Chapter 9: 6.

𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧'𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙫

The house was bustling with activity when a sudden, sharp scream cut through the air. Advika tumbled down the stairs, landing in a heap at the bottom. The commotion drew everyone’s attention, and Vidyut’s heart stopped at the sight of her crumpled form.

“Advika!” Vidyut screamed, rushing to her side. “Someone get a bandage! Now!”

He carefully lifted her onto his lap, his hands trembling as he checked for injuries. Blood trickled from a cut on her forehead, and she winced in pain.

Vidyut's family gathered around, their expressions a mix of concern and anger. “Who did this?” Vidyut demanded, his voice laced with fury. He carried Advika to his room, laying her gently on the bed before turning to the family. “Find out who was responsible for this. Now.”

A tense silence filled the room until Mishva, looking pale, stepped forward. “Bhaiya... it was Riya. My friend.”

Vidyut’s eyes darkened with rage. “Riya? Bring her here. Now.”

Mishva nodded and hurried off. A few minutes later, she returned with Riya, who looked defiant despite the situation.

“Why did you do it?” Vidyut’s voice was cold, his eyes burning with anger.

Riya sneered. “Because she’s a gold-digging bitch! She doesn’t deserve you or this family.”

Advika, who had been silently observing, smirked subtly, but no one noticed.

Vidyut’s anger flared. “How dare you! You have no right to speak about her like that.”

Riya crossed her arms. “Oh, I dare. She’s only here for your money, Vidyut. Can’t you see it?”

“Enough!” Vidyut shouted. “You don’t know anything about her.”

Riya’s eyes welled up with tears as she continued, “I’ve loved you since we were kids, Vidyut. I wanted to marry you. But then she came along and ruined everything.”

Vidyut’s face hardened. “So, you decided to push her down the stairs? Do you realize how dangerous that was?”

“She had it coming,” Riya said stubbornly. “I was trying to protect you.”

“Get out,” Vidyut said, his voice low and dangerous. “Get out of this house and never come back, consequences won't be so good 𝙍𝙞𝙮𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙮"

Riya’s defiance crumbled, and she burst into tears, running out of the room. Vidyut turned his attention back to Advika, his anger slowly giving way to concern. Everyone else also left to give them privacy.

He knelt beside her, examining her injuries with gentle hands. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.

Advika nodded, wincing slightly. “I’ll be fine. Just a bit bruised.”

“Please, take care of yourself,” Vidyut said, his voice filled with sincerity. “I can’t bear to see you hurt.”

Advika’s eyes softened for a moment. “It's okay, I will be careful,” she promised.

Vidyut sighed, his earlier rage still simmering beneath the surface. “I won’t let anyone harm you again. I promise.”

Advika nodded, appreciating his concern, even though a part of her remained guarded. “You don't have to do this for me, Vidyut. It's okay. Don’t care too much for me. I am capable of taking care of myself.”

Vidyut, frustrated, punched the wall. "Why the hell do you always do this, Advika? Why!?" he asked, jerking her hand. "What’s wrong with showing that I care for you? Yes, I care for you and I always will, but then you come up with your own mindsets."

Advika was hurt and angry too. "In just six months, we will be apart. If we get too close and care for each other, we will become addicted and then—"

Vidyut cut her off. "Again with your fucking contract marriage! Again, your contract of six months. Why the hell are you bringing it up again and again?" he screamed.

"Because it's the truth, Vidyut! It's the fucking truth. I can't get attached to anyone. I can't like someone. I can't show any fucking emotions. I can't!" she screamed back with anger and tears.

"You know what? You are right, Advika. We should stay away from each other. Only you are right," he said, hurt by doing things in the relationship from one side, and started walking away when his mother entered with turmeric milk.

"Maa, I am going to the US for a business deal. I will not be back anytime soon."

"Vidyut, you just got married. You can't go like this, Beta. She is also hurt. She needs you," his mother said with some concern.

"She doesn't need me, Maa, and she never will," he said, looking at Advika with hurt, then left.

"Did I do something wrong by getting them both married?" his mother asked herself and went to Advika.

"Are you okay, Beta? Here, drink this turmeric milk. You will feel better," Vaishnavi said, caressing her hair.

"I am fine, Maa. Don't worry, it's just a small injury," Advika said, feeling motherly love where she never had one.

"Oye, pagal! Who said it's a small injury? Look at how badly you are hurt, my dear. You should rest. After a few days, you can go for your rasam, and Vidyut will go with you, okay?" Vaishnavi said with determination.

"Okay, Maa. Can I just go out for half an hour? I have one thing to do outside, please!" Advika said with puppy eyes, feeling a mother-daughter relationship as she always dreamed of.

"Ummm, okay, but only for half an hour. Then come back and rest," Vaishnavi said, and Advika hugged her with tears.

Vaishnavi went away.

---

After Vaishnavi left the room, Advika waited until she was sure no one was there. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number, her voice low and cold. “Get Riya Chaudhary to the warehouse. I want her there in an hour.”

The person on the other end confirmed the instructions, and Advika ended the call, a dark resolve settling over her. She was done playing the victim.

---

The warehouse was dimly lit, shadows flickering across the walls. Riya was dragged inside by two men, her eyes wide with fear. They pushed her roughly into a chair, securing her hands and feet with ropes.

Advika stepped out from the shadows, her expression a blend of anger and cold calculation. “Riya Chaudhary,” she said, her voice echoing through the empty space. “You thought you could hurt me and walk away unscathed?”

Riya struggled against her restraints. “What are you doing, Advika? Let me go!”

Advika walked around her, examining the tools laid out on a nearby table. “You see, Riya, no one harms me and gets away with it. You will learn that the hard way.”

Riya's eyes filled with terror as Advika picked up a scalpel, testing its sharpness. “You’re insane! Vidyut will find out about this!”

Advika chuckled darkly. “Vidyut won’t know a thing. This is between you and me.”

She stepped closer, her expression menacing. “Now, where shall we start?”

Advika placed the scalpel against Riya’s arm, pressing just enough to draw a thin line of blood. Riya cried out in pain, her face contorted with fear.

“Please, Advika, don’t do this!” Riya pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Advika’s eyes flashed with fury. “You called me a gold-digger. You tried to ruin my life. This is your punishment.”

She moved to a different tool, selecting a pair of pliers. “Do you know what these can do?” she asked, holding them up for Riya to see.

Riya shook her head, her body trembling. “Please, I’m sorry! I’ll do anything!”

Advika gripped one of Riya’s fingers with the pliers, squeezing until Riya screamed in agony. “Sorry won’t change what you did.”

She released Riya’s finger and moved to her face, running the tip of the scalpel along her cheek. “Do you remember what you said to me?” Advika asked, her voice eerily calm.

Riya sobbed, unable to speak through her fear and pain.

“You said I was a bitch, a gold-digger,” Advika continued. “Do you still think that?”

Riya shook her head frantically. “No, no, I was wrong! Please, just stop!”

Advika’s smile was cold and merciless. “Too late for that, Riya.”

She made several small cuts and writes her own name on Riya’s hand, each one eliciting a cry of pain. “This is just the beginning,” Advika said. “I want you to remember this every time you think of crossing me.”

Riya’s body sagged in the chair, her energy drained by the pain and terror. “I’ll never cross you again, I swear,” she whispered.

Advika leaned in close, her eyes boring into her

Riya’s. “You better not. Because next time, it won’t just be a warning.”

Riya’s eyes flickered with something—was it defiance? “You think this makes you strong, Advika? You’re just as weak as I thought. You’re only doing this because you’re scared.”

Advika’s expression hardened. “Scared? Of you? You’re nothing, Riya. Just a pathetic, jealous girl who couldn’t get what she wanted.”

Riya’s face twisted with anger and pain. “I love Vidyut! I’ve loved him since we were kids. You don’t deserve him. You’re just using him.”

Advika’s eyes narrowed. “Love? You call this love? Hurting him by hurting me? You’re delusional.”

Riya spat at Advika, her eyes blazing. “He should be mine! Not yours. He’ll see you for what you are—an opportunistic gold-digger.”

Advika wiped the spit from her face calmly. “And what are you, Riya? A desperate, unhinged girl who thinks violence will get her what she wants? You disgust me.”

She selected a longer, thinner blade, pressing it into Riya’s side just enough to draw a scream. “You’re nothing to me. Nothing to him. And you will remember this pain every time you think of him.”

Riya’s sobs grew louder, her body shaking with pain and fear. “Please, Advika. I’ll leave him alone. I swear. Just stop.”

Advika’s smile was cruel. “No, Riya. You don’t get to beg your way out of this. You need to understand what happens when you cross me.”

She moved to a whip, striking it against Riya’s legs, leaving red, angry welts. “This is the price you pay for your jealousy and hatred.”

Riya’s screams echoed through the warehouse, but Advika’s resolve remained unshaken. She continued her brutal punishment, each strike, each cut, a reminder of the consequences of betrayal.

Finally, she stepped back, her breathing heavy, her eyes cold. “Let her go,” she instructed the men. “But make sure she remembers every moment of this.”

The men untied Riya, who collapsed to the floor, barely conscious. They dragged her out of the warehouse, leaving Advika alone in the dim light.

Advika took a deep breath, the adrenaline slowly fading. She had shown her strength, her ability to protect herself. And she knew that no one would dare to cross her again.

The warehouse was silent, save for the fading echoes of Riya’s screams. Advika took a deep breath, relishing the sense of control she felt. She turned around, ready to leave, when she saw Kartik standing in the shadows, his expression unreadable. She was scared.

“Kartik,” she said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Kartik stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. “I could ask you the same thing, Advika. I’ve known your true identity and your methods for a long time, but you’ve never personally tortured anyone. Why now?”

Advika shrugged, wiping the blood from her hands. “Just felt like it,” she replied nonchalantly.

Kartik’s eyes darkened with anger. “This isn’t like you. What’s really going on, Advika?”

Advika’s calm facade faltered slightly. She sighed and looked away. “It’s the marriage. It’s all a contract. Vidyut and I, we’re just pretending. It’s supposed to end in six months.”

Kartik’s fists clenched at his sides. “A contract? Vidyut is trying to make this work, Advika. Yes, he made mistakes, but he has his reasons, just as we have ours. How could you do this to him?”

Advika’s eyes flashed with defiance. “He forced me into this marriage. This is my way of protecting myself.”

Kartik shook his head, frustration evident in his voice. “Protecting yourself? By hurting him and shutting everyone out? That’s not protection, Advika. That’s cowardice.”

Advika’s jaw tightened. “You don’t understand, Kartik. Love is a weakness. I can’t afford to let my guard down.”

Kartik stepped closer, his voice low and intense. “Vidyut isn’t your enemy, Advika. He cares about you. He’s trying to make this work because he believes in second chances. Can’t you see that?”

Advika’s eyes softened for a moment before hardening again. “He may care, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is just a contract. It’s not real.”

Kartik sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Advika, you’re not just hurting Vidyut. You’re hurting yourself. You’re denying yourself the chance at real happiness.”

Advika looked away, her defenses crumbling slightly. “I don’t know how to let go, Kartik. I’ve been hurt too many times.”

Kartik placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice gentle but firm. “We’ve all been hurt, Advika. But shutting out love and emotions won’t make the pain go away. It’ll only make you more isolated.”

Advika met his gaze, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “What if it’s too late?”

Kartik shook his head. "It's never too late, Advika. You have the power to change things, to mend what’s broken. But you have to be willing to try."

Advika sighed deeply, her resolve wavering. "And what if I fail? What if I get hurt again?"

Kartik’s grip on her shoulder tightened, his eyes filled with conviction. "Failure is a part of life, and so is pain. But it's also how we grow, how we learn. You can’t let fear control you forever, I know what happened with 𝘔𝘢𝘢𝘯 not always happens but think Advika this is life one day you have to face reality of love then what you will do!!? will give your Life and then end this you will not na then try it yrr 𝘔𝘢𝘢𝘯 used to tell you na do mend things before it's gets too late."

Advika took a deep breath, her mind racing. She had spent so long building walls around her heart, convinced that it was the only way to survive. But Kartik’s words stirred something within her, a faint glimmer of hope.

"I don't know if I can do it," she whispered.

Kartik gave her a reassuring smile. "You’re stronger than you think, Advika. And you’re not alone in this. Vidyut wants to be there for you. He’s been trying to reach you, but you keep pushing him away."

Advika nodded slowly, the weight of Kartik’s words sinking in. "I’ll think about it."

Kartik released her shoulder and stepped back. "That's all I ask. Just give it a chance. You owe it to yourself and to Vidyut."

Kartik nodded and walked away, leaving Advika alone with her thoughts. She glanced at the still-unconscious Riya and smirk leaving from there but still kartik words running in her mind

With a heavy heart, Advika left the warehouse and headed back to the house. The events of the day weighed heavily on her mind, but Kartik’s words kept echoing in her ears.

Advika returned home, the realization of her mistakes weighing heavily on her mind. Just because of her anger and past, she had avoided Vidyut, and now he had gone away without even tasting the kheer she had made for him. The hurt she felt was her own doing, and she knew it. As she entered the house, she was met by Vidyut’s father, Ekansh, who looked at her with concern.

"Advika, are you alright?" Ekansh asked, his voice gentle. "I heard about what happened. Are your injuries serious?"

Advika managed a small smile. "I’m fine, Papa. Just a few bruises."

Ekansh’s eyes softened. "You’re like a daughter to us, Advika. We care about you deeply. How about we have an ice cream party to cheer you up?"

Before Advika could respond, Vidyut’s mother, Vaishnavi entered the room, her expression stern. "No, she is injured. She will have turmeric milk. Vidyut is also not here, and I don’t know who will stop you, Ekansh."

Ekansh winked at Advika, a playful glint in his eyes. "Well, since Vidyut isn’t here to stop us, how about we sneak out for some ice cream?"

Advika’s eyes widened in surprise, but she couldn’t help but smile. "Really, Papa?"

Ekansh nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely. Come on, let’s go."

As they walked to the ice cream parlor, Advika felt a mix of emotions. She had never felt this kind of parental love before. Her own parents had always made her feel unwanted and like a stranger in her own home. This sense of belonging, of being cared for, was entirely new to her.

They settled into a cozy booth, and Ekansh ordered two large sundaes. As they waited, he turned to her, his expression serious but gentle. "Advika, I know things have been tough for you. This marriage, Vidyut... it's a lot to handle."

Advika looked down, her emotions swirling. "I know, Papa. I've made things difficult. I let my anger and past control me."

Ekansh reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "We all have our struggles, Advika. But it’s important to remember that we’re a family now. Vidyut cares about you deeply, and so do we."

Advika's eyes filled with tears. "I feel so guilty. Vidyut left without even tasting the kheer I made. I pushed him away, and now I don’t know how to fix things."

Ekansh smiled kindly. "The first step is acknowledging your mistakes, which you’ve done. The next step is to try and make amends. Vidyut cares for you and respects you. Give him a chance to see the real you."

Advika nodded, her resolve strengthening. "I will, Papa. I want to make things right."

Their sundaes arrived, and they dug in, the sweet treat lifting their spirits. As they ate, Ekansh shared stories of his own past, of mistakes and forgiveness, of love and family. Advika listened intently, feeling a sense of connection and hope.

"You know, Advika," Ekansh said thoughtfully, "love isn’t always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s in the small things—like sharing a bowl of ice cream, or making someone’s favorite dish. It’s about being there for each other, through thick and thin."

Advika smiled, feeling a warmth in her heart. "Thank you, Papa. I needed to hear that."

Ekansh nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Anytime, my dear. Now, let’s finish this ice cream before it melts."

As they laughed and enjoyed their treat, Advika felt a renewed sense of determination. She would make things right with Vidyut as a guilt

When they returned home, Advika felt lighter, her heart filled with hope. She knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but with the support of her new family, she was ready to take the first step towards healing and love.

Ekansh patted her shoulder as they entered the house. "Remember, Advika, you’re not alone. We’re here for you, always."

Advika looked at him, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Papa. I’ll remember that."

As she walked to her room, she couldn’t help but smile. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly loved and cared for. She was ready to mend things with Vidyut but then first she have to take baby steps talking and a lot of things!!

𝙑𝙞𝙙𝙮𝙪𝙩'𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙫

A week had passed since the incident, and I couldn't shake the restless feeling gnawing at me. Every moment without contact from advika felt like an eternity. I wandered through my days in the US, lost in thoughts of her. Even the bustling streets of New York felt emptier, colder without her presence.

I tried to distract myself with work, throwing myself into meetings and tasks, but it was no use. My mind always drifted back to her. I remembered the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled, how her laughter could light up a room. One look into her eyes was enough to make me fall head over heels all over again.

I sighed, staring out of my office window at the cityscape. "Why did it have to be like this?" I wondered aloud. The memory of her words, cold and distant, still stung. She had called our marriage a contract, a temporary arrangement to protect ourselves. But it had felt so real to me, every touch, every shared glance.

The thought of her being hurt and me not being there to protect her haunted me. I had hoped to build something genuine, something lasting, despite the initial circumstances. But her walls were impenetrable, her cold demeanor a constant barrier.

What hurt the most was knowing she didn't trust me enough to let me in. I wanted to show her that love didn't have to be a weakness, that it could be a source of strength. But every time I reached out, she pulled away, reinforcing the contract’s terms like an iron-clad shield.

I felt an ache in my chest every time I thought of the way she had dismissed our marriage. Her eyes, usually so full of life, had turned icy as she spoke about the contract. It was as if she had built a fortress around her heart, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't breach it.

My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I glanced at the screen and saw it was Mishva. My heart sank. Her voice was panicked, and she said, "Bhai, Bhabhi nahi mil rahi."

_______________________________________

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪