"It was you" Her eyes met his. Her heartbeat sped up in tremendous fear.
Meera, an 20 year old young girl who was once loved by everyone was now the one whose mere presence felt like poison to her loved once.
What game did her fate played that she...
"Is ladki ki itni himmat kaise hui apni shakal phir se dikhane ki?" Meera flinched, her father's words cutting through the tense air like a knife.
(How dare you show your face again?)
The harshness in his tone sent shivers down her spine. She instinctively sought protection, tightly gripping Ishani's arm, her shield in this storm of her father's rage. As her father's gaze bore into her, Meera felt exposed, vulnerable. She retreated, seeking refuge behind Ishani, hoping to shield herself from his harsh judgment.
The weight of his anger hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the love that he once had for her and dampening Meera's spirits.
Vikrant's jaw tightened. All he yearned for was to whisk Meera away from this chaos, but circumstances were not on his side.
"Please, Uncle, at least hear me out," Ishani implored, her voice tinged with desperation. "Meera is just 18. She made a mistake, but she's your daughter. Can't you find it in your heart to forgive her and welcome her back?"
Meera watched Ishani's earnest plea, torn between gratitude and guilt. She longed to speak up, to reveal the truth about her abduction, but fear held her tongue in its grip. Despite the turmoil raging within her, she remained silent, knowing that no one was ready to believe her story. The weight of misunderstanding and injustice burdened her already broken soul.
"Please, Uncle," Ishani pleaded once more, her voice trembling with emotion as she joined her hands in front of Adhiraj, her eyes imploring him to have some mercy on the little girl.
"Don't, Ishani beta. What are you doing? Don't plead for this characterless girl," Adhiraj's words pierced Meera's soul like daggers. Just a few days ago, she was his most precious treasure. He had fiercely protected her from even the slightest hint of harm, punishing those who dared to even think of her in a wrong way. And now, the same man who had once shielded her with his love was tearing her apart with his weapon-like words.
"D-dad," Meera stuttered, attempting to speak, but Adhiraj's glare was enough to silence her, the weight of his rage crushing her voice into silence.
"Apni zabaan se yeh shabd dobara use kiya toh zabaan kheench lunga teri," Adhiraj hissed, his words dripping with venom as he approached her menacingly.
(Dare you call me dad again or i will cut that fucking tongue outta your mouth)
"Enough, uncle," Vikrant intervened firmly, his protective instinct kicking in as he pulled Meera towards him, shielding her from Adhiraj's wrath.
Shaurya seethed with anger as he observed the scene unfolding before him, his gaze lingering on Vikrant with a mix of resentment and disappointment. If Vikrant couldn't love Ishani, then the least he could do was show some respect for their relationship, Shaurya thought bitterly.
"If you don't want to keep her with you, then I will keep her with me," Vikrant declared firmly. Adhiraj's eyes widened in rage at the audacity of Vikrant's words. If it had been anyone else, he might have taken drastic measures for defying him. But Vikrant was the Raizada heir, practically his son-in-law since Ishani was like a daughter to him. After what Ishani had done to save their reputation, she had earned a place in his heart as his own daughter, perhaps now even more so, Adhiraj realized.
"Chalo, Meera," Vikrant urged, holding Meera's wrist as they began to walk toward the exit. However, just as they passed Shaurya, Vikrant felt a sudden halt. Turning around, he gritted his teeth in frustration. Shaurya had grabbed Meera's wrist firmly, refusing to let her go.
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For Vikrant, it was unbearable that another man was touching her.
"With what rights are you taking her with you? Who are you to her, hmm, her brother? Her father? Her husband?" Shaurya mocked him in the end.
"Nothing, right? Then you leave her," Shaurya said sharply as he jerked Meera towards him. Meera whimpered in pain; his grip on her wrist was so tight that she felt it was going to break soon. Shaurya's sudden movement and forcefulness conveyed his determination to protect his sister from getting hurt anymore.
"You!" Vikrant seethed, his hand clutching shaurya's collar
Shaurya's voice dripped with disdain as he retorted, "What, huh?" His eyes bore into the other person, brimming with a mix of frustration and contempt. "I thought you knew better than me what your so-called society labels a girl who is living with a married man with no relations at all." Each word hung heavy in the air, laced with the weight of societal judgment.
Meera could feel Shaurya's burning gaze fixated on her, sending shivers down her spine. His words cut through the tension in the room like a knife.
"If you want to further ruin her reputation," Shaurya's voice dripped with bitterness, "go ahead and take her with you." Each syllable carried the weight of disappointment and anger.
"I don't give two fucks about what others say. The fact is that I love her. She is my woman. She is going to live with me, and I will see who dares to go against me and about society hmmm, im gonna get this fake marriage annulled and then marry meera, my one and only true bride. So, haath chor, Meera ka," Vikrant seethed with unbridled fury, his words echoing with possessiveness and determination.
(Leave her hand)
Meera's emotions churned within her like a turbulent sea. On one side, relief flooded through her veins, knowing that Vikrant was standing up for her. Yet, on the other side, a wave of fear crashed over her, realizing that she was going to ruin someone's life. Ishani's life.
"Stop it, you two. She ain't going anywhere with anyone. She will stay here," Meera's father intervened, his voice carrying authority. A small glimmer of hope flickered in Meera's eyes as a faint smile graced her lips, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared when she heard her father's next words.
"She is gonna stay here for tonight, and tomorrow I will send her to her brother's house," Adhiraj declared firmly, his decision final and unwavering. Meera's heart sank as the weight of her father's words settled upon her, realizing that her fate was once again being deceptive to her.
"Sahista, take her to her room and get her belongings packed," Adhiraj instructed, his tone firm and unwavering. Sahista dutifully followed her husband's orders, leading Meera to her room.
"Mom, please, at least you listen to me. It's not what it looks like, mom-" Meera pleaded desperately, her voice tinged with anguish and fear.
"Shhhh," Sahista hushed her gently, her heart aching at the distress in her daughter's eyes. Once they reached her room, Sahista enveloped Meera in a tight embrace, holding her daughter close as tears welled up in both their eyes, the weight of the situation bearing down heavily upon them.
In her mother's embrace, Meera lost control and cried profusely, her tears flowing uncontrollably as she sought peace in Sahista's comforting presence. Sahista held her daughter close, gently rocking her back and forth, her own eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Maa, please trust me. I didn't do anything, I swear, Maa," Meera pleaded between sobs, her voice choked with emotion.
"Shhh. Sleep now," Sahista whispered softly, her heart breaking at her daughter's anguish. Meera hoped desperately that her mother would understand, but little did she know that Sahista's tears were for a completely different reason, a truth that would only deepen the rift between them.
Sahista tucked her in her bed and walked out of her after switching off the light.
"You shouldn't have done that, my child," Sahista muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart heavy with sorrow and regret. With one last lingering look at her daughter, she turned away, her steps heavy and burdened, the weight of the decision pressing down on her chest like a crushing weight. With each step, she carried the ache of a mother torn between love and duty, leaving behind a daughter engulfed in turmoil and uncertainty.
