Chapter 14

The room was filled with an e silence, broken only by the sound of laboured breathing. The air was heavy with tension as if it were too much for the room to bear. Then, the words cut through the stillness like a knife, sending shivers down everyone's spines.

"Do you still consider it an accident when the first place where the fire started is their alive body?"

Pihu's voice was strained with emotion, her eyes locked with Aahan's. His eyes betrayed a mixture of guilt and regret, as he struggled to find the right words in response to Pihu's accusation.

"I already told you, you should not blame yourself," Aahan said, his voice tinged with concern, trying to ease the palpable anguish in the room.

"Then who should I blame...? YOU - THE PERSON WHO LET THEM BURN ON THAT DAY," Pihu retorted with a fiery intensity, her words cutting through the heavy atmosphere like a sharp blade.

The same fiery anger that had ignited during the game of truth and dare flickered in Pihu's eyes once more, revealing the depth of her pain and the rawness of her emotions.

Of course, that day they both answered differently of same questions and now it's clear why.

The guilt in Aahan's eyes shows how much he regrets losing their friendship while the anger in Pihu eye's shows how much she regrets having their friendship.

The people present struggled to comprehend the unresolved conflict between Aahan and Pihu, what really happened that day and who was to blame...?

As she made her way toward Aahan, her face twisted with fury, she taunted, "What happened? Don't have the guts to accept the truth, Mr. Aahan Agnihotri?" Her words carried the weight of her unresolved trauma, now surfacing as anger.

"Why are you so silent? Huh? WHY ARE YOU SO FUCKING SILENT?" She screamed in anguish as if her pain was suffocating her from the inside.

She grasped his wrist tightly, holding it aloft. "Is this not the same wrist where I tied Rakhi, and you jokingly said, 'Who wants to protect a troublemaker like you...'"

A single tear slid down Aahan's face as he shook his head in denial.

"Maybe you never joked about it..." she sarcastically chuckled.

"I tried..." he whispered.

"Tried...?" her voice dripped with disbelief.

"I wanted you to live a better life..." He hopelessly said.

"Live...? Better life...? Do you really think I'm living a better life...?" she seethed as she grabbed his collar.

"That day, I made a mistake, and you made a mistake. So why am I the only one suffering?" she demanded, her grip tightening.

"Do you know the difference between living and breathing...?" she ground out through gritted teeth. "You're living, and I was just breathing." With a forceful shove, she let go of Aahan, causing him to stumble.

"YOU!! Aahan Agnihotri, because of your FUCKING ego, I have been suffering... I lost my dream, my voice, my singing. I've endured trauma, nightmares, humiliation, family accusations, regret, guilt, and indescribable pain... And what did you suffer...?"

"You engaged yourself with the girl you like and arranged my marriage to a person who constantly reminds me of my trauma... Is that you tried?"

A profound silence enveloped Aahan, conveying the weight of guilt burdening him.

"AND YOU, NAKSH AGNIHOTRI, who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to delve into my past without my consent? Do you truly believe you're my husband when you've never acted like one? Merely applying vermilion doesn't make you my husband; you have to embody the role..."

"You never once showed concern for me in the six months of our marriage. You didn't care if I ate, slept, or stayed up late at the hospital or worked late at the office, whether I was unwell or not, why my eyes were red from crying or not making an effort in our relationship... SO WHY ARE YOU SO CONCERNED ABOUT MY PAST? To find my fault and blame me for this relationship?"

"On our wedding day, you were the one who claimed we were nothing more than strangers and you have consistently treated me as such, never bothering to converse with me... And yet, all of a sudden, you expect me to tell my secret to a stranger, and when you discovered I hadn't disclosed my past, you started acting like a husband? WHY?"

Naksh was stunned and rendered speechless by Pihu's sudden eruption of emotions towards him... Even if he wasn't taken aback, he found himself unable to respond, as every word she uttered held undeniable truth.

"And all of you are so eager to unearth my past, aren't you? Well, then listen..."

*flashback*

"Taniya Sharma, a student of the infamous Saint University committed suicide this morning..."

The voice of a news reporter coming from television in the dark room.

A boy was sitting on the sofa while holding his forehead in his palm... His body figure indicates how much stressed he was.

Pihu, with a concerned expression, reached out and turned off the television. "Aahan, this isn't your fault," she said firmly.

Aahan looked up, his eyes filled with turmoil. "But she did it because of me," he murmured.

"Are you dumb? How could it be your fault? She committed suicide by her own choice." Pihu reason out.

"But she does it for me..." His voice trembled.

"Yeah, because she is obsessed with you... It's not your fault that you don't like her. We can't force our love on anyone..."

Aahan's mind raced as he replayed the events of the previous day.

"But didn't you say, she was fine yesterday?"

"Yeah.....--"

"DID YOU LIE TO ME...?" He shouted.

"Why the hell I will lie to you...?" Pihu irritating asked because it was the fifth time today they were discussing the same thing.

"Then how did she commit suicide if she was fine..." He asked in anger, or maybe guilt is making him blind.

"And how the fuck I know, what's going inside that girl's head...? She was fine yesterday when you rejected her and I don't know what happened after that."

"You're lying... You surely did something..." He accused because his mind just wanted to escape from the guilt.

"Aahan, I understood that this incident shocked you but that doesn't mean I will tolerate this shitty accuse..." She sternly said.

"I don't trust you..." he responded, his tone laced with bitterness.

"WHAT THE HELL WRONG WITH YOU?"

But Aahan ignored her words and started walking to another room.

"Hey, we have to go chemistry laboratory," Pihu shouted.

"You go alone... You're not a child anymore and it's not like you're going to die there..." He nonchalantly said while the shutting door.

"What the f....-"

She sighed, "Let's leave him Pihu, he may be too much shocked...But I still had to chemistry laboratory or the professor would cancel our Diwali vacation..." She mumbled to herself.

She starts walking towards the chemistry laboratory... But there unknown eerie feeling inside her heart which is screaming to not go there.

As she stood outside the door, hesitating, a strange sound from behind startled her, sending shivers down her spine.

"ohh shit, Varun... You scared me..." Pihu exclaimed.

Pihu found herself in a state of utter shock and fear as she stared at Varun and his friend. Varun's dishevelled appearance and the unmistakable anger in his eyes sent shivers down her spine. Suddenly, a chilling realization struck her: Varun was Taniya's older brother, but what was he doing here?

Her mind was racing with questions when she made a quick decision and bolted inside the chemistry laboratory, hastily locking the door behind her. Outside, there was frantic banging and muffled shouts, demanding her to open the door.

Pihu's whole body trembled with fear as tears streamed down her face, and her heart pounded in her chest. She felt utterly alone and scared.

she knew they came for revenge.

Fumbling with trembling hands, she desperately dialled Aahan's number, but each attempt was met with the disheartening sound of the call getting cut off. "Please pick up the call," she cried out in desperation, her voice breaking with fear. As the banging on the door grew more intense, Pihu called Aahan repeatedly, but each time the call was abruptly ended.

In her panic, Pihu stumbled backwards and accidentally knocked over a bottle of chemicals, the contents spilling onto the floor.

"For the sake of God, pick the call..." She internally screamed. Banging outside the door was increasing like they're gonna break the door.

Frantically calling Aahan over and over again, she realized that she couldn't rely on him for help. As she searched the laboratory, her hands landed on a lighter, and a surge of apprehension washed over her.

As she took a long, trembling breath, Pihu felt the weight of the idea settling into her mind like an unwelcome guest. Her heart raced with fear, and just as she braced herself, a sudden, jarring bang echoed from beyond the door, causing her to jump in fright.

"That's it," she whispered to herself, feeling beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "If they dare to cross that line, I will not hesitate to burn this entire laboratory, even if it costs me my life..."

Frantically, she began to scatter chemical substances around her, her hands shaking as she dialed Aahan's number yet again.

Suddenly, the door exploded inward with a deafening crash. Pihu let out a startled cry, causing the phone to slip from her trembling hand, completely unaware that Aahan had finally picked up the call.

"You think you can run from us today..." Varun's menacing voice boomed through the room.

"What do you want from me?" Pihu asked, mustering all the courage she could find.

"Revenge...." Varun spat out in a tone laced with venom.

"Of what? I didn't even do anything!" Pihu shouted, her voice cracking with fear and desperation.

"Because of your so-called Aahan, my sister committed suicide. Initially, I was going to kill that motherfucker but then I smelled lavender and everyone knows in college who is the lavender girl..." He smirked cunningly.

"Why me?..."

"Are you not his girlfriend? It's time to pay for your asshole boyfriend's karma..."

"He is not my fucking boyfriend, how many times have I told you still you can't remember this small thing?"

"Ohh really?"

"You're going to regret it, fucker ..." Pihu said while gripping the lighter tightly.

For the first time, she is regretting using lavender perfume.

"Regret...?" He scoffed, "It's going to be you, who is gonna regret. A beauty alone in a room with two boys...hmm..." He didn't complete his words but his intentions were cleared the way he checked out her.

Pihu felt utterly disgusted at his gaze, a fear was creeping inside her heart but her intentions were clear 'Do or die'...

"Lakshay, record the video... We will send it as a gift to her bastard boyfriend..." He said while laughing madly at Pihu's shocked reaction.

"DON'T DARE TO COME NEAR FUCKER... I will burn you alive..." She shouted in fear.

He chuckled, " still feisty, huh?" He starts walking in her direction.

Filled with fear and confusion, she found herself paralyzed, unsure of what action to take next. In a moment of panic, she flung a lighter in a random direction, inadvertently causing it to land exactly where the spilled chemicals had pooled.

In front of her eyes, two people start burning alive... The scene was horrifying, they were crying in pain when the flame of fire was burning their skin, and they were running here in agony of pain... Pain makes them blind and they randomly start throwing chemicals above them which only increases their pain... Their screaming is painful, as they are crying for help.

The sight in front of her was so horrifying that it sent shockwaves through her entire being. She stood there, paralyzed, as a blood-curdling scream ripped from her throat.

Her mind screamed at her to move, to run, but her legs refused to cooperate, buckling beneath her. She desperately tried to shut her eyes to block out the nightmarish scene, but her body wouldn't obey. She shook with fear, hot tears streaming down her face, her screams echoing in the room.

After overhearing the entire conversation on the phone, Aahan hurried to the laboratory to assist Pihu. But by the time he arrived, it was too late. What he saw startled him - two balls of fire darting around, leaving little doubt as to what had happened. Pihu stood in the corner, screaming in terror.

Hurrying over to her, Aahan inquired urgently, "Are you all right?"

Pihu's response was fraught with fear as she stammered, "Please, you have to save them, Aahan. I never intended for this to happen. It's not my fault." Tears poured down her face as she repeated the plea, her distress palpable.

Struggling to contain his own emotions, Aahan murmured, "I'm sorry, but it's too late. Even if they survive, it won't change the fact that they've already suffered extensive burns. And if they do survive, your life will be forever altered."

But Pihu seemed oblivious, her demeanour resembling that of someone who had lost their grip on reality.

Aahan quickly ushered her out of the laboratory, guiding her away from the university grounds. He promptly notified their families and, en route, Pihu lost consciousness, prompting Aahan to rush her to the hospital.

(In hospital)

In the hospital room, Pihu lay on the bed, unconscious and ashen. Two days had passed since the distressing incident, and still she showed no signs of waking. Meanwhile, Mr. Agnihotri had taken charge of handling the aftermath, shielding Pihu and Aahan's involvement from scrutiny.

Pihu slowly began to open her eyes, feeling disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. As she tried to make sense of her surroundings, a scene of intense flames appeared before her, causing her to tremble in fear and try to scream, only to find that she couldn't make a sound.

"What's happening?" she tried to scream, but her voice barely came out as a whisper.

Suddenly, a doctor entered the room and, seeing Pihu awake, inquired, "Are you okay?"

Struggling to voice her concerns, Pihu managed to weakly ask, "Why can't I talk...?"

As more family members gathered around her, Pihu attempted to shout, but her words still emerged as mere whispers. It was then that the doctor explained, "Don't try to shout. You have damaged your vocal cords due to the trauma."

Pihu eyes turned wide in horror, sensing her fear doctor spoke again,

"Don't worry you didn't lose your voice," Pihu relief a sigh but the doctor's next words crumbled her world, " but you can't able to sing again..."

That's where her struggle of life start.

Pihu found herself at the lowest point of her life, feeling like she had lost everything she had ever worked for.

What was once her dream of pursuing a singing career had shattered before her eyes, transforming into a harrowing nightmare of destruction and chaos.

She felt as though life had turned against her, casting her simultaneously as both victim and villain in the turmoil.

Despite her innocence, she suffered as if being punished by a higher power. In the span of a mere moment, her entire world had been turned upside down.

The joy of music was replaced by sombre therapy sessions, and her once hopeful dreams twisted cruelly into endless, haunting nightmares. Where she once found happiness, there were now only countless tears, and the admiration she once received was replaced by stinging insults.

(Time skip)

"Enough is enough, Pihu. You're going to America, and that's final. Your singing obsession ends here," Pihu's father said sternly.

"I don't want to leave," she shouted, barely audible.

"Stop being stubborn. You're going, and when you come back, you're marrying Agnihotri's younger son."

"I don't want to," she screamed.

"No one's asking you. If you refuse, be prepared for a mental asylum," he threatened.

Hearing her father's words, she felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.

"It's Aahan who requested this, otherwise you'd end up in an asylum," her mother added.

At the mention of Aahan, she turned to him...

"AAHAN!! AAHAN, Look what they are saying...?" That sorrowful voice screams... Her voice was filled with sadness, desperation and begging...

But he was speechless. He tried his best to control the situation but he couldn't do anything more.

The last he could do to stop them her send asylum.

"Aahan!! WHY ARE YOU NOT DOING ANYTHING...?" she screamed, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Aahan!!... They are telling me to leave... Why...? You said everything is going to be fine... Then why are they telling me to leave... Why...?" She screamed in pain, While shaking her head in denial pointing in the direction of his and her parents...

"STOP BEING STATUE... SAY SOMETHING..." She jerked Aahan from his dizziness of the situation while shaking him in anger...

There is an unbearable amount of pain in her eyes like she is losing something precious...

She let go of Aahan's shirt, slumping her in disappointment and whispered in a painful voice,

"You promised that you will always support me... You will fight for me... But all is a lie... Just a mere lie.."

Those words pierced his heart...

"Fine... Do whatever you want."

Then Pihu dashed out from the room while shutting the door with a bang sound making Aahan eyes turn into wide...

(Note*- the above scene from Aahan dream in previous chapter)

(End of flashback)

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As she recounted her story, a hush fell over the room, and no one could find the right words to respond.

"This is my history... Yes, I've been both a victim and a criminal, but never a cheater," she stated, casting a meaningful glance at Naksh, who averted his eyes in shame.

As she gazed at the sympathetic faces around her, she implored, "Don't pity me... I've endured six years of this, and believe me, I can endure six more and beyond."

She then began to move away, but suddenly turned back and said,

"You all are scratching at my wounds without my permission, displaying them to the world as if I cheated. I am strong enough to endure it, but doesn't everyone have secrets? What if your partner were to make a drama of your secrets for the world to see? Would you enjoy that? Or would you hope that they would ask you about it in private?"

After saying this, she left the people around her in a state of shock...

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To be continued...

Ik this chapter is so long but I had to finished past scene, so managed with me...

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