12. Parents

Ahana

It was already morning, and I hadn’t been able to sleep properly. I didn’t know why just like last night, I hadn’t seen Aastik ji since morning. And even now, there was no sign of him. Is he not awake yet? I wondered to myself, but soon shrugged it off.

I quietly sipped on my green tea, the warm cup cradled in my palms, while my eyes stayed fixed on the book I was trying to read in the hall. The whole house was unusually calm—too calm. It felt like that kind of peace you feel right before a storm hits.

And maybe it really was.

Because suddenly, I heard loud, hurried footsteps near the main door, followed by a sharp voice yelling,

"Aastik!!! Aastik!!! Where the hell are you!"

Their voice was so loud and sudden that it made me jump from my place, and if I hadn’t been a little more careful, the cup would’ve almost slipped from my hand.

Who would dare to bang on Mr. Devil’s door like that? I thought, my grip on the cup tightening slightly as tension slowly crept into my chest.

I stood up, carefully placing the cup on the table, and walked towards the main door. The moment I opened it, I was taken aback to see A middle-aged couple and a beautiful girl were standing right there, their faces red with anger.

For a few seconds, none of them uttered a word. They just glared at me, their expressions razor-sharp, full of judgment.

Their eyes raked over me from head to toe, slow and cold, like they were dissecting me, trying to determine who I was and what right I had to be standing there.

I swallowed hard, my fingers automatically clutching anxiously at the hem of my dupatta, trying to stay steady under their heated gaze.

"Who are you!" the beautiful girl snapped, gritting her teeth.

"I-I’m—" I tried to speak but my words stumbled.

"Aren’t you the girl who claims to be his wife?" the middle-aged woman cut in, her sharp voice which was filled with judgment.

"Y-yes... I’m his wife. Please... please come inside," I said, trying to keep my voice steady though nervousness already started settling inside me.

"Oho, so you’re that person!" she scoffed, giving me a sharp look. "What did Aastik even see in an ordinary girl like you?"

"What’s your name, girl?" she asked, eyeing me like I didn’t belong here.

"A-Ahana... My name is Ahana," I answered hesitantly, stuttering a bit under their harsh gaze.

"So Ahana," she said, crossing her arms, "what exactly is your intention with my son?"

My eyes snapped toward the woman, stunned. My heartbeat stopped for a second as the realisation hit me, this woman standing in front of me was none other than his mother.

"Where is my son?" the middle-aged woman asked, her voice a little impatient, eyes scanning the hall behind me.

"No, leave it... actually it's ok... we're here only to meet you only," the man beside her means her husband, means Aastik ji’s dad spoke, cutting her off sharply.

"How the hell did you get married to him? What tricks did you use?" he spat, his voice laced with venom, every word thrown like an accusation.

"Excuse me! I don’t know what you’re saying or why you’re saying it, but I think you should at least talk to someone politely! This is not the way to talk.....speaking so disrespectfully to someone," I said, trying hard to stay calm, though my fingers were tightly curled into fists in anger.

Why does everyone feel the need to look down on me?

"Oh really? Now I should learn how to talk from you? Just tell me how did you even got married to him?" he snapped again with eyes full of disgust.

"It’s a love marriage, Mr. Malhotra..." I replied with a steady voice.

The moment these words escaped my lips, all of them looked at each other and burst into a heavy laughter.

I stared at them, confused. Are they okay?

"So you really think Aastik would love you? Fall for you? Marry you? And we would actually believe that?" the beautiful girl said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Do you even know who I am?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her lips curled into a smug smile.

"Oh, sorry," she said, feigning innocence, her voice laced with mockery, "I forgot to introduce myself."

She took a graceful step forward, tucking a strand of her perfectly styled hair behind her ear, and then said with exaggerated sweetness,

"I'm Ishani... Ishani Roy—" she paused, letting the silence stretch a bit, her eyes scanning me from head to toe with clear disdain, "—and I'm Aastik's fiance,"

Silence and shock fell all over me at the same time.

My legs started to wobble, a strange weakness taking over as if all the strength had drained from my body.

The smile on her face, the confidence in her voice, it all played back in my head on loop. What... what did I just hear? F-fiancee?

My heart gave a slight jolt, which was enough to leave me feeling unsettled. A quiet kind of ache spread inside me. Fiancee... she said she’s his fiancee.

I looked at her and the confidence in her eyes told me she wasn’t lying. Then why did Aastik ji marry—

No… he married me for revenge, right? He had said not to expect love, not to expect anything, right? And I didn’t. I really didn’t.

But this… this new truth, it felt like history was repeating itself all over again.

Unknown to me, a single tear slipped from the corner of my eye as I kept looking at her.

"Awww… don’t cry," she said with a mock pout, tilting her head, "I mean, a man like Aastik rich, handsome he’s someone no woman could say no to."

Then she smirked deeper and whispered near my ears, "But I know Aastik doesn’t even recognise you as his wife."

And the worst part? She wasn’t wrong.

"So listen, pretty girl," she said, her voice sweet on the surface but laced with poison underneath, "I can give you however much money you want, just find someone new already." She paused deliberately, her eyes trailing down my body with a mocking look. "With this body… it’s something you know how to use to pull anyone, right?"

I clenched my hands at my sides, trying to stay still, trying not to react.

"Listen, Ahana," his mother spoke up, her voice calm but cold, "Ishani and Aastik will be getting married. I understand you didn’t know, so I’m giving you a last warning for your own good, leave Aastik. It’ll be better for you."

"We’ll be going now," his father said, final and dismissive. "Remember what we said."

With that, all of them turned around and walked out. The sound of their footsteps slowly faded, and once they were gone, once I was completely alone I couldn’t hold myself together anymore.

I dropped to my knees, as if my body had given up too. "Aastik ji…" I whispered tracing my hand on the mangalsutra.

"Q kiya aapne aisa… mujhe laga ki… ki aap sirf ye shaadi ka TAG hi revenge bol rahe the… but aapne to…" My voice broke before I could finish. The words choked in my throat, it was too painful to speak.

("Why did you do this… I thought… I thought you were calling this marriage just a tag for revenge… but you actually…")

I clutched my leg tightly, curling into myself, and did the only thing I could do at that moment.

I cried.

I sat on the sofa, and laid there wrapping my arms around my body in a butterfly hug. The moment my palms touched my shoulders, the dam broke. I couldn’t stop the tears anymore.

"I-it’s okay A-ahana… shant… shant… your soul is here with you… shant… kuch nhi hua hai… shant…" I kept mumbling under my breath, rocking back and forth gently, trying to hold myself together. My voice shook with every word, barely audible between sobs.

But no matter how much I tried to calm myself, his memories started flooding in his eyes, his touch, his quiet whispers. I could feel it all again like he was still here. I tried to push them away, to block them out, but they kept creeping in like shadows. It felt like I was fighting against my own mind, like I was playing a twisted game with my own brain.

Aastik

I got so engrossed in managing those reports yesterday that I lost all track of time. By the time I wrapped up, it was too late to return home.

Did she wait for me last night? The thought flickered in my mind, but I pushed it away just as quickly. There was no point dwelling on it.

About half an hour later, I arrived. The guards opened the gates as usual. I stepped out of the car, handed over the keys without a word, and made my way inside, loosening my tie and unfastening the collar of my shirt.

The door was wide open. " Yeh ladki kabhi kuch theek se nahi kar sakti kya…" I muttered under my breath, irritation rising at her carelessness.

("Can this girl ever do anything properly?")

But the moment I stepped in, my eyes caught sight of her. She was lying on the sofa, with her face hidden.

"Did she fall asleep?" I murmured, confused.

I threw my tie and coat to the side and walked over to her. "Sweetheart, this is not the place for you to sleep," I said softly.

But there was no response from her side.

I sighed and crouched down beside her, but what I heard next left me still.

Her silent sobs.

She's crying.

My chest tightened in panic,  "Sweetheart… sweetheart, look at me. Dekho meri taraf… kya hua hai?" I asked in urgency but she was not responding to my calls.

(Look at me...what happened huh?)

Left with no choice, I gently took hold of her shoulders and made her sit up.

And when I saw her face…

Her eyes were swollen, bloodshot, and glistening with tears. Her cheeks were streaked, and strands of hair clung to her damp skin.

That sight of her shattered expression pierced something deep inside me.

I immediately cupped her face, wiping away her tears and tucking the messy strands of hair behind her ear.

"Kya hua hai, sweetheart?" I whispered. "Mujhe batao… kisne kuch kaha? Ghar waalon ki yaad aa rahi hai?"

("What happened, sweetheart?" I whispered. "Tell me… did someone say something? Are you missing your family?")

But she still said nothing. She just clung to me, her fingers gripping my shoulders as if I was the only thing holding her together. And in that moment, her silence was louder than anything she could have said.

With every agonising minute that passed, it became increasingly excruciating to witness her so shattered, so unresponsive.

I rubbed my temples, trying to collect myself before raising my voice, "Lokesh!"

Within seconds, one of the workers hurried in from the corridor, his head slightly bowed. "koi aaya tha?" I asked, my eyes still locked on her, not able to look away from the way she trembled.

(Did someone come?)

He stayed silent, shifting nervously, eyes glued to the floor.

"I asked, koi aaya tha ki nahi, damn it!" my voice thundering through the room.

He flinched and replied with a stammering voice, "S-sir… woh… aapke parents aur Ishani madam aaye thee…"

(S-sir... um… your parents and Ishani ma’am had come…)

My pupils darkened at the mere mention of their names. A bitter rage began to simmer beneath my skin. "Kya bola unhone?" I asked in a low whisper, gritting my teeth. My eyes remained fixed on the trail of tears still fresh on her face.

(What did they say?)

"Sir… woh…" he hesitated, then slowly began recounting every venom-laced word they had thrown at her. Each sentence was cruelly built. Every second that passed as he spoke, I didn’t look at him, I kept my gaze on her. She was looking at me too with her painful eyes. But the moment certain cruel words were repeated, she looked away. Her eyes shimmered again, dangerously close to breaking.

"—That’s all, sir. After that… they left," he finished hesitantly.

I motioned him to leave with a sharp flick of my hand.

Then I reached out, took her trembling hands into mine, and held them firmly. She looked at me with a confused gaze.

"Chalo," I said, with an ice cold voice.

(Let's Go)

"K-kahan?" she whispered.

(W-where?)

"I don’t like questions, sweetheart. Chalo bola hai to chalo," I replied

(I said let’s go, so let’s go)

They crossed a line they never should have. They broke something sacred, something pure. Each one of them will answer for it. Every tear that escaped her eyes, every silent sob that tore through her body, sab ka hisaab lia jaayega. Aaj. Aur abhi.

Ahana

I don’t know where he is taking me, why is he taking me, not that I could ask. I was feeling uneasy with each passing second. He had been driving for the past half an hour, and the car was wrapped in a heavy, choking silence.

Looking at his face was of no work, there was no emotion in it, just still… like a maniquine.

What is he planning? Where is he even taking me… Is something even more terrible waiting ahead?

My overthinking started taking over me. I shut my eyes off to control these unknown evil voices and clutched the fabric of my dupatta tightly, like it would save me from something.

Then suddenly, he stopped… right in front of a bungalow.

I looked at him and my tension, my panic started rising in my chest. Unknowingly my palms became sweaty, my breath turned fast and shallow… when I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder.

I followed it slowly and saw… he was still driving. His eyes were fixed on the way but only with one hand and the other one was on my shoulder… calming me, I guess.

"Overthinking mey masters ki ho kya?" he asked suddenly, breaking the silence that was sitting heavy between us.

(Did you do masters in overthinking?)

I looked ahead, he was driving the car inside the bungalow now, the gates had already been opened.

"Matlab?" I asked, genuinely clueless, not knowing what to reply or how.

(Means?)

"Jo tum ulta sidha soch apne uss pea size brain mey ghuma rhii ho... wo thora band kro," he said, and stopped the car right in front of the porch.

(Why don’t you stop twisting and turning all those crazy thoughts in that pea-sized brain of yours for a bit?)

I turned to look at him, and this time his hazel eyes were fixed on me.

Still looking straight into my eyes, he unlocked the door with a soft click and stepped out. His movements were swift and firm. He walked to my side with long strides, opened the passenger door and extended his hand towards me.

I blinked at him, a bit confused… and shocked.

Seeing me not moving or placing my hand in his, he took the initiative, he held my hand himself, and helped me out of the car without saying a word, then started walking towards the bungalow, still holding my hand.

"Aastik ji... Please boliye na kaha le ja rahe hai aap," I asked softly while trying to walk beside him. His steps were too long, and I almost had to half-run to keep up.

(Aastik ji... please tell me, where are you taking me?)

Noticing my struggle, he slowed down a little, glanced at me from the corner of his eyes and said, "Or kuch der mey pata chal jayega."

(It will be clear in a little while.)

I didn’t fully understand the meaning behind those words, but I didn’t drag the conversation either. Something about his tone told me not to.

We both stood silently in front of the bungalow’s entrance, and then without hesitation he pushed the door open in one swift motion.

The door swung wide, revealing the people sitting inside.

My eyes widened in realisation. A chill ran down my spine.

I turned to look at him, my face plastered with horror and disbelief… but his expression didn’t waver. It was stoic, sharp. Seriousness carved into every inch of it.

I slowly looked at the people sitting in front of us and they were just as shocked as I was, their faces frozen like they never expected him to show up. First, their eyes locked onto him… and then shifted to me.

I couldn’t hold their gaze. It felt piercing, too overwhelming. I instinctively took a step closer, trying to hide myself behind his tall frame.

But no… he didn’t let me.

Instead, he gently but firmly pulled me out from behind him and made me stand beside him, under the full gaze of the room… in the light.

I looked at him immediately, my eyes pleading,

trying to convey everything I was feeling, but he just shook his head in a 'NO'

Then he looked straight ahead and spoke, "Ghar ki badi bahu pehli baar ghar aayi hai… aarti nahi utarenge aap log?"

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