The moonlight barely penetrated the dense darkness surrounding the outhouse, where Abhira stood alone, her heart pounding. The night had started like any other, with a quiet calm settling over her abode. But now, that calm was shattered as the door to the outhouse was forced open with a loud crash. Two shadows emerged, their faces hidden in the dim light, but their intentions clear as they stepped forward with menace in their eyes.
Abhira's breath caught in her throat as she realized what they were after—the small, wooden box that held her engagement ring. The ring was not just a piece of jewelry; it was a symbol of her bond with Armaan, of her acceptance into this family, and she couldn't let it be taken from her.
"Hand it over, and no one gets hurt," the taller of the two goons growled, his voice low and threatening as he took a step closer. His companion, shorter but more brutish, brandished a knife, the blade gleaming wickedly in the faint light.
Abhira's mind raced. She was alone, but she wasn't helpless. She had to protect the ring, no matter what. Her hand tightened around the box in her pocket, and she felt a surge of determination. "Stay back," she warned, her voice stronger than she felt. "I'm not giving you anything."
The taller goon sneered, clearly unimpressed. "We're not asking," he said coldly, and with that, he lunged forward, trying to grab her.
But Abhira was ready. She dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding his grasp. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline flooding her veins. She couldn't afford to be scared now—she had to fight. With a swift movement, she kicked out at the goon, her foot connecting solidly with his knee. He grunted in pain, stumbling back.
"Stupid girl!" the shorter goon spat, swinging the knife toward her. But Abhira was faster, ducking under the blade and grabbing a sweep drag rod. She swung it at him with all her strength, and the rod connected with his arm, causing him to yelp and drop the knife.
For a moment, Abhira felt a rush of hope. She had disarmed one of them, and maybe—just maybe—she could drive them off. But the taller goon recovered quickly, his eyes narrowing with anger. He lunged at her again, this time managing to grab hold of her arm, twisting it painfully behind her back. The force of the move made her gasp, but she didn't give up. She twisted in his grip, using her free arm to elbow him in the ribs as hard as she could.
He cursed loudly, but didn't let go. Instead, he pushed her against the wall, trying to pin her there. Abhira struggled fiercely, refusing to be subdued. She stomped on his foot, causing him to loosen his grip just enough for her to break free. She spun around, slamming the rod into his side with a force that surprised even her.
The goon staggered, but the shorter one was already coming at her again, knife recovered and anger blazing in his eyes. Abhira knew she couldn't dodge this time—the knife was coming too fast. She raised the rod in defense, but the blade sliced through the air, catching her across the arm.
The pain was immediate and searing. Abhira gasped, clutching her bleeding arm, but she didn't let herself falter. She swung the rod again, this time aiming for the goon's head. The blow landed with a satisfying thud, and the goon stumbled, dazed.
Abhira's vision blurred for a moment from the pain, but she forced herself to stay focused. She had to finish this, had to protect the ring. She charged at the taller goon, who was still recovering from her earlier blows. He saw her coming and tried to block, but she was too quick, slamming the rod into his wrist, making him drop the knife.
But before she could land another blow, the goon's fist connected with her shoulder, sending her sprawling to the ground. The box slipped from her grip, landing just out of reach. She scrambled toward it, but the shorter goon was faster, scooping it up with a triumphant grin.
Madhav drove slowly up the driveway, the quiet of the night surrounding him. It had been a long day at work, and he was relieved to finally be home. As he neared the outhouse, a strange noise caught his attention—a mix of muffled shouting and the sound of a struggle.
His senses heightened with alarm, Madhav hurried out of the car and toward the outhouse. The closer he got, the clearer the sounds became. It was the sound of someone fighting, and his heart pounded with fear and urgency. He pushed the door open and froze. Inside, Abhira was grappling with two men, their faces covered, as they tried to wrestle a small box from her hands. She was bleeding from a gash on her arm but was fiercely holding her ground.
"Abhira!" Madhav shouted, rushing forward. He reached out to grab one of the men, but the goon shoved him back hard, nearly knocking him off his feet.
"Get away!" the man growled, brandishing a knife threateningly.
Abhira, despite the pain, turned her head towards Madhav, her eyes wide with urgency. "Papa, no! Go after them!" she cried, her voice shaky but determined.
Madhav hesitated, torn between wanting to help her and knowing she was right. They needed help, and quickly. Reluctantly, he nodded, backing away as the goons made a run for it, the box now in their possession.
"I'll be right back!" he shouted to Abhira before sprinting toward the main house.
As he approached the house, he saw Armaan in the hallway, looking around, clearly alerted by the commotion. "Armaan!" Madhav yelled, his voice filled with urgency. "Abhira's hurt! Go to her, now!"
"What happened?" Armaan asked, but Madhav was already rushing past him, intent on catching the fleeing intruders.
"No time! Go to her!" Madhav called over his shoulder.
Without another word, Armaan bolted toward the outhouse. He found Abhira slumped against the wall, her arm bleeding heavily.
"Abhira!" he exclaimed, rushing to her side. "Hey, hey...look at me, I am here, I am here, you will be fine."
Abhira looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears. "Armaan, I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I tried to stop them—I tried, but they got away. The ring... they took the ring..."
Armaan gently took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Shh, it's okay," he soothed, his voice soft but firm. "It doesn't matter, I don't care about the ring Abhira, it's nothing, you get it? It's nothing to me. Right now, we need to take care of you."
But Abhira was shaking her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, you don't understand," she cried, her voice breaking with emotion. "Daadisa trusted me with it—everyone trusted me, and I failed! They'll all hate me—"
"No one is going to hate you," Armaan insisted, his heart aching at the sight of her distress. "You're safe, that's all that matters. Please, Abhira, calm down—"
But Abhira was spiraling, her breaths coming in short, panicked gasps. "I can't—I can't breathe—" she choked out, clutching her chest as if she could force the air into her lungs.
Armaan's eyes widened in alarm. "Abhira, listen to me—look at me," he said urgently, his hands moving to her shoulders, steadying her. "Breathe with me, okay? In and out, slowly..."
He began to breathe deeply, exaggerating the motions to guide her, but Abhira was too far gone, her panic overwhelming her. She was trembling violently, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for something she couldn't find.
"Abhira, please," Armaan pleaded, his voice breaking. "Stay with me—stay with me, please..."
But Abhira's eyes rolled back, and she slumped forward, unconscious. Armaan's heart stopped, his hands instinctively moving to catch her before she fell.
"No, no, no," he murmured, his voice filled with fear. "Abhira, wake up—please, wake up!"
He lifted her into his arms towards the Poddar mansion, cradling her against his chest as he called for his family, "Krish! Maa! Chachi sa" Armaan shouted as he carefully lifted Abhira into his arms, cradling her against his chest. His cousins appeared almost instantly, their faces pale with worry. "Call the doctor, now! She's hurt—badly!"
Krish fumbled with his phone, dialing the doctor's number with trembling fingers, while Rohit rushed ahead to prepare the sofa. Armaan's heart pounding with fear and she remained unmoving in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder. He laid Abhira down on a nearby couch, his hands shaking as he tried to stop the bleeding from her arm. He grabbed a clean cotton cloth that Vidya hurriedly passed and pressed it against the wound, tying it tightly to stem the flow of blood.
Minutes later, the doctor arrived, a middle-aged man with a kind face and a calm demeanor. He quickly assessed the situation, gently pushing Armaan aside so he could examine Abhira.
"Let me see," the doctor said, carefully untying the makeshift bandage to inspect the wound. He frowned, his brow furrowing with concentration. "It's a deep cut, but not too serious. She's lost a fair amount of blood, though. We need to get her cleaned up and stitched up right away."
He began to work quickly, cleaning the wound and applying a numbing agent before carefully stitching it closed. The rest of the family watched anxiously, their faces pale with worry. As the doctor worked, Armaan sat by Abhira's side, holding her hand tightly in his. He couldn't take his eyes off her, his heart aching with guilt and fear. He had promised to protect her, to keep her safe, and yet here she was, hurt and unconscious because he hadn't been there when she needed him.
The doctor finished his work, carefully bandaging Abhira's arm before looking up at the family. "She'll be okay," he assured them, his voice calm and soothing. "She just needs rest—both physically and mentally. She's been through a lot, and it's taken a toll on her."
Armaan nodded, his throat tight with emotion. "Thank you, doctor," he said quietly.
The doctor patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Take good care of her, and she'll be back on her feet in no time," he said before turning to leave, followed by Manoj, who offered to see him out.
After Armaan had carried Abhira to his room, settling her in a more comfortable environment, carefully placing her injured arm on the cushion, asking Kiara and Charu to stay with her for a while, he went back to the hall where everybody waited anxiously to know what to what caused this.
"What happened?" Manisha Chachi asked, her voice trembling with worry. "How did this happen?"
Armaan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There was a break-in," he explained, his voice tight with tension. "They were probably after the ring, and they attacked Abhira. She tried to fight them off, but they got away."
"Is that how she got hurt? Trying to save the ring? She truly is a fool, isn't she?" Dadisa inquired, her brow furrowing.
Armaan sighed in exasperation, "Can you blame her though? You all made her feel as if that ring symbolizes your faith in her, as if she had to protect that ring with all her might to prove herself worthy of your trust and if the amount of pressure she felt pushed her to value the ring more than her own life, don't you think the problem is in your definition of trust! She shouldn't have to put her life on the line to prove herself worthy when she has had it in her heart to forgive us for everything that we put her through, when she still somehow continues to love all of us despite our constant mistreatment, will she ever be enough for you Daadi Sa, will any of us ever be enough for you? Or the only way to earn your love is to break ourselves, to fit into your mold of perfection!"
"Enough Armaan! Is it that wrong to expect our daughter in law to learn to act as per the norms of this house? But that doesn't mean I expect her to pull off the stupidity she did today!"
"The norms...require us to bend, to bow, to your whims and fancies, it requires us to act according to you, to strangulate our voices, our conscience and function on your commands, and it frustrates you that she refuses to do that! So you hurt her, again and again, scrapping at her already bleeding wounds, you call her incapable of having and loving a family, but ask anybody in this house, after years of feeling caged under your hold, what liberates them? What makes them feel loved? Who makes this big ostentatious mansion feel like home? And even if they refuse to answer due to their fear, look at their faces and you would know, you would know, how much they love her, and how loved she has made them feel, despite of how incapable we are of reciprocating that pure emotion", a lone tear slipped down his eyes. He was certainly fighting a lost cause, all over again.
Just then, Manoj's phone rang, and he quickly answered it, stepping away from the group to speak quietly. After a few moments, he hung up and turned back to the family, his expression grim.
"Bhai sa found the ring," he announced. "And he has dealt with the goons. They won't be bothering us again."
Relief washed over the family, but it was short-lived as Manoj's face darkened. "But there's something else," he said, his voice low and filled with anger. "Something he saw on the CCTV footage."
Armaan's heart skipped a beat. "What is it?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Manoj took a deep breath, his jaw clenched with barely controlled rage. "Ruhi was there," he said, his voice shaking with anger. "She was at the window, watching the whole time. She saw Abhira struggling, but she did nothing to help her. And when she saw me coming, she hid."
A shocked silence fell over the room as everyone turned to look at Ruhi, who was standing in the corner, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear.
"Ruhi?" Vidya whispered, her voice filled with disbelief. "Is this true?"
Ruhi's eyes darted around the room, her face flushing with shame. "I—I didn't know what to do," she stammered, tears filling her eyes. "I was scared..."
"Scared?" Armaan's voice was filled with fury as he stepped towards her. "Scared of what, Ruhi? Scared of helping your own family? Scared of doing the right thing? You could have just called any of us?"
Rohit was about to intervene when Vidya placed a firm hand on his shoulder, shaking her head in denial, "Not today Rohit, let him speak."
Ruhi flinched, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I was just so scared..."
"Scared or not, you should have done something," Armaan said, his voice tight with anger. "Abhira could have been seriously hurt—or worse. And you just stood there and watched?"
"No the real question is why were you there in the first place? You certainly weren't there to check upon her? What were you doing there in the middle of the night?", Manisha asked, suspicious of her intentions.
"I...", Ruhi fumbled with her words, not knowing how to justify her actions or lack thereof, without spilling the truth.
Armaan stared at her with bloodshot eyes, reflecting the kind of anguish she didn't know he was capable of, "I don't care what you were planning Ruhi, I don't care what you feel about my relationship with Abhira. I am sorry I hurt you, I am sorry I left you at the altar, you didn't deserve that but enough! I won't allow you to hurt Abhira, I won't allow you to humiliate her and get away with it. Amidst all the mess, she was always the victim and I hate the part I played in it and I hate myself for the hurt that my confusion caused you but my love for her is stronger than all that!" he sighed, suddenly feeling the exhaustion washing over him. This anger he felt these days felt foreign, maybe because this anger in him knew he deserved to be treated well and so did Abhira. This anger was a part of him that loved him and valued him, something he only began to feel after he met Abhira, this anger was also a part of him that convinced him how him and his family treated her was wrong, this anger was a response to something he knew they didn't deserve, and it weighed heavy on his heart.
"I don't know how to convince you all of this," he whispered, "I don't see myself without her, I don't...I don't see a human capable of dreaming and living, without her. I see me only when I am with her, I see light and hope, only when she is around. She means everything to me, and I love her with the kind of love I have never known before. She feels like home, she feels like sunlight on a winter morning, and I can spend every single moment for the rest of my life, taking all our responsibilities if it means I get to live with her, and take care of her when she clumsily or recklessly acts out. She is mine to love, and mine to protect, she is still struggling in a world without her Mumma, she is still learning to breathe without feeling the weight of her loss, she never says it out loud, but I know. I am begging you all, do not hurt her more, do not pressurize her with responsibilities she is not ready for. I don't ask you to love her if you can't, just treat her like a person, allow her to make mistakes without hating her. She will learn and I want you all to help her, teach her with care, not chain her in a golden cage and cut her flight. She is a free spirit, let her be, let her live, let me...live." With that he left, walking towards his room, to stay where she laid.
"What happened today, shouldn't have happened Maa sa. Our children should be able to enjoy their wedding and not be as disturbed as they are right now", Vidya spoke with concern.
"Go back to your rooms, it's too late, we will discuss the wedding once that girl has healed. I will make sure she gets the best treatment if required", Kaveri spoke firmly, her voice minutely laced with care but her face remained stoic. "And Ruhi, I am going to need answers, because I am not particularly fond of that girl either, but it's your duty to protect the family, isn't it? Your cowardice is appalling! I suggest you stay away from them, and just know you will be under my scrutiny hereon. You were here for a purpose, weren't you?", Kaveri questioned her as she briefly glanced at Rohit, as she took a step closer to Ruhi, "Remember that, focus on that, because even for a moment if I find you deviating from your promised intentions I would do something you won't see coming."
Ruhi looked at everybody, hoping for someone to speak in her defense but the disappointment everybody felt was palpable, so defeated, she bowed down and nodded her head, perhaps she was caught in her own web of manipulations.
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Abhira awoke with a start. Her head was throbbing, and her body felt heavy as if weighed down by an invisible force. She blinked her eyes open, squinting against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The room was silent, save for the faint sounds of birds chirping outside the window.
For a moment, Abhira lay still, trying to remember where she was. The events of the previous night came rushing back in fragments: the break-in, the struggle with the goons, the pain in her arm, and Armaan's worried face as he held her close. She raised her right arm, only to be reminded of the bandages wrapped around it. The sight of it made her heart clench with a mix of fear and guilt.
She turned her head, scanning the room for Armaan or anyone from the family, but she was alone. Panic began to bubble up inside her chest. Where is everyone? Why am I alone?
Abhira's breaths became shallow, her heart racing as she struggled to push herself up from the bed. She needed to find them, to make sure everyone was okay, to apologize for losing the ring. Her mind was a whirlwind of worries, each thought more frantic than the last. She managed to swing her legs over the edge of the bed, her bare feet touching the cool floor. Her head spun as she stood up, her vision blurring with dizziness. She stumbled forward, grabbing the edge of the nightstand to steady herself. The room seemed to tilt around her, but she forced herself to move, each step heavy and unsteady.
She reached the door and fumbled with the handle, finally managing to pull it open. The hallway stretched before her, empty and quiet. She leaned against the doorframe for support, taking a shaky breath before pushing herself onward. Her legs felt weak, her body protesting every movement, but she pressed on, driven by the overwhelming need to find her family. As she neared the staircase, her dizziness intensified. The walls seemed to close in, and the floor swayed beneath her feet. She reached out to grip the banister, but her hand missed, and she stumbled forward, her vision darkening around the edges.
Just as she was about to fall, strong arms caught her, pulling her back against a solid chest. The familiar scent of Armaan surrounded her, and she felt a rush of relief, however the panic still settled heavily on her chest.
"Abhira!" Armaan's voice was filled with concern as he steadied her, his arms wrapping securely around her. "What are you doing out of bed? You're still weak. You should be resting."
Abhira tried to speak, but her throat felt tight, and her head was spinning. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at him, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I thought... I needed to... find everyone. I thought I lost... the ring. I'm sorry..."
Armaan's expression softened, and he gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "Shh, it's okay. The ring is safe Abhira, Papa got it. And you were so brave, you fought the goons all alone Abhira, you did more than you possibly could have."
And in that moment she didn't know what made it happen, but a gut wrenching sob left her as she sagged against him, the pain she felt, suddenly becoming too much to carry on her own, and she clutched his shirt, sobbing uncontrollably, struggling to find words to explain her anguish, the grief of feeling inadequate, and incomplete, something she has been feeling for months now. And her knees buckled. He could see the pain and fear in her eyes, the self-doubt that weighed heavily on her shoulders. Without another word, he carefully lifted her into his arms, mindful of her injured arm, and carried her back to the bedroom, settling down with her on his lap.
He could feel her grip tightening on his shirt, "I won't...I won't ever fit in Armaan, I can't do this, I won't ever be enough", the choked words finally leaving her throat, leaving her straining for breath. "Leave me...before it kills you and it kills me, I will always...be hated, maybe Dadisa is right, I am a curse, I don't belong here, I won't ever be what you need me to be", she whispered before she actually managed to scream , "You should leave, go away".
And for a moment he stared at her, barely grasping the pain the intensity of her voice, because all he could see in this moment was the painful truth in her eyes, that screamed for an anchor, for someone to hold her, reassure her she was enough. And he rested his head behind her neck, his thumb brushing away the stream of tears from her cheeks, "okay", and he did not miss the slight fear that flashed on her face, "I will stay...as long as you want me to, I will stay." And that made her want to cry again, so she did, she weeped to her heart's content as he held her close.
Once her sobbed had slowed down and he made her look up, "You do not have to be anything more or anything different Abhira, I love you as you are. You are enough, and you deserve to be loved for who you are", he dropped a soft kiss on her forehead, "having less money, doesn't make you inadequate, your worth can never be defined by what you have when you have given us so much with whatever little you had for yourself. You earned little but you funded Krrish when he chose to follow his dream. All this money and resources and none of us could ever buy a home that you have built for us with your love and kindness," he rested his forehead on hers, his tears mixing with hers, "money, diamonds, expensive gifts, nothing compares to what you are Abhira, none of it compares to the liberation you have gifted me, none of it compared you to how you have enabled our flight despite having your own wings chopped off by our cruelty, nothing would ever match the goodness in you and if that's not enough, I don't know what is. But if you aren't there, I might not know what to do with this life of mine, nothing I have or nothing that I can buy would ever make me feel complete without you."
Abhira's eyes searched his, looking for any hint of doubt or hesitation, but all she saw was sincerity and love. She felt a flicker of hope amid her despair, a tiny spark that reminded her that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as alone as she felt. Her sobs began to subside, replaced by soft hiccups. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder as she closed her eyes, her breathing slowly evening out.
"I'm so tired, Armaan," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm so tired of being afraid."
Armaan pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, his arms tightening around her protectively, "This fear, I know, wouldn't go away in a day, but I promise you...you don't have to bear the weight of it alone, just like you told me I didn't have to carry mine. We are in this together, and we will get through, as long as you let me in, as long as you let me hold your hand and even on days when you don't, I will follow you like a shadow and I will bask in your light from a distance and I will protect it"
Abhira nodded weakly, letting his words wash over her. She clung to him, her fingers still gripping his shirt as if afraid to let go. And for the first time since the incident, she felt a small sense of comfort as she allowed him to rock her back to a peaceful slumber.
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He didn't know for how long they stayed like that, but he could feel her breathe evening out, as she slipped into a slumber again. He carefully settled her as he heard a soft knock on the door.
"How is she now? And...how are you?" Manisha inquired as she entered the room, accompanied with Manoj, Krish and Kiara.
"Distressed, she is still in a lot of pain, but she will be fine...we will be fine", he spoke as he gently held her hand in his.
Manisha rested her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture, "Armaan, I was wondering what if we participated in the wedding as Abhira's family."
Armaan looked at her with confusion etched on his face.
"She misses her Mumma, a lot. And it feels unfair that she has nobody on her side, to deal with the pressure of wedding preparations. And she is our own Armaan, she is our family, despite everything that has happened, I love her like I love you and all my children, so what if she become the ladki wale for your wedding, me, Mannu, Krrish and Kiara, we can be Abhira's family, we will take care of her."
If he could, he would have landed the world at his chachi sa's feer right now but he took her in an embrace expressing the gratitude he felt. "Thank you....thank you so much Chachi sa, I wish I could tell you how much this means to me."
"Shh...this is what family if for Armaan, you are my kids and this is the least we can do for her, right?" Manisha caressed this fool of a child's cheeks, "and don't worry about daadi sa, this was her idea, she won't accept it but she insinuated this, but lets keep it a secret."
And Armaan chuckled for the first time in hours, because finally when she wakes up now, she wouldn't have to feel alone, he could tell her she now has her own people to look out for her and he can already imagine the wide, unbelieving, bright smile that would make it's way on her face. She smiled with her whole face, didn't she? And maybe everything would be fine after all, as long as she smiled, as long as she was fine, everything would be fine, and that was enough, it would always be and he would make sure she knows that too.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
