Samjhota [The Compromise]

18: The First Night III

His expressions told the fact that he just arrived and remains unaware of the conversation taking place earlier.

"Hey, how are you?" he questions stepping inside, still in his uniform.

"Still Alive."Ahana responds tartly.

"We checked your dash cam, but..."

"But...?" Tears load in her eyes with anticipation.

"Was that Mehak?" Ahana questions in a subtle tone that arrives before the crying begins.

"Don't know. The footage was frozen, only the time was running." The hope shatters which Ahana never desired to, and a trail of its evidence followed down her cheeks.

"But we are checking all the CCTV cameras in the area. We'll find something." he assures, renewing hope in her.

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The Payal chimes with Vaani's every step entering into the room decked up for the suhagraat (first night). A wave of terror reverberates through her nerves at the mere sight interlaced with hatred. The vast luxurious room indeed blossomed with fragrance, glowed under the embrace of string lights crafting it into elegance. Those garlands of flowers attached to the canopy ornamenting with the roses and lights cause only immense annoyance to Vaani.

A broken vaani jerks the dupatta off her head and flings it to the floor. The tears fly in the air with her hair flying with the arrival of the breeze through the open balcony door and her pace to the bed. Vaani rips off the garlands attached to the canopy consumed in rage. little did she stop until all had fallen to the marble glossy floor, as if her frustration, the anger was making a trail to omit itself out but a fear remained: How will she protect herself from Shaurya?

In the devastation's veil, Vaani drops to her knees and her fingers grip the rose fallen on the floor. Lifting it, her teary eyes weep with a tinge of scowl as Vaani harshly crushing it into petals lets it fall apart eventually tumbling to the floor akin to wilting of dreams. Leaning her back against the bed, ragged gasps made their way from her lips with the tears trickling down her cheeks. Not even a single sound did she let escape while crying her heart out. Even in that luxury, that decor only sadness gripped her. She lifts those long moist eyelashes watching the moon whose sight the balcony glass door lent her. Once which brought a smile to her lips today only brought pain and sorrow.

"Why can't my love be mine, even when he's right in front of me? Why has my life turned into a nightmare, where there's nothing but pain and these tears? Why is my husband a rapist... a word I'm ashamed to even say... he..."

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The sleek black sedan car drives into the mansion, halting at the parking space. Shaurya hurls the door open only to witness the fireworks decking the dark night sky, indicating every individual's presence in the garden but little was Shaurya in any mood to be scolded for his late arrival. The golden glow of the string lights that adorned the mansion reflects on him, as he strides into the mansion whose lights were dim except the string lights. The eyes travel to the clock and a sigh escapes his lips. The beaded smaller hand remains on 3 and longer on 4 of the wall clock. Even though coming home was against his wish, indeed forceful. Before his foot could even land on the first step of the grand staircase, the mere decor reminded him of his reception night forcing the fist to be clenched. He reaches to the railing and the fingers brush against the white lilies and roses under the embrace of silver light's glow. A single crush on them led the petals to tumble to the marble stair.

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"And those words written in blood..." Piya questions Gaurav.

"We have got the samples. But we need your DNA, Ahana." he demands. Ahana and Piya exchange a glance but Ahana's eyes freeze at Karan whose sight she earns through the window opening to the private corridor.

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The door swings open and the first sight Shaurya gets is of Vaani who has fallen asleep against the bed edge lending support to her head, and the alta and mehendi decked feet in contact with the cold floor. Pulling the door to be closed with the lock being fastened, Shaurya walks in and places his blazer on the couch almost ignoring Vaani who, being a light sleeper, awakens. The strong alluring perfume filled the room with its ethereal fragrance that hit her. Indeed her favorite one which she chose to gift, Arya but being expensive, it became a hurdle.

Her eyes flutter open only to find Shaurya near the table, rolling his black shirt's sleeve up. Her heart raced with the dread that ran down her spine. She gets to her feet instantly and eventually the chime of the jewelry caught Shaurya's attention, who looked at her followed by those advancing steps that forced Vaani to lower her beautiful eyes. The mere footsteps trembled her body. Gathering the courage, Vaani lifts her eyelashes and for the foremost instant her eyes meet with his fierce ones.

The tilak was still there, but the clothes he wore were black formals and the hair flick falling over his forehead made him even more attractive and desirable.

Never did the eye contact break but little did Shaurya miss the fear which crammed Vaani's eyes and the terror her body trembled in.

"What happened? Why are you so scared?" he questions stepping towards her. At that moment Vaani wished to just conceal herself from his gaze.

"No... no... That... I... I..." vaani stutters with the shivering reflecting in the tone. Her eyes remain lowered, not even daring to meet with his eyes. Every step taken closer to her rose the extent of her fear and heartbeat.

"That I? What Vaani???" he almost yells. A gasp escaped her lips when Shaurya grabs her face lifting it slightly, forcing those eyes of hers to meet with his. The tears rolled down brushing against his hand.

"Why did you drink poison?" he questions constricting his brows. His grip tightens, being sufficient for Vaani to comprehend that though Shaurya might have been quiet in front of everyone but her actions have shattered his ego profoundly. His eyes burnt in rage while hers were innocent concealing the pain beneath them.