Mistake

29. Home

Mahira

Four months had passed since I escaped him, yet the feeling of being watched followed. My anklets remained firmly bound to my ankles, showing no signs of unlocking anytime soon.

The lingering uncertainty was unsettling. It felt as though at any moment, he could return to reclaim me, to thrust me back into the cage from which I had fought so hard to escape.

Sitting by the window, I gazed out at the fading daylight, allowing the gentle caress of the evening breeze to soothe my troubled mind. Within me, a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions raged on.

A sense of impending doom hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over my thoughts. With a heavy heart, I traced the outline of my anklet with trembling fingers, triggering a flood of memories to surge through my mind.

The memories of the day he forced these anklets onto me flooded back, sending a chill down my spine.

My mind drifted back to the past, to the moment when I was desperately running away while he stood there, his gaze filled with something dark and sinister.

I shook my head to clear the haunting thoughts and decided to take a cold shower. Slowly standing up, I cast one last glance at the window before making my way towards the closet.

Taking out a shirt and shorts, I made my way to the bathroom, hoping the cascade of water would wash away the haunting memories.

The nightmares haunted me relentlessly ever since I escaped. His emotionless eyes, his cold glar, every detail of him sent shivers down my body, even in my dreams.

******

As I stood in front of the mirror, drying my hair, the creepy feeling of being watched crept over me once again. I scanned my surroundings through the mirror, but nothing was visible to my naked eyes.

The overwhelming sense of paranoia was consuming me from within. It felt as though I was losing my grip on reality, and I began to wonder if I needed professional help.

Taking a moment to collect myself, I closed my eyes briefly, allowing a sense of calm to wash over me before resuming the task of drying my hair.

Additionally, I had taken medical leave from my work for four months, but I was considering returning to work starting next week.

I made my way downstairs and saw my mother engrossed in conversation with my Nani, while my sister sat beside her.

"Kya ho Raha hai yaha? (What's happening here?)" I questioned, taking a seat beside my Nani.

"Teri shaadi ki baat (We were thinking of getting you married)" my nani replied, making me choke on my own saliva. She patted my back as I coughed.

"Kya matlab? (What do you mean?)" I questioned, turning to look at my mum this time.

"Ek rishta aya hai tere liye (There's a marriage proposal for you )" my mum answered, her gaze unwavering as she spoke.

"Kya!? Aapko pata hai na, hume nhi karni itni jaldhi shaadi? (What!? You already know that I don't want to get married this early, right?) I questioned, my eyebrows raised in shock.