CHAPTER 3

SAANVI POV….

“Saanvi, Saanvi” As I was about to go inside of her room, someone called me from behind.

As I turn around; I saw aunty. Amara’s mom.

Oops! Sorry.

Not mom but step-mom.

I never get positive vibes from her. Her long think lashes, dark eyes, big black eyes, long straight black hairs, Big red dot (Bindi) over her dark skin, her long nails. She even doesn’t looks like her mom but a witch who knows black magic very well.

I am a happy-go-person but around her negative aura, I don’t know but I feel suffocated. She is dark, bizarre, weird and secretive.

No one knows what she thinks. Sometimes I don’t understand how could she become Amara’s mom?

I always scared of her but didn’t show it on my face as I know how to control my emotions very well.

Well, thanks to my dad.

Her big steps making me more nervous but do I have any option other than listening her venomous talk.

She never talk with me rudely but I know behind this sweet sugar coated talks there is something vicious which makes me feel nauseous.

She stood in front of me and changed her dark avatar in just milli-seconds. Wow! Not bad.

“Yes aunty, you called” I asked as she gives me her long smile showing me her yellow teeth.

Gross!

“Ofcourse darling! Are you going inside of Amara’s room?” She asked me.

“Yes. Just thinking to check on her if she needs anything.” I said and she nodded her head.

“I am also coming with you then. Just wanted to check on my princess how she is doing.” She said and I nodded my head.

We come inside of her room to see a room full with gifts, jewelry, designer dresses on the bed and here she is sitting inside of the vanity just looking herself in mirror.

Today, who is sitting in front of the mirror is not Amara. It just her body is sitting but her mind and soul everything is somewhere else.

“Amara, my baby” She startled for a second and saw her step mom with me. She took a deep breath and stood up.

She is all dolled up in her red bridal attire with lots of jewelry and makeup. There is a glow on her face but that glow was also fake just like her smile.

Her step-mom went near her and hugged her.

Amara didn’t hug her back but her both hands hold her lehenga tightly. She saw me. There were tears. Her eyes and nose are red.

Aunty breaks the hug and turn around. She looks at me and passes me a smile. I instantly give her a smile which looks real but I passed her fake smile.

“Dear, take care of her. I am going downstairs. After 10 min come with her downstairs. Okay? Marriage rituals are about to start.” She said the last line looking at Amara who just nodded her head like a robot.

As she goes outside the room, I hurriedly lock the door and hug her tight. She breaks down. I want her to cry as much as she can so that she could feel better.

She can’t run away from here as there are lots of bodyguards. Dad could help me but he said that it’s Amara’s fight and she has to fight alone.

Dad was right. It’s her fight and she has to fight alone. Not for herself, but for her love, for Sameer.

“Ammu, we don’t have time. We have to fight.” I said breaking the hug. I make her look at me and wipe her tears.

“It’s your fight ammu. You have to fight alone. I will always be your back.” I said and she nodded her head.

“What should we do? Even if we run away from here then that witch will do something with dad. I can’t take the risk.” Amara said and I remember the words which my dad.

FLASHBACK

24 HOURS AGO…..

“Dad, I need your help” I said looking at him through video call. As usual he is inside of his office library. He took a deep breath and take off his specs.

“I know what you are demanding.” He said as he rubs his forehead.

“What?” I ask him knowing my dad very well that he could be known obviously as he has his own ways to get to know about the news.

“Protection. This is what you are asking.” He said and I nodded my head.

“Dad, ammu is getting married tomorrow and it’s a force marriage. I have to save her anyhow.” I said feeling all irritated.

I am in Mumbai and he is in village with my maternal and paternal grand-parents. All of them lives together in our one big house which is built in village only.

As maternal granny is sick and paternal granny and grand-pa’s health also not well so he decided that he will live with them and take care of them. After retirement he shifted to our village Malana village which is in Himachal Pradesh. It’s the most beautiful and peaceful place and my most favorite place too.

Its greenery, people, farms, houses everything gives me homely feeling which city is lacking off.

“Ammu has to fight for herself Sona. You can help her only but I won’t. Remember one thing never ever trust on Pratap Mehra.” He just said and disconnects the call.

What does he mean never trust on Pratap Mehra?

FLASHBACK ENDS….

“She can’t do anything with your dad. Trust me.” I said to her.

After her mother tragic death, her dad is everything to her. She loves him so much even after getting ignored by him.

I thought that uncle is ignoring her because of his first wife death and focusing on his business but I guess there is something which only dad knows.

Otherwise, dad wouldn’t say such things.

As I was thinking all this when someone knocks on the door and come inside. It was Rashi, Amara’s cousin.

“Come downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you” She said and went outside.

“Now what will do?” Amara ask looks all panic. Because once she goes downstairs then she won’t be able to stop this drama.

Idea…..

“Do one thing. After doing the Varmaala, when you sit on mandap, you get faint. Okay?” I said because this is the only option is left.

“Faint? How? I am not an actor Sona. What if everyone gets to know that I did just an acting then? What if he and she get to know about this? I will be dead and you as well.” She said and sits on the bed with jerk.

I know the solution of this problem.

“I have a solution” I said and hurriedly start to search something inside of my bag.

“What solution?” She asked getting up from her seat

“I have this” Showing her a drug

She saw this and makes a horror face…..

I know how much darpok she is. Always gets scared of seeing an injection

“What the hell? What is this? And why this is the solution? Think about something else.” She said

“Then go downstairs and marry that old hippo. This will help you to get for some minutes which will looks like that you fainted. I will be with you downstairs so I will be the only one to check up on you there. Then I will announce that you get fainted because of nervousness. That’s it. Once we buy sometime, we will come upstairs and think about something else.” I explained my plan to which she gets confuse.

“How and when did you plan all this? Who gave you this? And what is the name of the drug” She asked

Godddd! We have to go downstairs and here she is asking me so many questions.

I was about to tell her when my phone rings……

“It’s aunty” I inform her and attend the call and put it on the speaker.

“Yes aunty” I said with my sweet voice so that she doesn’t get suspicious.

“Dear, why you both are not here. It’s time” Aunty said and anger is clearly visible in her voice but anyhow she maintained her sweet voice.

She doesn’t know that I know about her everything.

“Aunty actually we were about to come then Amara’s diamond red blouse got a scratch because of jewelry. I am taking care of it. Just give me 10 min. we will be downstairs” I said to her.

“Okay, just 10 minutes you have. I will handle here” She said and disconnect the call.

Wicked witch……

“What happen?” She asked and I just nodded with my eyes.

“This is fludrocortisone acetate. Ronak gives me this. I ask him about it also I take my medical kit here as well. What if I get needed of it” I said by injecting her injection.

“Oh so your lover boy gives you this. Not bad” She said with a tease.

Basti mein aag lagi hui hai or madam ko gajar halwa ka halwa khana hai.

I started to think about the example which I just think for her.

It was bad but who cares?

“Ronak is just a friend baby. We work together. That’s it.” I said and I don’t even know for how many times I just said this to her.

“But he likes you.” She said and I rolled my eyes.

“We like each other as friends only. There is nothing between us okay.” I over this conversation here only.

I don’t know why she is thinking like this?

“Why he is not here?” She asked me slowly. I guess it started to work.

I make her get up from her seat, covered her face with veil.

“Because he is a surgeon and has a surgery and now shut up. It’s time to go.” I held her by her shoulders and make her come downstairs.

As we come outside of the room, aunty came and stood in front of us.

“I hope everything is fine” She said and looks at Amara.

Amara nodded her head and I smiled at her.

She can look Amara clearly as her veil is made of net.

“Okay then let’s go” She said and we started to follow.

“Amara, you have to control yourself. You have to faint on mandap when you will be done with your Varmaala. Okay?” I whispered near her ear so that aunty could not hear.

Amara nodded her head in yes and we three descended the stairs and reach to the main hall where the marriage is held.

God, please take care of everything……