Riddhima grew tensed for each passing second. Her round babyish face had grown paler looking at the new statue that was going to be made. She was no more the girl who lived life on her terms. She was trapped in a beautiful cage, with everyone else feeling jealous of her, not knowing about the reality of the heart wrenching truth.
“Why? Bappa why?” she muttered letting the tears drip down her cheeks. Her lips trembled and her hands shivered at the very thought of being alone with the man she was married to. Vansh was indeed a monster, disguised as a family man. She winced at the pain her heart was giving her. The person she had loved dearly had pushed her into this loveless and hateful marriage for the sake of his duty. She pulled her legs closer to her, trying to find the warmth she had felt with Kabir. Ironically it was Kabir, who had given her the cold, dull life. She was someone untrained for spying. Just like she had expected, her husband, Vansh was planning to murder her, in the most painful way possible. She quickly strode into the storeroom, to hide herself from the devil.
She locked the storeroom and hid herself under an old, seemingly unused table. She rubbed her hands trying to creating heat when her eyes roamed around. A piece of paper was stuck at the edge of the table. She, forgetting all the pain, pulled the paper that seemed like an old greeting card.
It read,
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANSH BHAIYA,
YOU ARE THE BEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD!
Lots of love from,
Kabir, Siya, Ishani and Aryan”
There was a drawing of five kids with their names.
“Kabir?” Riddhima muttered wondering if her doubts were true.
“Kabir and Vansh know each other?” she mumbled unable to believe the things that were happening around her. She came out of the table slowly, but steadily.
She hurriedly opened the old cupboard and viewed all the objects in it, one by one. in the process, she pulled out a sheet, seemingly an A3 sheet. She opened and by surprise, saw a beautiful sketch.
“It’s…me!” she muttered looking at the artist’s name,
“Vansh Raisinghania – 8.12.2019”
“He knew me three years ago? But how?” Riddhima muttered shaking her head in disbelief.
To Be Continued…