Shivika's pov
"If Yash Bhaiyya were here, he would have finished the entire bowl alone. It was his absolute fav-" She stopped mid-sentence.
The entire room went deathly still. The name hung between us like a physical blow. A suffocating silence crashed over the table, swallowing every hint of morning warmth.Before anyone could soften the blow, the sharp scrape of wood against marble sliced through the silence.
Rudraksh stood up abruptly. The violent motion made me flinch. He tossed his linen napkin onto his half-eaten plate, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides. I looked up at him, my heart pounding against my ribs. His jaw was clenched so hard the muscle ticked, his dark eyes turned utterly vacant.
"I'm leaving, Maa," he said "I'm getting late for the office."
"Rudraksh, at least finish-" Maa started, but he didn't wait to hear the rest.
A heavy, suffocating silence settled over the table. Nobody spoke. Nobody dared to pick up their spoon again.
My appetite had finished entirely. Murmuring a quiet, choked excuse to Maa, I pushed my chair back and hurried up the stairs, my vision already blurring with unshed tears.
The moment I entered into his room, I shut the door and turned the lock with trembling fingers. The metallic click seemed to shatter whatever fragile control I had left.
My back hit the door, and my knees completely gave out. I slid down onto the cold marble floor, pulling my knees to my chest as the first agonizing sob tore free from my throat. Hot, scalding tears spilled down my cheeks, unstoppable and exhausting.
"I'll always protect you, Shivi. I will never let anything hurt you."
The memory of his voice whispered in the quiet room, mocking me. Every vow, every soft touch, every tender look from before rushed through my mind like poison. They had all been lies. Beautiful, hollow, fake promises that he discarded the moment darkness touched our lives. And the worst part-the part that broke my heart into a thousand irreparable pieces-was that I still loved the man who had promised them.
Why? Why me? Why he did this to me?
Author's pov
Downstairs, the entire family sat rigid around the dining table, but not a single spoon moved. Every pair of eyes was on Surbhi, who sat with her head bowed.
"What was the absolute need to bring that up, Surbhi?" Mamta said, her voice trembled with anger. "Just look what have you done, both of them walked out without touching a single morsel of food."
"I...I'm sorry," She mumbled, her voice cracking as a single tear escaped her lash line. "I really didn't mean to."
"Its not even her fault." Vedika said. "It's all Yash's fault. He started this poison! If that man ever dares to set foot in this house again, I swear to God, I will not spare him."
Surya sat rigid, his jaw clenched tight as he massaged his temples. He ignored the bickering and turned his sharp gaze towards Vijay.
"Did you find anything, Vijay?" Vijay exhaled a rough, defeated sigh as he shook his head.
"No, Bhai Sahab," he answered quietly. "Nobody has seen him. We checked the usual places, but he's vanished. God only knows where he ran off to."
He paused, his expression hardening into cold indifference. "Honestly? Acha hi hai. It's better this way. If he stays far away from us and this house, maybe we'll finally have some peace."
No one replied. An icy stillness settled over the room once more. Mahesh pushed his plate away, rising from his chair without a word, and one by one, the others followed, leaving the entire feast to grow cold in the bitter quiet.
❤️
The cold water did little to wash away the burning sting in Shivika's chest. Stepping out of the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, her reflection telling the raw, unfiltered truth of the last few hours. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
A soft, hesitant knock shattered the silence of the bedroom. She took a long, steadying breath to school her expression. She couldn't let anyone see her unraveling like this. She smoothed the stray strands of hair behind her ears and opened the door.
Standing on the door was Surbhi. Her gaze was glued to the floor, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her kurti into frantic knots. She looked as though she wanted the ground beneath her to swallow her whole.
"Surbhi?" Her voice was raspy from crying. "Tum yahan? Khadi kyun ho, andar aao na."
(You here? Why are you standing, come inside.)
She didn't step inside. She stood glued to the floor, her head bowed low, her slender fingers anxiously tangling together in the fabric of her dupatta.
"Surbhi..." Shivika stepped closer, furrowing her brows in concern. "Kya hua hai? Kuch bolo toh-"
Before she could finish, Surbhi lunged forward, throwing her arms around her neck in a tight, desperate embrace. The impact forced a soft gasp from Shivika, but the moment she felt the girl's body shaking against hers, her hands automatically rose to wrap around her back.
"I am sorry, Bhabhi...I am really, really sorry," She sobbed into the crook of her neck, the words spilling out in ragged, broken gasps. "It just...it slipped out of my mouth. I swear I didn't mean it. I never wanted to hurt you, Bhabhi. Please trust me, I didn't want to make you sad...I am so sorry."
"Surbhi, shh...bas, rona band karo," she murmured, rubbing soothing circles into her back.
(Surbhi, shh...that's enough, stop crying.)
Gently pulling away, she cupped her tear-streaked face and wiped the wetness from her cheeks with the pad of her thumb. She guided the trembling girl towards the couch. Walking over to the side table, she poured a glass of cold water and handed it to her.
"Pehle yeh piyo."
(Drink this first.)
Surbhi took the glass with both trembling hands, gulping down a few swallows before setting it aside on the coffee table. Shivika sat down right beside her, taking Surbhi's cold hands into her own warm ones.
"It's okay, Surbhi." She said softly, offering a faint, reassuring smile. "I know your heart. I know you would never intentionally hurt me or anyone else."
"Par Bhabhi...meri wajah se aap itna royi ho. Look at you. Your eyes are still so red and puffy. How can I not blame myself?"
She reached up and tenderly tucked a loose strand of hair behind Surbhi's ear. "Surbhi, look at me. I am fine, really."
Sniffling, she peered up through wet lashes, searching Shivika's eyes for any lingering resentment.
"Toh...aapne mujhe sach mein maaf kar diya na?
(So...you have really forgiven me, right?)
A genuine, warm smile finally broke across Shivika's lips. "Surbhi, I was never even upset with you to begin with. So there's nothing to forgive."
A quiet sigh of pure relief escaped Surbhi's lips. Wiping away the stray tear clinging to her cheek, she leaned her head affectionately against Shivika's shoulder, a bright, tearful smile finally breaking across her face.
❤️
Shivika was helping Vedika in setting the dining table. Mamta walked out of the kitchen carrying a bowl. Seeing Shivika bustling around, she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Shivika, beta, you don't have to do all this."
She offered a warm, small smile and shook her head. "No, Maa, please let me. I genuinely want to help."
Within a few minutes, the dining room filled with the quiet rustle of chairs as family members took their seats. Mamta glanced around the long table and frowned slightly, noticing an empty spot.
"Shivika, beta, where is Rudi?" She asked.
(Rudraksh)
Shivika froze for a second. The truth was, she had no clue. The moment she had heard Rudraksh's car pull into the driveway earlier. she had practically bolted into the kitchen just to avoid crossing his path.
"Umm, woh...actually-" she began, frantically searching for an excuse.
"I'm right here, Maa."
She turned around abruptly. He was coming towards them. For a brief second, their eyes locked. The tension between them was palpable, thick with unspoken words. She quickly looked away, staring firmly at the floor.
His expression stayed guarded as he walked past her and took his seat. She quietly pulled out her own chair and sat beside him, keeping her head low as dinner was served.
Once the meal ended, the family dispersed one by one, heading up to their bedrooms. Shivika lingered behind, practically diving into the kitchen to clear the counter and wipe down the stovetop, anything to postpone heading up to that quiet, suffocating bedroom.
"Alright, beta, that's quite enough. It's past ten. Go upstairs and get some rest." Mamta said softly.
"Maa, I'm almost done, just let me finish the-"
"No excuses, Shivika," Vedika chimed in, "Go and rest now."
She offered a faint nod. Her stomach twisted into knots as she turned and headed upstairs.
She went inside the room. Rudraksh was sitting against the headboard, bathed in the soft glare of his laptop, wearing a grey t-shirt and black lowers. His reading glasses were on. He looked up for half a second when she opened the door, then looked back at his screen. No word. Just the soft tapping of his keyboard.
She didn't look at him either and walked straight to the wardrobe. When she pulled the doors open, she froze.
Half of the wardrobe was completely empty. Hangers were aligned neatly, and the shelves were wiped clean, clearly cleared out just for her.
Yeh kisne kiya? she wondered, her mind flickered to the man sitting just a few feet away. Did he do this? No no..Why would he do this?..shyad Maa ya Choti Maa ne servant se karwaya hoga.
Pushing the thought aside, she quickly unpacked her clothes, arranged them neatly, and escaped into the bathroom. The warm shower helped wash away the exhaustion of the day. Stepping out in her soft cotton night suit.
The lights of the room were off, only the bedside lamp was on. He was sleeping on the couch, one hand on his stomach, the other hanging down from the couch.
She took a sigh of relief. She didn't have to face him. Switching off the side lamp, she carefully slipped under the duvet and closed her eyes.
Rudraksh slowly opened his eyes. He had been awake the entire time. He turned his head and looked at the bed.
Moonlight was coming on her face, softening her features and highlighting the delicate arch of her nose. He watched her in the quiet stillness of the dark, his expression was unreadable. Closing his eyes once more, he finally let himself drift into sleep.
❤️
The grand hall was beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and bright lights. Soft music played in the background as guests started arriving in their best traditional clothes. It was the day of Shivika's muh dikhai, and everyone was excited.
Near the entrance, Mamta and Vedika were chatting with some relatives. Mamta looked toward the stairs and saw Surbhi walking down.
"Excuse me for a moment," she told the guests. She walked over to Surbhi and asked softly, "did you hand over the saree and jewelry to Shivika?"
"Yes, Maa, I gave it to her," Surbhi replied with a smile.
She nodded and asked, "How much longer will she take? The ladies from the neighborhood have already started asking for the new bride."
"Relax Maa, she will be down in just five minutes,"
Upstairs in her bedroom, Shivika was sitting quietly in front of the vanity mirror. Two stylists were standing behind her, putting the final pins in her hair.
"Oh my god, ma'am, you look absolutely stunning," one of the girls gasped softly, stepping back to admire their work.
"Truly...just like a fairy stepping out of heaven." the second girl added in awe.
Shivika gazed at her reflection, her heart fluttering. For a fleeting second, she barely recognized the woman staring back at her.The makeup, the heavy jewelry, and the saree made her look completely stunning. A warm blush spread across her cheeks.
"Thank you so much."
After packing their bags, the two girls stepped out of the room. As soon as the door closed, the room became quiet. Shivika picked up her phone from the table. Her heart sank when she saw the screen. There were several messages and missed calls she had sent to Yash, but he had not replied. She was just about to dial his number again when the bedroom door opened and Vedika walked inside. The moment her eyes fell upon her, she stopped dead in her tracks, her hand flying to her chest.
"Wow, beta..." She said softly. "You look so ethereal."
She looked down shyly, feeling the heat rise to her ears once more.Vedika smiled warmly and walked closer. She took a tiny bit of kajal from her own eye and dabbed it gently behind Shivika's ear.
"Kisi ki nazar na lage meri bachi ko." She smiled, touched by the tenderness.
(May no one cast an evil eye on my daughter.)
Shivika took a bit of kajal from her own eye, reached up, and put it behind Vedika's ear too.
"Aap bhi kisi se kam nahi lag rahi hain," Shivika said, "Aapko bhi kisi ki nazar na lage."
("You don't look any less than anyone else either," Shivika said, "May you also be protected from the evil eye.")
Vedika laughed and shook her head fondly. "Hatt, pagal ladki! Now come on, let's go downstairs. Everyone is waiting to see the new bride."
She carefully pulled the sheer dupatta over Shivika's head, covering her face with a traditional veil. Holding her hand gently, she guided her out of the room and led her down the stairs into the busy hall, helping her sit comfortably on the decorated sofa.
Soon, the muh-dikhai ceremony began. One by one, the ladies came forward, lifted her veil to see her face, and smiled warmly.
"She is so pretty, Mamta ji!" one aunt said, placing a gold coin in her hand.
"May God bless you," another woman said, leaving a gift box next to her.
"May evil eyes stay far away," another relative murmured, tapping her knuckles against her own temples before sliding a velvet-wrapped box beside the bride.
"Rudraksh is a lucky man."
Upstairs, Rudraksh came out of his study buttoning the cuffs of his crisp, off-white kurta. He had taken the day off from the office, a rarity that had surprised his entire team yet his posture remained just as rigid as if he were walking into a boardroom.
He walked down the stairs. When his mother, Mamta, saw him, she smiled and walked up to him.
"Go ahead," she said, pointing towards Shivika.
He looked confused. "What do you mean, Maa?" She laughed softly. "Don't act innocent. I know you bought a gift for your bride. Go do the ritual and give it to her."
Rudraksh hesitated. A faint muscle ticked in his jaw as he slipped a hand into his pocket, his fingers grazing the hard edge of a velvet jewelry box. For a beat, he seemed on the verge of turning back, but the expectant gaze of his mother left him no exit. The guests stopped talking and made way for him. The bride kept her head down, but she could sense someone tall standing in front of her.
He gently held the edge of her veil and slowly lifted it up, her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly raised her eyes only to get widened.
What is he doing here? she thought
His hand stayed in the air, his eyes locked onto hers. For a moment, both of them completely forgot the crowd around them. A collective round of muffled giggles broke through the silence.
"Beta, ab dekhte hi rahoge ya gift bhi doge?" One of the aunts giggled and teased.
Everyone in the room burst out laughing. The sudden burst of sound shattered the trance. He blinked, his jaw tightening, without uttering a single word, he placed the small velvet box directly into her hands and walked away without saying a word. She sat frozen, staring at the box in her hands.
As soon as the ceremony ended, she hurried to her room and closed the door. She quickly took off the heavy jewelry and the bridal dress, changed into a simple cotton kurti.
________________________________________
Right now, My exams are going on but I am still writing chapters because even when I study its of no use kyuki aane marks chulu bhar he hai 😁.
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TO BE CONTINUED--
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