7

Ek din hamari aankhon ne bhi thak kar humse keh diya,

Sapne wahi dekha karo jo poore ho;

roz roz humse roya nahi jaata

One year later

Naira sat on the cold floor of her bedroom, the silence in the room was almost suffocating, broken only by the faint sounds of ahaan's quiet breathing from his crib in the corner. Ahaan her baby boy. A soft smile tugged at her lips despite the bruises that marker her face and arms. In his sleep, Ahaan’s little hand twitched, and she thought, He's dreaming... my little angel.

Yuvaan had left the house hours ago after another violent argument, locking her in. It had become routine, his hate erupting over the smallest things, his control tightening each day. He hated that she’d brought life into their world, that Ahaan occupied even a fraction of her time and love. He barely looked at his son, barely looked at his existence, except to complain when Ahaan cried.

She walked over to his crib, gently brushing her fingers through his soft hair, whispering, "You don't know what Mommy goes through, do you, baby? One day, I’ll get us out of this, just you and me.”

Suddenly, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the room. She froze, her heart pounding as she heard Yuvaan’s footsteps approaching. She quickly pulled herself away from the crib, bracing herself for what was to come.

Yuvaan entered, his gaze cold as he looked at her. "Still sulking?" he sneered, dropping his coat on the floor carelessly. "Do you ever stop with this pathetic act?"

Naira didn't respond, lowering her gaze to avoid provoking him further. Her silence only seemed to irritate him more.

He stepped closer, grabbing her chin roughly to force her to look up at him. "Answer me," he demanded, his grip tightening painfully.

"I... I wasn't sulking," she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady. "I was just... with Ahaan."

Yuvaan scoffed, releasing her face with a force. "That brat? I don’t know why you waste your time. He’ll grow up to be just as useless as you."

Tears stung her eyes, but she forced them back, not to let him see her break. Instead, she stood her ground, her voice barely a whisper. "Ahaan is innocent. He’s just a baby..."

"Don't talk back to me." He raised his hand, and she flinched instinctively, but he stopped, a mocking smile spreading across his face. "You’re lucky I don’t have time for this tonight."

He turned away, pulling a chain from the closet. Naira's stomach dropped as he approached her, roughly snapping the chain around her ankle and locking it in place.

Him putting her in chains is not a new thing.

As Yuvaan left, she crawled to Ahaan's crib, clutching the edge and gazing at her baby with a bittersweet smile. She reached out, holding his tiny hand. "One day, my love," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "One day, I’ll find a way to give you a better life... one without him."

Ahaan stirred in his sleep, a soft smile spreading across his little face. It was moments like these that kept her going, that reminded her there was still something beautiful in her life. Despite the pain, despite the chains, her son’s innocence and laughter were the light that cut through the darkness.

As she watched him sleep, her determination grew. She would survive this, for him.

The days turned into weeks, and the tension in the house grew heavier. Naira learned to live with it, to exist in the quiet spaces between Yuvaan's rage and her moments with Ahaan.

One evening, Naira was feeding Ahaan his dinner when Yuvaan stormed into the room. His eyes were cold and unforgiving, and she immediately tensed, holding Ahaan close.

"What are you looking at?" Yuvaan’s voice was sharp, cutting through the room like a knife.

Naira quickly looked away, focusing on Ahaan, trying to remain calm. But Ahaan sensed the tension, his little brows furrowing as he looked up at his father.

"Yuvaan, please," Naira whispered, her voice gentle, almost pleading. "He's just a baby... don’t scare him."

Yuvaan glared at her, a mocking laugh escaping his lips. "You're so weak, Naira. Clinging to a child as if he’ll save you. Pathetic."

He grabbed her arm, pulling her up forcefully and causing Ahaan to cry out in confusion and fear. Naira tried to hold him close, but Yuvaan’s grip was too strong. "Let me go! You’re scaring him!" she said.

"Oh, now you care about what he feels?" he sneered, his face close to hers. "You think you’re the perfect mother, don’t you? You think that boy needs you?"

She swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "Yes, I do. He’s my son, and he deserves a mother who loves him... a family that cares for him."

Yuvaan’s expression darkened, and he released her with a push that sent her stumbling back. "Don’t try to act like a saint, Naira. The only reason you’re here is because I allow it. Remember that."

Yuvaan pulled her close, his fingers digging slightly into her arms, his gaze intense and unyielding. "You know," he began, voice low and rough, "I've loved you for years. Or at least, I thought I did. But you never felt the same, did you?"

She stayed silent, eyes wide, but he continued. "So, I did what I had to. That one-night stand? It wasn’t an accident. I planned every second of it. I mixed sex drugs in your drink to make sure you'd be… vulnerable, to make sure that you'd be with me, even if just for one night."

He paused, watching her face pale as the reality set in. "When you found out you were pregnant, I told the doctor to convince you it was impossible to terminate the pregnancy. I wanted you tied to me, for as long as I could have you. And then, your parents turning against you—well, that was just luck on my side. I was the one who 'saved' you, took you in, made you feel like you had nowhere else to go but with me."

Her voice trembled as she tried to respond, but he cut her off, his eyes hardening. "But you know what?" he spat. "I realized later it wasn’t even love. It was never love. It was… obsession, lust, whatever you want to call it. Just the thrill of having you, of keeping you close, making you mine. I only cared about controlling you, making sure you stayed with me."

The room was silent, her gaze dropping to the floor as the truth of his words settled over her. "So that's it," he said quietly, his tone softer but empty. "You were always serious, always genuine. But me? I was just playing my own game."

He finally released her, stepping back, watching her like he was seeing her for the first time. "It’s all out now," he finished. "Do with it what you will."

As he stepped back, she felt an overwhelming wave of anger, betrayal, and heartbreak crashing over her. She swallowed, trying to hold back tears, but her voice trembled as she finally found the strength to speak.

"How could you?" she whispered, barely able to meet his gaze. "You manipulated my life, lied to me, used me… all because of some twisted obsession? And you never even cared about our child?" Her voice broke, but she continued, her words sharpened with the pain he had caused. "I believed in you. I thought you are my hope when everyone else turned away. And all this time, you were the one who pushed me into this nightmare."

Yuvaan’s expression flickered, but he quickly masked it. “I did what I thought would make you stay. I didn’t care how, as long as I could have you with me,” he replied.

"But you don't own me, Yuvaan!" She stepped forward, anger flaring in her eyes. "You stole my choices, forced me into a life I never wanted. And for what? To satisfy your need to control everything, even me?”

He shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair, but didn’t respond.

"You may have gotten what you wanted," she continued, voice rising, "but you've destroyed everything. My trust, my happiness, even the trust I could have had for you... it’s all gone. And this baby… I won’t let you treat it like some play in your sick game. I won’t let our child grow up in a world built on lies and control.”

She turned away, unable to look at him any longer, trying to hold herself together. She knew she had to find a way out, for herself and for her child.

Yuvaan reached out, almost as if to stop her, but she shook her head, her voice cold and final. "Don't. You've taken enough from me. I don’t owe you anything, and I won’t let you manipulate me any longer."

She flinched as Yuvaan’s eyes narrowed, dark and intense. He took a step closer, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“You think you can just ignore me?” he asked.

“Yuvaan, please,” she whispered, backing up until she hit her to the cold wall.

“You belong here. With me,” he interrupted. “I don’t want to see you around anyone else. Do you understand?”

She tried to sidestep him, but his hand gripped her arm, hard enough that she winced.

“Why do you keep pushing me away?” he asked. “I give you everything, and you still act like I’m nothing to you!”

“Let go of me!” she said, trying to pull her arm free. Fear flashed in her eyes, but she steeled herself, trying to stay calm. “This isn’t love, Yuvaan. This is control.”

His grip tightened, and he pulled her closer. “Maybe it is control. Maybe that’s the only way to keep you here,” he whispered.

But he didn’t change. He just held her, his expression unyielding. “Don’t try to run from me. You won’t get far,” he said coldly.

She turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Yuvaan grabbed her arm, his grip like iron.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he growled.

“Let me go!” she cried, trying to pull away.

But instead of loosening his hold, he pushed her back, hard. She stumbled, catching on the edge of the top stair, and before she could steady herself, she fell down. She hit the ground, a sharp pain shooting through her as she tried to sit up, her body aching.

Yuvaan was there in an instant, his face twisted with anger as he loomed over her.

“Yuvaan, please stop,” she managed, her voice trembling as she tried to push herself up. But he grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her back down.

“Why don’t you ever listen?” he spat, his hand rising again. “I told you, you’re not leaving me!”

“Stop, please!” she begged, shielding herself as he hit her again.

Each blow left her weaker, but she found herself fighting against the darkness threatening to pull her under. She couldn’t let him break her. Not like this.

She lay on the floor, trying to catch her breath, pain radiating through her body. Yuvaan’s shadow loomed over her, his expression cold. He kicked her, and she curled in on herself, trying to shield her ribs from the next blow.

“Why do you make things so difficult?” he hissed.

“Yuvaan, stop... please,” she gasped.

He continued, almost as if he hadn’t heard her, his gaze clouded with a disturbing mix of control and obsession. But as he raised his foot again, something in her eyes stopped him

Yuvaan stood over her, his breath ragged as he looked down at her crumpled form. His chest heaved with anger, but a strange uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

“Why won’t you just obey me?” he demanded, his voice rough.

She could barely lift her head, the pain clouding her vision, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to speak. "I won’t be your puppet, Yuvaan. This... this isn’t love. And I won’t let you break me."

Her words cut through the tension like a knife. Yuvaan’s eyes narrowed as he kneeled down, grabbing her by the arm and jerking her up, his grip tight. She winced in pain, but she didn’t look away.

“You think you’re stronger than me?” he spat.

Yuvaan’s hands trembled with rage as he grabbed her again, slamming her back onto the floor. She gasped, her body crashing into the cold ground.

He loomed over her, his eyes wild, his breath heavy. “You think you can run from me?” His voice was low, like a growled.

“No one will ever want you like I do,” he snarled, his words cutting into her soul. “You’re nothing without me.”

He hovered over her and tore her clothes and he took off his clothes too. He held by her neck and grabbed her closer and spat. "I am going to make your life even more miserable".

With that he entered inside her and she whimpered helplessly like a wish out of water. He kept going like a monster not caring about her sobs. Her sobs echoed through the house but he didn't care about them. "Keeping crying and yelling sweetheart, nobody will help you from yuvaan Randhawa."

She kept protesting but every time she tried to get up he held her face and hit it to the ground. The ground beneath her filled with blood on her face and lips but it didn't concern him.

All her energy faded and she laid there, and let him do his work because she has no energy. This happens daily and he never listens to her and she can't tell you anyone.

■

The next morning, Naira was still lying on the cold floor, bruised and aching from everything that had happened the night before. Her body felt heavy, and even the smallest movements hurt, but the faint sound of crying snapped her out of her haze. It was Ahaan.

The realization hit her like a wave—her son had been alone all night. Ignoring the sharp pain with every step, she somehow managed to get up and made her way to him, clutching her side as she stumbled down the hallway. She could feel her broken jaw throbbing, but nothing mattered more than reaching Ahaan.

When she entered his room, she saw him in his crib, his little hands waving desperately as he cried. Naira rushed to him, ignoring her pain, and scooped him up.

"Ahaan, stop crying, baby," she whispered softly, her voice cracked and weak. She hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Feeling his mother’s familiar embrace, Ahaan calmed down almost immediately. He looked up at her with his big, innocent eyes and gave her a small, comforting smile before planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. She couldn't hold back a small, bittersweet smile at his sweet gesture, even as her heart ached.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," she murmured, her voice trembling. "Your mama wasn't with you all night. She... she was with a monster, fighting to stay with you."

Ahaan seemed to sense her sadness. He reached up and touched her tear-streaked cheeks with his tiny hands, pecking her eyes as if to tell her not to cry. His touch was so pure, so filled with love, that it melted her heart. Naira held him close, whispering, "You're my brave little boy."

She kissed his cheek and then managed to smile through her pain. "Let's get you ready, baby."

With Ahaan by her side, she found a small sense of strength again. Slowly, they got ready together, Naira hiding her bruises as best as she could. Ahaan babbled cheerfully beside her, his little voice filling the quiet house.

■

Naira sat on the floor of the living room, watching Ahaan as he played with his toys, laughing and babbling, holding up each little car and block to show her. She tried to smile for him, but her mind kept drifting back to the ache from her new bruises. Her hand moved to her jaw, wincing as she touched the tender spot.

Just then, she heard footsteps. Yuvaan entered the room, his gaze instantly narrowing as he took in her bruises. Without a word, he walked over, gripping her chin, tilting her face to examine her injuries. His touch was harsh, and she pulled back slightly, trying to hide her discomfort.

Yuvaan’s expression shifted from curiosity to cold anger as he looked down at her, his eyes glinting with a mixture of disdain and twisted satisfaction. He turned to glance at Ahaan, who was still playing, blissfully unaware, then back to Naira.

"Look at you," he sneered. "You’ve only gotten weaker. My obsession days... they were the good ones. You should be grateful you had my attention then." His fingers dug into her jaw, making her wince.

Naira’s voice was barely a whisper, but her words carried a desperation she could no longer keep hidden. "Yuvaan… please. Leave me alone."

Yuvaan’s eyes darkened, his grip on her chin tightening. "You think  I will leave you? After everything, I hate you more with every passing day."

Naira’s eyes filled with tears, but she held his gaze, refusing to let him see her break. "If you hate me so much, then leave me," she said.

He laughed, a cruel, mocking sound that sent a chill through her. "Oh, Naira, you don’t understand, do you? The more I hate you, the harder it is to walk away. You and Ahaan you’re mine, whether you like it or not. There is no leaving."

Naira’s heart sank as his words echoed in her mind, suffocating her with the weight of them. Ahaan looked up from his toys, sensing the tension, and crawled over to Naira, leaning into her side. She wrapped her arms around him protectively, her hand trembling as she gently stroked his hair.

"Please," she whispered one last time, clinging to the smallest hope that he might hear her.

But Yuvaan just looked at her with a twisted smile. "Remember, Naira, I decide when this ends. Until then, I’ll keep reminding you just how much I hate you."

With one last look, he turned and walked out, leaving her and Ahaan alone in the silent room. Naira held her son close, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, "It’ll be okay, baby. I promise I’ll find a way out of this... for both of us."

Ahaan reached up, patting her cheek with his small hand, as if to comfort her, and she hugged him tightly, vowing silently that she would find the strength to protect him no matter what.

Just then, Naira's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and her heart leaped it was a video call from her parents. After two long years of silence, she was finally hearing from them. Her hand trembled as she accepted the call, and the moment their faces appeared, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Mamma… Papa,” she whispered, her voice breaking as she saw their familiar, loving faces.

Her mother’s eyes filled with tears too. "Naira, How are you, beta? We've missed you so much."

Naira wiped her tears, managing a shaky smile. "I’ve missed you too…".

Then she looked over at Ahaan who was curiously watching the screen, and her face lit up. "I want you to meet someone," she said, turning the phone toward her little boy.

Her parents' faces softened immediately as they saw Ahaan. "Oh, he's beautiful," her mother whispered, eyes brimming with joy. "You have a son?"

"Yes, his name is Ahaan," Naira said.

But the joy was short-lived. Her mother’s face grew serious as she looked closer. "Naira, what happened to your face? Those bruises… are you alright?”

Naira froze, her heart pounding. For a brief moment, she felt a surge of courage this could be her chance to tell them everything, to finally ask for help.

Just then, she felt a hand grip her shoulder tightly. Yuvaan had slipped into the room, his expression dark and threatening. He leaned close, whispering so only she could hear, “If you say anything, I’ll make sure your parents never get to see Ahaan. Or you. I will kill them. Understand?”

A chill ran down her spine. Her voice caught in her throat as she fought to keep her composure. She forced a strained smile, trying to control her breathing.

“I… I fell down the stairs, maa. It’s nothing, just a small accident,” she said, the lie burning her throat. She felt Ahaan watching her with his big, knowing eyes, sensing the unspoken truth.

Her mother looked worried but nodded, still watching her carefully. "Alright, but take care of yourself, Naira. We’ll be coming to visit soon, okay?"

Naira’s heart twisted painfully. She wanted to reach through the screen, to tell them everything, to beg them not to come because of the danger. But all she could do was nod and say yes.

After a few more tearful goodbyes, she ended the call, her hands shaking as she set the phone down.

Yuvaan stood beside her, a twisted smile on his face. He leaned down, pressing a cold kiss to her bruised cheek. “See? You’re in my control, Naira. And you always will be.”

She stared at him, a mix of anger and despair swirling in her chest. But as he walked away, her hand tightened into a fist. She looked down at Ahaan, who was still watching her with his innocent, concerned eyes. For his sake, she knew she couldn’t give up. There had to be a way out.

■

After Yuvaan left for the office, she spent  playing with Ahaan, letting his laughter and innocent questions distract her, if only for a little while. They played with his toys, building little towers that he loved to knock down, and for a moment, it almost felt like a normal day.

Just as she was about to pick him up for a snack, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, and she hesitated before answering.

“Hello?” she said.

A man’s voice came through. "Turn on the TV. Now.”

She barely had time to question it before the call disconnected. Confused but anxious, she quickly found the remote and turned on the TV, her heart beating faster with each second.

"Breaking News: Famous Businessman Yuvaan Randhawa Found Dead."

Naira’s world spun as she processed the words, her breath catching in her throat. She felt a mixture of shock, disbelief, and an overwhelming wave of emotions she couldn't quite place. Her hands trembled as she turned up the volume, trying to hear the details.

The news anchor continued, “Yuvaan Randhawa, a prominent figure in the business, was found dead. Authorities have not yet released the cause of death, but initial reports suggest…”

The words blurred in her mind as she struggled to make sense of it. Yuvaan… dead? She glanced at Ahaan, who was watching her.

For a moment, she stood there, frozen, feeling as if she were trapped in a strange dream. A part of her wanted to feel relief, to believe that the nightmare had finally ended. But another part of her felt a strange, she had never truly believed that freedom could come this way.

Finally, she sank down to her knees, pulling Ahaan close to her as she tried to process it all.

Holding her son tightly, she whispered softly, “It’s just us now, Ahaan. We’ll be okay… somehow.”

To be continued

But who called Naira?

Next chapter will be uploaded today again