Sometimes when darkness surrounds one and begins to test their perseverance there tends to be certain actors that come into your life and try to make that journey of suffering and pain a little bit easier. They bring a particular light that somehow touches you and gives you hope that everything will be alright and the darkness will soon vanish. Somehow that hope was given by the small, elderly woman that stood in front of me. She held a small wooden cane as she stood in front of us. The cane somehow resembled a symbol of authority and power that she might have held in the Jindal household. However, symbol of authority does not necessarily mean that power directly comes from that individual, they may be a symbol, but the true power may be held by someone else. The symbol of power may get it's say once in a while, but it doesn't necessarily mean it always holds power. There is always an actor behind the curtains who truly holds physical and emotional power and that man is Akshat Jindal.
"What is happening here Akshat? Who is this girl?" The woman asked as she made her way towards us.
I quickly got up from the bed as Akshat got up as well and walked in front of me as a means of trying to hide me and put himself in the position of power and authority to answer her questions.
"Dadi...I can explain. Just calm down," Akshat replied as he placed his hand on her arm trying to calm her down.
"Calm down! What do you mean calm down? There is a strange girl who is in a room with you all alone. A room that apparently is being protected by guards who weren't even allowing me to enter, but I had to demand my way inside! What am I supposed to think about this?! Huh!" Dadi exclaimed as she shook her head as she looked at me giving me a look of disgust. Indicating she clearly saw me as filth and not a girl of character. Not her fault at all...anyone would think wrong if they see a man and woman all alone in a room sitting together on a bed. I don't really blame her really.
"Dadi...please just listen to me once," Akshat calmly responded. Calm...wow I never thought I would associate that word with Akshat Jindal, but to be honest this was the first time I saw him so calm and polite to a person.
I looked back at dadi as she began taking deep breaths as her eyes darted back and forth with anxiety. Clearly, dadi was panicking as she shook her head and pushed Akshat back.
"I cannot stand here for a minute. Both of you come inside the house now!" Dadi ordered as she turned around and began walking out the door.
"But dadi at least listen to me once!" Akshat exclaimed.
Dadi held her hand up at him as she looked back at him.
"If you have some respect for your dead parents then you will listen to me ok?" Dadi replied.
Akshat threw his head up in the air as he grabbed my hand and began dragging me out the door as we followed dadi. Dadi shook her head as she saw my hand clasped in his as she gave both of us a disgusted look and looked away.
I walked in silence as I felt guards following us as we made our way to the front of the mansion. Clearly, the guards were following us because of me. After my so-called escape, that failed, the guards are keeping a keen eye on me. They don't want to face the wrath of Akshat Jindal again.
I walked up a long pair of stairs as Akshat moved his hand to my wrist and held it tightly without letting it go. A large pair of doors opened as I stepped inside following Akshat as he dragged me down a long narrow hallway that casted shadows on antique paintings and a crystal chandlier that stood in the middle.
We made a turn towards a large living area as dadi walked ahead. My eyes wandered around the long pair of dark wooden stairs that twisted and turned to the second story clashing with the pastel colors of the walls of the mansion. A large pair of living rooms sofas circled itself in the middle as long French windows casted shadows on them. Money and power glistening and making itself known in each object that casted a shadow in the room.
Dadi grabbed a seat on a large single sofa as she looked up at both of us as we stood in front of her. Akshat let go of my wrist as I looked down at my wrist fingerprinted from him. My hand stood limp as my eyes stood lowered attempting not to make any eye contact with Dadi.
"Who is this girl Akshat? Huh? Tell me the truth right this instant! Does this mean that Antara was indeed right that you were having an affair," Dadi announced as she raised her eyebrow curiously as she looked up at Akshat. Antara? Who is she? I thought as I looked up at Akshat and then away from him.
"Oh please dadi. Not again. How many times do I tell you to not mention my ex-wife?!" Akshat yelled. His voice echoing through the house as I took a step back trembling from the sound of his voice.
Ex? Wow, I'm surprised he was married. Never in my right mind would I think he would be husband material. Well, there should be an emphasis of was married. Clearly, the marriage didn't work out...gee I wonder whose fault that might have been?
"Then who is she?!" Dadi yelled as she looked up at me.
"Look at her Akshat. Look at her state. The fact I saw both of you together alone in a dark room. What am I supposed to say?!" Dadi yelled as she gave me a disgusted look.
My eyes wandered to my reflection in a mirror behind her as I realized indeed I was a mess. A complete mess marked by dishonor as I stared at my clipped hair that was disheaveled with strands of hair falling out and collapsing my face. A face full of makeup that was vanishing as lipstick barely ran over my lips and eyeliner stood dried on my cheeks from tears of the past. The ripped sleeve that was barely covered by my duptaa...dadi was correct in giving me a look of disgust. Indeed a disgusting state I was.
"I took her," Akshat announced as he clenched his fists and looked back at me and then towards dadi. His arms flexed and bulging through his black skin-tight shirt as he resembled the devil himself.
"What do you mean?" Dadi asked wth worry approaching her voice as she got up slowly from the sofa.
"She is Aditya Gupta's sister," Akshat replied cooly and calmly as if the matter was nothing...as if taking someone's sister hostage was perfectly normal...not. Of course nothing was normal in this situation. Not one bit.
"What is she doing here Akshat? Please, tell me the entire story. What is his sister doing here?" Dadi questioned as she grabbed Akshat's arm anticipating an answer as anxiety began building up in her voice. She looked him eye to eye as of a way of forcing him to answer and spill the complete truth.
There was silence...complete silence as I heard the winds swifting outside as the dark clouds casted a shadow on the three of us. Akshat stood still looking straight ahead without any guilt or shame regarding his actions. That guilt and shame didn't even appear in him once when he confessed what he had done in front of dadi.
"You tell me...the entire story," Dadi said as she looked at me. My eyes widening as I looked up at her. Me? I looked up at Akshat as he stood stone faced not moving an inch.
"Speak beta," Dadi ordered as I looked up at her. She appeared as a nice woman...a woman of character, integrity and honor. If indeed it was only her and me alone I would have told her everything in an instant, but...I just couldn't muster the courage in front of Akshat. He was a strong force that stood between me and dadi...a force that was preventing me from spilling the glass of truth.
"It's ok. Do not worry. I am here to listen to you," Dadi calmly said as I tried to muster courage that had somewhat had broken inside of me. My eyes wandered up to Akshat as he stood in front me...He looked straight ahead. I gulped nervously as I wrapped the end of my dupatta around my finger as clenched it into my hand tightly...Speak Guddan...This is your moment to speak. This might be the only way you can get freed from Akshat Jindal...perhaps dadi could help...That thought made me speak.
"I-I...was taken by him...Akshat. I won't...say a word...to anyone, but please just let me go...I am supposed to be getting married tomorrow. Please for my izzat and my family's izzat...please let me go," I whispered as my voice broke as tears began to slowly stream down my cheeks as I placed my dupatta against them trying to stop the tears.
Dadi stood still as she looked up at me and then at Akshat in utter shock. Certainly, the glass floor she had always treaded on proudly for being the head of the Jindal family had broken.
"All I want to say is that people sometimes have to pay for other's deeds. Aditya took our family's honor and I did the same. I took his family's honor. I took his sister and I don't regret it," Akshat announced with an eerie calmness in his voice as he grabbed my wrist and tightened his grip on it.
I stood still as I felt my vision blur with tears that I was forcing to hold back as his sentence somehow struck an unknown painful cord inside of my soul...a reminder of my current state. A state of weakness that I wish no one ever faces. A state in which I am trapped and no matter what cannot fight for myself even if I want to.
Dadi stood still. Her eyes wide as her hands stood still on Akshat's elbows as she tried to collect what she had just heard from his mouth. His words echoing and ringing repeatedly in her ears as she looked up at him and then slowly towards me. Her eyes moving down towards my hand that stood colored with mehendi that was beginning to fade indicating a gray, colorless future that was about to come soon.
"What? What are you saying Akshat? Your parents' upbringing and my upbringing couldn't have been so weak. We didn't teach you this," Dadi spoke as her thunderous voice had suddenly knotted up and tied up as it barely brought sound.
"With life and experience comes lessons and teachings," Akshat replied sternly.
"Don't you have any guilt Akshat about what you have done? Huh? Any guilt regarding how you may have possibly ruined this girl's life? Her wedding is tomorrow and you just took her without a care in the world!" Dadi questioned as she shook Akshat lightly as Akshat looked on ahead.
"This is wrong Akshat! This is wrong! Unbelievable...never would I have thought that you would do this. Never. Akshat you have to return her to her family immediately! I order you now!" Dadi exclaimed.
Hope slightly gleaming through my tears I looked up at dadi realizing that perhaps now I would be freed. Freed from this dishonor that I have faced, but I was wrong.
"I cannot agree to your request dadi. Guddan will stay here until I get my sister back. No matter what I will not agree to your request," Akshat replied.
"I am your dadi. You have to obey me!" Dadi exclaimed.
"No matter what I will not let this girl go until I get my sister back. Let me tell you one thing dadi, I don't care what you think or what you want to do. When it comes to Akshat Jindal's honor and reputation nothing else matters," Akshat replied.
"What is this I am hearing?" My eyes shot up as I saw a woman at the corner of the stairs as she turned her head towards us and began walking down the set of stairs.
She was royal and regal as she wore an emerald colored Banarasi sari clashing with her dark brown hair that fell over her shoulders. Jewelry covering her head to toe as she made her way towards us.
"What is this Akshat bhai? Did you really take this girl from her home?" The woman asked she stood in front of us.
"Durga don't interfere in this matter," Akshat replied as he looked back at his sister.
What is happening here? How is this one sole person able to hold so much power? How is it that he has the free will to not even listen to his own family members?
"How can we not? You just took a girl from her home and are keeping her hostage!" Dadi exclaimed as she suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Akshat.
"Beta, do not be scared ok? I am here for you. Ok?" Dadi said as she placed her hand on my head trying to calm me down as I felt myself tremble in the presence of Akshat.
"No matter what you say dadi! This girl will not leave this estate and I will make sure of it!" Akshat began yelling as he suddenly grabbed a glass candle holder and threw it on the floor.
As I took a step back as the glass spread across the wooden floor.
"Stop it Akshat! I don't care what you say, but you cannot do this to a young girl! Do you hear me?" Dadi ordered as she grabbed Akshat.
"Bhai this is wrong at many different levels. You cannot do this," Durga argued as Akshat held his hand up.
"No matter what anyone says. I will do what I want. This is a matter of Akshat Jindal's reputation. When it comes to Akshat Jindal's reputation nothing else matters. Do you all hear me?!" Akshat yelled as he grabbed my arm and pulled me away from dadi as he began dragging me away towards the front door.
"Akshat! Akshat! Stop this minute! I am ordering you!" Dadi yelled as Akshat shook his head and without looking back he made his way with me.
***Gupta House***
"What are you saying Bushan?! How is this even possible?! Do you know how much insult we have to bear because of you and your family?!" Mr. Sharma exclaimed as he looked at Bushan in complete utter disappointment and anger.
"I am sorry, but please try to understand...give us some time. I promise you that Guddan and Aditya will return by tomorrow right in time for the wedding," Bushan replied to Mr. Sharma.
"Please Bushan stop this...I never thought my own best friend will insult me in such manner. I cannot just prepare for the wedding by relying on your false promises Bushan," Mr. Sharma responded.
"I do not believe your story one bit. That Aditya always seemed a loafer to me. But, Guddan. Wow, you cannot even control your own daughter. Thank goodness, we got saved from bringing such a girl as our daughter-in-law," Mrs. Sharma exclaimed loudly.
For an hour an argument had erupted between the Sharma's and the Gupta's right outside on the porch of the Gupta house. Neighbors gathering as the Sharma's dramatically announced the woes that had befallen the Gupta family. The Gupta family had invited the Sharma family so they could quietly discuss the issue behind closed doors, but once the Sharma family were told what had happened, the Sharma family immediately walked out of the Gupta house and created a commotion in front of the entire society.
"Please, Mrs. Sharma don't say this. My Guddan is a pure soul. Please do not judge her character," Kaushalya pleaded as she folded her hands in front of Mrs. Sharma.
"Oh shut up! The fact that your son ran away with someone's daughter and a stranger just randomly took your daughter with him is an unbelievable story and truly dramatic. Now when I think about it, how can just any stranger just take and run away with someone's daughter. Guddan must be at fault too. She must have known that man before," Mrs. Sharma argued.
"Please do not say such words about Guddan. You have a daughter too. You should understand how much a girl's honor and reputation in society is important. Please trust us and trust our Guddan too. I promise you my Guddan is a pure soul," Kaushalya argued.
"Even if we believe your story and believe that Guddan is pure. We still cannot go forward with this marriage because we agreed to marry both our daughter and our son into your families. If your son Aditya cannot marry our daughter, then how can we marry off our son Vivek with your daughter. Most importantly, your daughter Guddan has spent an entire night alone with a strange man..."
"Shut up Mrs. Sharma! How dare you say such filth about my daughter?!" Kaushalya exclaimed as Revati held her back as Kaushalya went up to Mrs. Sharma almost strangling her.
"How dare you speak to my mother in that tone! She is correct! In fact, no matter what... this wedding cannot happen at all considering the girl I am supposed to marry has went off with some stranger! How are we supposed to believe your statements regarding her character! We cannot and thus we break this alliance! This wedding is off!" Vivek exclaimed.
"Nahi, beta please do not say this! Please! I beg of you!" Bushan pleaded as he folded his hands in front of the Sharma family.
"Bushan you are my long time best friend, but I am sorry. We cannot go on with this wedding," Mr. Sharma announced as he walked off with his family.
Bushan and Kaushalya stood heartbroken as neighbors surrounded them questioning them, their daughter's character and then gossiping and spreading various rumors amongst themselves. Truly, the honor of the Gupta family was being broken slowly by society and was in no means to be built up again.
"What is this I am hearing Bushan? Is this true?" An elderly female questioned as she made her way through the crowd.
Bushan looked up realizing it was his mother who had returned from visiting her ailing daughter right in time for her granddaughter and grandson's wedding. A woman to not reckon with and who had lead the Gupta household for decades. She was going to be a key player in determining Guddan's fate.
*****Guddan****
I sat in silence as I set my eyes still on the ground trying to not move them one bit. I was locked in the small room again where I had been kept before. The only difference-Akshat Jindal hadn't left me from his sight ever since we had returned from his bungalow. He sat on the small sofa chair across from me not moving an inch with his eyes set on me.
Awkwardness was set in the room as it surrounded and embraced both of us. I sat quietly as tears dried and failed to appear again...they understood that they held no meaning in the eyes of Akshat Jindal. They understood that no one could fight against Akshal Jindal. Akshat clearly held power in his family as even his own sister and grandmother couldn't convince him to let me go.
"Are you going to finish your food or not?" Akshat asked as he stared at the tray that sat on my bed.
I had attempted to eat my food, but somehow the hunger that was roaring and twisting and turning in my stomach had vanished after what went down at the bungalow. The realization that perhaps getting freed from this place may not be possible had erased that hunger.
"I'm full," I replied as Akshat sighed and signaled the guard to take away the tray.
"I'm not the pleading type. If you expected I would plead and give you false hopes of giving you freedom on pretext of you finishing your food then you were wrong. Akshat Jindal doesn't plead. It's up to you to take care of yourself," Akshat said.
No reply was given. A person who realized they had no way to escape or freed would never reply to the person who has the power to free them. I sighed as I looked at the small window as sunlight broke through the small barriers and made its way inside.
"Why don't you tell me the honest truth? Tell me where your brother Aditya is and gain your freedom?" Akshat asked as he looked at me.
I took a deep breath and looked back at him. My eyes finally making contact with his as they attempted to plead my truth, but somehow the message couldn't make it across the barriers he had placed on his eyes.
"I know my truth. My truth is that I do not know where my brother is," I replied as his eyes darkened as he clenched his fists.
Suddenly he jumped from the chair and grabbed on to my shoulders tightly as I tried to push him away. A darkness making its way into his soul-interrupting the eerie calmness and bringing a storm. His head lowered as his eyes looked down upon me as I tried to remove his hands from my shoulders. He tightened his grip as anger began to emerge on it. I threw my head up in the air trying to take a deep breath as I felt each breath breaking apart.
"Why don't you just break me at once? It will give you relief...Satisfy that darkness inside of you," I replied my voice breaking as I realized what I had just spoken. Somehow a thought that lingered in my mind had made its way to Akshat. Somewhere an ounce of courage still existed inside of me.
My eyes moved towards Akshat as he stood still. The darkness somehow standing cold as my words had somewhat entrapped it. His hands stood still on my shoulders as his eyes moved up towards the gray wall behind me. A small smirk appearing on his lips as his eyes glistened as he began to trace his hand slowly from my shoulder towards the nape of my neck...His touch lingering each and every spot on my skin as a chill went up and down my spine...my skin slowly heating up as his fingers lingered on my neck as he lowered his head towards me and pulled me closer...towards him as his breath lightly took hold of my senses as I felt his perfume fill my senses. His face close...almost an inch away from mines as his eyes stood still on mines.
"Breaking you piece by piece satisfies me. Breaking you like this and then presenting you to your brother will give me the ultimate satisfaction... The darkness inside of me has never left me and never will...it is what defines me and my soul," Akshat's voice cold as the smirk lingered on his lips.
The coldness of his voice touched me as I sat still. His hand slowly slipped away from my neck, but I felt as if it didn't want to leave...not leave the touch it felt from my skin. He stood still in front of me as he smirked and made a turn. His footsteps slowly made their way out of the door as I looked back up at the closed door. My body slowly collapsing on to the bed as I pulled my knees up and embraced the darkness.
*****Jindal Household*****
Akshat Jindal sat in silence as he sat in deep thought trying to solve the puzzle of where his sister possibly may have gone to. He had some information on the possible whereabouts of his sister and Aditya Gupta, but he had decided to hold that information secret until his men would get to the location.
He took a deep breath as he sat down on the sofa and tried to calm himself down, but somehow that calmness could not be approached as he heard a loud cry as he sighed and shook his head as he looked up at saw a little bundle crying in his sister's arms as she carried it towards him.
Akshat shook his head and looked the other direction as the cries grew louder as Durga held the baby tightly in her arms.
"Why are you looking away bhai? Huh?" Durga questioned as she walked up to Akshat as Akshat kept staring out of the window.
"She's your daughter bhai and I have brought her here to make you realize that you are doing wrong with that girl...Aditya's sister. You are a father of a daughter and, thus, you should understand how much a woman's honor and reputation means in our society," Durga said as she calmed the crying child that had been deprived of a mother and a father's love.
"I know what honor and reputation means for a woman. My sister was deprived of it. I do not need your advice or your speech on morality ok? Now can you take Ira to her nanny please?" Akshat replied without an ounce of empathy in his voice. Durga stood still not moving an inch as she held Ira in her arms, thinking that perhaps, his daughter's cries might melt him and make him change his decision.
"Atiya! Atiya!" Akshat yelled loudly as slowly appeared a middle aged woman making her way down the stairs as Akshat clenched his teeth and looked up at her.
"What did I hire you for? Huh? The sole reason I hired you for is to take care of my daughter? So, why aren't you doing your job?" Akshat questioned Atiya as Atiya gulped nervously as she stood quietly in front of him.
"Woh...Durga didi took Ira..."
"Well, that doesn't mean you leave her alone. You have to stay by her side at all times and do your job... If my daughter is crying then you should immediately show up and try to calm her down instead of wandering or thinking other family members will do the job for you," Akshat grumbled as Atiya sighed.
"Sorry, next time I will be more careful," Atiya replied as Durga handed her Ira and Atiya walked away with her.
"You could have done that job as well," Durga replied as Akshat placed his foot on his other leg.
"Akshat Jindal doesn't do these type of jobs," His voice cold and emotionless. Reflecting the same emotions he had for his daughter...emotions caused by a broken marriage.
"Why did you fight for her custody?" Durga questioned Akshat.
"I didn't fight for her...Her mother didn't want her...I didn't want her, but I had to keep her...Akshat Jindal's daughter cannot become an orphan can she?" Akshat replied.
"How can you be so heartless Akshat?" Dadi questioned as she walked into the living area. Her eyes full of tears of disappointment and frustration over her failed upbringing.
"Time and experience makes one heartless," Akshat replied as he got up.
"Please take that girl back to her home. She doesn't deserve this," Dadi pleaded as she looked up at Akshat.
"I cannot...I will not," Akshat announced as he walked away leaving behind a broken family.
****Guddan****
The night stood still and dark and it had been almost another entire day without any word about bhai. The thunder rumbled as I shook and wrapped my arms around my knees and hid my face in it as I felt lightening flash as it receeded followed by more thunder. The sky cried as its tears made its way down on to the earth. A chill ran down my spine as darkness set into the room. No light except lightening that quickly appeared and disappeared playing hide-in-seek.
My body shivering as I rubbed my hands together trying to warm myself up. A sudden wetness touched my feet as I looked down below at my feet as my eyes widened realizing water was slowly making its way into the room. I quickly turned and looked out the small window as rain roared and screamed as it exploded its anger on the surface of the earth. I quickly got up on to the bed as I saw the water level rising.
What should I do? Should I say something? I mean the guards are outside, they should have noticed what is happening already. Maybe I should wait before voicing my concern. I mean I am not going to drown or anything as the water only made its way up to my feet, but clearly the room was becoming unhygienic as water made its way into the room.
The door shook loudly as I swiftly turned my head around and saw a dark figure making its way into the room. I wrapped my duptaa around myself as I shivered. Lightening flashed on the figure as the face of the beast appeared. He stood still as his eyes followed towards me.
He made his way towards me as my eyes moved up to him slowly.
"Come on, let's go," Akshat ordered as I looked at him curiously as I raised in my eyebrow. Go? Where? I thought as I gripped the bed sheet tightly as I my body shivered against the chill that spread throughout the room.
"Inside my house. Clearly, you cannot stay here right?" Akshat said as I sighed and looked at the flooded floor. He was right...clearly I cannot stay here. Plus, what Akshat says is done...no one can resist his orders no matter what.
I got up from my bed as I suddenly felt my foot slip against the wet floor as I slipped back on to the bed. The cold water seeping on to my feet as I felt them numb against it. Akshat sighed as he placed his hand in front of me. My eyes widened as I raised my eyebrow and looked at him curiously as he held his hand in front of me...a signal that I should hold it. My hand trembled as I felt it turn cold and numb as I placed my hand into his. I noticed the shape of our hands. His hands large, hard and cold while my hands stood small...almost half the size of his hand...an indication of who held power between us...Lightening shined on to our hands as I noticed my fading mehendi brighten as it fell against his hand...This was now how fate was supposed to execute itself...this hand was supposed to be in someone else's...not a stranger's.
I picked up my anarkali suit up as I pulled myself up as Akshat held my hand tightly as I felt the lightening again appear as the thunder roared. I stepped back a bit fearful as I felt my heart pound against my chest. My eyes closing shut as I began trembling as my teeth began chattering against one another. My hand tightening its grip on Akshat's hand.
"What are you doing?" Akshat exclaimed as my eyes quickly opened and I looked towards him as he looked at me curiously as my hand held onto his tightly.
"S-sorry...I-I a scared of thunder and lightening...also it's dark...sorry," I muttered as I shivered.
I felt his eyes on me as they attempted to analyze me and read me.
"Such a child you are..." Akshat said as he began walking.
We made our way through the water that rose up to our ankles. I tried to pull up my dupatta as it touched the water lightly, but with no avail as it dipped itself into the water.
I sighed as I followed Akshat out onto the estate as I felt the wind pushing against me as I turned my face around towards Akshat as my hair picked up with the wind and began flowing all over my face. The thunder roaring as the rain began to pour. My eyes following up to a black umbrella that he opened and raised above himself. I tried to get cover under the umbrella as I pushed myself against his arm as he held the umbrella above him. Akshat looking taken aback as he turned towards me.
"Woh...can I please take cover under this umbrella?" I asked with hesitancy. He stood still as he attempted to gather his thoughts and decide if giving me cover would be ideal or not. We stood for a good minute before he sighed and moved closer towards me raising the umbrella up.
"Thanks..." I mumbled as he held the umbrella as we began walking in silence. The wind pulling and tugging on the umbrella as he tried to hold on to it. I placed my dupatta over my head as I quickly placed my hand on to the umbrella handle only to meet his hand.
Time stood still as my eyes grasped on to his. The rain lightly pattling against the umbrella as it made its way down on to his shoulders. His shirt tightly clinging on to his body as water began to clench on to his shirt without letting go. His face had that usual dark aura, but something was different about it. A mystery masking it that hinted at pain and agony that he seemingly carried behind his aura. My hand grasped tightly on to his as his hand stood still against mine not willing to be let go of. The wind began blowing harder as I held on to his hand as we made our way towards the back porch of the house.
We walked in silence as the only conversation between us was the sound of raindrops that pounded lightly onto our bodies. There was silence, but noise of frustration that filled it...filled between us and was not willing to be let go of.
I felt my foot lightly slip against the grass as I felt it fly up as I tried to balance myself only to be held tightly. His hand making its way around my waits. The warmth of his hand slowly heating up my suit as it made its way through the thin fabric onto the skin of my waist. The heat making its way up to my cheeks as my hand stayed wrapped around his as he held the umbrella above us. A barrier...trying to protect us from the agony that seemingly had filled in our hearts for the last two days...In that moment the relationships that bound us did not reflect our feelings towards one another...in that moment he didn't appear as someone who had deemed my brother as his enemy...he just appeared as a handsome man who had a dark aura, but who clearly was more than that. My heart began to pick up speed as I lowered my eyes in shyness as he held me close. Our bodies close to one another as my waist leaned against his body... Never had I come this close to any man before...the feeling odd and different. I quickly broke the thought as I shook myself of it.
I moved myself upwards as he broke his trance away from my eyes and helped me move up as his eyes stood still on my face as his hand lifted off of my waist. We stood in silence as the rain pattled on the umbrella over us...
"Um...thank you," I muttered as I broke the trance as I turned and walked up to the porch as a guard opened the patio door for us as we made our way inside into the kitchen.
I stood in awkward silence as Akshat went back outside and left the umbrella on the porch. He made his way back into the kitchen as he shut the porch door. My eyes following each and every movement of his as he pulled the sleeves of his shirt up as he tried to dry it.
"Kaun?" Someone spoke up as I turned around and saw Akshat's dadi make her way into the kitchen as she turned on the lights and saw both of us. She raised her eyebrow curiously as she walked up to us.
"Tum dono?" Dadi questioned as she looked at Akshat and back at me.
"Her room flooded, so Guddan will stay here," Akshat announced...not a care in the world about whether he should ask his dadi for permission concerning my stay.
"Oh...ok...I'll take her to the guest room," Dadi said as she grabbed my arm and began walking me out of the kitchen.
"Ek minute!" Akshat called as he walked swiftly towards us as he grabbed my arm and pulled me away from dadi.
"I'll take her," Akshat said with a voice of authority.
"I am taking her nah...the guest room is right across from my room," Dadi argued.
"I don't trust you dadi...I know you want to let her go and you will try to find ways to do so," Akshat said as my eyes widened as I looked up at dadi...If what Akshat is saying is true, then hopefully dadi does find a way to let me go.
"Fine if you don't trust me then put a guard outside of the guest room...Look at her. She's a young girl and for you and her to be alone at this time of night is inappropriate...It's better I take her ok? Dadi said and she quickly grabbed my wrist as we walked out of the kitchen.
"But, dadi..." Akshat argued as Dadi held her hand up.
"No more Akshat...I told you that you can put a guard outside of her room, but there has to be some set of rules that have to be followed in this house alright?" Dadi ordered as we began walking our way up the set of stairs.
We made our way through the long set of stairs as dadi quickly dragged me down a hallway and opened a set of doors as we made our way inside. Dadi shut the door as she quickly made me sit down on the large canopy bed in the room. My eyes wandered around the large crme pastel walls that darkened and lit up with lightening and thunder illuminating the same feelings of fear that I had held inside of me ever since I had encountered Akshat Jindal. Dadi turned on the lights of the room as she sat down next to me. I heard footsteps as I noticed the door slightly peak open as a guard made its presence right in front of the door.
Dadi sighed as she looked back at the door and then back as me as she placed her hands in her lap.
"So, you are Aditya's sister...Guddan right?" Dadi asked as I nervously shook my head as I felt the damp hair fall onto my face as I moved the strand of hair away and placed it behind my ear.
"Look...don't be scared. Tell me do you know where Aditya is or our Lakshmi is?" Dadi asked as she looked up at me with hopeful eyes as she held on to my arms. I felt tears slowly building up in my eyes as I flashbacked to how all my pain and suffering started...it started with this exact question that soon tore apart my world.
"I swear...I don't know where Adi bhai and Lakshmi are...if me or my family knew we ourselves would have brought Lakshmi back to you safely...We might not be rich, but what is valuable to my family and I is our honor and our culture...We would never have allowed Adi bhai to ruin a girl's life like this...My family is one of integrity and they would have never supported Adi bhai if they knew before hand what he was supposed to do...On behalf of him and his actions I am so sorry..." I whispered as I felt tears making their way down my eyes as I quickly wiped them away as dadi sighed and looked up at me as I hiccupped and wiped my tears. Dadi's eyes softened as she realized perhaps I was speaking the truth.
"Acha...now don't cry ok? Relax beta," Dadi said as she placed her hand on my shoulder.
"Waise...I should be sorry for what my grandson has done. Just days before your wedding he just took you and brought you here...He has not done right by taking this action," Dadi noted as I shook my head and looked at her.
"Please...you shouldn't say sorry. You didn't know and weren't part of it," I replied as dadi looked back at me and placed her hand on my cheek.
"Still...there must have been a fault in my upbringing that Akshat decided to ruin a girl's reputation..." Dadi said as she sighed and felt heavy with guilt.
I heard a light cry as a woman frantically walked in with a baby. Clearly frustrated and annoyed as she held the crying baby in her arms as the baby squealed. My eyes softened as I looked at the small bundle as it cried and attempted to express its frustration...
"What happened Atiya?" Dadi said as she got up and walked up to the crying baby.
"Woh...my daughter has a fever and I have to go...I'm sorry, but she's in the hospital and I have to go see her. I know taking care of Ira baby is important, but I have to go see my daughter," Atiya replied as dadi took Ira and shook her lightly as she continued to cry.
"Acha...no problem. You go ok? And let me know if you need any money. Also, go with the driver. It's late at night, so take the driver with you ok?" Dadi said as Atiya shook her head.
"What about Akshat sir? What if he get's mad that I left?" Atiya asked.
"Don't worry about him. Right now it's important you go and see your daughter, now go," Dadi ordered as Atiya shook her head and quickly walked out.
Dadi sighed as she rocked baby Ira back and forth as she continued to cry. I looked at the crying baby curiously. Why is she crying so much? Most importantly, where is her mother? The lady that just walked in appeared to work for Akshat since she was calling him as "sir.
"Shhh...Iru...shhh...beta..." Dadi cooed at Ira trying to calm her, but she didn't.
"I think she's hungry...let me get her milk...Guddan beta can you hold her for a minute? Let me go downstairs and get her milk bottle," Dadi said. My eyes widened as I looked at the small baby that she held in her arms. Hold her? What?...No, I mean I never held a baby...And never a crying one for sure.
I slowly held my hands out nervously as my hands shook as I looked the small bundle of life. Dadi smiled as she placed her in my arms. My hand softly touching the base of her head as my other arm wrapped around her.
Something happened in that moment... Her innocent, brown button eyes latching on to mines as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. Innocence and purity from the world's evils clearly reflecting on her face. She gave my heart warmth and feeling of comfort as my eyes stood still on her face...a positive feeling that had been out of reach from me ever since I stepped into this estate.
She was a small life...only recently borne into a world of evil and selfishness...but she herself was none of that...she was everything the world wasn't. Clearly, this was a feeling I always wanted to avoid...the feeling of warmth and love for a child...ever since I found out that getting pregnant would not be easy for me and perhaps I would never get pregnant after a routine exam with my gynecologist...I always avoided the topic of having kids or even being near them, but somehow this was different. This moment was different.
I smiled lightly as her hand slowly grasped onto a strand of my hair as she continued to cry. I placed by hand on her stomach and lightly patted it.
"Shhh...it's ok beta...shhh...you will be fine," I continued as she sobbed.
"I know...crying is hard...shhh...now stop...hm...stop nah?" I whispered as her tears began to slow down. I grabbed my dupatta and placed it lightly over her face as an attempt to make her smile. I pulled it up and placed it again on her face as her eyes wandered curiously on to my dupatta as I repeated my actions.
"Now you see me...now you don't...you see me...now you don't," I cooed as a small smile began to appear on her face.
"Oh...Iru...knows how to smile...hm?" I asked as I smiled lightly as I held her as she grabbed on to my dupatta and placed it in her mouth as my eyes widened at her naughtiness.
"What are you doing?" My eyes widened as I realized the familiar husky and deep voice that bespoke evil. I quickly looked up as I saw Akshat standing at the doorway as his face reddened as a look of anger appeared on it.
"Um...woh..."
"She's my daughter. What are you doing by holding her? Huh?" Akshat questioned as I held Ira in my arms as he walked up to me. Daughter? What? This small bundle of joy is his daughter? How can this precious girl be this beast's daughter? I see no resemblance at all. I lowered my eyes in nervousness as he walked up to me clearly angry and in no mood to be messed with.
"What happened Akshat?" Dadi asked as she walked in holding a milk bottle.
"Dadi woh-"
"Arre...Ira stopped crying?!" Dadi exclaimed in happiness as she sat next to me and placed her hand on Ira's head as she kept chewing on my dupatta.
"What is she doing holding my baby?" Akshat questioned angrily as he looked at dadi.
"Well...she's better than you as at least she tried to calm a stranger's child from crying. Ira is your own blood and you never even try to do that...I never saw you once trying to calm her down," Dadi replied angrily as Akshat threw a glare at her as he looked back at me and folded his hands into tight fists.
"Wah...do you know she's been crying all day...She doesn't like strangers, but somehow she likes you," Dadi said smiling as Ira lightly smiled and shook her legs up in the air as I held her.
"Waise...have you ever taken care of a baby for? You look like a natural?" Dadi said as I shook my head.
"This is my first time holding one..." I muttered as dadi's eyes widened as Akshat took a deep breath as he suddenly snatched Ira from my lap as Ira began to cry again.
"Arre...you are holding her?" Dadi questioned as she got more shocked as Akshat rolled his eyes and tried to rock Ira.
"Better than letting a low life stranger hold her," Akshat replied in anger as my eyes widened as his words directly pierced into my heart. The mere words of "low-life stranger deeply pained my heart. It was clearly an assassination of my character and something I never took lightly, but in this situation of unequal power I was vulnerable and could not even reply to his taunts.
"Acha...if this girl isn't saying anything that means you will insult her? Huh? You are the one who forcibly brought her here and now on top of it you are insulting her. Do you even know that you possibly have ruined this girl's life by taking her hostage two days before her wedding?" Dadi questioned as Akshat sighed and held a crying Ira in his arms.
"Her brother is my enemy. It is my right to insult her and hurt her," Akshat responded coldly as I sat still staring at the floor as I soaked in my array of insults. I felt his eyes move towards me before he turned and walked out of the room.
I took a deep breath and quickly wiped away my tears that were slowly rolling down my cheeks as dadi sat next to me.
"Dekh...beta...I know how important a girl's reputation is and how important her reputation is to maintain her family's honor. You don't worry ok?...I will help you," Dadi whispered. My eyes widening as I looked up at her wondering if I had heard her correctly. Help me? As in help me escape? That means I will be able to get home...
"I have a plan of helping you escape," Dadi whispered as I gulped and looked up at her in shock. Escape? What? Is my ill fate finally showing mercy upon me?
"Sachi?...Thank you so much. You do not know how much this means to me," I replied in a lowered and soft voice as I weakly smiled as I hugged her tightly in joy realizing my freedom was not afar all due to her.
"Please, don't say thank you...It is my duty as the elder of this family to get you back home safely," Dadi replied smiling.
"But, how? There are guards everywhere. They all are very loyal to Akshat," I questioned dadi realizing that my escape will not be easy from this estate. The guards are so loyal to Akshat and in no means will they let me escape.
"Well, guards are loyal to Akshat, but I have a loyal employee as well. My guard will help you escape," Dadi responded.
"Ji? But, how?"
"He will be here early in the morning to take you. He knows a path in this house that will lead you outside without being seen. Then he will drive you to your home and drop you off," Dadi replied smiling as a small smile appeared on my face. A smile of hope. Hope that I will be able to escape this beast and return back home to my family...to a place where I belong to.
*****Gupta House*****
Amba Gupta was not a woman to reckon with. At the age of 71 she held a firm iron fist rule over the Gupta household. There way an aura about her...that demanded respect, loyalty and power...an aura that made others powerless in front of her. Bushan Gupta and Kaushalya Gupta never realized that this aura would one day cast a shadow over their daughter's future.
She rocked back and forth in her chair looking silently outside her bedroom window at the rain that held no mercy and continued to rage. Bushan and Kaushalya standing in fear behind her awaiting for her to say something...to say something after they told her what had happened to their precious daughter.
Amba Gupta took a deep breath as she wet her dry lips as she began to form sentences.
"So, you are telling me that Guddan has been taken hostage by a man...your boss Bushan...because Aditya ran away with your boss's sister?" Amba Gupta asked with her voice anticipating an answer that would dethrone this claim and make it magically false.
"Y-yes Ma," Bushan muttered as he lowered his head in shame.
"How?! How can you let this happen Bushan?! Huh?! How can you let a stranger take your daughter? And what about Guddan? How could she just go with someone? Didn't she fight for herself? Fight for her honor?!" Amba Gupta exclaimed as she threw herself up from her chair with power and held her cane steady in her hand. Her feet standing strong on the ground as she placed her sari's pallu on her head.
"Ma...we did everything. We tried to stop Jindal sir and Guddan fought for herself, but he was just too powerful..." Bushan replied as tears began to stream down his cheeks.
"Oh stop being weak Bushan! How many times have I told you to not be weak?! Because of your weakness and lack of care about your son and his personal life led our family's sole heir to commit such act!" Amba Gupta exclaimed at her son in anger and she tapped her cane loudly on the floor.
"My weakness?...I did everything to raise Aditya as a well-mannered boy and a responsible boy. This is his fault. I didn't teach him to run away with other family's daughters. I didn't tell him to abandon his parents and put his parents' honor at stake for his own selfish reasons!" Bushan exclaimed as he tried to fight for his character and fight for his way of upbringing because he knew that his upbringing was not at fault for what Aditya did.
"What you said in this house shall never be repeated outside. Do you understand?" Amba ordered Bushan as she narrowed her eyes and looked into his eyes.
"Aditya is the sole heir in our family. I had one son and that was you. Now, you unfortunately had one son and that is Aditya...the only way to continue this lineage is through Aditya. We cannot abandon our Aditya no matter how wrong he is," Amba said with an air of power and order that she assumed she had the right to be endowed with.
"What are you saying? He is wrong," Kaushalya said voicing her concern finally after many minutes of silence on her behalf.
"As I said he is the heir of our family and he has to continue our lineage. No matter what we have to stand by him and save him from the situation he has put himself in," Amba replied as Kaushalya lowered her eyes realizing that her mother-in-law will not be backing out from her word and stay committed to it. Years of experience has taught Kaushalya to never challenge her mother-in-law...The day she entered her in-law's house after he wedding she realized that her mother-in-law was not a woman to challenge or mess with.
"He has ruined our Guddan's reputation. What about that? She was about to be married, but because of Aditya her marriage broke," Bushan said trying to fight once more against his mother.
"Well, our Aditya's marriage also broke not just Guddan's...And about Guddan's reputation...it has indeed been ruined. But, what is worst is that not only is her reputation ruined, but so is our family's and so is our honor," Amba replied as her eyes reflected the grief over the loss of her family's honor rather than worry about where her granddaughter might be and worry about her lost honor.
"What will we do?" Bushan questioned hopelessly.
"We will have to bring back reputation and honor to our family..." Amba replied as her eyes turned towards Bushan as she bit her lip as a scheme played in her mind.
"How?" Kaushalya asked.
"What I am about to say is for the wellbeing of our entire family. I cannot be selfish and just make a decision to favor one person. In our home we have another daughter...Revati. She has to get married someday as well...probably in the near future. If you have listened at all to your neighbors...you will know what they are saying about Guddan's character...They are assuming the stranger that took her was in fact her lover...Even if Guddan comes back, our reputation and honor will not be restored. People will remember what happened to her and keep questioning her character and our honor...No one will believe us or believe the idea that she was taken hostage...This will further hurt us and hurt out family...Thus, I have made a decision that the only way to save the remaining honor and reputation of our family has... and hopefully restore it... is by closing the doors on Guddan..." Amba announced as Bushan and Kaushalya stood in shock as Amba's words ran through their ears.
Amba stood emotionless...not one bit of emotion or any pity for her granddaughter...she was in no mood to have emotion...she was only focused on how to restore honor and reputation for the Gupta family.
***Guddan***
It was four in the morning when Dadi stood over me and quickly woke me up as I had taken a small nap after a night of restless sleep as I worried about my escape and if truly it would be a success.
"Beta, it is time now...This is the best time to escape. Akshat is asleep. My guard has taken duty from Akshat's guard that was standing outside. Don't worry...my guard Atul is a loyal guard and he never backs out of any order that I give him...He will help you. Now go beta...Go," Dadi ordered as I placed my dupatta on my head as I felt tears of joy building up in my eyes as I grabbed dadi's hands and placed them in mine.
"You do not know dadi...You do not know what you have done for me...When I was all alone in that dark room with no hope left and only a vision of dim future ahead...You are the one who fate brought into my life as an angel who was sent to help me. Thank you so much," I said as I bent down to take her blessings as dadi hugged me and placed her hand on my head with love.
"Please beta...don't thank me. As I said this is my duty. Now go ok? Go back safely to your family," Dadi said as I smiled and hugged her one last time before a Atul ,the guard, appeared as I walked upto him and we both walked out to the darkness.
I followed him quietly as we walked down the step of stairs and out towards the living area. He signaled me to be quiet as he raised his neck and looked around before he walked me down another hallway as we walked towards a large pair of double doors. He slowly creaked them open as we walked in. I noticed it was a study as a row of books filled all the walls. We walked down towards a door at the end of the room as he quickly unlocked it and soon a breeze of air rushed in. Dusk lightly shining through the sky as it signaled the moon to return back to its home. A small SUV with dark windows stood outside as I walked out and Atul quickly locked the door and slammed open the trunk of the SUV as he pushed me inside and slammed it shut as he looked around making sure no one saw him.
"Bend down and make sure no one see's you ok? Place this blanket over yourself ok?" Atul ordered as I quickly obliged and tried to put myself in a fetal position and hide behind a large pile of bags in the trunk as I placed a blanket over me trying to camouflage myself in the night.
Atul slowly began driving as I felt my heart pound against my chest loudly. Please, God let me escape...Let me reach my home safely. Please help me.
The SUV stopped as Atul rolled down his window as a guard looked at him.
"Where are you going so early in the morning Atul?" The guard asked.
"Um...you know dadi. She always goes early to temple on Thursdays like around six. And of course she always takes me with her since I am her personal guard. So, I as usual decided to make sure her SUV's gas tank was full and realized no it was not. So, I am going to get it filled up. You know how much dadi is obsessed with getting to the temple on time," Atul said. Clearly, Atul was not a good liar, but somehow fate was on my side as the guard let Atul go as he rolled up his window and drove out of the estate...and that's how I escaped...
Promo
I sat in silence against the mud that piled against my hands as I digged my fingers into it. My hand slowly moving up to my face as I smeared it lightly all over me...realizing that now this mud...this symbol of dishonor...will be my symbol for life...Never had I thought that everyone would abandon me...that life itself would abandon me...Why is it that sisters have to repent for their brothers' misdeeds? Why has our society always decided to punish women for men's misdeeds?
How will Guddan now cope with abandonment? Is this the start of a new struggle? A new fight for her honor?
*********
Thank you so much for reading this long chapter. I know it is long and hopefully you liked. Please, please silent readers do like this post and also readers in general like this post and comment as well. Send any critique or comment because I want to know what you think 😃 and also if you liked this chapter, what you want to see in the next upcoming chapters and leave any other comment as well. Thank you so much! 😃
-Jasmine ⭐️
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