"No no no, I shouldn't have done this. I shouldn't." Ananya continued patting her head vigorously.
"I shouldn't."
The trance she was drowned in has broken finally by none other than the person who really cares for her.
The guilt stroking in her was not letting her stop cursing herself.
But more than that she was concerned today, for him. His intense raged eyes were enough to eat up her relief.
"I'm sorry. I know I have committed a sin. But no more. It's the end. Yeah."
The car halted in front of the farmhouse. She glanced towards the house for a while and came out. It was still raining but in drizzling motion.
She felt something is trying to glue her to her position. It was her inner conflict to enter this house today.
But she has to take this step. She has to clear everything.
With slow steps, she entered. The security guard didn't stop her. Maybe because last time Arjun let her enter.
The door was wide open. But it was dark inside.
"Arjun" her voice echoed in the room. She somehow managed to switch on the light. But still, he was nowhere to be seen.
Fear sliced down to her mind. She started searching for him. A scattered room came to her notice. She entered to face a large picture of a beautiful woman hanging over the wall. But it was not needed to mention the identification of the woman whose face cutting quite resembled Arjun. But the condition of the room was opposite the picture.
"Arjun" she called out the name.
She came out on the balcony. While gazing her eyes got stuck to the garden bench. The drizzling rain was still kissing him all over while he sipped the wine.
She came out running.
"Arjun, what are you doing here?" She snatched the bottle from his hand.
"Go away I don't wanna talk to you." He scowled turning to the other side.
"I'm sorry." She holds his face to make him face her.
"Go inside, I want to talk to you."
Ananya's cold soft touch almost stopped the moment for both of them. His intense black orbs concentrated with a lot of emotions consumed all her strength to resist. His dark gaze roamed her soaked face down her bright neck with desire and admiration. Raindrops slid down her bright cheeks dripping slowly from her budding leafy chin.
They automatically drifted so close to each other that their breath got mixed. Arjun's eyes got stuck on her trembling wet lips. An invisible power pulled him to claim them right there. His hormones already started their work. But the next moment Ananya got back to her sense and stood up turning but to be pulled back by a strong grip on his lap. She gasped acknowledging her position.
She tried to get up but Arjun's strong embrace was making it hard. She closed her eyes to avoid the situation.
"Anu," his sensual husky voice send shivers down her spine. His toxic eyes were fixed on her. It was getting difficult for her to keep her heart calm out of their proximity.
"Don't you love me?"
She opened her eyes to face his demanding stare.
"Why it feels like it's just me always. There is nothing from you. It's not just about today. Even after your yes deep down I...I always feel rejected. Answer me why I feel like this?"
His words sounded like an angry child.
Ananya felt her words get stuck in her throat. Only tears kept oozing out from her eyes silently.
"Answer me" Arjun burst out at the top of his voice making her flinch out of his lap.
"Arjun..."
"What magic Rahul has sprinkled on you. Tell me, na? What's the secret that even your job became less important to you? Oh, how would you know? It's his magic. So obviously he knows the tactics. I think I should ask him. Then I can also try that on you so that I can tug you with me."
His every word kept on breaking the pillar she has built up in her mind all these years.
For the first time, she was standing there with serious accusations on her head. An accusation that she has committed undoubtedly. She felt helpless. Her pride in being a good girl was breaking already.
Arjun lost his balance out of dizziness from drinking. His steps stuttered. Ananya quickly holds him from kissing the earth.
"Arjun please don't do this to you. Please sit here calmly. You have drunk enough. Please come inside. You will catch a cold." She patted them behind his back.
"No, I won't." He jerked off her hand.
Finding no way Ananya made her way towards the security room.
"Kaka can you please help me to take Arjun inside the house." He looked up concerned.
"Why? Is he ok?"
"No, he isn't. Please come with me." By the time the rain already stopped.
"Arey Arjun baba?" His panicked voice came out seeing his condition.
Both of them took him inside his bedroom.
"Oh, God! What has he done with his room." He asked while looking at Ananya.
"Have you two fought?"
Ananya lowered her head in embarrassment.
Arjun bends up on his bed with a sad smile shooting both of them.
"Arjun beta please lay down."
"By the way Kaka, I just realized why I love her so much. Do you know why?"
Ananya and Kaka exchanged gazes in confusion.
"She...she is just like your Anuradha Singhania oops Sharma. Both are experts in hurting their partners. Even their names have similarities. Both of them are Anu- Anu, see."
He giggled like he just discovered the most amazing thing.
"Oh, again my mistake why I am saying partner? She never considered Dad as her partner. And you know it's our family tradition to fall in one-sided love. Always. Trust me I always promised myself to not fall but see here I am." His eyes scanned her facial expression. Tears rolled down his eyes. The next moment he passed.
Arjun's every word filled the atmosphere with a bitter blow.
"Arjun beta please take a rest."
"Kaka Arjun's dress is wet. Can you change it?"
"You can help him."
"Please if you.. and I don't think he will like it."
"I don't think he will mind it."
"I can't handle him alone. You know he's quite heavy."
He thought a little.
"Ok. Let's do it together."
Both of them somehow managed to change his dress with their utmost effort of not looking directly.
They both came out of his room. Arjun's every word was still struggling in her mind.
Once they came to the hall Ananya opened her mouth.
"Why he compared me with her mom?"
Her words stopped him.
"It's nothing. He was drunk. Don't take it seriously."
"He never speaks uselessly. If anything comes out of his mouth, there must be a reason. I think we both know it."
"Why do you wanna know? What will you do? You have already hurt him enough."
Once again her head bent down in guilt.
" I know what I have done is unforgiving. No excuses can mend it. But still..."
She gazed at him with hope. But when she got no answer she turned to go.
"Ok, I'm leaving. Please take care of him."
"Wait" she looked back.
"I know Anuradha even before she got married to his father, D K Singhania. I used to work at Anuradha's house. She was like a little sister to me." Then he paused a little. Ananya could feel his aged eyes were having some overwhelming emotions.
"But their marriage was not like what it should be."
"Anuradha loved someone else. But her high-status maintained family was not ready to accept that middle-class boy. One day Anu got to know that the person he loved has ran away after getting money."
He paused a little while taking some long breaths.
"Devastated Anu got married to the person her father chose for her, that means Arjun's father. Things were actually not working after the marriage but Anu was trying but she never told him about her past. One day she got to know that she was pregnant and as a result, our Arjun came. Anu was happy. But the truth couldn't be hidden for long. She got to know everything, why her lover ran away."
He paused a little.
"He didn't. It was a trap for him. Anu's father threatened to kill his family and even tried to harm them. Finding no way he decided to give up. But this broke her when she got to know that her husband was aware of it. Anu was so short-tempered. She and her father argued. And our Arjun witnessed their conversation. She left the house in rage that night that disastrous night which ruined everything. That accident..." He couldn't complete it. His words were tugged back by the long-lasting sorrow.
It was enough for Ananya to know the rest of the story.
"This is her house. She bought this house seeing its location. It was designed by her, and decorated by her. Each corner of the house holds her mark. Arjun believes that his mother never really loved his dad. But both father and son love her so much till date."
Ananya's eyes roamed over the beautiful inside portion of the house. Each portion echoed peace, simple yet elegant with a homely atmosphere. Indeed this place can calm anyone.
"I should go now."
"Please don't hurt him. You will never get a gem like him." The old man assured one last time.
Nodding at him she came out of the house with rapid steps. Her mind was overflowed. Not just because of the past but the mistake, no it's a crime.
I have done a crime. I have done a crime.
She, again and again, muttered them in her mind.
"How I am going to repair this damage? He loved me so much and what I did. I...I betrayed him. Not for once I considered him."
*****
"Anu, Anu open the door. Oh God, you again sleeping in the bathroom."
Neha hit the door lightly and it opened. She stepped in and what she saw inside it blew her mind.
Ananya was sitting in the corner, still in her soaked dress tattooing her body. A glass bottle lay broken. Blood was oozing out from her hand, sliding down slowly through her fingers. Her eyes were still directed toward the opposite wall.
"Anu" Neha cried out. She approached her.
"What's this? What are you doing?"
Without wasting any time more Ananya hugged her.
"I betrayed him, Neha I betrayed him." She managed to say in between her sobbing. Neha tried to face her breaking the hug. But she holds her in a tight embrace.
"Anu I will listen to everything but please change your dress. You will catch up cold and your hand. How the hell this happened."
Her eyes fall on the scattered piece of glass.
"Oh, shit man! Get up." She started pulling her upwards.
"I deserve this." She muttered with her teary red eyes.
Neha brought up a medical kit. She started treating her hand. It surprises her every time that how this girl manages to not make a sound while applying ointment to her cut.
"Is it paining?"
"Not more than the pain he may feel after getting to know about my deception."
Her words made Neha look back at her face.
"Have you fought with Arjun? Has he said anything?"
Ananya nodded her head in affirmation.
"What? Wait, has he misbehaved with you?"
"How can he! It's me, the real culprit. The whole time I was busy satisfying my ego. But his pure heart was covering it all."
"I am getting none of your words."
She said in confusion while her hand was busy bandaging Anu's cut.
"That 'yes' was not what it you all think. It was just to take revenge."
Neha felt a jolt in her heart at the unexpected revelation.
"Revenge? For what? You wanted to take revenge on him! Anu!"
"No, not from him. That day something happened before he proposed to me which turned me mad."
"And what it is?"
Flashback ( Ananya's p.o.v.)
Neha, where are you? This place is not at all making me feel comfortable. I think I should check.
I stood up when I felt someone's voice behind me.
"You?"
"I wonder don't you have any shame that even after knowing that I shall be here you have shown up your face."
Anger was boiling up in me. But still, I kept my lips glued.
"Ok, no problem. I can surely ignore you with such ease. But I just want to say one thing to you." Hatred was driving out from her gritted teeth.
I folded my hand upon my chest.
"That woman was nothing but a two rupees guest in my parent's life. She was so venomous that she never minded before snatching someone else's love. She forcefully married my dad."
I think that girl was fully proven blind otherwise anyone can see the darkness hoovering in my eyes.
"But no worries. After all one day, the mask will fall automatically and the real face will come out. She finally betrayed my dad and left. She might rot in hell for what she did to my family. I think your confusion got cleared. Though it really doesn't matter what people like you whose hobby is to gossip and rumors about rich people. And we care nothing. But as I often have to see your face it's good to get things cleared so that from the next your mouth remains shut. Have a good day."
Inwardly I was shivering at those cursed words for my Mom, a woman who sacrificed every damn thing in her life. How? How could you Mr. Dibakar Arora say such lies about my mother just to hold back your good impression in front of your dear daughter? I imprecate myself for not slapping that useless girl. I was so moved that it was getting hard for me to find a place where I can let out all my agitation.
And then you took me to the garden where I found the biggest way to slap her, to break her pride, her love. I snatched her one of my biggest strengths. My mind was delivering nothing but venom. And one more faked story started and a pure heart started suffering without any reason.
Flashback ends.
"Anu she and you..."
"Are halfsisters."