Seher

Precisely, Hell would be an understatement for this place..This is something more than the fiery inferno..no matter how much I strove to remain resilient, my proficiency to withstand is deteriorating by each passing day...Post to the rituals at evening, I got my breathe back as his mother's so called relatives had departed..
I stared into my own reflection in the mirror , detaching my ornaments...the cool evening Zephyr that peeked through the windows touched my face as I closed my eyes..the blazing sensation on my tongue is still making my head spin..I wiped out the stream of brine that cascaded down my eyes..

Why am I enduring this excruciating pang? For whom? For what?
Am I really bounded to live in such a circumstances?

My inner conscience yelled at me , making me dumbstruck..
No..I'm not bound to endure this slavery and the punishment for the error I've never committed..I'm not bound to serve them as a menial servant..i won't let this unscrupulous beasts to relish their victory.. I won't..
To bid farewell from this treacherous World independently is better than getting enslaved.. Embracing death Is ten times better than getting embraced by metalcuffs.. I closed my eyes and inhaled a sharp breathe..
This life... almighty has graced me with all the prosperity, more than that I deserved..My family..My well-wishers..Shivam !
But now the same life is making me suffocated and feeble.. I apologise.. I earnestly apologize to all of them who loved me for taking such a harsh decision for my selfishness...but I can't..I can't abide this un necessary penalty..

I swiftly ascended the stairs that leading towards the terrace.. And once I reached where my death lies, I stood there, enclosing my eyes and grasping at the parapet..I'm going to strech my arms and invite death to embrace me and take him with me...my lips slowly curved up to form a satisfying smile...

Finally I'm going to enjoy the freedom..

I opened my eyes with resolution..I heaved a breathe and glanced down at the depth beneath me...

Sorry maa..sorry paa..your daughter have no other option left... forgive me if possible...

My inner self screeched as streams of brine made its way down through my cheeks.. without awaiting to wipe it, I was about to mount above the parapet to jump, I saw a familiar car succeeding with the vehicle of top police official invading into the courtyard of shekhawat mansion hastily and didn't took much time for me to recognise the car
Papa's car !!!

My eyes couldn't assimilate the sight I saw infront of me...
Am I dreaming?
Definitely I'm not... I incredulously stared at the car and saw my papa emerging out of it like an enraged lion getting out from its den to hunt his prey, succeeded by Shivam..
My heart palpitated limitlessly out of ineffable happiness and delightment..
My papa and Shivam is here..
Like the maiden rays of sun that touched the frigid snow capped hills, a ray of hope and warmth of mirth pervaded inside me...

My legs involuntarily accelerated its haste and without wasting a second, I sprinted back downstairs to meet my papa and Shivam..my whole body quivered in extreme ecstasy and tears permeated from my eyes..
As I was about to set my foot into the ground floor, a robust arm grabbed me back and hauled me back into a room...

Within seconds I got affixed to the wall behind and I watched those pair of hazels darting its intimidating glances at me..The warmth of mirth that my body has seconds before drained out upon watching the wretched glance of that beast..My so called husband..

" Where were you going in such a haste darling? Aren't you satisfied with the gift that I've given?"
His dangerously calm voice transmitted shivers down through my nerves..I could see the shades of a blazing flame inside his hazel orbs...
My fists got tightened as his grasp over my arms also got tightened.. I closed my eyes without answering his question but almighty had something big for me to bestow..

"Dada...one Sanjeev mehrotra is waiting downstairs to meet you.."
We both heed someone informing from downstairs and his head immediately swivelled towards me with a vicious smirk...
I closed my eyes but he grappled my cheeks and made me look at him..

" Oho...so my Sweety was so eager to meet her dad tch..tch..oh ,look what a fool I'm..I thought my baby was trying to escape.. don't worry, I'm not that cruel husband I'll let him meet you ..ok "
He replied in his sugar sheathed voice and unknowingly, a smile formed on my lips heeding to his last words..

He'll let me meet my dad..

" But..I'll meet him first.. afterall he's my brand new father in law right?"
He said leaving my arms and wiped the tears..he immediately went towards the dressing table and combed his hairs.. I awkwardly glanced at him and my breathe halted on my throat when he advanced closer to me ..

I know something big is on its way

" I should have to look handsome right..? Anyways..now like a good girl,sit here until I comes..i know my wife is very smart and will try to show her over smartness indeed..but if you dare to show that... you know the consequences.. don't you?"
He said shoving my tousled hair locks to sideways... I closed my eyes in disgust..

I loathe his touches..

But to meet my dad, I silently endured his loving torture and nodded positively.. I saw him exiting the room like a tempest which has the capability to destruct anything...

•||••••••••••*••••••••••||•

Shivam

Never in my life ever I've dreamt of a moment like this.. standing infront of shekhawats and implore for mercy..
My fingers balled up to form a fist involuntarily as I noticed the derisive glances each and every one in that house darting at us,even the maids and servants..
They are gawking at us as if we are here to stole their property or something precious..my eyes travelled through each and every nook and corner of the house to catch a glimpse of seher..

My seher! I don't know whether I still have the authority to call her that or not..but a tiny ray of hope is dancing inside me.. breaking my thoughts, the loud guffaw of a woman reverberated inside the hall, grabbing everyone's attention..And I saw her, bhavani shekhawat making her entry into the hall..me and Sanjeev uncle shared a glance at each other..
But immediately, my attention was zeroed to the person who stood next to her..
Shraddha..
The one whom I loved like my sister..
I could see her glancing at me anticipating a smile and I tried to..but it never came to my lips as I wished.. I know she would have a lot to tell about these two years but now the situation is not favourable..

" Arey..come Sanjeev ji..take your seat."
She said seating on a large chair and Sanjeev uncle gritted his teeth..he shouted..

" We are not here to accept your hospitality bhavani shekhawat..I'm here to take my daughter..call her.."
I saw Sanjeev uncle quivering in wrath..but bhavani shekhawat neither moved nor ignored..ste just kept glancing at him with a mysterious smile affixing on her lips...

"Arey bhaisaab , it's the first time you are visiting your daughter's house and you're getting hyper..tch tch..you're my daughter in law's father and how can I ignore you.. It's my responsibility to assure you a warm welcome isn't it? but as far as I know seher is your only child..then who is this boy and what's the need of a police officer here?"
She asked pointing at me and I stared at her.. I could see a blazing fire inside her eyes and I know it's not a normal fire but it's her vengeance..

" He's her fiance and..."
Before uncle could complete,that woman stood up from her chair and laughed..

" Sanjeev ji..your daughter is already married to my son..now she's not seher mehrotra,she is seher shekhawat..then what's the point to bring her fiance here.."
She said side glancing at me..my tongue rose to say something,but before it could happen, I saw my archenemy my sworn rival swayam shekhawat infront of me with all his glory..

" Namaste uncle ji.."
As soon as he saw us, he obeisanced infront of him and took his blessings but uncle immediately retreated..
Swayam glanced at me with a victorious smirk blooming on his lips and I know the cause behind the smile... indeed the reason is seher.. once again ,he won..won by deception..

" I'm not here to accept your greetings swayam..call my daughter.. I'm here to set her free from your clutches and send you behind the bars"
Sanjeev uncle yelled and swayam's smirk widened...he tilted his head to take a momentary glance of the police official standing behind me..his smirk widened..

"Sorry uncle..both are impossible.. because you know your daughter,my wife is happy, infact very much happy here with me , then why will she come?as far as she's happy,why will you send me to the jail ? remember she's my legally wedded wife"
Swayam said , pointedly glancing at me..my teeth gritted unknowingly..

He forcefully married my girl and now cooking up lies..

" I don't care Mr shekhawat..i will take my daughter.. now tell me where's my daughter seher?"
Sanjeev uncle asked and swayam turned away in aloofness..wrath aerated inside me watching his aloof attitude but i restrained myself..

" Sanjeev ji ,even though we know this is a forced marriage in the case of domestic violence,the statement of the woman is important..with that we can easily file an FIR..so it's better we once hear seher.."
Suddenly, grabbing everyone's attention, ritesh mehra ,the assistant commissioner who is a close friend of Sanjeev uncle said..

I saw swayam clenching his fist and now it's my turn to bestow the victorious smirk back to him...
We will rescue her from this he'll by hook and crook..I saw his mother signalling him to bring her and he nodded positively..
Sparks of euphoria ignited inside me

Soon ,seher was brought down to the hall along with swayam..she looked like a goddess in her red saree descending down the stairs..her Marital symbols enriched her beauty..my lips automatically curved up to form a soft smile..but soon my smile faded as I saw swayam beside her, wrapping his hand around her shoulder and the mere glimpse of him touching her authoritatively escalated the temperature of my blood...

How dare he touch my girl

But what made me more exasperated was her calm composure..
Why she isn't reacting..why she is allowing him to do so?

As soon as she reached near Sanjeev uncle, seher prostrated and fell over his feet and cried like a toddler..it not only permeated tears from his eyes but also mine..he engulfed her into an affectionate hug and I glanced at her..but she,she didn't even catch a glimpse of mine...

May be she's feeling awkward

" Forgive me papa.."
She apologized in a quivering voice which made Sanjeev uncle's heart squirm in agony..he affectionately fondled her tresses and conferred a kiss on her forehead..

" You don't have to ask apology dear..papa knows that you haven't done anything wrong.. I know everything..now papa is here beta don't worry.."
Sanjeev uncle said and I saw seher's facial expression changing...

"Why Papa? About what are you saying? Why would I come with you Papa..this is my home from now"
She said , astonishing all of us..i felt my legs getting frozen out of her sudden revelation...
What does she mean?

"What are you saying dear? We all know that you've been forced to marry this rascal..tell everything to ritesh uncle .. he'll file an FIR and we'll send this rascal and his family to where they deserves.."
I heard Sanjeev uncle saying but still I couldn't assimilate what she said ...

" No papa.. you're getting it wrong..I'm..I'm.. happy with this marriage..."
At the next moment,she said quashing all our expectations and stared incredibly at her .

She's happy with the marriage? Seriously?!

" Seher dear..we know the circumstances you are going through..may be this guys have intimidated you..but trust us, you'll be safe ..tell us the truth"
This time ritesh mehra spoke and she surprisingly glanced at him and replied

" Why uncle..i told you right..I'm happy with my husband..no one intimidated me here..I've married him with my whole heart...I'm happy with this marriage.. I thought papa is here to bless us but you're saying something else..papa I'm happy here ."
She said with a smile, squeezing my heart..but what made me a living corpse was the moment she held his hand and smiled at him..
After beholding the sight, The wrath and agony that I'm holding within myself erupted like a volcano and I yelled..

" Seher... please don't go with the words of these morons..I know that you cannot marry swayam..you doesn't even knows him properly.. he's a ."
I was about to continue,

" How do you know that Mr rajawat..you don't have any rights to humiliate my husband infront of everyone and I won't endure that.."
Enraged, She replied and sternly, glanced directly into my orbs... perforating my heart... those orbs which reflected admiration and love for me before is now gleaming with loathe and exasperation...

Is this really my seher?

" Seher"
Sanjeev uncle summoned her in a quivering voice and tears cascaded down from his eyes like a stream...

" Papa .. I thought that you're to grace me but you're here to take me away from my husband..to broke my home hearing other's words ..if that is your aim,then please leave from here ."
She mercilessly said and her words felt like a slap over our face...

" I beg... everybody please leave and let us live our life peacefully.."
She yelled one last time wiping her tears and without uttering a word,we retreated back from the house..

Before departing, I once again glanced at swayam to see his victorious smirk still dancing over his lips like the fire blazing rapidly just before getting extinguished...

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How's the chapter lovelies
I updated after a long time...
What do you think is the reason behind seher's sudden change of behaviour..
Comment below and please vote too..

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