Drafts Of Her Heartbeat

Determined Decisions

Standing in his office's balcony, looking over tall buildings and official area, Dhruv looked over what he had achieved in past two years. Building a life, fixing broken relations, emerging as Dhruv Khaitan, he somewhere lost Dhruval- a son, a child, a human being. Staying in the States, he did everything in his power to suppress the Dhruval, son of Khaitan's, anger towards his father made him transform himself into something he even himself never recognized. The young mind was unaware of his father's condition, his obligations to send away his only son, all he got was his mother had left him and his father abandoned him. Rage is always disastrous, making you blind, going down the road of destruction. The same had happened with him.
In sixteen years he never listened to anyone, created a drift between himself and his father, one who was completely disappointed in him. The only person he would soften to was his governess Bharti. His father had blackmailed him into marrying Arohi. He tried threatening her to back out over a call, but that girl was a stubborn-head. Finally they had been tied down in over a period of month. Unable to get out or vent his anger on his father, he turned his rage towards the innocent unarmed should, also called his wife, Arohi.
Every lash he whipped on her, she took smilingly. Never retorted, never questioned, only advised him about his welfare. No matter what he said all his chores were timely completed by her, his food always waiting with his wife on table, no matter how late he came back. The only thing he guess he did right was never touched her body against her will, he never tried to consummate their marriage, maybe it was because of the whores he always paraded with, or the purity and innocence in her eyes that stopped her from violating her any further. Now going back in time, he remembers the way her little hurtful eyes always looked at him, happiness was long gone, now replaced with sorrow.
It wasn't that nobody warned him, Beji and Aviral both warned him of his misdeeds, and that he would regret and suffer the consequences, and now he was. It has been fifteen long days since the encounter with his father and Beji. Both of them highly disappointed and angry at him and now were giving him silent treatment. Aviral was all-together another case now, he was suddenly obsessed with Rebel Angels team, pointing out pictures of the team members on various social media profiles. But something that stood out for him was that Arohi did not had any social media account. Well it was acceptable as she had to keep herself a secret. But for how long? Had she been hidding herself from them all her life? Would she have re-married in future? Maybe to someone she loved, someone who deserved her. But they had not taken a divorce so she surely can't do that! Would have she applied for a divorce in future? Will she apply for one now? Now that she has been located, and she has enough proof to prove in court how badly did he treat her in the past. He was sure that Yash and Beji would surely have been with her and given statement against him, if she applied for one. His chain of thoughts were broken by Aviral's words.
"Such a great couple they are! What do you think can be an ideal ship name for them? Abhirohi? Arhimanyu? Aryu? Abrohi?" He was thinking a loud.
"What rubbish are you muttering Avir? And what is this ship-name?" Dhruv asked.
"Oo ship-name? You forgot like this is in the trend now bro! Merging the name of a couple together, weaving them into one name?" He explained.
"And who is this couple about whom you are thinking so hard?" Dhruv asked.
"Oo.... That. I was thinking about a ship-name for Abhimanyu and Arohi. I mean look how happy they look! Just like a perfect couple. Infact his social media accounts is filled with their pictures. I was just going through them." Aviral said. Immediately his cell phone was in hand of Dhruv. Scrolling through the posts he could actually see the two together in almost all photographs, whether they were group or just of duo. Many selfies and many poses, it looked like a perfect page of a couple. He felt his hands burning while scrolling through the posts.
"No this cannot happen. They are just friends, just friends." It was a statement more to convince himself than Aviral.
"Yes they are, but you know like everyone says friendship is the base of a strong love, and they have been friends for so long. Thinking of it in that way I could see how comfortable she is with him or how he is protective of her. And surely Arohi is beautiful enough to attract any boy. I mean even I would grab a chance to marry her and make her mine."
"AVIRAL" His collar was in Dhruv's hands. "Don't you forget you are my assistant and the girl you are talking about is my wife. Friend or not, don't you dare look at her." His anger seething in his eyes.
"Exactly I will not grab the chance as I am your friend, but what about other bachelors out there. I mean the foreign boys looked quite smitten with her beauty and nature. You never know who sweeps her off her feet. And just a friendly reminder, she Was your wife. Remember, you didn't left any stone unturned in making her life miserable and ensuring her that you have no interest in her. Infact you had told her that for you she is not your wife, neither on papers nor in reality. So what makes you think that you can claim rights on her? Let alone the past, today, in present also when you found her, instead of apologizing and asking for a second chance, you cursed her infront of uncle. You didn't show any concerns or happiness on finding she is alive. So it is natural she won't stay a spinster life ling, she will find a suitable man for her, atleast her parents, Yash Uncle and Beji will want and force her in time, to find one, get settled with the right man." The venomous truth from his friend's mouth was like the final hit on a burning iron. Finally, Dhruval woke up and gained his consciousness.
He had everything in his hands, always, maybe it was why he never valued the near and dear ones. His own rage made him destroy his happiness. He knew whatever Aviral said was nothing but the truth. Arohi had it in her to attract any man she wants, and he had seen it with his own eyes, how she was center of attention on inauguration night, not only for her bio but also for her appearance. He had made mistakes in past, but can he do anything other than to repent, anything to mend his broken married life.
"But what can I do now? It's too late Avir" he said sinking down in his chair, remensing his past mistakes.
"It's never too late Dhruv. She has still not applied for divorce, she has not called off the marriage. This says something, doesn't it? You know she has always been the one to value Indian traditions. Won't she forgive you if you ask truely for it, for once? Keep your hand on your heart and say you never felt something for her?" Aviral said.
Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind flow back to those days, when his newly-wed bride had entered his life. Her live, care, kindness, everything was enthralling always catching his eyes, but he made a point to over-look them because of his anger. Today he realised she had always loved him, even without saying. Her deeds showed that she did. There was no denying that he also felt pull towards her, a pull which can be named today as budding love. He wanted her back, no scratch that he needed her back, inorder to make his life living a worth one. With new found determination, he picked his cell and dialled a number, "Hello Vidyut sir?"