chapter 36

Once Jiva approved the contract marriage, preparations began in earnest, not just for the wedding but also for her court case. Gargi, mindful of Jiva’s fragile state and ensuring she wasn’t exploited, carefully drafted a contract that would protect both Jiva and Abhir, ensuring fairness and balance.After Jiva was discharged from the hospital a week later, she temporarily moved into Gargi’s apartment while awaiting her court hearing. Meanwhile, Abhir informed his parents that he had found a suitable girl to marry. In their desperation to restore the family’s reputation, his parents agreed without even asking who the girl was and immediately started planning a grand wedding.On the day of the court hearing, Jiva, accompanied by Gargi, arrived at court, while Abhir and Manish were there to support her. Gargi meticulously presented the evidence of the abuse Jiva had endured—photographs of her injuries, medical reports, and statements from witnesses, including neighbors and the doctor who treated her. Jiva herself testified, recounting the years of torment she had suffered. The judge, after hearing the evidence, ruled in her favor and delivered a severe sentence to her uncle, aunt, and their children, ensuring they were held accountable for their crimes.With justice served, attention turned to the wedding. Abhir’s parents wanted a lavish event to silence the gossip and repair the family’s public image. But knowing how uncomfortable it would make Jiva, Abhir proposed an alternative—he suggested a simple court marriage, with the option for his parents to host a welcome party afterward to save face. Reluctantly, they agreed, and within a few days, Abhir and Jiva were married in a quiet ceremony.After Jiva and Abhir’s quiet court marriage, the next significant event was the welcome party that Abhir’s parents insisted on hosting. Despite the simple ceremony, they saw this gathering as a chance to rebuild the family’s image, inviting business associates, family friends, and reporters to the event.The night of the party arrived, and Abhir could sense Jiva’s nervousness. She had been thrust into a world she didn’t know, and the idea of being surrounded by people who might scrutinize her unsettled her deeply. Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted the simple yet elegant saree Gargi had helped her choose.“You don’t have to be afraid,” Abhir said softly as they stood outside the grand ballroom, where the hum of voices could already be heard. He turned to her, his eyes filled with reassurance. “I’ll be right beside you the entire time. We’ll get through this together.”Jiva nodded, her heart pounding in her chest, but his calm demeanor gave her some strength. They stepped into the room, and almost instantly, all eyes were on them. Whispers rippled through the crowd, speculation running wild about who this mysterious new wife was. But Abhir stayed true to his word, keeping her close, his hand lightly resting on the small of her back as they moved through the room.Whenever someone approached, Abhir introduced her confidently, never leaving her side for even a moment. It was clear to everyone that he was protective of her, and his presence provided her with a sense of security in an otherwise overwhelming situation. His parents, though visibly disappointed by the modest wedding, kept their focus on ensuring that the event served its purpose—deflecting rumors and saving face.As the evening wore on, Jiva began to relax, her anxiety easing as she realized no one could harm her here. Abhir’s protective presence made her feel safe, something she hadn’t felt in years. By the end of the night, though exhausted, she felt a sense of accomplishment. She had survived the evening, and for the first time, she had stood in a room full of people without feeling like prey. Following the marriage, Jiva moved into Abhir’s house, a spacious but lonely home where Abhir lived alone. The arrangement was straightforward: they would live under the same roof but in separate rooms, maintaining the façade of a married couple for appearances. It was a temporary solution until Abhir’s family pressure eased and they could figure out their next steps.Life after the marriage settled into a routine, though it was far from ordinary. Jiva and Abhir lived together but still maintained their separate lives, as outlined in their contract. Abhir had his work and the ongoing issues with his family, while Jiva, slowly recovering from her trauma, began focusing on herself for the first time in years.To her the house, though large and quiet, started to feel more like a home. Abhir, though distant emotionally, ensured that Jiva was comfortable. She began taking long walks in the garden, exploring the house’s library, and slowly started rebuilding her sense of self-worth. Every now and then, Abhir would check in, offering small gestures of care—leaving a cup of tea for her in the mornings, or making sure she had a good meal after a long day.At first, their home was filled with silence and tension. Jiva, still haunted by her trauma, kept to herself, while Abhir remained preoccupied with his own struggles—his broken engagement with Meera and the strained relationship with his family. They rarely spoke, each retreating into their own worlds, but there was an unspoken understanding between them. Both were trying to navigate through a life that had been unkind to them.As the days passed, Jiva began to feel a sense of security in Abhir’s home. It wasn’t just the physical protection of the house—it was the quiet, almost invisible care that Abhir extended to her. Though he remained distant, he made sure she had everything she needed, from food to comfort, without pressing her with questions.Though they lived apart in their shared home, there was a growing bond between them, one built on mutual respect and understanding. Abhir, still grappling with his own feelings of loss over Meera and the strained relationship with his parents, found solace in the quiet moments he shared with Jiva. He admired her strength, her resilience after all she had been through, and he respected her boundaries.For Jiva, living in Abhir’s home provided a sanctuary from the pain of her past. The walls of the house felt safe, and though she and Abhir were not yet close in the way most married couples were, there was a deepening sense of companionship. It wasn’t love, but it was something stable, something solid she could hold on to. And in her world, that was enough for now.As the weeks turned into months, the atmosphere between them began to shift. They started sharing more meals together, talking late into the evenings about trivial things—work, life, even their dreams. These moments, though small, began to chip away at the walls they had built around themselves.Jiva, for the first time in years, started to smile more freely, her laughter becoming more frequent. And Abhir, who had once been burdened by the weight of his own problems, found himself caring more deeply about her well-being. They were two people healing in their own ways, finding unexpected comfort in each other’s company.One evening, as they sat in the living room, the tension between them finally broke. Jiva, staring out the window at the distant city lights, asked the question that had been weighing on her heart since she was first brought to the hospital.“Why did you offer me this?” she asked, her voice low but steady. “You could have just let me go after helping me.”Abhir, caught off guard by the suddenness of the question, put down the paperwork he was working on. He hesitated, his brow furrowing as he searched for the right words. “Because I know what it’s like to feel trapped,” he said softly. “To feel like there’s no way out. I didn’t want to leave you to fend for yourself.”Jiva looked at him, her heart softening at his unexpected vulnerability. For the first time, she saw through the cool, reserved exterior he wore. Abhir had his own pain, his own sense of being trapped in a life that no longer made sense.The conversation was brief, but it was a turning point. Without realizing it, their lives began to slowly intertwine. Small moments—shared silences, casual conversations over dinner, a slight smile here and there—began to build a connection neither of them had anticipated. It wasn’t love, not yet. But it was something fragile and new, a kind of mutual understanding born out of shared hardship.And for both Jiva and Abhir, it was the first glimpse of hope they had felt in a long time. The marriage, though born out of necessity, was slowly becoming something neither of them had anticipated. It wasn’t just about solving their problems anymore. It was about helping each other heal. And while love hadn’t yet bloomed between them, there was hope—a fragile, delicate hope—that maybe, just maybe, it could.