Samjhota [The Compromise]

19: The First Night IV

" Shaurya..." her voice shivers and hand attempts to get rid of the grip but it being strong fails her every try.

"This... this marriage was forced. I didn't want to marry. I want to study ahead, Shaurya." his expressions clear up with the grip losing touch while Vaani catches her breath, closing those eyes releasing the tears bearing the pain.

"This marriage won't affect your studies. You'll live the same way as you did before the marriage." Shaurya assures her lending momentarily relief to Vaani whose eyes still were flooded with tears which looked at Shaurya. Her fingers brushed away the tears in a shot, and the courage spoke infused with anger.

"Really??! Can I really live life on my own terms?! Can I do whatever I want?! Can I go wherever I want?! Can I meet whoever I want?!" her wrath unleashed unaware of the courage's origin but a determination was within to question him how wrong he was, eventually confronting him.

"Yes, you can do whatever you want, go wherever you wish. No one will stop you." Shaurya responds in the calmest tone looking into her fuming eyes.

" LIEEE!!!" She thought within, and to prove the mere point and to earn his hatred so that never at any moment he desires her, her mind gears up for those utterances.

"Do I have the right to love someone else?" At the mere voiced words, his brows constrict and the fist that clenched told the tale of the control he did.

"Can I be someone else's? Tell me, Shaurya!! do I have the right to love someone else,to go close to someone else, touch someone else, to slee..." before the final word can be said, Shaurya grabs her arm with a jerk pulling her closer. A jolt strikes Vaani akin to lightning. Though Vaani felt fearful yet concealed it. The action was sufficient to shut her mouth. His glare portrayed Vaani she indeed had crossed the limit but she wishes him to hate her to the extent of never coming close to her.

"What nonsense are you saying?" He yells.

"Exactly what you heard, Shaurya."

Not being someone who would bear such words from his wife Shaurya's grip tightens.

"You are married now!!! And going to someone else is out of the question, you don't have any right to love anyone else!!! Do you understand?!!!" Shaurya yells, leaving her with a jerk followed by a sharp turn having his back towards Vaani who refused to cease whose only intention was to provoke him to the extent of extreme hatred.

"So everything you just said was a lie!!!! My life will never be the same again (her voice, filled with pain, breaks, but she continues) I am like a prisoner, bound in this forced marriage!!! I'll have to live my entire life in one room, with a rapist, a killer!!!!" Shaurya clenches his jaw, the soft white lights glowed over the scowl emerging on his handsome face.

"Someone who didn't respect his own wife's sister, how will he respect me!!!! Someone who took away the right to live from an innocent person, how will he give me any rights, how will he give me freedom? I feel ashamed to even call you my husband. a rapist..." before she can proceed with the blustering of words, Shaurya turns sharply and grabs her face. His gaze piercing through her, the grip tightens bringing mere pain to her whose lips part in a gasp.

" won't say further????" He questions her, gripping her hand, jerking to her back with a strong tug to her body bringing her closer to him. The tears streamed down akin to a river but what caught his sight was the blood oozing from the corner of her lips which was a clear display of an old bruise that surfaced.

"This is an old one!" He says in a low tone interlaced with astonishment. His fingers loose their grip eventually growing distance from her. Never did Vaani want Shaurya to discover her wounds. She sniffles sobbing in silence. Only one desire ruled her heart to run away from him, from this wedding, from everything that bounds her.

"Take off your makeup." Shaurya demands, stepping away from her. Seriousness shadowing over his face.

" NO!" vaani refuses bluntly glaring into his eyes echoing courage.

"Take off your makeup right now." His high pitched voice echoes, causing Vaani to jump.

Taking hold of the quivering, Vaani dashes to the dressing table and her shaking hands, though struggle yet grip the bottle but before she can even hand it over to Shaurya, he snatches it and in a shot the liquid pours onto the cotton. Brushing it against her face, Shaurya finds the bruises and wounds painting her face. His eyes traveled to her arms which carried the faded marks of the belt. Vaani had her gazes lowered. The fear which gripped her trembled her body yet not a single word did leave her lips.

Her eyes squeeze with a jolt the moment Shaurya yanks her dupatta that resided on her shoulder, draped around her. The red dupatta declines to the floor and the revelation knocks Shaurya with the unconcealed belt marks on her.

Some wounds are visible, while others remain trapped within the walls of the heart.

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