Silent Cries

Chapter 3

The tension in the Dixit household was palpable as Dev paced through the rooms, his brow furrowed in frustration. He had been searching frantically for something, his anxiety growing with each passing minute. The whole house seemed to close in around him, echoing with his hurried footsteps.

Finally, he entered his room, his eyes scanning every corner, every shelf. But what caught his attention was the sight of Heena's chain , delicate and shimmering, now in Navya's hands. She stood near the window, a serene expression on her face as she admired the jewelry.

Dev: "What are you doing with those?"

Navya turned around, surprised by the sharpness in his voice. She looked at Dev, her eyes widening in confusion.

Navya: "These... these fell from your bag yesterday. I was going to give them back to you."

Dev's eyes narrowed, suspicion and anger clouding his features.

Dev: "So you entered my room and took my things without permission? How dare you!"

Navya's heart sank at his accusation, her hands trembling slightly as she held out the bangles toward him.

Navya: "Dev, I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted to return them to you."

Dev snatched the bangles from her hands, his voice harsh and cutting.

Dev: "You did it purposely, didn't you? Because they were Heena's. You can enter my room, Navya, but never enter my heart."

Navya felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes filling with unshed tears. She wanted to explain, to make him understand, but his words struck her like arrows, leaving her speechless and wounded.

Navya: (whispering) "Dev, please... I would never..."

But Dev's anger only intensified, his voice rising with each word.

Dev: "Stop pretending! You think I'm a fool? You've been trying to replace her since the day we got married. Well, let me tell you something-I will never love you the way I loved Heena. Never!"

Navya's breath caught in her throat, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. Dev's words cut deeper than any physical wound, tearing at the fragile threads of hope she had clung to.

Dev: "Stay away from me. Stay away from everything that belonged to her. You have no right!"

With that final, venomous declaration, Dev turned away from her, storming out of the room and leaving Navya standing there, shattered and alone. She sank to the floor, her heart breaking into a million pieces as the weight of Dev's accusations crushed her spirit.

Navya clutched her chest, the pain of his rejection piercing through her like a dagger. She had tried so hard to bridge the gap between them, to earn his trust and love. But with every step forward, it seemed they were only moving further apart.

Dev sat in the living room, lost in his thoughts as the evening sun cast a warm glow through the windows. He had just returned from another exhausting day at work, his mind still racing with deadlines and meetings. The quiet of the house offered a brief respite from the chaos of his thoughts.

Suddenly, the front door swung open, and Angad burst into the room with an exuberant energy that was infectious. He rushed over to Dev, pulling him into a tight hug and thrusting a box of sweets into his hands.

Angad: "Dev! Guess what? Meera is pregnant! We're going to be parents!"

Dev blinked in surprise, the news catching him off guard. He managed a smile, albeit a forced one, as he congratulated Angad.