Sumellika Short Stories

1. Beautiful Revenge (part 17)

Hello ! Welcome to part 17...

Silence hung in the air like a storm about to break. Mahesh's grip on Siya's wrist was firm, his rage evident in the way he pulled her towards the door. Siya followed in a daze, still processing the whirlwind of emotions surrounding her. She could feel every pair of eyes on her—her mother, uncle and mother-in-law's concern, her father's anger, Saumya's indifference... but it was his gaze that sent tremors through her heart.

Raghav.

He stood there, unmoving, his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw locked so tight it seemed painful. His usual arrogance, his ever-present smirk—both were missing. Instead, his dark eyes bore into her, filled with an emotion she had never seen before. Was it pain? Disbelief? Fear?

She recalled their moment from the night before, under the warmth of the cascading shower, where he had whispered words that had stirred something deep within her. His words, his touch, his silent confession—Did it all mean nothing now?

No. It meant something.

The thought snapped her out of her trance. Stopping abruptly, she yanked her hand away from her father's grasp.

"I'm not going anywhere, Baba!"

Gasps echoed around the room. She didn't turn back to see their reactions. Instead, she walked past her stunned father, past her silent mother-in-law, past her indifferent sister-in-law—until she reached him.

Raghav.

And then she stood by his side. Where she belonged.

Siya—his Siya—stood beside him.

He barely breathed. Had he heard her right?

"I'm not going anywhere, Baba!"

She had chosen him.

Him.

For the first time in his life, Raghav felt something warm spread through his chest, like a flickering flame in a world that had only ever been cold. He had expected her to leave. Expected her to walk away like everyone else had.

His grip on his clenched fists loosened slightly. But he remained silent, afraid that if he spoke, whatever spell this was would break.

Mahesh was stunned. He took a step forward, trying to reach Siya, but she held her ground.

"Siya, I knew—"

"Enough, Baba!" she cut him off, her voice firm, unshaken. "My husband didn't do anything."

Raghav's head snapped towards her. 

My husband?

The word husband coming from her lips did something to him—something dangerous, something terrifying, something beautiful.

Jaya shook her head, her voice filled with exhaustion. "Siya, do you really believe that? Raghav has done so before as well. And he's done that to you , Siya. Yet you're supporting him ?"

"Yes, Maa!" Siya turned to face her mother-in-law, her voice unwavering. "Because Raghav never hides. Whatever he does, he does openly. If he had done this, he would have owned up to it—not manipulated things from the shadows. That's not him."

Raghav watched her, his eyes dark with unreadable emotions. She understood him. She saw him.

"But Siya, try to understand—"

"No, Maa." Siya's voice was firm. "We'll talk about this later. Right now, I need to make one thing clear."

She turned to her father.