Fitoor | ✓

30 | Tees

A/N - 30th chapter, who would have thought I had it in me to write so much xD  ANYWAY. guys, i have a new story idea based in India which is in the army trope. Blame it on Vicky Kaushal. Going to watch Uri, first day, first show. Amen. 

Also, I really want to express my gratitude to you all for keeping up with me even though I sometimes don't update for months altogether. Sometimes, I just write for you. No kidding. Thank you, I love you all very much. 

P.S. this chapter is dedicated to dobbylove2005 who actually went on and read other works of mine! <3 

Much love,

Aashix

30 | Tees

Maybe the Rajput family was cursed. Nothing good could prolong peacefully. If she could, Tara would runaway - a thought which constantly crossed her mind throughout her life with them. But it was different this time, now, all limits were being crossed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, in fact, she was sure no one could.

"You destroyed our lives, what rights do you have to live happily?" The old man, a stranger to everyone but Lekh and Indira asked her husband. He shook Lekh and wailed. Tara looked at Indira from the corner of her eyes, her guilty eyes. She could see it, she knew whatever was happening was wrong. Lekh hadn't destroyed this old man's life, Indira had and Lekh was carrying its burden. Or he was forced to.

Ramya held Tara's hands, "are you okay?" She whispered.

Tara shook her head. She was too focused on what was happening in front of her. She could feel Ramya's worrisome gaze on her. But right now she didn't care. All she cared about what was what was happening in front of her right now.

Lekh stood silently, not stopping the old man from posing all those allegations. He just stood there, not saying anything, not showing a speck of emotion. Just letting the old man stamp over him in front of everyone. Suddenly, the man turned to Tara.

"Child, do you know what you are getting your into? They are monsters, they will kill you." He cried, his emotions we so real that Tara took a step back, shaken. And it was then that Indira intervened.

"Stop this nonsense." She shouted. Ranjan came and stood next to her. He was there, present, scrutinising everything with his eyes and Tara knew he would snap any moment now.

The old man turned to Indira, walked to her and looked her straight into the eye filled with fire and rage. The wedding was over, they stood in the hall of the Rajput house. The guests were gone, only the family remained including the extended ones. He had come storming towards the end of the wedding looking for Lekh. Sensing disturbance, some of Lekh's cousins had taken him into the house away from the wedding ceremony. The old man was tough, fighting and creating a scene even in the house.

Soon when the wedding ceremony was finished, all the family members came into the house and the drama began in its peak intensity. No one had a clue of who this man was except Lekh and Indira. Even Ranjan was lost now. It would have been one thing if he knew what the situation was, he would have thrown this stranger out it seconds. But he didn't know what was going on, and he wanted to know. Lekh was a closed book and he was anything but fond of his younger son. It was a shame they had lost Kartavya. Ranjan had always hoped that once Kartavya retired from his service in the army, he would take over the family business. Lekh was a pain to have around, he wouldn't talk nor would he take interest in the business. He was a robot, doing what was told to, not using his own brain. Ranjan was okay with letting Lekh go off on his own to wherever he wanted to do whatever he wanted. But his wife wouldn't have it nor would it look good in the society. Besides, now that he had only one son left, he couldn't afford to have him wander off. There were too many people who wanted that business away from them.

"You are a cruel woman with no humanity." The old man's harsh words to Indira hit everyone. "You destroyed my family's life, you broke us." He wailed.

"I did no such thing." Indira replied angrily.

"Liar! You and your son are demons. You are privileged people who can't respect people's emotions or relationships!"

Ranjan took a step forward, "Who are you and what are you saying?" His voice was calm but hoarse and scary in a way that even the old man, who was completely driven by his emotions took a pause before speaking again.

"Your son ruined my daughter's life and your wife killed her. How can I let someone else's life get destroyed by the hands of such Devils."

Tara's head snapped towards Indira. She didn't understand what was happening and it was taking a toll on her. Her eyes became watery and her stomach started hurting. She was exhausted after the wedding as it is, she needed to lay down. She couldn't handle this. But she wasn't the only one shocked beyond belief, everyone was looking at Indira. Except Lekh, who couldn't even take his eyes off the ground. Guilt showed on his face but Tara knew it wasn't him, she knew he had not done anything wrong. At least not deliberately. She wanted to go and stand by him, ask him what was going on.

She turned to Arti, who's eyes were fixated on her mother.

"Arti." She whispered.

It took a few seconds for Arti to react.

"Yes? Are you okay?" She replied, distracted. Unbothered even. She was drained and she knew her mother was every shade of evil but she still couldn't believe what she was hearing. Could her mother murder someone?

Tara touched her shoulders, "please go to Lekh." She begged Arti and it was then that she had her fullest attention. Arti turned to see Lekh. Her brother stood their like a lifeless person. She knew everyone knew it wasn't him, if anything had happened at all it would be because of Indira.

She nodded at Tara and went to stand next to Lekh. Pankhuri on the other came and supported Tara to stand. No one uttered a word, it was a long silence broken by the old man himself.

"Why don't you answer now?" He roared at Indira. His eyes crying and his body shaking his seventh year old body unable to bear the burden on his heart.

"I did not do anything." Indira replied sternly and then turned to her husband. "We have so many enemies, he must be a ploy by our rivals to spoil this day for us." She told him. Her eyes fierce, not showing even a speck of guilt which was very much unlike Lekh. He still hadn't looked up and Tara couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She pitied him actually. She pitied the fact that he took birth in this house to a mother who was the cause of his ruin. Tara never really felt sorry for anyone, not even for herself and she had never imagined that one day she'll feel sorry for her own husband.

This just proved really, that you could have a big house, great interact and all the luxury in the world, but it would never guarantee happiness. Lekh had everything in materialistic terms but he was the poorest person in terms of peace of mind and happiness and most of it wasn't even his fault.

The old man rattled on curses at Indira and Lekh until it was finally enough for Ranjan and then he finally snapped.

"Stop." One word, a very strong voice and a deathly glare. The old man stopped, the relatives stopped murmuring, Indira was left speechless and Lekh finally looked up.

Ranjan turned to Lekh, "What happened?" He asked him firmly.

It took Lekh a while to finally answer, he felt he had lost his voice and when he did speak, his voice was hoarse and broken. Just like him.

"I did it. I ruined his daughter."