chapter 20

Maan, unable to watch her suffer, decided to confront the situation head-on. He confessed everything to his parents, who, to his relief, were understanding and supportive. They knew their son had made a mistake, but they believed in protecting life and standing by their family. The next morning, Maan and his parents went to Suhas’s house, hoping to seek his understanding and support.But Suhas’s reaction was nothing short of devastating. The shock that coursed through him was visceral. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The daughter he had cherished, who had always made him so proud, had committed what he saw as an unforgivable sin. Yes, Maan was a good boy, from a respectable family, but they were from a different caste. Suhas’s pride, his sense of honor, couldn’t allow him to accept this.The rage and humiliation that burned in Suhas's chest were overwhelming. His world, built on the foundation of tradition and societal norms, was crumbling around him. He felt betrayed—not just by Shrii, but by the very world he had trusted. The thought of his daughter, his pure, innocent daughter, carrying the child of a man from another caste was too much to bear. His vision blurred with tears of anger and disbelief.Without even hearing Shrii’s side, he made a decision that would change all their lives forever. Blinded by his pride and the fear of societal judgment, he and his wife secretly gave Shrii a dangerous medication to terminate the pregnancy, ignoring the risks and the doctor’s warnings.That night, they slept with a false sense of relief, convinced they had done the right thing. They believed they had saved their daughter from ruin, from a life of shame and dishonor. But their actions had set in motion a tragedy they could never have imagined.The next morning, Suhas went to work as usual, while his wife busied herself around the house. Hours passed, and it wasn’t until late morning that she realized she hadn’t seen Shrii all day. At first, she thought Shrii just needed time alone, but as the hours ticked by, a gnawing worry began to take hold.Maan, too, was growing anxious. He had tried calling Shrii several times, but there was no answer. His heart raced with fear as he rode his bike to her house. When he arrived, he called out her name, but the silence was deafening. Panic gripped him as he begged her mother to let him see Shrii. Reluctantly, she agreed, sensing his desperation.Together, they called out to Shrii, their voices growing more frantic with each unanswered cry. Finally, they forced open the door to her room, only to be met with a sight that would haunt them forever. Shrii lay unconscious, her body soaked in blood, a lifeless shell of the vibrant girl she once was.