“Thank God he didn’t check any messages. I really made full preparation for my funeral,” Roshni thought as she quickly unlocked her phone and checked her inbox.
There were a few messages from her group chat and one from Bhaiya. He was asking her to meet him. Her exams were finally over, Daksh wasn’t home today, and for the first time in weeks, she was free.
"Should I meet him? But Daksh doesn’t like him. What if this makes things worse?" She mumbled, reading her cousin's brother's message.
“Baby, you tell me… should Mumma go or not?” she whispered, resting her palm on her belly.
“My baby is too tiny to give me any answer. Let’s go. I won’t tell Daksh. If I do, I’m dead. And I can’t keep refusing Bhaiya; he’s been asking me to meet for weeks.”
She went to her room, slipped into the shower, and let the warm water run over her tense body. Afterward, she chose a soft pink kurta and applied the barest hint of makeup. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, she left for Bhaiya’s house.
Standing in front of his apartment door, nerves buzzed beneath her skin.
“Should I knock or just leave? No… if I’ve come this far, there’s no turning back.” She knocked twice shaking her head.
The door opened, and before she could say anything, she was pulled into a long hug. His arms lingered around her for minutes before he finally loosened his hold and ushered her inside. His hand rested on her lower back as he guided her inside.
“I’ve been telling you to come for weeks, and finally, here you are. Why were you avoiding me?” he asked, settling beside her on the couch.
“I wasn’t… really. I was busy. That’s why I couldn’t make it,” Roshni replied, shifting a little away from him.
“Calm down, Roshni, You’re just fed with too much information. That’s why your heart’s racing so fast. Don’t be scared.” she whispered to herself when he patted her head.
“I heard from someone that you’re married. Is it true?”
Roshni nodded.
“To the man you were staying with, right?”
Again, she nodded, silent.
His eyes darkened. “Why did you marry him are you sleeping with him just so he can pay off your expenses. If that’s the case, you should have stayed with me. I know you have no one else in this world, and you’ve got expenses but why not come to me? I would’ve made you happier than him. And you’d never have to worry about money, not once.” He reached over and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Roshni’s eyes widened in shock at his choice of words.
She tried to rise, but his hand clamped around her waist, pulling her back. His other hand caught both of hers, pinning them together.
“What? Why are you acting all innocent now, trying to run away? Do you think I’ve waited all these years just to let you walk out now?”
“Let me go,” Roshni cried, tears spilling freely as she struggled to free her hands.
“Let you go?” He laughed coldly. “Of course, I’ll let you go. But why don’t you first give me something you’ve already given your so-called husband? Let’s start with a kiss.”
“No!” She shook her head desperately, fighting back with all her strength.
But he didn’t care. His lips crushed against hers in a brutal, forceful kiss that left her lips bleeding. She trembled with fear, her body shaking from the violation and dread of what might come next.
“I don’t want to force you, Roshni. Why don’t you just submit yourself?” His voice was deceptively soft as his hand tugged at the hem of her kurti.
“Bhaiya, please… let me go. I’ll do anything but not this!” she begged, folding her hands together in desperation.
He gave her a mock look of pity. “I have something to show you.” He picked up his phone, scrolled through it, and turned the screen toward her.
Roshni gasped. “It’s not me! You edited this photo. No it’s not me! Why are you doing this?”
He smirked. “Not you? Maybe. You and I know the truth. But does your husband? Do you think he’ll believe you? Does he hold you that high in his eyes? What if I send this to him? Before I do… why don’t you just give yourself to me willingly?”
Her chest constricted with regret, each heartbeat stabbing her with guilt. Daksh was right all along. And now it’s too late.
“I’ll give you one day,” he said coldly. “Come back tomorrow or this photo goes straight to your husband. And please, wear something nice. Inside and out. Otherwise, anyone can lose interest.” He grabbed her hair and yanked her forward, stealing another kiss before shoving her away.
Moments later, Roshni was standing on the roadside, her makeup smeared, her dignity shattered.
The sky above grew heavily with clouds, and soon, rain began to fall. She walked aimlessly, her mind consumed with so many thoughts. The raindrops washed away her tears, mingling with the pain she carried. She looked up at the sky.
"I’ll just tell him everything maa. Daksh will never leave me. No matter what punishment he gives me, it won’t be worse than this. I will not go to him tomorrow. I'm sorry Maa." She shouted looking up at sky thinking her mother is watching her from above.
By the time she reached home, her clothes clung to her, drenched from head to toe. She opened the door quietly and slipped off her shoes.
The sound caught Daksh’s attention. He turned, his expression tightening when he saw her soaked state. “Roshni! What is this? You should’ve waited for the rain to stop. Look at your clothes are see-through.”
He hurried off and returned with a towel, his face etched with worry. He quickly locked the door and stood in front of her.
And in that moment, every ounce of determination and confidence she had built to confess crumbled, just by looking at him.
Daksh draped the towel over her head, gently patting it dry. “Why did you get drenched in rain baccha? What if you catch a fever? I thought you were with your friends, enjoying yourself. But look at you…” His hands moved to remove her kurti, but she held it tight, tears filling her eyes.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Don’t cry. I didn’t even scold you. I was just saying. Ok ok I'm sorry. ”
Her grip loosened on her suit. He carefully removed her soaked kurti, then her lower garments, until she stood all naked before him. Wrapping her securely in the towel, he carried her to the couch.
“Now, Mrs Roshni, how many times do I have to tell you not to do things like this? Why walk in the rain?”
Her head bowed low, her fist clutching the fabric of his shirt. “I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you. I’ll never do it again. I never wanted to get drenched… I don’t like the rain anymore. It ruined my clothes it’s ruining me. Daksh, save me. I don’t want to walk in the rain. I’ll never defy you again. I’ll always listen to you.” She clung to him tightly, sobbing into his chest.
Daksh’s arms closed around her, his voice a whisper. “What happened, Roshni?” he asked, getting a weird feeling in his heart.
She didn’t answer, only cried harder.
He pulled back, lifting her chin so her tear-streaked face met his gaze. That’s when his eyes fell on her lips split, marked. His thumb brushed over the cut before he pressed a gentle kiss there.
“What happened? Tell me.”
“Bhaiya,” she whispered, the word breaking from her lips before the tears returned, harder than before. Fear coiled inside her at the thought of his reaction, of what might come next.
She was trapped between confession between love and the haunting question 'What if?'
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The amount of love, care, trust it take to confess this.
YOU ARE READING
Love Me
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