Part 3
Thump
How could she do that?
Thump
Walking away just like that!
Thump
Did he mean so little?
Thump
âWhy Prerna, why?â
With the final hit, the sandbag gave away as it burst open and fell limp while Rishabh unwrapped the bandages around his knuckles.
Picking the towel off the bench,he proceeded to wipe the sweat glistening over his muscles like diamonds, all the while his hard eyes intently focused on the ring in his hand, the one they had exchanged on Kukiâs insistence.
Suddenly overcome with a feeling of betrayal as Prernaâs words in defence of Anurag echoed in his ears, he tried to pull that emerald studded beauty apart from his finger but it refused to budge.
The ring is just as stubborn! He scoffed mentally and stepped inside the shower. As the first drop of water hit his body, he shuddered under its effect reminiscing the hollowness of her otherwise expressive eyes when he had bugged her for answers.
Every time he thought of her harming Kuki, his heart rebuked him with only one word. Preposterous! But her silence and the unwillingness to stand for her own innocence had served to support his thick head. What was he supposed to do? Keeping his rationality aside, he had promised her trust but she had refused to divulge the truth. What more could he do? Why the heck did she not correct him if she was right? Why did she not justify?
~*~*~*~
âWhy donât you tell Mr. Basu the truth?â He asked nonchalantly sipping on his coffee, as he flipped the newspaper.
âSorry, what?!â Prerna asked perplexed, sitting opposite to him on the chaise.
âOur deal, to save himâŚâHe elaborated resting his gaze on her.
âSo that heâll spend the rest of his life mulling over how his incompetence pushed me into a swamp? Iâd rather notâ, Prerna retorted, her voice edgy.
âWonât he be thrilled to know that you did it out of your love for him?And not because you fell out of love with him?!â Rishabh counter questioned his curiosity evident in his eyes.
âNo, he wonâtâ, her reply came quick. âIâm sure you wonât be half thrilled about Kuki jeopardizing her happiness for your ownâ.
âPrerna aapâ
âBut Kuki, on the other hand will be content. Sometimes truth is better off being hidden deep, saves someone a lot of heartacheâ
~*~*~*~
His eyes flew open suddenly as he recalled her incessant efforts to reach out to him, to tell him something.
âAs if youâll believe me!â
~*~*~*~
âYou are way too gullible,Mrs Bajaj. Trust no one but yourself is the key to survival in this treacherous worldâ, he remarked shaking his head.
âAnd yet Mr. Bajaj,there will always be someone you wonât ever doubt, even if you have the proofsâ
~*~*~*~
Someone he will never doubt?!Who could that be? He only trusted himself and masâ
Rishabh stopped midway and turned off the shower. Ridiculous! What was he thinkiâ
âWhy are you quiet, Prerna?! Tell him! Tell Mr. Bajaj that people responsible for Kukiâs condition are his verâ
very own?!
Why would masi do that? What would she get out of harming Kuki?
At that very moment, he connected dots that he never realized existed. Masiâs case on Prernaâs mom. Tanviâs attempts at making idle conversation. Masiâs ashened face every time Kuki would bypass her to reach Prerna. The coughing fit that had followed as he had drunk the milk handed over by masi and how it had calmed down only after he had taken that medicine, that Tanvi had a little too forcefully given him despite his vehement opposition. Did they feed him something?!
Kya ye wo zaroori baat thi jo Prerna usse karna chahti thi. But then why didnât she?
ââŚ.saves someone a lot of heartacheâ
âTo save me heartache?â
He recalled the look of pure loathing on Prernaâs face as she throttled Tanvi, her calm demeanor seeming like a farce.
âTo save my life?â He murmured, âOr both?â
Stepping out of the shower, he quickly dressed himself and rushed out, his heart pounding in his ears. He needed to get to the bottom of this.
Three days later
Prerna stepped inside the premises that looked like an extravagance straight out of a novel oozing aristocracy and power. Oozing Mr. Bajaj.
Last evening, she had failed to believe the news that Anurag had shared with her. She had denied him thoroughly,calling him outrageous and here she was standing in the engagement ceremony of her husband and his step-cousin-sister!
She had no clue why her left eye was twitching and her fingers were flexing uncomfortably. She could not place the sinking feeling in her chest as she had noticed his name written with someone elseâs, within a heart. She, for the life of her, did not understand why she was stomping her feet, in an unceremonious attempt to break open the ground. She couldnât fathom it at all. But she appreciated it not one bit. For sure.
Sensing a movement in her vicinity, she pulled the chunni firmly over her mouth and pretended to set her extra-large goggles straight. She could very well feel the gazes that were mocking her. She did look like a joker after all, wearing goggles and all! Sigh!
However her discomfort dissipated as she saw a familiar face descend down the stairs, looking jaw dropping,absolutely stunning in the navy blue bandhgaâ
Her appraisal of him screech halted to a full stop as another face joined her view and the view was pleasant no more. Flashing her teeth like as if her mouth was stuck, Tanvi walked into the hall right by his side, her arm looped with his.
What was this unpleasant feeling? This overwhelming urge to see the witch trip on her gown and break her set of permanent teeth! Why were her ears heating up? Was this anger? She had felt an emotion synonymous to this one when Kuki had been hospitalized but more than Tanvi, this anger was directed at Rishabh. Why?
How could he marry another?! It had barely been 4 days since their separation! Heck, they havenât separated officially yet. Were all those lectures about not being interested in woman, in general, but a sham?!
â Incorrigible rascal!â
Prerna gasped as she realized what exactly she had muttered. She knew this feeling. On many a occasions she had battled it when Anurag would get surrounded by desperate girls. It was jealousy.She was jealous, over Rishabh!? Impossible!
And yet as her gaze sidled up to the duo, she gritted her teeth in annoyance. He was flashing his pearls just as much as Tanvi! The hell! He never looked at me like that!
She would have continued to curse the man to death had her gaze not shifted to her daughter, who was sitting in a corner brooding. Kuki didnât approve of this alliance. Of course, she and not Tanvi was her mother. Did Mr. Bajaj not see that? Or was he ignoring the wish of his daughter?
As Rishabh and Tanvi settled on the setee side by side, Masi emerged from across the room with a thaal in her hands, carrying rings.
Her heart dropped. Prerna clutched her chest between her fingers.
She recalled all the horrible things mother daughter duo had done to Rishabh and Kuki. If this alliance were to continue, just what sort of hell would await Rishabh and Kuki at the other end? Tanvi loved neither Rishabh nor Kuki but his money. She had backed off primarily to save them only. But wouldshe survive knowing that her decision had spelled the downfall of the two most precious people in her life?
No! Prerna took a step forward as Rishabh and Tanvi took their respective rings from the box.
But what if they had yet again fed him or Kuki some sort of poison? She could never again bear to see either of them in the hospital, helpless and still!
âTrust no one but yourselfâ
Her eyes widened in realization.All this time she had been laboring under the misunderstanding that there were a lot of people she believes in. It was a lie though. In reality, she had trusted no one. She had never trusted Anurag enough and that was the reason why she had taken it upon herself to save him. She didnât trust Rishabh to look out for his family when they had been ousted from Bajaj mansion.
âAapko mere ya meri family ke liye dusron ke samne haath failane ki zaroorat nhi. Iâm more than capable of protecting myself and my familyâ
On the other hand, Rishabh had trusted her blatantly with his daughter and with the truth when he had asked her over and over, again and again. She hadnât believed him enough. She didnât think that he was capable of handling the truth. When he had believed that she was strong, she had treated him as but a fragile doll that will crumble apart in a moment of weakness. And that had been her folly.
She was weak because she had thought of herself as alone. That had never been the case though. There was never a need to take it all upon herself.Her mother, father, shivi, Anurag, Nivi di and Anupam- they had all been there but she never trusted them enough to rely on them.
But looking at Rishabh, she felta surge of confidence coursing through her veins. He wasnât weak. He was more than capable of shielding his daughter.He didnât need her pity but her support.Yet again she was standing on a threshold where one step would make all the difference. She had lost once. She did not want to lose again! She did not want to lose him and their daughter. She wouldnât be able to bear it. She wanted to believe him. Wanted to take the plunge and emerge triumphant. And so she did.
Breaking into a run, as Tanvi took Rishabhâs hand to slide the ring in, she reached the duo in time and threw the wretched ring all the way across the room as her ring shone brightly in his finger.
âThis engagement will not happen!â Prerna remarked throwing off her dupatta and goggles.
âWhat the hell!â Tanvi fumed standing up.
âNot yet!â Prerna smiled mirthlessly and continued, âBut I wonât allow you to unleash it on my family!â
âIsse andar kisne aane diya!â Masi shouted joining her daughter in the shout fest.
Prerna raised her palm upfront, âMrs bajaj hoon main aur mujhe iss ghar main ghusne se aap aur aapki beti kya, Mr. Bajaj bhi nhi rok sakte!â
âDo kaudi ki ladki aur itni lambi zabaâ
âQuit yer drama!â Prerna cut masi short as she turned to Mr. Bajaj, âAnd you!â She poked a finger into his chest as his eyebrow rose high on his head.
â5 saal ki bachi ke baap ho! Already 35 ke ho! Ek khoobsurat si biwi hai aur fir bhi ek chudail se shaadi kar rahe ho!â Prerna started shaking her head in disappointment.
âHow dare you!â Tanvi growled enraged and brought forth her hand to connect it across Prernaâs cheek. It never connected though.
âIt would be in your best interest to keep your hands off my wife orâŚâ
Everyone looked on shocked as Rishabh caught Tanviâs wrist and passed her a menacing glare. She winced as his fingers tightened around her wrist and then suddenly he jerked her hand off.
âMr. Bajajâ
Prerna trailed bewildered as Rishabh turned around to face her with his patented smirk plastered on his handsome face.
âTook you long enough, Mrs Bajajâ
Part 4 - PG 9 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/151185184?tid=5109771
How was it, guys?
Originally it was going to be a three shot but now it is a four shot.So only one more part is left which I will update as soon as artistically possible.
Hope you will have a pleasant time reading it!
Edited by nish_vir - 4 years ago
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