ARHI SS : Trapped-Thread 1 - Page 17

As soon as she got up, she was aware he had come home. She had always known when he was around. So, he had he seen her sleeping by the poolside? And he had not bothered to ask her to come in? Was it because she was sleeping or was it because he did not care?

Her heart wanted to believe the first but her mind told her it was the latter. He did not care one way or the other she existed. The grief, which had dulled during sleep returned with a new vigor.

What use did a new day have for her? Who would talk to her? Who would share meals with her? Who needed her?

Gently she touched the black beads that he had made her wear the previous night. Just beads for him, but not for her. It meant something sacred to her. It meant she was tied to him. It meant she had a responsibility towards him. It meant she had to nurture and care for him, no matter how hard he was to her,

But she would do this without giving up her dignity. She wouldn't grovel. She wouldn't weaken. She wouldn't ever let him know what she felt. But she would never fail in her duties towards him. After all, the word 'wife' had a meaning for her, if not him.

When he woke up, he could catch the faint smell of incense sticks and what sounded like a bhajan. Was Di back? He wondered.

But he came back to reality. It was her. His wife, pretending to be the perfect bahu. She was good at that. Acting!

The word 'wife' brought back the memories and the anger. He looked at the poolside. She was not there. Thank God! He could not bear to begin the day seeing her and breathing the same air as her.

She had finished laying the table when he came down screaming 'Hari Prakash'. He stopped at the bottom of the staircase when he saw her beside the table. His glance swept the table and took in the contents.

She did not expect appreciation or even a smile. But a small part of her had hoped he would spare her the caustic words. But this was Arnav Singh Raizada, whose words could cut deeper thank a word.

'How wifely and cozy. Playing the ever caring devoted wife? Oh, I forgot. You always wanted to play this role for me and you think you have achieved it.

But spare me the wifely concern and this cozy home scene. I don't want it and you better get that into your head.

And thanks to you I have lost all my appetite. I don't want to eat at all.

You are welcome to the wonderful food you have cooked, And guess what? You can eat it all alone, all day.

The house is all yours. Talk to yourself, do all the sweet domestic stuff you love to do. But unfortunate for you, that you won't have an audience for all this and definitely no one to appreciate it.

You can even go out and have a blast.

I don't care where you go and what you do. I am going to work and you are welcome to do as you like, go where you want. Just don't try to call me or reach me.

I don't want my day spoiled by you.

You have already spoilt my appetite for the day' he ground out viciously before turning around and leaving

His words chilled her to the bones and the freezing cold spread to her already wounded heart. But she bit her lips hard to control the tears. No, she wouldn't cry. She was not weak. She was not going to give him the pleasure of knowing his words wounded her.

She simply stood her ground, and watched him leave.

By the time he reached his farmhouse, he had a throbbing headache and his mood was worse.

He could not go to work and risk speculations about why a newly married man was working, the day after his marriage. Neither could he stay at home under the same roof as her.

But, telling himself a million times that she deserved it,did not take away the memory of her stricken face or hurt eyes.

He was too weak for his own good. He was caring for someone who had not thought twice before wanting to ruin his reputation publicly.

The words 'I will sue you for sexual harassment,' from Sashi Gupta still came back to hurt him. But what had completely broken his trust in humanity was the time Khushi had stood silent when he had asked her to tell her Dad that it was all a big assumption on his part.

'Tell him nothing happened in Simla.

Khushi this is important.

If you are silent, this could prove costly for both of us.

Forget the fact that you ever liked me and just be honest. This is about my reputation' he had pleaded.

But Khushi had maintained a stoic silence. She had not replied to either her father's plea or his own.

Finally he had lost his patience and grabbed her and said 'Tell him the truth that nothing happened.'

But she had cried then and said 'I can't because something did happen---'

All hell had broken loose then.

Accusations had been flying all around. It became as ugly as it could possibly get. Nothing made sense after that and things had happened in rapid succession.

He may have been drunk. But he knew for sure nothing had happened. Not to the full extent. He knew she had lied and he would never forgive her----ever!

After he had left, Khushi had sat stunned, all alone in the dining room. How could a person be so cruel? She couldn't even if she tried. Yes, he was angry. But If not a wife, couldn't he speak to her as a human being?

She looked at the food she had cooked with so much pain.

She couldn't bring herself to eat.

Not when she knew he had not eaten.

It reminded him of another time, when he had been hungry when she had not eaten due to her anger at him.

Link to M&O Chapter with flashback (read if you want to):

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/83893591

She still remembered how he had collapsed due to dropping sugar levels and how she had fed him.

She still remembered their sweet conversation

'Why did you skip dinner?' she asked, finally.

'Because you did,' he said.

'And why does it matter?' she asked.

'I have no idea,' he said and looked away.

'Where did that Arnav go? Can hate make a person inhuman? He doesn't even care if I eat or not. But why do I still care? Why am I not able to touch food, knowing he hasn't eaten?' she asked herself.

With no one to stop her, she let the sobs break through her fragile form.

There was no one to console her in the empty house.

No soul who could wipe away the tears and tell her 'All will be fine'

All through the day she had wanted to call and find out if he had his food. If his health was fine.

But his harsh 'Don't try to call me,' discouraged her.

The empty house haunted her.

She picked up the phone several times to call her parents.

But she knew they would not speak to her and she could not bear it if they hung up on her.

Miserable, lonely and hungry she spent the entire day, waiting for Arnav to come back, wanting to know he was fine.

After an entire day in the farmhouse, working remotely, he finally realized it was time to go home.

He liked it here in the farmhouse. It was peaceful and quiet. His cook was one of the best and served him the best of everything. He had no reason to go home.

He had half a mind not to. But he knew he had to. It was not safe to leave her alone at night

If not anything else, she was his responsibility.

When he reached home and let himself in, like the day before it was pitch dark. He did not bother switching on the lights in the living room, but strode up to his bedroom.

He did not bother looking at the poolside. He knew she was hiding there.

So, he freshened up and went to sleep.

In the morning, when he woke up, involuntarily his eyes went to the poolside. She wasn't there.

There was no pillow or bedsheet too.

He did not give much importance to it. Like yesterday, she was probably up and about cooking or prayng.

Pushing her unwanted thoughts away, he freshened up and went down.

Unlike yesterday, the rotten smell of food, floated from the table.

Surprised he saw yesterday's food lying on the table-untouched.

Alarmed he looked around and froze at the sight beside the couch.

There lay Khushi, beside the couch completely unconscious----