CHAPTER 16
Prisha walked toward her mother's house,she was walking with great difficulty. The heavens, sensing her anguish, unleashed a torrent of rain. Rain began to fall,mingling with her tears before splashing onto the ground. Each raindrop felt like a poignant echo of her shattered dreams.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Seeingher daughter’s trembling form and tear-streaked face made her worried, she asked with concern,"Prisha, my child! What happened?” she asked, rushing to her daughter’s side. Prisha didn't say anything and just hugged her mother.
Prisha’s voice trembled with sorrow as she tried to speak, her words choked with pain. “Mom,” she managed to say between sobs, “it was all a lie. Shaurya... everything... his love, his care... it was all fake.”
Her mother held her tighter, comforting her daughter as the rain continued to pour outside, a reflection of the storm raging within Prisha’s heart.
After some time,
"Prisha, please tell me everything." She asked, Prisha told her everything about Tina, Rakesh and Shaurya.
Prisha's mother heart break listening everything, her daughter was getting punishment without any fault. She kissed her forehead and said,"Be strong, my child. Everything will be fine. Everyone will get punished for their deeds. Be strong."
Prisha hugged her mother tightly and said,"I love you so much, mom. You are my everything. Please never leave me."
"Never." Her mother promised, rubbing her back. Then she asked her to sleep. Prisha obeyed her words and lay down on the bed, her mother covered her with blanket and sat beside her and started stroking her hairs until sleep overtook her. She kissed her daughter's forehead, and pray to God for her happiness.
After sometime,
Prisha opened her eyes, hearing her mother's angry voice. She hurriedly wore her slippers and rushed outside and saw her mother was shouting at Tina.
“How could you do this? You had a wrong intention toward your sister’s husband. Don’t you feel any shame?” Prisha's mother demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disappointment.
“Husband? He never accepted her as his wife. And before he was her husband, he loved me,” Tina retorted, glaring at Prisha with defiance in her eyes.
“You never accept your mistakes, Tina. You did wrong. You never cared about anyone except yourself, and my house has no place for a selfish girl like you,” her mother responded angrily, her voice resolute. She knew she was being harsh on Tina, but it's important for her betterment. She has to punish for her wrong deeds.
“I don’t want to live in this middle-class house anyway. I just came to get my luggage which Rakesh sent here. I’m going to live with my friend. I am not useless like your daughter. I can get a job and take care of myself,” Tina said with a sneer, confidence radiating from her.
As she turned to leave, she paused and looked back, her face contorted with bitterness. “You always took her side. I warned her not to marry Shaurya, but she didn’t listen because she wanted to be like me. She wanted to become Rawat’s daughter-in-law just like me. She didn’t listen, and look at the consequences. Still, you take her side. You feel bad for her, but I faced the same situation. I’m also getting divorced, and instead of consoling me, you’re asking me to leave. Why?”
“Because you are paying for your own mistakes. You broke Shaurya’s heart and married his elder brother. I told you not to do this. I am your mother, and I watched you ditch Shaurya for money. You thought Rakesh had more money and power. My Prisha got trapped in all this because of you. We are middle-class people, and you brought these rich people into our lives who don’t care about anything except themselves.” Her mother’s voice shows anger and helplessness.
Tina stood silently for a moment, absorbing her mother’s words. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
On the other side, Shaurya was looking at his father with a smirk, who was watching the footage from the hidden camera Shaurya had planted in the farmhouse. He stood up and said, “Dad, you can see your 'responsible' son married Tina just to take revenge on me."
His father marched toward Rakesh, his face red with fury. “Are you mad? You spoiled your life just to take revenge on him? And for what revenge? I can’t believe you got so blinded by hatred that you forgot about your own life and future. Why did you do this?”
Rakesh, eyes filled with bitterness, snapped, “Because I hate him so much. He tried to snatch you from me. After Mom died, I only had you, but once he came into our lives, you focused more on him. From that day, I decided to take everything from him—whether it’s his parents, family, house, or his love.”
Shaurya’s father, his face etched with disbelief, slapped Rakesh. “You were a child, Rakesh. How could you do this? It was all your planning. Why did you stoop so low? You are his elder brother.”
“Elder brother? He is my enemy,” Rakesh spat with venomous hatred.
Before his father could speak further, Rakesh added, “Dad, please don’t waste your breath. I am already messed up because of your son and his girlfriend. Tell your son not to release this video. Tina and my marriage was a contract marriage. I’ve already signed the divorce papers, and tomorrow I will submit them. Once I get the divorce confirmation, I’m moving to America with my girlfriend, and I am not coming back to India again.” With that, he stormed off to his room.
His father turned to Shaurya, his eyes pleading, “I’m sorry. I am sorry for not trusting you."
Shaurya chuckled, but the pain in his eyes was unmistakable. How can he think, one sorry can made him forget all the pain. His sorry can't change his life. He said,“Your sorry can't change anything. Your sorry can’t bring back my childhood. It can’t erase the bad days I spent alone in the hostel. Your sorry can’t change anything. So, keep your sorry to yourself."
With those words, he walked to his room, leaving his father standing in silent regret.