AUTHOR'S POV
"He's cheating on you. He's cheating on you! Do you hear her? He's cheating on you!!!"
She jolted awake, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding hard against her ribs.
What a terrible nightmare!
She glanced over to see her daughter still in a deep, peaceful slumber.
Reaching up, she wiped the dampness from her forehead witht he tip of her fingers.
That unknown user had been haunting her thoughts all night.
He hadn't messaged again after last night...or had he?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, her phone pinged on the bedside table. She reached for it and hesitantly unlocked the screen.
Think of the devil and there he was.
Unknown User: Good morning, mademoiselle. How's Dehradun treating you?
Her body went cold as she read the text. How did he know where was she?
Who was this person?
Her: What do you want?
Unknown User: Straight to the point. I like it. ; )
A shiver ran down her spine.
Her: Answer the question. What do you want?
Unknown User: I want you to take note of everything happening around you, mademoiselle. Notice your surroundings. Everything will give you hints.
Give her 'hints'? The words made her pulse quicken. She hadn't confided in anyone here except Drishye.
Her: I don't need your 'hints'.
Unknown User: Oh oh, but you do. You're in deep waters, mademoiselle. Trust me, everyone else isn't as clueless as you think. Especially, your dearest husband, Vinesh.
Her grip on the phone tightened as a mix of anger and fear surged through her. How did this stranger know so much- about her husband, about where was she?
Her: Who are you? How do you know about my husband? What do you want?!?!
Unknown User: For now, know that I'm your well- wisher. Enjoy a warm breakfast!
She took a shaky breath. Her mind raced. She had no idea who this person was but one thing was clear- he knew far more than he should.
Unknown User: Take every hint- good or bad. And if you're smart, you'll listen to me.
She stared at the screen, feeling a heap of dread course through her. Why would this stranger want to give her hints? Hints about what, exactly?
Everything was moving way too fast...She had only learnt about Vinesh's treachery just yesterday and now here she was, staying under another man's roof. It felt like she was being pulled along without a moment to breathe, to think.
Another notification pierce through her thoughts.
Unknown User: And yes, take off those wedding bangles.
Her eyes fell to her wrists, where the red and golden bangles glimmered under the dim morning light. Anger flared up in her chest and immediately, she reached up to yank them off. However, something strike her mind and she halted her actions.
How did he know I was still wearing them? And why should I obey him, some nameless, faceless stranger?
She clenched her fists, feeling the cool metal dig into her skin. The unknown user may have been right about a few things but he wasn't going to dictate how she handled everything.
I pushed thoughts of him to the back of her mind and stepped down from the cozy bed, craving a warm and relaxing bath. But, to be honest, he was still lingering there at the corners of her thoughts.
Inside the bathroom, she slipped out of her clothes, letting them pool at her feet. The chill of the tiles made her shiver slightly. Her gaze fell to the large mirror in front of her, meeting her own eyes.
Why'd he cheat?
Her eyes ran all over her body through the glass. Her big breasts, too saggy- no longer perky and tight like young women. Bumpy belly with the little of the lower part hanging, cladded with so many stretch marks that bore motherhood once. A way too broad waist line with a hip dip making her look nothing less than a gas cylinder. The way her thick thighs pressed together, dotted with slight baby hairs catching the sparse light escaping from the small bathroom window. She turned slightly, letting her eyes trace over her unshapely, untoned buttocks.
She heaved a sigh.
May be she's more beautiful, with better feathers- a slim figure, beautiful breasts and buttocks, slender waist...I saw her in the video...she had beautiful hair...her face too...just like a model.
She stepped closer to the mirror, leaning in until every line and flaw of her face was painfully clear. Uneven eyebrows, acne scares...her thread like thin hair which once used to be long and thick until she lost all of it during pregnancy. Her middle partition was wider like an empty highway road.
She watched here eyes redden and slowing collect water at the edges.
She couldn't look at herself anymore. I turned around to walk back to the shower. Turning away, she stepped under the shower, twisting the handle until warm water graced down her body leaving a salty taste on her lips. She was sobbing.
And she was sobbing harder than yesterday. Harder than an year ago when she was denied a visit to her parental house because her Vinesh's cousins were coming over. Harder than five years ago when she was denied a small nursery at the backyard of her in- law's bungalow to practice planting. Harder than ten years ago when she didn't want to leave for Lucknow.
Her heart ached like it could no longer beat anymore. What hadn't she done for him? For his family? She left behind her career, the teaching job she loved because he wanted her to move to Lucknow with them and help his mother with household work. She never hid anything from him- her bank accounts, her jewelry, everything she owned, she handed over willingly.
What was mine, I believed, was his too.
She didn't know how long she'd been standing under the shower, lost in her thoughts. She only realised when the temperature of the water began dropping. Hurriedly, she turned the tap off and got out of the shower, wrapping herself into a fluffy towel from the washroom cupboard.
After drying off, she slipped into a simple, light blue chiffon saree she'd brought along. With a deep breath, she headed downstairs, deciding to lend Drishye a hand with breakfast.
But as she reached the last step, she paused, taken aback. The dining table was beautifully arranged with ceramic cutleries, steam rising from a bowl of hot soup in the center. The aroma of strong spices diffused in the air creating a comforting space in the house. The sunlight shooting down the glass roof provided a golden backdrop to the rising the vapour. The complete space looked and felt so satisfying.
"Good morning, madam. Join me for a warm breakfast!"
Drishye greeted her as he set a plate of breadsticks, smothered in hot melted butter, on the table.
"Good morning, Drishye. Sorry, I'm late...I thought I'd help-"
"Queens don't apologise for taking care of themselves."
He replied without skipping a beat, giving her a wide smile.
She smiled back and quietly walked over and sat down, savoring the cozy warmth of the room that shielded her from the chills in her delicate chiffon saree. The aroma of warm soup and buttered breadsticks filled her sense, giving her a much needed serotonin boost.
"Let me serve you, madam."
Drishye offered, plating freshly baked, buttered breadsticks and pouring her a bowl of vegetable soup.
"Here. Try it and tell me if you like it."
She scooped a spoonful of the hot soup, bringing it to her lips. Closing her eyes as she sipped, she leaned back. For some seconds, she stayed like that and Drishye watched her with a calm smile.
A small while later, she straightened up and opened her eyes with a big smile.
"This is the first time in a decade I've had a proper breakfast."
Drishye's smile dropped. His face flushed, barely masking the surge of anger coursing through him.
"Did they starve you?"
He asked, struggling to hide the resentment in his voice.
She shook her head in a 'no'. Taking a bite of a breadstick and wiping the corner of her lips, she explained casually.
"I would usually have lunch directly. Never got the time to have breakfast amidst the daily chores."
He closed his eyes, swallowing down his pain with great difficulty.
I'll see to it that they starve on the bones of their own greed until arsenic tastes like the sweetest nectar to them.
Forcing a smile on his face, he opened his eyes and replied.
"Now, you'll not starve yourself, Miss Rosy." I won't ever let that happen, again.
She gave him a faint smile, not understanding the meaning behind his statement and continued eating, swinging her feet gently under the table like a child enjoying her favorite meal.
The sight warmed his heart, bringing an ache to his chest, almost cascading tears down his cheeks. He felt like he was enlightened, watching her inner child giving him a glimpse of herself.
How long had she been buried under the rock of her terrible marriage?
Brushing off his emotions, he served her more, feeling a profound, unexplainable warmth.
As he settled across her, he began.
"I've spoken to the authorities of a nearby international school. It's a good one. I've checked it thoroughly. Let's get Aahana enrolled there."
Her spoon fell to her plate and she looked up at him with wide, startled eyes.
"I know what you're thinking. A hundred things must be running through your mind. You-"
"Drishye, I don't have the money. I can't ask you to shoulder this because of my messed up marriage. I-"
"Ma'am, please-"
"We'll be here for a short while. She doesn't even know why we're here. I don't know what to do next. I-"
"Miss Rosy, liste-"
"Drishye, if she finds out, she'll b-"
"Ma'am!"
He said in a up toned voice, reaching for her hand. His firm but gentle tone tried stilled her panicked rambling.
"Calm down, ma'am. Please..."
His hands wrapped around her trembling soft and withered palms absorbing her tremours into him.
"You don't have to worry about anything. I brought you here, so it's my responsibility now. To take care of both of you. You-"
"Why're you doing this?"
He had gone over this a million times in his mind. He had expected her to ask him this question. But now, when he's facing it, he's utterly at loss of words. Silence was all he could offer.
She repeated her question, pulling away her palms. This time, more sternly.
"Why're you doing this? I hope it's not what I'm thinking, Drishye."
Her voice wavered.
He remained silent, his gaze fixed on her. With each passing moment, their pupils dilated deeper and deeper.
Suddenly, she stood, her eyes wide with realization.
"Drishye..."
Her lips trembled as she waited, on the brink of breaking down. But again, silence filled the space between them.
Anguish and something deeper, more painful swelled within her, tightening around her heart. She turned to leave, desperate to escape the intensity of the moment. But she had barely taken a step when he caught her wrist, pulling her back. In one swift movement, he twisted her forearm behind her back, pressing her close until she could feel the warmth of his breath.
"Don't run from this."
He murmured in a low, husky voice making the hair on her back stand straight.
Her chest heaved, rising and falling with each ragged breath as she stared into his intense, stormy grey eyes. A part of her knew what those eyes had witnessed and it was clear in them that they've forgotten none. A part of her knew that her soul was an absolute reflection of what she was witnessing in his eyes. She knew that if she took one more breath, one more step forward, she would be crossing a line she could never come back from. But maybe...that was exactly what she needed.
She could feel his hand loosening the grip as if she'd shatter if he held her too tightly. She pushed against him, trying to break free, even though part of her longed to stay, to give in.
After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to whisper in a trembling voice, faltering her defense she'd mustered up, struggling under his intense gaze.
"Why, Drishye?"
His gaze didn't waver. Neither did he respond. He reached up slowly, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear.
In a low, hoarse voice, muffling his emotions, he spoke.
"Because, I've waited too long to let you walk away now. Now, when you've left everything behind and come here."
"I didn't come to you by choice, Drishye..."
The harshness in her voice surprised even herself. But maybe it was the only shield she had left, the only way to suppress the dangerous, forbidden desires that simmered beneath the surface of her skin, desperate to erupt like a volcano.
His jaw clenched but he didn't waver. In a low, hoarse voice, muffling his emotions, he spoke.
"I don't care. All I care is that we met after three thousand seven hundred thirty- six days and today, on the three thousand seven hundred thirty- seventh day I'm begging you again to give me a chance to worship you and give you the eternal love you deserve."
Her mind faltered, drowning in a surge of guilt as she grasped the depth of his devotion. How deep, how unfathomably profound was his love for her?
Guilt clawed at her, twisting her insides. She'd left him, moved on, tried to create a life that ultimately collapsed. While she had been struggling to survive in a loveless marriage, convincing herself that this chapter of her life with him was over, he'd been waiting, counting the days she'd left him behind. And now, here he was, still rooted in that love, still waiting for a future with her- a future she had almost forgotten existed.
Or maybe a future that fell too forbidden to be dreamt about? Her conscience mocked.
His hand slid up, cupping her cheek, thumb brushing away a stray tear she hadn't realized she'd shed.
"Drishye..."
Her voice cracked, choking her with emotions which were tied for a decennary.
He shook his head, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"You don't have to punish yourself, love. My Rose. I'd convinced myself to live a life dedicated to you, to your existence, in your worship when you left me shattered. But when life gave me a chance, at this point, I want you to give me one chance too, Miss Rosy. Just one chance to prove my devotion for you. That's all I'm asking."
Finally, she could feel the walls that her sub- conscience had built strong over the years weaken for the first time, only waiting for her permission to demolish.
She tried to look away but he reached out, gently guiding her face back toward him.
"Don't hide your feelings. Let them surge through you. Let them make you realise what you truly want."
"But Drishye...what if I'm not able to love you back? What if the trauma of my failed marriage makes you suffer? What if I'm not able to do it all over again? What if I hurt you, again and..."
Her voice trailed off.
"Miss Rosy, you don't have to do it all over again, for I'll do everything for you. You don't have to love me at once, for I'll earn it from you. The man for whom you sacrificed your everything took you and your sacrifices for granted but the man who truly craves for your soul will never want you to sacrifice your anything in the first place. That's the difference between him and me. All I want is you to give me a chance, give my love a chance."
She had no right to his devotion, not after walking away. Yet here he was, asking her to let him in, to give him the chance he'd waited for through the passing of thousands of days.
"I don't deserve your love, Drishye. Not when I've made you go through so much. My failed marriage is my karma."
His gaze softened realising the ocean of guilt she was drowning herself into. He slid his hands up to her shoulders clutching them in an attempt to ease her up.
"All these years that I've spent in penancing to grace my life with your presence, have strengthened my belief in my devotion for you. And I would go through it all over again if it meant I'd have you standing here with me forever, Miss Rosy. Now, that you've graced my life, please let me be the one to lift you out of this darkness. Just...give me a chance."
Her lips parted to protest, but the words died in her throat. He leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes closed, as if grounding himself.
"I deserve a second chance, Miss Rosy. Don't I?"
"You do, right..."
She said in an inaudible voice looking down and for the first time ever, Drishye saw a ray of hope no matter now minute it was. He was elated.
"I do, right. Life gave me a second chance on the crossroad of our fate. Now, I want a second chance from my Goddess. You know, I'm a greedy man."
Goddess...
The word echoed in her mind, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Of course, you're greedy. You used to stress over a single mark in those little unit tests."
She replied, letting out a soft chuckle as she shook her head.
"I did, didn't I? Used to sit through those extra classes with you just for that."
He grinned, the boyish mischief in his eyes sparkling as if they'd traveled back in time.
She gave him a knowing look, flaring her nostrils.
"No, Drishye. Don't pretend it was about the extra marks. We both know that wasn't it."
A sly smile tugged at his lips.
"You're right. I did to gain extra attention from you."
He admitted, holding the gaze, scratching the back of his head.
Their eyes met and for a moment, the air between them grew still.
"Think about it, Miss Rosy. And...let me know when you're finally ready to put your guard down for me."
He whispered tenderly and she couldn't help but nod, this time feeling more content and less burdened.
He loosed his grip, tracing his arms back to his side, leaving trails of warmth on her skin which felt like a warm blanket in the winters.
She took a small step back, her gaze still on him.
"Don't try to build a snow house in a desert, Drishye. I might be the sandstorm bringing it down."
She turned, a sudden rush of emotions overwhelming her and she hurried up the stairs.
Drishye watched her retreating figure with the smile lingering at the edge of his lips.
"Visit the garden in the backyard. You'll like it."
He yelled, watching her run to her room.
"I love you so so much, Rose. This time, either you or hell."
CHHAVI'S POV
I quickly locked the door of the guest bedroom and leaned back against it, trying to catch my breath. My chest rose and fell with each heavy inhale, though the rush up the stairs wasn't the only reason for my racing heart.
Had I had the chance to go back in time, I'd have never ever married Vinesh. I'd have waited for Drishye to complete his graduation and we could've been together. But I was too worried about his career to worry about our future together.
"Ms. Chhavi Sharma, choose anyone: student, R. Drishye's rustication or your resignation?"
"I'll resign by the end of this week, sir."
"That's better."
"Please, do not let him know about this, sir."
Just then, Aahana stepped out of the washroom, a towel in hand as she dried her wet hair.
Her face reminds me of Vinesh. What if he tries to snatch her away from me?
"Good morning, Mumma."
She greeted with a sweet smile.
I forced a smile in return.
"Good morning, love."
What if she doesn't like Drishye?
"Is breakfast ready, Mumma?"
She asked in a cute baby voice.
"Yes...downstairs..."
With a cheerful wave, she bid me goodbye and skipped out of the room.
She might choose her father over me...
I stayed back, letting my thoughts churn, replaying my worries like a broken record. I forcefully pushed them away into the abyss. At this point, I'm more than tired to go through another emotional turmoil. I really need a break.
Then it crossed my mind. A quiet stroll in the backyard garden won't harm. Plants have always soothed me, acting as a calming factor.
I headed downstairs and as I reached the base of the steps, I paused. Drishye was leaning down to whisper something into Aahana's ear and she erupted in laughter, clutching her stomach. The sight tugged at something deep inside me. He noticed me and instantly, my heart resumed its erratic rhythm.
"I...I'm going to the gar- garden,"
Why the heck am I stuttering?
He simply nodded with a soft smile before turning his attention back to Aahana. She looked so happy with him and a part of me earned it terribly. Please god!
I left them alone and stepped out into the garden. As soon as I laid my feet on the neatly trimmed grass, I was awestruck. It was huge, spread over acres of land, just like a private paradise. Tall trees formed a beautiful crown- like canopy overhead, with flowering vines cascading gracefully from branches. Baskets of beautiful flowers in lilac and blue hung from the vines along with lanterns which will beautify them more as the sun descends.
The early morning light filtered through the leaves of various medicinal herbs and oak trees. I strolled further in, letting the serenity of the plants wrap around me. The cold stone pathway beneath my feet was lined with manicured bushes and charming seasonal flowers. I took the way to beautiful orchids and daisies, walking on the wet grass. As I walked, my fingers grazed the leaves and blossoms along the path.
The faint, sweet, fruity scent invaded my nostrils. I kept walking on the wet grass in search of fresh fruits hanging ripe on the trees. Dehradun has a lovely weather. It feels so much at home. So serene. I kept advancing to the next alley but my feet halted as my eyes registered the scene in front of me.
It was as if my nightmares were coming true...
Widespread was a huge garden of only and only blue flowers.
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