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A moment.
It just takes a moment to change the whole game, to destroy the dream, to ruin the happiness of the family and to hate someone.
Aryan Chauhan surely took advantage of that moment and flipped the table, bringing victory and his woman to himself.
Pakhi was seated in a car for a long time now. She recognised the new people as soon as they arrived at his mansion. The sun has started rising.
Feeling of betrayal rushed down her spine seeing Shruti, Ekta and Rajdeep. She only came to the conclusion that these three had come to her house with a purpose, which their son fulfilled.
Aryan was earning scoldings from his parents while resting his back on the car. She could hear muffled voices- she was not even interested.
How is her brother? What happened to the Baraat? Why did he marry her? Who are Chauhan's in reality?
She felt no energy to move and do something. She just needed her brother right at this moment.
She hates her forced husband to the core of her heart.
" Save the rest of the scolding for some other day and let me take Pakhi inside."
Rajdeep scoffed and looked away from his face. Shruti pushed her brother aside and opened Pakhi's side of the door.
Her expression fell when she saw Pakhi looking away from her face angrily.
" Move," Aryan said and Shruti stepped aside.
Pakhi gripped her lehenga in a fist when she heard his voice which instantly scared her.
" Come out," he forward his hand at her.
She gulped and felt tears again gathering in her eyes although she promised herself not to cry before him anymore.
She wiped her tears and got out of the car without taking his help. Aryan clicked his tongue and folded his hands behind his back.
He raised his eyebrows as he saw Pakhi avoiding Shruti's help but walking forward to the entrance of the house.
" I told you," she glared at her brother.
Pakhi did not care to greet his parents or anyone and just stood at the doorstep. Crossing the threshold will not be easy for her.
She'll be trapped in this unknown man's world whom she has not even met before. She saw Ekta, his mother coming with aarti ki thali.
Why can't they just let her enter simply? She can run away but he has warned not to do such things otherwise this time, her family will be shot to death.
She felt him standing beside her-
" Pakhi?"
And, the voice she was restlessly waiting to hear finally entered her ear.
" Bhai!"
Her voice came back and she turned around. Aryan smirked, realising it was a time for some silly play.
Jaydev ran towards them and grabbed his sister's hand before pulling her beside himself
" Princess?"
He cupped her cheeks and searched for any injury on her but found none except the bandage on wrist.
" Bhai-"
Her eyes filled up and she grabbed his hands which were on her cheeks. He stared at the vermillion on her head then at the bandage around her left wrist.
His eyes darkened and he looked at Aryan.
" Bastard-"
Pakhi gasped as she saw her brother grabbing the collar of Aryan who had an irritating smile on lips and hands locked behind his back.
" You were not satisfied with my girlfriend that you came to ruin my sister's life as well?"
Pakhi widened her eyes and found out that Aryan is the ex best friend of her brother who betrayed him.
Aryan calmly removed his grip from his collar and chuckled.
" I told you that Pakhi is only mine. You or anyone else can never separate me from her."
Jaydev gritted his teeth and declared, " I don't accept this marriage!"
Aryan shrugged his shoulders, " you don't have to. I don't even care about your decision."
Jaydev scoffed, " Were you so scared of me that you chose to keep me busy to fulfil your freaking intention, you piece of shit."
" Think whatever helps you sleep at night," Aryan replied carelessly and walked toward his newly wedded wife.
Jaydev grabbed Pakhi's hand and pulled her behind himself.
" Neither my sister nor I accept this marriage. Fuck with your shits! I am taking my sister back home."
Aryan laughed lightly.
" You are still the same. Aggressive fool. Remember the night, I was standing under rain, waiting for you to open the door and none of your family and you opened it for me. Today,"
He grabbed free hand of Pakhi and continued,
" Doors of my house will be forever closed for you. You used her against me however you could but not anymore. Now, you beg and I will watch you quietly."
Pakhi felt her brother grabbing her wrist tightly, but not much to hurt her.
" You deserved that."
Aryan shook his head, " why don't we let your sister decide?"
He tilted his head to look at Pakhi who felt a strong shiver running down her spine.
" Do you want to go back, princess?"
" Shut your freaking mouth! Don't you dare call my sister that."
Aryan smirked and this time addressed Pakhi just to irritate Jaydev, " please say something, princess."
She gulped and recalled the threatening conversation they had in the car.
I have all records of your brother's illegal activities and you can check my history. I never lose a case. Nevertheless, if he manage to remove those proofs I will charge more false cases on him. In just few days, your brother will lose his uniform. If you decide to go back with your brother, I won't hesitate to expose him in court. He'll be in Jail for many cases and the additional cases I will put will be cherry on top.
He left no way for her.
Her silence confused Jaydev and he turned to her.
" Say something, Baby."
She looked down apologetically and whispered, " I am sorry, Bhai."
She put her head on his chest and added, " I can't go with you."
Jaydev frowned, " Pakhi? No love, don't be afraid of him. Trust your brother."
She shook her head and broke the hug and uttered in a forced, vulnerable tone.
" I have to live here now."
He shook his head and palmed her cheek, leaving her hand.
" You don't have to, my dear. Why are you afraid of him? I am here, no?"
She nodded and mumbled while crying, " but I have no choice."
Jaydev's grip on her cheek loosened and he dropped his hand down. Aryan pulled her to himself and mocked Jaydev.
" Drive safe, saale Saab."
Jaydev clenched his jaw and took out his gun. He loaded it and pointed at Aryan whose family widened their eyes.
" I should have killed you before."
Aryan shook his head dramatically at him, " you are still full of anger, Jay and always forget to think straight. Okay, kill me and watch your sister become a widow. You will accept her but society won't, me dear friend. Sometimes use your freaking brain."
Pakhi was left dumbfounded. How cruel and insensitive a person can be? Aryan is the perfect example for that.
She saw her brother moving the gun down. His fingers were shivering as he was finding it hard to digest that he failed to protect his sister from his enemy.
He blamed himself for ruining his sister's law.
Pakhi was taken inside by Aryan. Both the brother and sister stared at each other with tears in their eyes.
She was inside the house while he was standing outside. Tears streamed down from Jaydev's eyes and he blinked, apologising to her.
She shook her head at him, telling him not to blame himself and reassured him. Aryan stood like a wall between them and closed the door slowly.
Jaydev looked down to his hands and felt his eyes filling up. He ruined his sister's life with his own hand.
He turned blind for revenge and did not think of any consequence. How could he forget the cruelty of Aryan?
How will his sister manage there? How will he treat her? What if he treats her badly? What if she doesn't eat food and cries the whole night? Her head will ache.
As the realisation hit him, he stepped forward to knock on the door but refrained himself.
He gulped down the lump in his throat and heard faded sounds of her anklets. Means, she was taken to a room.
He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and left from there.
Pakhi was taken to the guest-room tonight. She dropped on the bed, on her stomach and dipped her face against the pillow.
Aryan, standing outside her room, heard her cries silently.
His family watched him from far as he sat there with his back leaning against the closed door.
He placed his palm on the door and sighed softly. He wants to hide her in his embrace and let her complain by placing her head on his shoulder.
She can hit him, curse him and he won't utter a single word but he wants her close to himself.
Her cries only became louder and she cried for almost 1 hour continuously before he stopped hearing any sound.
He stopped up and opened the door with a key. His eyes landed on her sleeping on the bed on her stomach.
He took slow and steady steps to her and sat on the vacant place beside her. Her cheeks are stained with tears.
He raised his hand and gently wiped the fresh tears from her cheeks. She did not move by his touch. She must be exhausted.
He slid her hair behind and started undoing her bun which might hurt her once she woke up. He loosened the necklace then turned her on her back and carefully removed her necklace along with rest of the jewelleries.
He put everything on the nightstand then exhaled softly. He caught the sight of her banded wrist.
He remembered wrapping it around her wrist in a car. Her bangles were broken due to his tight grip.
He never imagined making her his wife like this. He wanted everything special for her and himself. He dreamt so many things which crashed down and were now replaced by hatred.
He left a gentle peck on her wrist and covered her with a duvet. He pulled the curtains closed off the window, not wanting the sun to disturb her.
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Pakhi's eyes slowly opened which she again closed for a while then fully opened them. She stretched her arms and sat up. She fixed her messy hair then groaned while palming the back of her head,
" Ahh, my head. Bhai!!"
She whined and looked around her bedroom. It did not take her much second to come back into reality which hit her in the most painful manner.
She looked down to her hands decorated with Henna. Don't know what must have happened to Rohan and his family? Did he kill them?
She can expect this from him.
She sighed and got down from bed then went to the bathroom to freshen up.
She touched her cheeks, standing before the mirror and stared at her reflection. Her eyes are puffy and dry stains on tears are still on her cheeks.
Her jewellery is removed and hair is open free. She wondered who must have done this? Probably, Shruti or her mother.
She sighed and washed her face.
When she came back, she heard the door opening sound. There stood Shruti with a plate filled with food.
She stared blankly at her for a few seconds then looked away when Shruti tried smiling at her to end the awkwardness between them.
" Uhm, you must be hungry."
Shruti came forward and put the plate on the bed. Pakhi frowned, not appreciating the politeness from her.
" I am not," she tried sounding cold but failed terribly and rather spoke emotionally.
Shruti came towards her, " I know whatever happened was wrong-"
" Wrong?"
Pakhi interrupted her then chuckled sarcastically.
" It was not just wrong. Your brother married me forcefully. Now I believe you came to my house for this purpose only. I thought you were good but..but you and your family ruined everything."
Pakhi licked her lower lip and felt her eyes filling up again.
" My family was held at gunpoint. I.. don't know what happened to Rohan and his family and I don't even know what was my fault in all this."
Shruti felt her heart pricking seeing her in distress. She is just a 23 years old whose only fault was being Jaydev's sister and Aryan's obsession.
" I.."
Shruti tried grabbing her hands but Pakhi stepped back.
" You are not good either. I..I don't want to see anyone."
Pakhi turned her gaze away from Shruti in a displeasing way.
" Okay okay, I'll leave. You can at least have food. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday."
Pakhi shook her head.
" I don't want to. I will rather die out of starvation-"
" Leave."
She was cut off in the middle by a rude voice which was more than enough to scare her to the core. Her heart beat accelerated and she did not dare to move an inch from her place.
Shruti looked at her brother and found him gesturing to her to leave the room.
" But Bhai-"
She stopped herself from speaking further, seeing his intense gaze on her. She glanced at Pakhi with pity in eyes then unwillingly got out of the room.
Pakhi shuddered hearing the sounds of the door closed. She could have tolerated Shruti, even could have eaten food but this man? An atmosphere of fear creates where he's present and she feels a lot of fear within herself.
She saw his reflection in the mirror of the dressing table and found him pulling a chair near bed then sitting on it in his signature pose- one foot resting on the knee of another.
" Come here," he spoke, completely aware of her gaze on him through the mirror.
Pakhi did not react anyhow, showed herself strong but was equally terrified from inside.
" Come here, Pakhi."
Oh, her name sounded intimidating from his mouth. She would never like him to utter her name again.
Aryan rubbed his temple with the pad of his finger.
" You won't like it if I force you, right? Then come right now and eat your food."
She clenched her jaw and tears of anger gathered in her eyes which she hurriedly wiped then started walking toward the bed in slow and steady steps.
She had not much strength left due to hunger. His eyes followed her every movement attentively.
She sat on the bed and lifted her foot up on it. She folded her legs and stared at the food silently. She doesn't feel like eating. How can she fill her stomach and kill her hunger when her brother must be hungry right now as well.
" Your family will feed your brother. Don't worry and have your food."
His voice and comfort sounded forced. She hates him.
Only if he was on the plate in the place of food-
" I didn't know you like human flesh."
She gasped internally and turned her eyes widened realising she was not really talking to herself.
She was rather loud. Embarrassed by the current moment, she chewed the inside of her cheek while Aryan smiled a little, finding her adorable.
" Eat your food," he said with a calm tone.
Image of her brother flashed in her mind. Perhaps at this time he would be trying to hide his grief by drinking and would have kept himself locked in a room. He would be in a lot of trouble, distressed, then how will she be able to eat?
She shook her head, " no. I won't."
Aryan furrowed, staring at her going down the bed. She looked at the unlocked door and decided to leave the suffocating room but as she walked past him, he grasped her banded wrist.
" Ah!"
He gripped a few inches above her bandage when she hissed in pain. In a swift motion, he pulled her before him and made her sit on the bed in front of him.
" You liked my way better? It's alright. I don't have any problem feeding you."
Her breathing fastened as she found him the same as he was in the marriage hall. Vicious. Controlling. heartless.
She shook her head continuously, " please.."
" I don't want to eat. I am not hungry."
She spoke quickly and tried making him understand. Aryan clenched his jaw, not knowing how to calm her, although he knew she wouldn't. She is stubborn and afterall the sister of Jaydev Chaudhary.
" Do you want to talk to your brother?"
She stopped fighting and blinked with her wet eyelashes. Her expression showed she did not expect him to say something like this.
She did not reply but he was sure it was a yes. He clicked his tongue and took out his mobile from pocket.
He will call him after 5 years even though he decided not to contact him ever again. However, it was a clear lie. He kept missing his friend for so many years. His number was still in his mobile, this was the proof to prove his truthfulness.
He licked his lower lip and tapped on the saved number.
Jay.
He waited and waited until the ringing stopped. Look of disappointment flashed in Pakhi's eyes. He called him once again and this time, he picked up the call in just a few rings.
" Yeah, bastard?"
Spoke, Jaydev in his rude and hatred filled voice. The way he addressed him, depicted that he also had his number saved.
Aryan handed the phone to Pakhi who put it against her right ear.
" Bhai?"
She spoke in her sweet and loving voice for her brother.
" Pakhi?"
Jaydev replied back quickly.
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Here is the update.
Hope you liked it.
Read chapter 4 to 7 in scrollstack.