𝟗: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝

"teri baahon mein mili aisi raahat mujhe."

Wearing my wine colour suit with matching dupatta and leggings, I slid my feet into my simple platform heels before applying a soft tint of pink on my lips.

Opening my hair, I gave myself one last look in the mirror before grabbing my purse and walking out of the bedroom.

I descended the stairs, getting welcomed by Anandi Malhotra, who was looking at me with a smile.

"You're looking so pretty, beta," she complimented me before applying some kohl behind my ear.

"Thank you, mom," I replied with a smile, instinctively looking around to spot Nirwan ji.

He left the room in rage, and even I don't want to see his face again.

But he is my husband now, and I don't know what the family members will think if they notice us ignoring each other's presence.

"Are you going somewhere?" Anandi Malhotra's voice snapped me back out of my thoughts, while I nodded.

"Hum Shiv mandir jaa rahe hain, bohot din se gaye nahi the isliye. Aap bhi chalengi?" I asked, while she shook her head with a sad smile.

[I'm going to the Shiv temple, it's been many days since I didn't go. Will you come too?]

"I'm not free yet, and I haven't even showered till now. You go, I'll accompany you some other day," she said with a smile, while I nodded and excused her to go out.

The Shiv temple is not so far from here, so maybe I can easily walk and go there?

I informed the servants before leaving, in case Nirwan ji ever tries to look for me.

But I know he won't. He thinks I'm a curse on him. So he would probably not mind even if I die.

The guards offered to drop me there, but I refused and instead chose to go on my own because the temple was within walking distance.

The weather was soft and light in the morning, so there wasn't much of a problem with walking easily.

Many locals in the way greeted me respectfully, while I did the same.

No matter if I'm married to the leader or if I belong to a political party's family, I'm least bothered with popularity but simplicity.

Simple life is better than the popular one, at least it's not as hectic.

I neared the Shiv temple, while a smile instinctively formed on my lips. I took off my heels outside the temple before climbing up the stairs.

Ringing the temple bell, I walked towards the shivling. I joined my palms and closed my eyes before starting to recite my prayers to Mahadev in my mind.

Hey Mahadev, please soften Nirwan ji's heart a little. Do anything it takes for him to accept me, but please do it as soon as possible. I'll make sure I'll aid all the wounds his heart contains, even if I won't be able to take the place of his first wife.

I opened my eyes and went to the priest to take the prasad from him. Taking it in my right hand, I ate it before turning around to head towards the small garden on the back side of the temple to relax for a while.

There was a fountain and a small bench placed at the side of the garden for the devotees to sit and relax. There was already a man sitting on the bench, so I decided to just walk around.

I was deeply engrossed in adoring the beautiful shrubs and trees, that I neared the man sitting on the bench without realising.

My eyes landed on his face and that was the particular moment when I felt the ground under my feet move; my eyes widened and my mouth falling open at his sight.

Aryan bhaiya.

How can he be here when he was in prison?

I took two steps back while he stood up, smirking at me. I thought to turn around and run, but by the time I could, I was surrounded by two more men from the back.

"Tujhe kya laga, mujhe jail bhej kar aaram se rahegi?" Aryan bhaiya's voice made me look up at him, fear rushing through my veins.

[You thought you'll live peacefully after sending me to prison?]

"Bhaiya, aisa nahi hai jaisa aap-" I was cut off when I felt his palm landing on my cheek in the form of a tight slap, making a tear roll down my cheek.

[Bhaiya, it's not like what-]

I'm stuck.

And I can't fight with him alone because there are three men in total including him.

All the devotees are inside the temple, in the front area. People barely come here on the back side early in the morning.

Hey Mahadev, please save me.

Please.

I looked up at him, my body trembling. He laughed like a maniac, before glaring at me again.

"Teri shaadi ki raat usne tujhe bacha liya, kal bhi usne tujhe bacha liya, lekin aaj kya kar paayega woh?" he asked, while the other two men standing behind me laughed.

[He saved you on the night of your wedding, he saved you yesterday too, but what will he do today?]

Who is he talking about?

Nirwan ji?

But when did he save me last night?

"Bhaiya, please listen to me. What you did was wrong and it was meant for you to be sent to prison!" I spat, trying to gather some courage and confidence.

His eyes darkened, while he chuckled, "You're not a lawyer yet, dear sister. And don't forget who you are to me."

He reached out to his pocket and pulled some unknown thing out. I stared at it, trying to process what he was doing.

And when it became clearer to me, I felt both the men behind me holding me by my wrists.

A blade.

Aryan bhaiya took steps closer to me while I shouted, trying to free myself from the grips of the men holding me, but none of them was of use.

"Shout as much as you can, because not even your Mahadev can hear your screams now," Aryan bhaiya said with a manic laugh, before bringing the blade closer to my throat.

"Main apne baap tak ko na bakhshu, tu toh phir bhi meri sauteli behen hai!"

[I would not even spare my own father, you're just my step sister!]

My eyes widened at his words, my heart pounding even faster in my chest.

What does he mean I'm his stepsister?

I gulped, before hitting both the men with my elbows on their stomach, causing them to free their grip on me.

Aryan bhaiya was about to swipe the blade on my skin, but I found no other way to stop him other than holding the blade with both my hands.

The blade pierced through the skin of my hands, causing deep cuts on my palms, which started to bleed in a matter of a few seconds.

Tears were welling up in my eyes, but I had no time left.

I have to run. No matter how weak I'm feeling, I have to run anyway.

I pushed him, and started running towards the front of the temple, my vision blurred due to the constant tears.

I found a tall figure standing nearest to where I was going. I couldn't shout, nor could I utter a single word, so I caught that person's arm with my hands.

That man turned around, and I felt shock and relief washing over me at the same time when I saw Nirwan ji's face.

He held both my shoulders and muttered something, but I couldn't hear what he said properly.

"A-Aryan bhaiya," I muttered slowly, trying to explain to him, while he continued to look at me confusingly.

I tried to say something further, but felt dizzy all of a sudden, my vision slowly blacking out.

"She's alright, Mr Malhotra. She probably fainted due to a sudden panic attack. Talking about the wounds on her palms, they will heal eventually by aiding," the doctor said, before standing up and moving out of the room.

I stood numbly, staring down at Aakriti's sleeping figure.

My heartbeats haven't switched back to normal since I saw her in that state in the temple, when she fainted in my arms.

I couldn't even find out who did this to her, because I was alone. I didn't bring my guards with me to search for the culprit, neither did I try to investigate further because of her condition.

I won't let myself fail this time. I am given a responsibility, and I'm best at fulfilling all of that I get.

Once she wakes up, I'll ask her who did this to her. That bastard deserves hell for sure.

Or Aryan Arora to be exact.

I know it's him, I just want to listen to Aakriti say it once that my assumption is not wrong.

Because I never take action unless someone complains. I never do anything on someone's behalf without their consent.

My thoughts were interrupted when mom walked inside the room, looking between me and Aakriti.

"How is she, Nirw? Who did this with her? And why didn't her family come to see her?" she asked all the questions in one go, making me sigh.

"I didn't inform her family, they don't deserve to be called a family," I replied, while she frowned.

"What?"

"Aryan Arora did this to her. I'm sure this is him," I considered, crossing my arms over my chest.

"He might be involved, how can he do this while being in jail?"

"He escaped. Not even escaped, he was bailed from the jail by the police. This can't be some coincidence, it all happened with her right after Aryan Arora left jail," I replied, while mom's eyes instinctively widened.

"But why would he do that to her? She is his sister!" mom exclaimed, while I chuckled looking down at Aakriti.

"Aakriti is not Aryan's sister. It's just an illusion to the world and even her."

"What?" mom asked confusingly, while I looked at her, shaking my head.

"Don't worry, she'll be alright," I consoled her, while she nodded and left the room.

I settled down on the couch, gazing at the unconscious figure of Aakriti. She'll be awake anytime, and she'll only tell me the way her own brother tried to kill her.

Her step brother, if I speak to the point.

I don't know how I will explain it all to her, if she would be able to digest my words or not. But she needs to know.

She needs to know the games her family has been playing with.

My thoughts were interrupted with her soft whines. I instinctively stood up, later regretting my actions.

Her eyes snapped open while she looked at me innocently, silently asking me what was going on.

I walked towards her, standing beside the bed, "What happened to you?"

She slowly sat up straight, "W-water..."

I nodded and filled the glass with water from the jug placed on the nightstand, before offering it to her.

She glanced at the glass and then back at her hands, "H-hum kaise piyenge? Humare haathon mein toh chot lagi hai."

[H-how will I drink it? My hands are bruised.]

I looked down at the glass in my hand, my heartbeat skipping for a second. My mind raced for the moment, before I spoke out without any second thought, "You can drink it, I'll make you."

She looked down and nodded slowly, while I took the glass to her lips, helping her to drink the water.

She gulped down the water, while I placed the glass back, looking at her to give the answer to my question. "Aryan bhaiya is out of jail now, Nirwan ji," she said.

I nodded, "I know. I asked you what happened to you?"

She looked down, tears welling up in her eyes, "He was there at the temple. H-he tried to...kill me."

I sighed, looking down at her hands, "And how did you get hurt this badly?"

"He was pointing a blade at me. I tried to stop him by holding the blade in my hands," she said, her voice cracking slightly at the end.

She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, "I don't know what I did to deserve this life. First I sacrificed everything for this marriage, and now my own brother-"

"Not your own brother," I cut her off, while she looked up at me with a mix of shock and sadness.

"W-what?" she asked, her lips trembling slightly.

"He is your step brother. Not only him, your sister is your step sister too. Your mom was the second wife of your father," I replied, while her eyes widened, thick tears escaping her eyes this time.

"Stop speaking rubbish, Nirwan ji! None of what you said is true!" she exclaimed, her voice a little louder from earlier.

"I'm not lying. And you're not so immature too to understand why your own brother would want you to die," I said, before turning around and walking out of the room.

☆

"S-sir, I swear I don't know anything," the constable begged in fear, joining his palms in front of me.

"How the fuck you don't know anything when you were the one guiding his cell!" I roared in anger, while he flinched slightly.

"Sir, just one last chance. I'll try to search for him and-"

"Ek galti. Sirf ek galti se aapki yeh naukri jaa sakti hai, Mr Patel. Aap sarkaar ke liye kaam karte hain. Aur aap jaise constables se hum dusri baar ummeed nahi rakhte," I said, while he shook his head multiple times.

[One mistake. You can loose your job by only one single mistake, Mr Patel. You work for the government. And we don't keep second time hopes with constables like you.]

"Sir, aap ek mauka dijiye. Hum log Aryan Arora ko wapas pakad lenge," he proposed, making me chuckle.

[Sir, just give us one chance. We will catch Aryan Arora again.]

"Itne mahaan hote toh use bhaagne hi nahi dete. Rascals," I replied, before walking out of the police station.

[If you were so brave, you wouldn't have let him run in the first place. Rascals.]

This constable couldn't even keep an eye on that bastard. He is defending himself, even after I saw the CCTV footage of the time when he was doing his night shift by sleeping on the chair, the time when Aryan Arora escaped.

And when the other police officers caught him, he threw loads of cash on their face and they let him go.

The guts these assholes have to argue with me is insane.

But that's not my concern right now. My concern is Aryan Arora.

I don't know where he is. I didn't even see him or any other of his guards or men.

But no matter where he is, he won't be able to breathe in peace now.

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Lots of love,

Ayra