*Last Part! Short Epilogue to follow. Sorry this story took so long to finish. Not sure how many are still around, but hope you enjoyed the read.
-TK*
Chapter 46
Madhu watched as Rishabh walked over to the microphone. Over 200 people watched in rapt attention, cameras out, and the room buzzed with an air of anticipation. Madhu had been feeling a tinge of nervousness ever since they got in the car, but the sparkle in his eyes when he said "I got you" had suddenly calmed her nerves down.
"Do you trust me?" he had asked as they left home, and again in the car. Both times she had said yes, unequivocally. She trusted him far more than she trusted herself.
"I love you Rishabh" she whispered to herself as the fear of the external world in the room ebbed away.
"Welcome and thank you for taking out the time today. In the past few days, following the incident at the airport involving a gangster, there have been many speculations. The matter is under investigation..."
"Didi" Manav hissed to her ear. Madhu, who hadn't noticed her brother sneak up, was relieved before noticing Manav's moist eyes. "Manav what..."she tried asking as discretely as she could given how close to the stage they were standing, but Manav squeezed his elder sister's hand.
"I love you di. I am very proud of you. You're the bravest most selfless person I know" Manav whispered in his sister's ear.
Not understanding where it came from, Madhu turned fully to his sister, but before she could say anything Manav smiled at her "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me, but you'll never be alone. I and Rishabh jiju will always be with you, and there is nothing you have done to ever feel ashamed. Ok?"
"Manav but..." Words stuttered at Madhu's dumbstruck mouth. Was Manav talking about what Madhu thought she was talking about? But how?
"And now, onto my most important announcement of the day. I'd like to introduce you to someone special - someone who in fact is the most special person for me in the whole world. Madhubala Malik."
RK's announcement was followed by an applause, and all eyes in the room moved towards her. Madhu, still reeling from the import of the few words Manav had said, was furious as RK approached her. Did he tell Manav? Today? Her kid brother! And why was he announcing her name in front of the media? Wasn't he supposed to protect her?
RK saw the puzzled anger in Madhu's eyes as he extended his hand to pull her closer to the microphone. He was expecting it, and he knew her anger and bewilderment was only going to increase as he did what he wanted to, but deep down he was sure he was doing what was right for her, as well as their future. Also, he knew his Madhu. She was much stronger than she gave herself credit for, and she wanted this strong woman to live her life with her head held high, instead of hanging in shame and fear.
"As you know, Madhu and I were together at the airport when Sultan, the known gangster, took us hostage in an attempt to escape. Thanks to the police present there and a lot of luck on our side, we both survived with non life-threatening injuries. Actually, not luck, I think, as far as I'm concerned, I only survived because of Madhu on my side." As there was applause, Rishabh interlinked her fingers with Madhu, who could only listen stunned.
"In fact, Madhu has saved me more than once, and it would be fair to say that if it were not for Madhu, I'd have been dead long ago. I owe her my life, my love, my happiness and everything I have."
"Rishabh..."Madhu chided, her voice low but her displeasure at his lofty words evident. Her mental list of questions and complaints about this humiliating public display was getting quickly populated. She couldn't wait for this press conference to be over.
RK, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was doing and did not want to give Madhu time to react till it was over. He was ready for her accusations, her anger - really, whatever she wanted - but they would do this first, he had decided. He would apologize later, but this was necessary. He tightened his grip on her hand and whispered "I love you Madhu. Please trust me."
"Are you getting married?" someone shrieked from the audience.
"Yes, we are. I certainly hope so. But you see Madhu has not said yes to my proposal yet. Maybe it's because she hasn't forgiven me yet. And so I need your help to convince her to marry me."
"Marry RK!"
"He's rich"
"Beautiful couple!"
Ignoring the screams, RKcontinued, "Thank you, but before you make a recommendation, I would like to tell everyone the truth so you know me, Rishabh Kundra, and Madhubala Malik, better. Now you're aware of RK and my professional life. You probably already have heard many stories about meand I won't contest those. You probably also know about my divorce with my ex-wife Dipali.
I don't know if you know how it feels when your own people cheat and deceive you. I don't know if you understand the helplessness, the anger and the abject grief that comes with the realization that for your family, the worth of your years of love and care is measurable in only the money you earn.
In that dark time when I had lost both sanity and the will to live, I stumbled across this angel, Madhu, who dispelled the darkness away. My Madhu - she has led a very difficult life, and yet, she has only given love and happiness to everyone she has crossed paths with. Like millions of girls in this country, she grew up in a poor household where everyday was a battle for survival as well as safety. She faced violence and abuse, yet somehow managed to study, work and raised her sister. Unfortunately, and also like thousands of girls in our country, the people she trusted, the people who should have protected her, tried to sell her into flesh trade, as if she is not a human being but an object." He fumed in anger as the room fell into silence. Madhu felt as if the ground under her feet had given away. Yet she did not move away or react.
"My Madhu is not an object." Rishabh continued "She is a simple, shy, innocent girl who loves books and bangles. It's a miracle that despite everything, life has still not managed to take that innocence, that inner beauty away from her. But it's the bitter truth of our society today that we continue to hide the physical mental and emotional abuse of our women behind curtains, and instead of offering sympathy, help and justice, accuses them and banishes them. Many years ago, my father established an NGO that has been working to help women in need, but I realize there is a lot more that needs to be done. From this year onwards, 10% of all Kundra Industries profits every year will go towards the NGO. It's only a token amount though, because the real change in our society needs to come from within. We need to reflect and we need to differentiate between the accused and the victim, the criminal and the sufferer.
People often call me a strong leader. Some of you may think Madhu is a victim. I think Madhu is a hero. She is much stronger than I am. In fact I do not know anyone as strong, as courageous, as selfless and as pure as my Madhu. She is someone who went through unimaginable pain in her life, and yet only spread joy for others, someone who went through great lengths to protect those she loved, someone who life betrayed over and over again, but who still had the compassion to help hundreds of girls who fall through the dark crevices of our society. She is my savior."
RK faced Madhu, who by now was crying profusely, her gaze on the ground. Yet, at no point had she stepped away from her Rishabh even as he had laid bare their deepest secrets to the whole world. He had held her hand tight the whole time, and somehow that warmth had saved her from collapsing like she thought she would the day everyone found out about everything she had been through.
"Madhu," RK spoke with a hoarse voice and Madhu looked up to see tears falling in his eyes "I know I too gave you a lot of pain in the past, and perhaps I do not deserve you, but today in front of the whole world I want to apologize. Today I want to tell you that when we are together there is no room for fear or pain, that we both deserve happiness and our happiness lies with each other. Today I want you to know that I love you so much that words fail me, that you own every inch of the existence of Rishabh Kundra, but most importantly I respect you much more than I love you.
Today I want to ask for a chance - a chance for me to love you the way you deserve to be loved for the rest of our lives, a chance for yourself to allow yourself to be loved, to be happy, to be everything you can be.
Madhubala Malik, will you please marry me?"
RL was kneeling in front of Madhu with the ring in his hand, as the room broke into a loud response. For sure, theirs weren't the only moist eyes in the room, but as always, RK's and Madhu's tears spoke the same language. As her eyes met his sparkling orbs, she suddenly felt the weight of the world disappear off her shoulders. She didn't fully process it yet, but she instinctively knew that by doing what he did, RK had given her what she most deeply wanted. Dignity.
Somehow, he'd freed her.
Only a few minutes ago, as Madhu heard RK, she was aghast. Shame and humiliation made her want to become invisible as the world's eyes pored onto her. She couldn't understand why RK would do this to her, subjecting them both to everyone's judgment when this was the exact thing she was afraid of. The world wouldn't understand - even RK's family hadn't - and the repercussions would be lifelong and horrifying. And yet, as RK kept talking and the tone in the room went from pin drop silence to applause, it dawned on Madhu that not everyone had reacted the same way. Trishna understood. Manav, apparently, understood. And the rest of the world - did it really matter? After all, she had done nothing wrong. Then why was she supposed to suffer and live in fear and shame for the rest of her life?
When they had worked with the police to bust Tony's racket and free the girls, Madhu had wished she could do more, but didn't know how. Those girls were free and RK said their NGO was helping them, but there were so many more who suffered, both at the hands of their perpetrators but also at the hands of the society and their own families who treat them as outcasts? Why does our society punish the victims? The question had always seemed too difficult, too large to answer by any one person. But the question at least deserves to be asked. Even though RK and Madhu had never explicitly talked about this, in the past few weeks she had often wondered why it was that no one even raised the question. As if it didn't matter! As if lives of all the suffering women didn't matter. As if she didn't matter.
But today she realized she mattered. If to no one else, then to Rishabh, and that was more than enough for her. He had raised the question. He had told the world there was nothing to be ashamed to be a victim, and in saying that he had told Madhu that there was nothing to be ashamed as well. By staging this confrontation, he had resolved the unspoken fears that haunted her soul for good. All he could be accused of was being too brave, brave enough for both of them.
It was possible that some people won't understand - that both or either of them would be subjected to gossip, judgment or bear some losses. But those losses weren't worth regretting. Through his words and actions RK had convinced Madhu that fear of judgment of those who are wrong, misguided and biased, and shouldn't stop one from doing what's right, and from living their life.
Hopefully, eventually, they will understand and see the unfairness of it all, but they couldn't forgo their own happiness waiting for them to come around. She couldn't forgo her happiness, her life, the man who had given her hope and respect and who knelt today in front of her, asking that she gave herself a chance.
She'd be crazy to say no.
Hai zindagi mana dard bhari
Phir bhi isme ye raahat bhi hai
Main hoon tera aur tu hai meri
Yunhi rahe hum, ye chahat bhi hai
Phir dil ke dil se, pul kyu toote hain
Kyun hum jeene se itne roothe hain
Aa dil ke darwaaze hum khole
Aa hum dono jee bhar ke ro le
Jee le zara, jee le zaraa
Kehta hai dil jee le zara
Aye humsafar, aye humnawa
Aa paas aa jee le zaraa
*THE END*
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