LOVE - HATE - LOVE

Chapter 26

Yeah, actually there is a very famous small temple at the backside of this temple. That God is very powerful, he will make all the sincere prayers successful, so I asked her to pray to that God, " said the pandit. Sakthi followed his words and repeated the same to Gowtham.

" Yeah, I asked him about special prayers for my family's well being so he was telling me about that backyard temple" Sakthi lied to Gowtham. Her eyes automatically shed tears in fear, she turned pale. Gowtham didn't ask her much; he already knew she was not in a good state so he let that matter.

" Ok, fine we will do it later. Don't cry " said Gowtham and wiped her tears with his hand. Sakthi looked surprised.

" Pandit, is there anything else to be done?? Everything is over right??" Asked Gowtham. Pandit was already in a fear of being caught. So he immediately replied,
" Yeah everything is over, you can pray to God and leave".

Gowtham nodded his head positively and paid his remuneration. Pandit looked at Sakthi once and left the place hurriedly.
Gowtham took her inside the temple and finished the prayers. They were about to leave the temple, Sakthi was worried a lot and she didn't want to miss this good chance. She is determined to meet Aravind at any cost. She became thoughtful about how to escape from Gowtham. He looked at her worried face and asked her,

" Sakthi, what is bothering you?? Why do you look tense??"

Sakthi was blank for a moment when he asked her directly, soon she gained her senses and pleaded " I want to go to that backyard temple and pray for my family. Please let me go ". Her eyes welled up with tears, she looked scared. Gowtham felt bad seeing her in such a pitiful state, so he couldn't deny her wish.

" Ok, we all will go together. Come on" said Gowtham looking at Lakshmi ma. Sakthi was taken back, she wondered how to stop them both from coming along with her.

" Gowtham, I'm tired already, my legs are in pain. We have to walk a little to reach that temple so you both go there. I will wait in the car, " said Lakshmi ma. Gowtham said and asked Sakthi to come. Sakthi sighed and relaxed, at least Lakshmi maa won't come. But she was thinking of how to stop Gowtham from coming along with her.

On the other hand, Gowtham was thinking of striking a conversation with her. He looked at her pale face and thought that she was sinking in her father's memories.
He tried to talk with her normally, he called her name, "Sakthi..." she didn't respond and went ahead of him.

" Sakthi... " again he called her name. This time she heard his voice and stopped and she looked at him questioningly. He came near her, " Sakthi, are you satisfied with this arrangement?? I know you are so broken after your father's demise"

Sakthi looked at him calmly for a while and said mockingly, " What are you trying to prove by doing all this??". Gowtham was speechless because he himself didn't understand why he was doing all these?? He didn't know why he wanted to please Sakthi after turning her life upside down.

He remained silent she walked ahead and moved past him, all of a sudden he held her hand gently and stopped her, she looked at him questioningly.
" Sakthi, trust me I didn't know that your father died a couple of days ago. I didn't do anything intentionally" said Gowtham with guilty feelings. Sakthi didn't say anything she wanted to slap him for all his misdeeds but now more than that she wants to meet Aravind. It was so important to her, so she didn't want to create a scene. Simply she nodded her head positively with a tight lip and released her hand from his clutches. Gowtham felt relaxed after she left calmly without showing a long face. He followed her without any further conversation, and they were about to reach that small temple.

Sakthi was thinking a lot about how to send him away, she was not getting any idea. At a distance she noticed Aravind was waiting for her behind the pillar, she felt happy seeing him. Immediately she got scared and turned back whether Gowtham saw him, thankfully he was checking his mobile while walking so he didn't see Aravind's presence. Sakthi became restless in that situation, all of a sudden her face turned bright, she got an idea. She held her head and acted like she became damn tired, even unable to walk.
Gowtham saw her clumsy and came near her, he was worried thinking she was unwell.

" Sakthi... Sakthi... What happened?? " asked Gowtham by holding her. Sakthi felt disgusted by his touch but she continued to act.

"I feel thirsty and damn tired, I need water" said Sakthi by faking a puppy face. Gowtham believed her words, because as if he knew she didn't eat anything from yesterday.

" Ok, come let's go back to the car. You can drink water and take a rest, we will go home" said Gowtham and lifted her up. In his arms. Sakthi was perplexed that her plan was getting backfired. She got an idea to solve this problem.

Immediately she jumped down from his arms and said firmly, " It's ok I will stay thirsty and hungry because I want to go to that temple and pray for my family at any cost. I can't come back without doing that pooja because I know that you will not bring me outside once we go home. I don't want to miss this chance to pray to God"

Gowtham looked stunned, he promised her to bring her back later and asked her to come with him but she denied it strongly. He was also not ready to give up. She asked him to go back to the car and get her water instead of coming together with her.

She thought to put up an act to convince him " Please Gowtham, already you didn't let me attend my father's funeral at least let me pray for his soul to rest in peace. I strongly feel that this temple will give me peace of mind. Give me five minutes please... please...I will finish my prayers" she begged him with a folded hands.

Gowtham couldn't deny further, he said "Alright I will get the water for you meanwhile you sit here don't walk. After I come we both will go to the temple together, ok ??"

Sakthi nodded her head fastly and asked him to come back soon. Gowtham made her sit in the sun shade and started to walk towards the other side of the temple. Sakthi looked at him once and called his name " Gowtham, I'm so hungry please bring some food for me. Till you come I will wait here please". He didn't get suspicious seeing her pale face and said ok. He turned to his back and continued to walk.

Once Gowtham's appearance disappeared from her eyesight she ran towards the pillar where Aravind hid. Aravind saw Gowtham leave the place and he came out from his hiding. Once Sakthi reached that place and she saw Aravind closer she was broken into tears. Aravind was sceptical about her acts, he tried to console her. He showed the tissue paper, which was thrown by Sakthi at that party night. He asked her what it meant, " Sakthi, why did you write me such a letter?? What is happening to you??"

The message was " I'm in danger, please help me. I want to see you alone"

Sakthi didn't say anything and continued to cry, Aravind became anxious and asked her. " Sakthi please don't cry, tell me what is your problem?? What happened to you?? I don't understand anything, you got married to Gowtham then, why do you want my help?? He can help you if you have any problems, right?? " Asked Aravind impatiently.

" He is my problem Aravind, he is my life's biggest problem" said Sakthi while crying. Aravind was damn shocked, he urged her to say what happened.

" Aravind, I can't tell you fully now. Because Gowtham will come at any time. So I will tell you shortly" said Sakthi. Aravind nodded his head mad kept an eye towards the temple, he checked whether Gowtham was coming.

" Aravind, that Gowtham cheated and married me. But after that he  separated me from my family and brought me here. Later he started to torture me brutality every day and night. Now I'm in his control, to be frank I'm in his house as a slave not as his wife. I can't go anywhere without his knowledge. I will be always in his radar, " said Sakthi, wiping her tears. Aravind was shocked at her situation, he saw bruises on her hand and neck. He felt hurt seeing her in such a pitiful state.

" Then why are you staying with him?? You can leave him and goto police. I can't believe that he is such a scoundrel, he looks like a gentleman outside" Aravind roared angrily.

" Do you think it is that easy?? If I escape next second he will kill my whole family. He is a devil" said Sakthi and smiled bitterly. Aravind looked  shocked.

To Be Continued...

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