FF - SHATTERED - (Angad* Sahiba) - Aurhors note imp -9/4/23 - Page 4

Hello everyone...

Here I am with the next update from sahiba's POV. In my head its like an alternate fictional/reality version of what happenes going forward at her end and what she could be going through within.

Here You go -

...............

Take 3 - Where do I go?

Sahiba's POV

Finally.

Finally.

Finally.

I feel like I can breathe.

Finally.

Ab main saans le sakti hun. Finally mera dil aur dum ghut nai raha hai. Finally mujhe lag raha hai ki jaise doobte hue insaan ko lifeguard ne bacha liya...haan yahan mein apni lifeguard khud hi bani...par kya karein? Banna padta hai yaar...yeh asli duniya hai kahani nai...yahan koi knight in the shining armour nai aane wala...mere liye...toh phir iss bandi ko hi apne liye khud ka Knight Banna pada..jaise ki mujhe koi bande ki zaroorat hai knight bann ke liye hai..

(Eng : Finally. I can breathe. Finally my heart and soul does not feel suffocated within. Finally, I feel like as if a drowning person had just been saved by a lifeguard. Yup, in my case I had to be my own saviour and lifeguard - but I just had to right? I mean, this is real life not some fiction where in a knignt in shining armour is going to come save me...so I just had to become my own knight. Like as if I need a man to come save me anyway...)

Finally. Kuch kadam brar mansion se nikalte hi..aisa lag raha hai ki main Pinhere se azaad hogayi...babaji jaante hai inka ghar kisi fancy caged zoo se kam nai...anyways Ab mujhe kya? Mera peecha choota...

(Eng : Finally. Just taking few steps out of the brar mansion make me feel like a bird whose just foud freedom again out of its golden cage...I am sure babaji agrees with me that thier house is nno less than a caged zoo...anyways...not that it is my problem anymore. I am out of it...)

Phewww...syaapa mukka...( Phewwww....finally ...my dreaded ordeal is over...)

I quickly walk to the end of the road at a speed i didnt know my feet were capable of walking at. Azaadi ki uchal hi samajhlo. ( Probably it is due to the extra bounce of freedom?)

Once i reach the main road - I focus on hailing an auto for myself as quick as possible.Thankfully , within thirty seconds a auto bhaiya stops next to me and gestures me to get in and I take my seat placing my suitcase to my side.

But the very second he asks me where is it I want to go, I feel my insides freeze coz suddenly I am hit with a question I thought I'd never be hit with..in my life...

Where do I go???

Kahan jaaun main? Ghar chali gayi toh phir sab papaji aur mummy ko phir taane sunayenge...ki...do hi din mein wapas aagayi...ladki...etc etc...ek ladki ka koi pata nai..doosri ko sasuraal walon ne finally nikaal hi diya etc etc..(eng : Like just where do i go from here? If i go home than the whole of our locality will begin to taut mummy and papaji...that i retured in a couple of days...one daughter ran away..another was kicked out of her sasuraal etc etc...)

Dammit. Kya karun? (What do i do?)

Ajeeb hi hojata haina hum ladkiyon ke liye? Shaadi ke baad...wapas apne hi ghar jaane mein itni soch kha jaati hai??? Shayad yeh society ki conditioning ki wajah se?? ( Its so strange how suddenly it becomes so weird for us girls post the wedding? That we have to think of a gazzilion things before going back to our own home - post a setback? Perhaps, its just because of the conditioning of the society we grew up in??)

I am still lost in the thought when the auto bhaiya asks me where do I want to go and suddenly I feel the only answer I can give for now is the address of my shop.My artistic heaven...which is like my home too...the only other place on this planet where I feel at home...

Yes, this is the right thing to do for now. For now, it is better that  I just head there. I ask the auto bhaiya to take me there ..and as he begins the journey I begin to wonder if I can actually start living out of my shop maybe?

I can totally get a charpayi(folding cot) in the stock room plus wahan bathroom bhi hai hi(there is a washroom)...aur..chota stove bhi jahan main chai paani ka intezaam rakhti thi...(plus a stove which I anyway use for tea, snacks etc..so I can use it to cook for myself too...)

Hmmmm...

Finally. I smile....as the idea cements in my being. Yup. I finally smile from my heart after days. Why? Because even though the nest I am returning to maybe small...it is my nest..my nest where in there is peace, quiet, and my art...my nest where in my soul can breathe and smile... freely...

...............

TWO HOURS LATER - SAHIBA'S SHOP

Sahiba's POV Continues

I am right in the middle of finishing up a new artwork on babaji, when I hear papaji, mummy and tayiji's and keerats voice come in collectively from the doorway calling out my name worried - " sahibaaaaa......"

I look up instantly. For a while , I had just been soaking in peace through the catharsis my art is for me. Haaye rabba inhe kaise pata chala ki main yahan...( Oh God, how did they all get to know I am here??)

I spot kulcha standing right behind them now looking at me  guilty. I'd asked him not to tell anyone about this when he saw me come in with my suitcase a while ago. Clearly - he did not listen and under the pretext of going out for a snack break - he just went and called everyone here...instead...

Before I can even say anything post putting my paint brushes aside - everyone begins to bombard me with questions worriedly left , right and center. I sigh. Gesturing kulcha to pull the shop shutters down half way - I finally turn around to face of my loved ones as they look at me sick in worry..

Kya kahun? Sach toh bolna padega...par shayad poora nai...unka dil toot jaayega sunke..( What should I say to them? i have to tell them the truth...but probably not the whole of it? the details will just pain them??)

Papaji begins pacing around worried as he continues to call out my name - worried. Mummy has lost her sense of self as she's just gaping at me worried as well asking me questions but is staying away from my frame only because I stopped her from hugging me.Keerat has hugged me though and is threatening to bring all of ludhiana down if I don't speak up. Tayiji is asking them to calm down without much success though. Kulcha is staying out guarding so that no customer walks in now...for it is a normal usual buzzing day in our market...

I finally sigh. Gulping down the traumatic flashbacks from last night I finally speak - " bass...aap..sab bass...mujhe kuch bolne toh dijiye..."( wait...you all...stop fretting will you? Will you atleast let me speak up??)

But once again before I can say anything papaji spots my suitcase tucked to the side and behind and he gapes at me stunned - " tune woh ghar chod diya ..sahiba??( you left that house sahiba??)," and he looks at mummy shaken in disbeleif - " tune phir mujhse jhotth bola Santosh ki wahan sab thik tha iske saath??"( you lied to us again Santosh that all was well there??)

I am about to answer when Keerat chips in now boiling and fuming like a volcano - " khaak thik tha kuch sahiba di ke saath wahan...kuch nai thik tha...kuch bhi nai....mujhe sab pata hai..uss veer ne bataya tha jab main art ka saman dene gayi thi di ko...." ( to hell with anything being right with sahiba di there...nothing was right...nothing...i know everything from veer whom i met when i went to handover the art stuff to di last night...) -  And before I can stop her she narrates all that she knew from Veer.

Okay! Half the cat is out of the bag. Perhaps - no point in trying to hide it..anymore. I did not want to worry them insane but perhaps I am left with no choice. The truth is bitter. It will worry them no matter what...

Once keerat is done - I look at her with the look - did you really need to? She gives me the determined look - you bet i had to.I sigh.Shell shocked, shaken and worried everyone looks at me now and papaji asks as mummy bursts into more tears cursing herself for her doings which led us all to this point -  " sahiba bol kuch...kuch toh bol...kya hua wahan? Ki meri sahiba ka sabr toot gaya??chod aayi tu kya woh ghar??" ( Sahiba...say something...beti..say something...tell me..what happened there...tell us what happened...that my sahiba ran out of her patience and walked out of there??)

That from papaji finally does it for me. My switch flips. Just simply flips. I look at him frazzled and shaken as I confess - " haan...chod aayi..papa...chod aayi woh ghar mein...nai jaaungi...kabhi wahan wapis..haan toot gaya mere sabr ki dor...kyunki main ek insaan bhi toh papaji...ek insaan..jiske dil mein dhadkan hai..jiski rooh ko sukoon chahiye...jiske dil ko samman chahiye....haan main chod aayi woh nark...jahan mera koi maan nai...samman nai...izzat nai....bass ab yeh mat poochna...ki aisa kya hua...bass yeh samjh lijiye...ki wahan rehne se bhattar toh aapki sahiba ko maut manzoor...," I pause in my frustrated rant only because this time around Tayiji steps in front of me observing my face with tears in her eyes.

(eng : yes papaji yes...i walked out of that house...walked out for good...I will never go there ever again...yes the string of y patience broke..yes it broke..why? because I am only a human being afterall ...a human whose hearts got beats and emotions and feelings ...a human whose soul wants peace...whose heart wants respect...yes i walked out of that house that is/was no less than a hell for me...the hell where is there was no respect/understanding/safety for me...now dont ask me for all the details...but just know that your sahiba would prefer dying rather than ever heading back there...)

Tayiji asks as her hands touch my cheek and papaji watches on in stunned shock due to my outburst with mummy continuing to cry harder by the minute and keerat tearing up and boiling in anger at the same time - " shayad...tujhe kuch kehne ki zaroorat nai hai sahiba...kyunki tere chehre  aur haathon ke yeh nishaan...bahut kuch bayaan kar reh hai puttar....beti...toh sach bol...kya hua hai tere saath..un logo ne tujhpe haath uthaya..maara tujhe? Angad ne?? Tu bass bol...puttar bol.." ( you don't need to give details...sahiba...for these marks on your cheeks and wrist..depict a dreadful tale to us anyway...you tell us the truth...what happened? did they hit you?did anyone raise a hand at you? did angad? you just tell us the truth...Sahiba...just tell us the truth...)

That sends everyone in panic mode and I damm myself for not using make up to hide these marks left by the man whose existence I want to forget about...

Papaji pales into a ghost. Mummy's finally comes to me howling and begins to examine me everywhere asking me the same bit tayji did..keerat joins her in fuming into a volcano now ..as if she could burn whole of ludhiana down in the moment..

Papaji finally whispers shaken and broken- " bol putta bol...kya hua..aisa kuch hua..toh bata mujhe...ek second mein complaint karta hun in brars ki...inki itni himmat...yeh..bade log hai..yeh...harkaton mein itne ghatiya...hum darenge nai...meri beti pe haath kaisa uthaya kisi ne..." ( tell me Sahiba...what happened? if this is what happened...one second and I will complain about these brars...how dare they? who do they think they are?? we will not get scared...how dare they hurt my daughter??)

Mummy howls examing me - " kuch aur anarth toh nai kar diya angad ne tere saath sahiba? Bol beta bol...tere paapji sahi hai..hum abhi complaint kartein hai..( tell sahiba...tell...if not hit...then some other disturbing mishap or what with angad trying to force himself on you or something?your papaji is right...we will complain..we will complain...)

Everyone's panic has collectively hit Mt.Everest..it seems...

I speak up at that now finally clearing my throat - " uff mummy...chup karo...aap ab....koi anarth nai hua..aur na..kisi ne koi maara nai mujhe papaji...mummy..tayji..keerat...bass yeh samjh lo...maine apne aap ki raksha khud hi karli...angad ne sharab ke nashe mein badmeetozi kari mujhse haan...par maine apni raksha khud karli...aur pls koi complaint nai karni hai mujhe...kyunki un sab mein...mujhe un sab ko phir se dekhna padega aur mujhe mood nai...unse koi bhi naata rakhne ka...isiliye mein..," and I quickly fill them in on my decision on annulment.

(eng - uff...you all listen ...no...no grave mishap happened...just know that I managed to protect myself..angad did misbehave with me whilst being drunk...but i was able to guard myself...and no...no one else in there hit me or touched me physically...and the only reason i do not want to complain is because if i do...i will just have to see them all again go through the ordeal in the investigation and at this point - i simply just do not want anything to do with any of them anymore specially angad...which is why...I...) - and I quickly fill them in over my decision on annulment of the wedding.

Five minutes later once they have all heard me out - papaji hugs me tight and begins to cry realising his mistake - " mujhe maaf karde saahiba..maaaf karde...maine bhi seeirat ki galti mein...tujhe bali chada diya...meri bachi..mujhe maaf karde mujhe tujhe uss nark mein nai dakhelna chahiye tha....aaj samjh aaya teri aankhon mein bhare dard ke aansun dekh..ki duniya ki rusvayi ka dukh tere dukh ke aage kuch bhi nai...tune sahi kiya meri beti..sahi kiya..tere saath main khada hoon..main hoon..." ( forgive me...Sahiba..forgive me...my beti...forgive me...coz of seeirat's mistake I also joint your mother in sacrificing you at the altar for the sake of wordly banter/familial image...forgive me....i shouldnt have nudged you into that hell knowing that everyone out there hates you and will only take out all grudges against you...seeing the tears of pain in your eyes today...i understand...that if my own child is only not happy and is suffereing..what will i do with off this image etc? you did the right thing..whilst walking out..sahiba...you did the right thing..I am with you on this...I am with you..)

Mummy, Keerat, tayji join in on that - and I just hug papaji tight reminding him that it's never too late to correct a mistake.Better late than never. Keerat exclaims that papaji was right in saying he was with me on this finally for if he didnt - she'd have to fight him hard - that she wouldn't have resisted doing that.

Two minutes into our group hug - mummy tries to touch my cheek but I back off, somehow still feeling so disappointed and hurt by her actions. She continues nonetheless - " ghar chal...sahiba puttar ghar chal...hume samajh agaya...tu ghar wapas kyun nai aayi...tera yahin rehne ka irada hai kya? Aise kaise tu ghar chal..."( come home Sahiba...just come home...why didnt you come back home?and came here instead? we can understand why...but you plan to be here or what? we won't let you...be here...)

Papaji says the same just then. Tayji and keerat add the same crying. I sigh. I hold onto papaji's wrists at that - " kuch pal yahin rehne do na mujhe aap sab...bass kuch pal..kuch din...phir aajaungi main ghar...par abhi ke liye main yahi rehna chahti hun...yahin se seeirat di ko dhoondungi...jab woh mil jaaye...sab sawal mil jaaye...uske baad...aaungi ghar...na maine...ghar toh aana hi hoga kuch pal ke liye.." ( eng :  for some moments you all just let me be here ..please?? I want some privacy and space. I want to be on my own for a bit..will try to find out about Seeirat di from here only...once i find her we get our answers...i will come home for a while..surely...before I...)

Everyone freezes at that in stunned silence. Papaji asks me shaken - " kya matlab kuch pal ke liye? Woh tera ghar hain puttar hamesha rahega...kya matlab hai tera..."( what do you mean?for a while?before...I...what??)

I sigh but put on a smile - " mera matlab... socha maine..iss baar tayji jaaye jaladhar...apne mayke...toh main bhi thoda ghoom aaungi unke saath...waha pe bhi bade se bade kaalakar haina papaji...kuch se mil lungi...kuch sikh lungi...aap dukaan sambhal lena tab peeche se...aap tention mat lena yaha ka sab main dekh ke hi jaungi itni paintings aur roz ko art ka Saman bana ke jaayungi..ki koi..dikkat na ho..." ( eng : what I mean is that I was thinking this time when tayji visits her home/mayka in jalandhar...I will also go with her...the local artisans/art circle is huge there as well...I will meet new artists...learn something more...you can handle the shop from behind me seamlessly papaji for i will manage/prep everything here for the daily functioning of our shop so that you will not have a problem...)

Papaji sighs in relief at that. Tayiji states that would be good for me as well to get a change of space for a bit too eventually. Keerat is eyeing me narrow eyed though - she doesnt agree with me wanting to find out seeirat di i guess...neither does anyone else.Mummy continues to repent , and cry over her errors...exclaiming how could she have been so blinded back then??

My insides continue to writh in momentary turmoil though. Why ? If you wonder...?? Coz I just realised that even though all a part of me wants to do is to just eventually go home - another part of my heart feels like it does like the idea of just getting out of here - for a while atleast...after seeriat di is found..

I don't know what I'll do as yet...but what I do know...is even though regarding my  physical presence I will eventually figure it out ...but it will surely take me a while to figure this out on another accord.

What acccord?

On accord of my inner emotional being of my self that does feel all lost and traumatised momentarily as the haunting memories of my time at the brar mansion specially last night continue to whip...my soul within...like where do I go from here on that emotional accord -within?

Yes, I stood up for myself and walked out with my head held high. Yes, I am proud of myself for that.But at the same time I cannot deny that the instances I experienced have left a haunting mark of pain - that I am yet to begin healing from..

How do I begin on that? From where do I begin on that? I don't know just yet.Perhaps time will bring me the answers.Time will help me heal.But I know its also okay to feel a little lost - emotionally within in the moment- nonetheless...

Main Insaan hi toh hun na( I am only human after all)...afterall....so perhaps...just like happiness deserves its rightful due...so does my pain...as it passes...

I just have to let the pain pass I guess..

I just have to let it pass...

.........

Tadaaaa!

Howwazzat guys??

Hope you all enjoyed  this bit from my end. Looking forward to your precious feedback on the same..thanks so much...guys..

Next Update (will come up tomorrow) : The Mirror of Betreyal - from Angad's POV -  where in he finally discovers Garry's deeds himself. Like dude - I am so done with the pace of the show in reality on screen - so in this alternate fiction of mine - I am fast tracking the damm revealation...

thanks guys

much love* infinite gratitude - always

Prachi

Hi Prachi,

Loved her innerthoughts, that she keeps her distance from her mother was excel. She needs space and time to heal. Far away from her home.

Can't wait for the next chapter. So true the show is very slow and boring, her treatment is disgust. 🤢 but that is normal in india tv shows.

Well written Prachi❤️

And contrary to my convictions today the show delivered and I am glad of the part till Daarji’s request to apologize.

Angad as per usual was his idiotic self.

Loved that sahiba thought about herself as well 😀, awesome update Dear ❤️❤️👏👏

Gorgeous!! 👏

Sahiba's turmoil was well depicted. ❤️ Above all, I loved the way Sahiba addressed her father most of the time. The hurt she received from both the parents are not something to be forgotten or forgiven in a day. Those hurt would take time to heal too!

Yayy!! Jasleen's band-baja starting at least somewhere!

Can't wait for tomorrow's update because the show is....blah!

Lovely update! I love how the generally quiet Tayyi ji sees Sahiba’s bruises and says there’s no need to explain. I am really liking the idea of Jalandhar.! Hope she meets a Mirza which ascacrebates Angad’s jealousy.

Loved it!!!  ❤️❤️❤️

Sahiba living for and by herself, not getting sucked into her family’s chakkar.  It’s awesome!  👏
Looking forward to Garry’s chickens coming home to roost.  😂

Nice update

Love it

Continue soon 

Hello everyone…

Here I am with the next update, my very own alternate take on the current track in the show..

Thank you so much to all of you - arshisimple, tv_n_bookworm,nayag,ayu_12,az07 swathu,milalal27,p2bajaj,nobleaditi6,plmzaq,mirai07,kalavathi5, ayrehs, averma4583,jb2023,bubblesort,piyushi,anjali9996,harsh23,nidhaa, viana_white, mankhush,plmzaq,bubblydoll,kalavathi5,sunshine1701,minisanjukta…for liking/commenting…and sharing your precious feedback with me .....

Hope you all enjoy reading this update as well…!

……………………

Take 4 – The Mirror of Betrayal

Next Day – 5:30 AM – Brar Mansion

Angad’s POV

Its been a day since she’s gone. Its been a day since Sahiba Kaur Monga walked on me and my home – leaving me with the signed annulment papers from her end and yet – I haven’t been able to sign the dammed papers myself…

Something in my gut – has just been stopping me from picking up the pen to sign the papers that will annul our marriage. My mind’s been constantly wondering - Wasn’t this what I wanted? Then why am I the one hesitating to sign it through? Why does a part of my heart - feels like – it isn’t the right thing to do?

Perhaps because, in my heart, I know the right thing to do first would be to just go to Sahiba and begin to apologize for my miserable misconduct. Perhaps, the guilt of it all is still eating me up this royally from within because I didn’t get a chance to apologize to her- wholeheartedly? For she didn’t give me a chance too…not that I blame her…

Hmmm…the last 24 hours more or less have been quite miserable for me otherwise. I’v mostly stayed locked up in my room – post Sahiba’s departure – drowning in guilt and remorse trying to come to terms with all that I had done – that night. I’v always been a nice guy and to find myself in the dumps in the version of a miserable lech – has taken a toll on my consciousness too. First I had become a version off an angry volcano and then finally reached the worse of the lows – not realising that this burning lava within has simply been destroying me from my within too…

That is not what I want. I do not want to go into self-destruction mode. I want to come to terms with what has happened with my life – eventually and I have finally realised that vengeance is not the way to go about it…

Ofcourse,everyone in the house is really still mad at me too. Muma still isn’t talking to me, neither is Daar ji or bebe, or gurleen chachi or Veer. They’v given me the space to realise and repent perhaps whilst they digest this reality through and I have been doing just that too. When the guilt got too heavy to process – I drowned myself in work otherwise. Sleep didn’t come to me easy last night too as I lied down in bed twisting/turning  - unable to take out Sahiba’s last haunting words + the sight of her walking out outta my mind…

I pause on pacing in my room restless – as I hear a knock on my door. Its just 5:30 in the morning? Who could it be? Just as I am on that thought – I hear Veer’s warm voice come through – “ paaji…I am sure you are awake…can I come in??you haven’t spoken to any of us since yesterday…I wanted to check on you…”

I sigh at that and ask my brother to come in – opening the door to him. The second he steps in – I ask – “ Veer…how come you are awake so early??”

Veer sighs – “ sleep hasn’t come to me easy paaji…too…I was pacing around in my room restless as well…and I thought I know you..inside out – surely you’d be as restless here..repenting perhaps? I know my brother right? he’s got his consciousness to answer to..right? surely the space of last so many hours would have helped you realise…”

I sigh nodding – “ my blunder you mean??”

Veer nods.

I confess taking a seat on my bed at that dejected – “ I realised it the second I woke up Veer…I realised it the second I woke up…this is not me…Veer..its not me….Veer…I am so ashamed of myself..i’v never felt so guilty in all of my life…”

Veer sighs at that and his eyes spot the annulment papers file lying down wide open on my bed. He asks – “ you haven’t signed it yet? I see bhabhi’s sign on it only..”

I shake my head in a No at that – “ yes..I haven’t signed it yet…don’t ask me why Veer…I do not have that answer to give you…”

Veer comes to sit next to me now and places a hand on my shoulder – “ perhaps…I have the answer paaji…deep down in your heart…you know..why you just cannot get yourself to sign it…that’s because… You do not want to annul your marriage with Bhabhi..despite your anger/confusion there is a part of your heart that knows that she’s gotten trapped into this whole situation for no fault of hers and has only been a punching bag for the rest for no fault of her’s directly too..somewhere your heart recognises her for the diamond she is…your mind’s just fighting it..not wanting to accept it amidst the confusion/anger..and ofcourse theres is the bit about you wanting to apologize to her genuinely too…isn’t it?”

I turn around to look at him to confess the latter – “ that I indeed wana do Veer…I want to apologize…I don’t think I will be able to look at myself in the eye..until I see her once…until I apologize..for misconduct…”

Veer sighs at that and asks me now – “ won’t you ask me why was I pacing in my room this restless – early in the morning paaji??that why didn’t sleep come to me easy??”

I ask him puzzled instantly – “ why??”

Veer explains sincerely – “ because ever since I got to know last night..that bhabhi hasn’t returned to her home post leaving here/walking out of here…I have been so worried..for her…”

WAIT.

WHAT?WHAT DID VEER JUST SAY?

SAHIBA DIDN’T GO BACK HOME? THEN WHERE THE HELL DID SHE GO?

I ask immediately frazzled by the revelation – “what?? what did you just say Veer? She didn’t go to her home?then where did she go??and how do you know this??”

Veer sighs – “ called her sister keerat to check up on Bhabhi…last night paaji…how else would I know? She told me….whilst succumbing to her miserable helplessness that bhabhi did not return home..she’s instead camped herself in her shop deciding to live out of there..for a bit..”

WHAT????????

IS THAT GIRL FOR REAL?

I’v seen her shop. It barely has enough space. I end up mustering flustered by the knowledge – “ what???? she’s living out of her shop?why?is she crazy?or what? you’v seen the space Veer…barely is large enough to stock art supplies/her products…how on earth is she living out of there? and why on earth would she live out of there??”

Veer narrows his eyes to study my expressions – “ is that worry/concern I spot in your eyes and face for Bhabhi…paaji??”

I glare at him hard first – “ answer me first…Veer…why is she living out of there?why hasn’t she gone home??”

Veer sighs – “ probably to save her parents from the taunts and chatter for a while…paaji…if she’s spotted returning so soon..what will everyone in the locality say?to them? Surely she thought it would be better to find refuge in her art shop – which is away from the area they live in for now….its not like her family hasn’t tried to convince her to go home..but for now she just won’t budge…infact Keerat mentioned..that once she has some news on her Seeirat di…she might head to Jalandhar with her tayji for a while…and well…we can’t blame her for wanting to get out of here…this city…for a while…now can we paaji?”

Dammit. WHAT??????? She plans to go to Jalandhar – soon?Why do I feel so shaken by this news? I don’t know…

Why does she have to go live out of her shop dammit?Why go to Jalandhar??????

Suddenly another thought hits me and takes over and I ask Veer now – “ wait…her family?do they know…what happened here - Veer??why she walked out of here??”

Veer nods – “ not all the details maybe…but I guess they know enough. They stand by her. They think she did the right thing by walking out no matter what the consequences - Keerat was fuming in anger calling me names..last night over the phone though..due to this too…saying it’s a good thing Sahiba di doesn’t want anything to do with any of you anymore hence stopped us from lodging an official complaint for assault…otherwise…the rest of them…were surely in the mood to do so..especially uncleji…”

Dammit.

The pangs of guilt return…

I admit looking at Veer helpless – “ first things first…I want to apologize to her Veer, genuinely…will you help me figure out a way??”

Veer nods and smiles – “ I will…because…I spot genuine remorse in your eyes…I can finally see the brother I know, love and look up too now that the curtains of anger and revenge have – gotten tucked in to the side…know what paaji?lets head out – after an early breakfast? Towards her market?Then?we will figure this out??”

I nod at him and thank him for his support in the moment. He pats my shoulder one more time sincerely and leaves – leaving me clouded in many overwhelming thoughts…as Sahiba’s face resumes its rotation in front of my eyes…

……………………………………….

A Little Over Two Hours Later

7:45 AM

Angad POV Continues

I am just headed to Muma’s room to tell her that I will be stepping out now for the day – post finishing up on early breakfast with Veer -  when I decide to change my route. Better I head to Garry’s room first? I must ask him to hold things up at work whilst I make the genuine effort to clean up the mess I have spilled for myself otherwise..

I near his room and as I hear the voices of bua and him in little laughter now – I decide to recede back in my steps. It is rude to eavesdrop on a private conversation – isn’t it?

I am just about to step back when I hear Jasleen bua’s voice fall into my ears through a sound off laugh that’s totally sadistic – “ bass…garry…bass…don’t make me laugh anymore…I cannot get over…my happiness within…over reliving Angad’s misery from yesterday whilst Daarji rebuked him in front of all…and manbeer parjayi’s face…it was a delight to see her pale…and ashamed…good…it really was great that you instigated angad so much…that night…that he ended up axing his own feet himself…..he’s ruined…exactly what I wanted..exactly what we wanted…this actually worked better than my plan of aiming to ruin him – by forcing Sahiba to get into the bridal attire the other day……….”

THAT IS WHEN I PAUSE.

I FREEZE – RATHER.

WHAT??? Did I just hear?????

I stand rooted to my spot shocked and stunned at that when I hear Garry’s voice or rather his words through a laugh that’s sort of evil – fall into my ears – “ Angad…can be really stupid at times Mom…he thinks he’s very smart…but actually…he’s pretty dumb and stupid…its very easy to manipulate him you know…one just needs to know the art of it and thankfully your son knows it too well…swag hai jat da…all I had to do was…say a few words…handing the alcohol in his hand…just a few manipulative words to instigate him against Sahiba..and he did the rest himself…the fool…that he is…”

Jasleen bua’s voice – “ fool indeed he is…just like Manbeer is…for they cannot see…how we’v been aiming to use Sahiba as a pawn to bring them down…parjayi slapped me..the other day…didn’t she?she dared to slap me…right? now she will see…so will her son…tell me…garry…you told the reporters na?to barge in today evening?To inquire about Sahiba??”

Garry – “ yes Mom..I already dropped a hint to one of them last evening that she’s walked out of here…they will come in today..aiming to execute a solid Hungama just like they did on the wedding/reception on my cue…lets see how angad handle’s it…today…he’s been a mess…he hasn’t even stepped out of his room since yesterday…,”he lets out a snarky laugh.

RIPPED.

OR RATHER – BUTCHERED within Would be a better word? I feel butchered as realisation following their words dawn in….

What am I hearing?Just what am I hearing??

I lean sideways through to peek in through the slightly open door to reconfirm with my eyes what my ears had just heard. This is bua and garry – talking? In Garry’s room – isn’t it? Bua and Garry – members of my own family…planning and plotting…this wretched backstabbing..

And as my eyes reconfirm the scene – tears of pain, betrayal fill in my eyes as I process the evil smirks they have on their faces just now as Jasleen bua adds snorting – “ lets see Manbeer parjayi trying to maintain the stand – Sahiba’s gone to visit her mayka for phakfera today to the media too, just like she did with her friends yesterday evening as they came in to meet Sahiba…today none of her cover up’s will work…let the whole of Ludhiana know why Sahiba walked out of here annulling the marriage…let them taint Angad as an assaulter…then his image will be tarnished for life…and daarji will be forced to hand over the business reins to you garry…just like we always wanted….”

My blood boils…

My fists get pumped…so this is what its always been about? They’v been the ones conspiring and plotting against me – all the while???

Garry’s phone buzzes and Jasleen bua asks him to pick it up asking who was it calling him this early in the morning? I hear him answer that he will take the call later – and Jasleen bua continues to discuss their media Hungama plan for this evening – for two minutes more…before she finally states that she will get going now before anyone comes near around their spacw now that it is finally about to near 8am…

I hide myself against the near pillar at that – instructing my otherwise frozen in shock and rage body to do so with great difficulty – with my eyes burning in on me. It takes me every ounce of my strength to not confront Jasleen bua just then as she walks out with a sadistic smirk up her face – mustering curses under her breath for both Muma and me….

How long has their planning and plotting going on?My mind wonders now all frazzled. How long have these two been stabbing me/us in all the back?????? How long have they only hated me? And covered it under the veil of false pretence and love…

All a part of me wants to do is barge into Garry’s room right very now, hold him by the collar and confront him upfront – but I don’t yet because the buzz from Garry’s phone is the only sound that breaks into the stunned cold/shocked/butchered vibe around me – pulling me out of my statue’d zone.

I freeze in my spot again as I hear Garry say in a rushed voice now walking up closer towards his door – “ Seeirat…pagal ho kya? Kitni baar tumhe bola hai…mujhe subah subah phone nai karo…ghar pe hun…main…”( seeirat…are you mad or what? how many times I’v told you not to call me this time in the morning..when I’m at home…”

ALL THE REMAINING BLOOD IN MY BEING THAT HAD POOLED ITSELF IN ANGER IN MY SKIN SORT OF DRAINS ITS WAY BACK FROM MY FACE…

Did I just hear him say the name – Seeirat????????

NOOO.

IT CAN’T BE…

IT CAN’T BE SEERAT…

Garry’s voice falls in my ears again in a tone as if he were trying to pacify the person on the other end - “ haan haan…mujhe pata hai..tum wahan guest house mein akeli ho…seeirat…aa rahan hun main..tumhare pass thodi der mein…aadhi raat ko toh aaya hun main ghar tunhare pass se yaar....tumne kuch galat nai kiya…mujhe pe vishwaas karke…vyaah se bhaag ke mere saath…angad se vyaah toh tumhara main kabhi hone hi nai deta…tumhe kya pata yahan kya kya syaapa chal raha hai…tumhari behen sahiba sab ko abhi bhi tumhare khilaaf bhadka rahi hai…aur main sab pacify karne mein laga hua hoon…chalo ab phone rakho…baaki sab aake batata hun…”

( eng : yes yes…I know…you are alone in the guest house…seerat…I am coming to you in a bit anyways I returned in the middle of the night from there/by your side...no you did no wrong in trusting me…you did the right thing by running away with me on your wedding day…I would have never let you marry angad…how do you know what all nonsense is going on here….your sister Sahiba is hell bent on turning everyone in the house against you and I have been playing the pacify role…now you cut the phone…I will tell you the rest as I come in…)

NOOOOOOO…

NOOOO……….

DID I JUST HEAR WHAT I DID?

Garry was the one to elope with Seerat on my wedding day? It was Garry? None other than Garry? It is him whose got Seerat hidden away somewhere??? He planned all of this? This was all his game??Seerat eloped with Garry????????? How could she elope with my own cousin? How could Garry do this to me?????and pretend the façade that he was projecting otherwise…to me all this while…instigating me against both Seerat and Sahiba????????

I can only stand stunned and frozen in gut wrenching pain.Oh if he would have taken a knife and plunged it through my stomach – it would have pained less than – its paining me now as Garry’s treacherous words of betrayal voiced by himself  continue to sink and ring in my ears – over and over again…along with the realisation…that Sahiba really has been the innocent one in all of this drama? That she’d been right all along – that she had nothing to do with any of this..that she had/has no idea/hand in Seerat’s elopement…but instead…Garry does…

I simply can’t seem to breathe – as my insides continue to writhe in butchering pain just like anyone’s would when pierced with a thousand broken pieces of a glass.

How could I not feel this much pain? When the mirror of betrayal from both Jasleen bua and Garry – had finally come to look back at me straight in the eye…. stabbing its butchering way hard and deep in my being….

………………………………………………..

Tadaaaa!

How was that guys?? Its been my greatest wish to show Angad being a part of this entire  - bringing Garry + Jasleens truth to light..hence this event. He's obviously dejected and shattered feeling betrayed by his own..and from where I see it it was imp for him to overhear this himself in my tale - for of anyone else would have tried to tell him of this betrayal he would have had a hard time digesting it so better he heard it himself..now doubt ka no space...

Awaiting your precious feedback...

Next Update : Angad on a mission.His first stop - finding Sahiba...

Much Love * Infinite Gratitude

Prachi

Loved it. At least the stories here are logical. Don't know why the lead  characters are shown so dumb in all serials.