Abhigya FF - Enmity and Enchantment (Chapter 9 updated, pg.17) - Page 4

Chapter 5

"Di, what happened to you?" Bulbul gently sat her sister down on the bed, trying to keep her voice down even though the pain flashing across her sister's face made her want to yell.

"I was just trying to find a rickshaw and -"

"That's not what I'm talking about Di. What happened to the Di who stood up for herself and her family when the groom's family demanded our hall? How can you just let Abhi and Aaliya treat you like this?"

Pragya looked at her sister. "Because I don't want to cause this family anymore pain than I already have. This marriage may be based on deceit and revenge but it's also a source of joy for Ma and Abhi's Dadi."

"How long do you think that joy is going to last when the find out the truth?" Bulbul was ready to march downstairs and give that stupid rockstar a piece of her mind, damn the consequences.

"No Bulbul, don't tell them! I'll figure out what to do after this wedding."

"But Di, this wedding is just going to cause more problems." Even though she had let go of Purab, she didn't know how long his marriage with Aaliya was going to last. On top of that, Abhi might want to leave Pragya as soon as the two are married. What were they going to do then?

"Pragya Di, I know you want to see Ma happy, but believe me, if you don't tell Jiju the truth soon, five lives will be ruined."

"I know that. But even if I try to tell Abhi, he won't believe me. And neither will Aaliya. They think I'm the one that took Purab away in the first place remember." Pragya gave a resigned sigh.

"Fine, then I'll go talk to them right now." Bulbul quickly rushed out of the room before her Di had any chance to protest or pull her back.

Downstairs, Abhi stood in contemplation as he saw Tanu walking quickly towards him. Great, she looks angry.

"Abhi, what the hell was that? Since when do you scold Aaliya and especially over that bhanji?" Tanu searched Abhi face for any sign that it was all an act. She had been noticing changes in Abhi, and she was scared that he was beginning to his role as a husband seriously.

"Aaliya was being ridiculous Tanu. Didn't you see all the bruises on Pragya? Anyone could have seen that she was hurt but all Aaliya instead was worried about her jewelry. Who does that?"

"You do that. Why are you so worried about Pragya? She probably did that to herself to try and stop the ceremonies. Who knows how far she'll go?"

Abhi shook his head. "I don't think so. Why would she go to such lengths and still bring Aaliya her things? And besides, she hasn't done anything so far to actually stop the wedding." I thought she was supposed to be master manipulator the way she had tricked Purab and now Dadi. But then again, she always did look surprised when things went wrong or whenever he brought up her affairs. Had he missed all the signs before? Did it have to do with the truth Pragya mentioned?

"You know what I think? I think you've changed and can't seem to tell the difference between the truth and the lies that woman has told you."

"Or maybe he's finally seeing the truth" Purab walked up to the pair, having heard Abhi's contemplative thoughts on Pragya. When Pragya Di had prevented him from disclosing his relationship with Bulbul to Abhi, he had hoped Abhi would notice something was wrong.

Abhi looked up at his friend. "The truth? Will someone tell me what this truth is already?!" Everyone seemed to know something he was oblivious to yet no one thought to actually enlighten him.

"The truth is that Pragya Di isn't who you think she is" They all turned to see Bulbul looking at them with contempt in her eyes and a murderous expression.

"Why don't you tell them Purab, what the truth is?" She looked insistently at Purab. They weren't going to run from the truth anymore. The two of them had caused enough trouble by hiding their past relationship and her Di had suffered enough.

Purab looked at Bulbul and saw that if he didn't speak now, she would. "Bhai, the thing is..." He glanced at his friend's face. Would he believe him or think it was just another ploy? No, he had faith in his brother and Abhi's heart had always been in the right place, his anger was just misdirected.

"The girl I am - was in love with, it isn't Pragya."

Abhi took a step back. "Wait, what the hell do you mean it isn't Pragya?!" When he had told Purab the reason why he married Pragya, Purab hadn't corrected him. Nor had he attempted to explain himself later.

"I know Bhai, I should have said something before. But Pragya Di forbid me from saying anything"

"That's not all Jiju. "Bulbul glanced at Purab; she wasn't going to hold anything back. "Pragya Di didn't say anything because she wanted to protect me. She was afraid when you found out that I was the girl, you would do something to me and break the marriage. She put her family's happiness, your family's happiness, above her own." There she had said it. She hoped Abhi would see her Di for the amazing daughter, sister, and even wife that she was.

Abhi's mind reeled with thoughts of anger, confusion and regret as he took in Bulbul's words. Anger that Purab hadn't told him the truth before, confusion as to how he could have been so mistaken. And regret? He closed his eyes, seeing only images of Pragya taking care of him, his Dadi, even his sister's needs without protesting. He say the hurt expressions that always flashed across her face when he accused her of only caring for money, the tears beginning to form in her eyes that showed how much pain he was causing her.

Shit, how he could have been so stupid? Tanu was right, he had changed. He had felt regret when he saw those tears, but always pushed it back, thinking it was just another of her tricks. Rejecting both his mind and his heart, he had rejected any thoughts of her innocence, because to accept such thoughts would be to admit he was wrong.

And that would also mean acknowledging the conflict between deceit and truth, between revenge and growing affection, that would arise whenever he spent time with her, danced with her, even looked at her.

Abhi opened his eyes to look up at the door to their room. Leaving Bulbul and Purab with hopeful expressions, he ran upstairs towards his room. He had to talk to her.

The guests, who all this time were still waiting for the sangeet to begin, smiled to themselves, watching a worried husband rush to take care of his wife.