A few days later

Sunshine peeked through the curtains, falling gently on Shiva's face.

"Ye light kyu aa rahi hai, sona hai mujhe aur" Shiva mumbled, adjusting his eyes to the light.

"Ae mami ki behen ki beti, parde daal na." he sleepily said.

"Ek baar bola toh-" he woke up irritated, but stopped after he saw her sleeping soundly next to him.

No pillow wall, no boundary. She slept peacefully, as if Shiva sleeping beside her didn't bother her at all.

She slept like a baby, and Shiva couldn't help but notice the little mole she had on her cheek.

"Pehle toh kabhi dikha nahi mujhe ye."

"Sote hue kitni chup hai. Aise hi rehne de isko Warna pura din iski bak bak sunte rahu" he thought, while looking at her.

The sunlight was bothering her too, she squinted her eyes, moved here and there.

Shiva got up, closed the curtains for her, and went to freshen up.

~~~~~

In the evening

"Mujhe iss haveli me itni ghutan kyu ho rahi hai? Itni akeli pad gayi hu kya? Thoda ghum ke aa gayi toh? " Raavi thought, as she made her way to the courtyard.

As she walked, she felt like something was going to happen. Even then, she brushed off that feeling.

But...

~~~

"Dev, jabse humari shaadi hui hai, tum mere waale Dev nahi ho. Mujhse pyaar nahi karte kya?" Rishita frowned.

"Dimaag kharab hai tumhara? Tum se zyaada kisi se pyaar nahi karta mai :)" Dev cupped her face and smiled.

"Toh kiss karo mujhe." Rishita said, naughtily.

"Hum aangan me hai. Koi dekh lega toh?" Dev asked, surprised.

"Offo. Humari shaadi hui hai, koi kuch nahi bolega" She said, putting her arms around Dev's neck.

"Chalo ye bhi sahi hai." Dev pulled Rishita closer by her waist.

He was about to kiss her, but stopped, nervously looking behind. "I'm sorry." he said to someone behind them.

"Kya hua? Tum-" Rishita looked back, and her blood boiled.

Raavi was looking at them, with a blank expression. She had no intention of disturbing them, and frankly, it didn't hurt her much that they were romancing in the courtyard.

She looked away and begin to walk away, but Rishita decided she had  enough.

"Raavi, tum apni ye sad shakal leke sabke saamne kyu aati ho?" She furiously said. Dev tried to stop her, but couldn't. He gave up and stood with his bowed down.

"Kya matlab?" Raavi asked. She honestly didn't care, but she was supposed to marry the guy Rishita is married to, thoda awkward toh lagega na.

"Ye tum pure time sabko dikhati rehti ho ki apne shaadi me tum khush nahi ho, Jaan buchkar mere aur dev ke saamne aati ho, usse guilt me daalne ke liye. Usne pyaar karke kuch galat nahi kiya. And mind you, tumhe usse pyaar karne ka koi haq nahi hai, tum rishte me uski devrani lagti ho, toh apne hadd me raho, aur please," Rishita angrily said, and folded her hands," ye apni utri hui shakal leke humare saamne toh mat aao."

Raavi froze on the spot. She lost any respect and love she had for Dev the day her left her at the mandap. She had no feelings whatsoever for him, but Rishita's words...

Words hurt. Harsh words pierce through her heart, and she's so broken that she can't even give a reply back to Rishita. She just turns her back to them, and doesn't face them.

"Kya hua? Kuch nahi hai bolne ko? Kyuki mai sach bol rahi hu?" Rishita gritted her teeth.

Raavi wanted to stand up for herself, but she had to bear so much in these past days, plastering a smile on when she's not truly happy, and these words were the last straw.

She fell on her knees, and gripped her dress. There's no way she's letting them see her in this state.

Everytime she puts her trust in someone, they break it. How should she even trust anyone anymore?

She hated this situation, it wasn't slightly true, but she had enough of these past few days.

"Mai tumse kuch puch rahi hu, jawaab nahi de sakti?" Rishita angrily moved towards her, to shove her, but someone stood in her way.

"Dev, apne iss bigdail biwi ko samjha ki logo se baat karne ki tameez sikh le. Warna mai bhul jaunga ki ye mere rishte me kya lagti hai"

Background song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm1kT76blHk

Raavi heard his voice, but couldn't believe it was him. Shiva.

Song ends

"Dhamki de raha hai mujhe? Himmat kaise hui teri?" Rishita asked, clearly feeling humiliated.

"Teri himmat kaise hui meri biwi se iss tara baat karne ki? Tujhe kisne ye haq diya hai, haan?" Shiva said, angrily closing his fists.

"Tu ab meri baat kaan kholke sun,"He said, pointing his finger at her,

"Jo jagah tumhari hai iss ghar me, woh iska bhi hai. Dekha maine kya hua. Usse tum logon ke romance me ghusne ka koi shauk nahi hai, samjhi?"

"Woh yaha se jaa rahi thi bas. Tum ek mauka nahi chodti ho usse bezzat karne ka. Galti tum dono ki hai. Ye aangan tere ameer baap ki hai, ki tu jo chahe kare aur koi tumhe dekhe bhi na?"

"Iski jagah mai aata, toh tu mujhe aise sunati? Ghar me aur log hai, yaha se koi bhi jaa sakta tha, iski kismat kharab hai jo tumhare muh lag gayi"

His breathing was heavy, he was fuming with anger. How dare she do that, without even knowing the whole story.

"Aakhri baar bolunga, apne rishte ko dhang se apna le, aur fir logo pe ungli utha."

This was it. He turned to find Raavi, still on the floor, but not sobbing. "Chal chipkali, " he roughly said, and pulled on her arm. But she didn't budge.

He sat in front of her, and only then did he properly notice her. Scared. Eyes filling with tears but not escaping. He could see her struggling to keep it together.

His face softened, and changed from a frown to a soft concerned face.

"Idhar dekh," He put his finger under her chin, making her look at him.

"Mujhe sachme koi iraada nahi tha Shiva" Raavi replied, in a small cracked voice.

"Jaanta hu. Tu dil ki bohot saaf hai. Lekin aise logo ka bura kyu maan rahi hai, jinhe tumhari keemat hi na pata ho? Ab aasu poch, aur chal" He said, in a soft voice, as if he was speaking to a baby.

He gave her both his hands, she wiped away her tears, stood up with his help and walked away.

Leaving the "happily married" couple in shock.

~~~

In the corridor.

"Tu itna accha kyu ban raha hai Shiva?" Raavi asked.

"Tu chal. Mujhe terese baat karni hai." Shiva said, somewhat angrily.

"Dekh agar tu daatne waala hai, toh koi interest nahi hai mujhe. Please." She stopped in her tracks, and started to walk towards the terrace.

"Ae mami ki behen ki beti, tereko apni bezzati karane ka shauk hai kya?" He asked, very inconsiderately.

Raavi looked back at him, eyes wide. "Tujhe agar pata nahi tha, toh shabdo se bhi chot pohochti hai. Aise puch raha hai jaise mai jaan buchke karti hu sab"

"You know what, terese baat nahi karni hai mujhe." She walked away.

She just wanted to be alone, and right now, the terrace seemed like a good place to be.

~~~

At the dining table

"Taste karke batao kaisa bana hai, aaj kuch naya try kiya hai maine" Dhara smiled.

"Woh sab theek hai, par Raavi kaha hai?" Gautam asked, "Sab saath me baithke khaate hai, usse kaise bhul jaaye?"

Everyone looked at Shiva. "Aise kya dekh rahe ho, mujhe nahi pata kaha hai woh" He said, hesitantly.

"Toh jaao lekar aao, phir khaana khaalena dono." Dhara nudged him.

"Theek hai. Aap log khaa lo, mai dekhta hu." He said, uninterested.

Ab kaha dhundhu iss mami ki behen ki beti ko. Raat bhi bohot ho gayi hai. Tch.

- - - - -

The song I added won't play on the app, but it's the typical Shivi music that plays in the show 😄

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