Shadowed Desires

Chapter-3

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Scene Continued...

Atharv said, “Check the CCTV cameras around your place.”

Soon, other people also emerged from their rooms, including Dev’s wife, their son, and his mother.

A man entered the hall and said to Dev, “Sir, we’re grounded from all sides.” He showed Dev on a tablet how Atharv’s men had surrounded the Chauhan villa with guns in their hands.

Dev yelled at Atharv in a high tone, “What the hell is this, Atharv Shekhawat?!”

Atharv let out a chuckle and said, “It doesn’t matter if challenges in my life are invited or uninvited. I’m always ready to face them.”

Dev turned to Kritika and said, “You’ve already brought shame to our name by marrying him. Why are you here now? Is there anything left to ruin? If you weren’t my daughter, I would’ve killed you with my own hands today for what you’ve done. Out of all the men in the world, you chose him—someone who is nothing but an enemy to our family.”

Kalyani (Kritika’s grandmother) added, “I had warned you—no matter how much freedom you give her or how well you educate her, one day she’ll show the true colours of the blood in her veins.”

Shikha spoke, “After all, we know whose daughter she is and…”

Before she could complete her sentence, Atharv interrupted, “One more allegation on her, and you’ll see what I can do to everyone present here.”

He looked at Kritika, his expression unreadable. “Just collect the things you want to take.”

He sank into the sofa in his usual kinglike posture.

Aayush (Kritika’s younger brother) stepped forward to grab Atharv’s collar, but Dev gestured for him to stop, sensing the intensity of the situation.

Kritika quietly made her way to her room, with Dev following close behind. She began packing her clothes and documents.

As she reached for a photo frame on the wall, her father’s voice stopped her. She looked in his direction.

Dev said, “You can’t take her picture with you. You’ve betrayed this family by marrying him.”

Kritika replied, “If I’m not worthy of her picture, then neither are you.”

Dev snapped, “And who are you to decide that?”

Kritika said, “The same five-year-old girl who was asked to accept a stranger as her mother just a few months after her real one died.”

Dev clenched his fists. “You know very well what she was involved in back then. I loved her, which is why I didn’t let the world know her truth. Otherwise, people who worshipped her would’ve shamed her in the worst way.”

Kritika’s voice held bitterness. “If you had loved her even for a second, you would’ve defended her from the people who tried to ruin her reputation—and miserably, those people are your own family. But instead, you doubted her. I feel sorry that she chose you as her husband. You hide what was written in that letter just to protect your reputation. Love was never your priority.”

Dev retorted, “Mind your tone. You’re speaking to your father.”

Kritika snapped, “Speak to me about fatherhood when you’ve fulfilled even a single responsibility as a father.”

Dev said, “It was you who pushed me away. I was always ready to be there for you. You’re the one who chose to stay in hostels despite having a family.”