A story of love, betrayal, and a twist of fate that changes everything…<br /> <br /> Preeti… an innocent, vivacious girl, whose laughter once illuminated the entire house. She had no complaints about life, just needed a little love.<br /> But who kne... A story of love, betrayal, and a twist of fate that changes everything…<br /> <br /> Preeti… an innocent, vivacious girl, whose laughter once illuminated the entire house. She had no complaints about life, just needed a little love.<br /> But who knew that her love would one day become her biggest complaint.<br /> <br /> The very next day after the wedding… Prem, the man Preeti had considered her life partner, left her forever.<br /> No reason, no answer… just a letter and a lot of questions he left in her share.<br /> <br /> Preeti was shattered.<br /> <br /> Loved ones turned away, society taunted… and relationships changed their faces.<br /> But fate had not yet revealed all its cards…<br /> <br /> Then, Ayushmann stepped back into her life — the man who had been silently burning in her love for years.<br /> Whose eyes still held the same love that he never expressed, just lived… in every breath, in every dream.<br /> <br /> But now the circumstances had changed…<br /> Relationships had changed…<br /> Now he was not just Ayushmann, but the name with which Preeti was to be connected again — in a marriage of compulsion.<br /> <br /> Will this be just an agreement?<br /> Or will a true love be born from this compulsion?<br /> <br /> Will Preeti be able to trust someone again?<br /> Will Ayushmann's love be able to mend her broken trust?<br /> <br /> And finally, was Prem's betrayal just a coincidence… or part of a larger conspiracy?<br />
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Delhi, Madhu Vihar
It was early morning, around eight. The clock was ticking away, and all the houses around were bustling with activity. Everyone was busy with their daily routine. The women had started their day, and the men were getting ready for work. The children had already left for school. The sun was shining brightly, and the July heat was starting to make its presence felt.
While all the other houses were filled with the sounds of morning activity, one house was shrouded in mourning. Two cars were parked outside, and a crowd of people had gathered outside the house, all trying to get a glimpse of what was happening inside.
The exterior of the house looked like it had been decorated for a big function, but the atmosphere inside was somber. The front gate led to a small courtyard, where a sofa set was arranged. Three or four men in their 40s or 50s were sitting on the sofa, their heads bowed in grief. They looked like they had lost everything.
In front of them, a young man was pacing back and forth, his arms crossed, and his face red with anger. His temples were throbbing, and his eyes seemed to be bulging out. On the floor, some women were wailing and beating their foreheads, as if someone had passed away.
On the first floor, in a corner room, a girl was sitting on a bed, wearing a red saree and looking like a newlywed. Her skin was fair, and her face was innocent and round. A bright red sindoor adorned her hair parting, and a small kumkum dot was on her forehead. Her ears were adorned with gold earrings, and her hands were filled with bangles. The henna applied to her hands had not yet faded, suggesting that she had recently gotten married.
However, despite her appearance, her face lacked the usual glow of a newlywed. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face was pale and wilted. A mangalsutra hung around her neck, looking like a noose. She was staring blankly at the wall, her eyes filled with unbearable pain and anger.
A piece of paper lay in front of her, fluttering in the breeze from the ceiling fan. The girl remained motionless, lost in her thoughts.
Just then, a woman around 50 years old, with a dupatta covering her face, entered the room, weeping. She rushed to the girl and hugged her tightly, beating her chest in grief.
"What will happen to my daughter now? What has God done to us? What sin have we committed that our daughter is suffering? How cruel he was to leave her on the very next day of their wedding...," she lamented.
The girl sitting on the bed was Priti, who had gotten married just three days ago. She had not wanted to get married, but her parents had forced her into it. Her brother Rajesh had opposed the marriage but eventually gave in due to their parents' pressure.
Priti's parents had sent her off to her marital home, where she was welcomed with great fanfare. However, her married life was short-lived, as her husband, Prem, left her on the second day of their wedding.
Priti had been mechanically going through the motions, but her world came crashing down when she found the letter Prem had left for her. In it, he wrote that he never loved her and had married her only to please his parents.
The news spread like wildfire, and the house was filled with the sounds of wailing and lamentation. Priti's in-laws were devastated, and her parents were filled with regret.
As the day passed, Priti remained stone-faced, as if she had lost all emotions. She was subjected to criticism and blame from her relatives, who wondered what she had done wrong.
Two days passed, and Prem was still missing. Priti's relatives left, and she was left alone to deal with her grief.
On the fourth day, her brother Rajesh came to take her back home. He was furious with their parents for forcing Priti into the marriage.
Priti returned home, where she continued to remain silent and motionless, lost in her thoughts.
Her life had been ruined on all fronts. She had become detached from everyone and everything. The girl who had once filled the courtyard with her laughter and antics was now a shadow of her former self.
The question was, what did the future hold for Priti? Would she be able to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and move on, or would she succumb to her grief? Only time would tell.
It had been ten days since Preeti had come to her home. Her health had been deteriorating during these days. She had locked herself in her room. She neither ate nor drank properly, nor did she talk, nor did she come out of the room.
Rajesh had entrusted Madhuri with the responsibility of taking care of her. And, acting as a good wife and daughter-in-law, she would show her taking care of her, but when they were alone, she would scold her thoroughly. But Preeti wouldn’t say anything back, which was not her nature... she never tolerated anything wrong, but now everyone was saying she was wrong, so she would listen to everything.
During this time, she had become quite weak. Her face, which was like a flower, had wilted, and her fair complexion had become dull. Her eyes had sunken in. It seemed as if she had turned her face away from life. She had sealed her lips. Maybe she wanted to die, but death is not so easily available?
Garima had called several times to ask about her well-being. Rajesh's anger had not cooled down yet, so he had strictly forbidden any relationship with them. Still, Shakuntala would talk to her, and both women would share their sorrows and lighten their minds.
The police were searching for Prem, and now Rajesh was also desperately looking for him. But his whereabouts were still unknown.
Seeing Preeti's deteriorating condition, Rajesh was worried. She had been experiencing vomiting and stomach pain lately. But everyone thought it was because she wasn't eating, so no one paid much attention.
Shakuntala would somehow manage to feed her a little food. She would sit in front of her and try to talk to her, but Preeti would neither look at her nor utter a word.
Earlier, Preeti had had an infection in her stomach, which had caused her similar trouble, so Rajesh was concerned about her. Everyone had tried to stop him, but two days ago, he had taken Preeti to the hospital, where her tests and ultrasound were done, and the report had arrived today.
Preeti had not gone with him today; instead, Rajesh had brought the report, which had exploded like an atomic bomb in their home.
The next day after the wedding, her husband had run away, which was not a small blot on her forehead, and now she was pregnant.
"You heard that right," Rajesh said. "The result of the love Prem had showered on her that night was that Preeti became pregnant."
Everyone was stunned. Rajesh was pacing back and forth, looking worried. He wanted to put Prem in jail and free Preeti from this relationship, but now another problem had arisen.
Madhuri was fuming with anger. She had not been able to hear any good news in a year, and Preeti had become pregnant in one night, which made her extremely angry.
Shakuntala had started crying and wailing. Dhiraj was standing aside, watching the scene in silence. Their prestige seemed to be dwindling.
For some time, Shakuntala cried and beat her chest, then Madhuri said something to her, and she stormed towards Preeti's room in anger.
Preeti was sitting with her ultrasound report in her hand, staring at the dot-like figure that was her child with Prem. This news was a shock for her too, and she was still reeling from it. Then she heard Shakuntala's angry voice—
"Did you do it to blacken our face?... Did you sell our prestige?... The very next day after the wedding, your husband ran away, was that not enough, and now you've brought this sin with you?"
Preeti looked at her in shock, and for the first time in so many days, her lips moved, and a soft voice came out—
"What have I done, Mother?... How did I blacken your face?... What did I do to sell our prestige?... You all conspired to ruin my life for this prestige... I did not blacken my face; did you all forcibly get me married to that deceitful man?... How can you call my child a symbol of sin?"
Preeti's heart ached at their accusations. Her throat constricted, and she looked at them with tear-filled eyes. But her tears had no effect on them, and they did not see her pain and suffering. They shouted back at her in anger—
"Don't talk back to us... We did what we did for your good. You could not take care of your husband and he left you the very next day; it is your fault, not anyone else's..."
"Mother," Preeti whispered, but Shakuntala burst out again—
"We ask, what was the need to let that runaway man come close to you on the wedding night?... Couldn't you wait a little?... You had wept and wailed so much for the wedding, and on the first night of the wedding, you slept with that runaway man..."
Each word Shakuntala spoke pierced Preeti's heart. Her words seemed like burning embers to her ears. Her eyes welled up with tears. In an instant, her mother had made her responsible for everything.
The concern, love, and care Shakuntala had shown seemed like deceit, cheating, and pretence to Preeti. She could not believe her eyes and ears that her own mother was standing in front of her, saying all this.
Shakuntala's words left Preeti stunned, and she looked at her with disbelieving eyes and said—
"Mother, are you saying this?... You are blaming me for not having patience?... You told me to let my husband do what he wants, if I oppose or stop him, his mind will turn sour towards me, and the relationship will deteriorate...
You told me to keep my husband happy; if he is satisfied with you, he will never go away from you... You told me, Mother, to give my husband all the rights; if he shows more tantrums and leaves you or comes here to complain about you, it won't be good...
How could you forget that you taught me all this, and I did exactly what you said?... He did what he did; I let him do it... I suppressed my soul and let him dominate my body... If he left me after doing everything with me, what is my fault?... If I became pregnant because of him, what is my fault?... I did exactly what you said..."
Preeti broke down in tears as she spoke. The pain she had been suppressing for so long finally came out in tears. Shakuntala was silent after hearing her, but Madhuri immediately taunted her in anger—
"Yes, it's true; Mother said to keep your husband happy, but did she say to get pregnant the very next day?... You are an educated girl; you could have used protection...
Mother told you to keep your husband happy, so if you had fulfilled his desires, if he was satisfied with you, he would not have left you the very next day... You must not have made your husband happy; that's why he left you the very next day..."
Madhuri was venting her pent-up anger on her, and Preeti looked at her mother, whose silence seemed to accuse Preeti.
Madhuri did not stop even then. She lamented—
"Such a big problem has arisen in our home... We had married with so much pomp and show, but she could not manage her marriage even for a day... Her husband ran away and she came here with his child, trampling on our chest... Our prestige will be ruined in the whole society... We will be a laughing stock...
We thought that after some time, the matter would cool down, and we would somehow manage to get this unfortunate girl married, but now that seems impossible... Firstly, no one marries a divorced woman, and now this child has come... No one will marry a divorced woman with a child, and you will remain a burden on our heads for your entire life... It would be better to abort this child..."
Then, looking at Shakuntala, she continued—"Mother, I say this is the best way. Before the matter becomes public and our prestige is ruined, we should abort this sin and then quickly get Preeti married and send her to her home... Preeti's life will be settled, her home will be established, and our family's prestige will be saved from being ruined..."
Madhuri tried to trap Shakuntala with her sweet words.
Preeti was dumbfounded. When she heard the words 'symbol of sin' and 'abortion', her suppressed anger erupted, and she shouted in anger—
"This is not a symbol of sin!"
"Maaji, I say this is the right thing to do. Before the matter gets out of hand and our reputation is tarnished, let's end this sin. The sooner we get Prithi married off, the better. Prithi's life will be sorted, her family will be established, and our family's honor will be saved from being ruined..."
Maduri tried to entice Shikuntla ji with her sweet words, while Prithi looked on, dumbfounded. As she heard the reference to a sin and abortion, Prithi's suppressed anger erupted, and she screamed in fury:
"This isn't a sin! I didn't come here to live with some lover without being married. I am married, and my child is legitimate, not illegitimate like you're calling it."
Prithi's anger made Maduri taken aback, but she didn't show it. Instead, she spoke in sweet tones:
"Prithi, it's true you were married, but your husband left you right after the wedding and ran off. He didn't even acknowledge you, so how can he acknowledge your child? The world will see your child as illegitimate, and you have your whole life ahead of you. We want what's best for you, and that's why we think you should have an abortion so you can get married again."
Maduri tried to manipulate Shikuntla ji and Prithi with her sweet talk, but it didn't work. As she fell silent, Prithi glared at her with angry eyes and said:
"I won't have an abortion. Once my life was ruined, and I didn't find peace. Now you want to do the same thing again. I won't let you."
"Prithi, how can you talk to your sister-in-law like this? What did Maduri say that's wrong? She's only thinking of your well-being. If you don't have an abortion, what will you do with the child? Your husband left you the day after the wedding, and you brought this child into the world. You know what people will say if they find out. What do you want, for the world to mock you and your child your whole life?"
Shikuntla ji's words deeply hurt Prithi. She wasn't her mother that day; she couldn't see her daughter's pain. Maduri's words had taken over her mind, and all she cared about was her reputation, not her daughter's. A painful smile spread across Prithi's lips:
"You all are thinking of my well-being? You did my well-being when you forced me to marry that cheater and ruined my life. Now you don't need to do my well-being. I can take care of myself; I don't need your favors. I understand you're worried about your reputation and society, not mine. You want to kill my child and get me married again to get rid of this burden. You don't need to do all this; I'll take care of it myself. I won't stay here; I'll go far away from all of you. If you're worried about society, just tell them I died, and no one will slur your reputation."
Prithi said all this, but she knew how much pain she was in and how much she was suffering. Her eyes were red, but she swallowed her tears. Her words didn't affect Maduri much, but Shikuntla ji was stunned.
As Rajesh arrived, hearing the screams, and listened to Prithi's words, he looked at her in amazement. When Prithi heard Rajesh's voice, she lost her composure. She looked at him with tears in her eyes and said:
"What's my fault, brother? Everyone's saying I'm wrong. What did I do wrong? I didn't want to get married, but you forced me. You said let your husband do what he wants, and I did. But now that he's left me and done all this, why is everyone blaming me? A woman isn't an object to be used! Am I some thing that I can keep him satisfied? Everyone's saying I couldn't keep him happy, couldn't satisfy him, that's why he left. My fault isn't that I couldn't bind him with chains; he was thinking of someone else and planned everything. Why didn't he not do it then? I did what everyone told me to. I gave him everything; what more could I have given? How could I have made him happy?"
Prithi sobbed uncontrollably. Her words made Shikuntla ji's expression soft. Maybe hearing her daughter's pain had awakened her maternal instincts, but the fear of what society would say still weighed more than her love.
Preeti broke down in tears. Hearing her words, Shakkuntala Ji's expression softened. Perhaps hearing her daughter's sorrow had awakened a mother's love, but the fear of what society would say still weighed heavier than that love.
Madhuri seemed completely unaffected, and Dheeraj Ji had already left. Rajesh couldn't bear to see his sister in this state. He hugged Preeti to his chest and, stroking her head lovingly, said:
"You did nothing wrong, my child... my sister can never do anything wrong... it was not your fault... no one will blame you now... you will not be pressured into anything... from now on, only what you want will happen.
If you don't want an abortion, no one will force you. If you don't want to remarry, no one will pressure you. You don't need to go anywhere. This home is as much yours as it is mine, and as long as your brother is alive, no one will ask you to leave this house. I will take responsibility for you and your child. You don't need to go anywhere."
Madhuri's brows furrowed at Rajesh's words. This was exactly what she feared, which was why she had been misleading Shakkuntala Ji and wanted to get rid of Preeti as quickly as possible. But now, hearing Rajesh, she felt a snake coiling in her chest. If she had her way, she would have stung Preeti right then and there and finished her off.
So much poison was filled in her heart for Preeti that it began to reflect on her face. But she didn't want to say anything in front of Rajesh that would even hint at her wicked intentions, so she swallowed the poison and remained silent. Shakkuntala Ji also couldn't say anything.
Preeti, nestled against Rajesh's chest, was still sobbing. A silence had fallen, and in the silence, the sound of Preeti's sobs echoed. Rajesh, stroking her head lovingly, was trying to calm her.
Not much time had passed when Dheeraj Ji arrived. Seeing Rajesh, he said gravely:
"We have spoken to Preeti's in-laws. They are willing to keep her and her child with them and take all responsibility, so you should drop her off at her in-laws' today. After all, the fault is theirs, so why should our family suffer? Their son ran away deceitfully, so now they will take responsibility for their daughter-in-law and her child, and that is for the best. This will save the honor of both families."
Once again, honor was placed above his daughter. Seeing this, a helpless and pained smile spread across Preeti's lips. Madhuri and Shakkuntala Ji were overjoyed with this decision.
It was as if Madhuri's wish had come true. But Rajesh did not like Dheeraj Ji's decision at all. He was completely against sending Preeti back to that house just to save the family's honor. So, he immediately objected, saying:
"Papa, Chhoti will not go to that house."
"I will go, Bhaiya," Preeti said suddenly with firm resolve, and everyone looked at her. Preeti continued her statement:
"I will go back, Bhaiya... Even though everyone there is a stranger, they have supported me more than my own people. They haven't pointed out my flaws, haven't blamed me for their son leaving... They haven't shown me false sympathy, but have supported me from their hearts, have taken care of me; whereas my own people here are two-faced... they cry over my condition, which is their doing, and yet they don't hesitate to blame me for everything and curse me.
Here, I have become a burden to everyone, which is why they want to get me an abortion and arrange my remarriage. It would be better for me to go there. At least they won't ask to kill my child there, they won't impose their decision on me, they won't become my fate-makers, they won't ask me to remarry...
I will not be a burden to anyone. I will work and take responsibility for myself and my child, and I will live where we are valued. People there will not consider us a burden... I will get respect there, which I will never get by staying here, so I will not stay here... Please support my decision... I don't want to stay here for another moment... take me back there."
Her words were steeped in pain, and this pain was inflicted by her own people. Her decision reflected the suffering she had endured from her own family, from her mother's bitter words. After hearing and seeing all this, Rajesh could not refuse her request. Hearing her words, his own eyes welled up. He placed his hand on Preeti's head:
"If this is your decision, and if your happiness lies in this, then I will not force you to stay here. I will support your decision; but just because you are going there doesn't mean your relationship with this house is broken... And if anyone, then your brother is still alive, and whenever you need me, just tell me once, and I will come to you... I have always wished for your well-being, and I will say only this now: wherever you live, be happy..."
Preeti's eyes welled up. Her bag was packed. She left the house with Rajesh. The last time she had left, she had cried so much, hugging everyone goodbye; but this time, not a single tear fell from her eyes, nor did she meet anyone. She didn't say a word to anyone, didn't look back at them or the house, as if she were severing ties with everyone.
Today, in her heart, she had renounced every relationship connected to this house. Only Rajesh remained, whom she could consider her own; but how long would he stand by her side? He was married, would have his own family, and perhaps amidst new relationships, he too would forget her. Thinking this, Preeti decided to remain indifferent towards him as well, and set off again towards those same paths where her new life struggle was about to begin.
Rajesh, respecting Preeti's decision, dropped her at her in-laws' house but did not step inside the house himself. After explaining to Preeti and leaving her belongings outside the gate, he turned back from the door. Seeing him leave, Preeti's eyes welled up for the first time in a long while; but she did not let the tears fall.
Keeping herself strong, she dried her tears in her eyes and rang the doorbell. Everyone inside was probably waiting for her. The door opened the very next moment after the doorbell rang.
Garima ji stood at the door. Preeti respectfully tried to touch her mother-in-law's feet; but she stopped her midway and hugged her to her chest. Even as Preeti felt the warmth of her affection, she remained calm and serious; while seeing her condition, tears began to stream down Garima ji's eyes. With a heavy voice, she said—
"What have you done to yourself, daughter-in-law?"
"I am fine, Mummy ji," Preeti replied, separating from her, without any emotion.
Garima ji watched her silently for a few moments. She herself was partly responsible for Preeti's state. She was extremely ashamed and angry at Prem, realizing how wicked her own child had turned out to be, to have ruined an innocent girl's life and then run away. She felt helpless, unable to do anything for Preeti even if she wanted to.
She composed herself, then took Preeti's luggage and her inside. Avdesh ji was there. He too was in shock seeing Preeti's condition.
When she came after getting married, she looked like a blooming flower, and now her face had withered. Her body also appeared weaker than before. She looked as if afflicted with some serious illness. He also felt pity for the girl; but what could he do? He glanced at Garima ji and then went into the room. Understanding his gesture, Garima ji gently touched Preeti's cheek and said—
"Preeti, my dear, you go to your room. We'll make something for you. You've become so weak in just a few days. You should take care of yourself in this condition, so you go and rest, and we'll bring you something nutritious to eat."
Preeti was about to refuse food; but hearing her words, the thought of her child came to her mind, and she stopped mid-sentence. Then, after she finished speaking, she calmly said—
"Mummy ji, I will not stay in that room."
Garima ji understood the pain in her heart that her own mother could not comprehend. She smiled softly, then looked at Mansi and said, "Mansi, dear, take your sister-in-law to your room."
Mansi immediately nodded, took her luggage, and took her to her room. After some time, Garima ji came into the room and started feeding her with her own hands; but Preeti stopped her and said—
"I will eat myself, Mummy."
"That's good. Eat your food, and finish it completely. We'll bring you almond milk," Garima ji said, smiling, and stroked her head before leaving. Preeti began to swallow the morsels reluctantly.
After some time, Garima ji came again, and after feeding her the milk, she laid her down and gently stroked her head. In a short while, Preeti fell asleep. She hadn't slept properly for who knows how many nights. When Garima ji's affectionate and loving hand touched her head, she soon drifted into the embrace of sleep.
Garima ji wiped her tears and went out of the room, closing the door softly. Avdesh ji had gone to the police station after receiving a call from the police. Mansi was strolling on the terrace, talking to her friend. She was saddened by her brother's departure. The atmosphere at home had been tense these days, so she was sharing her sorrow with her friend.
As soon as Garima ji came out of Preeti's room after she had fallen asleep, the doorbell rang. She went to open the door. When she opened the gate, a young man of Prem's age was standing there. His complexion was a little dusky, but his face was extremely attractive. Sharp eyes, features, and a great deal of confidence reflected on his face. His build was strong—not a hero's body, but his entire physique was fit and well-built.
He had a light beard and mustache, which added a special charm to his look. He was wearing a light blue shirt and camel-colored pants, and even in a simple formal look, he appeared quite smart. There was a strange depth in his deep brown eyes.
There was a serene smile on his lips. As soon as his gaze fell on Garima ji, he immediately smiled, stepped forward, and said lovingly, "Mami!" Then he hugged her.
This was Ayushman, also known as Ayush. Avdesh ji's sister's son. Many years had passed since his sister and brother-in-law died. After their demise, Ayush's father's younger brother refused to keep him, so Avdesh ji brought his nephew to his home and raised his son, the last memento of his brother and sister, with great fondness, love, and affection.
Prem and Ayush were of the same age; but Ayush had been very sensible and sharp-minded since childhood. He possessed a calm and simple nature, which is why Avdesh ji was very fond of him. Ayush also received special affection from Garima ji.
They never let him feel the absence of his parents. They raised him like their own son. They took full responsibility for him, and Ayush always held his head high with pride.
After completing college, his luck did not favor him, and he had to face many difficulties to get a good job; but he was capable. After a lot of hard work and facing setbacks in many places, he got a job in an MNC in Gurgaon, and in the past year, by working diligently, he had established a stable position in the company.
He had become one of the trusted people of his boss, and this was the reason why Prem could not attend the wedding, as he had to go out of India with the boss at that time; but as soon as he returned, he came straight here and was quite happy, as he had returned after almost a year. Initially, it was a new job, so he couldn't come, then he didn't get the opportunity.
Initially, he used to commute; but it was very difficult, so with his first salary and a loan, he bought a flat there, near the office, and in a year, he had paid off the loan and cleared that debt. His package was good, out of which he kept some for himself and sent the rest here. If Garima ji and Avdesh ji raised him as their son, then Ayush also fulfilled all the responsibilities of a son from the beginning.
Even today, he was very happy to meet his aunt, whom he considered his mother. But as soon as she saw him, Garima ji lost her composure and hugged him, crying; making Ayushman, startled, pull away from her and wipe her tears, asking in surprise and confusion—
"Mami, what happened to you?... Why are you crying like this?... Is everything okay here...?"
Hearing Ayushman's question, Garima ji said, crying, "Nothing is okay, dear... Nothing is okay here... Everything is ruined... Our years of hard-earned reputation has turned to dust..."
Hearing Garima ji's words and seeing her cry like that, Ayushman became even more distressed. Taking his luggage, he brought her inside and made her sit on the sofa, giving her water. When she calmed down a bit, he held her hand, sat on the floor, and said in a calm voice—
"Mami, what happened?... I have never seen you like this before. Prem is married, so you should be happy, then why were you crying?... Did something go wrong?... If there's something, tell me, maybe I can do something."
Garima ji looked at him silently for a few moments, then said with a choked voice, "You can't do anything, dear... No one can do anything about this... Our one wrong decision has ruined an innocent life... Prem left home the very next day after getting married... He questioned our upbringing, and his actions have ruined the life of that girl whom we brought into this house as our daughter-in-law, and her current state is partly our responsibility... We are guilty; but that poor girl is suffering the punishment..."
Hearing Garima ji's words, Ayushman was shocked. He said in surprise, "What are you saying, Mami?... How could Prem do something like this...?"
"He did, dear. He loved someone from his office; but your uncle was against their relationship. Prem didn't want to get married; but under our pressure, he got married.
We thought his feelings would change after marriage, and he would accept Preeti; but he spent the wedding night with Preeti and left the next morning, abandoning her... He ruined that girl's entire life...
If it was just a marriage, and he had taken such a step, we would have married Preeti elsewhere; but she is going to be a mother to Prem's child, and we don't know what to do...?"
Hearing the name Preeti, Ayushman's expression changed slightly; but then he became composed. After listening to Garima ji's entire story, his surprise knew no bounds. He looked at them in astonishment and said—
"I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams that Prem could do something like this."
"We didn't imagine it either, son; but he broke our trust. He destroyed that girl's life. He is hiding somewhere, pretending to be a mother, and here this girl's condition is so pitiable that we can't bear to see it. She is not willing to abort the child, and her family doesn't want to keep her. There is no news of Prem; in such a situation, what will happen to that innocent girl and the little life growing inside her, this worry is consuming us."
Garima ji's eyes welled up again, so Ayushman comforted her, saying, "Don't cry, Mami, and be brave, everything will be alright. Where will Prem run away to?... He will be found soon, and I will talk to him. He will have to accept his wife and child; he cannot shy away from his responsibility like this... Everything will be fine, Mami, just be brave."
Garima ji felt some strength from Ayushman's solace. She wiped her tears, then got up and said—
"Son, go and wash your hands and face and freshen up. You must be tired coming from so far. We'll bring you tea and breakfast."
As Garima ji turned to leave, Ayushman immediately stopped her and said, "No Mami, I'm not hungry right now, so I won't eat anything. I'll just freshen up and rest for a while... By the way, Mami, where are Mama ji and Mansi?"
"Your Mama ji has gone to the police station. He's been frequenting there lately, and Mansi will be on the terrace. Go and meet her. She's been a bit sad because of what happened the past few days. She'll be happy to see you."
Ayushman nodded and headed towards the stairs.
Mansi was talking to her friend while pacing on the terrace. Suddenly, her eyes fell on Ayush. As soon as Mansi saw Ayush, she cut the call, rushed over, and hugged him tightly. With a heavy heart, she said,
"Ayush bhaiya, it's good you've come. Look what has happened here. Prem bhaiya has run away from home. He left Bhabhi just the day after the wedding. There’s no trace of him anywhere. I don’t know where he has gone and he isn’t returning. Please find him and fix everything.”
Mansi was very close to both her brothers. She was saddened by Prem's departure, but Ayush's arrival gave her hope. Ayush also embraced his sister and, patting her head lovingly, said,
"I'm here now. I'll fix everything. No one needs to worry. Prem will be back soon and then everything will be alright.”
Mansi calmed down somewhat on his assurance. The brother and sister spent some time together, after which Ayushman went to his room to freshen up.
Afternoon turned into evening. Preeti hadn't come out of her room since noon. Avadhesh Ji returned disappointed and empty-handed again today, as there was still no trace of Prem. His last known location was this house; after that, his phone was switched off, making it difficult to find him.
At this time, everyone was sitting together for dinner. Ayushman's arrival had certainly changed the somber atmosphere of the house, but everyone's worry remained the same.
Preeti had been in her room since morning. So, Garima Ji sent Mansi to call her for dinner. She said that if Preeti stayed amongst everyone, her mood might improve a bit. Preeti initially refused, but finally, Mansi managed to bring her out amongst everyone.
When Mansi brought her around and seated her in front of Ayushman, Ayushman’s gaze finally fell upon Preeti's face. At the same time, the color drained from his face. He stared at her, dumbfounded, with wide eyes. A faint sound escaped his trembling lips,
"Preeti,"
And a past scene flashed in his mind.
***
**Flashback**
The new college session had begun. First-year students were stepping onto the college grounds for the first time. Leaving the small world of school, they were about to embark on a new and bigger life. There was excitement in their hearts – to meet new people, make friends, and learn something new.
New smiles were scattered everywhere. Some faces were excited, while some were a little sad, perhaps leaving old friends behind, but also ready to form new relationships.
The college atmosphere that day was quite different. Old friends were meeting after the holidays, laughing and joking. Groups had already formed, and every corner was buzzing with activity. Classes were just a formality; today, the real class was in gossip.
amidst that hustle and bustle, Ayushman was heading towards his third-year class. He had already received his timetable, so he was walking down the corridor directly towards his classroom.
Just then, as he passed by a classroom, a sweet, tinkling laughter reached his ears – like melodious music. Unknowingly, his steps halted. His gaze automatically turned towards the source of the sound, and his eyes landed on the girl inside the classroom, sitting amongst a few girls on the first bench, laughing.
It was Preeti.
Yes, the same Preeti... but today's Preeti looked completely different from before. She was wearing a black high-neck top and white cargo pants. Her hair was tied in a high pony, but a few strands had fallen loosely around her face, as if intentionally enhancing her innocence. There was a different sparkle in her eyes, and that laughter… it was as if she was radiating light.
Ayushman just kept looking at her. As if time had stopped. His eyes were fixed on her and refused to move away.
Suddenly, Preeti’s gaze fell on him. She was a little startled to see a stranger staring at her so intently, her laughter faltered slightly… but she didn’t get angry. Instead, a faint smile appeared on her face – a composed, innocent smile.
And that one smile… won Ayushman’s heart.
At precisely this moment, someone placed a hand on Ayushman's shoulder. At the same time, a boy's voice drew his attention.
"Hey Ayush, what are you doing standing here, man?… Aren't we going to class?"
Ayushman was startled and, taking his eyes off Preeti, turned his head and looked at the boy standing beside him, saying,
"Yes… yes, we have to go."
"Why did you get so flustered?……. What were you looking at standing here?"
That boy’s name was Raunak, and he was Ayushman's only friend who had been with him from school to college.
Raunak looked at him with suspicion. Ayushman immediately replied,
"Nothing like that… come on, let’s go to class."
Saying this, he took Raunak's hand and started to move forward, but glanced back towards the classroom. Raunak also followed his gaze. Just then, Preeti smiled at Ayushman. Ayushman immediately averted his eyes and moved on, but a seed of doubt had begun to sprout in Raunak's mind.
Lost in the memories of the past, Ayushman began to mentally compare the Preeti sitting in front of him with the Preeti from that day. This Preeti was unrecognizable. A sad, wilted face, vacant eyes that were still slightly swollen, messy, unkempt hair, silent lips that were chapped, a very light trace of vermillion in her hair parting, a mangalsutra hanging around her neck, the henna almost faded, and her wrists bare, she wore a simple, light pink saree.
Neither could one say by looking at her that she had been married only a few days ago, nor did she resemble the Preeti of before, whose innocent laughter had forced Ayushman's gaze to linger on her.
Learning that this Preeti was married to Prem, Ayushman felt something break inside him, and his pain surfaced on his face. Seeing Preeti in this pathetic state, his heart ached. With his eyes holding a multitude of emotions like pain, longing, and restlessness, he stared intently at Preeti, while Preeti didn’t even look up at him once.
Ayushmaan felt something inside him break upon learning that Preeti had married Prem out of affection, and his pain began to show on his face. Seeing Preeti's pathetic state, his heart ached. With his eyes holding a multitude of emotions like pain, yearning, and restlessness, he stared at Preeti, who didn't even glance his way.
Everyone had started eating, but Ayushmaan was still sitting there. When Garima Ji noticed him, she asked in surprise, "Ayush, son, please eat. Why are you just sitting?"
Hearing the name Ayush, Preeti's eyelids fluttered open, almost involuntarily. Meanwhile, Ayushmaan had already looked away from her. He looked at Garima Ji and, hiding his emotions, said with a weak smile, "I was just about to eat, Mami."
"Mami," these words echoed in Preeti's ears. Seeing Ayushmaan sitting in front of her, the expression on her face changed slightly, but the next moment, it became emotionless again, and with her head bowed, she slowly began to swallow her food.
Ayushmaan didn't look at her again. He silently continued his breakfast, then went to his room and started calling Prem's friends one by one to find out about him, hoping to find him somewhere. Someone must know about him.
Garima Ji put Preeti to sleep and came into her room. After Mansi fell asleep, Preeti sat up and walked to the balcony, staring blankly at the moon with empty eyes. Only she knew what was going on in her heart and mind.
The next day began. Preeti hadn't slept all night. It was only six in the morning when some noises from outside started, waking Mansi too. She came out with Preeti. The sight in the hall made both of them freeze in their steps.
Two constables stood with an inspector, holding Prem. A girl was also with them, whose stomach was slightly protruding. She looked pregnant and married.
Prem, whom the police had been searching for all these days, had finally been caught... In fact, this was the result of Ayushmaan's all-night effort. He knew almost all of Prem's friends. He tried all night, and finally, he learned about Prem from one of his friends, and Ayushmaan immediately informed the police. They arrived early in the morning, picking him and the girl with him, and brought them straight there.
Ayushmaan, Garima Ji, Avadhesh Ji, all were present, and the shouting was coming from Avadhesh Ji, who was yelling at Prem, but Prem stood there silently.
The inspector informed everyone where Prem was found. He also introduced the girl, who was Varsha, his colleague, or rather, the mother of his unborn child. Prem had married her just a few days before marrying Preeti, and it looked like the girl was 3-4 months pregnant. This meant their marriage had already been established before such a relationship existed between them. Despite this, Prem married Preeti and had physical relations with her; this truth stunned everyone. Preeti, standing behind, listened to everything silently.
After learning the whole truth, Avadhesh Ji's anger intensified. In anger, he slapped Prem hard across the cheek. Garima Ji, covering her face with her dupatta, sobbed uncontrollably.
After hearing everything, Preeti glanced at Varsha standing on the other side, then turned her gaze back to Prem. After hearing everything, as Preeti looked at Prem, various emotions surged onto her previously expressionless face, and her steps moved towards Prem. She stopped right in front of him.
All eyes were now fixed on her. In fact, if Prem was guilty of anyone, it was Preeti. If anyone's life was most badly affected by this step he took, it was Preeti; if anyone was most hurt by him, it was Preeti.
If he was truly guilty of anyone, it was Preeti. Therefore, if anyone had the most right to question her and pronounce her punishment, it was Preeti.
A deep silence prevailed for a few moments. Then, Preeti, with enraged eyes, looked at him and questioned, "Why did you do this to me? If you loved someone else before, and didn't want to marry, you should have refused. Why did you tie me in the chains of this relationship? If you had already decided and intended to leave the day after the wedding, you shouldn't have come close to me.
When you were already so involved with another girl and wanted to spend your life with her, why did you ruin my life? Why did you come close to me? Why did you cause me so much pain? Why did you let me be accused? What enmity did you have with me, and why?"
Her pain was evident in her angry screams and questions, which she had been enduring silently. Feeling this, pain surfaced on Ayushmaan's face, but Prem seemed unaffected. He exhaled a deep breath and replied calmly, "I had no enmity with you. I had refused the marriage, but my parents wouldn't agree and forced me into marriage by making me swear an oath. I didn't want to come close to you that night, but seeing you, my heart became restless, I lost control, and I made a mistake..."
Before he could finish speaking, Preeti slapped him hard across the face and screamed in anger, "Mistake! You ruined my whole life, and you call this crime a mistake? You lost control seeing me... You loved someone else, you were so involved with her... Yet you lost control seeing me?
Are you ashamed to say this? Didn't your conscience condemn you for coming so close to me while belonging to someone else? Or did you see nothing beyond your lust? You must have thought, 'The wedding has happened, even if it's just for one night, let's take full advantage of the opportunity'... Is this what you wanted, which is why you married me, otherwise, you would have refused your parents...
But you married me... You ruined my entire life to fulfill your desires and physical needs. Do you even realize this? You are happy in your life... You were already married, so I have no right over you anymore... You have left me as your mistress...
There, that girl is going to be the mother of your child, and here, the sign of your selfishness, deceit, and fraud is growing within me... And look at my helplessness, that for the sake of the life of an innocent, I have left my home, my family, even though I hate the person in this world the most.
What can I do? I'm not selfish like you, to ruin an innocent life for my own selfish reasons... to snatch away their right to live..."
Preeti's eyes welled up, but she wiped her tears with great ruthlessness and continued with a choked voice, "It was all my mistake; I shouldn't have lost my senses. If I had been in my senses, I would never have let you anywhere near me. But I made a mistake, but now there is no room for any mistake.
I and my child have no relation with you anymore. He has no father... You have no right over him or me... I am only his mother; I will give birth to him and raise him myself... I will not let even your shadow fall on my child, a person like you, who is not even worthy of being called human...
If you are happy in your world, then stay there and never come back here. You married me for a second time, so now you will go to court, and this marriage will be declared invalid. You will be punished for your sins, and I will get freedom from you and these chains of deceit..."
Upon hearing about the punishment, Varsha came crying to Preeti and, joining her hands, said, "Don't punish him... I have left my home and family for him... I am going to be a mother... If he goes to jail, my child and I will be helpless...
I didn't know he was committing such a big sin behind my back... If I had known, I would never have let him play with your life. But now, even if I want to, I can't fix anything... Prem has committed a huge sin... On his behalf, I apologize to you... Have mercy on me and my child and spare Prem..."
Seeing her condition, Preeti felt pity for her. After all, if she and her child were not at fault in all this, then Varsha was also innocent, and her child was also blameless. Then how could she punish Preeti for Prem's sins?
Today, even if she didn't have her own family, Prem's family had supported her. They were ready to take responsibility for her and stood by her, but Varsha was completely alone. She had left her home, and here no one was going to accept her. In such a situation, if Prem was punished, the real punishment would be borne by Varsha and her child.
After listening to Varsha's words carefully and thinking, Preeti glared at Prem with burning eyes and said, "I am sparing you only out of pity for your wife and child. You may escape my punishment, but God will surely punish you for what you have done to me, remember this, because He settles everyone's accounts...
You married me by deceiving me, so now I will end this selfish relationship of deceit myself, and after that, you will have no right over me or my child. And if by mistake you come in front of me, I will forget that you are the father of this child, and I will make you pay for every pain I have suffered because of you... And I swear, you won't be able to bear it. So, it would be better if you never turn back this way again and stay a hundred steps away from me and my child."
Preeti finished speaking in anger and returned to her room after announcing her decision.
Preeti finished speaking in anger and returned to her room after announcing her decision. In these circumstances, no one understood what to say. Everyone listened to her words in stunned silence. When Preeti left, Avdesh ji stepped forward in front of Prem and said in a stern tone:
"We admit that we forced you into marriage, and it was the biggest mistake of our lives, for which we are paying the price today. And for the sin you committed by hiding your first marriage from us, marrying a second time while you already had a wife, and ruining Preeti's life, God will punish you, not us. Then you will realize what a great sin you have committed..."
"Preeti has already broken ties with you, and we stand with her in every decision... We brought her into this house as our daughter-in-law, so we will take responsibility for her and her child. But now, there is no place in our home for you and your wife..."
"We sever all ties with you today, at this very moment. From today, the doors of this house are permanently closed to you... Leave with your wife, get out of our sight, and never show us your face again... We will consider that we never had a son."
He announced his decision and left, staring at him with hateful eyes. Mansi, who loved him dearly, was also very angry with Prem's actions. Looking at him with contempt, she turned her face away from him in anger and left. After the horrifying truth came out, Garima ji was in no state to say anything. With a choked voice, she only said:
"Today, with your actions, you have raised questions about our upbringing... It is with deep regret that we have to say that we could not give you good values... We could not see our son's true face and got him married to a deceptive person like you, ruining his life. We will suffer the consequences of this for our entire lives, but remember, you will not be spared either..."
"A person has to bear the fruits of their actions in this very life. The consequences of your deeds will definitely return to you, and when God's wrath falls, you will realize your sins. But even then, do not come back to this courtyard, because we have no relationship with you anymore..."
"If we die someday, do not even come to see our faces, or our souls will not find peace... From now on, we have only one son, you are nothing to us... Go back to where you were hiding with your wife, and never show us your face again."
She too wiped her tears and left. Today, Prem's entire family was against him. Now only Ayushman was standing there. Prem was a little hurt by the harsh words of those who had always loved him so much, but he still had no realization of his sins.
He then looked towards Ayushman with hopeful eyes, his last hope, and said:
"Ayush, you understand me..."
He had just said this when a resounding slap landed on his cheek, making his head lurch slightly to the side. His ears went numb, and his eyes widened in surprise. He touched his cheek. As he tried to raise his head, Ayushman grabbed his collar, grinding his teeth in anger, and said:
"Don't you dare take my name with your filthy tongue... I considered you my brother, I always supported you, and I hid every mistake of yours from Mom and Dad, thinking you did it in childhood, but I was very wrong... I thought very wrong about you... What did I think you were, and what have you turned out to be..."
"You secretly married her... You are going to be a father, yet you married an innocent girl and ruined her life... You did as you pleased with her and then ran away the next morning, and you don't even realize your sins..."
"You are not even worthy of being called human, let alone my brother... There is no difference between you and those street hooligans who violate the modesty of girls they see on the street... As a husband, you laid hands on your own wife's honor and are now refusing to take responsibility..."
"When I found out everything, I thought I would explain and bring you back, and everything would be alright, but now nothing will ever be alright... A man like you is not worthy of being called that girl's husband. So, if you don't want to be beaten by my hands, pick up your wife and get out of my sight. If you stay here for another moment, I don't know what I will do in anger..."
Ayushman let him go with a jerk, causing Prem to fall to the ground. Varsha immediately stepped forward and helped him up. When Prem looked at Ayushman, he was staring at him with eyes burning like red embers and said, adjusting his collar:
"If you are behaving like this with your brother for that stranger girl, then support her. From today, I have no relationship with you or that family... I don't need anyone... I will never step foot in this house again..."
Ayushman's expression did not change at all; he continued to stare at Prem. After Prem left with Varsha, Ayushman simply told the inspector to keep an eye on them so they wouldn't disappear again, closed the door, and left in anger.
Prem came out in anger, then turned to Varsha and said, "Are you also angry with me? Do you want to say something to me?"
Varsha looked at him with teary eyes and, with a faint, painful smile on her lips, said, "Where would I go if I were angry with you in this state? And what would I gain by saying something to you? It is my compulsion to drink the poison of fate, and with the curses of so many people, I have to stay with you. But if you ever ruin another girl's life like this again, or have relations with anyone other than me, I will end my own life and my child's."
Hearing her words, Prem said nervously, "Don't say that... I will never let such a situation arise... I love you and our child very much... I can't even think of cheating on you... I don't know what happened to me that night... I was swayed by seeing Preeti, but I will never make such a mistake again... I promise."
Varsha gave a faint smile after hearing him. She had no other option but to believe him and stay with him, so she walked away with him.
Ten days had passed. Preeti was trying to recover from the shock given by Prem's deceit, only for her child's sake. She had told Rajesh everything. Rajesh was very angry at Prem's disgusting act. If he could, he would have killed Prem, but Preeti had made him promise not to do anything. She hadn't spoken to anyone at home.
Rajesh felt good knowing that the family had supported Preeti and had cut off ties with their son for her. He felt some relief knowing that Preeti had decided to end her marriage, but at the same time, he was worried about her future.
He remained silent for now. First, Preeti needed to recover from this shock, get settled, and then he would talk to her about it. Talking to Rajesh had made Preeti feel better.
In these ten days, she had tried to be normal, but she remained quiet, speaking only when necessary. Garima ji took great care of her. She had found a little sister in Manasi, and Avdesh ji made up for the lack of a father.
It was strange that her own family had rejected her, and strangers had accepted her. Perhaps it was their guilt. Somewhere, they knew they were responsible for Preeti's current situation. Although Prem had kept them in the dark, Preeti had become his wife, and they had brought her into his life, so they were responsible for her pain.
In these days, Preeti and Ayushman had encountered each other several times, but Preeti didn't seem to recognize him from before. Ayushman hadn't told anyone about it either. He just silently watched Preeti. Preeti didn't look at him or speak to him; she just silently prepared herself to fight this battle of her life.
This morning, everyone had come from the court, where Rajesh was also present. Prem was getting married for the second time, which he had done by deceiving Preeti and having physical relations with her. He was going to face a case for this, and he would be punished and have to pay a fine, but Preeti had refused all of this. "I don't want a single penny from that man, nor do I want to get him punished. I just want my freedom."
The second marriage was invalid anyway, so it was declared null and void, and Prem was fined two lakh rupees for violating the law. He would have gone to jail, but considering Varsha's condition, a leniency was given.
Preeti wiped off the sindoor given by Prem and threw the mangalsutra he had put on her face and left angrily. Prem tolerated this humiliation and remained silent, swallowing his anger. Everyone else also turned their faces and left.
Preeti was now free from the burden of this relationship, but her journey ahead wouldn't be easy. She would have to struggle a lot to live with respect in this society, and she had already prepared herself for it.
Rajesh went back from the court, and Preeti returned home with everyone else. As soon as she arrived home, she went to her room.
Ayushman glanced at her and went to his room. He was very angry at his helplessness, understanding Preeti's pain and her difficulties, but what could he really do? As soon as he entered the room, he hit the wall with his fist in anger and then turned his face away, running his hands through his hair and closing his eyes in helplessness.
Just a few minutes had passed when he heard Garima ji's voice - "Ayush."
Ayushman immediately composed himself and turned towards her, saying, "Yes, Mami."
"Beta, today we want to ask you for something,"
Hearing her words, Ayushman was surprised and said, "What's wrong, Mami? Why are you talking like this? You've done so much for me; I'm what I am and where I am today only because of you and Mama ji. If I can be of any help to you, I'll be very happy. Please say it without hesitation; what can I do for you?"
Garima ji took a deep breath and said seriously, "Beta, you all know about Prem's actions; we're in a situation where we can't hold him responsible because, although we didn't know everything, we knew about our son's actions and still pressurized him. But we thought that after marriage, the love fever would subside, and he would settle into domestic life...
But we, or your mama, had no idea that he had hidden so many things from us and would do something like this?... Still, it was our fault that we forced a girl like Preeti into Prem's life and ruined her life.
We can take care of them and their child's responsibilities, but beta, we're not sure about the future; life is unpredictable. And after seeing Prem's actions, we can't trust him.
If they create difficulties for Preeti or her child after we're gone, no one will be there to support them. And what's her age? It's not easy to live alone all life; a child's life is also connected to them. So, we want you to hold their hand. Prem's relationship with them is over now; you can marry them and take them with you."
What is the age of that girl? ... It is not easy to spend your whole life alone, and along with that, the life of a child is also connected to her. So, we want you to hold her hand. Her relationship with love has already ended in love; now you marry her and take her with you.
On hearing Garima's words, Ayushman was shocked and looked at her with wide eyes and said,
"What are you saying, Mami? ... She is my sister-in-law. If I marry her, what will people say?"
Garima Ji listened to his words and continued seriously,
"We don't care what people will say, and it doesn't matter what they say. They are already saying it, and they will continue to say it... We are only concerned about Preeti and her child. We want to give them a stable and secure future. And as you said, she is your sister-in-law; you are not the brother of Love, and you were not present at the wedding, so there is no relationship between you and Preeti as a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, which makes you hesitant..."
"But Mami, still... marriage..." Ayushman was speaking troubled when Garima Ji interrupted him,
"Son, we know that you are surprised by our words... We also know that we are asking too much of you... We are being selfish, but we have no one else to trust. If you take Preeti's hand, we will be relieved about her and her child. Preeti is a very good and kind girl, son. Her current situation is not good, but as the environment changes, she will get better with time.
"Please consider this my last wish and grant it. We bow to you; please save that innocent girl's life from being ruined."
Garima Ji bowed her head before him. Ayushman immediately held her hand and said,
"Mami, don't make me feel ashamed by bowing; even if I agree, it won't benefit because Preeti won't agree to this marriage."
" We will talk to her, son; she will definitely marry you. Can you tell me if you are ready to hold Preeti's hand?"
"Is this also what Mama Ji wants?" Ayushman asked her back.
Garima Ji immediately agreed and said,
"Yes, son, this is what both of us want. We have been thinking about it for many days and waiting for the right moment to talk to you after Love and Preeti's relationship ends.
"He sent us to talk to you, and we want to get her married to you as soon as possible and send her far away from here because until she stays here, she won't be able to forget the past and move on, but a change in environment will help her recover quickly."
Ayushman thought deeply about her words. He thought about Preeti and then said with a deep sigh,
"If this is what you and Mama Ji want, I am ready to marry Preeti."
On hearing his response, a massive weight lifted off Garima Ji's shoulders. She patted his head lovingly and said,
"Live long, son. May God fulfill all your desires, and in the next life, you may be born from our womb and bring us relief from the stigma that has been attached to our upbringing... We will now go talk to Preeti."
Ayushman nodded, and Garima Ji left. Ayushman sat on the bed with his head bowed and his face in his hands.
Garima Ji reached Manasi's room, where Preeti was also staying. Preeti sat on the bed, staring blankly into space with a sad expression. Garima Ji sat beside her, and Preeti looked up at her. Garima Ji held her hand and touched her cheek lovingly.
"We liked you very much, and we brought you to this house with great enthusiasm as Love's wife and our daughter-in-law. But how could we know that our son would cheat us, and due to him, your life would come to this point? Today, when we look at you, we feel ashamed and avoid eye contact because we are partly responsible for your current situation."
Preeti became emotional on hearing her words. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her throat constricted. She said with a choked voice,
"No, Mummy Ji, there is no fault of yours in what is happening to me. I am facing what is written in my destiny. I have no complaints against anyone; I am grateful to God for giving you and Papa Ji as my in-laws. You have supported me so much; no one would do that for a non-related girl, but you have severed all ties with your son for me."
"Those relationships were severed by him the day he left you on the second day of the wedding and ran away. You did become our daughter-in-law and entered this house, but we considered you our daughter and couldn't bear to see our daughter in so much trouble. We want you to forget Love and move forward in life... Marry Ayush and move far away from here. Forget the past and build a new life with Ayush."
Preeti was shocked. Everyone in her house also wanted her to remarry and escape from them, which is why she came here, but now she was being told the same thing. What pierced Preeti's delicate mind was hearing Ayush's name, which left her utterly astonished. She pulled her hand away from Garima Ji and looked at her with angry eyes, her voice choked with emotion.
"I have become a burden to you too, and you want to marry me off to Ayush Ji to shift the burden from your shoulders to his?"
"Am I becoming a burden to you as well, wanting to get me married to Ayush ji and shift the burden from your shoulders to his?"
Garima ji was shocked to hear her. Then she immediately denied it, saying, "No, daughter. Even though we brought you into this house as our daughter-in-law, we have considered you our daughter. In our eyes, there is no difference between you and Mansi..."
"We brought you into this house as Prem's wife, and because of that one wrong decision, you had to suffer a lot. And we don't want you or your child to face more difficulties, or for Prem's evil gaze to fall upon you again... We don't want you to live a lonely, solitary life because of him. It's not easy to give birth to and raise a child alone, daughter.
"Where am I alone, Mummy ji, you and Papa ji are with me."
Preeti immediately presented her argument to them, upon hearing which she touched her cheek lovingly and said,
"We are here, daughter, but we have grown old. Who has seen time? We are here today, but not tomorrow, then who will take care of you and your child?"
"I will take care of you, Mummy ji. It is not necessary that a woman depends on someone or the other for every matter. She can live her life well on her own."
"We understand what you're saying, daughter. But this world does not look at a single woman with respect. A single woman is an opportunity for every man to fulfill his lust. We don't want anything untoward to happen to you or your child, so we are requesting you. Marry Ayush and build your new life with him..."
"He will take good care of you and the child, he will give you all the happiness that you couldn't have. Your child will get a father's name, and Prem will never be able to reach you or your child again. If the environment changes, you will also recover from all this quickly. It will become easier for you to move forward.
"Think carefully, daughter, your and your child's well-being lies in this. Give us your answer by evening. Your marriage has been declared invalid today, and now we want to get you both married legally as soon as possible... We will wait for your answer."
Garima ji affectionately stroked her head and left. Preeti remained behind, lost in her thoughts. First, an unwanted marriage to Prem, then his betrayal, this child, people's accusations, her own family's behavior towards her, the reality of Prem, and Garima ji's words, everything started swirling in her mind.
Her life was bringing one difficulty after another before her. She had endured everything, but marriage once again started creating a storm in her mind, but Garima ji's words weren't wrong.
Preeti thought about all this for a long time. Then she got up, left the room, and for the first time in many days, she headed towards Ayushman's room. She didn't know what was going on in her heart and mind, or why she was going to his room.
On the other hand, Ayushman had been sitting there since Garima ji left, thinking whether he had made the right decision or not... What would happen next?... What would be Preeti's decision?... There were many questions for which he was making a futile attempt to find answers. Lost in these questions and complications, Ayushman didn't even realize how much time had passed sitting like that.
Suddenly, there was a knock on his room door, and then he came out of his thoughts. He immediately turned his gaze towards the door. Seeing Preeti standing there, his eyes widened with disbelief. Preeti casually said,
"I need to talk to you."
Ayushman, who was shocked to see her suddenly there, became serious upon hearing her words. He understood that Garima ji must have spoken to her, which is why she had come to him. He got up and gestured towards the bed, saying,
"Yes, come, sit."
Preeti came inside but didn't sit. She stood in front of him and, fixing her gaze on his face, said seriously,
"You proposed marriage to me in front of Mummy ji?"
"No, it was Mami who expressed her wish to me, and I have clearly stated that whatever your decision will be, I will accept it."
Ayushman replied casually, without any emotion. Upon hearing which, Preeti asked the next question,
"So, you have said yes to the marriage from your side?"
"Yes."
"Why?... Knowing everything about me, why do you want to marry a woman who has been abandoned?"
Preeti's questions brought a serious expression to Ayushman's face,
"To abandon someone, one must first accept them, and as far as I know, Prem married you under pressure from Mama-Mami, and what happened after that was his own selfishness. He only used your body to fulfill his needs and desires, he didn't accept you..."
"Yes, he didn't accept me, but I am going to be the mother of his child... Then why do you want to marry me?... Are you pitying my situation, or are you doing all this to rectify your brother's mistake?"
Hearing Preeti's questions, Ayushman let out a deep sigh and said seriously, "You are not helpless. You have a family here. You are an educated girl who can stand on her own feet in the future, so she doesn't need anyone's pity, so there is no question of pity... and Prem didn't make a mistake, he committed a sin... such a big sin that it is impossible to rectify, and the reason for what I am going to do is absolutely not that, because I have broken ties with him..."
"Now, as for you becoming the mother of his child, in my eyes, a man who left his wife the very next day after marriage and didn't care even a bit about her and his own child upon finding out about the child, has no right to be called your husband or this child's father... The decision to bring this child into the world was yours, so this is only your child, and if we get married, I will legally adopt this child, and then this will be our child."
Preeti stared at him, stunned, for a few moments. Then, with a heavy voice, she said, "Knowing everything, why do you want to marry me?"
Preeti looked at him stunned for a few moments. Then, with a heavy voice, she asked, "Knowing everything, why do you want to marry me?"
"There are two main reasons. First, Mama and Mami have done a lot for me over the years. In my eyes, they are equal to my parents, and for the first time today, they have asked something of me, and I cannot return them empty-handed.
The second reason is you yourself. Look at yourself, what were you in college and what have you become now? I know a lot of wrong has happened to you, and I just want to see you as the old Preeti. I want to return your dreams, your happiness, your laughter, and your mischief to you. I want to marry that Preeti and include her in my life, the one whom my eyes had once dreamed of including in my world..."
"I had thought then that once I settled down, stood on my own feet, I would talk to Mama-Mami and send a proposal to your house, but I got entangled in building my career there, and so much happened here with you.
I don't want to pressure you, nor do I want to take advantage of your helplessness to have you. Don't ever think that if you marry me, I will do something like Prem forced himself upon you.
I have said it before and I am saying it again, there will never be any pressure from me on you. We can stay together as parents of this child or as friends. In the eyes of the world, we will be husband and wife, but I will not demand any rights of a husband from you. You can take as much time as you need. I just want you to be in front of me now, safe and happy, and to get all the happiness you deserve.
Whatever your decision will be, I will accept it. Even if you refuse to marry, I will not leave you alone now. I will support you at every step as a friend, and no power in the world can stop me from doing so... not even you."
Ayushman conveyed his message with seriousness. The determination was clearly evident in his words. Preeti was shocked by his major revelation. Perhaps Ayushman loved her, that was unexpected for her. She looked at him, astonished for a few moments, then left without saying anything.
Standing on the balcony of her room, she thought about everything for a long time, but when she couldn't reach any conclusion herself, she called Rajesh and told him everything. She talked to him for a while, then got lost in her thoughts again.
It was evening. Everyone was present in the living room, and all eyes were fixed on Preeti.
"Son, what is your decision?" Finally, Garima ji asked her. To which Preeti looked at everyone, then lowered her gaze and said,
"Mummy ji, before I announce my decision, I want to talk to Ayushman ji alone."
Upon hearing her words, everyone looked at each other's faces. Garima ji looked at Ayushman with worried eyes, so he blinked at her to stay calm, then looked at Preeti and said,
"Let's go."
Saying this, he headed towards his room. Preeti also followed him, her head bowed. After a few moments, both were in Ayushman's room once again. Ayushman now looked at her and asked seriously,
"Speak, what do you need to talk to me about?"
Preeti looked up at him and, clenching the end of her sari in her fist, said in a serious tone, "I am ready to marry you, but I want to clarify a few things first so that you or I do not face any problems later."
After saying this, she fell silent, and Ayushman said, "Speak, I am listening."
Preeti took a deep breath and continued, "I am marrying only for my child because I don't want him to grow up without a father's name and love, or for people to question his existence later. I don't trust Prem either. If you legally give your name to my child, Prem will never be able to claim any rights over my child.
I will marry, but there will be no husband-wife relationship between us. You will be the father of this child, and I will be the mother, no more than that... You will not try to impose yourself on me, you will never try to come close to me without my permission... I don't know if I will ever be able to accept you and this relationship, it is possible that even after marriage, I will never be able to give you the rights of a husband, to fulfill your desires and needs... so you think about whether you will still marry me?"
Preeti finished speaking and fell silent, looking at him with worried eyes. Ayushman listened to her entire statement seriously, then, with a slight smile on his lips, he said,
"I am glad to know that even today I have so much importance in your life that you can express your feelings to me without hesitation... I have listened to you carefully and in return, I will only say that I am not marrying for my desires or needs... I will not claim the rights of a husband because I don't want all that...
I only want one thing from you, your trust and your companionship... Include me in your life as a friend... If not as a husband, then accept me as the father of your child... As long as you are in front of my eyes, that is enough for me. I accept all your conditions, I still want to marry you. Do you now say yes to this relationship?"
"It felt good to know that even today, I still hold enough importance in your life that you can tell me what's on your mind without hesitation..."
I listened carefully to what you said and in return, I'll just say that I'm not getting married to fulfill my desires or needs... I won't claim the rights of a husband either, because I want all of that too...
I only want one thing from you, your trust and your companionship... Include me in your life as your friend. If not as your husband, then at least as the father of your child... You'll be in front of my eyes, that's enough for me. I accept all your conditions, I still want to marry you. Is it a yes for this relationship now?
Preeti quietly looked at him, then nodded in agreement, bowing her head. Hearing her decision, a faint smile spread across Ayushman's lips.
"So let's go, everyone downstairs must be worried."
Preeti nodded, and the two of them came downstairs. Everyone's worried gazes were fixed on them.
Ayushman looked at everyone, then with a slight smile on his lips, said, "Preeti and I have said yes to the marriage."
The moment he said this, expressions of relief and happiness appeared on everyone's faces. But this happiness was still incomplete because this relationship was about to be formed out of compulsion. Well, whatever it was, everyone was happy thinking that Preeti's life would now be set.
Avdesh ji had already informed everyone at Preeti's house about this. He had gone and spoken to the priest and decided to get married in the temple the next day. After that, they were going to have a court marriage so that both would be bound in the unbreakable bond of marriage legally.
Madhuri was furious upon hearing about Preeti's second marriage, but she didn't show it. Meanwhile, Dhiraj ji and Shakuntala ji were at peace, knowing that their family's honor would now be maintained. They had refused to come the next day, stating that now she was their daughter-in-law, and she could do whatever she wanted with her, they had no objection, but they couldn't attend the wedding.
Perhaps they were afraid that people would gossip upon hearing about Preeti's marriage to her brother-in-law, and their family's honor would be tarnished, so they decided to keep the matter secret. However, Rajesh had already said he would go.
The night passed with everyone restless. The next morning arrived, and Rajesh, along with Avdesh ji, got busy with the wedding preparations.
Today again, Preeti was being adorned for her wedding, but unlike last time, she remained completely listless. There was no enthusiasm in her heart, no desires in her mind, no golden dreams of tomorrow decorating her eyes; instead, there was a strange emptiness. Her face was not filled with happiness, but with sadness, helplessness, and dejection, and instead of a smile, a deep silence had taken hold of her lips.
She wasn't dressed like a bride in a lehenga like last time. She was wearing a beautiful red Banarasi saree given by Garima ji. Mansi had tied her hair in a beautiful bun and adorned it with a gajra. She wore a maangtika in the parting of her hair. Gold earrings in her ears, a gold necklace around her neck. She wore heavy bangles on both wrists. On her feet, she had a thin anklet. The only makeup was kohl in her eyes and pink lipstick on her lips. She didn't even want to do all this, but she got ready silently at Garima ji's insistence.
On the other hand, Ayushman was in a simple cream-colored kurta-pajama. Both looked good, but neither had happiness on their faces. Everyone got ready with them and reached the temple, where the priest was already ready to solemnize their marriage. First, their 'varmala' (garland exchange) was done. Then the wedding rituals began.
Rajesh, treating Preeti like his own daughter, performed his sister's 'kanyadaan' (giving away the bride). He also fulfilled the role of a brother. In no time, the wedding rituals were completed, and Preeti was bound to Ayushman in this unbreakable bond. Throughout the ceremony, Preeti sat emotionless. She did whatever she was told, just like a puppet.
Ayushman once again adorned her forehead with vermilion. Preeti's eyelids fluttered slightly, and moisture welled up in her eyes. The mangalsutra was once again tied to her existence, which she had removed from herself just the day before.
The wedding was complete. The lawyer was present. She had both of them sign their marriage papers, then congratulated them and left. Avdesh ji placed his hand on both their heads and blessed them and their relationship. Garima ji hugged them and gave them many blessings. Mansi also wished them. Finally, Rajesh came forward. Ayushman touched his feet with respect, then Rajesh hugged him and said,
"I am entrusting my sister to you with great faith. My trust has been broken once; now, do not let my trust be broken again, and take care of Preeti."
"Rest assured, brother. I will never let your trust be broken... Preeti is my responsibility from now on, and I will try my best to keep her happy. I will not give you any reason to complain."
Hearing Ayushman's words, Rajesh smiled, then hugged Preeti to his chest and affectionately stroked her head, saying,
"Always be happy. Now forget the past and move forward. Now that you have joined this new relationship, try to embrace and nurture it with your heart. This relationship will bring happiness back into your life; just don't reject that happiness now. Never let your past dominate your present and your future. Start anew with Ayushman ji."
Preeti was touched by his words but composed herself and nodded in agreement. After blessing both of them and taking Ayushman's number, Rajesh returned. Everyone else also returned home. Preeti and Ayushman were together in the car, but there was no conversation between them.
Priti sat lost in thought all the time. Ayushman kept looking at her sometimes and sometimes outside. As soon as they reached home, Garima ji performed the aarti ceremony for both of them. This reminded Priti of the rituals she had performed during her first wedding. After visiting the temple and receiving God's blessings, she directly went to her room. Everyone else looked on at her with concern.
Even Ayushman was worried about her, but seeing everyone looking so concerned, he put on a faint smile and said, "It happened suddenly, so it's not easy for them to accept it. It will take some time to forget the past and adapt to this relationship."
His words were absolutely right. Everyone was aware of Priti's mental state. So many changes were happening in her life one after another that she couldn't even cope. She had already gotten married, but she couldn't forget her first marriage yet. The pain and wounds she had received from that marriage made it impossible to forget so quickly. Time was needed, and she had to give it time, or else everything would fall apart. Ayushman went to his room to change, while everyone else sat in the living room.
Meanwhile, Priti went to her room and stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection. The sindoor on her forehead and the mangalsutra around her neck made her realize the reality of her life, which she hadn't fully accepted yet. She took off the dupatta she had put on and the dupatta Ayushman had tied with it and placed them on the bed. She also took off the varmala and slowly removed all her jewelry before putting on simple clothes and going to the bathroom.
A week had passed since Ayushman's and Priti's wedding. Priti still slept in Manasi's room. She would talk to Rajesh. She wouldn't stay in her room all day like before. To keep herself occupied, she would help Garima ji with work. She would also talk to Manasi a bit. Priti tried to appear normal, but she still kept her distance from Ayushman. The two hadn't spoken to each other in days.
Ayushman would spend the whole day in his room working on his laptop. When he came down to eat, he would only see Priti then. Even then, Priti wouldn't look at him or talk to him; she would just remain silent.
Ayushman understood that she felt uneasy because of this new relationship, so he was giving her time. Although Priti didn't talk to him, she still wore her wedding attire.
It was nighttime. Everyone was sitting together for dinner and starting to eat. Ayushman looked at everyone and then said to Garima ji and Awadhesh ji, "Mama ji, Mami, I need to tell you both something important."
Both of them raised their eyebrows and looked at him. "Go ahead, son," they said.
"I have to leave tomorrow," Ayushman said, and everyone's expression changed to surprise. Priti's hand, which was about to put food in her mouth, froze in mid-air. Her worried eyes looked up at Ayushman. Understanding her concern, Ayushman continued, "I have to go, but Priti ji can stay here with all of you as long as she wants. When she's ready to come, just let me know, and I'll come to pick her up."
Ayushman's words solved Priti's problem without her saying a word, but Awadhesh ji didn't like his suggestion. He immediately refused, saying, "No, son, we don't like your suggestion. You two are married now, and it's not right for you to live apart. If you have to go, we won't stop you, but we will say that you should take Priti bahu with you."
Garima ji supported Awadhesh ji's words, saying, "Your mama ji is right, son. Even if it happened in any circumstances, you two are married now. Wherever you go, Priti will go with you. Only then can you understand each other and fulfill this relationship. If Priti wants, you can bring her to meet us in between, but it's not right to leave her here now."
Ayushman listened carefully to their words and then said with concern, "I understand what you're both saying, but she's not comfortable with me yet."
"She will live with you, get to know you, and understand you; only then can she be comfortable with you. If you leave her here and go so far away, how can she be comfortable with you?" Manasi's words and questions left Ayushman speechless. He looked at everyone with concern for a while and then tried to say something, but before he could, Priti looked up at him with serious eyes and said, "I'll go with you."
Ayushman looked at her in surprise and concern because he hadn't expected her to say that. Priti, however, looked back down and started eating. Her words surprised Ayushman, but everyone else was happy. Manasi immediately smiled and said, "Okay, now that Bhabi has said she'll go with you, you have to take her with you."
"Yes, Ayush, it's better if Priti bahu goes with you. Tell us when you'll leave, and we'll pack Priti's belongings and some things for her to eat and drink."
"I'll leave tomorrow morning, Mami. I have an important meeting in the evening."
"Alright, we'll get everything ready."
After that, everyone ate and went to their respective rooms.
Ayush had agreed to take Preeti with him, respecting everyone's wishes, but he was troubled. Considering Preeti's behavior the previous day, it didn't seem right for her to go with him at this time. He was standing in the balcony, thinking about this with a worried expression, when Avdesh Ji arrived. Seeing him, Ayush hid his concern and offered a weak smile.
"Mama Ji, you are here..."
"Yes, we thought we should talk to our nephew today, to clear his doubts."
Hearing Avdesh Ji's words, a serious expression came over Ayushman's face. He said with a downcast mouth, "Mama Ji, you can see, so many days have passed since the wedding, but she doesn't even look at me, let alone talk. Now you tell me, if I take her with me, she will be completely alone. Here, among everyone, she is still opening up a little, but there it will be just the two of us, she won't be able to stay there alone with me..."
"She will manage, son. It will be a little difficult at first, but with time, she will be fine. You yourself said that this marriage is not her wish, but a compulsion, and her first marriage experience was so bad, after that it will take some time for her to accept this relationship and you, to trust you. And until she is with you, she won't know you, won't understand you, and won't be able to accept this relationship or you...
We know this time is very difficult for both you and Preeti Bahu. In the circumstances she is going through, you should not distance yourself from her, but try to support her... You are her husband now, if you want, you can bring her out of her past through your love and care. You can teach her to laugh and smile again...
Preeti is a very sweet girl, son. Destiny did not favor her with love, but you are worthy of her, and at this time, she needs you and your love the most. Pushing her away is not the solution to this problem, but rather improving the situation by being with her...
Just try to reach her heart, to make her comfortable with you, everything else will happen on its own. And believe us, the time is not far when both of you will accept this relationship with all your hearts."
Ayushman listened to him silently and very attentively, then nodded his head. They were sitting together after a long time, and Ayushman had to leave the next day, so they sat and talked for a while.
On the other hand, Manasi and Garima Ji were packing Preeti's belongings together. After packing her things, Garima Ji came and sat beside her and gently stroked her head, saying,
"Daughter, we know you don't want to go with Ayush, but he is your husband, and now wherever he lives, you will have to live with him. Both of you will now have to support each other, take care of each other, try to understand each other, and fulfill your part in maintaining this relationship... You have to give each other time, and you will see, with time everything will be fine on its own...
Ayush is a very good boy, we didn't give birth to him, but we know that you won't find a better life partner than him. We believe he will give you all the happiness you should have received but didn't, he will make your and your child's life better. Just try to accept him and this relationship by trusting him.
He is very understanding, and when you start understanding him, you will know yourself why we chose him for you... We want to send you with him so that you both can spend time together, know and understand each other, and try to make this relationship work.
We are not pressuring you, we are just saying that he will be a responsible husband, we have faith in that. You also try to become his wife by forgetting the past, because the relationship of husband and wife is very special, and Ayush has lacked relationships since the beginning, but the relationships connected to him, he fulfills them from the heart, and a wife's relationship is something that can fill every void in his life,
Because every relationship leaves you with time, but husband and wife have to spend their whole lives together, share a life, support each other in happiness and sorrow, manage each other, and hold the thread of that relationship firmly... The threads of relationships are very delicate, everything can fall apart with a little carelessness. We hope you will value this relationship and support Ayush in maintaining it..."
Preeti listened to her silently but said nothing. Finally, Garima Ji kissed her head and said, "Go rest now, I'll make laddus for you, you can eat them there, it's good for the child."
Preeti just nodded. Garima Ji left. As soon as she left, Manasi came to Preeti.
"Bhabhi, I know this isn't easy for you, but Ayush Bhai is very good. Perhaps every girl in the world imagines such a boy as a husband, but you have him. If you give him a little love today, he will love you so much that you won't remember anything but him.
If you take one step towards him, he will cover the rest of the distance and come to you. He will give you the love, respect, and happiness that Prem Bhai could never give you... What happened to you was very wrong, but now you have Ayush Bhai as your husband, consider it your good fortune and accept him and this relationship...
Don't do too much, just try to understand and know him. See, as you get to know and understand him deeply, you will fall in love with him madly. He is so good that anyone who spends a little time with him will only belong to him.
Then you will remember nothing but him, and today you are sad thinking of leaving here, but soon the time will come when you will become restless just thinking of leaving him... Okay, now you rest, I'm going to help Mother."
Manasi left immediately, but left behind Preeti, who was deeply entangled in her words. Ayush was not unknown to her. Perhaps she knew him, but she never thought that life would bring her to such a point that she would become his wife and go to his house with him. She would share a house, a room, a bed with him.
Here, they lived in separate rooms, but there they would have to live together. Whether she likes it or not, as a husband, he is hers now, but is it so easy to accept such big changes in one's life, one after another? Is it so easy to forget the terrifying memories of one marriage and accept another? Is it so easy to forget your past and move forward, and that too in just a few days? No, it is not easy at all. It is absolutely not easy for her.
Preeti was deeply entangled in the complications of her life and fell asleep fighting her own thoughts.
The next day, they were to leave at 11 AM. Both their luggage had been loaded into the car. Preeti was ready, wearing a pink saree. Ayushman was also ready. Garima Ji, staying up until midnight, had prepared nutritious gond laddus for Preeti, along with dry fruit namkeen, mathri, namakpare, and some other items that could be stored and eaten easily for a few days. She had also packed a jar of pickle.
Ayushman had also been thoroughly explained everything so that he could take care of Preeti and the child. Preeti had also been thoroughly explained everything so that she could take care of herself and the child. Rajesh had also come, but no one else from the house had come.
Preeti and Ayushman touched the feet of Avdesh Ji, Garima Ji, and Rajesh and took their blessings. Manasi hugged both of them one by one, after which Ayushman sat in the driver's seat and Preeti sat in the passenger seat next to him. The car moved forward, and Preeti embarked on this new journey of her life with Ayushman, the turn it would take in her life and where it would lead her, was hidden in the womb of time.
Ayushman was driving, and Preeti sat silently, resting her head against the window with her eyes closed. A deep silence prevailed between them. Who knew when this silence would break and their conversation would begin.
While driving, Ayushman kept looking at her intermittently, but Preeti sat still. Two hours passed by, none of them knew how. The car entered the gate of a society and stopped in the parking lot. Ayushman turned his gaze towards Preeti and said,
"Preeti, we've arrived."
Preeti quickly opened her eyes, first looked at Ayushman, then looked out the window. In the garden right in front, she saw some children playing, and spontaneously, a faint smile appeared on Preeti's lips, which brought Ayushman relief.
He smiled gently and got out of the car. He took his backpack from the trunk and slung it over his shoulder, and took out Preeti's two trolley bags. There was more luggage, but she had only brought the essential items and food.
He was about to pick up the bag when Preeti came there and stopped him, saying, "I'll lift my luggage myself."
"You shouldn't lift heavy things in this condition, and when I am here, why would you lift luggage? You just take care of your purse and yourself, I'll handle the rest."
Ayushman replied casually, and carrying both bags, he moved forward. Preeti didn't even get a chance to say anything. She too, with her purse slung over her shoulder, started walking behind him.
They both came to the lift, but stood far apart, as if strangers to each other. The lift stopped on the fifth floor, and Ayushman stopped in front of a flat, on the side wall of which was a shiny nameplate that read Ayushman Khurana.
Preeti looked around. There were three flats on that floor, with the lift and stairs on the side. As she was looking around, Ayushman's voice reached her ears, "Come inside."
Preeti immediately looked ahead. Ayushman had opened the door and was going inside with the bags, but darkness filled the interior. The very next moment, the entire apartment was illuminated with light, as Ayushman had turned on the lights. From the gate, the sofa set in the drawing-room was visible. Preeti walked in a little and started looking around the flat, while also listening to Ayushman's conversation.
Coming soon......
Preeti immediately looked ahead. Ayushman had opened the door and was going inside with the bag. But the inside was covered in darkness.
In the very next moment, the entire apartment was illuminated. Ayushman had turned on the lights. From the gate, the sofa set in the drawing-room was visible. Preeti walked in a bit and started looking around the flat, her gaze sweeping across it. At the same time, she began listening to Ayushman's words.
"On the right side is the open kitchen, on the left is the bathroom. There's a small temple next to the kitchen for prayers. There are two rooms; I live in one, the other is currently closed."
"You can stay in that room, of course, but since we are husband and wife, it would be better if we stayed in the same room. While I lived here alone, I have hired a maid for cleaning. And if we are seen living separately in front of her, it won't take long for this news to spread throughout the entire society. And I don't want anyone questioning our relationship or revealing the reality of our relationship to anyone."
"Besides the slander, questions will also be raised about you and our child, which I absolutely do not want. So, I am keeping the luggage in my room itself. Yes, I will sleep in the other room at night, so you won't face any inconvenience."
"There's an attached bathroom to the room and also a balcony, from where the garden area is visible. You can come and see if you wish."
While explaining everything, Ayushman entered a room with his bag. Preeti understood that it was Ayushman's room, but she didn't follow him. A few moments later, he came out of the room wearing a tie, with his laptop bag in his hand and a blazer. He came to Preeti and said,
"I don't have time right now, so I've explained everything to you briefly. You can see for yourself. The maid will be here in a while, she'll clean and also cook, so eat on time. Get your luggage settled with the maid's help."
"It will be late for me to return, so eat and sleep on time. If you need anything, call me. And the most important thing is that you don't know anyone here yet, so don't let any strangers into the house..... Here, take the flat keys and lock the gate when you come in."
Ayushman handed her a set of keys. Preeti understood from how quickly he said everything that he was in a hurry. First, she stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise and confusion. Then, taking the keys, she followed him.
Before leaving, Ayushman explained everything to her once more, then, telling her to take care of herself, he headed towards the lift. Preeti stood behind him for a while, watching him. But as soon as Ayushman turned to look at her, she quickly closed the door.
Ayushman let out a deep sigh and entered the lift. Preeti locked the gate and came inside, once again looking around the hall. Everything was in order, and even after being closed for so many days, it was all gleaming.
Preeti stood by the large window in the drawing-room for a few moments, then moved towards the kitchen.
The kitchen wasn't very large, but it was sufficient for one person. It was also clean and tidy. It was a modular kitchen, equipped with all the necessary appliances for cooking. After examining the kitchen thoroughly, Preeti then moved towards Ayushman's room and stood at the doorway, looking into the room.
On the wall opposite the bed in the room, there were some pictures. Mansi, Avdesh Ji, Garima Ji – they were all in those pictures. There were also photos of Ayushman with Prem, which gave an idea of the depth of their relationship. But that relationship had now broken, and somehow, she herself was the reason for it.
Looking at Prem's photo, Preeti's mood soured. Just then, her gaze fell on an old photograph. She immediately understood that it was a photo of Ayushman's parents, with a young Ayushman also in it.
'How cute he looked in childhood!' Preeti thought to herself, then was surprised by her own thought and averted her gaze from the photo. The luggage was kept on the side in the room.
Preeti slid open the cupboard door. Ayushman's clothes were neatly arranged there. She opened the cupboard on the other side; it was empty, with only a few files placed there. Preeti looked around the entire room, then slid open the glass door and stepped onto the balcony. Several potted plants were kept there. There was a lot of greenery, and colorful flowers were also blooming.
Preeti began touching and examining them, then looked down from the balcony. It was true that the garden was visible from there, but it was so high up that everything looked tiny.
Preeti smiled looking at the children playing below. Some time passed, and the sound of the doorbell drew her attention. Preeti remembered Ayushman mentioning the maid's arrival, and she immediately headed towards the room.
She was about to open the door when Ayushman's words flashed in her mind again – not to let anyone in. She peeked out through the peephole and saw a lady standing outside, meaning it must be the maid.
After confirming this, she opened the door. The maid looked Preeti up and down, then raised an eyebrow and said,
"Are you the sir's Mrs.?"
Preeti couldn't answer immediately, then nodded in agreement. The maid then looked at her, smiled, and said, "Sir has good taste, but it seems the marriage happened very quickly. They didn't even tell us. Today, they called and said they were coming with their Mrs., so I should come to work."
Preeti gave a faint smile at her words. Meanwhile, the maid came inside and, while dusting and cleaning everything, started telling her about the society, the people here, and Ayushman's early days.
Preeti also started helping her with the work, which helped pass the time. After a while, Garima Ji called, and she informed her about her arrival, a little later. Then she spoke to Rajesh, and in the midst of all this, it became 2 PM. The maid had finished all her work. She came into Ayushman's room and, looking at Preeti, said,
"Madam, I have cooked food for you. I've also made it for the night and kept it in the fridge; you can heat it and eat it. Well, I'm leaving now."
Preeti nodded and went back to lock the door. It was afternoon, and she had eaten in the morning, so she was hungry. She went into the kitchen, took out the food, and came into the hall.
Feeling bored sitting alone in the empty house, she turned on the TV, but only news and sports channels were available; other channels were not subscribed. Seeing this, Preeti made a sour face and started eating her food. After that, she went into the room and soon fell asleep.
Perhaps the change of place was affecting her. Preeti was not more cheerful than in the morning, nor was she sad or gloomy.
In the afternoon, she slept and woke up directly at night. It was 8 pm, but Ayushman had not come yet. Preeti went to the kitchen, but she didn't feel like eating. The sight of food made her nauseous, and after vomiting, she felt worse. She collapsed back onto the bed.
At around 10 pm, the flat's door opened, and Ayushman entered the apartment. All the lights were on. The drawing room was empty, and deep silence pervaded everywhere.
Ayushman first went to the kitchen and checked. There was only one plate in the sink. The rest of the food was in the fridge, which meant she hadn't had dinner. Ayushman moved towards his room. In the room, Preeti was sleeping in an awkward manner. Ayushman thought of waking her up but quietly moved towards his own room.
After going to the other room, he freshened up and slept without eating. The next day, he woke up early in the morning and made breakfast for Preeti. Preeti woke up but didn't say anything to Ayushman. They had breakfast in silence. Then Ayushman went to the office, and Preeti stayed alone in the flat. The maid came on time, did her work, and left. When Ayushman returned at night, he found Preeti sleeping. Again, half-eaten food was found on the kitchen slab.
Days passed like this. During this time, Preeti's health was often bad, so she couldn't eat properly, and she hadn't told Ayushman anything about it. There was no special conversation between them. Whenever someone spoke, it was Ayushman, and Preeti remained silent.
After spending the whole day working in the office, he returned home tired at night, only to find her sleeping. Sometimes food was found in the fridge, and sometimes half-eaten food was on the kitchen slab. Today was the same.
Ayushman had been silent for so many days, letting her live her way, so she could feel comfortable with him. But today, after freshening up, he came back to his room to wake Preeti up and feed her because her sleeping on an empty stomach every day was not good for her or the child.
When he entered the room, Preeti was still sleeping awkwardly. Ayushman came close to her and gently patted her cheek, saying,
"Preeti...."
As soon as Preeti's ears heard this sound, she suddenly sat up, leaned backward, and looked at him with frightened eyes. Ayushman was startled by her sudden movement, but when he saw her scared and nervous face, his expression turned serious. He withdrew his extended hand and looked at her with annoyed eyes, saying,
"Can I know why you're so scared and nervous?.....Ever since I met you again, I've seen this kind of behavior from you. At first, you behaved like you didn't know me, but I didn't say anything because I knew your state of mind at that time......
I married you, accepting all your conditions, to improve your scattered life, but after marriage, your behavior was as if I forced you into this relationship.....I kept ignoring it because I understood that after what happened to you, it wasn't easy to forget the past and adopt and move forward in this relationship......
So, I wanted to give you time, and I still want to give you time. That's why I wasn't willing to bring you here, but you agreed to come, and I brought you here. Even after coming here, your behavior remained the same......
You know me very well, that I'm not one of those boys who comes close to a girl without her consent. You're my wife, and I promised you that I wouldn't assert my rights over you against your will. I wouldn't impose my rights as a husband until you agree.....Despite that, you're so scared of me......
If you don't trust me anymore, I don't think I can continue this relationship alone for much longer or if we can stay here together.....I told you before that I just need your trust and companionship, but unfortunately, you're bound in this relationship, yet you can't trust me, nor can you fulfill my companionship. You haven't even remembered our friendship. You behave with me like a stranger.....Earlier, you used to come close to me, laughing and happy, and now if I accidentally touch you, you're so scared of me, like I'm going to do something wrong......
I know something wrong happened to you, very wrong, but I didn't do that wrong. Then why should I be punished?.....What did I want from you?.....Just that you be happy, like you used to live freely with me before, and be like that again. Trust me, and let us travel this journey of life together, not as a husband and wife, but as true friends. Share your joys and sorrows with me and move forward, forgetting the past......
But you're still stuck in the same old thing.....You remain gloomy, and it's not just that you don't talk; even if you look in my direction by mistake, you turn your face away. You've forgotten our friendship and our marriage. If you want to live like this, I'll take you back tomorrow, where you'll be happy and safe with everyone......
I won't break the relationship with you; you'll still be my wife, and my child will get my name. But unfortunately, with your behavior, I can't live with you in the same house, under the same roof, because I can no longer bear your indifference, your behavior like a stranger, and your fear of me."
"If you want to remain like this, I will drop you back tomorrow. Be happy and safe there with everyone. I will not break our relationship; you will remain my wife, and your child will get my name. But I regret that with this behaviour of yours, I cannot live with you, in one house, under one roof, because I can no longer tolerate this indifference, your distant behaviour, and your fear of me."
Ayushman had finally poured out everything that had been building up in his heart for so many days. Until now, he had silently endured everything, but seeing Preeti so afraid of him today, he couldn't bear it. Her frightened gaze pierced his heart like a sharp thorn; Preeti showing him distrust had wounded his loving heart, and despite trying to hold back, he had said it all.
Reluctantly, he had decided to send Preeti away from him. After emptying the turmoil in his heart and announcing his decision, he turned towards the door without stopping there for a moment.
Striding out of the room with long, angry steps, he was about to leave when his advancing steps suddenly halted at the gate. Without turning towards her, he said in a harsh voice,
"I did not come here to take advantage of you while you were asleep. You haven't had dinner again today, and it's not good to stay hungry during pregnancy. So, I just came to wake you up so you could eat and sleep. Now that you are awake, I will warm up your food. Eat and then sleep, and don't be afraid. I won't come into this room again. As long as you are here, I won't even step into this room again."
Having said this, he walked out of the room. Preeti stared at him, her eyes wide with fear, and her large eyes filled with tears.
Perhaps for the first time in a long while, Ayushman had spoken to her in such a way that it had pricked her, or perhaps it was some other matter that had hurt her. Every single word Ayushman had spoken echoed in her ears, and the moments when she had encountered Ayushman and he had simply ignored her flashed before her eyes. She was lost in her sorrow, so perhaps she hadn't paid attention to the fact that her behaviour was hurting Ayushman's feelings.
Now, everything was crystal clear to her, and she could understand the pain and hurt hidden behind Ayushman's anger and displeasure. Unknowingly, she was punishing Ayushman for the sins of love.
If she was innocent and wronged, then he was not wrong either, but she was treating him like a criminal. Stepping out of her own sorrow, she had never thought about how much pain she was causing Ayushman. But now, she was realizing her mistakes.
Preeti thought about his words for a long time, then got up and went out. Recalling Ayushman's words, she went straight to the kitchen, but Ayushman was nowhere to be found. Food was kept on the slab in a plate, and it was warm. This meant Ayushman had warmed the food for her. Preeti immediately headed towards the room where Ayushman had been sleeping for the past few days, but the room, bathroom, and balcony were all empty.
Preeti searched the entire flat, but Ayushman was nowhere to be found. This meant he had left the flat. Preeti paced around the drawing-room, looking worried, and waited for him, but Ayushman did not return. Preeti was already feeling unwell and weak, so she couldn't stand any longer. She sat on the sofa, stretched her legs, and waiting for Ayushman, she eventually dozed off without realizing it.
On the other hand, Ayushman was quite disturbed today. Firstly, he was hurt by Preeti's behaviour, and now he had decided to send her away from him, which was not easy, but perhaps it was the right thing for Preeti.
Even if Preeti didn't love him, she had also forgotten their past relationship, and it was pointless to complain about it because she wasn't the Preeti she used to be. She had even forgotten herself, her true self, so how could she remember the people associated with that self?
Even if Ayushman didn't matter to Preeti, he wanted Preeti and wanted to see her happy at any cost. He didn't see that happiness with him, so he had put his heart aside and made the decision to send Preeti back, preparing himself for it.
Yet, a pang of pain arose in his heart. At this hour of the night, there was no one in the society park, but Ayushman was sitting on a park bench in the dim light of the lamppost. His eyes held no trace of sleep, his vacant gaze staring into the void, as if searching for someone.
Preeti had fallen asleep while waiting for Ayushman. The next morning, she woke up. She hadn't fully woken up yet, her eyes still drowsy with sleep, and she lazily began to turn over on the sofa, mistaking it for a bed. But it wasn't a bed; it was a sofa, and as she turned, she began to fall, but strong arms caught her.
Preeti had fallen asleep waiting for Ayushman. The next morning, she woke up. She wasn't fully awake; her eyes were still heavy with sleep, and she began to shift on the sofa drowsily. But the sofa wasn't a bed, and she started to fall, only to be caught by strong arms.
It was Ayushman. He had returned a little while ago and, seeing Preeti asleep in the hall, had stayed there, silently gazing at her face. Because now he had to go away from her.
Preeti looked at him with half-open, drowsy eyes, then put her head on his chest with a slight smile on her lips. But Ayushman’s expression remained stern. He picked Preeti up in his arms and walked towards the room, laying her on the bed, and then walked out of the room.
He went straight to the kitchen. Seeing the plate of food on the slab just as it was, a deep sadness and disappointment spread across his face.
On the other side, as soon as Ayushman came out of the room, Preeti sat up. She looked around with restless eyes and found herself in the room. She remembered that she had fallen asleep in the drawing-room waiting for Ayushman last night, but now she was in the room... which meant Ayushman had brought her here.
This thought struck her like lightning. She quickly got off the bed and, checking the time, walked towards the kitchen. As she reached the kitchen entrance, she saw Ayushman, his back to her. Ayushman was preparing breakfast. Just then, Preeti’s displeased voice reached his ears,
"Where were you all last night?"
Hearing her voice, Ayushman’s hands stopped, but he didn’t turn towards her. Composing himself, he said calmly,
"It’s good you woke up on your own. Now go, bathe and get ready, and repack your things. I’ll take you back to your uncle’s house today."
Ayushman’s not turning to look at her hurt Preeti, and hearing his words made her heart ache. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she said in a soft but firm voice,
"I will not go back."
"Why won’t you go back?" Ayushman asked, turning towards her, his voice tinged with slight anger. Preeti replied with a choked voice, "I am your wife; wherever you are, I will be there."
"Oh! So you are my wife, but have you ever accepted our relationship before today?..... What kind of wife are you that you don’t even bear to talk to me, let alone look at my face?..... What kind of wife are you that you couldn’t even trust me, let alone love me, that you flinch at my touch as if I’m not your husband but some random stranger, someone who’s going to do something wrong to you?.....
What kind of relationship is this that I’ve been trying to maintain alone for so long?..... Since you’ve come here, I’ve only seen you withdrawn, sad, and silent. When you lived there, if not with me, at least you spoke to others. Then you could at least live peacefully, feeling safe without any fear, but here it feels like you’re scared every moment that I might take advantage of you."
Ayushman’s face was filled with sorrow and anger, and the resentment was evident in his voice. Mixed with that anger was an unspoken pain, which Preeti probably couldn't understand yet, but she understood the meaning of his words. She immediately objected, saying with a heavy heart,
"It’s not like that; you’re misunderstanding me."
"Okay, if I’m wrong, then you tell me what the truth is. Why were you scared by my touch yesterday?" Ayushman stood before her with his arms crossed and his brows furrowed. Preeti immediately answered his question,
"I was having a bad dream. You called out suddenly, that’s why I was startled, I wasn’t scared of your touch. And before I could differentiate between reality and dreams, you got angry. You didn’t give me a chance to say anything and left somewhere without explanation. I fell asleep waiting for you, but you didn’t return."
Ayushman listened to her. When he learned that Preeti wasn’t scared of his touch, his wounded heart felt some relief. But his displeasure wasn't entirely gone yet. As soon as Preeti fell silent, he asked the next question,
"Alright, let’s assume what happened last night was due to your dream, but what explanation will you give for your attitude towards me and our relationship all these days?..... Before the marriage, I could understand that because of what happened to you, you weren’t in your senses and perhaps didn’t recognize me, so that no one would question our relationship later. And after the marriage, everything happened so suddenly that you must have needed time, but so many days have passed, yet your behavior remains so cold. ....
It feels as if I forced you into this marriage against your will, and now you’re just enduring your days with me, suffocating."
"This marriage was my compulsion..... You didn’t force me, but it was my compulsion..... I’ve been so deeply betrayed in my first marriage, it’s not easy to accept a second marriage after that. This behavior isn’t for you, it’s for myself..... You’re right that I’m enduring my days, suffocating, because I have no will to live anymore.....
If it wasn’t for the child’s life, I would have ended myself long ago, but it’s my helplessness and compulsion that my soul is dead, but it’s not allowed to leave this body..... I didn’t want to sadden those people who supported me during my difficult times because of myself, so I pretended to be happy. I would speak to give answers, so that my silence wouldn’t hurt their feelings, but I can’t do that act with you.....
I know you’re very good for accepting me, but I’m not worthy of you. Even though I want to, I can’t accept today’s reality that I am your wife..... I can’t pretend to be happy; I’ve become indifferent and detached towards life..... I’m not avoiding your gaze, but running away from myself because when I see myself today, I’m terrified of myself....."
I know, you're very good, that you accepted me, but I'm not worthy of you. I'm not able to accept today's truth that I'm your wife… I'm not able to pretend to be happy, I've become apathetic towards life… I'm not avoiding looking at you, but I'm running away from myself, because when I look at myself now, I'm scared of myself…
For whom am I doing all this?... For whom am I torturing myself so much?... You weren't like this, Preeti. Then why did you change so much for people who don't even care about you?
I didn't change myself, my circumstances made me like this. The Preeti you knew died the day her father raised his hand on her when she insisted on not getting married, and she was forcibly seated on the wedding altar like a living corpse. I sacrificed myself in the fire of that Havan Kund, and the flames rose so high that my present and future were all burned to ashes.
Can't you forget the past and start anew? For my sake, or for our child's sake.
I try every day, but I can't... I can't forget anything… That marriage erased my existence… No matter how hard I try, I still can't forget the accusations people made, the taunts they hurled at me… Even after marrying you, questions were raised about my character, and I couldn't bear it.
Preeti's eyes were brimming with tears. She looked so helpless and powerless at that moment. Now it was clear how those baseless accusations had broken Preeti. Ayushman moved closer to her and held her palms, saying,
I understand your pain, but those people, those things are all far behind us now… No one here knows about your first marriage… No one here is familiar with your past… No one here knows under what circumstances we got married…
You can have a fresh start with me. At least try to accept this relationship, try to be happy, and then you'll find a reason… I don't ask you to consider me your husband, but at least try to be as comfortable as you used to be…
Forget the past; think that our marriage is an arranged one, and now we both make an effort from the heart to make this relationship work, to be comfortable with each other, so that when our child comes into this world, they get a happy family where their parents may not have love but have enough understanding and coordination that no one ever gets a chance to question their relationship and our child never feels that their parents have a bad relationship…
You know that the relationship between parents directly affects the child, so we need to improve our relationship for our child's sake, and it won't happen just by my efforts or just by yours; it will happen when we both try together… and if things continue like this, then neither you nor I nor our child will be happy with each other…
You had your first marriage out of compulsion for your parents, and the second one for our child, but now try to live for yourself, forget your past, move forward, and try to be happy again and live your life on your own terms, because until you're happy, you won't be able to give happiness to those close to you…
So now, start living again for yourself and our child… I'll be with you, but you have to make the effort… Tell me, will you try to become the same cheerful, happy, and lively Preeti you used to be?
Preeti listened to all his words attentively and nodded in agreement, still sniffling, then said with a pout, "You won't leave me now, will you?"
Ayushman smiled softly and said, wiping away her tears, "If you stay happy with me, I'll take care of you and keep you safe by my side until my last breath, and I won't let you go away from me even for a moment."
"I'll try my best not to let my past affect us and be the Preeti I used to be."
Ayushman smiled after hearing that, then suddenly remembered something and asked Preeti, raising an eyebrow,
"Preeti, why aren't you eating? I see every day that dinner is either left untouched or you've eaten just a little. You used to be very serious and possessive about food… How could the world change if you didn't compromise on food?"
When he asked, Preeti looked down and said in a low voice, "It's been like that since pregnancy. I don't feel like eating. I get nauseous. I manage to eat a little with great difficulty, and sometimes even the smell of food makes me sick, and I get so nauseous that I'm unable to get up afterward."
"Have you been experiencing this since the start, and did you see a doctor?" Ayushman asked again, surprised.
"I didn't go to the doctor. Initially, when I complained of nausea and stomach pain, my brother took me to the doctor. The ultrasound showed pregnancy. After that, things were in such a state that no one paid attention to going to the doctor, and I didn't tell anyone that I was having so much trouble."
"So, you haven't had your proper tests done?" Ayushman asked again, surprised, and Preeti shook her head in denial. Ayushman looked at her in amazement.
Ayushman took a deep breath and thought about the situation. He touched Preeti's cheek and said, "If you were having so much trouble, you should have told me earlier. It doesn't matter now. Go get ready; I'll take you to the doctor today, and then I'll head to the office."
Preeti nodded and went back to the room. Today, both of them had opened up to each other, which had somewhat reduced the invisible wall between them. Though Preeti was a bit more comfortable with him, it would still take time for her to fully accept this relationship and Ayushman.
Ayushman decided that he would bring Preeti out of her past and take care of her with love.
Ayushman made breakfast, then went to the room to get ready. When he entered the room, his eyes fell on Preeti standing in front of the dressing table, applying sindoor. He glanced at her once; her back was turned to him, but her reflection in the mirror in front showed her somewhat. Then he moved towards the wardrobe. At the sound of his footsteps, Preeti looked back and saw Ayushman heading towards the wardrobe.
Preeti looked at him while Ayushman didn't glance back; he went into the bathroom with his clothes. When he came out after bathing, Preeti wasn't there. Ayushman got ready, put on his watch, and walked out of the room. He was about to head to the kitchen when his eyes fell on Preeti coming out of the kitchen, holding a vessel of vegetables.
She usually wore a simple suit at home. They had just gotten married, but except for sindoor, she didn't adorn herself with any jewelry or makeup. But today, she was a bit dressed up. She wore a simple light blue saree, a small bindi on her forehead along with sindoor in her parting, and lip gloss on her lips. She had two bangles on each wrist and a mangalsutra around her neck. That was all she had done, but she looked beautiful.
Finally, both of them had expressed their feelings in words, but what turn would their story take next? Keep reading "Changing Relationships" to find out.
