Swaragini- Tangled Destiny

Chapter3- Pretending to be strong!!

She walks inside the hospital along with Sanskar, "I'll be back", she utters and sanskar nodded as she went towards washroom. Sanskar stands there waiting for her while people passed by gives him a sympathetic look not only him but, for ragini as well. He shook his head and rested his back with the nearby wall.

She throws cold water on her face while tears trickled down her cheeks. Her heart aches as she looks at her reflection on the mirror. She clucthed her head looking down with her closed eyes, she needs to be strong. For her family. For her sister. For sanskar. For herself. She inhaled a sharp breath calming her nerves as she looks at herself blinking her eyes, she wipes her face with tissue and nodded. She ignored the ignited fire in her heart and walks out, her eyes met with sanskar who stands straight seeing her, he sighs realizing she was again crying. His sherwani was also wet with her tears, he walks towards her and kept his hand on her shoulder,"You okay?", He asked while she nodded. "Let's go and see maa", she utters looking down while sanskar nodded as they walks side by side. He kept looking at her while she was looking down, people passing by was giving them weird looks which he wasn't liking at all. He don't want people to be judgmental and to give them sympathetical looks specially Ragini because of her wedding dress. They stopped as they found Maheshwari's and Gadodia's outside Ward. Ragini looks at Parvati who was sitting on a chair with shehkar sharmishta on her each side and rest of the Maheshwari's was standing infront of ward waiting for the doctor to permit them to meet Annupurna. Ragini glanced at Sanskar who nodded looking at her.

"She is councious, you can meet her" , the doctor informed sending overwhelming smile on their faces. Everyone rushed inside the ward. Ragini was about to take a step when she felt a hold on her arm, she turned and looked at Parvati who was eyeing her with serious expressions,"Meet her for the last time and come with us", she told making her look at her. She didn't reply but, instead goes inside with blank expressions. Sanskar looks at them and also entered behind her.

Annupurna was laying with dripped attached to her body, her heart was beating slowly creating beeping sound. Her face was pale and weak, tears brimmed in everyone's eyes seeing her. Ragini stood at the end and felt a havoc in her heart as tears continuously flows from her eyes, she felt a hold on her shoulder and turned to look at sanskar who nodded himself teary eyed. Annupurna opened her eyes slowly making her vision clearer, her eyes stopped at her husband first who was eyeing her with broken expression, she can see tears behind his glasses, then her eyes travelled to her elder son and daughter-in-law who was eyeing her with happy tears in their eyes, then at her Brother-in-law and sister-in-law whom always considered her as her elder sister and a motherly figure then at her precious daughter who was standing at her side with tears flowing from her eyes, her eyes stopped at the two person who was standing near the door at a little distant from everyone. She flappers her eyes seeing them and tried to remove the oxygen mask as she felt deep pain seeing the two shattered souls eyeing her with pain. "Annupurna", Dp holds her and helps her to remove her mask while Ragini and Sanskar also take a step forward seeing her struggle.

She took deep breaths steading herself and points her dripped attached hand towards Ragsan. Everyone head turns to them as they walks forward and holds her each hand with tears flowing from their eyes. "I...am... sorry", annupurna utters looking at ragini who shook her head gulping back the tears as needles prick her throat. "Sorry", she looks at Sanskar who nodded No kissing her head. "I made....", She looks at Ragini when ragini kept her hand on her mouth and nodded wiping her tears,"it's not your fault maa. It's not your fault", she utters. Tears flows from annupurna eyes, "it was written maa. It was my destiny", ragini utters and glanced at Sanskar. "Yes! Maa. Please, don't blame yourself. It's neither yours or Ragini's fault. Please don't stress yourself", sanskar utters wiping his tears plastering a fake smile. Annupurna look at him and then at Ragini, "No! Laksh....", She shut her eyes painfully as her heart pained and winced making everyone alert. "Maa", they shreiked. She clucthed Ragini and Sanskar's hand tightly, "Don't....leave..... don't....ragini...... don't...", She utters as her chest rose up and down fastly. Adarsh rushed outside bringing the doctor and nurse, "Step aside", the doctor utters but, Annupurna didn't released their hands. "Maa, please.... Maa", they kept calling her while she was just looking at Ragini. Tears brimmed in everyone's eyes as the nurse releases sanskar and ragini hands from annupurna holds and send everyone outside.

Ragini clucthed her mouth as soon as she went out, sharmishta went towards her holding her while she cries in a loud voice, "She is fine, her BP shoots that's why her heartbeat becomes unstable. We have given her sedatives, she'll be sleeping till night", the doctor informed making their heartbeats normal. "Maa", ragini utters looking at Sharmishta who wipes her tears nodding no. "Annupurna ji is fine laado, come let's go home now", Parvati utters while sharmishta nodded and shehkar also walks towards her. She felt a havoc in her heart and her tears stopped as she looks at them, she turned and looks at everyone who was already looking at her, her eyes stopped at sanskar. "What are you seeing laado? They are here. You can call and ask for annupurna's wellbeing. Come , let's go home", Parvati says as she holds her hand and was about to drag her when ragini holds her hand, Parvati turned and looks at her while ragini nodded no looking down, "Maa told me to stay", she utters in a low voice while everyone looks on. "I can't come, they need me", she utters as a tear leaked her eye which she instantly wiped.."Thara Dimagh toh thek haina chori? For whom you want to stay? Who are they? You are forgetting that you are no more related to them", Parvati utters in a bitter tone while she shut her eyes painfully. "Ragini! Maa is right. You meet Annupurna ji. Now it's time for us to leave, I can't loose my other daughter", shehkar utters while sharmishta nodded holding ragini shoulder teary eyed. Shehkar holds her hand and walks forward when he felt she didn't moved. He sighed and turned to look at another pair of hands on Ragini wrist, he looks up and stared at sanskar, "If she wants then let her stay papa", sanskar utters in a pleading tone. Shehkar glared at him while ragini turned her head and looks at Sanskar who looks back at her, and then at Shehkar, "Papa, Please!", She utters meekly. "Laadooo", Parvati roared in high voice with red eyes, "Chup chap chal maare sath", she glared at sanskar and tried to remove his hold on her wrist while ragini nodded no. Shehkar looks at her while sharmishta looks on pleading,"Ragu beta, please", she caressed her hair's while ragini looks at her. "Okay!", Her head turned to shehkar who was eyeing sanskar and her seriously. "You have to choose Ragini. You want your this family or the one whose son betrayed you", shehkar utters making her heart dropped on her chest as she looks on shocked and so, as other's. "Shehkar!", Sharmishta utters his name widening her eyes while shehkar looked at his daughter.

"Tell Ragini! With whom you want to stay. They or Us", Shehkar asked looking at Ragini who was looking at her father brokenly. "Shehkar Ji", Durga Prasad steps forward when shehkar shows his palm to him, "I am asking my daughter something DP Ji, I'll be glad if you don't come in between", shehkar utters in emotionless tone. "Papa!", Ragini utters in meek voice with tears flowing from her eyes. She felt someone stabbed her heart with a knife with this choice, she can't choose one among these two as both her family. "Say Ragini!", Shehkar asked in a loud voice. "Laado! Say", Parvati utters adamantly. Ragini turned her head towards sanskar who looks at her with teary eyed and his grip around her wrist started loosening. Shehkar smiled seeing this, "I'll stay here", Ragini utters making shehkar smile instantly dropped and he looks on shock. She gulps her sore throat as she tried to look into her father's eyes, "They need me, Papa", she utters as tears trickled down her cheeks helplessly. A tear leaked shehkar eye as he looks at her while everyone looks on shock, "Ragini! ", Sanskar utters as his hand dropped her wrist. "Laado... Tu", Parvati shook her angrily when shehkar stopped her holding her eyeing Ragini, "MAA... Stop..... Today we lost our both daughters", Shehkar utters with heavy heart piercing her heart. "Shehkar, No" sharmishta utters as she holds ragini hand when shehkar holds both Parvati and sharmishta and turned his back on her. "Today , She proved that she is just a daughter-in-law and not a worthy daughter", shehkar utters as he was about to walk when ragini holds his shoulder, "Papa, please don't this to me... Please papa.... Hum.... Hum ap sab k Bina mar jayege....I need you....", She utters stopping him as tears kept flowing. "Then die because for me you are already dead", shehkar utters with heavy heart without turning and her hand instantly dropped while she looks on hurt, "Shehkar", Parvati and Sharmishta yelled, "Let's leave", Shehkar utters while she stood froze, "Maa! DadiMaa!", She whispers as needles pricked her throat when shehkar dragged them with him without turning. She stood their lifelessly with flowing eyes looking at their disappearing figure, she felt a hold on her shoulders. She didn't turned to see as she stood there and gulps her emotions biting her lips tightly.

"Ragini beta!", She wipes her tears and turned to look at Durga Prasad while sanskar stood holding her. She tried to plaster a small smile but, failed miserably, "G......G......Pa..pa G.....", She tried to say with sore throat blinking her eyes Continuously. Tears leaked from Durga Prasad eyes as he stared at her, "Why?", He utters while Ragini bites her lips as she glanced at everyone looking at her emotionally. "I....I....hum....the....thek.....hai", she utters biting her lips which started bleeding as tears leaked her eyes which she instantly wiped. His heart bleed looking at her as he tightened his hold around her shoulder, "Ragini!", He utters emotionally. Ragini turned and looks at him and tried to stretch her lips but, failed badly. "Hummm....", A sob escaped her mouth which she instantly suppressed. "I....", Another sob escaped flowed by the series of hot tears making her go weak and she instantly dropped herself on floor breaking down crying while sanskar instantly holds her and Dp also rushed and holds her from other side, "You shouldn't have done this beta, you shouldn't", Dp utters as tears flows from his eyes. She cried in a loud voice keeping her head on sanskar's chest who hold her from her waist while Dp was caressing her hairs, "I am sorry. I am sorry", he utters. Everyone cried along with her while sanskar kept himself strong while his heart bleeeds looking at everyone's condition. This is not what he wanted. This is not what he wished. This is not done with anyone. No one deserves this. Adarsh and Rp comes and supports Dp who was himself crying and was feeling guilty towards Ragini And Sanskar. Sujata rushed to Ragini and bent to her level, "Chori.... Ro na.... Jiji ko pata laga toh wo bhi roegi.... Ragini tu toh maari beti haina?", Sujata utters with teary eyed and wipes her tears while ragini looks at her with red puffy eyes, she realized her position and instantly moved back, she wipes her tears and stands , Sujata and Sanskar share a glance and stands too. "Ragini!", Sanskar utters trying to hold her when she moves back, "I am fine", she utters looking down as she sniffed while sujata cups her cheeks and ragini stared at her, "Manne maaf krde chori... Manne kabhi tujhe apna nahi samjha", sujata utters while sanskar holds her hand instantly stopping her and eyed her. "No one does", she mutters as she smiled weakly at them. Sanskar looks other side while sujata looks down, Ragini glanced at Durga Prasad and everyone, "Papa", she utters while Dp instantly turned and looks at her.

"I'll stay here with Maa. You all should go home", she turned her head towards parineeta,"Bhabhi!", She utters. "Make them eat something, no one had eaten anything since morning", She says and parineeta nodded wiping her tears. "I'll stay here", Rp and Sujata says. "No! ", Ragini shook her head sniffing her nose as she looks at everyone, "No one will stay accept me, even doctors won't allow. You all go home and take some rest. Maa is fine and she will come home soon. Adarsh bhaiyaa, Sanskar take everyone home. Chachi ji, dont forget to give chacha ji his medicines", Ragini utters holding sujata hands who nodded. Everyone's glanced at her, she smiled weakly at them, "I am not going", she looks at Sanskar who was looking at her. "I'll go and drop them", he utters. " Mee too", Adarsh says. "Mee too", uttara said. Ragini looked at them helplessly, "Adarsh Bhaiyaa, please. You need to be at home with papa ji and chacha ji and uttara you need to help bhabhi na. So, please", she looks at them, sujata holds adarsh hand and nodded, "Jo tu bolegi wahi hoga chori", sujata utters caressing her hairs while ragini weakly nodded, "But, I'll not leave you alone. That's final", sanskar utters standing besides her while she looks at him. "Yes! You won't stay here alone", Dp utters looking at her. Ragini looks at him and nodded. Dp comes forward and caressed her hair's, "But, first go home and change", he utters. "Till then me and adarsh is here. Once you and Sanskar will come we will go home", he utters while she looks on.

"But, papa.... ", She was cut off by Dp, "Please, Ragini beta", he utters while she nodded with heavy heart. "Lets go then", Rp says. Ragini share a tensed glance with sanskar who understands her turmoil. Sujata holds ragini from her shoulder while parineeta holds uttara as they went. Dp and Adarsh look at their retreating figure.

"Papa", adarsh kept his hand on Dp shoulder who looks on teary eyes, "I won't be able to pay back them, adarsh. I won't", he utters helplessly as adarsh hugs him and rubs his back.

She stared outside window sitting beside sanskar who was glancing at him while driving, he was aware of her inner turmoil but, there was nothing he could do. He was himself shattered and broken but, for family he needs to be strong or atleast pretend to be strong the same ragini is trying. He knows there is more cry subsided in her heart which she stopped and controlled , going back to Maheshwari Mansion where he was present was making him tensed while, on the other side her heart was burning with numerous pain, she was going back to the place she was betrayed. The same place and in between those people which she choose over her blood relations. She wished there was something that can sooth her inner turmoil, pain and anguish. There is nothing she can do instead of pretending to be okay when she is not. It wasn't easy to let go of your own family over other but, for them she did. She even don't have her sister who was her support system in tough times but, instead she got the support from the most unexpected place who once considered her as his Friend. She turned and look at sanskar teary eyed, she can understand his battled and messed up feelings but, she can't give him support when she herself in miserable.

The car stopped infront of Maheshwari Mansion making her heart bounce on her chest, her hand shivered as she hold the door knob, everyone's come out of car. Sanskar was about to step out but, turned and look at her, he leans and holds her hand opening the door knob making her instantly look at him. He instantly get down of the car while ragini fisted her hand as she get down and closed the door behind. Everyone walks inside the Mansion with heavy hearted, ragini wasn't walking. Sanskar stopped and turned to look at her, he bites lips as he walks towards her and she instantly took a step back shaking her head with teary eyed and heavy voice, "I... can't.... Sanskar....", She utters when she interwined his hand with her and look at her, "Just go and change and we'll instantly leave. I am with you Ragini. Everyone else are", he utters while ragini looks into his eyes and found truth. She nodded wiping her tears while sanskar smiled weakly at her as they walks hand in hand. She gulps as she take a step inside, the place was still decorated but, it looks emptied still with no voice or anything. He was tightly holding her hand as they acsends the stairs and the hall comes in view, both of their steps halted unknowingly as they stared at the mandap infront of them. Pain shoot their hearts and their eyes welled up, some voices echoed their ears and they shut their eyes instantly.

Omy God, that means she is not Ms but Mrs. Ragini Sanskar Maheshwari!

They jerked hearing a voice in their head and instantly release their hands and moves back looking away as current runs through their hand. Both glance at each other,"umm...le...let's go", sanskar utters gulping while ragini nodded. Sanskar acends the stairs and ragini followed him and her hand unknowingly touched her mangalsutra. He turns and looks at her and she instantly dropped her hand and looks at her, "I'll go and change till then you also change", he said and she nodded as they come near his room. He was about to enter inside when she stopped,"Sanskar", he turned and looks at her. "I....I....wo....", She couldn't utter as her eyes turned teary as she glanced at the closed door which was her room before. Sanskar who understands late mentally smacked himself, "Yeah! Right!", He licks his lips keeping his hand on his waist while she looks down wiping her tears. "Don't cry..... Please", he utters in a low voice and she nodded gulping. Everyone went to their room accept uttara and parineeta who already went in kitchen. "Wait!", He said as he remembers something. He entered inside his room and come back after two minutes, he forwarded a peach color anarkali which he brought for swara earlier and couldn't gift her, his heart felt heavy at the thought but, he gulps back his tears, "I had this only", he utters in a voice as ragini looks at him with questioning gaze. Her hand shivered as she took it with his hands, she understood his turmoil and herself felt vulnerable, he turned his back on her and was about to go inside when she holds his hand, "we'll bring her back", she utters in a low voice. Sanskar turned his head and looks at her with teary and hope filled eyes, "really?", He asked as a tear leaked his and she nodded biting her lips. He instantly hugged her, "I can't..... I can't ragini......I can't be able to do it alone..... All alone..... I don't want to be alone..... ", He utters with heavy voice as he poured his emotions on her shoulders. Her heartbeat thumped loudly on her chest as she encircled her arms and rubbed his back, after their confession outside the park he was standing all strong infront of everyone while he himself was crying silently in his heart. Her heart bleeds for him as she soothes him, "I won't leave you alone sanskar. I promise. Hum... Hum nai chorenge apko.... Hum sath Milkar sab se Bahar ayenge... We'll together come out of this", she utters in a broken yet Confident voice as she stroked his hairs. He sniffed nodding still embracing her, "I
..I am sorry ragini.... Because of.... Me.... You", he breaks the hug with tear filled eyes when ragini kept her hand on his mouth shushing him and stare at him with glassy eyes, "You did nothing. Nothing Sanskar", she utters and inhaled a sharp breath as she put down her hand, "don't blame yourself, okay?", She utters and he nodded inhaling a deep breath and wiping his tears and ragini smiled weakly at him nodding. He nodded and entered inside him closing the door while she glanced at the close door and wipes her tears walking forward, her step halted seeing him and felt her heartbeat stopped. He standing infront of her with red eyes and a smirk crawling his lips.

She clucthed the end of her lehenga and looked down blinking back the tears that threaten to flow, she tried to walk past him taking baby steps, "I must say Ragini you are too good", her step halted hearing him but, she didn't turned. He turned and looks at her back and clapped, "I mean woow... Simply woow.... Who will have the guts to send my mother on death bed and here romancing with her current husband and her sisters ex-husband?", He utters and she shut her eyes painfully as hot tears rolled down her cheeks and knife pierced her chest flesh making it bleed. "You know you keep proving that how low life and cheap person you are", he utters as he makes her turn rashly holding her shoulder causing her pain, "you just make me more and more hate you Ragini. You tried to kill my mother", he yells at her and she shut her eyes with shivering lips and tear striken face. "You are filthy bit.....", He felt a pull in next second his cheeks burned with the hot sensation left his cheeks. He turned his direct gaze met the deadly one, "Stay in your limits, Laksh Maheshwari", sanskar roared in loud voice pointing his finger at him. Laksh twisted his jaw and chuckled shaking his head, " Here comes her new husband", he utters chuckling darkly but, soon his chuckled subside and he glared at him, "its the last time I haven't lay my finger on you. Next time if you", laksh warns pointing his finger at him when sanskar holds his finger and pushed him back, "Next time if you say something or even lay your finger at Ragini then, I'll forget that you have any relation with me", he warns with red fiercy gaze while laksh glared at him, "For this No one and low life girl who don't even belokg here you are talking with me like this. Because of her Maa", Sanskar holds his collar bringing him deadly closer," Nooo", he yells, "Not because of her but, because of you Maa is in that state. Not you but, you caused your mother pain", Sanskar shouts and Ragini shut her eyes painfully clutching her hands. "And, weren't you the one who told everyone that she is not Ms but Mrs. Ragini Sanskar Maheshwari. Then, how can you say that she is no one nor belong here?", Sanskar shouts as he pushed him, "So, don't you dare to try cross your limits with", his head turned to ragini who was looking at him bewildered, he walks towards her and holds her hand, "My WIFE ", he told looking at her while both stare into each other eyes, Ragini in utter shock while Sanskar with devotion. Laksh looks on shock hearing him and everyone who came hearing the shout had a satisfactory smile on their faces with teary eyes.

Screen Freezed on Sanskar holding Ragini Hand and both staring into each other eye's, one with shock and one with devotion and Laksh shocking face.

To be continued....

Phew........ Done Done done..... 🥺It was the first time I felt myself emotional while writing don't know why 🤷.... Okay, so how's the update? Tell me honestly...... Did sanskar really accepted ragini as his wife or was it because of laksh? And, what is going to happen.next? What will happen once Ap will come home and everyone will started living in MM? What do you think about shehkar? What he did was right? I hope I did justice to the chapter 🤞

Don't forget to read, comments and vote....

I'll be back with unwanted, till then take care, stay blessed. Stay home and stay safe.

Loads of love😘😘

Fizo🎈