[WARNING: Sensitive content ahead.]

•••

Sakshi's nerves twitched to follow him. The sight of Udayveer, Kushwant and Ranveer killed that idea. Broken from within, she felt ashamed for not standing up for herself. Grief suffused her eyes as she left the ceremony and trudged upstairs to her room. Partying hard with loud music and devouring the choicest food, no one cared to ask her if she was okay.

The broken expression on his face crushed the light in her.

Throwing Hemant's ring on the bed, she let her emotions flow out as tears. Her muscles turned limp, sorrow anchoring deep into her chest.

He gave her nothing but love. He didn't care about her family or their troubled past, he cared only about her. She repaid his love with pain and heartbreak.

A hand on her shoulder startled her. "Why are you crying, babygirl?"

Overwhelmed with fatigue, she brushed his hand away. "Please leave me alone, Hemant."

His hands trailed over her collarbone with a lecherous sneer. "I'm here to help you."

"Stop! Don't you dare touch me, or I'll shout and call everyone!" she said, knowing well no one could hear her with the blaring music.

"Is that the way your talk to your future husband? Learn to be a good woman. Your only purpose from today is to please me."

"Go away, Hemant. Is this what your parents taught you?" she said, bottling her emotions.

"How dare you comment about my parents. You're way too proud. Guess I must show you your place!"

He kicked the door shut and began untying the strings of his pajamas, casting a lecherous grin at her.She recoiled in horror. His fingernails dug into her waist. He slammed her to the wall, relishing the power over her body.

He tightened his grip on her cheekbones like an animal. She wriggled against his boulder-like arms, fighting back. He yanked the jasmine flowers, snapping strands of hair from the back of her scalp.

Her blood bubbled with rage and disgust. She stomped his feet, crushing his toes with all her weight.

"Aaaah!" He screamed.

Before he could react, she pushed him with all her strength. She rushed out of the door. Shaking like a leaf, she barged into Ranveer who was crossing her room. She buried her face into him, her body quaking. Ranveer trembled seeing his little sister's plight. Nail marks on her face, her hair dishevelled. The beautiful kohl smeared like dirt around her eyes. Before he could ask what happened, his fiery gaze fell on Hemant grabbing his loose pajamas and hobbling in red hot rage.

She pointed her shivering finger at him. "He tried to touch me! He tried to force me."

"Did he . . . ?!"

"N-no, I ran out."

Ranveer's blazed in red hot anger. Clutching Hemant's collar, he shouted, "How dare you trouble my sister?"

"Don't tell me what to do with my future wife!"

"She's my sister first and I'll finish anyone who makes her cry!"

"Have you forgotten that my father has granted whatever you have? Stay grateful. Or else you could lose all this very easily."

Ranveer ground his teeth, almost breaking their enamel. He stroked Sakshi's head, disgusted and angry with himself.

"And you! Just wait till we get married." Hemant barked at Sakshi and headed downstairs with no hint of remorse.

"I told you many times about that monster. Will you believe only if something happens to me?" Sakshi said, blood boiling in rage.

"I-I'm so sorry. I won't let anything come near you, promise," Ranveer said.

"I don't want to see Hemant again."

"I'll make sure of that," Ranveer assured her. Pulling out his phone, he dialled Lajo's number. "Hello, Aunty? Please come upstairs and be with Sakshi."

Leaving Sakshi with Lajo, he stormed down to meet his father. Hemant was nowhere to be seen. Udayveer puffed a beedi and nodded for something Kushwant said. Ranveer leaned close to him.

"Baba, something urgent. Can you come upstairs?"

Udayveer whispered, "Did you find who's leaking information about our party?"

"Not that. It's about Sakshi."

"I don't have time for her tantrums. She keeps whining all the time! I'm getting sick of-"

"It's a serious matter."

"Fine, I'll come. Excuse me, Kushwaa Bhai, be right back."

"Arrey, no worries," Kushwant said.

Taking him to a room, Ranveer shut the door and turned on the lights. Udayveer clicked his tongue. "What's the matter with you?"

He clenched his fists and jaw. "Hemant misbehaved with Sakshi."

"You're sure it's not the other way around?"

"Baba, this is serious. Sakshi is terrified."

"What did Hemant do? Call her names? Frighten her with a bug? I hate to admit it, but Sakshi is not brave like you, son. She is way too sensitive."

"He tried to molest her."

Udayveer shot a glare. "Nonsense! She must be lying to cancel the engagement. I don't know what's gotten into her these days."

"I thought the same when she complained about that rascal-"

"Mind your tongue! Hemant is older to you and is no less than a son to me."

"I saw it with my own eyes! What audacity he has to come to our house and try to attack our Sakshi."

"She'll be his wife soon, so the boy is smitten with her. Be happy that he's a one-woman man and not lusting after more beautiful girls."

Ranveer swallowed in disbelief. His chest rose and fell with furious panting.

"Why aren't you understanding, Baba? He's treating her like now, imagine what her life will be tied to living with him every day."

"If she faces any problems, I will tell Kushwant and he will reprimand Hemant."

"He'll make life hell for her! I can't agree to this."

"She's my daughter, I know what is best."

"Best for her. . . or you?"

"Shut up! I forbid you to bring this up again."

Anger and disappointment glazed Ranveer's eyes. He couldn't believe how nonchalant his father had become. He twisted the doorknob and stepped out when Udayveer issued a final word of caution.

"Tell your dear sister not to tell anyone about this. Not even to Pushpa. That woman will blabber it to her relatives. And it will reflect badly on Hemant's reputation."

"Baba, how have you become like this? Is friendship with the Vardhans more important than your only daughter's life?"

"I warned you not to bring that up again. Remove that nasty frown and ask the Vardhans if they need anything- juice, cigars, drinks."

Ranveer marched to his room with a flustered face. Yanking a whiskey bottle from under the cot, he poured himself a shot followed by another. His sister's life was crumbling and he was a mute spectator.

•••

The fragrance from the jasmine bushes repulsed Ayush, reminding him of the flowers in Sakshi's hair to captivate another man. Grazing the back of his hand over His puffy eyes, he knocked on the door. His chin trembled as Amar opened the latch and beamed at him. His arms and limbs weighed heavy.

"Ashu! How was did the event go?" Amar said in a chirpy voice.

"Good," he said, worried that he might burst out if he spoke anything more.

"Did you get my Sugarfree biscuits?"

He shooked his head horizontally.

Amar flashed a worried glance. "Are you okay, son?"

"I'm just tired," he said, turning around for a brief moment.

"Wait, come here. Your eyes are red! What's the matter?"

Unable to hold it any longer, he slumped to the sofa and burst into tears. His hot, gummy eyelids throbbed in pain. Soreness clouded his chest and lungs. With blurred vision, he looked up at his father.

"Sakshi is marrying another man."

"Sakshi?"

Amar sat beside him, circling an arm over his shoulder. "Tell me what happened."

He sniffed and pressed a handkerchief to his nose. "The band that I joined, they were called to perform at her house."

"You went to Rana's house?!"

He nodded. "Udayveer threw a party since Sakshi scored well. Or that's what I thought. It was actually her engagement c-ceremony!"

"Please stop crying, Ashu. I don't have the strength to see you like this."

"She removed the ring I gave for a bigger diamond ring from that nasty Hemant. She's always complained about him, and today, she's stretching out her hand."

"Hemant? Kushwant's son?"

Ayush nodded. "I should have listened to you. I promise I won't see her again," he said, pressing his fingers into his stinging eyes.

Amar raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Papa. I was in touch with her even after what you told me."

Amar sighed "You've been meeting her at some café for months, she invited you to the Amore Grande event, and you spoke to her before singing at the studio."

His mouth parted wide. "How?"

"Darshak told me everything."

His gaze held sheer amazement. "Aren't you angry?"

"Not any more. Sakshi called me long back and apologised on behalf of her father. She was in tears when talking about Damini."

"When was this?"

"The day after I warned you not to meet her again."

"What did else she say?"

"She requested me not to ruin your friendship because of the past. I felt ashamed for judging that innocent girl."

"She still thinks you hate her, Papa."

"Because I spoke rudely and cut the call."

Ayush twisted in desperation. "Why did you do that?"

"I didn't want to give her false hopes, because Rana will never agree. He forces people to do what pleases him."

Ayush dissected the words and studied them in his mind. He recalled her hands trembling and a frown ruffling her browbones. She didn't look at Hemant even for a moment during the ring ceremony.

"She was forced! How stupid of me to think otherwise. I walked out when she needed me the most."

"Whatever happened, happened for good. The best thing for both of you is to move on."

"I've dreamed my entire life with her."

"They are called as dreams for a reason-they don't come true."

"If her father wasn't a rival, would you have accepted her as your daughter-in-law?"

"There's no use talking about what cannot happen."

"Please say yes or no for my satisfaction."

Inhaling deeply, Amar tousled his hair. "I would have said yes."

"The guy she's supposed to marry is a monster. Sakshi doesn't deserve this."

"Life is unfair, son. I know it's hard, but we must keep going."

"I wish I can meet Udayveer and talk to him."

"Ashu! Do you want to die like your mother? She could have lived longer if she hadn't challenged Udayveer. You're the only one I have," Amar said, arching his brows at his wife's photo, then at Ayush.

"I said I wish. I won't do that because Udayveer will hurt Sakshi if he gets to know about us."

"You're a true gentleman, sacrificing your love for Sakshi's welfare."

"She's not happy."

"At least she's alive, unlike Damini."

Ayush's throat ran dry. Without further talk, he strode to his room. Taking off his shirt, he turned on the shower, letting ice-cold water freeze his burning soul. Under the cover of the rushing water, he let tears inundate his sensitive eyes.

His yaara was forced into an engagement with a hooligan. He couldn't imagine how her life would be with a ruthless man who didn't respect her. As Amar said, life wasn't always fair. His beautiful young mother was driven to her death for marrying someone with her family's consent. He was too young to save Damini. He wondered if he could change things this time in Sakshi's case.

'At least she's alive.' Amar's sobering words ploughed his mind. His father spoke from abundant experience. After watching the woman he loved die a slow, painful death because of Udayveer, Amar didn't want Ayush to go through the same.

Today at the Rana household, he had seen her father's men carrying long rifles affixed tapering knives at the end. His heart pined for Sakshi. How did she spend twenty-two years in that hell? Whenever they met at Chocobar Café, he had seen a layer of dread on her face each time she walked up the stairs. He used to wonder why she was unnecessarily terrified. After witnessing today's events, he realised how brave she was to risk meeting him. Not once, not twice, but several times for months. Men like Udayveer and Ranveer wouldn't think twice before ripping the life out of someone who went against them.

His yaara was a lotus in the muck. Resilient and graceful. Refusing to be dragged down by her circumstances. The more he continued thinking, his respect for her increased. So did his love. Despite his rumination, he decided never to meet her again. If she was alive and healthy, that would be enough for him.

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