1945, My Love Story (Unedited & Raw Version)

Phase XVXIV: An Escape From The Tormenters

We sat in silence, the tension between us thick and oppressive. The air felt heavy, charged with the weight of unspoken fears. Mother's hands remained clasped, her knuckles still white as she stared at the table, lost in thought. I could see the worry etched deep into her features, the corners of her mouth turned down, her brow furrowed with concern.

Mother's voice barely above a whisper. "Your father... he won't stop until he's satisfied. And if Clerk is involved, there's no telling what lengths they'll go to. Bhavani and his daughter—they're in grave danger now."

I swallowed hard, the guilt gnawing at me. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I just couldn't stand by and let Clerk do what he wanted. Avni... she doesn't deserve any of this."

Mother looked up at me then, her eyes softening, but the worry didn't leave them. "I know you meant well, Edwin. But good intentions don't always lead to good outcomes. Your father and his anger—once provoked—is merciless. If he believes Bhavani and Avni are a threat to his honour or the British cause, he won't hesitate to destroy them."

I could feel a lump forming in my throat, the fear of what might happen next choking me. "There has to be a way to protect them," I said, my voice trembling. "We can't just let them suffer for something that wasn't their fault."

Mother sighed, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her. "I wish I knew how, Edwin. But your father is not a man to be easily swayed. Especially not by me. He's a soldier first. His loyalty to the Empire blinds him to the humanity of those he considers beneath him, when it comes to matters of honour and the Empire, he's deaf to anything that doesn't align with his beliefs."

We lapsed into silence again, the hopelessness of the situation hanging over us like a dark cloud. I felt helpless, trapped in a nightmare of my own making. And at the heart of it all was Avni, the girl I couldn't protect, the girl who might pay the ultimate price for my actions.

Mother reached across the table and took my hand, her grip firm but gentle. "We'll figure out something, Edwin," she said, though I could hear the doubt in her voice. "But you must be careful." She said nodding at me and I nodded back.

As we couldn't hear anything from the living area, we glanced at eachother whether Bhavani was okay or not. We both rushed towards the living area to check on him.

As Mother and I hurried toward the living area, my heart pounded in my chest. The walls seemed to close in on us, the oppressive silence making every step feel like it echoed our worst fears. The moment we reached the room, we found Bhavani sitting, his posture rigid, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Bhavani?" I ventured cautiously. His eyes flickered, but he said nothing, his thoughts clearly elsewhere—perhaps already dwelling on the potential dangers that loomed over him and his daughter.

Mother knelt beside him. "I don't have the dare to ask you if you're okay or not because I know how you must be feeling right now. Look, It's not safe to stay here anymore, Bhavani."

 Bhavani remained silent, and for a long moment, it seemed as though he wasn't even present with us. Then he finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "kahan jaunga hukkum, always never safe for us."

I clenched my fists, frustrated with my own helplessness. "I won't let them harm Avni. Or you."

At the sound of his daughter's name, Bhavani's eyes finally focused. "I have my daughter only, chhote hukkum, I died if she—" His voice broke off, but his meaning was clear.

"I understand," I replied softly, though the truth was, no one could truly understand what Bhavani had endured. The weight of protecting his daughter in a world that seemed to conspire against them must have felt unbearable. And now, with the threat of my father and his army hanging over them like a noose, that weight had only grown heavier.