Chapter 3
The bright sun rays entered the room disturbing my sleep, I squeezed opened my eyes and sat up resting my head against the headboard. My eyes travelled across the room, which appeared to be hit by a storm. Shattered picture frame, broken wind chimes, cracked mirror and candles scattered all around. The room was indeed in a mess so was my life, within minutes things had turned from good to bad and bad to worse. Having a splitting headache I pulled open the side drawer and took out an asprin then stood up to have a glass of water just then the door to the bathroom opened and she came out with my white towel wrapped around her head. We stared at each other, the fury of last night came back to my eyes while her eyes tried to appear calm and unaffected. Deep down I blamed her and her sister for creating a havoc in my life, for playing with my feelings. Turning my head away from her I had water and popped the pill in my mouth then began walking toward the bathroom, she hurriedly came up to me and lowered her posture, I looked down in confusion, she was removing the glass pieces coming my way. I shook my head in irritation, one sister had broken my dreams and the other one was gathering its pieces, she extended her hand to pick sheetal's fallen picture but before she could do that I kicked the picture frame to a corner, showing sheetal her right place and went to the bathroom without bothering to look back.
When I came out after freshening up, I found my blue suit lay out on the bed along with my wallet and watch. I curled my fingers in a fist and turned to glance at the door, she was coming in with a tray carrying tea, she kept it on the table and said without meeting my eyes," Arnav ji ..tea." with slow and firm steps I walked in her direction and stopped close to her, this time she couldn't stop from being unnerved by the proximity we were sharing, her downcast eyes were scattering the floor, I grabbed her shoulders and pinned her against the wall. She gasped in terror, her head snapped up and her breath hitched. Glowering down upon her with measureless contempt written on my face, I lifted my hand and pulled down my towel covering her hair. At once her long black tresses came cascading down to her shoulders, startled by my act her quivering pink lips parted but not a word escaped from them. I pushed my body closer against hers. Her heart raced and her chest heaved up and down as she breathed heavily. Her eyes seemed petrified and wary, unsure of what was coming next.
Gritting my teeth I said," hey you.." she whispered back in a trembling voice," khushi..its khushi." Which angered me more, she had the courage to correct me? I wrinkled my nose and spoke this time more harshly," without my permission, don't even think of touching my belongings." She seemed rattled. Good. She ought to be.
I moved toward the bed, picked up the clothes she had taken out for me, my eyes trailed from the suit to her face then without breaking the eye lock I chucked the suit aside and went to the cupboard to select what I wished to wear. Gazing at the various suits hanging before me, I heard a knock at the door, turning to look into that direction, I found Payal standing. I went back to picking my clothes when she asked," what is this khushi, you are still in your old clothes? That cupboard is full of new suits and saris. Wear anything that you like."
Hesitantly she opened the cupboard next to mine and glanced in my direction, her eyes seeking my permission which got nothing but a cold response from my side. She moved her head and began examining the saris kept in front of her, she once again parted her lips to say something but before she could blurt anything I shut her cupboard with a bang, frightening both Payal and her," Payal, buy her whatever she wants but she won't wear anything from this cupboard." Payal had a confused expression on her face wondering what to do with the saris which were already hanging in the cupboard," throw them. Burn them. But they should never ever cross my sight again." Both of them were surprised to hear me burning down or throwing away those clothes but I had no choice, I couldn't bear to see her in any of those saris or suits which sheetal had picked up when we had gone out shopping. In fact I hated to see anything which reminded me of her.
I picked up my wallet, took out wad of notes and threw them on the table after glancing at her. She looked at me briefly, her eyes seemed rebellious then moved to Payal and said," there is no need to waste money on new clothes. I shall manage with what I have." I creased my forehead and glared at her, what was she attempting to show that unlike her sister she was not interested in my money? That she valued her self respect more? Pretence, all this was a big a pretence and I wasn't a fool to believe in all this again, her sister had taught me a very hard yet an important lesson, which I would never forget. I clenched my jaws and replied," you are no longer my servant's daughter. On the contrary now you are Arnav Singh Raizada's wife. Stop covering yourself in these cheap outfits." Even if she was really not interested in splurging my money on herself as she wanted to sound, still she had a reputation to maintain in public, she was now my wife and she couldn't ignore that fact. Seeing me blasting her, payal interrupted me and suggested," kushi we'll go out in the evening." She nodded her head silently. I took out my brown suit, stopped in front of the broken mirror, made a mental note to ask Aakash to get it replaced and then went in take a shower with the towel hanging around my neck.
After a while she entered the room again, much to my dislike with the breakfast. I looked at her through the cracked mirror while buttoning my waist coat, she kept the tray on the table and probably noticed that the tea she had brought earlier remained untouched by me. I brushed back my wet hair, ignoring her presence all together when she said softly," not I but naani ji has prepared this breakfast..for you." then began making the bed silently without bothering about my reaction, I tossed the hair brush on the dressing table and sat on the recliner with my back facing her to have the breakfast only because it was cooked by naani. She stood behind me and asked gently," may I take this?" I glanced toward the bundle of notes kept near the tray and smirked, so all that I don't want your money, honey.' Was indeed a big fat lie. I told myself.
"Yeah of course, take it." I replied still smirking.
However my smirk didn't last long and I furrowed my brows in confusion when her hand came from behind and instead of picking the money picked up the newspaper. I glared at her retreating back as she went out of the French door, sat down at pool side and busied herself in reading the newspaper. Wiping my hands with the tissue paper, I crumbled and threw it aside before leaving the room.
Next few hours were spent with Aakash in discussing about drug trafficking in the town, some unknown miscreants were smuggling the same and ruining the youth. I flared my nostrils in anger and ordered him to catch hold off the people who were behind all this, then I would personally deal with them. My cell began ringing, I looked around for it, maybe I had left it in the room so went back to collect it and found it lying on the bed. Payal came in to call me for lunch," everyone is waiting for you at the table." I nodded my head, she turned around to leave when I stopped her and handed her the money that was still lying on the table. She took the money and exited the room, I scanned the whole room, she wasn't there, not even at the poolside. I pursed my lips and shook my head thinking what a stubborn and arrogant girl!
Soon I joined everybody down for lunch and was having it peacefully till she came out of the kitchen. I concentrated on the plate and avoided looking up. She kept the plate of rice on the dining table and naani said," khushi bitiya, now you also eat with us." Gesturing her to sit next to me, she slowly pulled the chair adjacent to mine and sat down, I gritted my teeth and pushed back my plate then stood up to leave. Her presence disgusted me to no extent. I began walking toward the stair case when naani tried to stop me," chotte, you are leaving your food in the middle." I looked over my shoulder and replied," I am done." Her presence had made me lose my appetite.
Sipping my evening coffee I heard Payal excited voice, she must be back home after shopping. I walked out in the corridor and looked down, I was right she was carrying huge shopping bags, I smiled thinking this was something she enjoyed the most even if it was meant for others. She began taking out the stuff both of them had shopped to show naani," look naani, khushi has bought only suit pieces and not a single sari." Naani smiled and asked her softly that why didn't she buy saris for herself and readymade suits instead of these simple suit pieces? She lowered her head, coiled the end of her dupatta around her finger and replied," sorry naani ji, but I don't feel comfortable in saris. I prefer suits instead." My eyes hovered over her full sleeved, round neck simple suit with dupatta having small irritating bells making noise. Payal looked up and caught me gazing at them, she raised some suit pieces and showed me, I shrugged off my shoulders and walked back to my room, I had more important things to think about rather than what she wore.
Later at night I reluctantly stepped down to have dinner, my eyes hoping not to catch a glimpse of her and I guess I was lucky as she preferred to remain in the kitchen as long as I was having dinner at the table. For once my mind appreciated her for being intelligent enough to understand how much I hated her being around myself.
But unfortunately my mind couldn't appreciate her for long as after dinner she once again came before my eyes this time carrying something in two bowls. Couldn't she see me peacefully enjoying a couple of drinks with Aakash? I twirled on the bar stool and chose to look the other side, when Aakash asked excitedly," wow khushi, you made this?"
"After marriage today is my first day in the kitchen..so naani ji asked me to cook something sweet for everybody." Aakash, ever so fond of sweets complimented her on making a delicious kheer.
She turned around and stood before me with the tray, I avoided gazing at her expecting that she would take the clue and leave away silently but no she stood there like a pillar making me furious with every passing second. Finally I turned my neck and gave her a stern glance clenching my jaws firmly, she looked back at me blankly. There was no trace of happiness in fact loneliness and sadness floated in her eyes, then why the hell was she celebrating this unwanted wedding by making this sweet dish?
Seeing her not move an inch I tossed up the tray in rage, the contents of the bowl fell on her clothes while the bowl and the tray came crashing down. Aakash who was having kheer paused midway in surprise as his eyes turned wide. She glanced at her suit and then at the floor where her preparation laid scattered. She closed her eyes for a moment as though attempting to absorb what had happened before bending down to pick up the broken pieces. I stared at her bent posture as a glass piece pricked her thumb. She winced softly, my eyes narrowed on seeing a drop of blood ooze out of her thumb. Stomping my foot I left the house carrying the unfinished bottle of whiskey in my hand.
Sometime later when I came back to the room it was empty, I sat on the recliner with my legs sprawled and head resting on the head rest behind. I opened my eyes on hearing the bathroom door unbolt, she stepped out in her changed clothes and wet hair. I frowned at her, what was the need to take a bath when only her suit had got spoilt? Anyway, I rested my head back once again, as she began arranging her old suits along with the new suit pieces in the cupboard. After a few minutes she came near the table and kept some money on it," Arnavi ji, this was left after shopping." I gazed at the unspent money then raised my hand in the air and said," keep it with you." She turned around without taking the money and walked toward the bed where my ironed out clothes were kept. She lifted and carried them to my cupboard and opened it when I came charging behind her and shut the panel on her face and growled," hey, you.."
" khushi.." For the second time in the day she corrected me.
I stepped close to her, she flinched and creased her face. I barked and stressed on each and every word so that she understood and remembered them forever," stay away from me and my belongings. Next time I see you touching them without my consent, I swear I will chop off your fingers" she was my wife just for namesake and she didn't have to perform those typical duties of a wife. Sooner she understood this fact the better it would be for her.
Taking a step back I turned around when I heard her ask," why are you punishing yourself for my sister's mistakes?" I wrinkled my forehead and wondered what made her think that I was punishing myself for that sheetal?
Glancing over my shoulder I glared at her," sheetal is nobody for me. She doesn't affect me." Her sister had no place in my life, she simply ceased exist for me.
She nodded her head and replied back confidently," Arnav ji it will be better if your heart too accepts the same."
I so wished to strangle her for being that brutally honest. It was true that I couldn't get over with what sheetal had done to me, her betrayal had left my heart broken and life scarred but one thing the lady in front of me didn't know was that her presence would not make my life easier, in fact she would constantly remind me how insensitively her sister had played with my feelings.
I stared into those doe eyes which were fearless and emotionless, which didn't bow down before me on the contrary challenged me at every step. Had they belonged to someone else I would have probably admired their courage and sincerity but unfortunately they belonged to her.
It would never be easy for me to accept her, cause she was the unwanted and undesired part of my story.
Thanks for reading
Rose
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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