Hey Guys!!!!

The fourth chapter of the story.

Happy Reading!!

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-- Flashback --

One month after the marriage. 

"Mom, I can not. I just can not do this." Hardik practically screams.

"Hardik!"

"No mom, until now I have never refused you. Today, you need to listen to me, please try to understand, that is not some thing I can do. This is what I want, what I can do."

"But Hardik-"

"No If's and but's, Mom." Hardik raises his hand, silencing his mom.

"What will I say?" Mrs. Rajbanshi questions her son. Dis- tress was clear on her face and tone.

"I do not know that, all I know is that I am not doing that any more. I want this, and only this. My decision is final." he says, finality in his tone and expression.

A knock on the door stops the intense staring, and the mother- son duo turn to the door to find Anika standing there, a tray of tea in her hands.

"Come in, beta." Mrs. Rajbanshi says as Atharva looks away.

"Ma, I had a question." Anika says as she hands the cup of tea to her mother- in- law.

"Ask it beta."

"You know that he does not consider me as a wife, right?" Anika questions and Hardik's head snaps towards her.

Taking a shaky breath, Mrs. Rajbanshi nods.

"Then why? What is the problem with us living in different rooms. It would be easier for both of us." Anika tries to convince her mother- in- law.

"But beta-"

"What difference does it make?" Anika questions again. "No point of staying in same room if we are just being unknown room mates."

"I ... I do not know." Mrs. Rajbanshi sighs.

"I do not mind this arrangement, Ma. Let him live alone." Anika says.

"Beta- "

"Mom, what is the problem? Even she agrees with it."

"Fine." Mrs. Rajbanshi says, dejected.

"Thank you, Ma. I am glad you understood the point of all these things." Anika smiles at her mother- in- law confidently.

Mrs. Rajbanshi tries to return the smile, 'She is so strong. Never bending. Never stopping. The best daughter- in- law, I could ever get. Thank God, she married Hardik. His life has bloomed like a flower. So nice and beautiful relationship they have. Understand one another with out even talking to one another. Good Lord! let, their relationship blossom.'

Three months after marriage.

"Anika!"

"Yes?"

"Can we move?"

"of course!" Anika smiled at him, which he did not return.

"Remember, we are visiting my aunt. She does not know that we are not a couple. So, remember to be beside me or my brothers." Hardik instructs Anika.

"You do not have to worry, I know." Anika re- assures her so called husband. Still smiling, she did not mind that he did not smile to her. He will one day.

"Just be careful." Hardik says.

Anika smiles nodding, 'He has been very bad since past few days'.
She mentally face palms, 'He has not met you much in the last few weeks'

"I do not at any chance want any thing bad happening. Do not any chance show your awkwardness there. Do not be more than a normal couple. And do not go fanning over boys." Saying it Hardik walks out of the room. A sneer on his face.

Leaving a teary- eyed Anika behind, in the room.

Six months after marriage. 

(A/N Trigger warning for Physical Abuse.)

"Happy Birthday, Bhabhi!" Kabir and Karan greet their Bhabhi once again.

"Thank you!" Anika smiles at her brother- in- laws. "once again."
"Till when are you doing this?"

"Birth day is a big thing, Bhabhi. One should be treated special." Karan says.

"Whatever you say, K, but I am not doing this in your birthday." Anika declares.

"Come on, Bhabhi." Karan pouts.

And Ananya pulls his cheek. "Aww, K, so cute."

"I am not cute." Karan moves away folding his hands on his chest. "I am strong and hard."

"No. No, K. You are Karan not Hardik." Anika teases and the three of them laugh.

"What is all this?!" A annoyed voice sounds from the living room.

The three rush to the living room, from the kitchen.

"What happened?"

"What is all this?" Hardik screams pointing at the room around.

The room had been decorated by Karan and Kabir for their Bhabhi, so that the four of them could celebrate in the evening.

Anika looked at her brother- in- laws and understood that this was their doing.

"I did it." Anika spoke up. "It is my birthday today, so I thought we all could celebrate it."

The two brothers looked at their sister- in- law in surprise. Why did she lie?

"Have not I told you before that I hate these kind of things?" Hardik asks stepping towards Anika. "Have I or have I not?"

"You have." Anika nodded.

"Then why did not you follow it?"

Anika kept her silence. Not speaking any thing.

*SLAP*

Hardik slapped Anika on her cheek. "Next time, I hope this reminds you not to do it."

Both the brothers could not believe their eyes, did they really see what just happened? Was that a play of light or did their brother actually hit their non- faulty Bhabhi?
Before the brother could say some thing, their brother had walked away, hitting the cake of the table in the way.

Nobody moved for two minutes. Before Anika stepped ahead and started toc pick the cake off the floor, making sure not to look at the brothers, and they also do not look at her.

"Bhabhi" Kabir whispers. He wasn't able to believe what he just saw. His heart could not be in it, but his mind knew the truth. Knew that what ever happened was in realty and not something made up or lights play.

"Not now Kabiri." Anika replies trying to not let her voice shake. She succeeded quite a bit.

"Bhabhi!" Karan screams. Never ever in these six months that Anika had been here had Karan raised his voice or been this serious.
Un- wantedly, Anika turns towards her brother- in- law.

"What is it K?" she questions, sadness and weariness.

"Bhabhi" The brothers whisper, their eyes trained on the red hand print on her cheeks.

Anika closes her eyes taking a deep breath, but she has to turn away from the brothers because she could not let them see her tears. Could not let them know that the slap affected her this much, as this would break them.

The two brothers understood what their Bhabhi was doing. She was hiding their brothers actions and the way it affected her. The pain, she was hiding it to save their relationship.
The brothers silently walked to her and pulled her away, from where she was cleaning the cake. And without any other word pulled her in a hug.

That night Anika cried in the arms of her brother -in- laws, the ones that were there beside her, who had become much like brothers than brother- in- laws. She wept as she remembered the pain of words she felt, the pain in the slap, the pain of being considered unnecessary. 

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How was it?

(1240 words.)

--Sxxxxx