Clashed destinies

Marriage?!

"I dont want to marry Viraj aunty . Please dont do this to me." Meghna said her voice breaking down for the umpteenth time this evening.
Sharmila looked at her coldly. There was no affection in her eyes. She gave a twisted smile and continued combing Meghna's hair.
"Aunty...please......" Meghna couldn't stop herself from breaking down.
"Again! Again I have to put on the kajal. Your eye makeup is smudged. Stop crying stupid girl! You have to marry Viraj. He is a millionaire. His money can improve our status in the society. Dont you understand you dimwit!" Sharmila said in the rudest manner possible .

"But I dont like him. He touches me in the most inappropriate manner. Moreover I dont believe in marriage . Dont do this to me aunty." Meghna begged.
"Ofcourse you dont believe in marriage. It is not a very suprising thing. Your parents are an amazing example of an unsuccessful marriage . And let me tell you. I still believe your father was not at fault." Sharmila said .
Meghna couldn't believe she just said that. She wanted to throw up. How dare she ?! And what did she know how her monstrous father and her poor mother. She was just their neighbor. And yet she was stuck with Sharmila.
She still remembers the night when the incident took place.

" Manilaaaa.....Babyyyy....you cant run away from me....open the door before I break it and you know if I break the door what else can happen...so open the door sweetheart" Meghna's father sang in his creepy psycho voice.
Manila , Meghna's mother was sitting down sobbing as usual. It was her daily routine. She had fallen in love with this man but as years went along she realised how wrong she was on judging her lover. Shekhar Kapoor was a drunkard , a crazy psycho and the worst man Meghna had ever witnessed. It was painful that her father was the worst man she had ever seen. But no one can escape the harsh realities of life. Tonight was no different. Shekhar had drunk excessively and was planning some creepy actions which he would perform on her mother. When such things happened Manila locked Meghna in her room. As she grew up she realised how horrible her father was. She could hear her mother's shrieks every night. And that scared her to death.
"Open the door manila! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!" Shekhar shouted and started beating the door with his utmost strength.
Manila knew there was no escape. But she had to protect her daughter. Shekhar was too drunk and too angry. He can do anything.
Manila slowly opened the door. Shekhar in his monstrous self quickly entered the room. That was when Manila hut him with a glass bottle. He collapsed to the ground. Silence was deafening the both of them. Manila immediately sat down and checked his pulse. Shekhar was till alive much to Meghna's despair.
Manila cleaned the room and tended to Shekhar's injury. He was her husband after all and even though she hated him she knew his normal self was nothing like his drunk state. She was tending to his wound when he suddenly jerked her off. He got up with fire in his eyes. Manila was too scared to move. She signalled Meghna to go to the next room. Meghna wanted to stay but her mother's continous signaling and her father's death glare took her to her own room.
Seconds later she hear horrifying shriek of her mother. She reached their room and the vision that she saw would be imprinted in her soul forever. She can never forget this.

Her mother was lying dead on the floor. Her chest was stabbed by a metal knife and her clothes were torn to pieces indicating that he had tried to rape manila before. Meghna couldn't believe what she saw. She kept looking at her dead mother's corpse when she saw her father approaching her . His eyes had the evil glare which he used to give his mother before he tortured her. He was coming towards her. She was backing away but within seconds shekhar held her and pulled her towards him. He started tearing her clothes as well. Meghna couldn't believe her fate. Her father was trying to rape her. Her eyes were flooded with tears but she couldn't shout. Her voice was betraying her. He started touching her inappropriately. She was fighting back when she felt someone pulling away her father. It was the police. And there in the corner should Sharmila aunty.

"Aunty this marriage will destroy my life." Meghna explained.
"And it will improve our lives sweety. I was given your custody after your drunk father murdered your characterless mother. And I had to pay for your education living everything. You owe me this much " Sharmila said as if it was the most normal statement she had ever passed.
Obviously after her mother's death people assumed a lot of things. Why would a man kill his own wife that too when they had a love marriage and it was concluded that her mother was having an affair. She always opposed to such statements but society preffered their own beliefs. So she stopped justifying herself and her mother.

As she reached her marriage hall she felt goosebumps in her flesh. She couldn't imagine marrying anyone. That too Virat! Meghna never liked Virat. And marriage was a very complicated relationship for her especially after her mother's failed marriage . And she didnt trust men any longer. After her father physically assaulted her, Meghna had lost faith in humanity and especially on men.
Virat gave him a twisted smirk. Meghna anyhow managed to smile.
The wedding started. The Pandit began chanting the mantras. It was time for the seven pheras . They both got up. Meghna could feel her heart exploding. They had to walk around the marriage pyre of fire. But as soon as Meghna got up , she felt a sudden push and she landed on the marriage fire and within seconds she blacked out.