Anmol's voice was laced with desperation as he pleaded with his father, Abhi. "Papa, please don't do this, she's a child," he begged, his eyes wide with concern.
Abhi's face twisted in anger, his teeth gritted in a snarl. "Yes, the same girl who killed my mother and my brother too, and now because of her, my wife is also ill," he spat, his voice venomous.
Anmol's face fell, his eyes filling with tears. "Papa, please stop blaming Vaani for everything. It's not her fault, it's...it's..." he stammered, but Abhi's anger boiled over before he could finish.
Abhi's hand shot out, slapping Anmol across the face. "SHUT UP, JUST SHUT UP!" he thundered, his face red with rage.
As Abhi stormed out of the room, Anmol stood frozen, his cheek stinging from the slap. The air was thick with tension, the silence oppressive.
Anant, who had been watching the exchange, spoke up, his voice calm and measured. "I'm not interested in your family matters, but can you please explain what's going on here?" he asked Anmol, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Anmol took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "It's...it's Vaani," he began, his voice shaking. "My father blames her for everything that's gone wrong in our family. He thinks she's cursed or something."
Here other side
As the sacred ritual of marriage unfolded, two souls, bound by circumstance rather than love, exchanged vows to spend their lives together. Dhruv, a man who had never envisioned himself tied down by matrimony, stood beside Vaani, his hand clasped around hers, as they took the seven sacred steps around the altar.
As they walked, Dhruv's mind was a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. His thoughts were laced with bitterness and resentment, his heart heavy with the weight of his circumstances. "Happiness, nice joke," he thought to himself, his inner voice dripping with sarcasm. "I will be the reason for your sadness. Every tear of yours will be given by me, and that too for the whole life."
In stark contrast, Vaani's thoughts were innocent and naive. She had no concept of the true meaning of marriage, no understanding of the complexities and challenges that lay ahead. Her mind was filled with the simple, childlike promise she had made to herself. "I don't know what will happen next, but Mummy had told me that you will take me away from here and won't say anything bad to me. I will also take full care of you," she thought, her heart filled with a sense of wonder and trust.
As the ritual drew to a close, Dhruv applied the vermilion sindoor to Vaani's hairline, a symbol of their union, and tied the mangalsutra around her neck, a token of their bond. The wedding was complete, and they were now husband and wife, bound together by the sacred rituals of marriage.
As they stood together, surrounded by the opulent decorations and the watchful eyes of their families, Dhruv and Vaani were worlds apart, their thoughts and emotions a reflection of the vastly different paths that had brought them to this moment.
(I don't know about himachal's ritual so ignored this)
As the priest declared, "From now, you both are husband and wife," Dhruv's eyes seemed to gleam with a sense of defiance. Without hesitation, he began to walk away from the mandap, leaving Vaani standing alone.
But the sacred thread of marriage, still tied around his wrist, seemed to tug at him, holding him back. Dhruv's expression turned cold, and with a swift motion, he yanked the thread free and cast it into the flames of the sacred fire.
The sudden movement sent Vaani into a panic. She stumbled forward, her hands outstretched as she desperately tried to retrieve the burning thread. Her fingers closed around it, and she pulled it out of the fire, but not before her hands had been scorched by the flames.
A cry of pain escaped her lips as she stumbled backward, her eyes streaming with tears. But amidst the chaos, Abhi's face remained calm, a cruel smile spreading across his lips.
"This is what I wanted to see," he thought to himself, his eyes glinting with malice. "And don't worry, it's just the beginning."
Dhruv's voice cut through the air, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Where's Anant?" he demanded, his tone laced with concern.
Vaani, still reeling from the pain, stumbled forward, her eyes hidden behind the veil. She stood beside Dhruv, her body trembling with fear and uncertainty. The air was thick with tension, the atmosphere heavy with foreboding.
Dhruv's voice echoed through the air, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of Anant. "Where's Anant?" he demanded, his tone laced with concern.
Vaani, still reeling from the pain of her burned hands, stood beside him, her eyes hidden behind the veil. She couldn't see anything clearly, but she could sense the tension in the air.
Abhi's voice cut through the silence, his words dripping with malice. "Wait, son-in-law. Your friend is safe and is in your car, but he has not been taken to the hospital yet. Otherwise, his legs might get damaged," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement.
Dhruv's face darkened with anger and frustration. "And where is my car?" he growled, his fists clenched at his sides.
Abhi's smirk grew wider. "Aree, don't worry, son-in-law. I'm telling you, but first, let's complete the farewell ritual," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Dhruv's gaze snapped towards Vaani, his eyes blazing with anger. For a moment, they stood there, the air thick with tension.
Finally, Abhi gestured towards the car, and they began to move towards it. As they reached the vehicle, Dhruv's eyes scanned the interior, his heart racing with concern.
Anant was slumped in the front seat, unconscious. Dhruv's face paled with worry as he rushed to his friend's side. "Anant!" he exclaimed, his voice shaking with fear.
He gently shook Anant's shoulders, trying to rouse him. Anant's eyes flickered open, and he groaned, his face contorted in pain.
Dhruv's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger. He knew that Abhi was responsible for Anant's condition, and he vowed to make him pay.
Abhi's voice was cold and detached as he ordered Vaani to get into the car. "Go and take a seat in the car," he said, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Vaani nodded meekly and climbed into the back seat of the car. As she settled in, she gazed out the window, her eyes welling up with tears. "Mummy, I'm going...can't you come to see me? Am I that bad?" she thought to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she felt a deep sense of loss and abandonment. Abhi's parting words to Dhruv were laced with venom. "Goodbye, son-in-law. I hope we will never meet again," he said, his eyes glinting with malice.
But Dhruv ignored him, his entire focus on Anant, who was still recovering from his ordeal. As they drove away from the scene, Abhi's voice was filled with a sense of satisfaction. "Now my heart is at peace, after completely ruining your life," he said, his words dripping with malice.
In the car, Vaani's sobs filled the air, and Dhruv's anger boiled over. He couldn't bear to hear her cry, and his anger was directed at Abhi, who had caused her so much pain.
With a sudden burst of rage, Dhruv slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt in the middle of the road. Vaani's head jerked forward, hitting the front seat of the car, and Dhruv's eyes flashed with anger.
For a moment, the only sound was Vaani's sobbing, and then Dhruv's voice cut through the air, his words low and menacing. But he didn't say a word, his anger was visible on his face.
Dhruv's voice was low and menacing as he growled, "Get out." But Vaani didn't move, seemingly frozen in place.
Dhruv's anger boiled over, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "I SAID GET F**KING OUT FROM MY CAR!" Vaani's eyes widened in fear, and she quickly scrambled out of the car, her movements trembling.
Without hesitation, Dhruv put the car in gear and sped away, leaving Vaani standing alone in the middle of the jungle. She watched in confusion as the car disappeared into the distance, her mind racing with questions.
"Now what did I do that he left me here and went away? Is this some ritual that happens after marriage?" Vaani wondered aloud, her voice laced with innocence and naivety.
She looked around nervously, her eyes scanning the dense foliage of the jungle. The silence was oppressive, and Vaani's fear began to grow. "But please come soon, I'm afraid of this place," she called out, her voice barely above a whisper, as if hoping Dhruv would magically reappear.
Dhruv pov-
I rushed into the hospital, my heart racing with worry. "Doctor, Doctor!" I called out, desperate for attention.
The doctor finally arrived, and I breathed a sigh of relief as he took Anant with him. I was left standing in the waiting area, my mind consumed by thoughts of anger and helplessness.
"If anything happened to him, I would have ruined your entire family," I seethed, my anger directed at Abhi and his cohorts. "Anyone can kidnap anyone and make his daughter marry him. I don't know about them."
I felt a surge of frustration, my fists clenched in impotence. But I knew I had to keep my cool, at least for now. I had to make sure Anant was safe, and then I could think about my next move.
I paced back and forth in the waiting area, my eyes fixed on the door to the operating theater. I was waiting for the doctor to come out and give me an update on Anant's condition.
Just as I was starting to get anxious, the doctor emerged from the OT. "Mr. Rajwansh," he called out, and I rushed over to him.
"Yes, mmm... how is he? Is he fine?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.
The doctor smiled reassuringly. "Yes, Mr. Rajwansh, he is fine. He will come to his conscience in 10-20 minutes, so don't worry. He just has dehydration."
I breathed a sigh of relief as the doctor went on his way. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, knowing that Anant was going to be okay. Now, I just had to wait for him to wake up, and then we could start making plans to take down Abhi and his family.
As Anant was shifted from the OT to the VIP ward, I sat beside him, my mind still reeling from the events of the day. I couldn't believe how my life had turned upside down in just a matter of hours. I had become a married man, all because of Abhi's sinister plans.
"Dhruv," I heard Anant's weak voice call out to me.
"Anant, are you okay? Are you feeling any pain? Should I call the doctor?" I bombarded him with questions, relief washing over me that he was awake and talking.
Anant chuckled, a small smile playing on his lips. "What? Why are you laughing? You know how scared I was," I exclaimed, my voice rising in concern.
"Dhruv, I'm okay, perfect, fit, and fine," Anant reassured me, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for someone.
I followed his gaze, confused. "Have you lost your memory? We're in Himachal, not at home. Your wife won't be here," I reminded him, trying to keep my tone light.
But Anant's expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing. "Biwi...one minute you say she's pregnant," he said, his voice laced with shock.
I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. "Hehe, I was just joking," I lied, trying to cover up my earlier slip-up.
Anant looked at me with a blank face, and I knew I had been caught. I left out a nervous laugh, trying to deflect attention.
But Anant's expression turned somber, his eyes clouding over. "That's the day we went to Rajwansh Mansion for dinner, and you left for some important work. That's when she fainted, and we found out she was pregnant," I reminded him, trying to fill in the gaps.
Anant's eyes widened in surprise. "Why didn't anyone tell me about it?" he asked, his voice tinged with hurt.
I looked down, feeling guilty. "Bhabhi wanted to surprise you," I explained, trying to soften the blow.
Anant nodded, a big smile spreading across his face. But then his expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing. "Where is she?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.
I was taken aback, unsure of whom he was referring to. But then I realized he was talking about his wife. "I told you, we're not at home," I reminded him, trying to stall for time.
But Anant's gaze was unrelenting, his eyes boring into mine. I knew I had to come up with a convincing explanation, and fast.
Anant's words cut through my defenses, and I felt a surge of anger. "Not my wife, you fool, I'm talking about your wife," he said, his tone dripping with frustration.
All the memories of the day's events came flooding back, and I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. "Which wife are you talking about?" I asked, trying to feign ignorance.
Anant's expression turned incredulous. "O, come on Dhruv, you have only one wife, that is too newly wedded," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I left her," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Anant's eyes widened in shock. "WHAT! WHERE?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room.
I felt a surge of defensiveness. "Why are you shouting at me? I was not interested in this marriage at all, it was forced on me, so I left her in the middle of the road," I explained, trying to justify my actions.
But Anant's expression turned disbelieving. "Are you serious? You left a 19-year-old girl in the middle of the road at night?" he asked, his voice laced with incredulity.
I felt a pang of guilt, but I tried to brush it off. "So what? I left her, her family will come and take her away," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
But then something struck me. "Wait a minute, what did you just say? She's only 19 years old?" I asked, my mind racing with confusion.
Anant nodded, and his next words sent a chill down my spine. "She's not just 19, those people who kidnapped us were not her real parents, they just wanted to leave her," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. How could I have left a young, innocent girl like that? I didn't even let Dipali or Durga go alone, then how could I leave her alone in the middle of the road?
I rushed out of Anant's room, my heart racing with anxiety. I had to find Vaani, I had to make sure she was safe. I ran towards my car, my mind consumed by thoughts of guilt and regret. What had I done?
As I drove towards the place where I had left her, my mind was consumed by thoughts of guilt and regret. How could I have been so cruel as to leave a young girl like that? Those people who had forced us to get married had clearly been using her, and now I had abandoned her too.
Rawat's parting words echoed in my mind: "Goodbye, son-in-law, I hope we never meet again." I knew that something was off, but I shouldn't have left her like that. What if something happened to her?
"Please be safe," I repeated to myself, my heart racing with anxiety. I finally reached the spot where I had left her and stopped my car. I got out and looked around, but she was nowhere to be found.
"Hello, where are you?" I screamed, but there was no answer. I searched for her everywhere, my eyes scanning the surrounding area. And then, I spotted something that belonged to her - her bracelet, which I had seen her wearing when she came towards me.
"Have you gone into the forest?" I wondered, my mind racing with possibilities. I ventured into the forest, calling out to her as I moved forward.
As I walked deeper into the forest, my eyes fell on a lake in the distance. And there, standing by the lake.
Write a comment ...