His arranged wife

25. The Truth

We came to the house and started getting ready, Prisha was with mom and I was getting ready. The zip of my dress got stucked and right now I am just frustrated. I was shocked when I saw him entering the room...

He looked at me, his eyes were fixed on my face. I diverted my eyes and again focused on what I was trying to do. After a lot of trying I was incapable of doing that. Suddenly I felt his hand on my back. I looked in the mirror and his eyes were fixed on my face only. He carefully zipped my dress, he made sure to not make me uncomfortable. I diverted my gaze and started wearing my bangles harshly, I was struggling to wear it all at the same time. He held my hand and took all the bangles and made me sit on the chair. He knelt down to his knees and started making me wear it one by one.

“ Don't be so harsh on yourself, I am sorry. I should have listened to you Siya” He apologised and was guilty of his actions, I can see pain in his eyes.my name from his mouth, I never felt this when somebody called me with my name.

“ You know Abhimanyu, one day everything will be alright, everyone will heal including prisha. We might get together again but you'll never be able to make me forget your words. It will always be in my heart and give me pain. It's not like I am going to hold the grudges but the damage is already done. Aap chah kar bhi mere dil se kabhi vo takleef nhi mita sakte Abhimanyu (you'll never be able to erase that pain)” I said and a tear escaped from my eyes. He wiped it immediately. His eyes were filled with tears.

“ Hum aap ki takleef nahi mita sakte, par usse baat to sakte hain na. Aur rahi baat kabhi is takleef ko na bhulne ki, hum wada karte hai aapse siya, Aapko itni khushiya denge, itni yaadein denge ki aapko is dard ko yaad karne ka bhi waqt nahi milega, aap chahe to humari jaan le lijiye par hamein Abhimanyu mat bulaiye. Hume ye sahen nahi ho rha” He said while holding my hand, tears falling from his eyes continuously.

( I can't erase your pain but I can share it. And about erasing the pain, I promise you. The memories and love I'll give you, you won't even get time to remember this pain. If you want you can kill me but don't call me Abhimanyu. I can't bear it. )

He was done with bangles, I averted my gaze and started wearing my earrings. “ Why are you here Abhimanyu?” I asked him. I intentionally called him Abhimanyu. I saw his sad face and my heart clenched at his state. Why only me God? When he hurt me I felt the same pain. When I hurt him I am still suffering from the same pain. It was supposed to give me satisfaction.

“ Maa told me, my outfit is here” He said and I remembered, mom and I shopped for everyone’s outfit. “ It's in the wardrobe” I said coldly while he moved to the wardrobe and took the outfit. He put it in the changing area and went inside the bathroom.

Author’s pov

Prisha got ready in a beautiful white Anarkali suit. She looked at herself in the mirror once again and tears escaped from her eyes. “ Such an idiot I am, what a pathetic life I created for myself. I want to die but I can't even do that. I've given enough pain and shame to my family, I can't give them pain again by killing myself. They love me so much, I wish I never had taken birth in the first place. But now I want to be happy at least for the sake of my family. They have done wrong to bhabhi, just because of me. I'll mend it. I'll do everything to make my family like before. They don't deserve me” She said to herself and wiped her tears and flashed a fake smile in the mirror. “ Yes that's like it, I've to live with this smile. So my family never feels sad,” she said to herself. She checked herself in the mirror once again and headed towards the downstairs.

She was getting down on the stairs, when her phone pinged. She saw her mom's message and she opened it immediately. She was busy on the phone when feet got stuck in the hem of her dress. She got disbalanced and was about to fall. She closed her eyes tightly, ready to feel the pain when an arm caught her. She opened her eyes when she didn't feel any pain just to see Akash holding her from her waist. He was staring at her in concern while she got lost in his eyes. His handsome face and his sharp features. She came to reality when he asked, “ Are you fine?” He asked softly while she nodded. “ You should be careful while walking on stairs, not busy with phones. You might have got injured” He scolded her while she looked down at the floor. “ Sorry, it's just mom texted me, I thought maybe something important” I said while he sighed and made me stand on my feet, she got embarrassed thinking she was still holding his neck and was in his arms. “ Uhh.. Thank you, where is mom?” She asked him, “ She went with mom and bhai, I came here to take gifts.” He told her while she pouted, “ They left me here” She said while he sighed, “ No, they thought you'll come with siya” He told her while she got tense. “ Is bhai here?” She asked him while he nodded.