"Grief is not as heavy as guilt, but it takes more away from you." When Dhruv came out of the bathroom, he saw that Ayushi was still in that place where he had left her before. He rushed towards her side and saw that she was lying there, unconscious with a fresh flow of blood flowing out from her bruised and scratched cheeks. He felt guilt filing inside his heart, even he didn't know why because he was supposed to hurt her more, right? Because she...? She...? The reason why he hurt her was now not striking his mind. "Why did I hurt her?" he asked himself after he carried her in his arms and put her on their bed. When he touched her, he felt that her body was burning, she had a high fever. He was feeling more and more guilty now. Why did he do that with her, just because he saw some boy kissing her cheek? Couldn't he be some of her friends? Why did he react like a real monster? Why did he suddenly get so much possessive when he saw that guy with her? Why? Yesterday too, after slapping her and leaving her there on the deserted road, he had felt very bad but somehow Chandani convinced him. But again, for the first time, he felt so burdened and sinful when he was making out with Chandani. And now seeing Ayushi in that state, his rational mind was shouting at him that why did he act like a real psycho? Why? He rushed towards the drawer and took out the first aid kit and applied the antiseptic cream on her soft cheeks. He didn't want his family to see how badly he had injured his wife, he didn't want to be the villain in their eyes. "I have never even touched a woman intending to hurt them, but I am doing all this to you. Why did you say yes to this marriage Ayushi? Why did you come in my life? I'm hurting you more than anyone can because every day I'm getting some shreds of evidence against you, every fucking day." "That day I heard how your parents were talking about how you caught a big fish this time, then again, I got to know that Aryan was compelled to give you money for your hand for marriage with him and now this new guy is kissing you? What is all this Ayushi, tell me? What should I do with you? Tell me?" "Every evidence is against you that you were involved with many men, luring them just for some money? I hate gold diggers because I've seen my best friend's grave dug by his gold-digger girlfriend, she had made him worse, you'll not believe but he had started taking drugs recently and is in his worst condition. That girl was involved with so many men, and all the pieces of evidence which I got, state the same thing Ayushi that you too are like that girl. What should I do with you then?" "Please tell me? I can't stand people like that girl but you don't know how guilty I'm feeling now after hurting you like this, it's like I'm sinning although every evidence I got is against you. I don't know why I'm feeling like that Ayushi, I don't know. Sometimes I want to just hit you so brutally but in the next moment I want nothing but to just hug you and take all your pain away from you, why Ayushi just tell me?" Dhruv was applying a wet, cotton piece of cloth on Ayushi's forehead as he didn't want his family to see her in this miserable state, so calling a doctor was out of the question. His eyes were moist when he was saying all these. "Ekyansh was my best friend in college and you know what happened to him? His girlfriend was looting him, for her every minimal expense he was paying her and at last, you know what that girl did to him? She left him all alone to suffer. She was found cheating on his back with another guy. Ekyansh had loved her like a mad lover, but she was just behind him for using him, it was just a game for her but Ekyansh just wanted to spend his whole life with her. And he went into depression thinking about her again and again and then he started taking drugs. His condition is miserable Ayushi, miserable." "That girl is living a luxurious life, who is the culprit behind his pathetic state. Because of her, he was sent to rehabilitation and now I am not aware of his current state, but that girl had destroyed him, he wanted to be the best entrepreneur, his father wanted his son to be the best businessman, his mother loved him so much but now their every dream is snatched away from them because of that girl Ayushi. His son is nothing but a drug addict now," Dhruv spoke tiredly, applying another wet cloth on Ayushi's forehead. "And you remind me of that girl who did all this to my best friend. I fear that you'll do the same with me, Ayushi. And I don't want such a person in my life who can destroy me and my family. Every time I hurt you, I see Manisha's face in you, because she deserves every pain of this world, every agony for what she did with my innocent best friend," Dhruv eyes were red now, remembering all those memories. He got up and brought some freshwater inside a mug and sprinkled some on Ayushi's face. She got up after she felt water on her face. Due to a lack of food inside her system and also because of fatigue, she lost her consciousness. "Finally, you're up," Dhruv slightly smiled at her but she just looked at him. He got near her to touch her forehead but she flinched away from his touch, trying to go as far away from him as possible. "I'm not going to hurt you, come, I just want to check your temperature," he spoke softly but Ayushi was too scared to even go near him for what he did with her yesterday night. "Here take this paracetamol. It'll help for curing your fever," he sighed and gave one tablet to Ayushi which she took with her shivering hands but didn't take it even near her mouth, she was afraid that what if this was some drug or something worse in the form of a paracetamol tablet. "This is just paracetamol, so don't ponder much," he smiled at her and Ayushi was shocked when she saw a sudden change in his behaviour. Why was he acting so nicely with her? Is he the real Dhruv or some doppelganger of him? She took that with some normal water and sighed after gulping it down her oesophagus. "Come, you need some makeover," he carried her in his arms and she yelped in surprise at his sudden move. "What are you doing?" Ayushi stuttered timidly, she was afraid of him and what he'd do now with her. "Sssh. Just some makeover, I don't want anyone to see my wife with these scratches on her face, do we?" he replied at her query and now she understood why he was behaving so nicely with her. He was afraid of what his family would do to him when they'd see her with these bruises on her face. He was an expert at these things, Ayushi got to know when he was busy doing her make-up with so much concentration and neatness. She sighed sadly at his sudden change of behaviour. Why couldn't he always be like this? Sweet and lovable? Why did he always have to turn into a beast? She questioned in her mind and looked at him through the mirror. Yesterday night was still fresh in her mind. She couldn't believe that it was the same man who was doing her make-up now was the same man who had slapped her so brutally yesterday? "Done," he smiled at her through the mirror showing his dimples to her. He was satisfied with the work that he had done on her face, hiding all her scratches behind those concealers and blush. "Now, take this veil and hide your face as if you're the new bride," he put her veil on her forehead and it reached till her chin. Of course, there was a motive behind all these. "Let's go," he held her hand and joined their family who was waiting for other members to come into their living room. "Why did you put a veil till your chin, beta? No need for that," Pratibha was going to uplift her veil when Dhruv stopped her. "Ma, I don't want my beautiful wife to be seen by some outsiders, so let it be," he came up with the silliest reason and everyone chuckled at that, thinking that he was just being possessive about his wife. "Still beta, this summer it'll be so much uncomfortable for her, let me unveil her," Pratibha was correct at her place and in the end, she lifted her veil and smiled after seeing her beautiful daughter. "My princess is the most beautiful girl in this world, so don't make her uncomfortable in something like a long veil beta," Pratibha spoke proudly, adjusting the veil on Ayushi's head properly. "Wow, Bhabhi, you're looking like a pure Rajasthani in this dress," Payal whistled when she saw Ayushi and Ayushi just smiled back at her. After everyone had assembled in the living room, they all left for the ancestral temple of the Rajput clan. Ayushi was forcing a smile every time someone in the car teased her. A Yagya was to be performed for the felicitous and prosperous life of this newly-wed couple. **** Finally, the Rajput family was now in their house, in Bhopal, and now with a new family member too. Ayushi was warmly welcomed again with some Hindu rituals as she was entering this house for the first time. Dhruv had some urgent work so he directly went to his office and the other family members were now resting in their respective rooms as they all were feeling so tired and sleepy. Payal was with Ayushi in her room, snoring softly but sleep was far away from Ayushi's eyes. She was, again and again, thinking about Dhruv and his sudden change in behaviour. Why was he like that? Yesterday night, he was so rude and brutal to her but today after waking up from her unconscious state, what she found was a completely different Dhruv. 'What are you Dhruv? Sometimes you hurt me like I'm the worst person alive and now today you were treating me like I'm someone whom you adore so much. Was it just a way to make me shut for saying anything to your family for what happened yesterday? I'm not understanding your motive Dhruv, please tell me what do you want. I am afraid of what would be your next step, I'm afraid of your brutality Dhruv. I'm afraid of your anger, I'm afraid of you,' Ayushi wiped her tears off which were again falling freely from her beautiful eyes. There, on the other hand, Dhruv had called his investigator to find out about every detail of his wife. He wanted to know every detail about her, every small detail. "And this has to be very confidential, not even my family should come to know about it, remember that otherwise, you know me well," Dhruv had warned that man who just nodded his head sincerely. Later at night, when everyone had assembled for dinner, Dadi noticed that Ayushi's eyes were swollen and red. She didn't say anything as she let them all settle first on their respective chairs. "Beta, are you missing your family?" she asked Ayushi with concern and now everyone's attention was on Ayushi who was just busy staring at her food. She wanted to avoid every eye. She nodded her head slightly but Dadi knew that something was wrong with her. She sighed and ate her food silently, deciding to ask Ayushi later about it. "Offo Bhabhi, don't you worry. Tomorrow is Sunday so we all can go to some amusement park or something, that way we'd enjoy a lot and don't you dare to forget that you've got an ice-cream treat still pending," Payal nudged Ayushi's shoulder with hers and everyone smiled that how easily Payal make everyone smile and laugh. Ayushi smiled back at her and nodded her head cheerfully, her miseries long forgotten. And there arrived the tired and exhausted Dhruv. He saw how everyone was busy teasing each other and laughing, in between some broad smiles too. He had never seen his family this much happy, this much cheerful and smiling on their dining table. He left a sense of satisfaction and contentment filing inside his heart seeing his family this much gleeful and content. His eyes found his wife who was busy laughing her heart out at some of the jokes cracked by Payal. He unknowingly smiled looking at her, his tiredness and fatigue all gone. **** "Hello, all good beta?" a heavy voice asked someone on a phone call. "Yes, papa all fine," a girly voice replied. "And what about our plan?" he asked with seriousness in his voice. "It's going well too," she replied happily. "Good. Just destroy him, Chandani. I want to see the end of Dhiraj and his business. I want to see him begging on roads," Chandani's father seethed out in anger, his every nerve just wanted revenge. Revenge against Dhiraj for what he did years back with him. "Yes, Papa I'll destroy them all, just a little more time," Chandani spoke in a determined tone and after sharing some more messages she ended the call. "I'll destroy you all, it's my promise to you Dhruv," she seethed out in anger & revenge was prevalent in her eyes as well as her tone. **~.~** Please don't forget to leave your comment and voting is your birthright!