Epilogue part 1 #2
"My client didn't kill him because he spoke to her. She fought because she believed she was in danger. And when there was no other safe way to stop the attack, she defended herself."
Ishni turned toward the judge. "The question shouldn't be, 'Why didn't she wait for help?'"
Her voice became steady and powerful.
"The question should be, 'Why was she put in a position where she had to fight for her own safety in the first place?'"
"And if you think that just because she is a woman, she automatically needs someone to protect her, then you're wrong, my friend," Ishni said, her voice firm as she faced the opposing lawyer. "Why should she need someone else to protect her when she is capable of protecting herself?"
The courtroom fell completely silent. Ishni took a slow breath before continuing.
"Why do we keep teaching women that whenever a man threatens them, they need to find another man to save them? Why should a woman have to wait for someone else to arrive before she is allowed to defend herself?"
Her eyes moved across the courtroom.
"She shouldn't have to depend on someone's strength, someone's presence, or someone's permission to protect herself."
She looked back at the lawyer.
"My client didn't kill that man because she was a woman. She defended herself because she was a human being whose safety was threatened."
Ishni's voice grew stronger.
"So instead of asking why she didn't wait for another man to save her, perhaps we should ask why society keeps expecting women to wait to be saved at all."
The courtroom remained silent. Ishni slowly lowered the file in her hand.
"A woman doesn't become weak simply because she is a woman."
Her gaze hardened. "And protecting herself doesn't make her a murderer."
The courtroom fell completely silent after Ishni finished speaking. She had said everything she needed to say, and the evidence supporting her client's self-defence had already been presented before the court. She stood calmly beside her client, waiting for the judge to make the final decision.
Suddenly, a furious voice erupted from the back of the courtroom.
"You bitch! Who the hell do you think you are?" the victim's father shouted, his face twisted with rage. "You women are nothing but dirt beneath a man's feet! What can you possibly do? I'll kill everyone! I'll take revenge for my son!"
The courtroom erupted into shocked murmurs. "Enough!" the judge warned, striking the gavel. "Control yourself, or you will be fined and removed from the courtroom."
The man continued glaring at Ishni, his fists clenched in anger.
Ishni slowly turned toward him. She simply looked at him with a calm, almost fearless expression.
For a moment, their eyes met. Then Ishni spoke, her voice quiet but sharp enough to silence the room.
"You just proved my entire argument."
The man's expression hardened.
Ishni continued, "You stood here and called women worthless while threatening to kill people simply because you didn't like the verdict you wanted."
She took a slow step forward. "You think strength means making people afraid of you?"
Her gaze never left his.
"No. Strength is standing in front of someone who threatens you and refusing to be afraid."
The courtroom became silent again.
Ishni straightened her shoulders.
"And if you truly believe women are powerless..." A faint, fearless smile appeared on her lips.
"Then perhaps you should be careful about threatening one."
"Women are the dirt beneath men's feet?"
Ishni repeated, almost unable to believe what she had just heard.
A bitter smile appeared on her lips as she slowly turned toward him.
"Mujhe ek baat samajh nahi aati... aakhir tum mardon ko itna guroor kis baat ka hai?"
("I don't understand one thing... why are you men so proud?for what") She took a step forward.
The courtroom fell completely silent. Ishni looked directly at the man, her expression calm, but there was something dangerously fearless in her eyes.
"Tu aurat ko pairon ki dhool samajh raha hai na..." ("You are considering women as dust under your feet, aren't you?")
she said, taking a slow step toward him. "Toh jis bhi Bhagwan ko tu maanta hai, uske saamne maatha tek le." (So bow your head before whichever God you believe in.)
She paused, her gaze never leaving his.
"Kyuki wahi pairon ki dhool ab toofan banke aa rahi hai tujhe barbaad karne..." (Because that same dust from your feet is now coming as a storm to destroy you...)
Her voice dropped into a chilling whisper.
"Aur jab woh toofan aayega na... tujhe bachane ke liye koi nahi hoga."
(And when that storm comes... there will be no one to save you.)
Her voice grew colder.
"... aurat se takraane ke liye sirf taaqat nahi, aukaat bhi chahiye. Jo tere pass nhi hai"
(... To confront a woman, you need not only strength but also capability. Which you don't have.)
"And remember one thing," Ishni said, her eyes burning into his. "Women have brought eight billion people into this world... and you are one of them."
The courtroom fell completely silent.
She held his gaze for a moment before adding coldly, "So before you try to belittle a woman, remember that your existence began with one."
The entire courtroom fell into complete silence. Not a single person spoke. Ishni simply stood there, calm and composed, while the man who had been shouting moments ago had nothing left to say.
Meanwhile, the car stopped right in front of Aaradhya's school gate. Rudra stepped out, walked around the car, and opened the door for her.
He took her school bag and handed it to her before crouching slightly to look at her. "Princess, be nice and don't cause any trouble, or else you know Daddy will also get scolded by Mommy," he warned, trying to sound serious.
Aaradhya immediately burst into laughter. "Okay, Daddy!" she said cheerfully. Rudra shook his head with a helpless smile. "You little brat... go." He leaned down and kissed her forehead before handing her the bag.
Aaradhya waved at him with a bright smile and ran toward the school entrance. Rudra stood there watching her until she disappeared inside, a soft smile still lingering on his face.
Aaradhya walked inside the school campus and immediately spotted her friend, Riya. She quickly ran toward her.
"Oh, Miss Aaradhya! You're so early today? What a miracle!" Riya teased.
"Shut uppp, Riya! It's just that my daddy got scolding from Mommy today," Aaradhya replied casually.
Riya immediately suppressed her laugh. "Your daddy is really scared of your mommy!"
"Nahh, he just loves her so much," Aaradhya said proudly. Just then, they heard a loud horn.
Both girls turned toward the school gate.
Several black cars stopped right in front of the entrance. The school guards immediately came forward and opened the gates as the cars entered.
One of the cars stopped. A guard quickly opened the door.
A young boy stepped out, carrying his school bag over his shoulder.
It was Abhimanyu Shekhawat
He casually adjusted his bag and started walking inside while the black cars remained outside the gate.
Aaradhya looked at the boy walking toward them and raised an eyebrow. "That's Abhimanyu?" she asked.
"Why is he coming like he's some kind of king or what?" she added, watching the black cars disappear through the gates.
Riya stared at her in disbelief. "Ohh goodness! You don't know? He is the Prince of Jaipur!"
Aaradhya simply rolled her eyes. "So?" Just then, Abhimanyu noticed her standing there. A small smile appeared on his face as he walked past them.
"Good morning, princess," he said casually.
Aaradhya looked at him with an unimpressed expression. "Bad morning," she replied bluntly and walked away with Riya.
Riya immediately covered her mouth to hide her laughter.
Abhimanyu stood there watching Aaradhya leave, a faint smile still on his face.
"She's always arrogant," he muttered, shaking his head before continuing toward his class.
The classroom was filled with laughter and chatter.
Students were talking loudly, calling out to their friends, and moving around before the class began.
Aaradhya was sitting with Riya, giggling over something they were whispering about, while Abhimanyu sat in the next row, quietly arranging his books on the desk.
Suddenly, the classroom door opened. The teacher walked in carrying a stack of books.
"Good morning, ma'am!" the entire class shouted together.
"Good morning, everyone," the teacher replied, placing the books on her desk. She looked around the noisy classroom and raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, enough talking. Everyone sit properly." The room gradually became quiet as the students returned to their seats.
"Kids, as you know, your summer holidays will begin from tomorrow. And after the holidays, the Best Jodi Dance Competition will be held. So choose your partners today itself."
The moment she finished, the classroom erupted with chatter.
Students immediately started turning toward their friends, calling out names and discussing who they wanted as their dance partner.
Riya leaned toward Aaradhya excitedly. "Aaradhya! We have to choose our partners!" Aaradhya looked around the classroom, thinking.
Meanwhile, Abhimanyu quietly turned around from the next row and glanced toward her.
It was lunch hour, and the school campus was buzzing with students. Aaradhya and Riya were sitting together on a bench, enjoying their lunch while discussing the upcoming dance competition.
"Whom will you choose as your partner?" Riya asked curiously.
Aaradhya confidently took another bite of her food. "It's very clear that I'm going to win. As for my partner, he should be the best among the best-cool, handsome, and charming."
Riya rolled her eyes. "Your standards are impossible."
Before Aaradhya could reply, a few boys approached them. One of them nervously stepped forward.
"Aaradhya... will you pair up with me for the dance competition?" he asked hopefully.