RAAHI"Lease agreement is an official document proving that you will be the tenant of this apartment," Mrinal replied to my query with a smile.I was surprised. I looked at Mrinal and then at Saksham. Did this mean that Arhaan wonderful be included in this?"There won't be Arhaan's name?" I asked curiously.Saksham chuckled."No. Arhaan's existence doesn't matter here," he replied with a smile.I couldn't wonder what to say anymore. I just continued to look at him and Mrinal while they stood there.In a few moments, Mrinal came to me and cupped my face."You don't have to worry anymore, Raahi. Arhaan won't be able to harm you anymore. We are strong and powerful enough to stop him," Mrinal spoke in a soft and confident tone.I looked at Saksham, confused."I have told her whatever I knew about your and Arhaan's relationship," he admitted."Oh," I nodded and then I turned towards Mrinal."Raahi. Consider me as your sister. You can share anything with me, and you don't have to worry much
ARHAAN FLASHBACK I drove toward Raahi's hostel thinking about meeting with her and spending some time with her. In these three years, I had grown more fond of her and I loved her too much to let her even go. She was tough at first, but then, when she softened, I knew I could never find a girl like her. She was perfect in every way and I felt so happy that I finally found someone I could say that she is mine. Today she graduated, and now, I would be talking to her about marriage and marrying her at the soonest date possible. She would be then my wife, and I would finally be able to have her in my ways. I dreamt of our perfect happily married life. I would be going to the office when she would serve me breakfast, and then, when I will be returning home, she will be serving me dinner and doing everything to make me feel better after a long tiresome day. She would be doing all the household chores, keeping our home neat and clean and everything. And after feeding me dinner, I would
FLASHBACKRAAHIHome felt good. Even though I wasn't allowed to leave the house, I was able to dodge the bullet named Arhaan. He wasn't anywhere near me.When my parents got to know I lost my phone, which I lied to them because I had thrown it away. They decided they won't be giving me a new phone. They were pretty much pissed at me because when I left my hometown, I boasted a lot about how I will top my class and then get a high paying job, but in return, I just managed to get passing marks.My parents were orthodox and conservative. They believed in the concept of marrying off a girl when she is eighteen. They didn't want to send me away for higher studies as they feared if I did something unacceptable. Falling in love, love marriage or something like that was something that they would never approve of and to be honest, I loved my parents too much to double cross them in this matter.I remained at home and learnt all the household chores. And then, after a couple of months, my paren
RAAHI"Arohi. Get ready fast, we have to go for your school admission." I rushed behind Arohi as she was slouching on the bed."But Mumma, I liked my old school," she complained."But beta, we aren't in our old city anymore. We're in a new city, so new school," I replied."But where is daddy?" She complained.I paused. Every now and then Arohi asked about her father, but I could never give her a clear answer. What would I say? Your daddy won't be here because I ran away with you? I hated to lie to her, but I had no other option as well."Your daddy will be here in a few days, Arohi. Now hurry up," I spoke in a loud voice.She was going a bit beyond my control, and maybe that's why I had to scold her."Don't raise your voice on me, or else I would complain to daddy," she threw a fit.I rolled my eyes. Arhaan had raised a brat, and I couldn't do anything about it, because he gave me no control over my daughter."Okay. Then I am cancelling our plan of having dinner in the restaurant. I w
RAAHIFLASHBACKI gulped as I saw him. No, this can't be true. Arhaan can't be here at any cost. No. This felt like a nightmare. The guy I wanted to run away from was here with me as my prospective groom and I didn't want any of that. I started sweating, shaking in fear but I couldn't find the courage to speak a word."Raahi," my mother's words hit my ears. And that's when, my entire college life flashed in my mind, and at that time, all I knew was I couldn't let my parents know about it. I gulped, swallowed all the pain that I felt at that moment and threw a fake smile at everyone.I then walked towards my mother and sat beside her, pretending to be interested in the conversation when I wasn't. I kept on smiling while my parents talked with Arhaan and his father.ARHAANFinally, the day arrived when I was at Raahi's house, asking for her hand in marriage from her father. I waited for this moment ever since I saw her for the first time. I knew her parents hated the concept of love m
RAAHIFLASHBACK"I can say, he will be perfect for our Raahi," my mother chirped.Even though my heart cried, I had to say something. I couldn't let my parents or Arhaan control my life and fate. "No," I gasped.My parents looked at me, completely surprised."I don't want to marry him," I announced."What? Why?" My mother was shocked."I... I didn't like... Like him," I stammered."But we liked him," my father interfered.I looked at him. He looked like he had made his decision."They will take a day or two to finalize their decision. If they agree to the association, I am not backing out," my father spoke.I was surprised. My father wanted to go to this wedding even though I said I didn't want to marry him. This was a shocker for me."But... But I don't want to marry him," I cried out."But why? Can you tell me that?" My mother asked.I paused. I couldn't tell my parents whatever I went through in college. If they get to know that I was with Arhaan for three years, and no matter how
RAAHI"I have a question, Raahi," Saksham muttered.I looked at him."Yes?" I questioned."Why didn't you tell your parents everything regarding Aarhaan? Why did you suffer so much?" He questioned.I chuckled."Well, perks of having conservative and strict parents. They trust other people much more than their daughter," I joked.Well, my parents were equally the culprit of the pain I had gone through. And maybe that's why I can never forgive them in future. If I can survive without Aarhaan, I can survive without my parents."Are you joking?" Saksham asked, looking at me."Am I at a stage to make jokes?" I retorted, looking at him."Nah. I'm sorry," he moved back.I quickly finished the last few morsels on my plate and stood up."What happened?" He asked."I'm done with my lunch. I should probably get back to work," I passed on a fake smile."Okay," he nodded.I walked inside the kitchen of the restaurant with my food plate. The past few days were a bit tough, but I could say that it w
FLASHBACKRAAHII could say that I was living a nightmare. My parents had decided that I will be marrying Aarhaan and I had no say in it.And after that, the preparations for the wedding began. The very next day, my parents met with Arhaan's parents and finalized the date for the wedding which was after two months. Along with that, Arhaan's father demanded a hefty dowry of ten lacs, saying that he had done a lot so that he could marry me and that's the least my parents can do for him. Arhaan didn't interfere in those talks, and even though my parents thought for a while because that much money wasn't something that they had, but even after that, they happily agreed to the dowry.And when everything was finalized, the realisation seeped into me that my life will be forever miserable. I would be lying if I didn't try a couple of things to escape this wedding. I knew I was living off my parents so there was no way I could survive without them, so the only thought of not surviving came