Warning ⚠️: Descriptions of blood, injury, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.
Please let me know if this warning is enough, or whether I will have to tag this as Mature.
There may be a few medical inaccuracies present. Also, apologies if this a bit too dramatic or OOC. I am still working on my skills to write in a Male Character's POV.
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Yashika OS - The Eye of the Storm
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"I still don't believe in time,
I still think we're trapped in this lie.
I've found a way out of my mind ;
It might be the end of the line.
I'm looking over the edge,
The only question is when
I hope that I see you again.
Maybe, I'll meet you in the end.
.
.
.
And maybe in another life, I would have been yours."
- 'The Beginning Is the End' by Aaryan Shah.
.
.
'Neil Bharadwaj, husband to-be of the Mahajan heir, dies hours before his wedding due to mysterious circumstances.'
Yash remembers reading the headline on the front page of the newspaper, in his hospital bed. He remembers his mother's soothing voice droning in the background as he had read the entire article in great detail.
His first thought after finding out that the man in question was her rival's lover and husband to-be, had been : Good. Yuvika Mahajan deserved it.
In fact, her entire family deserved it. After ruining his mother's life, after destroying her pride, after snatching away her peace, how could The Mahajans had ever hoped to imagine experiencing such moments of joy?
Years ago, The Mahajans had ruined his mother's life and had snatched her happiness, her peace, her tranquility away. Wasn't it fair that now, three decades later, the heir of those very Mahajans had lost hers - on her wedding day, no less?
Wasn't this what they called Proper Karma? Poetic Justice? Divine Retribution?
Yash's second thought, after reading the complete news, had been : Even though Yuvika Mahajan deserved this, the Groom didn't.
He remembers feeling sorry for Neil Bharadwaj. Poor guy. His only crime was that he had fallen in love with a Mahajan.
If only he had realized the truth earlier that The Mahajans never showed their emotions without exploitation, that they never expressed affection without personal benefit, that they never loved without conditions, then this probably wouldn't have happened to him.
If only he had understood the fact beforehand that The Mahajans were cold, callous and egomaniacal creatures, if only he had realized this beforehand that these narcissists were cruel, selfish and greedy to the bone - then he would not have made such a grave mistake of falling in love with a Mahajan.
If only Neil Bharadwaj had recognized the true nature of The Mahajans earlier, then maybe he would have been alive today.
However, his third thought had been the strangest of all. Something so strange, so bizarre, so ridiculous, that he had dared not to share it with even his own family, contrary to the other two.
Anyways.....
.
.
.
..... Why was he here again?
Shouldn't he be sitting in his home, recovering from his recent surgery and focusing on his Business, and making new plans on how to outplay the Mahajans?
Wind whipped past him in heavy, invisible blows, trying to push him back. Leaves rustled and flew with a mind of their own. Despite it being late afternoon, dark clouds covered the whole sky, and trees swayed so wildly that Yash feared that the one near him would uproot itself any second.
It had been three days since Neil Bharadwaj's death.
It seemed like Nature herself was mourning, mourning for the tragedy that had befallen.
And in the middle of it all, stood Yuvika Mahajan, the unfortunate bearer of that very tragedy.
Her hair followed the direction of the wind, whipping behind her back angrily. Her hands, adorned in rings and accessories, rested relaxed by her sides, fingers gently brushing over the Red Lehenga she was wearing.
Even with the considerable distance and the heavy gusts of wind, Yash could hear the clinks of the red bangles which chimed against each other with each minute movement.
Three days after her prospective groom's demise, Yuvika Mahajan was decked up in her wedding attire once again, standing in front of a cliff.
It didn't take a genius to understand why she was here.
(But why was he here, though?)
Anyways, there was no time to ponder about that.
As soon as Yuvika took a step forward, Yash ran.
He didn't think, his body just jerked and his legs started moving on their own. It was as if his newly acquired heart was threatening to beat out of his chest if he dared to stand still - and his body had no other choice but to comply to the new acquaintance's demand.
As soon as he reached her, he grabbed Yuvika's wrist and yanked her back with so much force that he himself had to take a few steps backward.
"What were you thinkin-" Before Yash could finish his sentence, Yuvika pushed him, and she pushed him harshly.
"Don't you dare try stopping me." She growled, as she grabbed her Lehenga between her fingers and turned towards the cliff again and - yeah, no.
Yuvika Mahajan would not die today. Not on his watch.
Yash scrambled to pick himself off from the ground and yanked on her wrist again, his other arm grabbing her torso, supporting her weight as she stumbled against him.
"Let me go! Who the f*ck do you think you are - " Yuvika snarled at him, her eyes blurring with tears as she tried pushing him again. But Yash didn't let her go. In fact, he only held her tighter.
"You are not thinking clearly-"
"- I said let me go! Let me jump and end all of this - !"
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Yuvika screamed and thrashed and protested against his hold with all her might, but Yash was equally as stubborn ; he only gritted his teeth and tightened his grip around her wrists in response.
"- listen to me - "
"- NO! let me f*cking go! Let me die and see my Neil again - !"
"- calm down -"
"- I want to die! Let me f*cking jump and - "
"- Just stop protesting for once, you damn woman!"
At some point of the scuffle, the glass bangles broke around Yuvika's wrists, pieces falling on the ground. Even though the sharp edges were hurting both of them, bleeding both of them, Yash didn't let go of her wrists. He didn't.
The aggressive pushing and pulling continued for a while. Both of them were were equally as stubborn, neither of them willing to back down and give up on their motives.
An unstoppable force clashing with an immovable entity. It was only a matter of time when one of them would have to yield.
A few minutes later, Yuvika's thrashing hands finally lost their vigour and her struggles weakened akin to a flickering lamp. Her knees buckled below her feet and she collapsed on the ground with a loud sob.
Heart thudding wildly in his chest, Yash immediately followed after her as he sat on his heels, giving Yuvika a moment to collect herself. But as if his hands had a mind of their own, they refused to loosen their grip around Yuvika's bloodied wrists, even if several broken pieces of the bangles were twisting, digging, piercing both his and Yuvika's skin. He physically couldn't bring himself to.
Because his heart knew that if he dared to loosen his grip right now, it would take only a few moments for the Mahajan group of Companies to lose its Chairwoman forever.
"- and Neil is dead! Please, just let me die and join him! At least in death we will be together!”
" - look, calm down - "
"He promised me that h-he would be my companion at my every step of life, t-that he'd always stay by my side - he promised!! And now he's left me and joined papa forever!" Almond eyes clenched themselves shut, hot tears cascading down her cheeks like waterfall, her words hitching in a way as if even breathing air was agonizing for her.
Maybe because he had undergone a heart transplant surgery just three days ago, but Yuvika's every tear, every sob, every hitched syllable of grief sent a dull, aching throb to Yash's chest, suffocating him in an all consuming pain.
"N-Neil is dead! He's dead, he's dead, he's dead - he's f*cking dead!!"
Despite his multiple attempts to calm her down, 'He's dead' were the only words that left her lips.
"W-what am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to live?! Neil is gone and he's dead and-"
"Correction, Mahajan. Neil Bharadwaj didn't just die, he was killed."
Yuvika froze. Her breath hitched as all of her feeble protests stopped immediately.
"How could you forget that detail? You are already aware that he was abducted, shot and murdered. First degree."
Yuvika said nothing, and only stared blankly with her dull, unfocused eyes. Yash took a deep breath.
"I didn't know that the Scion of Mahajans was such a coward when it came to her beloved."
In fact, your entire kinsfolk is. Yash added contemptuously in his mind. Be it familial, platonic, or romantic - none of you Mahajans know how to love and show affection unless it benefits you.
Yuvika's chocolate eyes darkened immediately as she glared at him.
"I am not a f*cking coward-"
"- Someone appeared out of nowhere, killed your lover on the day of your wedding and then disappeared in thin air ; and instead of investigating his death and taking action, your response is to give everything up and follow after him!! If this is not an act of cowardice, then what is?!" Yash sneered as he retorted back.
Wind rushed around and through them with all its fury, dried leaves rustled and swirled in circular motions, before flying again to nowhere in particular. A boisterous thunder echoed distantly in the dark sky.
An inexorable storm was coming. A storm so powerful, so ruthless, that it wouldn't spare anyone who dared getting in its way.
And perched inside the eye of that foreboding storm were Yash and Yuvika, who were glaring at each other with so much intensity that one could only be grateful that looks didn't have the ability to kill.
An unstoppable force clashing with an immovable entity. Both of them waiting for the other to yield.
Eventually, it was Yash who broke the stalemate. His eyes softened in empathy and he sighed.
"Either way, Your lover, - Neil - he wouldn't have wanted this. He wouldn't have wanted you to die after him."
Yuvika inhaled a deep, shuddering breath and scoffed as she looked away.
"It doesn't matter what Neil would have wanted. All I know is that he's dead, and he won't be coming back, no matter what happens."
Yash couldn't help but let out a derisive chuckle at that.
"How unfortunate was he, to be neglected and underappreciated while he lived ; and how unfortunate is he now, to remain unheard and dismissed, to be not honoured even after death.
"How rueful. How pitiful. How very pathetic. Was it just him, or is such the fate of anyone who dares love a Mahajan, I wonder?"
Yuvika pressed her lips in a thin, razor line and stubbornly refused to meet his eyes ; indignant at the accusation, but unable to refute it.
Yash could tell that his intervention and counsel was not appreciated. So be it. This woman in front of him had slapped him in their second meeting itself , before they were even acknowledged of each other's identity. It was not like things between them could get any worse than that.
An exasperated Yash continued.
"Look, Mahajan. If you really wish to die and join your beloved in the afterlife, then I won't stop you. It is your choice, afterall ; and I attain no benefit from saving you - in fact, it would only make things easier for me if you were to die right now."
( Somewhere in a subconscious, distant corner of his cynical, revenge-driven mind, he had already started making plans on how he could take advantage of the collapsed system of the Mahajan Group of Companies ; which was bound to happen eventually if the Chairwoman, Scion, Heir of The Mahajan Empire - succeeded to kill herself today. )
"All I would say is, just.... "
( However, on complete contrary to his logical mind, his new heart throbbed and ached against his chest, as if it protested even entertaining the mere thought of that happening. )
"..... Just don't sacrifice your life too soon. Not when you have responsibilities to fulfill, a family to take care of, a legacy to continue. Not when your lover's murderer is walking freely on the streets without any consequences."
Yash let out an exhausted exhale, as his eyes moved in the direction of the cliff. All that adrenaline rush he had felt earlier seemed to have passed now, and every new breath seemed to seep out more energy from him.
"I know that the thought of giving up everything feels too good to be true. I am aware. And I understand where you are coming from." He murmured, looking at the view forlornly.
"The illusion of sleeping in the arms of death is undoubtedly comforting ; and even the thought of resisting such a lure and fighting for life is much more aggravating and difficult."
If it were not for the potential dangers with how steep the cliff was, then combined with the heavy gusts of wind, the rustling of leaves and the secluded location, the panoramic view in front of him was nothing short of breathtaking.
"... But then again, that is what makes life worth living. Believe me, I would know from experience."
Yash had never thought that there would ever come a day when he would be able to enjoy a scenery like this.
Before the surgery, his fragile heart had pumped enough anxiety in his head that he was forced to spend every second of his life with intense calculation, meticulously making sure that not even a single moment of his was wasted.
But now he could run without the fear of wheezing, now he could breathe and freely spare himself a few moments to appreciate such abstract pleasures of life, without worrying over which one would be his last.
Now, he was finally free. Free from the tight shackles life had once bonded him with, ever since his childhood.
All thanks to his donor, who had come in his life under the disguise of an angel.
"Do not choose the easy way out, Mahajan. It's not worth it."
Maybe this was the reason why Yash was so adamant in not letting his rival die. Some benevolent, kind soul had bestowed him with the precious gift of life and had saved him ; so wasn't it also his duty to do the same?
Yes. That was the only reason why he had saved his Enemy. That was the only rational answer to his presence here. His actions today were nothing but a quixotic, unconventional attempt to pay back the generous debt that had befallen on him.
Perhaps this was what they called The Full circle of Life. A kind stranger had liberated him from his long-standing ailment, had pulled him back from the dark precipice of death. And now, it was his turn to reciprocate the favour and save the life of another, no matter who it may be.
In a way, all of this was so ironic.
Just a week ago, Yash had been battling with death, struggling for each additional moment, each new breath ; while Yuvika was busy with her wedding preparations. And now that he was healthy and recuperating, her lover was dead and she was ready to jump and throw away everything.
One was indulging in her joy when the other was fighting for his life. And while one was finally rejoicing in his victory against death, the other was desperate to embrace it with her open arms.
Indeed, they were true opposites of each other.
Yuvika's voice pierced through his thoughts seamlessly, demanding his undivided attention.
"Let go of me." Her voice was a bit hoarse, and scratchy from crying. Yash blinked, before he narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
"Absolutely not."
"I won't die."
"How am I supposed to believe you-"
Yash immediately recognised the emotion that was brewing in her chocolate eyes. He was familiar with that expression all too well. He was familiar because that was what he sees in the mirror everyday.
"I. Won't. Die."
That glint in her irises was nothing but the vicious thirst to seek vengeance. Nothing but the dark, insatiable hunger for revenge. The sharp, silent promise to raze and destroy everything.
Not 'I won't kill myself'. Not 'I won't attempt suicide again'. But, 'I won't die'. The 'not until I hunt Neil's perpetrators down' was left unsaid but heard very clearly.
Yash was no fortune teller, but he could easily predict that Neil Bharadwaj's murderers were not going to receive a quick, painless death.
'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned', He suddenly remembered the proverb and unbeknownst to himself, he gulped, feeling a shiver run down his spine.
This woman had remorselessly stabbed someone's hand just to achieve her professional, business oriented goals. Yash didn't even want to imagine what she would do to those unfortunate, unfortunate people who had dared to involve themselves in her beloved's demise.
"- now leave me be, Talwar. It is unbecoming and uncouth of you to stare at a young woman while holding her hands."
And just like that, the tense, dark and somber atmosphere evaporated in a jiffy.
Yash immediately let go her wrists, as if he were burned. Ignoring the stinging pain from the cuts on his injured hands and the way his cheeks flushed with heat, he hissed at her.
"There is no use in showing goodness and empathy nowadays, it seems."
Yuvika scoffed at him, as if amused by his reaction. That dark, agonized look in her eyes was gone... for now.
"Goodness? Empathy? You broke all my bangles and almost sprained my wrists, Talwar."
Maybe because he had recently undergone through a surgery, but on noticing the (sarcastic, sarcastic, sarcastic-) upturn of her lips, his heart fluttered against his chest, as it effortlessly skipped a beat. He should probably go home and take rest, or something.
"Let me rephrase my words : There is no use in showing goodness and empathy towards a Mahajan, it seems."
If Yash could, he would have immediately ordered his new heart to slow down a little ; there was no need to beat so damn fast.
She was just another person. Just another woman. Just an opponent, merely a competitor in the market. His Business Rival. His Nemesis, if he's being more specific.
.... Upon closer observation, Yuvika Mahajan didn't look half as bad.
Her eyelashes were wet and clumped from the breakdown earlier. The wind had dried the tears on her cheeks, resulting in two distinct, transparent stains leading down her chin. Her Maang Tikka was out of place, almost upturned. The large, ornate Nath on her nose and her Jhumkas chimed along with the occasional, hiccupping breaths from her throat.
A gust of wind whooshed through them again and a few strands of hair flew to hide her almond eyes, and Yash's fingers twitched, as if subconsciously wanting to tuck those strands behind her ear, for some reason.
Maybe when the next time his Ma asks him about his type in women, he would finally have an answer -
"I don't remember begging for your goodness or empathy."
.
.
.
Nevermind. He takes back whatever he had thought earlier.
"The last time I had heard, it was not a crime to save someone literally from the precipice of death."
Throughout his years of handling the Talwar business, he had met many rude, arrogant and entitled people, but none of them could compare to this woman in front of him.
"Again, I don't remember begging."
.... But then again, she was the Scion of Mahajans. How could he possibly blame her for being so conceited, self - centered and ungrateful, when these traits were a significant component of her genes, when these attributes flowed in her veins which carried Mahajan blood?
No offense to the dead, but only Neil Bharadwaj's heart could love a woman as eccentric and obnoxious as Yuvika Mahajan.
Yash let out an exasperated sigh and got up, gently stomping his feet to ward off the pins and needles sensation stinging through them.
"I have got no energy left to argue with you, Mahajan. I'm getting the first aid kit from my car. If you had somehow failed to notice, then let me tell you that both of us are bleeding."
Before she could even open her mouth, he cut her off, as if he knew exactly what she was about to say.
"Consider it as a compensation for breaking your bangles. Glass injuries are no joke, I hope you know that."
Just when he was about to turn around, she spoke.
"Are you not worried that I will try jumping again, Talwar?"
Yash halted his movements at her words, and looked at her intently.
Yuvika was now sitting relaxed on the ground, gently hugging her knees close to her chest. Facing towards the direction of the cliff, she wordlessly observed how the crimson blood seeping from her wrists were making small, dark patches on her red Lehenga. Finally, she peered up at him.
..... Those weren't the eyes of a suicidal person anymore.
Her chocolate irises, which were previously dull and unfocused with despondence and agony, now swirled with tenacity and determination as she challenged him with an unblinking stare.
Yuvika Mahajan, who was so distressed and desperate to embrace death just a while ago, had now found a reason to live. (Though.....let it remain undiscussed if that particular 'reason' was ethical or not.)
As he subconsciously let out an exhale of relief from his chest, Yash shook his head in negative, his lips twitching upwards a little.
"No, I am not." Not anymore.
When Yuvika said nothing in response, he turned around and walked towards the car.
The winds were still strong, the trees still swayed heavily, and the dried leaves swirled and flied around in circular motions yet again, with the dark clouds looming over the sky. But this time, something strange was stirring in the air too.
Absentmindedly, Yash looked down and oh,
There was blood in his hands.
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! (Not counting Satrangi's 'Ridiculous' fic lmao)
. Yash wants revenge, while Yuvika has lost her loved one indirectly because of him. I myself have now idea how the makers are gonna carry this ship forward.
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