His Brown Bride

12

Rajiv's POV








I blame myself for wasting my time searching for her.

I walked into the house, feeling very exhausted.

My mother was waiting in the hall.

"Where is she?" she asked.

"Gone," I replied. "She wants to pursue her dreams, so I'll not stand in her way."

I then headed towards my room while being extremely exhausted. As I approached, I saw Divya standing in the doorway, her eyes fixed on me with guilt and concern.

"She left because of me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I couldn't muster the energy to look at her or listen to her - my emotions were still raw from her rejection. I kept my gaze downcast, my eyes fixed on the floor, and I brushed past her into my room, closing the door behind me.

••••

I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep despite my exhaustion.

Hours dragged on, and before I knew it, the first light of dawn lagged into my room.

The sound of a drumbeat interrupted the morning calm, echoing through the house and rousing me from my restless nap.

I got out of bed and made my way downstairs to check on the noise.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw Ms. Durga Ahuja standing in the entrance hall, a man behind her enthusiastically beating the drum.

"Ah, the master of the house is finally here," she exclaimed, her eyes flashing with hostility as she stared at me.

With a dramatic movement, she raised her hand, and the drummer's beat stopped abruptly, turning the room into an unsettling silence.

"Come, come, dear boy," she crooned, her bony finger beckoning me closer.

"I've come to turn your life into a living hell," she added.

I stared at her blankly, wondering if she had lost her mind.

My family members started to appear from their rooms. And then, Divya too arrived, her eyes locking onto mine for a second before she hastily looked away.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded while she approached Ms. Ahuja, who enveloped her in a tight embrace, despite her resistance.

"Do you think I'm a heartless stepmother who forgot your special day? Ah, no! I remember it well. Happy birthday, my lovely!" She exclaimed, her arms encircling her tighter.

But Divya, her face set with strength, finally managed to break free, though her hair became dishevelled from the force of the hug. She tucked the stray strands behind her ears, restoring her messy locks to some semblance of order. "I am not your daughter," she asserted.

Ms. Ahuja's hand flew to her chest, her eyes widening in mock horror as she stumbled backward, her body swaying like a willow in the wind. "Oh! You hurt my soul, baby!" she snorted.

"Why are you here?" I asked, and her gaze shifted to mine.

"I didn't know I needed a reason to visit my matrimonial home and my dear daughter," she replied.

I rolled my eyes while my patience continued to get thinner. "What brings you here?" I asked again, my tone growing with frustration.

"Since you're so eager to know, I'll tell you." She replied, and then giggled like a teenager, grating on my nerves.

"Remember when you first arrived, you asked me to leave, waving that precious document in my face? I promised I'd return, didn't I?" She paused.

"I'm listening," I said curtly, my patience in my finger.

"Last month..." she started, her voice trailing off as her gaze shifted to Rajesh and Rashi, who were listening with rapt attention.

"Wait, I don't recall seeing them here last time," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Leave us," she commanded. "We have confidential matters to discuss, and I won't have you two staying like eavesdroppers."

Rashi opened her mouth and said, "Who are you to ask us to?" but I interrupted her.

"Both of you, leave us."

Rajesh spoke, "Brother, what's going on?"

I silenced him with a brief glance, promising to explain later. He nodded understandingly and ushered Rashi out of the room.

My gaze returned to her, waiting to hear the reason that had brought her back to our doorstep.

"Last month?" I exhorted her, urging her to continue.

She languidly examined her nails while conveying calmly. "Well, last month, I had people sneak into the house and tamper with the air conditioner in your room. They injected a toxic substance into the system. Breathing in a small amount won't harm you, but excessive inhalation is life-threatening."

My mother's eyes widened in alarm, fear etching on her face.

"Oh God, I warned you, my son," she sobbed, clutching my hands tightly.

What?" Divya also exclaimed.

"Yes, I did it," she admitted, and a maniacal grin spread across her face. "But don't worry, I'm not entirely heartless. An antidote exists, of course! Why would I want a vibrant young man like you to depart this world so early?"

Her laughter sent chills down my spine.

"But you don't have much time. The symptoms will soon start showing, and once they do, your fate will be sealed within a month," she proclaimed. "I'm being generous by warning you in advance, don't you think?"

Divya spoke, her eyes pleading with her. "What do you want from him? He's not even a part of our family! Have mercy, and spare him."

I struggled to avert my gaze as my eyes involuntarily drifted to hers, the pain of her rejection still piercing my chest.

Moving on isn't as easy as I thought.

"I'll spare him," she said, "if he signs this document, transferring all the properties to my name. That's all I'm asking for." She flourished the document, her eyes gleaming with calculative assertiveness.

"My son, sign it!" my mother insisted and she tried to drag me towards the document.

I stood there, my feet rooted in one place.

"Get out!" I snarled, my eyes blazing with rage after I contemplated.

I can't bring myself to betray the trust my boss has placed in me, no matter the cost.

My mother's eyes widened in shock, and her face paled with fear.

"I'm leaving for now, but mark my words, I will return to this house," she spat. "Either to claim my property after your death or to collect your signed submission, when you finally value your life over the wealth. You have thirty days to think about it. Remember, your life is worth more than any fortune. Take my advice, sign the documents and save yourself."

"Thank you for your unsolicited advice. You may leave now." I told her, returning to my room to escape the darkness that had settled over in my head with her presence.