Loveless: The Beginning of Hell

17: Killed Love?

The lightning glimmers shadowing over the fear that lingers upon Nikita's beautiful face. Her silence tests everyone's patience but Nikita's words seem to have disappeared.

"Who is it??" the high-pitched voice makes her jump. The outrageous gazes of Abhilash demanded answers, never had she seen her father so angry and her speechlessness would only fuel it. Her fingers fidget against the lehenga which was grasped tightly into a fist and her eyes stuck on the floor refusing to make contact.

" What have you done Nikita? OPEN YOUR MOUTH" Abhilash yells, forcing a dreadful Nikita to lift her eyelashes but the instant they make contact she breaks down into tears.

"Papa, I am sorry but I didn't have any option. I have to marry him" she sobs. A pin-drop silence forms before Ajay steps forward dropping the question on her.

"Who is he?"

She swallows hard, followed by a quivering feeble voice, taking the name in fear and hesitation.

" KARTIK RATHOD," Her heart comprehended the reaction she would face would be violent. A harsh slap lands on her cheeks sending waves of sting across it but she refuses to fall weak at this moment. her tear filled eyes look at her father.

" what are you doing Abhilash?" Sakshi questions, wrapping arms around Nikita.

"she didn't even think it important to inform or ask or tell us what she is going to do, who is threatening her? just straightaway she married that rapist's brother who will save you from them. I have lost one daughter. I am not losing you now. it's enough! you are not going anywhere. I don't accept your marriage," Abhilash's outrageous refusal lands Nikita in a dire situation. Ajay finds her action to be ridiculous but Aditi somewhere was trying to comprehend her, a glimpse of Nikita's face evidently portrayed that something the heart concealed, a compulsion lies hidden profoundly in those moist eyes.

Lifting the jug of water, Abhilash pours on her head and a trail of vermillion infused with water trickles down her face.

"Dad please I love him, I have known him for a year, he is in my college, Dad I am sorry please I love him," she cries. The lie the heart told out of compulsion shrouds heavily, that too with the reality that no matter what transpires she has to go back.

In a sharp turn, Abhilash yanks the jug on the floor, clenching his jaw. Nikita looks at Sakshi in a hope that at least her mother will understand her but even she refuses to look at her and maintains those stern gazes at the door. The soft glow of candle light accentuates Nikita's features while the house is hurled in darkness as a consequence of the power-cut.

" papa please", Nikita cries.

"You will not go to that house, and that's final. If you're so eager to go there, then from today onwards, I'm no longer your father, and you're no longer my daughter. You will have no relation to this house." Abhilash clears the air with a warning. Aditi comes forward, holding her arm, she gently pulls her to her feet.

"Nikita, please try to understand the situation. No one acknowledges this marriage of yours. They might have threatened you as well, just like they blackmailed Kiara to keep her mouth shut. Don't you get it?" Aditi's words bring a light to the shadowed mind, an attempt done to handle the situation.

" bhabhi he didn't blackmail me! I have married him on my own will, Please explain to Dad that I love him.", she cries.

" get the hell out of here" Ajay yells at Nikita, bursting out like a volcano. he clenches his fist, controlling the anger.

" Why don't you Ajay? " Aditi slams back, refusing to bear his insults.

" shut up, Aditi. Why do I feel like marrying you was a mistake? If my wife can't stand by me, then what's the point of having you in my life?" Ajay lets out in rage, without realising the meaning of them. His words strike Aditi like a thunderbolt, making her feel miserable and humiliated. Nikita stares out at the open door, collecting herself she fists harder and closes her eyes before saying.

" papa, I have to go I...i. Love him,"

Her gazes reflect courage yet the stammering words prick in Sakshi's mind who figures out in an instant that it's a fib. Walking past her, Sakshi locks the main door, closing every passage to escape.

"Now go wherever you want to go." Sakshi says bluntly scowling at Nikita whose compelled heart comprehended that she has to go with kartik who is waiting for her outside no matter what.

She hastily climbs the stairs which lead to the terrace. Abhilash grasps his fingers around Sakshi's wrist stopping her from following her daughter and Ajay storms into his room and slams the door behind him while a heartbroken Aditi watches him from a distance. Anger rushes through her veins, ignoring him Aditi goes after Nikita who signals from the terrace to Kartik, standing by his car.

" Nikita stop! what are you doing? " Aditi yells causing Nikita to jerk yet she continues doing her work.

" tying my dupatta to the railing so that I can get out of this prison," she says.

"At what cost? Your relationships?" ( Nikita's hand freeze) I just want to know the truth, Nikita, nothing else." Aditi roars crossing her arms across her chest. Nikita turns to aditi and rushes to her, lines of worry enveloping her face.

"I will tell you everything, but right now Karthik is waiting for me. I can't let him." she says hurriedly, holding Aditi's arms softly.

" Tell him to wait " Aditi remains adamant, extending her hand, offering the phone to Nikita.

" but bhabhi..." On realising that it wont be listened she takes the phone and texts him instead of calling him.

" I will come down, give me twenty minutes"

Scrutinising over her message, kartik gives her a sharp look. her eyes shone with tears, swollen and reddened due to crying. The yellow string lights flicker on with the arrival of power illuminating the entire house and casting their reflection upon his car, parked at the opposite side at a distance. His sight lingers upon the wet smudged vermillion which refused to leave its color. Famous for being rude and arrogant, Kartik breaks the eye contact and gets in the car, leaning against the seat he waits for Nikita.

Breathing in the fresh air, Nikita gathers herself to narrate every single part that transpired that still bleeds her heart. "Abhay called me that night and said that an eyewitness was ready to testify. He didn't want to tell Dee or anyone else about it because he didn't want Dee to have false hope. So, Abhay and I went to the police station. then abhay went straightaway to the DCP's office, but he wasn't there. While Abhay got busy with his phone, I noticed a paper near the table. It was the complaint filed by Kiara Dee. but when I unwrapped it, I was shocked to see that it was written by Rishabh Rathod, Aryan's elder brother. He never filed any complaint nor did he register an FIR. It was all a well-concocted plan to trap Dee into that marriage, to set Aryan free, and to prove him innocent in front of the whole world. And they succeeded."

The entire explanation including of her whereabouts these days, brings tears to her eyes.

" How did you end up getting into this dispute, you love Abhay, he loves you, right? then" Aditi asks lifting her chin slightly. Nikita looks at her.

" my love for him died. bhabhi I have to kill it otherwise I would never be able to marry Kartik," her subtle voice breaks.