Atonement | ✓

Chapter 3

"What is still left?"

Her voice was emotionless. Her face written with apathy.

He simply stared at her. Was this the same Anika? The one whose glimpse he longed to see at times. One whose presence laft him in a daze. One he was drawn to magically. 

Yes she was the one and the only one he had wronged so awfully. 

"Anika, I.. I want to take you back home."

"Why? Are there insults left unhurled? Taunts unsaid? Torture not acted upon?"

His guilt squeezed his heart as she said that. Today when he saw himself from her eyes, e felt disgusted at himself.

"No. There are apologies unmade, there is remorse left and repentance not made. Anika, I am sorry for what I did. I want to correct things. I want to.."

"Correct things? Can you? How?" She asked narrowing her eyes at him. Her anger evident. "Can you clear the dirt you ruthlessly smeared on my character? Can you put back the broken pieces of my self respect? Can you , can you make people look at me the way they did before - as a self made girl of high morals? No Mr.Oberoi you can't! "

He tried holding her hands but she pulled her hand away . "Anika.." His voice heavy and eyes moist, he tried. Never had anything been so hard for him. This was walking through hell, burning hot. There were flames of guilt and fire of dismay. This was not how it was supposed to be. This wasn't how things should have between them. 

"I cant turn back time. But I m willing to walk with you, fight those battles that come your way because of me, I am ready to take all those poisonous arrows on myself and be your shield. I am willing Anika. I want to drive away the clouds of pain and fight the rains of despair that wish to get to you. Please Anika, come back."

"With what right Shivaay? You think I am so weak?"

"No Anika you aren't weak. But, that's what I deserve. With right of Shivaay Singh Oberoi's wife."

She laughed. Her laughs weren't like before. They were not lively as they used to be. They seemed to be hollow, mechanical and that made one shudder. She seemed to be possessed. Possessed with mad rage. 

"Wife? Which wife? Who wife?"

"Anika!" He gasped as she splattered out of her mouth.

"Tell me Mr.Oberoi. "

"You are my wife Anika."

She laughed again."When did that happen? Do you have any proof? "

"Anika!" He was flabbergasted. What had happened to this woman? A little part of him whispered to him, this was his doing.

"Stop this. I know, what I did, I did wrong. But. I am want to accept you, I have!"

She looked at him painfully. "I am not your wife and will never be!" 

His heart twisted at that. "Please. Anika. Stop this. We both know the truth. Everyone at home knows it. Let's start from the beginning, this time with right things the right ways. "

"So easy to say that isn't it? You weren't the one crying that day Shivaay, you weren't the one whose dreams were shattered I was.  You were the one who was mercilessly standing and flouting humanity. Go away. Never come back!" She said turning.

He wasn't going to put up with this. She was his freaking wife. Wife he had taken 'pheras' with considering fire as 'sakshi' , witness. Wife he had put the 'mangalsutra' , the nupital chain on. Wife on whose 'maang', partition beginning at the forehead he had put the 'sindoor',  on. 

He held her hand and made her turn to him. Closer to her, than before, very close. "Enough. Your anger is justified. Your rejection is understandable. But, Anika. Why do we deserve this? Wasn't it you who said that my heart will never forget it ? It didn't Anika. It can never forget. So will yours. So stop this and come back. I will take whatever punishment you give, but won't let you go. You are my wife. My heart has accepted you."

She jerked her hand out of his hold. She clapped. "Nice dialogue. Mr. Oberoi. Leave. I have nothing to do with you!"

"You do Anika! For hurting me don't hurt yourself. I know what this marriage means to you."

"It means Nothing!" 

"Lie!"

"There was never a marriage. No witness. No proof. You are clearly wasting your time, and mine too."

He was hurt. "There is proof. The 'mangalsutra' you still wear around your neck is the proof, the 'sindoor' you fill your 'maang' with is the proof." He said pointing at her. 

She turned to him so that he had a better view. She shifted her duppata slightly. There was no necklace in her neck. "There is nothing!"

With wide eyes he noticed the absence of the nuptial chain around her neck and the scared vermilion on her forehead. 

She waled to the door and opened it. Gauri stood immediately concerned.

"Leave." She said looking at nothing in particular.

He had never been insulted in a manner such as this. But he wasn't angry. He was in anguish after being served with his own venom. 

"I will wait until you come." Saying that he walks dout of their little home and stood outside.

She shut the doors and then windows. Not any longer. She wouldn't let his shadow also come in her sight.

Moments pass, tears dry, but pain ?

It stays.

••••••••••••••••••

-Anami!