You Belong To Me

12.Pain - Suffering - Loneliness

In the quiet corner, a heart silently beats,
Longing for the one who makes it complete.

Arushi's House

"Why is this house so eerily silent?" she pondered, her thoughts drifting amidst the usual chaos that typically engulfed her aunt's abode. The absence of her aunt's shrill admonishments and her sisters' incessant bickering was as conspicuous as the stillness that hung heavy in the air. Exhausted from the ceaseless toil of her daily chores, Arushi welcomed the unexpected tranquility as she ascended the staircase, seeking solace in the quiet solitude of her room.

"Arushi, descend at once or face my imminent arrival!" Mrs. Roy's voice pierced the silence, its sharpness a stark contrast to the serenity that enveloped the house.

"Coming, Aunt," Arushi responded wearily, her fatigue palpable. Having attended to all her household duties, including the laborious task of cooking, she trudged downstairs, resigned to whatever awaited her below.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Arushi's gaze fell upon the assembled family, her sisters' sly smirks and her uncle's amused grin betraying the tension that lingered in the room. Her aunt, with a swift motion, tossed a bag in her direction, prompting Arushi to inquire, "What is the meaning of this, Aunt?"

With furrowed brows, she accepted the parcel, a sense of unease creeping over her. If not for a special occasion or celebration, her aunt's gesture seemed out of place, and Arushi's curiosity piqued.

"Aru, I have orchestrated a union between you and my friend's son," her uncle announced, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Arushi's disbelief was palpable. "What?" she exclaimed, caught off guard by the sudden revelation.

"Quickly now, there is no time to waste," her aunt interjected impatiently, her tone brooking no argument.

As Arushi's voice reverberated through the room, its resonance filled with a rare blend of anger and despair, the air crackled with tension. Her words, laden with frustration and betrayal, echoed off the walls of the once tranquil abode, shattering the fragile facade of serenity that had enveloped the house moments before.

"Didn't I tell you earlier? I won't marry anyone whom I don't know... How could you do this to me? Am I this much of a burden to you? Then leave me alone," she shouted, her voice trembling with raw emotion. For the first time, Arushi dared to defy the oppressive weight of her family's expectations, her spirit unyielding in the face of their tyranny.

Arushi's resolve faltered in the face of her uncle's harsh reprimand, her heart heavy with the weight of his disappointment. She longed to scream, to rage against the injustices that had been thrust upon her, but the sting of his slap silenced her protests, leaving her reeling in shock.

"Aru, consider it a payoff for taking care of you since your childhood," he murmured, his voice laced with a veneer of false affection. Yet beneath the facade of kindness, lurked the shadows of neglect and betrayal, leaving Arushi's tender heart yearning for the love and care it had so long been denied, and instead burdened with the heavy toll of pain, suffering, and loneliness.

"Uncle, why are you so cruel towards me?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath as she struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events. Her uncle, once a figure of comfort and solace, now stood before her as an embodiment of betrayal, his actions a painful reminder of her own vulnerability.

But her aunt's venomous words cut through the silence like a knife, their cruelty leaving Arushi breathless with disbelief. "Bitch, this marriage is not for your purpose. It's for our business benefits. And we consider you as a pawn in this game, nothing more than that. You better change, or I will beat you until your death," her aunt spat, her voice dripping with malice as she seized Arushi's hair in a vice-like grip.