Echos of Heartbreak

13. Love and war

“Before my pain and enragement, the love I've for you seems negligible.”
 

Betrayal and vengeance were burning me alive. The mere thought of the person whom I'm ready to give the chance to become my peace and home slaughtered my hopes into irreparable pieces.
 
The girl who was making her place and imprinting her deep feelings in my heart not only broke my castle of dreams I planned for a hundred years but also destroyed my last hope of love.
 
Not in my worst nightmares I can think Dhriti can snatch my everything. She didn't kill my Jiju but murdered the most cherished moments and love of my sister. She's the culprit of the lost souls and broken hearts.
 
My eyes couldn't believe Dhriti was pointing the gun and shooting him dead. And wonder of the decade was she claims herself as Jiju's friend who didn't even attend his last rites.
 
Yet my stupid heart wasn't ready to believe Dhriti was the cause of this tragedy. She's the root of this catastrophe. She's the only girl whom I felt very pure and divine to touch, let alone think improperly. All my life I had been unapologetically rude and built rigid walls around my heart. She broke the foundation of my principles and rules.
 
But this girl shook me to the core, showing her true colors. I almost lost myself in the process of finding the murderer of our happiness. And when I knew, here I'm standing helpless, unable to fight against the girl I loved, and ready to give up my rigid self.
 
Her lone tear splits my heart, and the mere thought of someone daring to touch her delicate skin boils my blood. The night I saw the authentic original Dhriti, who can laugh and cry over her life and who can't see anyone's pain, ruthlessly took an innocent life.
 
Only thought that was blasting my nerves was that Adhriti Srivastav was a murderer. My fucked-up brain wants revenge; every cell of my body seeks tears and pain. Yet my loser, lovestruck heart can't see this girl who shattered my family in pain.
 
My fingers clutched the steering wheel in a death grip, turning my knuckles white. If it's a person, he would definitely die in this firm grip. Continuous flashes of Adhriti's tears and her bleeding hands make me restless. Undoubtedly, I was harsh and tough with her. She deserves the worst side of mine.
 
Hurting Dhriti was never an option, but it's my only choice. My brain was filled with toxic thoughts suggesting only Adhriti's pain and suffering can do justice to my sister, who's living like a corpse for her son. Every time someone pities my sister and shows unwanted sympathy, my heart clenchs.
 
I took a u-turn, driving furiously towards my farm house. I can't show my messed-up self to my family. Accelerating the speed, I reached my farm house.
 
I'm not in a state to think straight. Only revenge can calm me down. How can someone expect when a person's whole life is forced and threatens people, snatching their everything? The beast who was helpless to take life can't calm his burning nerves with gentle, sensible conversation.
 
Guards opened the gates, and I passed the keys to the servant, and I was marched in. Luxurious interiors and terrible silence invited me. The first thing that became the victim of my fury was a wall hanging. 
 
For unknown reasons the painting of Monalisa irked me. The beauty and her face reminded me of Adhriti, who's beautiful, sensible, and yeah, cruel behind the masks of fake smiles.
 
For a moment I felt I never knew her. Hastily, I smashed the painting, which shattered into innumerable pieces scattering on the floor, piercing the silence with startling thud.
 
“ADHRITI SRIVASTAV How dare you to raise a gun on my Jiju? YOU KILLED HIM! YOU FCVKING KILLED HIM!”
 
All the pain and flames of agony were flowing through words. I returned from Dhriti only fearing, out of my insanity, I may kill her. I don't want her to die. How can she easily escape the hell of the devil? Before she can give up, she'll witness the living terrible hell of Sriansh Malhotra.
 
I'll make sure to never compromise in tormenting her every second. She has to pay for every tear my sister sheds for her love. I'll snatch every precious thing she secured. 
 
I walked to the bar set up in the farm house. I picked up the bottle that first came to my hand. It's a strong whiskey imported from France. Uncapping the bottle's cork with my mouth, I chugged down the intense, strong, bitter malty alcohol, which burned my inners.
 
Only this bitter raw liquid can calm the beast to which Adhriti woke up. Continuing to gulp down this intoxicating liquid, I lit a cigarette while walking to the couch. Slumping down on the couch, I started to take a long puff of cigarette, which was soothing my volcanic nerves.
 
Continuing to drink and smoke, my wicked brain indulged in searching for ways to torment b*tch who jinxed our happiness. Supporting my legs on the adjacent table, I closed my eyes, leaning my head on the headrest of the couch.
 
Again, fcvk again, the same hazel eyes and intoxicating lavender scent filled my senses. Those fierce eyes and tears were blaming me for the pain I inflicted.
 
My heart somewhere is yelling it's wrong to torment that pure soul, yet my restless mind is debating she's forfeiting everything. She's the murderer of my jiju. She cruelly, ruthlessly took an innocent life and framed it to be an accident.
All the while, the thing that remained as a mystery was: Why did she kill my Jiju? What's the reason? Yet whatever the justification, it's not valid to take someone's life.
 
Whole bar room filled with intermittent smoke of cigars and the scent of strong whiskey. Despite drinking half a bottle, I'm still not intoxicated and completely in my senses. I'm struggling to escape from the harsh reality and terrible truth that the girl whom I'm planning to marry killed the person who was my father figure.
 
Smashing the cigar in the ashtray, I took out my phone from my pants pocket. I dialed Praveen's number. He picked up my call in the second ring, and the scared, worried voice of Praveen answered.
 
“He..hello s..sir”
 
I hate when people fumble and it irks me. Right now everything and anything is vexing me.
 
“Come to my farmhouse at the back of the forest. I want you in an hour, a minute late; you'll be shot dead,” I ordered Praveen.
 
Actually, it takes two hours to reach my farm house, which was in the middle of the dense forest far from the city. My devious brain wants to implement the most heartbreaking and manipulative idea at the moment. 
 
I drown back into my thoughts, sipping whiskey. I'm still mystified and marveled at how a girl I spent a night with can affect me to no limits. I can never fall in love with Adhriti, who's the sole reason for our miseries.
 
When my mind and heart were struggling, fighting and debating to prove its points, the bar room door opened with a loud thud. Due to dim red lights, I couldn't comprehend the person entering apart from the shadow. He was panting heavily and walking towards me.
 
“Fcvking bastard, why aren't you lifting calls and replying texts? Aunty was worried, idiot." The distressed voice of Neil filled the room.
 
I ignored him, glancing at my wristwatch. Neil, probably irked by my behavior, sat beside me, yelling at me. ”What's wrong with you?”
 
At the same time, Praveen entered and began sweating profusely. He knows what a beast I am. 
 
“Sir..what happened?”
 
“What's going on, Sriansh?” Neil questioned me.
 
“Listen carefully. I want you to retrieve the five-year-old video from the security camera and recent videos of the places I want. And you'll send those videos to Mr. . Kailash Srivastava from an unknown fake id,” I explained in detail to Praveen, ignoring Neil, who was incoherently listening to me.
 
Following my orders, Praveen left for his respective work, and here comes the interrogation of my best friend.
 
“Don't you think I should know? After all, I'm your best friend for god sake, idiot.”
 
Neil queried, striding to pick up a bottle of beer. I stretched my hands, smirking. Ms. Adhriti Srivastav a single clip, and you'll be doomed.
 
I stood from the couch, running my fingers in my hair. “Adhriti was the one who killed Jiju.”
 
“WHAT THE FCVK YOU'RE TELLING? I can't believe this.”
 
Neil almost yelled with an unbelievable look. I didn't find it necessary to detail Neil, so I ascended stairs to my room.
 
Entering my room, I straight entered the shower, turning the knob to run cold water. Only a cold shower can ease my nerves.
 
There wasn't any sound when she entered into my life, but now she has become my echoing music. When I felt even I could fall in love and find happiness in a person, she chose to ruin everything.
 
Adhriti wasn't any random girl but the girl who can flutter my heart with her furious hazel eyes, taunts, and comfort she feels in my presence.
 
But on the other hand, my Jiju, who was my mentor, friend, and support system, was killed brutally. Arvind Jiju wasn't just my sister's husband but the person who taught me business from baby steps; when I needed it, Jiju was there to guide me. I was a little brother to him, and he's my elder one.
 
Getting out of the shower, I wiped my hair and body. Throwing the towel on the couch, I slumped on my bed. Little fragments of mirrors on the chandelier reflected my vulnerable face.
 
My eyes couldn't see me. I'm broken, and my heart was at war fighting between love and justice for my jiju's death. To turn blind eye evidence was right before my eyes.
 
‘why Adhriti? Why? When everything was fixed, you chose to destroy my dreams?’
 
I was never expressive and good with words. The night I spent with her made me realize something. She's my home, yet I never dared to allow my feelings to take control. That's the only reason I didn't want to approach Adhriti back then.
 
But Adhriti I'll make sure you taste the worst hell. From this moment on, your life and everything that belongs to you are mine. Only I've got right on your pain and tears. No worries, I'll inflict the living hell.
 
Let's start with the first dearest thing of your life. That's your papa; he'll be heartbroken seeing the video I'll send. I make sure he hates your existence. You'll never witness your father's love from now on.
 
It'll be happy and cherished only when Sriansh Malhotra chooses to love, but it'll be a nightmare when he decides to ruin someone. Till now, Dhriti has seen calm, gentle Mr. Malhotra. I'll make sure she witnesses the worst side of me. 
 
Mrs. Adhriti Sriansh Malhotra gets ready for the war raged by the devil.

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