Devyani drank alcohol
? Membership Plans ?
(Please vote and comment it's a request)
The car shot out of the driveway like a storm unchained.
Gravel scattered under the force of the tires, the sharp screech slicing through the otherwise quiet afternoon. Within seconds, the mansion was nothing more than a fading silhouette in the rearview mirror.
Inside the car, RIVAN sat rigid.
Too rigid.
His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that the leather strained beneath his fingers, knuckles pale, veins visible. The engine's low growl filled the silence, but it wasn't louder than the chaos inside him.
His mind was not on the road.
It was still back there.
On the balcony.
On her.
Her tear-filled eyes.
Her trembling voice.
The way she had flinched.
That one moment replayed again and again, louder each time, sharper, more unforgiving.
What have I done?
The question didn't come softly.
It hit him.
Like a collision he couldn't avoid.
His jaw tightened, breath uneven as he accelerated further, as if speed could outrun the guilt chasing him.
But it couldn't.
Because the real storm wasn't behind him.
It was within him.
.
.
.
.
The balcony stood silent under the fading light of evening, the sky melting into hues of orange and purple as the sun slowly surrendered to the night.
And in the middle of that quiet, Devyani broke.
She stood near the railing, fragile and unmoving, as the cool breeze brushed against her like an indifferent witness.
It tangled through her disheveled hair, lifting soft strands across her tear-streaked face, carrying with it the faint scent of jasmine from the garden below. A scent that should have been soothing.
But nothing reached her.
Nothing touched her.
Because she was too far gone in her own storm.
Tears didn't fall from her eyes anymore.
They poured.
Endless.
Relentless.
As if her heart had found a way to bleed without wounds.
Her cheeks burned a deep, painful red, her skin raw from constant wiping that never really helped. Her nose had turned pink and swollen, her lips trembling, bitten over and over in a desperate attempt to stay quiet.
But she couldn't.
The sobs came anyway.
Loud.
Broken.
Shaking her entire body with every breath she tried to take.
Hiccups interrupted her cries mercilessly, each one jerking through her chest, making it harder to breathe, harder to think, harder to exist.
She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, fingers digging into her own arms as if she could hold herself together.
But inside...
She was already falling apart.
He hates me.
The thought didn't come softly.
It echoed.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Louder each time.
Stronger.
Crueler.
"I'm a burden..." she whispered to no one, her voice cracking under the weight of her own belief.
Always messing things up.
Always too childish.
Always wrong.
Her mind dragged her deeper, refusing to stop, refusing to let her breathe.
Reyu...
Her heart twisted at the name.
The way he looked at her.
The way he held her.
Those small moments that once felt like love...
Now felt like illusions.
Fake.
Unreal.
If he loved me... why didn't he say it...
The question burned.
Unanswered.
Unbearable.
Her chest tightened painfully.
The marriage...
A mistake.
A forced obligation.
He didn't even want it.
He was asleep during it...
The memory replayed like a cruel reminder.
He never chose me...
Tears blurred her vision completely now, the world around her dissolving into nothing but shapes and shadows.
And then...
The fear crept in.
Dark.
Ugly.
Uncontrollable.
Today he scolded...
Tomorrow...
He might hit me...
Her body trembled violently at the thought, her fingers clutching her arms tighter, as if bracing for a pain that hadn't even happened.
Everyone will get tired of me...
Everyone will see me as stupid...
As useless...
As someone who ruins everything...
Her breathing turned uneven, shallow, her chest rising and falling too fast, too heavy.
Time stopped existing.
Minutes stretched.
Then hours.
Or maybe it only felt that way.
The sun had dipped lower now, shadows growing longer, wrapping around her like silent chains.
The world moved on.
But she didn't.
She stayed there.
Standing.
Crying.
Breaking.
Alone.
Completely alone.
And for the first time since stepping into this new life...
Devyani felt something she had never truly faced before.
Not the loneliness of a locked room.
Not the silence of isolation.
But something far more terrifying.
The feeling of having someone...
And still losing them.
The door opened quietly behind her.
A soft creak.
Barely noticeable.
But Devyani didn't react.
She didn't turn.
Didn't move.
Didn't even seem to hear it.
She stood there, lost somewhere far deeper than that balcony, far beyond the reach of sound or presence. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, her sobs rising and falling in broken waves, each one heavier than the last.
Aditya stepped inside, his movements casual at first, his mind elsewhere.
Until he saw her.
And everything stopped.
His breath caught.
His steps froze mid-motion.
For a second, he just stood there, staring.
At the way she had curled into herself.
At the way her small frame shook like it couldn't hold the weight of her own emotions.
At the sound of her crying.
Not soft.
Not quiet.
But raw.
Painful.
The kind that didn't just come from the moment...
But from somewhere deeper.
Something inside him dropped.
Hard.
The word barely left his lips before he was already moving.
Fast.
Almost running.
Crossing the distance in seconds.
The closer he got, the clearer it became.
Her face.
Red.
Swollen.
Drenched in tears.
Her lips trembling uncontrollably, her breath uneven, breaking into hiccups that made her whole body jerk with every inhale.
"Hey... bhabhi... what happened? Why are you crying?" His voice softened instantly, laced with panic he couldn't hide.
But the moment she heard him...
She broke even more.
As if his presence gave her permission to fall apart completely.
Her sobs grew louder.
Harsher.
Her breathing turned chaotic, hiccups coming faster now, choking her words before they could even form.
Aditya felt it then.
That sharp, terrifying helplessness.
Like something precious was slipping through his hands and he didn't know how to stop it.
His chest tightened.
Fear rising quickly, irrational but real.
Without thinking, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Firm.
Protective.
Immediate.
One hand came up to cradle the back of her head, pressing her gently against his chest, shielding her from everything, even if it was just for a moment.
The other moved along her back, slow circles, steady and calming.
"Hey... hey... it's okay... I'm here... I'm right here..." he murmured softly, his voice lowering instinctively, like one would calm a frightened child.
She felt so small.
Too small.
Too fragile.
Like she might shatter if he held her any tighter.
And yet, she clung to him.
Her fingers fisting his shirt desperately, as if he was the only thing keeping her grounded.
Her tears soaked through the fabric instantly, warm and endless.
Aditya's jaw tightened slightly, a flicker of anger sparking deep inside him.
Not at her.
Never her.
At how broken she looked in his arms.
He swallowed it down.
Not now.
Right now, she needed comfort.
Not questions.
Not anger.
Just... someone.
"It's okay..." he whispered again, softer this time, his fingers gently running through her hair, untangling the messy strands with surprising care.
His touch slowed.
Deliberate.
Soothing.
Like he was trying to piece her back together strand by strand.
She collapsed into him.
Completely.
Her face buried into his chest, fingers clutching his shirt so tightly it wrinkled under her grip, as if letting go would make her fall apart all over again. The fabric darkened quickly, soaked with her tears, warm and relentless, carrying the weight of everything she couldn't hold inside anymore.
Her breath came in broken pieces.
Uneven.
Shaking.
"He... he scolded me..." she whispered against him, her voice muffled, trembling, barely holding together between sobs. "And said... I'm a kid..."
Each word felt like it hurt her to say.
Like she was reliving it all over again.
Aditya stilled for a second.
Just a second.
But it was enough.
"Who?" he asked quietly, though something inside him already knew. "Rivan bhaiya?"
The name didn't sit right in that moment.
Not when it was paired with her tears.
She nodded weakly against him, her grip tightening further as another hiccup escaped her lips.
The way she said it.
So simple.
So obvious.
It hit harder than any accusation.
Aditya's jaw clenched.
Tight.
A flicker of something dark passed through his eyes.
Disappointment.
Anger.
Not loud.
Not explosive.
But heavy.
Directed at someone he respected... someone who was supposed to protect her, not break her like this.
Bhai... what the hell...
The thought burned quietly inside him, but he swallowed it down instantly.
Not now.
Right now, she needed him steady.
Not reactive.
He forced his expression to soften, his hand moving gently through her hair again, slower this time, more careful.
"It's okay..." he murmured, adjusting his tone deliberately, lightening it just enough to ease her. "I know he has a bit of anger issues..."
A bit was an understatement.
But he didn't say that.
Instead, he exhaled softly and added, with a faint attempt at humor,
His hand tapped his own shoulder lightly.
A small pause.
Then, softer...
His words weren't loud.
But they carried warmth.
Protection.
A quiet promise that she wasn't alone in this.
And still...
She didn't let go.
Her fingers remained tangled in his shirt.
As if he was the only safe place she had left in that moment.
She didn't loosen her hold.
If anything, her fingers tightened more around his shirt, bunching the fabric in her fists as if it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
Without thinking, she wiped her face against it, smearing tears, breath, and brokenness into the cloth in a way that was so childlike.
.. so raw... it made something inside Aditya ache.
"It's... paining..." she whimpered, her voice cracking halfway, barely audible through the hiccups that refused to stop.
Her chest rose sharply, uneven, as she struggled to breathe through the storm inside her.
"And... he also said..." she tried again, words tumbling over each other, "he has decided something for me... and I think... I know what he decided..."
Her grip faltered for a second.
Just a second.
Then it tightened again.
"Am I that bad...?" she whispered, her voice so small it almost disappeared into him. "Haan, Adi bhaiya...? Is he bored... or... does he think I'm a burden...?"
The last word broke.
Completely.
Aditya didn't even let her finish properly.
His voice came out firm this time.
Not soft.
Not teasing.
But solid.
Certain.
His arms tightened around her instinctively, pulling her closer as if to shield her from even her own thoughts.
"You are the cutest princess of this house," he said, slower now, making sure every word reached her. "Nobody... and I mean nobody... thinks you are a burden."
But she shook her head against him.
Stubborn.
Broken.
"No... he thinks like that..." she murmured, fresh tears slipping out, soaking into his collar again.
Aditya exhaled slowly, then gently pulled back just enough to look at her.
Her face...
God.
Red.
Swollen.
Eyes puffy and glassy, lashes clumped together with tears.
She didn't even look up properly.
Just enough for him to see the pain sitting there.
Deep.
Unfiltered.
His expression softened immediately.
"Listen to me," he said quietly, his voice steady now, grounding. "Did he ever hurt you?"
She sniffed, shaking her head faintly. "Nope..."
Another small shake. "Nope..."
Her eyes widened slightly at that, even through the tears.
This time her answer came softer.
"No..."
Aditya held her gaze for a moment longer, letting those answers settle between them.
Letting her hear herself.
Letting her realize.
Then, gently, he spoke again.
"Then he doesn't hate you."
His voice dropped slightly, calm but certain.
A pause.
"Maybe more than he knows how to show right now."
His thumb brushed lightly under her eye, wiping away a tear that slipped free.
He didn't defend RIVAN.
He didn't justify him.
But he didn't let her believe a lie either.
Aditya's voice softened, gentler now, like he was trying to hold her together with just his words.
"Then he loves you..." he said quietly, his heart tightening at the sight of her fragile state. "Maybe he's just stressed about something. You shouldn't think like that..."
The words were meant to comfort.
To anchor her.
But he could see it.
Clear as day.
The doubt didn't leave her eyes.
It stayed there... lingering... heavy... refusing to fade.
Her lips trembled again, a silent protest her voice couldn't form.
Aditya swallowed the guilt rising inside him.
For his brother.
For not being there earlier.
For this entire situation.
But right now... she mattered more.
He reached up, gently wiping a tear that slipped down her cheek, his thumb careful, almost protective.
She gave a small nod.
Faint.
Unconvincing.
The pain didn't go anywhere.
It just... settled deeper.
"Can you please take me out...?" she asked softly after a moment, her voice tired, drained of energy. "I want to go outside..."
Aditya didn't hesitate.
"Yeah... sure," he replied instantly, as if he had been waiting for her to ask. "Where do you want to go?"
She shook her head slightly.
He gave her a small nod, squeezing her hand lightly.
He didn't let go of her hand.
Not even for a second.
Guiding her gently out of the balcony, through the room, into the hallway.
Her fingers were cold.
Trembling.
Weak in his grasp.
But she followed him.
Quietly.
When they stepped into the hall, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
Conversations stopped.
Eyes turned.
And in that one glance...
Everyone understood.
Her face said everything.
Swollen eyes.
Red nose.
Tear-streaked cheeks.
A girl who had cried far too much for someone so soft.
Virendra saw her.
And something in him snapped.
He stood up immediately, his chair scraping harshly against the floor, his face darkening with rising anger, fists clenching at his sides.
But before he could say a word
Aditya looked at him.
Just one look.
Clear.
Not now.
It was enough.
Virendra froze.
The anger didn't disappear...
But he held it back.
For her.
Without stopping, without letting anyone question, Aditya led her out of the house.
Away from the stares.
Away from the tension.
Away from everything.
The evening air greeted them as they stepped outside, cooler now, quieter than the storm inside her.
He opened the passenger door carefully, guiding her inside like she might break if he wasn't gentle enough.
He helped her settle in.
Pulled the seatbelt over her.
Clicked it into place.
Every movement slow.
Deliberate.
Caring.
Then he walked around and slid into the driver's seat.
The engine started with a soft hum.
For a moment, he just looked at her.
Trying to find something to say that could undo everything.
Something simple.
Something light.
She didn't even look at him.
Her gaze stayed fixed outside the window, watching nothing, seeing nothing. The world passed by in blurred lights and moving shadows, but her eyes remained distant, empty in a way that didn't suit her at all.
"Nope," she murmured.
Flat.
Drained.
Like the word had no life left in it.
Aditya glanced at her, the forced smile on his lips faltering slightly.
"Then?" he asked softly.
A pause.
Then she turned her head just enough to look at him.
There was something in her tone.
Not playful.
Not innocent.
Something quiet... but firm.
He nodded without hesitation.
And then she said it.
Silence.
Complete.
Absolute.
Aditya's hands froze on the steering wheel.
His head snapped toward her so fast it felt like time itself paused.
For a second...
He just stared.
Blinking.
Processing.
Failing to process.
Bar?
Bhabhi?
His soul quite literally left his body.
His eyes widened dramatically, his heart slamming against his ribs as if trying to escape.
This is it.
This is how I die.
He could already imagine it.
His funeral.
Family crying.
Virendra glaring even in grief.
Goodbye world.
Nice knowing you.
A full eternity passed in his head...
Before he finally spoke.
Voice dry.
Almost cracking.
She turned toward him properly now, surprise flickering through her tear-stained face.
He forced a smile.
Tight.
Painful.
She nodded simply.
And just like that
She reached for the door handle.
"OKAY OKAY WAIT—"
Aditya practically jumped, panic flooding through him as he leaned forward.
Her answer came without delay.
He blinked again.
"You... want alcohol?"
No hesitation.
No confusion.
Just quiet certainty.
That...
That broke something in him.
The way she said it.
So simple.
So honest.
Not dramatic.
Not rebellious.
Just... hurting.
Aditya's expression shifted, the humor draining out of him completely, replaced by something heavier.
Pity.
Concern.
A quiet kind of sadness.
"But bhabhi... it's not like that..." he tried, softer now.
She cut him off.
Her tone changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Her chin lifted a little, her eyes meeting his with a stubborn glint buried beneath the tears.
A pause.
And there it was.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
But firm.
For the first time...
Devyani wasn't asking.
She was deciding.
Aditya inhaled sharply, the breath catching somewhere between fear and reluctant acceptance.
"Okay..." he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to her.
For a brief second, he closed his eyes.
A silent prayer.
Not for himself.
For survival.
Then he started the car.
The engine came alive, and with it, the weight in his chest tightened as he pulled away from the house, driving toward something he knew he would regret... but couldn't refuse.
"Drive fast," she said suddenly.
He blinked, glancing sideways at her.
"Really?"
She nodded faintly, still staring ahead. "Yeah... I have seen in reels... driving fast makes mood better."
He almost let out a disbelieving laugh.
Of course.
Of course this came from a reel.
For a second, he thought of Aradhya.
This is definitely her influence.
He shook his head slightly, a faint, helpless smile tugging at his lips.
"Yeah..." he said.
And pressed the accelerator.
The car surged forward, speed picking up quickly as the wind rushed in through the slightly open windows, brushing past them, loud and wild. It filled the silence, carrying away fragments of tension, though not enough to ease what sat heavy in both their chests.
Streetlights streaked past.
The city blurred.
And neither of them spoke.
Until finally...
They reached.
The bar stood glowing against the darkening evening, neon lights flickering in bold colors, casting restless shadows across the pavement. It felt loud even from the outside.
Too loud.
Too alive.
Aditya stepped out first, quickly moving to her side.
He offered his hand.
Gentle.
Steady.
She hesitated for a second... then placed her trembling fingers into his.
Her steps were unsure as she got down, the ground feeling uneven beneath her feet, like even standing straight required effort.
The moment they stepped closer
The air changed.
It hit her.
Hard.
Thick with smoke.
Heavy with alcohol.
Filled with laughter that didn't sound warm.
Voices overlapped.
Music pulsed through the walls like a heartbeat too fast to match.
Devyani froze for a second.
Her already swollen eyes widened further, overwhelmed instantly by everything around her.
Her heart started racing again.
Not from crying this time.
From fear.
They stepped inside.
And it got worse.
Dim lights flickered in shifting colors.
People crowded together.
Strangers everywhere.
Some laughing loudly.
Some leaning too close.
Some staring.
The noise wrapped around her like chaos, pressing into her ears until her thoughts felt drowned.
Her fingers instinctively tightened around Aditya's arm.
"What is this place... bhaiya..." she whispered, her voice small, almost lost under the music.
Her eyes darted around nervously, taking in everything too quickly, too intensely.
The closeness.
The unfamiliarity.
The discomfort.
Her stomach twisted.
Her breath came slightly faster.
"You only said..." Aditya replied quietly, his tone softer now.
His arm moved around her shoulders protectively, pulling her just a little closer to his side as he guided her through the crowd.
Careful.
Alert.
Watching every step.
Because in that moment...
She didn't look like someone who came to forget pain.
She looked like someone who had just stepped into a world she wasn't ready for.
Aditya's signal was subtle.
Barely a flick of fingers.
But it was enough.
The bartender caught it, gave the slightest nod.
Understood.
Handled.
But Devyani saw it.
Every bit of it.
Her eyes followed that silent exchange, and something inside her fell... quietly.
So even here...
Even now...
She wasn't trusted.
Her lips pressed together, the fragile strength she had been holding onto beginning to crack.
Can't even have alcohol...
The thought stung deeper than it should have.
Like one more door closing on her.
Like one more reminder that she was still... not taken seriously.
Her fingers tightened around her dress.
Then suddenly
She stood.
Abrupt.
Unsteady.
Before Aditya could even react, she turned and walked away from the bar, her steps slightly uneven but determined.
"Bhabhi—" he started, confused.
But she didn't stop.
Didn't listen.
Her eyes scanned blindly until they landed on a nearby table.
Alcohol glasses.
Abandoned.
Unwatched.
She didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
Her hand reached out, grabbed one
And before her mind could catch up
She drank.
All of it.
In one go.
The liquid burned.
Fierce.
Unforgiving.
Racing down her throat like fire.
Her body jerked slightly, a sharp cough escaping her as her eyes watered instantly.
Air caught in her chest.
Breath uneven.
"Bhabhi!" Aditya's voice rose now, panic snapping through him as he rushed toward her.
But she was already reaching again.
Another glass.
Another reckless decision.
Before he could stop her
She drank that too.
And inside Aditya's head
Everything exploded.
What the hell is she doing
Stop
Stop right now
His heart slammed violently against his ribs as he closed the distance between them, fear gripping him hard and fast.
But Devyani...
Devyani was already feeling it.
The alcohol hit her in waves.
First
The burn.
Sharp.
Unfamiliar.
Making her throat ache, her chest tighten as she coughed again, trying to steady herself.
Her eyes watered, fresh tears spilling but these weren't from pain alone.
Then
Warmth.
Slow.
Spreading.
From her chest... to her arms... to her fingertips.
Like something loosening.
Unwinding.
The tight knot inside her... the one that had been choking her since the balcony...
It softened.
Just a little.
Her shoulders dropped.
Her breathing slowed.
The noise around her blurred slightly.
The music didn't feel harsh anymore.
It felt... distant.
Like it was wrapping around her instead of crashing into her.
The lights softened.
Faces lost their sharpness.
And her thoughts...
They didn't stop.
But they dulled.
The pain didn't disappear.
It just... faded at the edges.
Like someone had taken a knife and turned it into something blunt.
Is this... forgetting...
Her mind whispered softly.
A small, dazed smile touched her lips.
Faint.
Uncertain.
Her body swayed slightly where she stood, balance unfamiliar now, the ground not feeling as steady as before.
Everything felt... lighter.
Stranger.
Safer... in a confusing way.
And that scared Aditya more than anything.
Because he could see it.
The shift.
The way her pain wasn't gone
Just hidden.
And she didn't even understand what she had just done to herself.
For one dangerously quiet second...
Aditya thought maybe the disaster had passed.
Maybe two stolen glasses were enough.
Maybe the universe had shown mercy.
Then
Devyani blinked.
Once.
Twice.
And suddenly...
She started giggling.
Soft at first.
Then louder.
Then uncontrollably.
Like someone had pressed a secret button inside her.
She held the edge of the table dramatically, blinking at the room like it had personally offended her.
Another giggle escaped.
Aditya froze.
Oh no.
No no no no no.
Not this.
Not drunk bhabhi.
He stepped toward her carefully like one approaches a wild animal.
She stared at him very seriously.
Then gasped.
Pointing at him like she had discovered a national emergency.
He blinked.
She squinted harder.
Silence.
Then she burst into laughter again, clapping like she had cracked the funniest joke in human history.
"There are two Adityas! Oh my God! One is already irritating, why God gave me bonus pack?"
"Fantastic," Aditya muttered to himself. "Absolutely fantastic. Today I die."
Before he could grab her
She turned dramatically and sprinted.
Straight toward another table.
"Victory!"
Too late.
Another gulp.
Another disaster.
She coughed.
Then pointed at the ceiling fan.
Aditya stopped moving.
He looked at the fan.
Then at her.
Then at the heavens.
She leaned closer to him suddenly, whispering loudly like it was state-level gossip.
She pointed at a completely innocent man eating peanuts in silence.
The poor man blinked.
Aditya gave him an apologetic nod.
She nodded seriously.
Then gasped again.
"Wait..."
She grabbed Aditya's face with both hands.
Very seriously.
Very dramatically.
"You are very hot."
Aditya nearly left his body.
"Bhabhi!"
She frowned.
He closed his eyes.
Thank God.
One breath.
Two breaths.
Survive.
She suddenly tugged his sleeve again.
"Take me to dance."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
She folded her lips like an offended child.
"Rude."
Then without warning
She started walking toward the dance floor.
Not walking.
Wobbling.
Like a determined baby deer.
"Bhabhi!"
Aditya followed immediately, looking like a man chasing both family honor and his own funeral at the same time.
Around them, people were openly laughing now.
Some amused.
Some entertained.
Some recording.
And Aditya?
Aditya could already see tomorrow's headlines.
Aditya Thakur found dead because his drunk bhabhi discovered alcohol.
Glimpse:
His voice thundered through the study room.
"But I can't see my Devu cry because of you."
The word my slipped out possessively, protectively not as a lover, but as someone who had watched that girl become the fragile heartbeat of this cursed mansion.
RIVAN gave a hollow smile.
A tired one.
Reyansh blinked.
Then frustration exploded out of him.
"Abe BHSDK!" he shouted, running both hands through his hair aggressively. "Sun meri baat! Tu yeh sab karke kya milega?!"
He stepped closer, pointing a finger directly at RIVAN's chest.