Heart to Heart

chapter 8

Ryan was locked in a dark room, tied to a chair. Blood was spurting from a cut on his forehead, and his hands and back were beaten to a pulp. In a faint voice, he asked for water. Someone stepped forward with a glass of water. Ryan's vision was blurry, so he couldn't see the glass clearly, and his hands were tied.

-- Drink it, Ryan. 

-- The voice sounds familiar. Who are you?

-- Have you forgotten so easily? I thought, if nothing else, you'd never forget me.

-- Turyya!! You kidnapped me!

-- That's like a good boy. Yes, you recognized me.

At that moment, the light in the room turned on.
-- What is the meaning of kidnapping me like this, Turyya? What did I do to deserve this beating?

-- Ryan, I can't stand your innocent words anymore. How do you manage to portray yourself as so innocent when I know your true nature?

-- You're misunderstanding me, Turyya. I didn't do anything.

Turyya punched Ryan square in the nose, causing blood to gush out.

-- You know that Turyya Mahmud never does anything without a reason. I didn't bring you here without one either. You are the reason for the separation between Heer and me.

-- You're misunderstanding again. It's true I love Heer deeply, but I didn't separate her from you.

-- Didn't separate us?! Do you expect me to believe that? Really?!

-- Look, Turyya, I admit I hid the fact that Heer was alive from everyone, but believe me, there was only one reason behind it. I've loved Heer since we were kids.

-- You were so blinded by your love that you forgot she's my wife! Didn't it cross your mind how I would live without her?

-- Turyya, just as you love Heer, I love her too. You long to be with her, and so do I. Your heart burns for her, and so does mine. The only difference is that you are her husband.

Turyya almost raised his hand to hit Ryan again but then lowered it.

-- If you love her so much, why were you giving her drugs? You know the side effects of those medications would eventually cause her brain to stop functioning entirely.

-- What are you saying, Turyya? Drugs? And I gave them to Heer? I couldn't even dream of doing something like that. I love Heer. I've always wanted to keep her hidden, close to me. That's why I didn't tell anyone about her that day. But believe me, I would never hurt her.

Turyya stared at Ryan, and for some reason, he felt like believing him. Ryan's eyes seemed to convey that every word he spoke was true. Turyya called Jon and had Ryan sent to the hospital and arranged for proper treatment.

I'm sitting under the shower , crying. I feel so helpless. I had just begun to fall in love with Turyya, so why did this happen? Why does this always happen to me? Don't I have the right to be happy? I used to hate Turyya, so why did I become so weak for him? Why did I fall in love with someone like him, a womanizer? I still can't believe Turyya could be so awful. My heart tells me he wouldn't do such a thing. But I heard it with my own ears. Still, my heart insists that Turyya is innocent! Did I mis-hear? Maybe Turyya isn't the father of Kiara's child. Maybe Kiara lied. Maybe it's all part of a scheme Kiara devised to separate me and Turyya. Yes, that must be it! But why would Kiara want to separate us? Whatever the case, I need to find out the truth.

I quickly changed my saree and headed to Kiara's room to see if she was telling the truth or lying. After searching, what I found shattered me. I had thought Kiara might be faking a pregnancy to separate Turyya and me, but no—Kiara is three months pregnant. The pregnancy reports loudly proclaimed that Kiara was going to be a mother.

It's all over. Turyya and Kiara love each other, and their love is manifested in that child. I've come between them. Because of me, Turyya is denying Kiara and their unborn child. Has Turyya never loved me, not even once? But I've fallen in love with him. How will I live without him? But I can't stay with him either. I can't let Kiara and her child's life be ruined because of me. I will leave their lives, go far away.