with a ribbon, and presented the locket to her. His words, while gentle, carried a hint of playful confidence, as if he believed that deep down, she couldn't resist the temptation of his thoughtful gift.
Pihu's eyes widened in surprise, and she snatched the gift from him, just as he had predicted. She held the delicate, intricately designed locket in her trembling hands. Inside, a tiny picture of her parents and brothers gazed back at her, a poignant reminder of the family she could never see again due to being trapped by Rudra.
When Rudra had forcefully married her and brought her here, she had been stripped of everything that belonged to her, even her phone had been taken away by that devil. She even lamented the lack of a photo to remember her family by. Now, at least, she had this tiny piece of solace. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the locket tightly, her heart weighed down by a torrent of emotions.
Veer reached out to gently wipe her tears away, but Pihu instinctively recoiled, shrinking away from his touch. He withdrew his hand, speaking softly, "I know you're angry and afraid of me, Pihu. I understand that I am also responsible for your suffering by being a part of this world. But even if I tried, I couldn't stop Rudra. He's madly in love, and his actions are beyond my control. So please, forgive me. I also know that I can't fully understand what you're going through, but I want you to know that I'm here for you and I also want you to give relationship a chance because its circumstance that just made him like this. You're like a sister to me, Pihu, and I care for you deeply. If you need anything, just ask me—anything except leaving this place. I promise to fulfill your requests."
Pihu remained silent, her gaze locked on the locket, her heart torn between the resentment she held for Veer as he is also a part of Rudra's world and the glimmer of hope that perhaps not everyone in it was heartless. Veer's sincerity had touched her deeply, but her trust had been shattered, and rebuilding it would be a slow and painful journey. So she chose silence as her shield once more.
Veer's hand, which had reached out to comfort her, hung in the air for a moment before he slowly withdrew it. His understanding of the delicate nature of her situation made him refrain from pushing further, respecting her silence.
Just as Veer was about to exit the room, Pihu's voice, barely above a whisper and laden with fear, broke the silence. "Can I call my family just for a few minutes?"
Veer turned back towards her, his expression a mix of understanding and apprehension. He had committed to fulfilling her requests, but he also knew that Rudra's is going to be very angry but he can handle him. So despite that, he couldn't bring himself to deny her this small comfort, especially after witnessing her despair. With a nod, he replied, "Okay."
Tears welled up in Pihu's eyes once more, but this time, they were tears of gratitude. Her trembling hands reached out to accept the phone from him, and she quickly dialed her mother's number. As the phone rang, her heart pounded in her chest, a glimmer of hope shining through the darkness that had engulfed her life.
As the phone call connected, Pihu held her breath, her heart racing with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. The ringing on the other end seemed to stretch for an eternity, each passing second intensifying her longing to hear her mother's voice.
Then, finally, a familiar voice broke through the silence. "Hello?" her mother's voice look tired.
Pihu's eyes brimmed with tears, and her lips quivered as her throat parched, she whispered, "Hello, Mu.."
But the fragile moment of connection was shattered abruptly. The door swung open with force, and Rudra entered the room, his intention initially to check on Pihu and ensure she ate her dinner. However, when he saw the phone in her hand, his face contorted with anger.
In long, determined strides, he moved towards her and, without a hint of hesitation, snatched the phone from her grasp, ruthlessly breaking it under his feet. The sound of the phone shattering was a cruel symphony of destruction.
Pihu gasped in shock and fear, her heart pounding in her chest. Her tears flowed freely as she watched the remnants of her shattered hope scatter across the floor. It was as if the broken phone symbolized her own fractured dreams and longing for her family.
Rudra's anger was palpable, his gaze piercing through her like a dagger. "How dare you?" he hissed, venom lacing his words. Pihu's voice trembled as she attempted to explain, "I... I just wanted to... talk to my family."
He growled, his voice dripping with cold authority, "I told you yesterday that you have no family, Pihu. You are mine now, and your only family is me."
Veer, who had been silently observing this exchange, finally interrupted, "Rudra, what are you doing? Are you even realizing what you're doing?"
Rudra turned towards him, his fury unabated. "That's what I should be asking you! What are you doing, Veer? How could you give her a phone when I've made it clear she can never talk to her family?"
Veer replied, his tone firm, "I told you before, Rudra, what you're doing is going too far."
Rudra's anger flared to its peak. "I don't want to hear anything. Just leave from here. From now on, you can't meet her."
Veer opened his mouth to protest, but Rudra's shout cut him off. "I don't need your interference! Veer. Just leave, NOW!"
Recognizing the futility of arguing further, Veer turned and left the room, leaving Pihu behind.
Throughout this exchange, Pihu kept her gaze fixed on the floor, her mind racing with the consequences of Rudra's wrath. Her tear-stained face revealed the depth of her fear and sorrow, and she couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that had become her constant companion.
Rudra, though seething with anger, made a conscious effort to restrain himself as he glanced back at Pihu. He couldn't bear to see her so terrified, even if his own frustrations boiled within him.
Without saying anything further, Rudra abruptly left the room, leaving behind an atmosphere of tension and unease. As he departed, a middle-aged woman in her late 50s, who served as a maid within the mansion, is moving towards the room. Rudra's parting instructions to her were clear: "Make sure she takes her meals."
The lady nodded in acknowledgment of Rudra's directive and responded with a firm "Yes, Sir." She approached Pihu with a tray of food in her hands, her demeanour radiating a sense of care and concern.
Upon entering the room, the maid observed Pihu's tearful state. Undeterred, she gently placed the tray of food on the nearby table and approached Pihu with a compassionate smile. She spoke softly, her voice filled with kindness, "Mam, please eat something. I've brought your meal, and if you need anything else, just let me know."
Pihu, still overwhelmed by her emotions, remained silent for a few moments as she wiped away her tears. She finally spoke, her voice trembling, "Please take the food back. I don't want to eat anything."
The maid, displaying unwavering compassion, insisted on Pihu taking her meal. She gave Pihu a warm, understanding smile and said, "Mam, I know it's difficult, but please try to eat something. You need to take care of yourself, just like your family would want you to. You see, I'm a mother too, and I can't stand to see a young girl like you go hungry."
Pihu, her emotions still in turmoil, hesitated for a moment. The maid's words tugged at her heartstrings, reminding her of her own mother. With a reluctant nod, she agreed to eat, and the maid helped her get situated with the food.
As Pihu began to eat, the maid continued to show her kindness. Between bites, Pihu shook her head when asked if she needed anything else, but once her mouth was clear, she softly said, "Please Aunty, don't call me 'mam.' Just call me Pihu."
The maid looked concerned, aware of the potential consequences for addressing Pihu so informally. She hesitated but finally agreed but she didn't want to add to Pihu's distress. Finally, she agreed with a gentle smile, "Alright, Pihu. I'll call you by your name when sir is not here."
Pihu didn't press the matter further, fully aware that challenging Rudra's authority could lead to dire consequences. She focused on her meal, silently enduring the weight of her circumstances.
.
.
.
.
.
To be continued..............