"Chandni!! Beta tum theek ho??" Nani asked anxiously.
Advay had one glance at where Chandni stood, and what was next to her on the wall and understood what happened.
He cursed himself for not hiding his childhood picture from the wall. As his mind rapidly thought of every possible scenario and reaction to deal with this, his heart skipped a beat, observing the changing emotions on Chandni's face.
For the first time, he faced a dilemma...Heart or Mind?
Before he reached a decision, Chandni's anguish filled cry disturbed his thought process.
"Dev!!"
Chandni half stumbled, half ran across to Advay.
"Sambhal ke.. Watch out!!!" Advay shouted as he caught her and for once, Chandni was glad she fell into his arms...
Chandni had all her eyes only for her Dev, but she couldn't neglect the worried look or anxious gasps from Nani.
"Nani, ye to mera Dev Hai!!! I just saw your old photo together!!
Why didn't you tell me Dev??" Chandni grabbed Advay's Kurta, and questioned him agonisingly.
Nani's worried face cleared, and she finally felt relieved.
The sooner the truth was out and the misunderstanding between these two cleared, the better, she thought, as she slowly made her way out of the room, with a confident smile that they wouldn't be missing her presence for a while.
But she decided to keep an ear and eye open, as she didn't trust her grandson fully, considering what happened just few hours ago. She settled herself in a corner chair in the next room, and silently began to pray for her grandchildren's happiness.
Chandni, oblivious to her surroundings, was pounding her Dev with a barrage of questions.
"16 years ...16 years I have been waiting for you to comeback, and you never tried to contact me even once. Why? And even after you came back, you never revealed your identity to me. All this time I pushed you back and hesitated to marry you, because in my heart and mind, I had imagined no one but Dev as my husband.
All you had to do was tell me that you were Dev, and I would have straight away said yes!!! Why did you do this to me? Didn't you realise that without you, your Chandu was nothing? How can I explain to you how much I missed you and how many times I cried myself to sleep?" Advay's eyes welled looking at the agony in Chandni's face, and fearful that he might expose his feelings, he turned away from her.
Chandni was taken back at his reaction, but it didn't deter her love or joy on finding her Dev back. With the closeness and affection that she always had for him,  she hugged him tightly from behind. Advay's breath hitched at Chandni's embrace, and the tears he was holding forcefully till then spilled, as he closed his eyes in agony.
But it still couldn't douse the hatred and anger he harboured against her all these years.
"Dev! I am still mad at you though...Tum..."
Advay knew he had to stop Chandni, before he lost his temper, as he couldn't stand her deceit anymore.
"Badon ko Aap Kehte Hai" Advay warned grimly, as he slowly turned around to face Chandni.
Chandni flinched at his tone but tearfully replied "Par Apnon ko to tum kehte hain!"
Emboldened by her sweetheart's tearful gaze, and the sacred bond that now sealed them as a couple, she slowly reached out to his face and cupped his cheeks, revelling in the feel of his hardened jaw and stubble.
"Whatever happened, it doesn't matter now. We are together and I am yours, just the way you always wanted, just the way I always wished for. I can't tell you how happy I am right now... Mera Dev mujhe wapas mil gaya...."
She closed her eyes in content, and Advay pushed her hands away, anger rising in his guts at what he thought was superb acting.
"STOP IT!!!" He roared in annoyance.
Chandni stumbled, and looked at him in confusion.
"What a Drama? You are talking as if you know nothing about what happened 16 years ago. How long will you keep lying Chandni?" He hissed at her.
"But Dev, I really don't know what you are talking about. Why would I lie to you? First tell me why you kept your identity hidden from me?" Chandni's angry and frustrated face showed that she was determined to know once and for all.
Advay hated her resolve and the confidence with which she was looking at him, as if she was innocent. Whatever little hesitation or doubts he had in his mind about her innocence seemed to evaporate.
If she wanted to play dumb as if she was the innocent party here, it was time to burst the bubble once and for all, and show her the mirror, as to how her lies ruined his whole family.
"BECAUSE YOU RUINED MY LIFE AND MY WHOLE FAMILY DAMNIT!!!" He roared.
"Didn't you lie about my mother being a witch to all the priests in the temple? That she was flying in the air? My family's reputation got ruined that day because of you." Advay didn't even notice that tears were streaming down his face as he recalled every bitter detail.
"But...But Dev I just told them what I saw, I didn't even know what it meant, or how my words would be interpreted. I was just a kid." Chandni pleaded with tearful eyes, as she recalled the events of the day.
"You may have been little Chandni, but your deceit wasn't. Because of your lies, my family became the enemy of the whole city in one single day. And who brought the whole city to the secret place I was hiding? Again YOU!!" Advay choked.
"But Dev, I just came there to meet you. Maa was asking me where you were, and I just said that I know where I could find you. I was missing you all day, because I didn't see you that day, I was anxious to meet you. I didn't know what was going to happen there." Chandni's tearful reply failed to impress him.
Advay stopped rolling his eyes with difficulty.
"Dev, please trust me, I have no Idea what happened. Niru Mama took all three of us sisters to Banaras the same day. And when I returned, I was told that your family has left the city for the good. You can ask Niru Mama, I wrote so many letters for you... every day. But you never replied to any of my letters." Chandni's voice choked up.
"Here we go... ANOTHER LIE. How many more lies are going to say Chandni?" Advay mocked at her.
"I am telling the truth Dev, I really don't know what happened." Chandni repeated earnestly, as she could clearly see that Advay was far from believing even a single word she was uttering.
"As I said before, perhaps you are the only person who actually believes in your own lies, because you have been repeating them for so long!! But I know what is the truth, what happened that day Chandni, and I will NEVER EVER FORGIVE you for that!!" Advay declared with such tenacity that Chandni flinched.
"What are you talking about Dev? Please trust me on this; I am innocent. How can I ever hurt your family or Janki Maa?
She was like a mother for me too. In fact I got more love and affection from her than my own Maa... Please Dev... Trust me" Chandni reached him in two strides, and touched his face again.
Advay didn't realise what triggered him ultimately!
Perhaps the fact that the very person he trusted the most, who ruined his family, was asking him to trust again and claiming innocence, or her skilful acting and the soft touches which were still tempting him to believe her... He wanted to snap out of it and snap her bubble too.
All the anger, pain and hatred he had bottled up all these years, erupted like lava.
He pushed her hands away from his face, and held her arms so hard and tight that she winced.
"You really didn't know what happened? Let me tell you then... IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR PARENTS' CONSPIRACY THAT MY PARENTS ARE NO MORE" Advay said menacingly.
"Wh... What are you talking about Dev?" Chandni didn't even realise how much Dev was hurting her, as her mind went numb listening to him. Dev's parents are dead? And her parents are responsible for that? How could this be?
"Don't you bloody act so innocent Chandni!! You and Your parents were instrumental in ruining my family's reputation that day. Your parents instigated the mob that accused my father of theft with the temple jewellery and killed him. My mother was BURNT TO DEATH as they believed your words of her being a WITCH. I tried to save myself and Miku from the mob, by hiding in the secret place, but you made sure that the mob found me and Miku too. I ran away with Miku in the train, but they chased us there too, and I had to throw Miku from the train into a procession below the bridge, and then jumped into the river.
BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, I LOST MY WHOLE FAMILY IN ONE ...SINGLE... DAY!!!" Advay roared, as he pushed Chandni with such force that she fell on the floor, and blindly strode away from her, as tears rolled along his cheeks.
"DEV!! DEV !!! Please listen to me... I never knew all this, I had no role in this. Please trust me..." Chandni got up with difficulty, but ran after Dev to the door. Advay slammed the door behind him, not caring what happened, as his agony and hatred filled heart blinded him to the surroundings. Chandni collided with the door and collapsed against it.
Murli and Nani came out of their rooms hearing the argument, and the loud banging of the door.
Advay almost ran to his car and started it, but couldn't see the path ahead. He turned the wipers on, only to realise that, he was blinded by his own tears. Wiping his eyes off, he turned the car on to the main road from the driveway; but the anguish and hurt in his heart overwhelmed him so much that he stopped the car immediately. He bent his head down on the steering wheel and let his tears fall freely.
Why can't Chandni admit her mistake and tell the truth for once? Why does he feel that his heart has been ripped off just now, while discussing the events of that day with Chandni?
He wanted to see Chandni confess in repentance, but all he could see was the utter disbelief on her face. He opened the gloves cabinet and grabbed the whisky bottle he kept there, left untouched for so many years. He gulped down several mouthfuls, as it burned his throat and insides, but was no match to the heartburn that Chandni had caused.
Just then, his phone started ringing, but seeing the caller ID as Murli, he ignored it.
He pushed his seat backwards and covered his face in his hands, feeling restless and agonised.
His phone kept ringing in between several intervals, but finally it rang again with different ringtone, and he immediately picked it up, as it was from his Nani.
He tried to control the tremors in his voice and answer the call calmly.
"Haan Nani!"
"You were very keen to see Chandni's destruction right? So I thought I should let you know. Why don't come home and witness it with your own eyes ?" Nani's voice seethed with fury and anguish.
"What happened Nani? What happened to Chandni? Trust me Nani, I was just trying to get her out of her lies and the denial mode, that's all." Advay's voice was filled with panic.
"Haan Advay, everyone should trust you and understand you but you never make any effort to do this to others, especially Chandni." Nani's angry retort disquieted him, especially when he heard her address him as Advay and not Cheeku, which she rarely did, and only when she was extremely angry.
"I am coming right away." Advay opened the car door and ran towards the house instead of reversing the car back, as his mind was numb with worry and panic, as to what must have happened to Chandni, to cause this sudden change in Nani's behaviour. Nothing remained in his mind except concern for Chandni, as he rushed towards the bungalow.
As he entered Nani's room, he found Chandni lying on the bed, while Shilpa was rubbing her feet rigorously. Murli was speaking to someone on the phone while Nani was sitting on the bed next to Chandni, caressing Chandni's forehead gently and calling her name.
"Nani what happened?" Advay sat next to Nani and asked anxiously, suddenly ashamed that his breath must be reeking of alcohol.
"Murli, you tell him." Nani turned her face away from him, but Advay held on to her arm and pulled her back to face him.
"Nani I am extremely sorry. I just couldn't control myself... all this pent-up anger and pain, I just had to vent it out, and I lashed out at Chandni. But I didn't mean to hurt her... All I wanted was to see some repentance from her, to soothe my broken heart. Please don't punish me anymore; I can't see her like this. Tell me what happened." He choked, and Nani finally relented.
"Chandni first collapsed against the door as you slammed it behind you, against her face."
Advay gasped.
"But we slowly laid her down on bed, and brought her back to consciousness, but then she started behaving weirdly." Nani paused, her face shrouded in misery.
"Bhaiyya, I think she had another panic attack, I was just speaking to Shikha and Meghu on the phone, who agreed with me from the symptoms I described to them. I was too scared to speak to the Doctor Bhaiyya, I kept calling you, but never picked up any of my calls." Murli wailed.
"I advised him not to call the Doctor. What a shame it would be for our family, when the newly wed bride had been found unconscious twice in one night." Nani intervened.
"She was not responding to any of us. She's either quiet like this, or wakes up delirious chanting your name DEV DEV!!" Nani couldn't control her tears anymore.
"Nani, I am so sorry to put you through all this. Please don't cry!!" Advay hugged her.
"Cheeku!! Why don't you listen to me, when I tell you to give Chandni one honest chance to prove her innocence? You have made up your mind that she is guilty even without listening to her side of the story. What did she tell you today?"
"The same story Nani... she insists that she knows nothing. She behaved as if she knew nothing about my parents' death. How can I believe her?" Advay sniffled.
"Have you ever, even for once, thought she might be telling the truth Cheeku?" Nani asked him earnestly.
Advay bent his head down, unable to look straight into her eyes.
Just then Chandni voice rasped...Her eyes were closed, but her pupils were moving wildly, and tears were rolling down her cheeks, as she incoherently spoke " Janki Maa ....Bade Baba...Dev Dev..don't leave me Dev!!!"
Advay called out to her anxiously "Chandni...Chandni!!"
Nani slowly moved away from Chandni and with Murli's help, sat on the chair next to bed, to give more room for Advay. Advay's gaze was fixed on Chandni's face.
"Chandni!!" He tried again.
Ms Badbad! Chandu!" He shook her arm gently.
Suddenly Chandni's voice changed as if she recognised Advay's voice.
"Dev, you came back!"
"Dev please don't leave me again. I can't live without you." Chandni was still delirious, but speaking more coherently now.
"Chandu!! I am right here; I am not going anywhere. OK? Please open your eyes." Advay pleaded.
But Chandni fell back into sleep.
For a fleeting moment, a doubt crossed Advay's mind but he dismissed it immediately.
Slowly and reluctantly, he touched her forehead. It was cold. Panic set in his heart.
"Shilpa, go get some hot water and towel ....NOW!!" he barked.
"I have hot water ready Bhaiyya, I will bring it right away." Shilpa shouted, as she ran towards the kitchen.
"Murli you keep rubbing her feet." Murli obliged without a second thought.
Shilpa returned within a minute with hot water and a wet cloth, and Advay rubbed Chandni's face gently with the cloth dipped in warm water. He continued the same treatment to her arms and feet as well, as much as the heavy bridal clothes allowed him. But soon Advay realised that her attire was a hindrance.
"Can we change her clothes... these are all heavy bridal clothes. She needs to be changed into simple pyjamas or even a long T shirt would do." Advay looked at his Nani and Shilpa.
"Chandni Didi's clothes haven't yet come from Haveli. But Bhaiyya, if she needs change of clothes, only you can do this for her. She will give me an earful, if she found out tomorrow that I came anywhere near her." Shilpa replied fearfully.
Nani and Murli chuckled loudly.
"Hmm no...We will do the best we can with these!" Advay admitted, cursing himself for saying his thoughts aloud in front of Nani and the rest.
He began to call her name again and tried to wake her up.
"Chandni!!" After failing to wake her up for several minutes, he called one last time in exasperation "Oy Chandu ki bachchi!!"
Chandni slowly fluttered her eyes open to look at him.
"Dev!! You came back? I am so happy! Please don't leave me now." She grabbed his left hand and tucked it under her cheek, and clung to it as if her life depended on it.
After few moments...
"Dev!! I am so glad." As her eyelids started drooping again, Advay gently caressed her soft hair.
Her face looked peaceful now, and her breathing was even too as she slowly drifted back to sleep.
"Dekha Bhaiyya, the moment you are by her side, Chandni Bhabhi is sleeping peacefully." Murli observed happily.
"Murli, I think our job is done here. Let's go. Cheeku will take care of Chandni. I will sleep in the guest room tonight." Nani slowly got up from the bed.
"But Nani..." Advay protested in a low voice, afraid to disturb Chandni's slumber.
"Cheeku, she is your wife and your primary responsibility. We are glad to help you if needed. But it's almost 1 am now and ..."
"I am sorry Nani, I will take care of Chandni. All of you, please try to sleep, and Nani, Thanks for taking care of Chandni!" Advay was ashamed that his elderly grandmother was forced through all the hardships tonight for his selfish acts.
Nani bent down and kissed Advay on his forehead.
"Paagal, apnon ko thank you aur sorry nahi bolte! I will see you both, tomorrow morning. OK?"
Nani left, followed by Murli and Shilpa.
Advay's left hand was still tucked under Chandni's face, as she enclosed his palm with both her hands.
He slowly fell back on to the bed, confused at the turn of events, and at his own state of mind.
What a mess his life had become? Why can't he, for the life of him, ignore or stay away from Chandni?
Even though he hated her for ruining his life, and held her responsible for the loss of his family, he could never stop caring for her. Why was she always his one weakness that he could never overcome?
He hated himself for feeling so weak as far as Chandni was concerned, and turned his head in exasperation. But as her innocent face came into view, he reluctantly admitted to himself that she was the most beautiful woman he ever laid his eyes on, his Chandu, Chandni.
How he wished if this marriage was real!! She would have been truly his wife, the one who was promised to him all those years ago, and the one he dreamt about even till now!! And this would have been their Suhaag Raat.
Suddenly he felt tired and exhausted. Perhaps what Nani said was true, all this hatred and pain was eating him away, and reducing him to cinders.
He crossed his right arm over his eyes as if he wanted to shield himself. He suddenly thought of his Maa and Baba. How he wished they were here today to bless him and Chandni!!
It was Indrani who was the root cause of all the evils that destroyed his family all those years ago.
Indrani and her greed.
Without realising it, he grunted Indrani's name aloud in anger.
Chandni shivered and whimpered and snuggled close to him, moving her head on to his shoulder now, and laid her left arm across his chest.
Advay subconsciously looped his left arm around her, and stroked her hair with his hand.
Even when he lashed out against Chandni, he didn't feel any relief from his agony. Will he ever be free from this hell? He wondered.
He slowly moved his right arm down from his face, and entwined his fingers around the soft hand that lay across his chest now.
As he continued to stroke Chandni's hair, he slowly began to realise that he was beginning to feel much calmer and peaceful, for some unknown reason.
"Dev!" Chandni moaned again, and without realising what he was doing, he kissed her forehead at the Sindoor filled parting, and Chandni buried her head further into his chest.
As he drifted off to sleep, Advay's heart felt content and at peace, but his mind was still in conflict .
^----------^
Hello all
I am back from holidays.
This chapter was written in a rush so excuse me for any typos. This is such an emotion filled chapter that I felt I would never be able to do justice to it no matter how much I edited or re-edited it. So I gave up and published it.
I hope you appreciate the raw emotions that Advay and Chandni have towards each other.
As we know their bond is stronger than their hatred or the forced marriage.
What future lies in for them, no one knows. What Advay is going to do next, well you will find out in the next few chapters, but it will be a roller coaster ride for both of them as they have to come to terms with their past and future, especially for Chandni who had one shocking revelation after another.
Please leave your feedback and comments on how found this chapter and story so far.
Love
Sesi