𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞 || @𝘼𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙨||

.Chapter-21. The Message.

2700+ words

tum kya jaano apne aap se
 kitna mai sharminda hu
chhut gaya hai saath tumhara
 aur abhi tak zinda hu

--------------------------------------------------------

Ashwin's pov:

As I sat at the breakfast table, mechanically spooning food into my mouth, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that settled over me. Anshika's presence nearby was a constant reminder of the reality I couldn't escape, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.

When Bua's sharp words cut through the air, aimed squarely at Anshika, I felt a surge of anger rising within me. Despite my own reservations and doubts, I couldn't stand by and watch as my wife was belittled and demeaned. It didn't matter that our relationship was far from ideal, or that I harbored my own conflicted feelings towards her. She was still my wife, and she deserved to be treated with respect.

With a firmness I didn't know I possessed, I spoke up, silencing Bua's taunts with a single command. "Enough, Bua," I said, my voice carrying a weight that surprised even me. In that moment, I realized that despite everything, I couldn't stand idly by while Anshika was subjected to such treatment.

As I looked at Anshika, I could see the tension in her posture, the hurt in her eyes. Despite our strained relationship, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at the sight. It wasn't fair that she should bear the brunt of my family's judgment, especially when she had done nothing to deserve it.

Turning towards her, I mustered a smile, albeit a strained one, and bid her goodbye. Despite the tumult of emotions swirling inside me, I couldn't deny the pang of regret that accompanied her departure.

As Anshika left, a heavy silence settled over the room, broken only by the clinking of utensils against plates.

When Dadu called out Bua for her constant taunting of Anshika, I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me. Finally, someone was speaking up against the injustice that had been plaguing our household ever since Anshika's arrival. Dadu's words were a balm to my frayed nerves, a reassurance that I wasn't alone in my conviction that Anshika deserved better treatment.

As Bua's ego clashed with Dadu's firm stance, I could see the tension mounting in the air. It was clear that she wasn't accustomed to being challenged, especially not by someone as revered as Dadu. But instead of backing down, Dadu held his ground, his unwavering resolve a testament to his commitment to justice and fairness.

When Bua finally stormed out of the room, her parting words echoed in the silence that followed. "Anshika just came and stole you from me," she spat, her tone laced with bitterness and resentment. But despite her attempts to sow discord, I couldn't help but feel a sense of liberation wash over me.

For too long, I had allowed myself to be swayed by Bua's manipulations and prejudices. But now, in the face of Dadu's unwavering support for Anshika, I realized that I no longer needed to placate her at the expense of my wife's dignity and self-respect. It was time to break free from the chains of Bua's influence and forge a new path forward, one where Anshika and I could ease the complexities of our relationship on our own terms.

As Dadu's gaze met mine across the table, I saw a glimmer of pride in his eyes, a silent acknowledgment of the courage it had taken to defy Bua's tyranny. In that moment, I knew that I had made the right decision, not just for myself, but for the woman who had become an unexpected beacon of light in the darkness of my family. 

Anshika, my wife by name but still a stranger in many ways, deserved better than the constant barrage of criticism from Bua. It pained me to see her subjected to such treatment, especially in the confines of our own home. Though I couldn't claim to harbor any deep affection for Anshika, a sense of duty compelled me to stand up for her, to shield her from the barbs of those who sought to undermine her..