Chapter 119 His Revenge
Riya silently watches us both. For a brief moment, a faint smile appears on her face, as if a small relief has come. But suddenly, the smile vanishes. Riya now looks extremely thin, neglecting herself. Shivi starts running around here and there, full of energy and curiosity.
The temple bells ring in the evening air, their sound resonating through the courtyard. Devotees circle the great shivling, their prayers rising with the smoke of incense. The fragrance of dhoop and agarbatti clings to the breeze. Riya steps inside, holding Shivi in her arms. Without meaning to, her feet carry her straight before the idol of Lord Shiva. And there her steps freeze.
Her eyes fall upon the deity, and the weight she has been carrying inside her chest breaks open. Tears stream freely down her cheeks. She folds her hands, her voice trembling, broken between sobs.
“Why did you do this to me? I asked only one thing of you that I never have to face him again. Then why… why did you place him in my path? You know, Lord, I never wanted anyone to know whose child Shivi truly is. That secret is buried in my heart. Only you have been my strength. When everyone abandoned me, you stayed by my side.”
She lowers her head, tears spilling onto her joined palms. Her words shiver with grief. “I even named my daughter after you Shivi. She is my strength, my only reason to breathe. But I can’t bear this anymore. Please, free me from this torment. From today, I leave that office. I will never return there again. Just don’t ever bring him before me.”
Her desperate voice echoes against the walls of the temple, mingling with the chants and ringing bells. A few women turn to look at her, but Riya notices no one. She wipes her face, pours water over the shivling, and sits silently, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
Meanwhile, Shivi wanders into the courtyard, her tiny legs circling around in playful spins. Her innocent laughter fills the air. Seeing her daughter’s smile, Riya’s lips tremble into a faint smile of her own, as if, for that fleeting moment, all her sorrows melt away. Shivi is her only reason to live, her only light.
Holding Shivi close, kissing her small cheek, Riya whispers, “You are my life, my Shivi.” Then, with a quiet determination, she leaves the temple.
By the time the auto rickshaw pulls up outside her house, night is already settling in. As she steps down, lifting her bag, an uneasy chill runs through her. The front door is ajar. A shiver courses through her veins. Clutching Shivi tightly against her chest, she hurries inside.
The moment she steps into the living area, her breath catches.
There, on the sofa, sits Karan. Relaxed, comfortable, like he belongs there. A cigarette dangles between his fingers, smoke curling lazily into the air. His eyes lock onto hers, calm, almost amused.
The bag slips from Riya’s trembling hands, crashing to the floor. Shock and anger mingle in her voice as she cries, “You…??”
I take another slow drag, exhaling smoke into the air, and then look at her with a smile. Not the kind she has known once, not of love or even mockery—this smile is cold, calculated, and dangerous. A smile that sends a shiver down Riya’s spine.
And then, little Shivi’s innocent voice cuts through the tension. Her tiny, broken words come out soft but clear: “Un..tal..?” (Uncle)
My heart softens instantly. I spread out my arms, and Shivi, wobbling on her chubby little legs, slips down from her mother’s hold. She rushes to me, clutches my legs tightly, as if she has recognized her own blood.
A strange light glows in my eyes. I bend down quickly, scoop her up into my arms. Her small hands wrap tightly around my neck, her baby giggles bubbling out like music.
Riya’s anger flares to its peak. She shouts, voice trembling with emotion, “What are you doing here, Karan? In my life, you’re only a boss and that too only at the office! You have no place in this house!”
I act as if I haven’t even heard her. My attention remains only on Shivi, who clings to me as if she belongs here. In a gentle tone, I ask, “Shivi, should I go?”
Shivi, clutching fistfuls of my shirt in her tiny hands, shakes her round little head firmly. Her unspoken “No!” so pure, so innocent burns Riya even more. Her blood boils at the thought that the man who has given her nothing but pain is now the one her daughter is clinging to.
My eyes are bloodshot, my entire face burning red with rage. My jaw tightens as I grind my teeth, my voice cutting through the silence like a blade, sending shivers straight into Riya’s soul, “What you did to me… how can I walk away from your life without punishing you for it? Never, Riya. You will pay… for every ounce of pain you gave me.”
It’s as if madness has consumed me. My mind is no longer my own; it is nothing but vengeance, nothing but fire. Suddenly, I seize Riya’s delicate hand with such brutal force that she cries out in pain.
“Let me go, Karan!” Riya screams, struggling desperately to free herself. But the more she tries, the tighter my grip becomes. My steps are heavy, merciless, like a storm that has already decided its path.
Little Shivi, who had been playing moments ago with innocent laughter, freezes in fear. Her tiny feet patter rapidly against the floor as she chases after her mother. Her small lips tremble, and a broken cry escapes: “Mummaaa…!”
Without sparing her a glance, I shove Riya forward and force her against the car, opening the door and pushing her inside with a violent jerk.
“Karan, this is madness! Stop it! Let me go!” Riya shouts, her voice trembling with both anger and fear.
But my eyes are stripped of any trace of humanity. They are cold, merciless, filled only with the hunger for retribution.
Then Shivi. The little girl stumbles forward, tears streaming down her round cheeks as she clings to my legs. Her tiny hands tighten around me, her broken toddler’s voice piercing the storm: “Un..tal… Won..der..!”
For a fleeting second, the innocence in her voice cracks through my fury. I bend down, scooping her up, brushing away her tears with a strange, reluctant tenderness. But just as quickly, my expression hardens again.
Without warning, I thrust Shivi into Riya’s arms, my voice cutting, sharp and merciless: “She’s yours. Handle her. I don’t care.”
And with that, I climb into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut. The engine roars alive, and the car lurches forward with a violent jolt.
The study room is silent, except for the faint tapping of the laptop keys. Vihan is deeply engrossed in his work. Just then, the door creaks open softly and Rimjhim walks in, carrying a tray with coffee. Her steps are slow, hesitant, as if her heart still fears whether Vihan will speak to her or not.
She places the coffee on the table and quietly says, “Coffee…”
Vihan lifts his gaze from the laptop and looks at her. Rimjhim is about to turn and leave, but in that very moment, Vihan gently holds her hand and with a swift pull, makes her sit on his lap.
His voice is tender, but filled with love: “Still upset with me…?”
TO BE COUNTINUE...!!!