Chapter 11: Chapter 11

*Mridula Pov*

“You are here, Mrdiula? Everyone is searching for you, but I asked them to finish their breakfast.” I heard a very familiar voice, but I didn’t turn around.

I am still feeling the shock knowing the truth which was hidden from me by everyone and mainly by two people whom I trust more than anyone.

“What happened, best friend?” he asked, sitting beside me on the bench in the garden.

“Am I?” I asked back before glancing at him.

“What?” he asked, frowning.

“Am I really your best friend?” I asked him again to which he laughed.

“Of course! What did you ask me that question?” he asked after stopping his laugh.

“Best friends are not allowed to hide anything from each other. I never hid anything but you hid so much from me, which relates to my whole life.” I replied in a normal tone, and he suddenly looked guilty.

“I know! I should have told you everything, but mom made me promise and said Bhai will not like it two years back. And now she just didn’t want you to know while I was still bound to the promise.” he explained holding my hand, but I took it away.

“She is your mom, so you listened to her. He is your brother, so you tried to look out for him. I can understand.” I said, looking down and hugged myself.

“Don’t be like that, Mridula. I tried every time and even asked you if this is forced, then you should say no, and I will take you away from here. I even tried to give hints by asking how is the married life.” He continued to talk, but I didn’t feel like listening to him.

“He is her son and I am just me, so she wanted him to become happy. I can understand.” I continued to talk, ignoring him and stood up from the bench.

I turned around to see her standing near to us staring at me. I stared back before walking away towards the guesthouse and didn’t respond to Dileep’s calls.

“Mridula!” I heard Aunty’s voice when I sat on my small bed, holding the doll I brought from the village when I was a kid.

“I can understand that you want your son to be happy.” I mumbled, not looking at her.

“You are saying that you understand, but I know you have lots of questions to ask me.” She said sitting before me while I moved back.

“He did tell me everything! That he loves someone else, but you rejected her. And she was killed before his eyes whom he didn’t forget even after two years.” I mumbled looking at her.

“I know that I shouldn’t have rejected without knowing her. But on that day itself that Shreya’s incident happened. What else should I have done?” she asked, but I didn’t have any answer for it.

“I can understand.” I mumbled nodding to which she glared.

“Stop saying that and you want to know the truth, right? I will tell you the truth.” She said standing up.

“I purposely hid everything from you even when you were getting married to him because I want someone to look after him, and I know that no one will do it if they know about his mad love for some girl. They would never accept that he gets nightmares and that too for seeing the death of the girl he loved and for the torture he got. I thought about only him and no one else.” She added fuming, and I don’t know at whom that anger is subjected.

“See? I am the most selfish woman here, and I am not sad about it. I made you his wife for his cure, and that’s all I want. I want him back to be normal, which I think you can do. I am just your mother-in-law.” She finished and walked away while I leaned back to the headboard.

What should I do now or even feel now? I thought closing my eyes, remembering how she took care of me all the years when I was a kid.

“Madam is calling you.” I heard a maid saying in the afternoon, and I was still sitting on the bed.

“I will be there.” I said after which she left, and I stood up following her.

“Yes?” I asked Aunty, who is sitting at the dining table.

“I took care of the lunch for today, but see the dinner by yourself.” She replied reading the papers and didn’t even glance at me.

“Ok!” I mumbled nodding and then glanced around to see no one in the house.

“Today onwards I want you to try and make him get connected to his family and not just stay in the room. Already two months passed, so I want to see some change in him.” She started saying and continued, but what I am hearing is not her order but the breaking of the bond we had for all these years. It felt like we were never close.

“Ok, Aunty!” I said hearing, which she turned to look at me in surprise.

Maybe she too felt it, and she opened her mouth but closed it again. I nodded before walking away from her knowing well, nothing will be fine between us again until we both try to, but at present I do not want to.

“I have arranged everything here, and you just take this to him.” I said to a maid after arranging the food plate.

“Where are you going, Mridula?” she asked frowning.

“My parent’s home!” I replied, smiling a little and walked near to the guest house before entering it.

I changed into the nightwear and lay on the bed feeling suddenly alone and a little awkward to stay at that big house, after knowing I don’t have anyone there.

I drifted off into sleep still not coming to a point to know what should I do next after knowing the truth and what I shouldn’t do.

When I placed the carriage on the table, I felt a presence and turned to see Aunty standing near the staircase, but she didn’t say anything.

“It’s been two days, Mridula. When will you return to your room?” she asked with folded arms.

“I am doing every work and even making sure that he has his food.” I replied, turning around and moved the box near to the entrance where he could easily see it-like yesterday and takes it with him.

“The maids are gossiping and I do not want that to happen to this family.” She said sternly.

“I need a few days, Aunty.” I whispered before walking away knowing well he will be downstairs within a few minutes.

“Your wife is living outside the house. Will you not do anything?” Aunty asked him when I reached the door out of their sight.

“It is her wish to do what she likes.” His reply made me shake my head.

“And it is not like she is angry with me. You are the one who deceived her and not me.” He added snorting.

“Ask her to return.” she ordered, and I sighed.

“She will when she wishes to. And I will not stop her if she asks out of this marriage.” He said, and I gripped the door before stepping outside the house through the back door.

“When will you talk to me again, Mridula?” I heard Dileep when I was watering the plants.

“I am talking to you.” I replied without turning back and continued to do my work.

“I know you are angry at me, but you are my best friend.” He said placing his hand on my shoulder.

“What do you want me to say, Dileep?” I asked back, to which he sighed and moved me so that I am standing before him with his hands over my shoulder.

“Shout at me or even scold me. If you want to talk, then talk to me.” He offered, and I shook my head.

“Do you know she threatened him that she will send him off to the clinic if he does not marry me? And if he marries me, then she will let the room get sound proofed?” I asked, and Dilepped looked at me in shock.

“I didn’t know that, Mridula.” he replied, and I believe him.

“He was forced, Dileep. How can I continue this relation without his consent?” I asked my biggest fear right now.

“In a way you too got the force. If you want this relation, then you have every right to continue it, and if you don't, then you have every right to end it too.” he replied and I slowly nodded.

“Thanks for the advice.” I mumbled before walking away even after hearing his sigh.

“Mridula!” It’s been one week since I heard his voice saying my name because of which I immediately turned back to see him climbing down the stairs.

“I thought there was still ten minutes.” I mumbled glancing at the clock and then hurried to pack the box.

“You need not to do this anymore, Mridula. You got cheated, so you can let all this go.” He said and I still in my moments.

“You are right.” I mumbled nodding before moving towards the back door.

“What?” he asked in a confused tone, but I walked away, ignoring him completely and entered the guesthouse before starting my packing.

“Where are you going?” I heard Aunty asking me when I entered the house holding the bag.

“My room!” I replied before climbing the stairs and reached his room.

After arranging everything properly, I walked downstairs to take care of the breakfast for which I stopped sitting with them all these days along with for lunch and dinner.

When everything is complete, I walked inside the kitchen to have my food while they all have it on the table. All the work took my mind away from the effect that will come when he returns home and sees that I moved back.

He may get either angry or just act like he doesn’t care, which probably is true. I shook my head, removing the thoughts and climbed the stairs after arranging the food on the table.

“May I come in?” I heard Dileep when I sat on the bed leaning against the headboard.

“Sure!” I replied and saw him entering the room with a smile.

He sat beside me and suddenly hugged me from the side, and I let him not knowing what else to be done. I too missed talking to him like before.

“I am sorry, Mridula.” He whispered, and I nodded.

“So, what is happening in your life?” I asked after a few minutes.

“The present girl is killing me literally. Always saying ‘Baby’ and that word is making me cringe for every second.” he replied shaking his head.

“Baby!” I mumbled, and he glared at me but laughed.

“It is nearly one month since I started dating her, and I am patting myself for the patience, I have.” He said sighing.

“Why don’t you settle for someone whom you really like?” I asked him frowning.

“That will never happen, best friend.” He replied shaking his head.

“We will see! I missed you.” I said, leaning more into his hug, and he hugged me back leaning to me.

“Am I in the wrong room?” We heard a voice and looked up in startled to see Tajwar walking near to the bed with a blank face and then Dileep, and I stared at each other.