"Love has the best healing power"
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41. The Silence Before The Storm
"What is he to you, Shreya?"
"No one, Samay... Believe me please!", She begged.
"Then why... why was he hugging you? Why did he hold you like you were his", Samay yelled.
"He is my childhood bestfriend, Samay!", Shreya yelled back.
Samay pushed her against the wall injuring her head in the process.
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"Where were you?", Samay asked once they entered his room.
"None of your business!", Shreya snapped at him.
"It is my business!", Samay said gripping her chin roughly in his hand.
"Samay, I am your girlfriend not your fucking wife! What I do, who I meet is none of your fucking business!", Shreya gritted out angrily.
Gripping her hair this time, he kissed her roughly before he had his way with her forcefully whilst she screamed for him to stop and have mercy on her.
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"You're fucking him, ain't you?", he asked as she sipped her coffee in the cafeteria.
"How many times should I tell you that I am not cheating on you!", she said frustrated.
"Then why the hell did he kiss you?!", he yelled.
"What the hell are you talking about?", Shreya asked.
"Sia saw you kissing some motherfucker", Samay yelled.
"She was lying, you moron! She fucking likes you!"
"She is lying and what are you a holy cow? Don't you dare think I don't know what is going on between you and Jai!", he yelled but this time it was loud enough to gain the attention of the entire cafeteria.
"Keep your voice low, Samay! Everyone is looking at us", she hissed.
"Then let them look. Let them know what a fucking whore you are and..."
Before he could complete his sentence, she had slapped him hard on his face and left the cafeteria.
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"I love you, Shreya but what did you do? You insulted me in front of everyone in the cafeteria that day", he said as he caressed her bare back.
"I thought you forgave me, Samay", she said softly as she tried to face him but he asked her to stay still.
It was after two minutes she felt the coldness of the blade on her back.
"Sama... AHHHH!!", she screamed as the blade digged itself deeply in her soft skin.
She screamed and cried. Begged him to stop but she didn't know that he was a sadist. He enjoyed seeing her in pain, to see her writhe under him.
For him love was pain and pain was love. She was his obsession. He craved for her love but all he was getting was ill words from her. She had changed and the only way to make her his was to give her pain.
No matter how much she tried she would never get rid of him. Never ever.
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Today, he had lost his control again as he slapped her hard enough that she fell on the floor.
Today was another one of those days where she was helpless in front of him. She was crying for him to believe her.
Last time she slapped him, he gave her scars which she would never forget in her life. Those scars reminded her of him every night. Two months. From two months, he was haunting her every night. Everytime he forced himself on her she couldn't help but despise herself for loving a monster. Every night she wished she was dead.
She was nothing but a living corpse who had succumbed to his wishes. He said eat she would eat, he said sleep she would sleep she was nothing but a robot who was controlled by him.
He gripped her hair and saw the tears in her eyes. Instead of feeling regret, he felt disgust but deep inside he enjoyed to see her cry. He didn't know what was wrong with him but all he knew was he would go to any extent to have Shreya. Her body, her soul and her heart all belonged to him and only him.
He slapped her again but she didn't scream or cry this time so he kicked her in the stomach and this time she screamed in agony. He kicked her multiple of times and left once he was satisfied hearing her screams.
She had to get out of here. She had to get rid of him before he damaged her to the point where it was impossible for her to get cured.
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"Don't please! Don't hurt me"
"No Samay! Please my baby! No please!"
"Don't kick me please!"
Aarav woke up to Shreya's screaming and looked at her to find her sweating and tossing on the bed as she clutched her stomach and begged for Samay's forgiveness.
Fuck! She is having a nightmare, Aarav thought as he rubbed her back.
"Calm down, baby. It's just a nightmare. Wke up, jaan... I am here. Right here", Aarav whispered softly in her ears.
"No, please don't kick. I am pregnant, Samay"
"Shreya, it's me Aarav. Please open your eyes doll, please", Aarav said with his voice filled with anguish.
Shreya opened her eyes and instantly they were filled with tears.
"Aarav...", she whispered as she sat up and hugged him.
He hugged her as she started crying and soon her crying turned into sobbing.
"Shh baby.... I am here... your Aarav is here. With you. For you.", Aarav whispered softly as he rubbed her back.
"He was here Aarav... he kicked me again... our baby... I am so scared, Aarav...", Shreya sobbed in his arms.
"It was just a nightmare, baby. I won't let anyone lay even a finger on you or our baby. I will keep you both safe and protect you both from all the evil jaan", Aarav said hugging her tightly.
He let her cry in his arms because he knew she needed to let it out. With her each tear, her each sob his heart broke a little. He wasn't the cause of her pain but he wanted to hunt the man down who had caused her so much of pain.
Their anniversary was suppose to be filled with happiness but it turned out to be its exact opposite. He was glad Shreya had fainted because if she had heard anything of tonight he would have lost her forever. Already she had her past which haunted her, knowing her entire life was a lie would break her to the point from where it would be impossible to bring her back.
"Sleep baby girl... I will fight with the entire world if I have to but I will not let any harm come to you or our baby", Aarav whispered in Shreya's ear as he laid her sleeping form on the bed and kissed her forehead before he fell asleep with his arm wrapped around her slender waist in a protective manner.
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THE NEXT DAY Shreya woke up to an empty bed. She frowned instantly as she felt Aarav's absence. Without seeing Aarav's face, her morning's never started. It was like a ritual. She wanted her day to begin with him and her night to end in his arms. Her days began with listening to the sound of his heart beats and it ended with the same. Amidst all the dark thoughts in her mind, he was the only light. She was nothing without him.
He was everything she was searching for. He was the only right in all her wrongs. He was the best in all her worst. He was her blessing even when she felt like she was a curse.
She had started missing him even before the day had started. She glanced at the bedside table only to find her juice and a sticky note on the glass. She removed the note from the glass carefully and instantly smiled seeing Aarav's messy handwriting.
Good morning wifey!
I know you aren't on cloud nine since you have probably noticed my absence.
Shreya nodded and continued to read.
I had an emergency in office so I had to leave though I wanted to do nothing but cuddle with you. I know your day doesn't begin without seeing me so my queen I have recorded my video in your phone. There is surprise for you... well! not exactly surprise but close to it. Mom will tell you. P.S. Call me after you get the surprise.
Loads of love, *infinite hearts*
YOUR PATIDEV!! *winks*
Shreya couldn't help but chuckle. Everyday her love for him was increasing but she knew it was nothing compared to his love for her.
His love was deeper than the deepest ocean. It was selfless than the nature. It was beautiful than the rain and she was drenched in it. She was in awe with his selflessness and she didn't mind drowning in the ocean of his love.
He was a man every woman would want by her side but yet he chose her, loved her and cared for her only. He was slowly taking all the darkness away from her with his love.
"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MR. AARAV SHAH!!!", Shreya yelled as she grinned happily forgetting about her nightmare.
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TRUE TO AARAV'S words Shreya had found his video in her phone. It was him, cooking pasta whilst Rishabh recorded the super chef aka Aarav Shah.
The video was filled with Aarav and Rishabh's stupid jokes and their bickering. It was hilarious how Rishabh annoyed Aarav insulting his cooking skills and how he was afraid that the kitchen would burn down.
Shreya walked towards the dining table with a smile on her face. Everyone was relieved that she was fine and happy. The Shah family had decided not to tell Shreya about Parul and Prem not being her parents.
"Someone is happy today!", Forum teased as Shreya sat on her chair.
"Is this because of Aarav?", Aanchal asked.
"Or the video?", Rishabh asked smirking.
"No... none of the two! It's because of the pasta", Shreya said making everyone laugh.
"Here is your pasta, Shreya", Shweta said as she served the pasta.
"Thank you, Maa"
"Anytime honey", Shweta said kissing her forehead.
"Maa! Papa! Can I visit Jai and Diksha today?", Shreya asked.
"Of course, you can! Are you staying there the whole day?", Manish asked.
"Yeah mostly", Shreya said.
"Okay but Rishabh will drop you and Aarav will pick you up", Shweta said sternly.
"Okay maa as you wish and thank you both of you", Shreya said and started eating her breakfast.
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IT WAS AFTERNOON and Shreya had left to visit Jai and Diksha. Aanchal and Neil were out along with Yash whereas Forum, Neela and Samar had gone to their respective jobs.
The door bell of the Shah residence rang and Shweta opened the door.
"Is this where Shah Residence?", The man asked.
"Yes but who do you want to meet?", Shweta asked the stranger.
"Can I meet Manish Shah?. I am his friend, Rajeev Kapoor" he said and Shweta's eyes widened as realised the man before her was no one else but Shreya's father.
"Shweta! Who is there at the doorstep?", Manish asked from the living room.
"Mani, Rajeev is here", Shweta said and Manish stood up abruptly not believing his wife.
Rajeev smiled as he saw Manish walk towards them.
"Raj... Is it really you?", Manish asked softly.
"Forgot me already?", Rajeev joked as he hugged Manish.
"No. It's just I never expected you to be here, in Mumbai", Manish said hugging Rajeev.
"I was just kidding! And are you going to make stand on your doorstep only or will you invite me inside your house?", Rajeev joked.
"Ohh.. sorry please come in", Manish said though he didn't wanted Rajeev to enter the house.
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Cliffhanger!!! But the chapter name defined it all.
It was a little hard to write but I hope you like this update :) Some may feel like crying while some may feel a little emotional maybe even disgusted and angry because I felt all of this.
Excuse me for any grammatical errors! Vote and comment peeps! Keep loving #Aarya
Love ya,
Hugs and Kisses,
See you soon,
-R.