chapter 37

Pari tightened the hug and soaked his shirt with her tears. Her sobs broke his heart and he caressed her hair tenderly." Shh. I am here.."He cooed her.She hid her face against his chest, as if trying to hide herself from the cruel world who pointed their fingers at her some minutes ago.Pari clutched his shirt with trembling fingers, sobs still wracking her body. She couldn't speak, couldn't lift her head, she could only drown herself in his scent, his warmth, the only safe place she had left.Vikrant pressed his lips to the top of her head, a lingering, desperate kiss." Bas bas, hum aa gaye hain na.."( It's okay, it's okay, I am here, na?)He whispered sweet words in her ears as if talking to a vulnerable child.She whimpered at his words, burying herself deeper into him, as if trying to disappear entirely.After what felt like forever, her sobs finally began to quiet, replaced by tiny hiccups.He loosened his hold just enough to lift her chin, forcing her tear-streaked face to meet his gaze.Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes swollen, lips quivering.It gutted him.He cupped her cheeks tenderly and she closed her eyes as he wiped her tears. His touch felt stinging with the contact of hot tears on her cheeks.She drew in a shaky breath, her throat tight, her chest trembling. He reached down, wiping her running nose gently with the sleeve of his shirt." Ghar chalna hai?"( Do you want to go home?)He asked softly, voice laced with care.Pari blinked up at him, her lashes heavy with moisture, and gave a fragile nod." Chalo fir."( Let's go then.)But just as he turned, her other hand clutched their intertwined fingers, holding onto him tightly.He looked back, confused, his brows drawing together.She glanced toward the hallway, fear flickering in her eyes."Th... they must be there..." she whispered, her voice barely audible, thick with anxiety.Understanding washed over him instantly." I am here-"" No, please.."She pleaded, tears again gathered in her eyes. He nodded and slowly released her hand, walking a few steps away to pull out his phone. His eyes burned with fury, but his voice remained calm as he dialed the number.Pari stared at him, unable to hear anything but she could see how his jaw clenched as he talked to someone."I need a favour. I want the university grounds cleared immediately. And the entire corridor from the old wing to the east parking lot, clear them out for the next ten minutes."There was a beat of silence."You want me to-""Yes," Vikrant interrupted, his tone leaving no room for debate. "Make an announcement, send the guards, I don't care how you do it, just make sure no student or staff crosses that path. Not a single one. This is not a request."Dean Mehra, having known Vikrant since his teen years, didn't push back. He could hear the steel beneath the calm."I'll handle it," he said finally. " Consider it done."Vikrant ended the call and turned back toward Pari. He offered his hand to her which she grabbed immediately, as if it was the only comfort she needed."It's done," he said softly. "No one will see you. No one will be there."" How?"He smiled softly, " just know it."They waited there for 5 minutes and when Vikrant's mobile flashed with a message, Pari glanced at it.It's done- Mr. Mehra ( Dean)Pari looked at her husband with slightly wide eyes. Did he ask Dean to clear the way? She looked down, overwhelmed.Vikrant frowned when he did not find Pari's friend anywhere." Where's your friend?"" She must have gone," Pari replied in a low voice.He nodded and grabbed her bag from the ground and as he led them out, wrapped in silence, not a single soul dared to appear in their path.She walked beside him... not as someone broken, but as someone protected.And that made all the difference.Pari, still looked around herself, as if voices lingered in the air. She slightly shook her head, to shake off the voices. Somehow, they made their way to the parking lot and Pari could finally take a breath of relief.Vikrant opened the passenger side door for her and she stepped inside. He shut the door close and opened the back side door, only to put her bag and shut it close.He came by her side and she slid the window open." Stay here for a while. Here's the key," he handed her the key." Give me a few minutes, okay?"He patted her cheeks and as he withdrew his hand, she immediately grabbed his wrist." But, where are you going?" She panicked that what if they all come here as well and start the accusations session again." Coming, baby. Listen to songs till then, hmm?"She parted her mouth to say something to stop him but no word came out as he slowly slipped his hand off her grip. She closed the window and stared at him as he again went inside the university.She sighed heavily and rested her back against the seat.Gone was the soft husband. What remained was the ruthless Agnihotri heir, the man who controlled boardrooms with a glare and destroyed careers with a single word.As he walked across the courtyard toward the Dean's office, students had already begun stepping out into the corridors. The brief lockdown was lifted. A few of them paused mid-conversation as they noticed the tall, striking man. His presence exuded power."Is that...?""Wait, isn't that Vikrant Agnihotri?""What's he doing here?"Murmurs swirled in the air like dust in sunlight, but Vikrant paid them no mind. His gaze was fixed ahead.He reached the Dean's office and pushed the door open without knocking.Dean Pradyumn Mehra, mid-sip of his tea, stood up immediately. "Vikrant-""Sit," Vikrant said, his voice cold and sharp, shutting the door behind him. "You and I need to talk."Mehra obeyed, clearly sensing the shift in temperature.Vikrant walked over and took the seat opposite the Dean, resting one ankle over his knee, hands clasped, but his eyes were blazing.Dean put the cup down, sighed, knowing why he was here. Even he found out just a few minutes ago from students. Before he could take action, Vikrant made a phone call to him.Vikrant leaned forward, his voice low and forceful. "Tell me what the hell happened. I want every detail. Right now."Mehra let out a slow breath. "A few minutes before you called, I got an anonymous complaint. A female student who didn't name herself, said that three boys verbally attacked... Pari. She said it was cruel and humiliating. I swear, I would have taken action-"" Bring me the students who reported to you. I want to know who has the guts to speak up. I'll deal with the filth later. For now, I want to meet the ones with a spine."The Dean nodded quickly, picked up the landline, and called his assistant. "Bring in the two girls who came earlier. Right now. I don't care if they're in class."He hung up and turned back to Vikrant. "They'll be here in five minutes."Vikrant gave a single nod, but his expression remained unreadable.Just then, a soft knock came at the door.The assistant entered, followed by two girls, both visibly nervous.Vikrant looked at them with his sharp gaze as they greeted Dean and stood by his desk." Please, tell him everything you told me."Both of them looked at Vikrant and one by one told him everything about the cruel incident with Pari. They shared everything they knew. Vikrant tried hard to compose himself, by tapping his index finger on the side of his forehead and closed eyes, but failed.' number'' Dirt''filth''lure men'' wouldn't bore'' Pathetic'' suspected'' gold-digger''trying hard to fit in'He registered all these words in his mind.His finger, tapping against his temple, stilled.His eyes slowly opened.And for a moment, everything about him went terrifyingly still, his breath, his posture, even the slight twitch of his jaw. A storm was brewing under the surface of that chilling calm.The girls faltered, exchanging nervous glances as his silence stretched. Even the Dean shifted uncomfortably in his seat.Dean told them to leave along with the assistant.Vikrant looked at him,"What does this university usually do to students who do something like this?"The Dean folded his hands over his desk, trying to keep composure. " Well... if there's no physical assault, we usually begin with a written warning. A second violation can lead to suspension or rustication depending on severity. But-"Vikrant's voice cut clean through. Cold. Sharp." I want every name of the students involved."The Dean opened his mouth to speak but Vikrant raised a single finger to stop him. "Suspension. Written apology. Public notice. And if they're not out of this university by tomorrow-" He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping into a lethal whisper, "I'll make sure you're the one stepping down."Dean Mehra stiffened. " Vikrant, I understand your anger. But the board has procedures-"" I am done with procedures," Vikrant snapped. "She was cornered, verbally assaulted, reduced to tears inside a university that claims to protect its students. If you had any control, it wouldn't have happened. If your system worked, I wouldn't be here."The Dean straightened, trying to hold on to his authority. "I can issue immediate suspensions and call a disciplinary committee first thing in the morning-""No delays," Vikrant said flatly. "You'll circulate a formal notice today. You'll make an example of them. I don't care where the hell they study, but I don't want them anywhere near my wife."Dean hesitated. "There will be media pressure, alumni, trustees- I mean, some of them have a very influential family background.""And if one article leaks, I'll let the world know this university housed and protected abusers." Vikrant's gaze bore into him. "Make your choice, Mr. Mehra."There was silence.Then, finally, the Dean exhaled and nodded, defeated. "Consider it done."Vikrant stared for another long moment before turning away." I don't want gratitude," he said, walking toward the door. " I want results."And with that, he left, his footsteps thunderous and final, like the last word of a warning letter written in fire.Dean stared at the way he went and sighed, knowing Vikrant Agnihotri was not just a businessman, he was an institution in himself. His name carried weight heavier than law, his gaze enough to silence boardrooms, and his word stronger than most political promises.Every corridor of power, from corporate empires to bureaucratic strongholds had at least one door that opened solely because of him. His influence spanned industries, media, and legal circles, stitched tightly through years of dominance, deals, and silent loyalty.In a country where connections often waver under pressure, Vikrant's never did. His ties weren't just built, they were cemented, unshakable. And when Vikrant moved, the nation's powerful paused, not out of fear, but the unspoken understanding that if he was involved, it was already too late to stop him.Vikrant stepped in the driving seat. The soft music played in the background as he closed the door shut.Meri palkon ko chum- ke dilbar,Meri palkon ko chum- ke dilbar,Meri palkon ko chum-ke dilbar,Aapne husn ye sawara hai..Aapne husn ye sawara hai..Kitna pagal ye dil hamara hai.Dil ka rishta bada hi pyara hai.." Pari-"He stopped when his eyes landed on his wife, sleeping soundlessly. He smiled and shifted closer to fasten her seatbelt then sat back and wore his seatbelt before igniting the engine and driving them away from there.The city lights blinked past them like quiet fireflies as Vikrant drove, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting near her seat, close, protective. The soft melody filled the silence, the lyrics echoing the unspoken tenderness in the car.Vikrant exhaled, a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He drove slower than usual, as if afraid to disturb her slumber. His jaw tightened momentarily, thoughts drifting back to the words that had reached his ears. Filth. Gold-digger. Lure men. The rage simmered again but he glanced at her and let it go, for now.She shifted slightly in her sleep....Gautam frowned, " suspension?"Vikrant put the cup of coffee down on the table between them." You know, I can do the worst, still I am being lenient with them."Gautam sighed and rested his back against the couch, " well this is not even bare minimum. I thought you planned something horrible for them."Vikrant chuckled at his man who surely knows him in and out.Gautam leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. " So they're not getting away easy, but you're letting the law of the institution punish them instead of your own brand of justice?" he asked, brows raised.Vikrant smiled faintly, almost smug. "For now."He reached for the cup again, letting the steam warm his fingers. "If I burn the whole place down today, Pari will only feel more unsafe tomorrow. I want her to see me fight, yes, but not like an animal. Like her husband."Gautam gave a low whistle, impressed. "You're evolving."Vikrant's eyes darkened. "No. I'm strategizing."There was a beat of silence before Gautam grinned. "Still, I expected at least a fake report filed, a mysterious expulsion."Vikrant took a slow sip. "Suspension was step one. Their names will be dragged across every notice board. Their parents will be summoned. Job recommendations? Gone. And next semester, if they try again-" he paused, setting the cup down with a light thud, "- then I won't be so... accommodating."Gautam nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching. "There's the devil I know."Just then, the sound of soft footsteps approached the room. Pari, still in her soft kurta, hair now loosely tied, stood in the doorway. Her eyes were a little puffy, but calm. Composed.Vikrant looked behind, his entire demeanor softening. "You should've rested more," he said gently.Pari came towards them and Gautam stood up." Well, I gotta go. Have work."He turned to Pari, " Bye, bhabhi."Pari smiled lightly and nodded.Vikrant's hand instinctively found hers, anchoring her beside him. When Gautam left, Vikrant finally asked-" You okay now?"Pari dropped her eyelashes lazily, which indicated she had just woken up from her long nap. She shifted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder, circling her arm around his elbow." I won't go to university, again."An angry expression appeared on her face. He tilted his head to join his head with her." Too bad. You have to."She immediately removed her head from his shoulder and stared at him with slight wide eyes." Why so cruel?"He smiled and tucked the strands of her hair behind the ear." I am not being cruel. I am just trying to make my wife learn how to fight with the world."She shook her head side by side, " hume nahi ladna-vadna. Hume bas Ghar par aapke sath rehna hai."( I don't want to fight. I want to stay at home with you.)He chuckled lightly, " I am touched. But, Pari, you have to. That's not how it works."Pari blinked, anger glistened in her eyes at his stubbornness of not listening to her. She fisted her hand out of anger and scoffed." Hum nahi jayenge to nahi jayenge. Bas!"( I won't go!)She stood up to leave but he was quick to grab her wrist and pull her back to her place. She turned her head to the other side and felt him opening her right fist." Gussa to bhagwan ki daya se beshumar hai."( You are blessed with endless anger by God's grace.)She looked at him, this time confusedly. He lifted his eyelashes and looked into her eyes." Fir ye hamare par hi kyu aata hai bas? Unpar kyu nahi jo ungli uthate hain tum par?"( Then why is it always directed at me? Why not at those who point fingers at you?)Pari's eyes softened, her breath catching for a moment as his words hit something deep within her. Her lips parted, but she found no words. He gently brought her fist to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles." You and.. they are different," she finally said." I see no difference."" There is," she stubbornly stuck to her words.He raised his eyebrows, " hn? What is it?"" They are bad but you are not. There's a huge difference. They treated me as inferior and someone who has come from a disgusting place. But you? You never treated me like that, even when you used to come to the brothel. You know I-"" Hn, tum kya?"( Yes, you what?)He encouraged her to carry on." I wanted to slap them. How can they talk like that? As if they know me... as if they own the right to define me. To throw filth on my past like it was their story to tell."Her eyes blazed as she spoke, the sting of humiliation still raw, but now mixed with something fierce, something Vikrant recognized all too well. Fire."They don't know anything about me! Not what I've endured, not how many nights I've cried myself to sleep, not what it takes to smile in a place where you're only seen as something to buy."Vikrant sat still, silent, his eyes never leaving her. Not because he had nothing to say, but because he knew, this was her storm. And she needed to let it rage."They saw my clothes, my silence, my past and decided I was unworthy of respect. Why? Because I didn't grow up with college parties and perfect families? Because I didn't belong to their world?"Her voice trembled now, heavy with the weight of unspoken years." Swear I would not keep silent next time-"" Yeah, that's right. You are on the right track."Vikrant immediately interrupted her. Pari frowned and blinked confusedly." Next time, Pari. Next time, you will fight. You have to."There were no ifs and buts. He was making himself clear.But, will she be able to?" Yes, you will be able to."He palmed her cheek and caressed her skin with the pad of this thumb. Pari swallowed thickly, her throat tight with emotion as his warm palm grounded her. His words echoed louder than her doubt, stronger than the voices that had mocked her just hours ago."But what if... what if my voice shakes again?' she whispered, almost like a confession." Then let it shake," Vikrant said gently. "But don't let it go unheard."Her lashes fluttered as he continued, his voice low but certain."Fear is allowed, Pari. Breaking is allowed. But silence? That's what they want. That's how they win. You can't let them win."Her lashes fluttered again, catching a tear that clung to the corner of her eye. But she didn't let it fall.Vikrant noticed.He cupped both her cheeks this time, his voice steady, his eyes firm."Pari, you're studying to become a lawyer, right?"She nodded slowly."Then tell me, when you walk into a courtroom, what will you do if someone tries to tear you down there too? What will you do if someone tries to shake your voice with words sharper than knives?"Her brows pulled together, lips pressing into a thin line."You think I'll be there in every courtroom? That I'll walk beside you into every trial, every cross-questioning, every glare from a judge or sneer from a senior lawyer?"He paused, and she said nothing.*You're building a life where your voice is your strength. Where your truth will speak louder than your past. But how will it, Pari, if you let this noise, this filth, define you?"She blinked away another tear, trying to hold herself up with the weight of his words."If your foundation shakes now, how will you stand firm in a courtroom filled with a hundred eyes waiting for you to fail?"Pari looked down, biting her lip.He tipped her chin up gently." You don't have the luxury to run anymore, Pari. Not if you want to fight for others. Not if you want justice for them, or for yourself."Her breath hitched again, but this time it wasn't out of fear.It was a realization."You have to own your story," he added softly. "No one else has the right to narrate it."Pari held his gaze, her heart pounding, her mind no longer in retreat. This wasn't just about today. It was about tomorrow, and the days after. About becoming the woman she was always meant to be." So?"He raised his eyebrows interrogatively. She moved his hands down from her cheeks and wiped the little tears from her eyes.A soft chuckle escaped her mouth, " ajeeb hi pati hain aap."( You are a weird husband.)" Ajeeb?" He frowned.( Weird?)She nodded, " I have seen husbands not tolerating even a bit of justified frustration from their wives. I have seen them shouting at them and getting more dominant if they snap back. But you-"She smiled, " aap to bahut alag hain."( You are very different.)He chuckled lightly, " ab bhagwan ne fursat se banaya hai hume."( God has created me with great care.)" Indeed," she moved closer to him and put her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso." What if this backfires you? I mean, what if I start getting angry with you?"He wrapped his arms around her, " I don't mind. I am your husband, not a controller. A mirror, when you forget who you are. But never a chain."Her eyes stung again, but this time from gratitude, not grief."You make it sound so easy," she whispered."It's not," he replied honestly. "But it's real. And real things... they're worth fighting for."She nodded slowly. "Then promise me something.""Anything.""Even when I'm wrong. Even when I push you away or argue like a stubborn child... just don't give up on me."He leaned back slightly to look into her eyes, brushing her hair from her face."Never. I'd rather fight with you a thousand times than spend one day without you."She withdrew her head, " but I will go to university next week."He frowned, " but-"" Please.."She tried to throw adorable tantrums at him." No, how will you catch up-"" You should have been a professor instead. Why so strict?"She crossed her hands around the chest angrily." And what's the use of so much connection when you can't even help me in getting notes from professors," she smiled devilishly.Before he could grasp her words, she stood up and started walking away from there." Huh- hey, wait!"He stood up, " how dare you use my position-"" Because you are my husband!"She replied a loud and he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief." You little manipulator," he finished with a smirk, watching her sway away with playful arrogance.Pari turned halfway, walking backwards now with a grin on her face, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "It's called being smart, Mr. Agnihotri. You should learn a thing or two from me."Vikrant scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. "I married a trouble, didn't I?"She shrugged her shoulders while climbing stairs backward." God save me," he muttered and started taking long strides towards her." Come here," he shouted as she laughed and turned her back at him, before climbing stairs quickly." Pari.. Pari, aaram se."( Pari.. Pari.. careful.)He followed her.But she was already halfway up the stairs, her laughter echoing through the hallways like a song he never wanted to stop hearing.He shook his head, muttering under his breath, "This girl is going to make me grow old faster."Yet his legs moved faster.She had barely reached the top step when he caught up from behind, grabbing her waist and pulling her back into his arms with a swift move that made her yelp and burst into giggles."Got you," he whispered near her ear.She tried wiggling out of his hold, half-laughing, half-protesting. "That's cheating!"" Not my fault when you are short," he smirked and spun her around to face him.Their laughter faded into soft smiles as they stood on the landing, breathless, not from the chase, but from the sheer ease of being with each other....Prena unlocked the safe of her almirah and gulped before taking out a wooden box from it. She glanced at the door, to assure herself that she had locked it.She walked to the bed with the wooden box and sat on it. Her fingers trembled as she lifted the delicate latch of the wooden box, its metallic click echoing louder in the quiet room than it should have. The scent of aged paper and something faintly floral wafted out as she opened the lid, as if the box had preserved a memory far too precious, or forbidden.Inside lay what she had secretly gathered over the years, snatched when no one was watching, stolen from her so-called mother, from forgotten drawers, and old trunks. Her real story. Her real bloodline.She slowly picked up a photograph, old, slightly crumpled at the edges. A woman in her late thirties, poised and elegant, with kind yet weary eyes. Akansha.And in another picture there was tall and youthful, with sharp features even then. Vikrant. Her real brother.Her heart clenched. She traced a finger gently along their faces, the woman who gave her life and the man who had no idea he had a sister. The man she had admired from afar. Feared. Respected. Envied, even.And loved... in a way only a lost sister could.She reached deeper and pulled out a folded medical report, yellowed, almost fragile with time.Prena bit her lip hard, eyes filling as the truth stared back at her.She was born that year. She was that child.A tear rolled down her cheek and dropped onto the paper as she looked again at the radiant picture of Akansha, and the proud picture of Vikrant. Her mother. Her brother.Her real family. And yet... they had never called her theirs.She hugged the photo to her chest, the silence of the locked room swallowing her sobs.⋆༺✷༻⋆To be continued..