Just a wife

7. Lost pride

Kahi mera dil safed rang ka to nahi...
Jo bhi daag-e-jakhm lagta hai utarta hi nahi ... 🤍
(collected)

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"Don't ever say that. You're not my weakness, Sanav. You are my strength .. the kind of strength which empowers me to push through any difficulties. You understand that?" I asked him. He smilingly nodded at my question.

Resentment rippled through my heart. I moved inside my room, refusing to have lunch or anything, and my body - it automatically fell on the bed. Why? Just why did all of this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this? Where did I go wrong?

Late in the afternoon, Mumma came to my room persuading me to have some food but I genuinely had lost my appetite. Mumma's tone was persuasive yet very strict. First, they are making me go through all of this, second, behaving so coldly with me. Papa is not even talking to me properly.

"Mumma, what is wrong with you all?" I questioned restlessly but she chose to ignore and proceed to step out of my room. "If you keep forcing me like this, I am going to cut and run. And, I am serious," I shouted.

My mother ignored me again. She went out of my room but came back within a few minutes with Dad's cellphone in her hand. Before stepping near me, she latched the door making me confusedly sit up on the bed.

"Your stubbornness.. is that all you are caring about at this point. You should've considered that before doing those ... those deeds!," Mumma in a low scolding tone shot at me while searching something on Papa's phone.

"If you care any about your father's and our family's dignity. Stop being so difficult, Sanjana. We are nobody against them. Also, if this gets out .. I - I don't know how we are going to get you married in the future!" She anxiously spoke handing me the phone with a picture flickering on its screen.

I was stunned, my eyes growing larger as the reality of the situation sank in. It was Daksh and me, at the changing room of the mall. The day of our one year anniversary when I drenched my clothes in the rain and then I changed into the dress he bought me. We took a selfie afterwards. Was the huge dressing room with a sofa and a mirror of the lush shopping mall misinterpreted by my parents? The set up is appearing like misinterpret-able.

"Who sent you this, Mumma?" I asked .. "It's not what you are thinking. It's just-"

She only sighed tiredly looking at me. Clearly, she did not trust me. After a lie all the truth becomes suspicious.

My heart stopped pumping, is that what my parents are thinking about me, is that why they are forcing me so rigidly into this marriage? I can't believe that Daksh has to stoop this low! My despisal is more than valid for people like Goenka's.. they can't handle rejection. Making me and my family do all these things using their power and money was enough. Did he really have to strip me off my honour in front of my parents!

"No more arguments, Sanjana. The cars leave after dinner. Your uncles and their families are coming at any time. Seal your lips till the wedding ceremony is over," Mumma ordered before leaving.

I was at a loss for words, my emotions numb, and rage surged within me at the thought of Daksh and everything he had done.

Saba forcefully fed me in the evening. Except for my family, Saba and her mother and my only two uncles from my father's side along with their family members were set to leave with us. My father has two elder brothers who tricked us out of our ancestral property but in return never forgets to give us their conservative opinions and occasional taunts.