Hi everyone! How are you all? I hope you're doing great.
So, without further delay, let's dive into today's episode of the story.
Isha's hands were trembling. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling relentlessly onto the report in her lap, soaking its edges. But it seemed like Isha had lost all sense of her surroundings. Vaishnavi, who was half-asleep, lifted her head slightly and looked at Isha. In a drowsy voice, she said, "Are you going to read that report all night? Come to bed, Isha. I'm sleepy, and we have work to do in the morning. Hurry up!"
Isha quickly wiped her tears, placed the report aside, and took a deep breath. She then lay down next to Vaishnavi. The moment she did, Vaishnavi threw her leg over Isha and snuggled up to her before drifting back to sleep. But sleep was nowhere near Isha. She lay there, staring at the ceiling, her mind a chaotic mess of thoughts impossible to decipher.
In a barely audible whisper, she muttered, "Why?" As she spoke, another tear slipped from her eye, tracing its way down her cheek before disappearing into the pillow.
On the other side, at the Goenka Mansion:
Due to the alcohol, Shlok had passed out, lying face down on the bed. It seemed like he had completely forgotten about Ibadat.
Meanwhile, Ibadat lay curled up on the cold balcony floor. The chilly wind pierced through her frail body, making her shiver uncontrollably. Her face had turned pale, and she no longer had the strength to get up. With her trembling lips and weak voice, she looked toward the door and whispered faintly, "It's so cold… Bhaiya… Mama… it's so cold."
Her voice was barely audible. She could hardly speak. Summoning every ounce of strength left in her, she tried to stand. Her legs wobbled as she stumbled toward the door. With her tiny, fragile hand, she knocked on it lightly. But the door was locked from the inside. It didn't open.
Seeing this, tears poured down her cheeks, streaming like an endless river. She was so drained that even crying felt like a burden. She sank to the floor, her back against the door. Slowly, she curled up again, her eyes closing as she whispered one last time, "It's cold…"
Moments later, her fragile body stilled. Her breathing ceased as she lay lifeless on the cold, unforgiving floor.
The Next Morning:
At 7 a.m., the rays of the sun streaming through the window woke Shlok. He stretched and sat up, feeling a sharp pain throbbing in his head. Pressing his temples with both hands for a while, the events of the previous night suddenly flashed before his eyes. The memories filled his gaze with bitterness and hatred. Without glancing around the room, he got up and headed straight to the bathroom.
A while later, Shlok emerged, freshly showered, and walked to the closet. He put on his business suit, adjusted his tie, and stepped out of the room. At that moment, he had only one destination in mind—Isha. He was done delaying things. His negligence had already caused enough damage, and now he was determined to set things right.
It seemed as though Ibadat didn't even exist in his world.
When Shlok reached the living room, he found Sangeeta Ji, Adhiraj Ji, Arjun Ji, and Vishambhar Ji seated there. Sangeeta Ji tried to stop him, but Shlok didn't even spare her a glance. He ignored everyone completely and walked out without a word.
Watching him leave like that, Sangeeta Ji spoke in a worried tone, "I can't even imagine how Shlok must have treated those innocent children last night." Her face reflected her deep concern.
Vishambhar Ji, his gaze fixed on Shlok's retreating figure, said angrily, "He's become unbelievably disrespectful. It's like he's forgotten what manners even are. He doesn't feel the slightest shame behaving this way in front of his elders."
Hearing this, Sangeeta Ji sighed and replied in a low voice, "Papa Ji, you forced him into this marriage. In my opinion, this behavior of his is normal under the circumstances." Saying this, she stood up and made her way toward Shlok's room to check on Ibadat.
Hearing Sangeeta Ji's words, Vishambhar Ji glared at her in anger but chose to remain silent.
Meanwhile, Shlok stormed out of the mansion, his footsteps echoing with urgency. He instructed the driver to step out of the car and slid into the driver's seat himself. As he drove toward the orphanage, he closed his eyes briefly and muttered in a barely audible voice, "I can't wait anymore, Isha." His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his determination evident.
Back in the mansion, Sangeeta Ji went upstairs to check on Ibadat and Shlok's room. She knocked on the door two or three times, calling out softly, but there was no response. Growing concerned, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The sight before her sent a chill down her spine.
The bed was in complete disarray, petals from the scattered flowers lay crushed on the floor, and the room was a mess with broken items scattered everywhere. But there was no sign of Ibadat.
Her voice trembled as she called out, "Ibadat, my child, where are you?" She scanned the entire room, her gaze darting around in desperation, but Ibadat was nowhere to be found.
A dreadful thought crossed her mind—what if Shlok, in his anger, had thrown Ibadat out of the room last night? Anxiety clawed at her as she searched the room once more, but still, there was no trace of her.
Panicking, Sangeeta Ji rushed out of the room. Standing on the second floor, she shouted loudly, "Arjun, Ibadat isn't upstairs! Come quickly, I'm scared!"
Hearing her distress, Arjun Ji, Adhiraj Ji, and Vishambhar Ji hurried upstairs. In no time, the entire family began searching the mansion for Ibadat. But no matter where they looked, no one could find any clue about her whereabouts.
Tears streamed down Sangeeta Ji's face as she struggled to hold herself together. Shlok's aunt, Siya Ji, tried to console her, patting her shoulder gently. In a trembling voice, Sangeeta Ji murmured, "I don't know what fate has in store for that poor child. How can someone so innocent have such a cruel destiny? We promised her mother that we'd protect her like a delicate flower. I can't even imagine where she might be right now."
As she spoke, her eyes wandered toward the balcony door. Something caught her attention—broken bangles scattered on the floor. Wiping her tears quickly, she moved toward the door with hurried steps.
Bending down, she picked up the pieces of the bangles, only to notice blood smeared across them. Her heart sank. Panic took hold of her as her hands began to tremble.
Without wasting another second, Sangeeta Ji unlocked the balcony door and swung it open. The moment her eyes fell on the scene before her, a blood-curdling scream escaped her lips.
Aashiyana Orphanage
The orphanage housed children ranging from toddlers to 18-year-olds. At the moment, all the kids were playing in the garden area. The orphanage had a vast space to ensure the children could enjoy themselves freely. On the other side of the orphanage, there were separate rooms for the staff members.
In one of those rooms, Vaishnavi was glaring at Isha with frustration. She crossed her arms and asked, "What's going on? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Isha glanced at her and replied, "I told you, nothing happened. I just need to rest. Go, have fun with the kids, cook something for them. Let me sleep."
Vaishnavi, clearly unconvinced, grabbed Isha's hand and cupped her face gently. "Isha, we've been together since childhood. You're my family, and I'm yours. So, stop lying to me. Tell me what's wrong. Your mood has been off since last night. You were pacing around like a maniac, and ever since you woke up, you've been acting strange. What happened? This morning, you were crying while looking at your phone. What did you see?"
As she spoke, Vaishnavi attempted to snatch the phone from Isha's hand. Isha tried to move it away, but eventually, the phone ended up in Vaishnavi's grasp.
Without wasting a second, Vaishnavi opened WhatsApp and saw the messages and photos sent from an unknown number. Her eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed, "Mr. Khadoos got married? How could he do this? Did he not think about you even once? Is this the reason you're so upset?"
Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and tears.
Isha looked at her with tear-filled eyes but remained silent.
Vaishnavi knelt in front of Isha, cupping her tear-streaked face in her hands. Her voice was heavy with emotion as she said, "Isha, look at me. Didn't I tell you? These rich people don't know how to love. But you didn't believe me. The man you loved so madly didn't even think about you once. Why would he? We're orphans, after all. There's no place for love in our destiny."
Hearing this, Isha wiped her tears and forced a smile onto her face. "Who told you that I loved him? I didn't love him. It was just… attraction."
Saying this, she turned her face away, avoiding Vaishnavi's piercing gaze.
Vaishnavi let out a sarcastic laugh and replied, "Oh, really? Then what about those midnight poetry sessions? The times you would sit under the moon, talking to it about Mr. Khadoos? Was that all just attraction too? Do you think I'm a fool? I've known you since we were kids. Look at me."
As she spoke, Vaishnavi gently turned Isha's face toward her. Isha's face was still soaked with tears. Their eyes met in a silent exchange of pain and understanding, but before either of them could say anything, a sweet voice interrupted them.
"Isha Didi! Isha Didi! Handsome Uncle is here to see you!"
Startled, Isha immediately looked up. At the door stood a cute little girl, no older than six or seven, her wide, curious eyes fixed on Isha.
Before Isha or Vaishnavi could respond, a deep, dominating voice echoed through the room.
"Isha!"
It was Shlok.
The moment Shlok's voice echoed through the room, Isha's heartbeat quickened. She slowly looked up and saw him standing before her. His face was intimidating, his red, furious eyes blazing with intensity.
In the two years she had known him, this was the first time Isha had seen him like this. Trying to compose herself, she turned to the little girl by the door and said gently, "Pari, sweetheart, go outside and play. Didi needs to talk to Uncle."
Once Pari was out of the room, Isha took a deep breath and forced a smile, looking directly at Shlok. "Mr. Goenka, you're here? Is there something you need?" she asked, her tone steady despite the turmoil within her.
Hearing her address him as "Mr. Goenka," Shlok's anger flared even more. He grabbed her arm, pulling her closer, and said in a low but firm voice, "I need to tell you something, Isha—something I've never said before. But first, there's something you need to know."
His sudden proximity made Isha's heartbeat thunder in her chest. Her breathing grew shallow, and she instinctively glanced at Vaishnavi, who looked ready to intervene. But a subtle shake of Isha's head silenced her.
Shlok cupped Isha's face in his hands, his voice breaking with emotion as he spoke. "Isha, you were right. I feel for you. I love you. I've always loved you. I was never confused, but the circumstances kept holding me back. I can't stay silent anymore. I love you deeply, Isha, and I want to marry you. Only you."
He paused, taking a deep breath, his grip on her face firm but tender. "But before that, I need to tell you something important. Yesterday, I was forced to marry my brother's fiancée because he ran away from the wedding. It wasn't my choice, and I don't want to be with her. She doesn't want to be with me either."
His voice was filled with a mix of regret and urgency as he stared into her eyes, waiting for her reaction.
Shlok took a deep breath and continued, "Please, try to understand me. I can't stay here any longer. We'll leave this place—go somewhere far away. Somewhere it's just you and me."
Hearing this, Isha pushed Shlok away with all her strength, glaring at him as she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Who told you that I want to marry you?"
Shlok stared at her, stunned. Isha turned her face away, tears streaming down her cheeks. Vaishnavi stood frozen, unable to process what she had just heard.
Trying to control his anger, Shlok grabbed Isha's arm and growled, "What nonsense are you spouting, Isha? You've been following me around for two years, and now you're telling me you don't want to marry me? What kind of game is this?"
Isha let out a bitter chuckle and replied, "This isn't a game, Mr. Goenka. You're just not my type. You're rude, arrogant, and someone who looks down on the less fortunate. Why would I want to spend my life with a man like you?"
Her voice grew colder as she continued, "And besides, I don't love you. It was just my whim—to make you fall in love with me. And now that you're in love with me, my whim is fulfilled. So you go your way, and I'll go mine."
Shlok's rage boiled over at her words. His eyes burned with fury as he clenched his fists. Vaishnavi stood rooted in place, shocked and disbelieving at Isha's words.
Grinding his teeth, Shlok hissed, "It seems like you have no fear of death. If one more lie comes out of your mouth, I swear, I'll end your life right here."
Isha took a deep breath and said, "Look, if you don't want to believe me, that's your problem. But the truth is, I don't love you. So please, leave. And stop making a spectacle of this."
As soon as Shlok heard this, his rage exploded. He grabbed Isha's hair, yanking her face upwards, and with a voice full of fury, he spat, "What did you say? You don't love me? You, Isha?"
Isha closed her eyes, her voice laced with pain as she said, "Let go of my hair. Your forceful actions won't change the truth. The truth is, I can't love you. In fact, no one could ever love you. Let go of me!"
Shlok's eyes darkened, his anger now palpable. He released her hair and pushed her violently. Isha fell hard to the ground, her hair splayed around her. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her hand, where a slight scratch had appeared.
Shlok shouted furiously, "I'll kill you!" As he said this, he grabbed her hair once again. His fury had completely consumed him.
Vaishnavi, terrified, was frozen in place, unable to say a word. Shlok glared at Isha, his words cold and menacing. "Remember this, you mocked Shlok Goenka's feelings. I won't let you go. I'll make your life a living hell!"
Isha said in a voice filled with hatred, "I hate you!" Shlok looked at her with equal hatred in his eyes and stormed out of the room.
As soon as he left, Vaishnavi rushed over to Isha, grabbing her shoulders and shouting, "What nonsense were you saying?"
At Vaishnavi's question, Isha looked at her with empty eyes and softly said, "I did what was necessary." She then hugged Vaishnavi tightly and began crying loudly.
Vaishnavi stood there, staring at Isha in disbelief. She couldn't make sense of what was happening, everything felt so confusing to her.
At the Goenka Mansion:
Hearing Sangita Ji's scream, Siya Ji turned towards her. As soon as she saw, "Sangita Ji!" she too let out a scream.
Their cries echoed, and everyone rushed upstairs. Outside the balcony door, Ibadat lay motionless, her small face turned pale, and she looked as though there was no life left in her.
Sangita Ji quickly composed herself and, crying, tried to lift her. Holding Ibadat's tiny face in her hands, she wept, "Ibadat, child, open your eyes, child, open your eyes!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she spoke.
In that moment, Arjun Ji, panicked, said, "Sangita, she needs to be taken to the hospital!" He quickly bent down, lifted Ibadat into his arms, and rushed out of the room with her.
That's all for today! How did you find today's episode? Be sure to leave your comments and share your opinions.