Typed on 02/02/2025
Chapter 33: Police Station

What does she advise her clients when their soon-to-be ex-husband threatens them or physically assaults them? Police. Go to the police. And so she does.

Khushi walked into the police station, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hands were clammy, and her stomach was twisted in knots. Every step she took felt like a battle against the fear that was clawing at her insides. But she couldn't live like this anymore. She couldn't continue being terrified every time she stepped outside, every time she saw a shadow that looked too familiar. She needed to make it stop. She needed to take control.

As she approached the front desk, she caught sight of a familiar face. It was the same officer who had been assigned to investigate Yug's accident—the one who had looked at her with suspicion when she'd indirectly threatened him a few days ago. His demeanour was different now, though. He was standing behind the desk, flipping through papers, and when he saw her, his expression shifted to one of mild curiosity.

"Mrs. Verma?" he asked, his tone cautious, "as I said, we are still look—"

"I'm not here for that."

"What brings you here today?" There was a hint of cockiness in his voice.

Khushi swallowed hard. She didn't want to have any interaction with him, but she knew she had to do this. She needed help, and this was her only option. "I'm here to file a complaint," she said, her voice shaking despite her efforts to sound calm.

The officer raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A complaint? Against who?"

Khushi's heart raced, but she pushed herself to speak, forcing the words out. "Samar Rathod."

The officer's expression faltered for a moment, confusion flashing across his face. "Samar Rathod?" he repeated slowly. "Do you mean–is this someone you know?"

Khushi bit her lip, trying to control her nerves. She didn't want to go into details, not yet. But she knew she had to explain enough for him to take her seriously. "Yes. He's—harassing me. Threatening me. He knows where I live."

The officer's interest was piqued. He straightened up, now fully focused on her. "And how does this Samar Rathod know you?" He needed basic information to understand whether this was worth a complaint or not. Especially considering she's a lawyer–threats are thrown rapidly in this particular profession, he couldn't file them all.

Khushi froze. She hadn't expected him to ask that question. She did but not this quickly. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her, and she knew he was expecting an answer. Her mind raced for a way to dodge the question. She couldn't tell him everything—not yet. She couldn't tell him that Samar was her ex-husband, not in front of this officer. The less he knew, the better.

"I–I just want to file the complaint," she said quickly, her voice rising slightly. "I don't want to go into details right now. I just need this to stop. He's been following me, showing up wherever I am, and I'm scared. I just want it to end." Her last sentence was a wave of fear and sadness, she looked so close to crying.

The officer leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied her face. She could see the gears turning in his head, and for a moment, she wondered if he saw through her act. His tone became more probing, more assertive. "You're being vague, Mrs. Khushi. I need more information to process this complaint properly. Why is he targeting you? What's his connection to you?"

Khushi's throat tightened, and she felt the walls closing in on her. She had to stay calm. She had to remain in control. She didn't want to give him any more ammunition than he already had.

"I already told you," she said, her voice a little more defensive now. "He's been harassing me. I don't feel safe around him. And I just want him to leave me alone. That's all."

The officer studied her for a few more seconds, then leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the power he seemed to hold in the situation. He was getting under her skin, she could tell, and it made her stomach churn. He probably knew she was hiding something, but she didn't want to let him in. Not yet. 

"I'll need more details if I'm going to take action," he said, his voice more patronizing now. "I need to know who this man is, why he's bothering you, and why he's threatening you. Is there a history between the two of you? Because, from where I'm standing, it sounds like there's more to this story than you're letting on." 

Khushi felt her skin prickle with anxiety. Her mind raced, trying to find a way to answer without revealing too much. Her gaze flicked down to her hands, which were trembling in her lap. She clenched them into fists to stop them from shaking. 

"I told you everything you need to know," she said, trying to sound firm. But the officer's smirk told her that he wasn't buying it. 

"Okay," he said, leaning forward again, his voice lowering as he spoke. "Let's just focus on the facts. You say he knows where you live. Does he have any way of contacting you? Any threats, anything that can be used against him?" 

Khushi hesitated, her mind reeling. She needed to answer him, but the fear was making it hard to think clearly. She nodded, the memory of Samar's words still fresh in her mind. 

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's threatened me before. Told me he knows where I live and that he'll make my life miserable if I don't go back to him." 

Aahha!

The officer's eyes gleamed, and for a moment, he looked pleased with the progress he was making. But his next words were more deliberate, almost mocking. 

"Sounds like quite the mess you're in," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But I still don't get it. What exactly does this guy want from you? You mentioned he wants you to go back to him?"

Shit. Shit. Shit. 

Khushi could feel her patience fraying. She wanted to scream at him, to demand he take her seriously. But she bit her lip and held her ground, desperate to get through this without losing control. 

"I don't know what he wants," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady, ignoring his question. "I just want him to stop." 

The officer's smirk deepened. He leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying his perceived advantage over her. "Well, I'll see what I can do, Mrs. Khushi. But if you don't give me more to work with, there's not much I can do. Maybe you should think about being more—open." 

Khushi's blood ran cold at his insinuation. She knew exactly what he meant, and she hated it. She hated how he was enjoying this, how he was taking pleasure in her discomfort. But she had no choice. She had to get through this. She had to make this complaint so she could take back control of her life. 

"Just–please," she said, her voice almost pleading. "Just do something." 

The officer's expression softened, but only slightly. He gave a small nod, though his eyes never left hers. "I'll file the complaint, but you need to understand something, Mrs. Khushi. You're going to have to give me more information if you want this to go anywhere. I can't help you if you don't let me." 

Khushi nodded, her stomach still in knots. She knew he was right. But she wasn't ready to tell him everything—not yet. 

"I'll let you know if I remember anything else," she said quietly, standing up and heading for the door, her mind still racing with fear and uncertainty. 

"Good. You have my number." He sounds more civil and professional now.

As she left the station, she couldn't shake the feeling that this may not end well.

~

Khushi stepped through the door, her breath shallow, her heart pounding in her chest. It had been a long day, one filled with nothing but fear and the suffocating weight of Samar's presence lingering at the back of her mind. But as she stood there, exhausted and vulnerable, she didn't expect what came next.

The door creaked open, and Yug was there, standing in the hallway. His face lit up with a smile when he saw her, his warm eyes filled with that gentle understanding she had come to rely on.

"How was the visit?" he asked, his voice full of quiet affection.

But instead of the usual response, Khushi froze. For a moment, her body went numb. His smile, so innocent, felt like a distant memory—one that wasn't meant for her anymore. Before she could say a word, the dam inside her broke.

Tears welled up in her eyes, her heart racing as the emotion flooded her. She fell into his arms, her body shaking as she let out a sob she'd been holding in for so long. Yug's eyes widened in immediate concern.

"Hey, hey, what happened?" His hands immediately went to her shoulders, pulling her closer as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

She didn't answer, just let herself cry, letting the years of fear, anger, and pain pour out of her in his arms. Yug didn't ask again. He just closed the door softly behind them and held her, giving her the space she needed to grieve, to feel. It was as if time slowed down, and the world outside of their home ceased to exist.

Minutes passed—she didn't know how many. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silent sobs, Khushi pulled back, wiping her eyes, but she didn't look at him. She couldn't. She didn't know where to begin. How could she tell him what had happened? How could she explain how scared she was? But she has to. She has to come clean for once.

Yug stayed silent, his face soft but full of concern. His thumb wiped away a stray tear from her cheek, his voice gentle when he spoke again.

"Khushi. What happened? Tell me."

It took everything in her to get the words out, but she finally did."I–I didn't want to tell you," she whispered, still trembling. Guilty. "I thought I could handle it, I thought it was just a moment but then today, it—it became real."

Yug's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Khushi's hands clenched into fists as she recounted the day in detail, the memories flooding back in waves. "Today, at the firm—" Her voice cracked. "He came again. Samar. He–he's been showing up. I thought maybe it was just a coincidence, that it wouldn't be that bad, but–" She closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of Samar's face.

"He threatened me, Yug. Told me to come back to him. Like nothing had happened. Like I was still–his."

Yug's expression didn't change, but there was a tightness in his jaw. He didn't interrupt her. He waited for her to continue.

"I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to drag you into this mess. I didn't want you to worry. But then today—he followed me after I left work. He was there, watching me, standing outside the firm. And when I saw him, I froze. I couldn't move, couldn't think. He knew where I lived. He knows where we live. He–he knew everything. He said things, Yug." She paused, her breath ragged as she wiped her face with her sleeve.

Yug stayed silent, his gaze intense as he processed the information. "What did he say?"

Khushi's voice trembled again, but she forced herself to keep going. "He said—he said he wanted me back. Even after everything. Even knowing I'm married." Her chest heaved with each breath. "He kept saying he knew where I lived. He threatened me, Yug. He's dangerous."

Yug's face hardened, his eyes narrowing. "And what did you do? What did you do after that?"

"I—I didn't know what to do. I—I went to the police station," Khushi said, finally making eye contact with him. "I filed a complaint."

Yug's expression didn't change, but there was a slight shift in his posture. "And?"

"And–I didn't give them everything. I didn't tell them everything about Samar. I–I couldn't. I didn't want to make it worse. I didn't want him to know I was going to the police." Khushi's voice was small now as if the weight of the entire situation was crashing down on her.

Yug remained quiet, his jaw tight. He stood up, pacing a few steps before turning back to face her. "So–you went to the police but didn't tell them the truth about who he is? About how he's your–your ex-husband?"

Even referring to him as her ex-husband made him lose his mind.

Khushi flinched at the word, and Yug's eyes softened, but the anger behind them was unmistakable. "You should've told them everything. They need to know everything, Khushi. You can't keep hiding this."

"I didn't want to risk anything, Yug," she said, almost pleading. "I didn't want to make it worse."

Yug's face softened, but there was a slight frown on his lips as he looked at her. His eyes were filled with frustration and confusion as if he couldn't fully understand why she had kept this from him.

"Khushi, for fuck's sake," he muttered under his breath. He rubbed his hands over his face, letting out a frustrated sigh. "This is serious. You should've told me everything. Now I can't even trust the police to handle it properly."

"I didn't want to bring you into this," Khushi whispered. "I thought–I thought I could handle it. But I can't."

Yug stopped pacing, his body stiff as he looked at her with a mix of concern and anger. "You don't have to handle it alone. You never did. You're married to me, Khushi. You don't have to deal with this by yourself."

She felt a wave of emotion flood over her again, and this time, it wasn't just fear—it was relief. Finally, after so long, she didn't have to carry this burden on her own.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I should've told you."

Yug stepped forward and pulled her into his arms again, this time more gently, his hand smoothing over her hair as he whispered, "We're going to fix this, okay? Together."

Khushi nodded into his chest, knowing that, for the first time in a long time, she didn't have to carry the weight of her past alone anymore.

The Unwanted Bride
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