Aanvik's Pov
I stand shocked at what just happened. I didn't think that she would be this bold, just earlier in the morning I could see a little fear whenever I came close to her, but now, she put Haldi on me and walked away as if nothing happened. I looked down to see that a little haldi was on my hand along with the henna that unknowingly got on my hand while I picked her up earlier.
I brush off any other ideas that come to me and proceed to the guest room that has been assigned to me. Nilesh and Nalini are standing at the door. When they see me approaching, they smile.
"Do you want anything from me, Uncle Aunty?" I ask them as I observe them both looking at each other as though speaking through their eyes.
"Beta, your father must have told you about the wedding, right? We were so delighted to know that Veer wants to convert this professional relationship into a personal one."
Nilesh said, in his usual sickly-sweet voice.
"We are so happy that you chose our niece as your future wife, and we want you to meet our niece, we want you guys to get to know each other so that me and Veer can finally put
a new stamp on our friendship."
"I get it Uncle... fine I will meet your niece... is she here?" I ask them already irritated wanting to get over this shit as soon as possible.
"Aap log andar baithye, main Kaya- oh, I mean Vaani ko bula kar laati hu." Nalini says and walks away to call her niece.
While Nalini is off to get her niece, Nilesh and I have a small chat. Suddenly, a harsh and overly sweet smell hits my nostrils, making me want to puke. I try to stay calm and pray to God that this will all be over soon.
I glance towards the door and see a beautiful woman, possibly my age, entering the room; she stands in front of me, and I also rise to introduce myself.
"Hi, I am Aanvik Shekhawat, it's a pleasure to meet you," I say in a bored tone, hoping that it will end soon, as I cannot bear the smell of this perfume for even a second more.
"Hii, I am Ka-Vaani Rajput, nice to meet you as well." She shakes my hand and then starts talking to her mother, while I observe her. She is dressed strangely in a white shirt and denim trousers, and her face is heavily makeup. She doesn't resemble the girl my father described. She appears to be some plastic bitch who is as stupid on the inside as she is on the front.
After a few minutes of talking, she gets a call, which causes her to hastily jump up and depart without looking at any of us. She's such a jerk! What on earth did I get myself into?
I exit the room after the meeting to discover the second floor being adorned and the altar being prepared for the wedding. It appears that the wedding will take place solely on this floor. My phone rings, and I see that it's Dad calling. He must have arrived at Delhi Airport, so I called Nilesh to see if there was a car available to send to pick up my parents.
Maa and Dad arrive, and Nilesh and Nalini extend special hospitality to them. I also meet them, and Dad gives me a tiny nod as if to inquire if the work is finished. I return his
nod and transfer his and Mom's bags to one of the guest rooms.
Author's Pov
The walls were echoing with chatter, music, and laughter as the house was decorated like a bride. The altar was exquisitely decorated with hues of yellow and red, and a veil of flowers draped over it, giving the impression that it was in utter heaven. A young bride in a stunning red lehenga sat at the altar, her beautiful eyes filled with hopes and wishes. She sat at the altar, waiting for the love of her life to arrive and marry her. Her eyes were filled with so much love that it could even melt the coldest heart.
She was wearing a gorgeous grin, but hearing the murmuring of guests surrounding her made her nervous. Many of the ladies had come to ask her about Sameer's arrival in the last hour, but she could only smile because she didn't know anything about him.
Vaani's Pov
After nearly an hour of waiting, everyone heard someone walking upstairs, and shock washed over their faces. People are whispering loudly and some are even looking at me with sympathy as I gaze around.
When I look around, I notice people peering down the stairwell and then looking at me with amazement and
sadness. My gaze is drawn to Anvik, who is staring at me with a blank expression.
I take a step back from the altar to investigate what is going on. I see him walking upstairs in a lovely sherwani as soon as I reach the top of the stairs. I beam at him and rush over to hug him.
"Where were you, Sameer? You know I was trying to call you since yesterday, but your phone was not reachable. You know how I once told you about, the instincts I have,
indicating that something will go wrong, I had those types of instincts the whole yesterday! But look you are here now, and I am finally at peace. Let's go now and get married!" I take his hand in mine and start to go towards the altar, but he stops me. I turn to look at him, to see someone else holding his hand from the other side which is stopping him from moving.
I approach closer to him and am taken aback by what I see over his shoulder. I take a step back in horror, my eyes bulging out of their sockets as I stare at them.
This must be some sort of twisted prank. What exactly is Kaya Didi doing with her hand in Sameer? And why is she wearing a bridal gown? And why is Sameer staring at her... with such love in his eyes?
I'm going to be miserable. My breathing quickens and tears well up in my eyes as I try to process what I've just witnessed.
"Sameer... what happened, why did you do this to me... I... love you. I had given my heart and soul—and my entire being—to you because I honestly loved you with all of my being, I thought we would live a happy life and you... why did do this to me, Sameer..."
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked at both of them, my heart pounding as I watched Sameer lovingly holding her hand and kissing the back of her hand. My sobs become more strident, and I collapse to the ground, unable to stop them.
As I sit here, tears streaming down my cheeks, I feel the weight of my heartbreak like an anchor pulling me deeper into despair. It's as if a storm has unleashed inside me, and I'm drowning in a sea of sorrow. Every breath feels like a struggle as if I'm gasping for air in a world that has suddenly turned cold and dark.
My chest aches with a pain that is both physical and emotional, as though someone has torn my heart into a thousand shattered pieces. Each shard of my broken heart is a reminder of the love that once filled my life, now reduced to memories that haunt my every waking moment.
My body trembles with each sob, and I clutch at my chest as if trying to hold onto the last vestiges of what once was. The pain is so intense that it feels as though I'm being torn apart from the inside out. I can't escape the torment of my thoughts, replaying the moments when everything fell apart and when the love I thought was eternally crumbled into dust.
Summoning every ounce of strength I have left, I manage to push myself up. My trembling legs barely support me as I stand, but I refuse to let my vulnerability show any longer. As I collect the tattered remains of my composure, I glance towards them, hoping to find some remorse or empathy in their eyes, but there's nothing – not even a hint of regret.
A surge of anger courses through my veins, momentarily overpowering the heartache. My face tightens, and my brows furrow with a mix of indignation and pain. With determined steps, I approach him, and my trembling hand reaches out to grasp his collar. My fingers clench tightly, the fabric digging into my palm, mirroring the way my heart was torn apart just moments ago.
Our eyes lock, and I can feel the heat of my anger radiating off me. The words I want to say, the accusations and the hurt that I've been carrying, they're all bottled up inside, threatening to spill out. But for now, my grip on his collar serves as a silent statement, a physical manifestation of the turmoil that rages within me.
I search his eyes once more, desperate to see a flicker of remorse, a glimmer of understanding, anything that might make this pain feel a little less unbearable. Yet, all I find is a cold indifference that stings as much as the heartbreak itself. It's a stark reminder that I stand alone in my suffering, that the person I thought would stand beside me has become the source of my torment.
At that moment, as I hold him by his collar, I realize that I must find my strength to navigate this heartache, that I can't rely on him to mend what he's broken. With one final, pained look into his eyes, I release my grip, taking a step back. The anger still smoulders within me, but it's now mixed with a sense of resignation.
"Why did you do this Sameer? Aisa kya kiya tha humne, jo aapne humara dil iss kadar tod diya. Humne aap par poora bharosa kiya thaa, toh aapne aisa kyu kiya! Kyu choda humein." I screamed at his face hoping that he would say that it was just a prank and marry me right now.
"Chup kyu ho Sameer! Kuch toh bolo! Why did you do that to me!" I shout at his face shaking him a little.
Out of nowhere, Kaya Didi, with an unexpected and fierce burst of anger, delivered a resounding and stinging slap to my cheek. The sheer force behind her strike was astonishing, causing me to lose my balance and tumble to the ground, where my head made a painful and jarring impact with the unforgiving floor.
I let out a pained hiss upon witnessing blood seeping from
my forehead. As I struggled to regain my footing, my gaze met Sameer's, revealing a hint of remorse in his eyes.
In a fit of rage, Didi's voice thundered, accusing me, "You
shameless person! How could you lay a hand on my husband with your vile, contemptible hands and speak to him in such a disrespectful manner?" With a sudden, forceful twist, she contorted my arms behind my back, causing excruciating pain that brought tears to my eyes.
"Enough!" Chacha's voice roared through the floor halting every sound on the floor.
"What the hell did you do!" Chacha angrily asked Didi, his voice raging with anger.
"Didn't I tell you that, you will be getting married to Aanvik Shekhawat? Then why did you go and get married to him!"
What! Kaya didi was supposed to get married to Aanvik!
I gazed at Aanvik in astonishment, only to find him already studying me. However, I couldn't discern his thoughts, as he wore his customary inscrutable expression on his face.
A man comes towards Chacha with angry strides and starts talking to him in angry whispers. He looks the same age as my Chacha but his aura oozes pure dominance and royalty.
The relentless torrent of tears had left me feeling slightly lightheaded, but I managed to collect myself. Just as I began to regain my composure, a bright and cheerful voice cut through the sombre atmosphere. Turning my attention towards the source, I was delighted to spot my Zee bounding toward me, his eager steps carrying him swiftly in my direction.
"Mamma, see what I found for you! It's such a beautiful flower, and it smells absolutely lovely! Give it a sniff, Mumma!" I struggled to contain my emotions as I gazed upon his innocent countenance, but despite my best efforts, tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn't help but cry.
Using his tender, little hands, he gently brushed away my tears, a gesture filled with pure affection. He then enveloped me in a warm, comforting embrace, his small frame providing solace in my moment of distress. As I clung to him, seeking refuge in his embrace, I made a conscious effort to regain my composure, if not for my own sake, then for my precious child.
Sometime later, he cast me a puzzled yet adorable scowl, inquiring about the cause of my excessive tears. Fearful of how he might react, particularly given his strong aversion to Sameer, I found myself unable to utter a single word in response.
"Mumma is feeling better now, Zee, so there's no need for you to be upset with anyone," I reassured him, my best attempt at a smile gracing my lips for his sake. "I'm smiling because you gave me these beautiful flowers."
However, he remained oblivious to my words and instead, his curious gaze wandered among the faces in the vicinity until it settled on Sameer. With cautious, small steps, he made his way over to him.
"Uncle, mujhe pata hai aap hi ne meri mumma ko rulaya hai na! Aap bahut gande ho uncle, aap jab bhi phele bhi aate thee toh meri mumma bahut roti thii or unki taibyat bhi kharab ho jaati thii, aap aache nahi ho! Aap bahut gande ho, aap meri mumma ko bahut rulate ho! Main aapko apne hand se bahut maarunga" Zee said in an angry tone and started hitting him with his small hands, making everyone shocked at the protectiveness of the little kid.
"Zee, please leave him beta he did not do anything. Zee, leave him, please! You will hurt yourself, baby, please leave him and come to Mumma." I plead with him to stop as something tells me that this will not end on a good note.
Irritated, Sameer holds his forearm to push him a little but Zee isn't ready to listen to anyone and he keeps hitting Sameer with his little hands.
As the argument escalated, tensions soared in my body, as I saw Sameer's rage reach a breaking point. In a horrifying moment, fuelled by uncontrollable anger. With a forceful shove, he sent Zee tumbling backwards, down a flight of steep, wooden stairs. The sound of the boy's cries filled the air as he descended, and the chilling thud of his small body hitting each step sent shivers down anyone who bore witness to this dreadful scene.
"Zee..."
He died... Zee died... People like dying on my watch or because of me...
Just kidding
Happy Reading.