𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚

Chapter 31 - Past unfolds (Too much to handle)

**Content Warning:**

This chapter contains descriptions of mental and physical abuse, suicidal attempts, and mental suffering. These themes may be distressing or triggering for some readers. Please proceed with caution and prioritize your mental well-being.

(Present)

Authors Pov

"I thought everything will be like before. I thought we will be happy together. But as days passed every thought of mine was tarnished to the ground. Kiara forgave me as much as she says but somehow i feel she can never. But I still don't regret my decision, especially at that time," Tiara says. Akshit looks at her while hugging her tight. He reaches for her eyes and wipes her tears. He sighs and asks, "Then?" She continues while remembering, "They kept on fighting but eventually that never got better instead got worse...My father started cheating on my mother," she finishes while her voice starts to crack.

Akshit was furious with all of it. His heart was also breaking that how much she had to endure for the people she loved and trusted the most. The only thought came to his mind was something he read somewhere, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲s 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱. She kept on sobbing on his lap for a minute. Later she peeks at him and he nods to encourage her to continue.

She starts, "Everything was going okay. Only sometimes mumma papa used to bicker about our other family, you know, bade papa badi mummy aur mere baki relatives. They were always so bad to mumma. Taunting her, her parenting, over use of money when she was even a working lady. It kept going on from our childhood but it effected mumma late though. And when it did everyday was almost a fight with papa. Sometimes they were so busy that I was left alone at home until eight-ten at night. But I was still at peace because whenever they are at home it's far more worse. I was scared but that made me a very observant woman today, to be honest. But things changed when I turned 16.

It was my 10th board year. Things was same. I didn't had a phone but i needed to check something on Google and my father was the only person who had a smartphone at home. So i requested him to let me Google something. I was googling and papa was in the bathroom when a notification arrived in WhatsApp. First I was shocked that papa had whatsapp because at that time it was rare, you know. So i excitedly clicked on the notification and saw the chat. The name appeared in the top was unknown to me and the picture was of a woman who was also unknown to me. But when I read a bit of the chat I just had a hint that something was wrong. There wasn't much in the chats but I felt bad. I closed whatsapp tab and went to do my homework. The incident kept on swirling in my mind but after somedays I dismissed it.

I passed my boards with flying colours. My parents were happy and even when my mumma kept telling me all the year that I can't do it, she was so happy that I felt angry but then someone said, parents say such things to motivate their child, so i dismissed all the negative angry thoughts. They were also happy as I got into science stream. Kiara came home for sometime and one day we planned to go to this fair happening near our house. Mumma said she can't take us and papa was busy so we decided to go alone. We were at the fair when I saw something which broke my heart."

Tiara takes a deep breath as her swells. She clutches Akshit's hand tightly. She continues, "I saw papa with a woman. First I was confused and for some dumb minutes I thought that maybe he was here to pick us up and he is helping a lady. But later I saw them laughing together, eating snacks from shops and talking with each other being so close. Papa was even holding her the way he used to hold mumma. I still can't shake those pictures out of my mind. I was stunned, frozen in the place while Kiara was tugging me towards a ride. I was mature enough to understand what was the matter. I was 16 but still....I was..16. And when Kia kept on calling me, I shouted at her.