Long Shadows of Old Sins

Chapter 34

                                                "Lunch!!!", Shaurya announced when he entered the room in which Mehek was kept. She had thrown a fit when she woke up to find being tricked. Shaurya knew it was in vain to calm her so he let her run around looking to escape. He had taken her to one of his holiday homes. It was situated at a quiet place away from hustle and amidst beauty of nature.

It didn't take much longer for Mehek to know that he had trapped her tactfully. She blasted him with bitter words and demanded to be taken back. He stood silently taking in her anger. Finally Mehek got tired and retreated back to the room where she had spent last night. It wasn't until afternoon when Shaurya decided to barge into her solitude.

"Have some food, Mehek. You need energy to fight with me", Shaurya humoured but she turned away. "Mehek, please", he plead her. "How could you lie about Drishti's condition? Don't you have a heart?", Mehek lashed at him. "I am really sorry about it. But trust me Drishti would have been deeply affected if you got arrested", Shaurya tried to reason. "That's why I pushed her away from me", Mehek bit down a sob, "it will be easier for her to hate me when she knows that I had killed her father". "You didn't do it intentionally", Shaurya tried to console her.

In blink of an eye, Mehek's emotions shifted. She pushed him away, "go away and save your pity", she shivered in anger, "I don't need you. I need none. Just let me go". "Mehek, please relax. Let's sit and talk", he tried to coax her. "Oh! Now you want to talk", she mocked him, "when I wanted to tell you everything, you never listened", tears made way through her cheeks, "Guess what Mr Ahlawat! Today, I refuse to talk". Mehek sat adamantly with an angry pout.

In any other situation, her posture would have appeared cute. But he was pained by her status and also her words. He deserved it. Mehek tried several times to clear her side, infact she once blurted out that she was taken away by force. It had shocked him but he believed others rather than her. Her words made him investigate about Rishabh but he never gave her a chance. He mocked his love which was shallow enough not to trust her. But fate was merciful to bestow him with another chance to make amends and win back all that was taken away from him, from them . And he will not give up this time.

"Fine. Don't talk. But you can eat, don't you?", he coaxed her to eat and softly pushed the plate forward to her. She just stared at it and then looked at him with contempt so he requested her, "Please don't be angry on food". She smirked, "I know the value of food, Mr Ahlawat. Unlike you, I have starved and craved for a morsel of food many a times". 

Shaurya looked away to hide his tears, "I know, Mehek", he whispered softly so that she wouldn't listen. Then he turned to her and keeping his visage pleasant, "Then I hope you won't disrespect food". Mehek gave up, pulled the plate to her lap and ate from it. She was really hungry and the food tasted good. He stood watching her eat. For a moment, he recalled the visuals he had seen with Vivaan. 

They had located the house where Rishabh had kept her as captive. It was located in a remote place and looked abandoned. It was in dire need of maintenance, but the security footage were still intact. Rishabh had tried to keep Mehek under his close watch. But thereby, leaving a carbon imprint of his sins and her sufferings. When Vivaan and Shaurya decided to go through the recordings, they were never prepared to the witness Rishabh's atrocities. 

Rishabh had tied up Mehek like a cattle and kept her locked in dingy basement. She was tortured, threatened and starved. After few minutes, Vivaan gave up as he was unable to watch further. It was difficult to for Shaurya too to witness Mehek's suffering but he had watched it all. He owed it to Mehek. He deserved to be hurt and broken by her agony. 

It became crystal clear that Mehek never betrayed him not even under immense duress. She didn't give into Rishabh's demands and repeatedly face his wrath. In those videos, the only solace for Mehek appeared to be a pregnant woman who was of same age as Mehek. She fed Mehek and nursed her wounds. Rishabh didn't spare even the poor woman who seemed to in last term of her pregnancy. Vivaan and Shaurya assumed that she was Kumud; Drishti's biological mother. Shaurya felt indebted to the deceased Kumud who tried her best to take care of Mehek.

"Who was Kumud?", Shaurya asked carefully once Mehek finished her meal. Suddenly Mehek looked lost but she appeared peaceful. "Drishti's mother. Like daughter, like mother. A pure soul who was treated unfairly", Mehek said sadly. Shaurya didn't ask further but Mehek went on, "Rishabh had married her or atleast that's what Kumud believed. He had filled her hairline with vermillion before an idol. An act to fool her to claim her body. He hid her once he found that she was pregnant with his child. She didn't realised it until late that she was just a toy for him", Mehek sighed, "infact for men like you and Rishabh, women are just use & throw".

"You both are the same", Mehek's anger returned with wrath. It pained him deeply that Mehek thought he was similar to Rishabh. A vile man who had kidnapped and tormented her immensely. A man who didn't care a bit about his pregnant wife or their unborn child. "Mehek, please don't say that". "Why can't I? Rishabh used me for his selfishness. And you used me to get your revenge. I was stupid to trust Rishabh and then later to have faith on you", Mehek wept and leaned on to the wall for support, "At the end, women like me & Kumud are blamed for being gullible to fall for your honey traps. We are left to pick up the pieces or to lose our will to live. We die alone with none beside".

Shaurya quickly rushed to her side when she was falling down. He held her closer, fearing he will lose her. "I promise never to leave your side, ever again. You have me, Mehek", he tried his best to convey his feelings. Mehek was too tired to fight. Moreover, she craved for the comfort of his arms. She felt pathetic about herself to sought comfort from her culprit. She vent her anger on him. "Haven't you fu*ked me enough? When will it be enough for your lust to cease?", her words pierced him but he didn't waver.

She held to his collar and sneered at him, "I can give you one more night. Use me till your heart's content tonight and then let me go". She was hurting him deeply but he was determined to take it all. "I don't want anything", Shaurya bit down to curb his emotions and smiled at her, "I promise I will never leave you, Ms Mehek Maan. Not even for the whole wide world".

Mehek looked at him carefully and asked in pure bafflement, "What kind of game plan is this, Shaurya? A new revenge strategy? But for what? Haven't I suffered enough?. Besides, what could be better that sending me to jail where I will rot & die?". He kept his palm on her mouth as soon as she uttered those words. He was alarmed to hear about death from her. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Mehek. This time I am going to fight and protect you", he promised her but Mehek gave a sad smile.Evidently, she didn't trust even a single word he told.

 "I love you, Mehek", Shaurya confessed his feelings for her. "No, you don't. Neither you nor Rishabh. Not even my father loved me. Because I am not worthy of love", with those words she fainted in his arms.