HER SAFE PLACE

Married

After reading this chapter there might be many questions in your mind: how, when and why it happened but please have patience. All your doubts will be clear in the upcoming chapters and comments more to get the next chapter soon....

Okayy enough of my rants... please continue with the chapter..enjoy!

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The car behind me honked loudly, snapping me out of my daze. In a rush, I unbuckled my seatbelt and left the car right where it was, running towards Shivangi. She was walking briskly, seemingly oblivious to everything around her. "Shivangi!" I shouted, hoping my voice would reach her. She stopped but didn't turn around. I called her name again, this time softer, "Shivangi." She turned to face me.

Seeing her face, I was stunned. She looked so different—so much thinner, her face pale with pronounced dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in ages. Her nose was dry, her face bore the marks of a struggle, and there were scratches on her neck. My heart sank. I quickly closed the distance between us and hugged her tightly, burying my face in her neck. I suddenly heard a thud—the sound of her bag hitting the ground. She let it fall and hugged me back just as tightly. We stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, in a wordless embrace that spoke volumes.

After what felt like an eternity, I pulled back to look at her. Her eyes, which once sparkled with life, now looked hollow and tired. "Shivangi, what is all this?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. Her eyes widened with a mix of fear and confusion. She pushed my hand away from her face, stammering, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Shivangi, that's not important right now. First, tell me, what is all this? The vermilion, the mangalsutra, these marks—I don't understand. Tell me, what is all this?" I asked, desperately seeking answers.

I reached for her hand, but she pulled it away forcefully. "Rocky, stay away from me, please. It's better if you leave," she said, her voice trembling.

"What? Are you serious? Shivangi, I'm asking you something. Just answer me, damn it!" I demanded, frustration and worry mixing in my tone.

"Rocky, I don't want any trouble here. Please leave. I don't want to talk to you. I don't know you," she replied, her words hitting me like a bullet. She doesn't know me? After everything, she says she doesn't know me?

In a surge of emotion, I grabbed her hand and slammed her against the nearby wall. "What the hell did you just say? Repeat it," I demanded, my eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that spoke of my disbelief and pain. She avoided my gaze but repeated, "I-i d-don't know you," her voice wavering.

I cupped her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Say it again," I insisted, my voice almost a whisper. She pushed me away with more force this time. "Rocky, why don't you understand? I am married now. Please leave. My husband doesn't like me talking to other men," she said, her frustration evident.

"Oh really? I'm just any other man to you? The man who searched for you, who tried to text you, call you, and went mad when he couldn't reach you? I'm just any other man?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm and hurt.

"Rocky, it's over. We met coincidentally, went on a trip, came back, and it ended. Now I am married. I have a family, I have a husband. It's better if you stay out of it. I have no place for you in my life," she said, each word driving a dagger deeper into my heart.

"Shivangi, when I left, everything was fine. What happened so suddenly? Why did you get married? How did all this happen? I tried to call you, text you, reach out to you in every way possible. But you never picked up my calls or answered my texts. I know you didn't marry willingly. I know your parents forced you. But why didn't you call me? I would have helped you, stopped all this. Why, Shivangi, why?" I asked, my voice breaking.