Whispers of Heart (Part 1 of the Hallway Love Series)

Chapter 33

They went to her and stood there towering over her. She looked at Mukti and asked her,

Nandani Mother: Mukti right? Where is she? How is she?

Before Mukti could say anything Sanket said,

Sanket: and why do you think that I will let you meet her Mrs. Murty? After what you and your family have done to her?

Nandani's mother: Because I am her guardian! I have given birth to her!

Sanket: Where was your motherly love when she was been beaten up by an animal like an animal?

Sanket said loud enough for all of them to shudder. Nandani's mother stepped back a little and said,

Nandani's mother: So, what do you expect me to do? Stop him? And get beaten up in the process! I have to live days with him, got beaten up, and heard many ill words, about me, my daughter, my parents, and my siblings. I couldn't do anything with myself then how do you think I could have saved her?

Manik: okay that you couldn't do anything to help her out! But what about how you behaved after that? Why did you talk to her on the phone like that as if she doing such a big mistake? You couldn't do anything else okay; you could have shown a little care towards her!

She looked at Manik crying hysterically making everyone feel pity for her. Mukti held her and made her sit on a stool near Abhimanyu and got some water for her to drink. While Manik and Sanket kept standing there. When she was fine Sanket said,

Sanket: Your being silent is not helping your daughter but it is putting her in a place where you already are! Save her before she becomes like you. (He was about to leave but then he stopped and said) and if you can't, tell us! There are enough people in her life who genuinely cares about her.

He left saying this while Manik went into Nandini's room.

As the duo left Abhimanyu asked her mother and Mukti to follow him as he took them to his cabin. He asked them to sit and told her mother about Nandani's condition, while Mukti stood there as emotional support. When he was done explaining himself her mother said,

Nandani's mom: she will be fine right? There will be no aftermaths because of this?

Abhimanyu: well physically yes, she will recover in a few weeks, but in my view, she is going to take time to recover mentally.

Nandani's mother just nodded and said nothing after that making Mukti ask her,

Mukti: Aunty, don't mind me asking.

Nandani's mom: don't say that beta!

Mukti: why didn't you ever say anything? We all have an idea that you were never happy in that relationship then why are you still in it?

Nandani's mom: then where should I go? After taking a divorce where should I go? To my mother's place? But she was the one who initially wanted me to marry this man. I never wanted to get married at 24, but my parents forced me. They said 'What is possibly wrong with this relationship?' And I, like, I was and am agreed to it. Thankfully I kept my business going and still continued it, so I am not dependent on anyone but that doesn't mean that I want to be. Today I will go to my mother's place but what after she left me? I am not gonna depend on my brother or his family and children to take care of me when I get old. And Nandani will get married and will go to her house. She is not going to manage me and her in-laws altogether!

Mukti and Abhimanyu shared a look after hearing her and kept quiet having nothing to say.

Here, when Manik entered Nandani's room, he saw her sleeping with a frown on her forehead. He took a closer look at her face and noticed all the marks and clots that were on her body. She looked much better than when she came into the hospital but Manik could not shake those images and this. He went near her and creased her forehead a little and then sat on the stool and said to her in a whisper,