I stood up from my sitting position seeing his sudden changed behaviour. He wanted me to have for a night and he has got a free reign to do whatever he wants in this room , then why he left me.

I went where he was sitting. His heavenly masculine cologne was already wrecking my system but I gathered courage to open my mouth and asked" why did you stop Veer??".

"so you are this desperate for me to touch you"- his reply shook me to the core.

I took a step back and replied "I didn't mean it that way".

"I know very well what type of girl you are. Don't do your drama of being  a poor innocent girl in front of me"- he replied.

"You know why I invited you here??"- he screamed in his angry voice. I am still standing here keeping my mout shut.

"Then listen !!I  loved you!! I loved you Akansha. with all of my heart but look what I got your betrayal. I wanted to punish  you for breaking my heart and killing an innocent....'"- he stopped his sentence in the middle and looked into my eyes. The pain and anger was quite visible in his eyes.

"I wanted to make you feel ashamed of yourself for spending  a night with me just like cheap call girls do it for money. But I can't bring myself to touch a dirty thing like . I can't come to your level of low."

His dagger like words were piercing my heart. His angry outburst on my betrayal was something which I was expectating.

I understood his plan. He is not really going to have physical relationship with me, he just called me here to make me feel ashamed of myself for spending a night with a him for Money and business.But the next line he spoke literally broke me.

"Sometimes I think that it was good that you aborted the baby else he/ she would be unfortunate to have a selfish mother like ...."- Before he could complete the sentence , I gave him a tight slap.

"How could you say this Veer ?? How could you"- I am clutching his shirt tightly but before I could hear his reaction , darkness consumed me.

Next Morning

I opened my eyes and realise that it's morning time. I looked for Veer but he was nowhere to be found. Suddenly my sight fell on a piece of paper lying on bedside table. I opened it and found a note in Veer handwriting.

"have paid the room bill

You are free to go now

Veer Shergill"

My tears fell on that note but I composed myself  and collected my duppatta and phone and exited the room

I was driving back to my home but stopped my car in front of the temple and came out of it. It is morning time so there is more crowd present here. I went inside and sat in a corner.Elders, family with kids , newly married couples all kind of people were here, some to express gratitude to God , some to fulfill their desire But I was here for my inner peace.

I was lost in my thoughts when I suddenly heard Abhishek name. I opened my eyes to see is he  really present here but it turned out to be some mother calling their kid named Abhishek. I took a breathe of relief but my peacefulness didn't lasted when I remembered what I had done. I agreed to his marriage proposal thinking of my family happiness but after  sharing the same space with Veer even for  a few hours, I realised that I can't share my heart with anyone else because it is still stuck with Veer. Isn't it would be  considered cheating on my part if my heart and soul still thinks of Veer and my body is present with Abhishek after marriage. This wouldn't be fair with Abhishek. He is a good guy and he deserves a life partner who would give 100 percent in the marriage not like me who will stay in the marriage relationship just for the namesake of it and society.

He hadn't told anyone about my nod for the marriage to him as I requested him so there is still a  chance for me to rectify my mistakes and save me and him from embarrassment in front of our families. Just for my own selfish benefits, I can't destroy his life too. I have to talk  to him as soon as possible.(Dear readers please don't throw egg on your author for making Akansha this complicated about her feelings and decisions 😓😓🙊🙊🙊🙈🙈).

I stayed in the temple for one hour and then returned to my home. Thankfully Everyone was busy in their morning chores and didn't ask me about my lie of stayover which I told them.

I was working on a sketch sitting in the balcony when I heard Maa voice.
"Akansha , what are you doing here beta?? I was finding you in the whole house"- Maa asked me.

"Nothing serious Maa . Just doing some rough sketching"- I replied to her.

"Oh!! I have come here to tell you that Be ready in the evening"-she said

"why Maa?? Are we going somewhere??- I asked her.

"Yes Me and you are going to the godh bharai(baby shower) function of ours neighbour bahu (daughter in law)"- Maa said to me.

"You go Maa . I just don't feel like going"-I replied her making faces.

"Why ?? Are you feeling sick"- maa got panicked at my answer and touched my forehead to check temperature.

"I am fine Maa. It's just like that I don't feel like going".

"oh"

"Ritu is not here and kavya is still recovering else I would take taken her with me. and Your little sis Aranya she has little interest in these functions but no problem I will go alone"- she said to me and turned to go from there when I stopped her.

"Fine Maa. I will come with you"- I said to her and happiness immediately returned on her face.

Me and Ma both reached on the time for the function. It's only women allowed function so no males are present here.Maa was talking to some women  and I was scrolling through my phone when we heard a loud voice. We turned our faces to see who it was.

"It's bad omen if a women who has miscarried touches or gives blessing to an expecting one on the auspicious day of godh bharai"-  one of the Aunties said to a women whose face expression clearly tell that she is hurt.

"bhabhi ji these are superstitious things. It's nothing like that"- another  one said to that aunty.

"It's not superstitious bhabhi ji. Its our belief and what  is the harm in it. we are doing  it for  wellness of our coming grandchild"- Aunty replied.

"But"- the other lady  shut her mouth knowing that it is futile to make Aunty understand this thing and it was their function and family matters so she didn't wanted to create ruckus.

Maa went to that pregnant lady and did the ritual of applying tika on her forehead and gave her blessings and came to me.

"Akansha I have done the ritual, Now you go and give her the gift we brought for her in her lap"- she said to me and  I started moving forward also but then I took my steps back. It striked to me that I also came in the same category as that lady. No I can't steal someone's happiness. Auspicious or not , I can't do it.

(Akansha look)

"What happened"- Maa asked me.

"You  go and give her the gift . I can't do this"- I said in my barely audible voice  with tears coming in my eyes.

"But why"- maa lifted my chin and asked me. She understood from my face expression that I was in very much pain and accepted my request.

why the whole universe keeps reminding me of my loss
Can't they feel my pain?? Am I that bad to  deserve all of this?? I started moving from there  when  a lady who was walking ahead of me felt like losing balance. I immediately rushed to her side and supported her.

"Aunty are you fine"- I asked her.

"Yes beta"- she replied. I hold her hands and made her sit on a chair.

"Aunty you wait here. I will bring some juice for you"- I told her and went to bring the juice.

"Thank you so much beta!!. I think my BP had become low, that's why I felt like fainting"- she told me and I nodded my head.

"Aunty , you have someone else with you or not or are you alone here"'I asked her.

"I came here alone but don't worry I have called my driver to pick me up. He will be here at any minute"- she said with  small smile on her face.

Then I heard maa voice calling me and I took my leave from her table.

"I have to go now. take care of yourself!!".

I turned to see one last glance of her face . She is in her early fifties and has an wonderful glow on her face. I don't know why But I feel like I have seen her somewhere but can't pinpoint where. Her face image is imbibed in the corner of my memory but I can't recall which place.......

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Thanks for reading.