क्यों तूने मेरी फुर्सत की
क्यों दिल में इतनी हरक़त की
इश्क़ में इतनी बरकत की
ये तूने क्या किया
फिरू अब मारा मारा मैं
चाँद से बिछड़ा तारा मैं
दिल से इतना क्यों हारा मैं
ये तूने क्या किया
We found ourselves back at home. A heavy silence engulfed the room, and I sank into my thoughts. My mind was a tangled mess, and I couldn't help but wonder how my life had become so hopelessly complicated.
In that moment, I longed to return to simpler times, to my school days, back when I was just a sixth-grader. I wished for my father to tie my ponytail and my mother to prepare my smiley-faced sandwich. Those were the days when life felt innocent and carefree.
I couldn't stand the person I had become. The harsh words he had thrown at me echoed in my mind. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was just a worthless girl, burdening everyone with my presence. A few tears managed to escape, and I wiped them away quickly, hoping to conceal my vulnerability.
"Why?" His voice was soft, a gentle whisper filled with concern as he turned his gaze towards me. I met his eyes, resenting how they seemed so open and vulnerable. He looked at me with hope, longing to understand what was troubling me. The painful truth was that I didn't even know what was wrong with me.
"Sometimes, that one question can have multiple answers," I replied, my voice equally soft. "But in this moment, I have none."
Ruhaan's eyes held a depth of understanding that left me both uneasy and grateful. He had a way of seeing through my walls, a quality I alternately admired and feared.
"Meera, it's okay not to have all the answers right now," Ruhaan said, his words like a gentle embrace. "Life can be incredibly complex and confusing. Sometimes, it feels like we're drowning in the questions, doesn't it?"
I nodded, my throat tightening with emotion. Ruhaan's presence was a lifeline in these turbulent moments. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I confessed my deepest fears to Ruhaan. My voice quivered, and my walls crumbled completely.
"I feel so worthless," I stammered. "I feel so stupid and needy, and it's tearing me apart, Ruhaan. I can't help but feel suffocated at times when I think about how dependent and helpless I am."
I continued to speak, my voice raw with emotion. My breath came in short, uneven gasps, and the tears and hiccups made it difficult to get the words out. But I needed to share this burden, and I knew Ruhaan was there to listen, to understand.
Ruhaan didn't need any words to respond. He simply reached out and held me, his presence a steady anchor in the storm of my emotions.
"Question me. Ask me," I demanded, my frustration with his silence becoming more apparent.
"Would you like me to ask you about it?" Ruhaan inquired gently.
I nodded wearily, my face reflecting the weariness of my emotional turmoil. I despised the fact that I was revealing myself as a person deeply scarred by past experiences. After all, that's all I felt I had become.
"So tell me," he said softly, and I nodded. I needed to vent. I needed to confide in someone.
Trigger Warning: This content may contain sensitive themes related to abuse and sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
"T-Three years back, I was in Delhi, just a resident treating minor cases at a reputed hospital. On September 5th, this young girl walked in, barely eighteen. I was assigned to treat her wounds, but while examining her, she asked me not to undress her. I was perplexed. Her eyes were bruised, and she had scratches all over her face and arms. I assured her gently that I wouldn't hurt her and promised not to share her story with anyone. Reluctantly, she allowed me to proceed." Ruhaan listened intently as I continued.
"Ruhaan, you wouldn't believe the horrifying state of her body. Bruises covered her from head to toe. Her breasts appeared cut and infected, and her abdominal wounds were poorly treated. I couldn't hold back my tears as I worked to help her. After I finished treating her, I asked who had done this to her. She gave me a sad smile and asked me to follow her. So, I did."
"She led me to an auto, and we drove to this dingy area. I followed her down a narrow lane until we reached a small, rundown flat. I entered the place, and what I saw scarred me. There were more than twenty women there, all in the same wretched condition as hers. Each one was miserable, cursing their cruel fates."
I took a deep breath, my voice quivering as I continued the harrowing tale. "I spoke to those women and learned that they had all fallen victim to the same man. Navin Sharma, a politician."
Ruhaan's eyes darkened with concern as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. "Navin Sharma," he repeated, his voice laced with a mix of anger and disbelief.
"They told me how they were lured into his web of deceit, promising them a better life, employment, and a chance to escape their dire circumstances," I explained. "But once they were in his clutches, the nightmare began. He used his power and influence to keep them silent, threatening them and their families."
As I recounted the horrors I had uncovered, I could see the anger welling up in Ruhaan's eyes. "What did you do?" he asked.
"I did something foolish," I admitted, my voice quivering with the weight of my decision.
"I knew that going to the police or seeking government assistance would be futile, given the immense political power Navin Sharma held. So, I chose to confront him personally. I brought Ethan Mamu into the plan, making him promise not to tell my parents. He's married to Rohan Mamu, and together they run rescue shelters all over India. With their help, I managed to coordinate the girls' escape from that wretched flat one night. Every single one of them got away safely, but Navin's men had seen me leave last. For the next twenty days, I felt like I was constantly watched. Every move I made was monitored. During that time, only Viv was aware of my intentions. I was determined to see Navin behind bars."
Then came the darkest day of my life. "On September 23rd, as I was returning to my apartment in Delhi, a group of men barged in. They pinned me forcefully against the sofa, and Navin walked in with a sinister smirk."
The memory of that moment sent shivers down my spine, and I could feel the weight of Ruhaan's gaze as he waited for me to continue the chilling tale.
"I had never felt so powerless, Ruhaan," I continued, my voice quivering with the traumatic memory. "Navin stood before me with that malevolent grin, as if he relished the fear in my eyes. He knew that I had gathered evidence against him, and he was determined to silence me."
"They dragged me into a room, where Navin's ominous presence loomed over me," I recounted. "He degraded me with his vile words and touched me inappropriately while his henchmen watched. But then, miraculously, Vivaan somehow made it to my flat. He kicked the door open and unleashed a brutal assault on Navin and his men. Vivaan's proficiency in martial arts was evident as he fought them off, while I remained weak and helpless."
"He saved me that night, helping me through it all, but I couldn't bring myself to tell my parents," I confessed, tears streaming down my face. "I just didn't want to drag them into this mess, a mess their daughter had created. They were so proud of me, and I couldn't bear to tell them about my own foolishness, Ruhaan."
As I looked up, expecting to find comfort in Ruhaan's presence, I was met with an unexpected sight. His face was no longer the one I knew. His eyes, once warm and compassionate, now bore a harsh, cold demeanor. They seemed to contain a storm of their own, an intensity that felt undeniably threatening.
His expression sent a shiver down my spine. Something had changed in him, something I couldn't quite comprehend. It was as if he held a revelation or a stern warning, but his silence left me in a state of disquiet.
"Then what?" Ruhaan asked, his voice as cold as ice.
"He left," I replied, my voice quivering. "When Vivaan threatened to expose all the evidence we had, Navin somehow managed to erase it all and fled abroad. I later forced Vivaan to let the matter go, and he reluctantly agreed after numerous pleadings from me."
"What do you mean by 'let go'?" Ruhaan demanded, his voice rising to almost a shout, making me flinch.
"Ruhaan, I was suffocating. I was exhausted!" I yelled back, matching his intensity. "I couldn't take it anymore. I felt so alone and scared. I despised the thought of dragging Vivaan into this political mess."
"What about today?" Ruhaan pressed, his gaze unwavering.
"At the event, when Ashrut left to get me a bottle of water," I began, my voice heavy with exhaustion, "this man approached me. He seemed incredibly creepy. He touched my cheek and mentioned meeting me again, and he even knew my name. I pushed his hand away, but he just smirked before disappearing. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable."
"Why didn't you tell me right then and there? I would have handled it," Ruhaan demanded.
"It's not that simple, Ruhaan!" I shouted, my frustration mounting. "I'm not that strong. I'm a coward, I'm weak." My voice trembled with a mixture of frustration and self-loathing.
Suddenly, a notification chimed on Ruhaan's phone. He picked it up, his eyes narrowing as he read the message. Whatever was on the screen, it made his jaw clench in anger, and the room seemed to crackle with tension.
"What were you doing near wing D today?" Ruhaan's voice suddenly became intense, taking me by surprise. I looked up in shock, meeting his gaze, but his expression had shifted to one of anger and betrayal.
"I... I just wanted to see it," I stuttered, my voice trembling. But his eyes remained cold and unforgiving, and the tension in the room seemed to escalate.
"What kind of fool are you, Meera?" Ruhaan's voice exploded with anger, and he yelled at me, his words like a whip. "You can't just waltz into a forbidden place like that! You need to follow the rules like everyone else. What are you trying to prove huh!"
I flinched, his harsh words stinging, and I felt the weight of my mistakes bearing down on me.
"You're selfish, Meera!" Ruhaan's voice was a relentless torrent of anger, and he unleashed his fury upon me. "You're a coward, just as you said. All your attempts to make things right are a joke. You let that man escape to another country, a man responsible for your suffering and the suffering of countless other girls. If that's not selfish, I don't know what is! You didn't even have the decency to respect my boundaries, entering a place I explicitly forbade anyone from entering."
He yelled at me with such intensity that I recoiled, his words crashing into me like shards of shattered glass as he angrily broke a lamp on the bedside table. The sound of breaking glass echoed in the room, mirroring the turmoil in our conversation.
Ruhaan's anger seemed boundless, and he paced back and forth in the room, his frustration palpable. "You're nothing but a liability, Meera," he continued, his voice seething with rage.
"You think you can just do as you please, put yourself and others in danger, and then expect everyone to clean up your mess. You're naive and reckless."
"You weren't there alone at the function," Ruhaan's anger remained unabated, though it carried a note of exasperation now. "There were other women and children with you. If only you had informed any one of us, we could have caught that man. Instead, you acted recklessly, and we were all left in the dark, unaware of the danger." His words, laced with frustration and concern, only deepened the weight of my guilt. It was a stark reminder of the gravity of my actions and the consequences they had wrought.
"You're so eager to know what's in Wing D, aren't you?" Ruhaan asked, a glint in his eyes that sent shivers down my spine. Everything about him at that moment frightened me.
"Come on, I'll show you what's in Wing D," he declared, gripping my elbow tightly as he dragged me out of our room. His pace was rapid as he hurriedly led me toward Wing D. "Ruhaan, please, stop," I pleaded, but he paid no attention to my pleas. It hurt.
"Shut up!" He yelled as we ventured into the dark and abandoned section of the building. It was pitch black, with only a few faint reflections of light showing the way.
We soon arrived at our destination, a place I had never dared to explore. Ruhaan, however, showed no fear. He pulled me inside and took me to a closed door, layered with dust. With a forceful push, he flung the door open, dragging me into a vast room.
He led me to a dusty, neglected bed and pushed me onto it, making me fall amidst the musty, dusty sheets.
"This is Rajveer Bhaiya's room," Ruhaan stated, his voice somber. "Do you know what happened the day he died? His girlfriend, and your friend Vivaan's elder sister, came here. She locked herself in this very room and took her own life."
"No. No. That can't be true," I protested, my voice trembling with disbelief. "Advika di died in a car accident. Viv told me she died in a car accident."
"I opened the room, and it reeked of blood, Meera. Can you smell it?" Ruhaan demanded, gripping my chin harshly. I gazed into his eyes, fear and confusion swirling within me. His eyes seemed to convey unspeakable horrors.
"I can still smell the blood, can't you?" He inquired.
"Please, just let me go," I begged, feeling suffocated by the overwhelming darkness of the room.
Ruhaan chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Don't want to explore anymore, do you?" His words only made me sob, my gaze locked on him, desperate to escape the chilling reality of the past he had unearthed.
He released my chin abruptly, and I staggered to my feet, trembling with the weight of the revelation. I had to escape, find fresh air, escape the nightmare that had gripped me. As I rushed away from the room, the realization hit me hard—I was just a weak coward, running away from the harsh reality.
I sprinted through the palace corridors, my thoughts in disarray, and in my frenzied escape, I collided with someone.
"Hey, be careful," Rudra said, holding me by my shoulders and gently turning me to face him. I shook my head, muttering an apology, and then I ran again, out of the palace doors. I couldn't stay there, not with the unbearable weight of his acquisitions pressing down on me.
"Meera!" Rudra's voice called out, but I ignored his shouts as I rushed further away, determined to escape the haunting memories that had resurfaced.
I rushed out, ignoring the palace security, and made my way to the main road. I could sense Rudra right behind me, his footsteps quick and determined, as he ran to catch up with me.
As I reached the main road, Rudra managed to catch up to me. He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, trying to halt my frenzied escape.
"Meera, please," he implored, his voice filled with concern. "You don't have to run. I'm here for you. Let me help you." Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to catch my breath, the emotional turmoil threatening to overwhelm me.
"Just leave me alone please," I said with exhaustion in my voice, but Rudra remained determined.
"Fine, I will," he agreed, concern etched across his face. "But where will you go, Meera?"
"Somewhere," I replied, my voice resolute. "I'll be back, I promise."
With that, I ran again, the desperate need to escape driving me forward. I reached a spot in the city, overlooking the tranquil lake, bathed in the gentle light of the night's moon.
I took my phone, which I had tucked into my gown all this time, and decided it was time to do one thing right—tell my parents the truth.
Sitting on the grass by the lake, I dialed my mother's number. She answered after just two rings.
"Meera, why aren't you asleep, beta?" my mother scolded gently. "You'll get a headache tomorrow. Sleep, my child." Her words choked me, and I struggled to find my voice.
"I-I'm sorry, Mumma," I managed to say, my self-control shattering as tears welled up in my eyes. "M-Meera, Princess, what's wrong? Beta, why are you crying?" My mother's voice was thick with concern, and I could hear her calling out for Papa in the background, her worry palpable.
Papa's voice joined the conversation, his tone anxious. "Meera, what's happened? Why are you crying?"
I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to compose myself enough to speak. "Mumma, Papa, I need to tell you something, something I should have told you a long time ago."
Their concern deepened, and Mumma urged, "Tell us, Meera. You can share anything with us, my love."
I recounted the painful truth, every detail of the dark secret I had been harboring, from the horrific incidents in Delhi to the terrifying encounter with Navin Sharma, to my escape and the haunted room I had just left. My parents listened in stunned silence, and I could hear their shock and disbelief.
"Meera, why couldn't you tell us, beta?" Mumma's voice quivered with emotion, and it made me feel even more miserable.
"I'm sorry, Mumma, Papa," I said with tears in my eyes, my voice heavy with guilt. "I didn't want to drag both of you into this mess." My honesty weighed on me as I admitted the reasons for my silence.
"Don't worry, Princess, I'll make sure he pays for his deeds," Papa assured me with a tenderness that brought comfort to my troubled heart. "Where are you right now, Meera?"
"I'm sitting by a lake," I replied honestly, and I could hear the concern in Papa's sigh. "Beta, that's not safe. If you don't feel like going back to the palace, book a hotel room, my princess," he advised, and I nodded in agreement.
"I'll send you the jet tomorrow morning. Come back to Mumbai, and we will solve this," Mumma said softly, her words filled with reassurance and love.
I hung up and began to walk, soon finding a decent hotel nearby. The receptionist seemed taken aback as she scrutinized me from head to toe. I leaned in, whispering, "A word, and I'll make sure this hotel is on the verge of bankruptcy by tomorrow morning."
Her eyes widened, and she nodded vigorously, understanding that I wouldn't tolerate any media stunts.
I entered the hotel room and sank onto the bed, my thoughts in turmoil. How had everything spiraled out of control like this? How had Ruhaan, my Ruhaan, transformed into a stranger, and why did I decide to share my painful past with him? The guilt and regret weighed heavily on my heart.
As I lay on the bed, I couldn't escape the haunting thought that I had ruined my marriage, shattered the trust that had been the foundation of my relationship with Ruhaan.
It's all over.
A/N
I'm sorry.
Who's side are you on?