𝟏𝟐: 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝?

"Yeh hai gumraahon ka raasta..."

The sun rays illuminating from the window pierced through my closed eyes, while I slowly opened them, scanning the room.

I looked at my side, there was no line of pillows beside me like always. And the sheets on the other side seemed to be untouched.

The moments of last night flashed into my brain, activating the sensations in my stomach.

I stood up from the bed and walked towards the bathroom, finding it empty.

Looks like he left early in the morning as usual.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my cheeks turning pink immediately at the sight of my body.

There was a big red mark on my neck. I touched it and still felt a little stinging pain on it. That was the spot he bit me last night.

It would embarrass the shit out of me if anyone else saw this mark, if Nirwan ji himself saw it.

I just hope he doesn't come back drunk again tonight. He never came back drunk since the night of my muh dikhai, but I'm afraid he'll do it everyday now.

☆

Taking a regular shower, I fit into an olive green kurti, before applying my usual soft makeup on my face. 

I had breakfast, a breakfast full of usual taunts from Nirwan ji's bua.

I don't know what problem that old fat crap has with me.

I had applied loads of foundation on my neck before going downstairs to hide that mark, and thankfully, I succeeded.

But I don't really know how long do love bites last for.

I sighed, applying some foundation to the mark again, trying my best to hide it.

Thank God it's not so visible, it's barely visible when I cover my collarbone area with my dupatta.

I walked towards the wardrobe and took out Aakriti Sharma's journal again. This was the only time when I could read her entries.

I sat on the couch before locking the door, opening the next entry from where I left.

_____

July 27, 2018

I talked to Nirwan today. I tried to explain to him what happened at the party, but he didn't seem to bother.

I hope he doesn't think I'm cheating on him.

He instead said he's not mad at me and left the room, but I know he is. He would never yell at me like he does to everyone in this world, but he is annoyed as hell.

And I can't do anything. Neither I could tell him the truth.

Aakriti.

_____

July 31, 2018

I tried to sleep with Nirwan last night, but he seemed uninterested.

Every time I used to lie down beside him, he always made the night a memorable one. But now he barely spares a glance at me while I lie down beside him wearing almost nothing.

Am I such a bad wife?

Did I fail to protect my marriage?

I won't forgive that asshole for breaking apart my family if Nirwan ever leaves me.

Aakriti.

_____

August 5, 2018

He asked me to meet him today, and I did. I went into the mansion, it was really hard to walk inside the mansion hiding from the media and locals.

It's a shame for me to walk inside this mansion, in all terms.

I had sneaked up into his room, because he asked me to meet him there. What made me frown was when I saw a woman exiting his room with a flustered expression when I walked in.

I didn't question it, because that wasn't my concern and I wanted to seek this out today, and end this bullshit here.

But I was wrong. He was a demon. He would never change himself.

He slapped me at first when I asked him why he created a scene at my party, and then...he did every ounce of misbehavior with me and my body.

He crossed all the limits of being a demon.

I wish Nirwan was there to save me.

I wish...

_____

August 12, 2018

I told everyone I had an accident while I was returning back home from the temple. Everyone seemed to believe at some point, but not Nirwan.

He has been silent ever since my birthday, but he was always soft when dealing with my wounds and my mental breakdown.

Only if he knew what caused it.

The visible wounds — on my legs, hands, face, and shoulders are all healed.

But the wounds on my lower back, lower front, pelvic area, thighs...

Nobody knows they exist.

That too, in a condition worse than the visible ones.

I'm breaking apart.

He won't let me live now.

He will probably kill me if I expose his reality.

Aakriti.

_____

August 21, 2018

I didn't get time to write any entries. My condition didn't let me.

The elections are starting next week. Nirwan will be busy. He had still been ignorant to me, and now, I probably won't see his face regularly during elections.

He is only twenty five, barely involved in elections, but he is the backbone to his dad now. Papa ji doesn't fight elections without him.

And talking about mummy ji, I don't know, why she isn't talking to me either. She had been smiling silently, it seems as if she is forcing herself to not talk to me.

Everything is so heartbreaking...

_____

August 24, 2018

I received a threatening message from him. I didn't respond and blocked the number, knowing really well he would come up with a new one and threaten me again.

He's asking me to meet him again, but I won't. I'm not a scared little kid who would go and meet him out of fear, only to get beaten again.

And worse than beating.

Let him do whatever he can. He wouldn't barge inside my room and kill me. He doesn't have the guts to walk in here.

And even if he does, Nirwan won't leave him alive.

I tried to reach out to his father and inform him about his behaviour, but that is practically not possible because I'm Nirwan's wife.

The position makes a lot of difference.

I tried to contact his elder sister, Sakshi, but she didn't respond to my text either.

I don't know what to do. I can't even complain about this to the police.

Nothing will make a change.

It will all come to the reputation of the Malhotras.

One wrong move, and the entire family will hate me.

_____

I felt a weird feeling while I read the whole entry. I was so deeply lost that all I noticed was the pain behind her words. I was so engrossed in reading continuously that I didn't notice the details.

She didn't mention the name of the person torturing her, but his elder sister's name.

Sakshi.

And that triggered me.

She mentioned his father, his elder sister named Sakshi, and she also said she can't even report him to the police.

And if she was the wife of such a strong politician, this man was also meant to be someone rather powerful.

She also wrote that she saw a woman exiting that man's room when she went to meet him.

This all sounds so much like Aryan bhaiya.

Aryan bhaiya's elder sister, Sakshi di.

My heart stopped beating in my chest, while my eyes widened after my thought process came to an end.

It could be Aryan bhaiya, right? 

She couldn't even complain to the police, maybe because he was a leader as well? 

Fuck.

I immediately started searching for my phone, which was lying on the table. Grabbing it, I dialled to Surbhi with trembling hands and a racing mind.

Pick up, pick up, pick up.

"Aakii, you literally-"

"Shut up and listen!" I cut her off, her sleepy voice evident of her waking up just now by my call.

It was already fucking afternoon.

"What is it?" Her tone shifted to an alarming one, while I took a deep breath and started narrating her everything.

I told her how I found Aakriti Sharma's journal and what all I learnt from her entries.

Obviously I didn't tell her about last night.

Even though we were on a call, I just know her eyes were wide open due to shock right now.

"You mean this could be..."

"Aryan bhaiya," I completed the sentence for her, while she muttered a small 'fuck' under her breathe.

"But I still need to clarify if there are any further hints by reading the whole journal," I said, while she fell unresponsive for a few seconds.

"Aakii...I don't know if I'm assuming right or not, but is that the reason why jiju knew the truth of your family?" she said, making my heart beat faster.

There's something so fucking wrong with my heart. I hope I don't experience a heart attack by all the shocks I'm getting.

I had told Surbhi the truth of my family Nirwan ji told me, and she only let the topic slide saying maybe he got to know it from somewhere.

But I didn't let that one slide easily.

"Maybe," I replied, nodding my head to myself when it all made sense.

"I mean, maybe jiju understood who could have been behind this loss of Aakriti Sharma by reading her journal, and he must have looked into the Aroras, and got to know about their secrets as well," Surbhi added on to the information, while the picture in my mind cleared little by little.

The pieces of the puzzle are fitting right with each other. There are ninety nine percent chances Aryan bhaiya is practically involved in Aakriti Sharma's murder.

And only one percent that he isn't.

And if he's not the one, it's someone else rather powerful like him.

But it's not at all Nirwan ji. She only mentioned Nirwan ji as her protector in the journal. She not for once wrote a single word against him.

But why didn't Nirwan ji keep this journal as proof to defend himself when he was accused as the murderer?

"Aakii, just finish the journal and let me know what you know," Surbhi's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll keep you updated."

I hung up the call, diverting my attention back to the journal. There are not many entries left.

The last entry is on October 3, 2018, the day when Aakriti Sharma was found dead.

She literally wrote that entry not knowing it was going to be her last.

I gulped, flipping the pages to move on to the next one.

_____

August 30, 2018

I went to meet him. I didn't want to. But his messages were only increasing.

And he told me this was going to be the last time, then he'd just stop minding me.

I didn't believe him at first, but he called me at night and cried over the call telling me he'd REALLY forget me after this.

I went to his room again, and it all happened once more.

But he didn't leave anything wounded on the outside for the world to see. All the wounds were at places no one will ever be able to see except Nirwan.

But even he doesn't come so close to me these days to be able to see my body...

I'm so broken. Not mentally only but physically as well now.

My body feels numb almost all the time. I feel weak even when I walk on my own feet.

Will I ever be okay again?

_____

September 6, 2018

I am afraid.

I am shaking.

I just realised I missed my periods this month. I have also been feeling dizzy a lot these days, and I always throw up after eating anything.

I thought it was all because of stress, but missing menstruation is out of the box.

It can be possible because of bad health.

And there could be a possibility too that I am...pregnant?

I will try to get a test, I don't know how, but I will try to know.

Aakriti.

_____

September 20, 2018

I went to the medical store and got a pregnancy test kit. I told everyone I was going to the temple, but I actually lied.

I didn't have any security, and I made sure to cover my face with a scarf like local women so that nobody judges my appearance.

And it was...positive.

I last had it with Nirwan two months ago. And I had proper periods in the past two months.

I know who got me pregnant, and it makes me feel so disgusted to even think that I'm carrying a part of that monster.

I want to get rid of this.

Aakriti.

_____

September 29, 2018

I fucked up really badly.

I made sure to hide the pregnancy test kit, but I don't know how mummy ji saw it while I was in the shower.

She hugged me with joy. She thought it was Nirwan's baby. 

I don't know what to do now. I hope she doesn't tell Nirwan.

_____

October 1, 2018

Mummy ji told Nirwan.

And the only question he asked me was...why I cheated on him.

I didn't.

I fucking didn't.

I wish he could know the truth.

I tried to explain it to him, but he didn't listen.

I'll do one thing, I'll just tell him the truth now. It's enough of suffering now.

I'll tell him it's that fucker behind this and all the pain will come to an end.

_____

October 2, 2018

Our party won the elections. And Nirwan was really busy today. So I couldn't tell him.

I'll tell him tomorrow.

_____

I licked my dry lips, flipping the page to the last entry. I don't know what's written in this one, and I know it will only be heartbreaking.

Really heartbreaking.

_____

October 3, 2018

Nirwan wasn't coming home at all. It was evening when I called him while crying. I apologized on the call and told him that I wanted to talk to him and tell him the truth.

I think he softened listening to my cries, maybe he is too wanting to know what has been going wrong with me for three months.

He said he will come home before ten and talk to me.

I will tell him everything.

He will punish that bastard and we will live a normal and happy life again.

God heals everything with time.

Aakriti.

_____

Tears welled up in my eyes while I finished reading the journal.

There were no entries on any of the pages afterwards. I checked all the untouched pages too, in case she had scribbled something anywhere which can be a hint.

But there was nothing.

It is more likely that she was murdered after she wrote this entry.

She was murdered before ten, before Nirwan ji must have returned home.

Only if he softened his heart and listened to her, and only if Aakriti Sharma had decided to tell him the truth earlier.

She would have been alive.

Scrollstack has gone crazy 😭

I'll make sure to create my second book here soon.

And PLEASE LIKE AND COMMENT, it would mean a lot

Lots of love,

Ayra Roy <3