She glanced at the door for the hundredth time, searching for any signs of him. But alas, there were none. Whispers had already sprung up all around her and rumours were making rounds that he had abandoned her at the Mandap. They stabbed her chest like shards of glass, each word piercing her veins.
But she held on to her faith that was now diminishing as every second passed.
Yes, he would come. He had promised her that he wouldn't be late.
Arnav Singh Raizada always upheld his promise.
Looking to her left, she could see her panic stricken face of her Amma and Buaji, their heads lowering as the clock ticked. Her sweaty palms clutched the sides of her bead studded Green lehenga but instead, found the support of a warm hand holding her elbow.
"Khushi, he will come." She heard the voice of her sister, consoling her. But that voice was enough to bring back the memories of that fateful night when she first met him. Hadn't her sister been abandoned at the Mandap in the same way?
It was because of her, wasn't it? She was in a way responsible for all that her Jiji had been through.
Maybe this was fate playing the same cruel game with her.
She could feel her eyes moisten as her vision of the people around her blurred, voices ceased to exist. The memories of her previous passion filled night flashed through her eyes, the way she had surrendered her entire self to him.
They were married to each other in every sense. She had already become his, placing her entire trust on him, a trust that mattered the most to her in this relationship. She had crossed all barriers, letting go of her inhibitions with the hope that he would fulfil her dreams.
And yet, as she stared at the door, her mind only screamed one conclusion.
He had betrayed her trust, he had abandoned her just like always.
What did he think of himself? She had forgiven him every time he had barked at her to get out of his car in the middle of the road. She had forgiven him even for the times he had made her sleep outside in the cold nights during their contract marriage. She had even forgiven him for the numerous times he had insulted her, labelling her as a gold digger.
Khushi Kumari Gupta had a big heart and that's why, she had forgiven this man every single time, hoping that one day he would understand her, that one day he would love her as much as she loved him, accepting her for her faults just like she had accepted him whole heartedly.
But no! Today, he had crossed all boundaries. He had humiliated her when she was the weakest, when she was the most unprepared. She didn't know the reason for his behaviour but she knew very well that she didn't deserve any bit of this humiliation.
This was it! He had crossed all limits of her threshold for tolerance.
She wanted to cry, weep, sob, breakdown. But not here, not in front of everyone. She was tired of being the sacrificial lamb. Today, she would show the world that she still had an ounce of dignity left in her.
And with that thought in her mind, she pushed away her Jiji's hands from her elbow and without uttering a single word, she held her head high and walked towards the door, into the oblivion, tired of everything, tired of being wronged, for the first time taking a decision for herself, for what she wanted.
For Khushi Kumari Gupta and no one else.
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