Maahi stirred out of deep sleep, feeling sloppy kisses up her shoulder. She could smell the alcohol on him even before she opened her eyes. "Hmm." She grumbled and tried to shift from her side to her back. She peeked through one eye to check the time on the digital clock. 2:04.

The trail of pecks continued from one shoulder to another. She slightly pushed, "You're drunk, Sonu. Go to sleep."

She pulled at the blanket to cover her shoulders, only for him to tug them back. "Babe, I want more." Hearing the slurred words, she actually woke up. Sleep disappeared as she opened her eyes and sat up on her elbows.

More?

"Were you with her again?"

"You don't tell me who I should hang out with." He snapped, coming to hover over her with his knees at either of her sides, trapping her under him.

"You promised you wouldn't see her again!" She exclaimed, pushing him. It simply angered him. He pinned her hands over, roughly smashing them against the bed frame. She winced, a jolt of pain starting to appear with the stoppage of blood flow due to the tight grasp around her wrists.

"Bitch, shut up. You should be glad. You know, she never could satisfy me the way you can." Towards the end, he returned to his drunk state and started to kiss down her neck.

She struggled to free herself and sit up against his weight. His reflexes were diminished due to the number of drink he had, but he was still heavier than her. Her senses went on alert when his free hand traveled up her thigh. Her night dress had bunched up around her waist during the struggle as it was. The second she heard the sound of zipper, she used all her energy to push him off her and lunged away from him. Quickly getting on her feet, she tried to leave the room.

He grabbed her to pull her back, her forehead fell back against the dresser. The shattering mirror easily cut her, but she wasn't giving in. She grabbed the first thing her hands could reach and used it to hit him back. His hands left her to clutch his head before he dropped on the floor. She stayed rooted on spot for a few seconds, the frightening feeling overwhelming her. She stared at him, and eventually saw his chest rising and falling.

He was unconscious.

She dropped the cylindrical object that was a part of storing jewelry to the floor. The clattering sound caused her to blink. She looked around the room in a rush. She grabbed her car keys and left the apartment in a rush. She was not going to stay around for him to wake up, even though it was her apartment.

Sitting in the car seat, with trembling hands, she stuck the keys in ignition. Absent-mindedly, she drove to the only place in town which was her safe haven. She could always feel comfortable there, no matter what.

༺༻ ༺༻༺༻

After a rush of doorbell ringing repeatedly for about half a minute, it opened. Nikita stopped rubbing her eyes when they fell on Maahi and the state she was standing in front of her. "Maahi?!" She said her name, utterly confused and shocked to see her bleeding down the side of her face.

A voice behind her questioned with obvious irritation in the tone at being woken up so rudely. "Nicky, who the hell visits you at two in the morning?"

"Parth, sorry. Go back to sleep. I got this." Nikita answered, covering Maahi by standing in front of her so he wouldn't see her in that state. It was Nikita's condo that she lived in with her husband, Blake. Blake could sleep through anything, but Parth, who was only visiting, had woken up.

Maahi, alas, stepped out from behind Nikita. She saw he was half-turned, ready to go back to bed. "No, wait. He can stay."

Nikita looked at Maahi, worried. Parth, on the other hand, felt a mixed array of emotions seeing her after three years, that too in this state. The night dress she was dressed in was ripped from the shoulder. The trail of blood went from the gash at the forehead down her cheek. She wasn't wearing shoes. Her eyes were puffed up, swollen.

"Maahi?" He said the name. Walking over to the doorway as Nikita put her arm around her shoulder and nudged her inside. She shut the front door behind them. "What... what happened?"

Maahi didn't answer as Nikita shot another question, "Did he do this to you?"

"He who?" Parth asked.

This time, Maahi did speak, but not the answers either Nikita or Parth were looking for. "Parth... you're a lawyer, right?"

Nothing felt familiar to Parth anymore. He absent-mindedly answered with a nod.

Nikita continued to make her walk until they reached the living room. She made her sit on the couch. Softly, she suggested, "Let's get you cleaned up first."

Parth, getting the hint, left for the kitchen and returned seconds later. He handed Nikita the first aid box and then walked into his room. He returned with a blanket that he draped over her shoulder.

On a normal occasion, Maahi would have responded with a small smile to convey gratitude at the thought and even appreciate the warmth of the blanket comforting her. Now, however, she could only sit there, staring at her shaking hands which had bashed Sonu's head in minutes ago. Though she was trying to escape him, she did not think she was capable of such violence. She'd never even in her life raised her hand to slap someone, let alone knock them unconscious.

Parth, unfortunately, had seen a few troubling cases in his short time as a lawyer. He noticed how rattled she looked and silently walked back to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. He didn't know why his heart was clenching at the sight in front of him. He was trying to control his emotions but they were in a frenzy. Over the years, he had often wondered what'd happened with Maahi. Where she would be. What she would be doing. How she would be. Her thought would now and again creep back into his mind from that one corner in his heart where he'd tried to keep her buried.

Needless to say, meeting her again in such a state was one thought that had never crossed his mind.

Parth returned with a glass of water and forwarded it to her just as Nikita had disinfected the cut and bandaged it. Maahi gathered enough strength in her to lift the glass and take a sip though her fingers continued to shake. At the end, she gripped the glass tightly as the cold liquid trickled down her throat offering some sort of a soothing comfort to calm her racing heart.

Nikita began to ask the dreaded question, "Did he...?"

Maahi shook her head, understanding the lack of statement completion. "No, he tried."

Nikita started to get riled up, a flash of fury spreading over her pulse looking over at her best friends' condition, "You have to call the cops, Maahi. This is the fourth time! You can't keep making excuses for him."

Parth interrupted whatever Maahi was going to say. "Whoa, wait. Fourth time?"

Nikita looked over at Maahi, not sure what to tell her brother. Since he was around, she had been careful to not drop any names. She didn't know what Maahi would want. But, Maahi had asked him to stay for a reason. She nodded at Nikita, "I know. After tonight... I'm done with him."

Parth attempted to get some answers once again. "Will one of you tell me who this guy is and what has happened?"

This time, thankfully, he was given an answer. "Sonu... my husband."

Nikita scoffed while Parth stared in puzzlement. She is married? "He was never your husband, Maahi. Husbands don't treat their wives the way he treats you."

Yes, more than Maahi, it was Nikita who was angry. A guy kept hurting her best friend, and she let things happen. How could she not be angry? Somewhere, she blamed herself.

Maahi glanced at Parth after she informed to assess his reaction. Seeing he was still confused, she explained, "Three years ago when I went to India, I got married to him. He was the grandson of a friend of grandmother. Daadi... she had to get bypass done and doctors didn't know how long she would survive. She told dad that she wanted to see me getting married. I was her only granddaughter. Dad too got wrapped up with emotions."

"So you marry the first guy they pick?!" His tone was borderline on scolding and rage. Sure, he only knew her for a short day back then, but in that day, he had taken her to be a smart and intelligent person. He couldn't understand how she could let her family make that important decision for her – especially when the guy was nothing but abusive.

She exclaimed back, "I didn't want it either!" feeling hurt thinking he was accusing her and blaming her for her current state. That wasn't his intention at all but it was still how the message came across.

Nikita called her brother in a warning, "Parth," as if asking him to control himself.

Maahi continued to explain. She didn't know why but she needed Parth to understand her past actions that had landed her in this predicament today, "I tried to say no, but it was all happening too fast and everyone was too emotional. It wasn't until everything was done with. The first year, he was all kind and understanding then, giving me my space and everything. Then, the first time I caught him with some girl... that's when he got really violent and confessed he only went along with it because he wanted a green card. I wanted to leave him right away, tell my parents... but if they found out, if daadi found out, she wouldn't have survived that."

Nikita spoke up, "No offense, Maahi, but that woman is still alive three years later. Sometimes, I feel that she put all that drama just to marry you off."

"Nicky." Maahi glared at her. She couldn't hear anyone, even if it was Nikita, talking ill of her family.

"Don't 'Nicky' me. We've all seen how her health seems to only get better since then! There may be miracles now and again in science but not so much that an old woman who suffers heart attack twice gets better and better as if nothing's happened in the first place. And we all also know how she never liked your dad giving you all the freedom. She's had it for you since he said you could marry whoever you wanted, whenever you wanted. That lady still lives in the 19th century. If it were up to her, she'd have all the girls married by the time they hit puberty."

"Nicky, please, calm down." Parth spoke up the first chance he got when she paused to take a breath. He had noticed how it was all upsetting Maahi further. He was inclined to believe Nikita's take on Maahi's grandmother, but he didn't want to add to it and upset Maahi more than she already was. It wasn't going to help. Then, he asked Maahi, "What happened after? You stayed with him so they wouldn't find out?"

"Yeah. When he'd blown off steam, he apologized and everything. I didn't know what to think so I gave him a second chance."

Nikita informed. "But he only kept taking advantage of that. He started to verbally and emotionally abuse her the second time."

"Then I found some pictures and text messages on his phone. I asked him. He got mad again that I was snooping around, slapped me for accusing him of cheating."

"He did what?" Parth was about ready to get up and hunt him down. "Tell me you didn't just let that go."

"No, I warned him. If he didn't get his act together, I'd call the cops and divorce him. He realized I wasn't kidding and if anything, he does not want to be deported. So, he started promising he'd never see her again. I thought it was working."

Nikita concluded, sadly. "Until tonight."

Maahi explained tonight's scenario, "He came home drunk again, pretty much admitted he was with her. Again. I tried to push him to his side but he got mad. Pinned my hands. Tried to..." She gulped, unable to form the words as her head flashed back to the moment. Nikita placed her hand over hers to comfort her. She inhaled deeply, then continued, "I pushed him again to get away. He pulled me back. My head hit the dresser. I grabbed the first thing I could and hit him back. He fell over, unconscious. I got in my car and..."

Hearing it all, Parth's blood was boiling. Nikita already hated Sonu since the first time they had met. She could always tell he wasn't a decent guy, but he had done nothing at first for Nikita to go to Maahi and tell her. Still, she had warned her to be careful. The very first time he had gotten angry and threw things around the house in a fit, Nikita had asked her to end it there itself. She knew. One day, it would escalate. It always did. She did not believe in such a thing as 'one time only'. She feared this itself.

Clenching his palms in a fist and jaw together, Parth got up. He closed the safe distance he had maintained and walked over to Maahi. He kneeled on the carpet so he wasn't standing over her and making her feel intimidated. Unclenching his fist, he gently placed his hand on top of her.

She lifted her eyes from her lap to his face, finding strange comfort in the eyes of a man she hadn't seen in three years and barely knew. Yet, she believed every word that came from his mouth as he held her gaze, his hands ever so softly resting atop hers that she would doubt if her hands had ever trembled.

"Maahi, I promise you, he is never again going to lay a hand on you. Ever." He meant every single word. He was going to make sure that by the time he was done with him, he would regret ever hurting Maahi.

Trusting him, she let her head nod. She sniffed and pulled her hand out from underneath his to wipe away her tears.

Nikita put her arms around her again and pulled her into a warm embrace. She then feebly smiled at Parth. He stood up after placing a hand on his sister's shoulder, silently asking her to not worry. The two of them may have been dealing with this secret and pain alone the past two years, but now, he was here. He knew. He had only planned on being in town for the weekend. Now, he wasn't going to leave till he made sure Sonu wasn't in the same continent as Maahi.

While Nikita patted Maahi's head to get her to stop crying and convince her that everything was going to get better, Parth walked inside the guest bedroom to get his phone.

Returning, he instructed Maahi. "Call 911, tell them your address and his name. Tell them he tried to rape you, and then hang up. When they get there and see the scene, they'll arrest him. You don't need to tell them who you are or where you are. You don't need to deal with giving your statement right now. You've been through enough for today. It'll take them till morning atleast to track the number to you. We can go to the precinct tomorrow."

Understanding every single word, she took his phone. She stared at the black screen, however. Her hands returned to shaking as the impending reality once again started to dawn on her.

With the phone still in her hand, he squeezed it in hers and spoke, looking straight in her eyes. "You've already done the hard part, Maahi. You can do this."

Again, she nodded, believing him and dialed 911 as Parth thought back to the last time he had seen her during Nikita's wedding.

༺༻ ༺༻༺༻

Maahi admired a decked-up Nikita in her bridal dress and jewelry. "Aw, you look so very beautiful!" She hugged her from the back, standing, while Nikita sat in a chair in front of her dresser.

Nikita grinned, hugging her back. "I know! Gosh, I can't wait to get married."

Maahi laughed, "Easy, girlie. Just an hour to go."

Nikita paused from her complaint when there was a knock on the door. Maahi went to open the door since she was already standing.

Parth stood at the other side. He was taken aback slightly. He gave her a look over before snapping out of it and informing, "Uh... the photographer is here. He wants to get some pictures taken for the wedding album before the rituals start."

"Great." Nikita said and started to leave. Maahi was about to follow when Parth blocked her path.

"We need to talk."

Maahi, luckily, did not get a chance to deny since Nikita walked back to the room to get her, not finding her besides her. "Coming?"

"Yeah." Maahi answered after looking up at Parth one last time. She walked past him without a word to him.

Parth tried to find multiple opportunities to talk to her. 'Try' being the key word. Maahi made it a point to stick by Nikita's side in case she needed something, or spending time with her other friends – doing her best to enjoy the wedding as best as possible. While taking pictures, Parth sometimes ended up next to her, and he tried to get her to look at him, but again, nothing.

While the priest was chanting the wedding mantras, Maahi left Nikita's side to check on dinner preparations. Having been avoided enough, he excused himself from his cousins and followed her. Outside, in the open garden, he walked up to her.

"Come with me." He spoke to her, causing her to turn towards him.

Maahi answered, but continued to avoid. "Excuse me. I'm a little busy." Irritation getting the best of him, he grabbed her by the arm. Her eyes snapped to his, surprised. "Parth! Let go of me."

He snapped at her, dragging her away from the crowd's eye, "You know what? No. I've been trying to talk to you about last night but you keep on avoiding me."

"One would think you'd get the hint." She muttered under her breath.

He continued to make his point, "My only sister is getting married and I haven't been able to focus on that because of you!"

She peeled his fingers off and raised her voice as well, "Then stop thinking about something that does not mean anything and focus on her marriage! I'm doing that, aren't I?"

"Doesn't mean anything?" He echoed her words.

She noticed the hurt in his eyes. Sighing, she attempted to control her anger and tried to speak. She paused when her phone rang in her hand. She tried to answer the call she was expecting, but couldn't as he grabbed it away from her. "No, finish this conversation before starting another one."

"Parth, stop being ridiculous." She scolded him, retrieved her phone, and dialed the missed call. "Hi, yes, this is Maahi... no, I can't wait another day for a cheaper flight. Book the first one that's available... tomorrow is fine... 2 am? Yeah, that's okay... and you said it's a direct flight to Delhi? Perfect, thank you... yeah, let me check my email for confirmation and call you back."

Listening to the one-sided conversation, Parth was confused. "Delhi?"

She ran her fingers through her hair to compose herself before answering, "Look, Parth, I'm sorry. Okay? Last night was a mistake. I shouldn't have kissed you. Right now, my family needs me... my mom needs me. I need to go back to India. I can't afford to think about you or explore anything, so please... forget last night. Forget about me and go back to Nikita's wedding. Tell her I'm sorry I had to go and couldn't stay through her marriage, but I hope she understands."

He questioned, getting a negative feeling about the way she was talking. "You're talking as if this is goodbye?"

She answered in silence and long before, she turned to leave the venue.

༺༻ ༺༻༺༻

【authors note; 】

A lot happens in this chapter, yes? Hating daadi and Sonu? Unlike Her Proposal which was majorly romance and fighting own demons, you will see an influence of society and its rules on the institution of marriage in this story which'll have them fighting internally and externally. Hence, there are characters that will make you hate them but just remember that they are a figment of sad reality & hopefully it'll be a motivation for the current & upcoming generations to break free from this cycle. 

As for Parth & Maahi, their real story begins now as a lawyer & a psychologist :D If you think Maahi was a weak character, then just wait.. she'll surprise you. After all, even the strongest get influenced & somewhere lose their way in everyday routine.  Maybe she is not as weak and she's already showing that by making the decision to divorce Sonu? It's not easy to take that step when in an abusive relationship under the fear of retaliation. 

PS: Who is ready to see Parth in action ;) 

Side note: With the 3 year leap, we are in the timeline where comparing to Her Proposal, Arjun & Sanam have been married for two years.