Natasha's POV
I was sitting blankly in my room, completely zoned out, until someone knocked on my door. Curious, I got up and opened it, revealing two women standing there with smiles, holding bags in their hands.
"Good morning, ma'am. I'm Anjali, and she is Roohi. Sorry for the disturbance, but we were sent here to take your measurements for your wedding attire," one of them explained politely.
"My wedding attire? Who sent you here?" I inquired, puzzled by their unexpected visit.
"We were sent here from the groom's side of the family," the other woman replied.
"If we have your permission, can we take your measurements?" they asked, awaiting my response.
"How much is this?" I asked, pointing to one of the dresses.
"50,000 rupees only," she replied casually, as if it were a normal price.
"What!?" My eyes widened in shock. "50,000 ONLY!?"
"Y-yes, ma'am, 50,000," she replied, her voice trembling slightly in response to my reaction.
"Why? What's so special? It's literally simple. There are only a few designs," I protested.
"Ma'am, these are very expensive ones," she explained.
"No, no. Show me something cheaper. I don't have this much money to buy such an expensive dress," I insisted.
She nodded and began to show me another option.
"Here, ma'am, this is the cheapest in our whole store," she said, presenting a beautiful dress.
"How much?" I asked.
"30,000," she replied, and I was shocked once again.
"What!? It's cheap? From what angle?" I stared at her in disbelief. Then, the other woman spoke, placing her hand on my shoulder.
"Ma'am, sir has ordered us to give you the best dress for your wedding. He said he'll pay for it," she explained.
"Why? Who is he? Is he a king? Or a millionaire?" I asked, annoyed by the intrusion.
"Yes, ma'am, you could say he is like a kingโ" she was interrupted by the other woman, who pinched her arm, causing her to hiss in pain. They exchanged a meaningful glance.
"What's happening? Is he a king?" I asked again.
"N-no, ma'am. She is just being silly. He is a well-known man and can take care of your needs. Don't worry," the other woman clarified.
"I don't need any man to take care of me," I declared, rolling my eyes and sitting on the bed.
"Ma'am, please choose a design, or else sir will be angry with us," she pleaded.
"Just tell him to choose for himself. All the dresses are very expensive and out of my reach. Tell him to choose one he likes," I replied, looking away.
They both bowed respectfully before me.
"Okay, ma'am, as you wish," one of them said, extending a card. "Here is our phone number. Please save it, and we'll let you know when the dress is ready."
"Okay," I replied neutrally.
"We'll take our leave now. Thank you for giving us your precious time. Have a great day ahead," they said before leaving.
I sat there, closing my eyes, trying to process everything that was happening. When I opened my eyes, I found my vision blurred by tears. I shook my head, holding back my emotions. I didn't want to cry anymore.
One hour passed, and I found myself wandering around the house, observing the decorations. As I moved, my dad walked in, glancing at me briefly before heading into his room. In his hands, he held a plain envelope.
I frowned in confusion and curiosity, wondering what could be inside that envelope. However, I hesitated to ask. Perhaps it wasn't important or something I should know about? Who knows?
With a sigh, I returned to my room, seeking solace in its familiar surroundings. It was the one place where I could find peace amidst the chaos of my thoughts.
I was minding my own business in my room when I heard a knock on the door. Opening it, I found my dad standing there, his expression blank. Without a word, he handed me an envelope.
"Open it," he instructed coldly, devoid of any emotion. Nodding silently,
I began to tear open the envelope. As I read the contents, shock immobilized me, rendering me speechless. I wanted to speak, but my throat felt numb.
"I hope you have read it. It's your TC from your college. You are not going to college anymore," he stated coldly, and tears welled up in my eyes.
"Dad, please... I want to study," I pleaded, struggling to control my emotions.
"No, you are not. If your in-laws allow you, then you can," he declared.
"Please, Dad... Please don't ruin my happiness like this. I really want to study and become an independent woman," I implored, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Should I take off my belt?" he threatened angrily, and I immediately shook my head, sobbing uncontrollably.
He glared at me before leaving without another word. Closing the door, I broke down into tears, sinking to the cold, hard floor as I clutched the letter in my hand.
"Why? Why do these things always happen to me? Am I that bad? I also deserve love... But nobody gives me that. I want to live happily, but I can't. What sin have I done to receive this much pain?"ย I cried out, consumed by despair.
"I hate my life," I mumbled under my breath, the words escaping quietly although I wanted to shout them out loud.
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Author's POV
As the evening approached, relatives began to visit the house to congratulate Natasha on her impending marriage. Despite the festive atmosphere, Natasha maintained a fake smile, not wanting to reveal her inner turmoil to anyone.
Her eyes lit up when she saw Shreya entering.
Shreya walked over and sat beside her, asking with a smile, "kaisi h,?"
"How are you,?"
"Tuje lagta h me kush hu,?" Natasha replied, struggling to control her emotions.
Shreya understood and gave her a small nod. "Suniye sb log,muje Natasha se kuch baat krni h. hum log thori der me aate h"
"Excuse me, everyone. I need to talk to Natasha about something. We'll be back in a few moments,"
Shreya announced with a smile, leading Natasha upstairs to her room.
Shreya and Natasha entered the room, and Shreya closed the door behind them. Natasha sat on the bed, and Shreya sat beside her.
"Kya hua,?" Shreya asked gently.
Without saying a word, Natasha took out the envelope from her drawer and handed it to Shreya. As Shreya read the contents, she lifted her head to find Natasha holding back tears.
Shreya immediately hugged her, rubbing her back to comfort her. "Shh,koi baat nahi,mat to,sb theek ho jaega,"ย she said soothingly.
"Shh, it's okay. Don't cry, everything will be alright
"Papa ne bola ki me ab se collage nahi jaa paungi," Natasha sobbed uncontrollably.
"Dad said that I won't be going to college anymore,"
Shreya broke the hug and gently wiped Natasha's tears away.
"Tu chinta Mt kar,tere papa teri shadi ek ache admi se hee Kara rhe h,Mera yakeen kar," Shreya reassured her.
"Don't worry, your dad is marrying you off to a very good man, trust me,"
Natasha lifted her head and looked at Shreya. "Tu jaanti h unhe,?" she asked.
"You know them,?"
Shreya nodded with a smile, stroking Natasha's hair gently. "Me unhe jaanti hu. Wo bohut ache log h, sachme, wo log tuje ek Rani ki tarah rakhenge nokrani ki tarah nahi,". Shreya explained.
"I know them. They are very good. Trust me, they'll treat you like a queen, not like a maid,"
"Muje fark nahi padta. Muje padhna h or apne pairo pr khada hona h. Muje kisi mard ki jarurat nahi Mera khyal rkhne ke liye,". Natasha insisted.
"I don't care. I want to study and stand on my own. I don't want any men to take care of me,"
"Me samajhti hu,"ย Shreya said softly.
"Pehele tu muje ye bata ki hua kya.mene tuje Aaj subah call Kia tha,or tune kuch bhi ache se bataya he nahi. Chal ab bol kya hua,?"
"First, tell me clearly what happened. I called you in the morning, and you didn't even tell me clearly. Tell me what happened."
Natasha began to tell her everything, sobbing as she showed Shreya the scars her father had inflicted upon her and recounted the pain she had endured under his abuse.
Shreya's eyes softened as she witnessed Natasha's pain. She observed the red, painful scars and saw Natasha crying uncontrollably.
"Muje kisi se shadi nahi krni. Me shadi nahi Krna chaati,". Natasha exclaimed, shaking her head amidst tears.
"I don't want to marry anyone. I don't want to get married,"
Shreya hugged her tightly, trying her best to comfort her. "Shant ho ja Natasha,Shant,sb theek ho jayega". Shreya reassured her soothingly.
"Calm down, Natasha. Calm down. It's all going to be okay,"
After some time, Shreya managed to calm Natasha down. She gently pulled away from the hug, and Shreya wiped Natasha's tears away.
"Ab Mt Rona,theek h?".Shreya said, and Natasha nodded in response.
"Now, don't cry, okay?"
"Sb Tera intezaar kr rehe h niche. Ye sb decorations tere liye hee to h,". Shreya informed her. "Chal ab niche chte h,theek h?". she added, as Natasha nodded again.
"Everyone is waiting for you downstairs. All the decorations are just for you,"ย
"Let's go downstairs now, okay?"
"Me mu dho ke aati hu" Natasha said, and Shreya nodded in understanding.
"Let me wash my face"
Natasha got up and went to the bathroom to wash her face. Her heart was still heavy with unspoken emotions, but she didn't want to cry anymore. She was tired of crying all the time.
Was it her fate? Did she have to face the same problems in her in-laws' house? Would his family accept her? Would she ever heal from her trauma? Would she get a chance to live happily again, like she did years ago when her mother was alive?
These questions weighed heavily on her mind as she washed her face, trying to compose herself for the gathering downstairs.
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Read the book to find the answers ๐
โฐโโคig: authorjhanvi
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