His Forced Wife

35 | Dark Phase

Malvika

I stood in a stunned silence before the operation theatre.
Vanshika had succumbed on the seat right beside me. Her face was buried in her hands.
I could still hear her sob incessantly.

The doctors were forced to do an angioplasty. The heart attack had been a major one.
Vanshika told me, the moment Adi had heard the whole tale being told on the television he had an heart attack.
Anyways the secret smoking he was indulged into hadn't done his heart any good.
Vanraj was still not here.

I felt terribly lonely.
I didn't know how to console Vanshika. I remembered being in a similar situation on that sinking ship, except, I could do something to save Vanraj.
Here she was just terribly helpless.

I gulped nervously.
Adi had been my bestest friend over the years of my struggle. I remembered sharing all my past trauma with him, and he'd listen attentively before asking me to sip on my vodka and go to sleep.

My lips broke into a smile, remembering all the craziness I had indulged with him, a perfectly friendly Dad, that I never had.
I finally forced myself to look away, as the doctors worked on him.
I pulled my phone.

There were missed calls from Meera.
I called her back.
I was expecting a query from her end, but all I heard when I picked the call was sobbing.

I walked out of the corridor. I didn't want to recount things before Vanshika.
I walked down to the garden outside the hospital for some air.

"Meera?", I finally asked.
"Akshay..", She mumbled, "He-he left."

"What the...", I whispered.
"One minute. You have a different problem?!", I asked.
There was a confused silence before she spoke,
"Is everything okay on your end?"
"Obviously not!", I said.

"No-one sec.. where did Bhai go?!", I asked, it felt like doomsday was here.
"I don't know! He left the goddamn company papers on my name and a stupid note saying I don't want to stay with you, bye.", She said.
"No but there must be an explanation!", I stated aghast.

"I called him a hundred times. He's simply not taking my calls! And-and that Arshi.. Vanraj's ex, she messaged me saying sorry for hurting you for the second time. I don't know what to make of this!", She now sounded angry.

"Do you know where Samar is?", I asked, trying to sort my messed up mind.
She paused and then realised.
"Oh no! I don't know! I was so caught up since the morning with Akshay's letter, I didn't realise I didn't pick him from school!", She said, " I will-"

She paused.

"Meera?"

"Vanraj ji.", She mumbled, and the call hanged up.

This Arshi legit walked in and set everything on fire!
I looked at the time.
The doctors said the operation might go on for hours, and I needed to know why Vanraj was there to meet Meera.
I drew in a deep breath.

I called Vanshika.

"Vanshi-"
"There's been another emergency?", She asked simply.
"Yeah.. it's a little stressful-"
"Malvika.", She paused, "There is this phase that runs in Vanraj's family. Everything seems to fall apart. I remembered a time something similar had happened with me. They call it the Dark Phase."

Okay. It runs in the family?
Nice.

"Just hand on with him. Okay?", She said.
"Vanshi.. does this end, well?", I asked.
"It never did before. But Vanraj and you are not like anyone else, you both were married forcefully by destiny. And I trust you both.", She said.

"I'll be back.", I said.
"I know.", She said, I knew she forced a smile like her son often did, through the tears.
I nodded.
"I love you Vanshi.. and Adi will be alright.", I said.
I knew she glanced at the door of the OT.
"I know him. He'll live through if he wants to.", She paused, "Only if he wants to."

I drew in a sharp breath.
"Go on. Handle the crisis.", She said before hanging up.

I drew in a deep breath and rushed down to the parking lot.

...

Vanraj :

I stood before Meera.
She was a crying mess already.
The reason, I couldn't care less about.

"Wh-what has happened? Where is Samar?", She asked.
I drew in a deep breath.
"Arshi.", I said simply, "She manipulated our son, made him say everything that should have remained a secret. He defamed my father for life who is now in the hospital, and my wife is supposedly a characterless woman."

I sounded hollow.
I watched her go pale.
It somehow enraged me.

"How can he.."
"Only if you had bothered your life to see who your son was meeting..", I said, my words were suddenly laced with anguish, "Things would have been different."

"I-I always-"
"No Meera. I let you have his custody because I thought you were going to take care of him!", I finally shouted.
"I did-"
"Oh I saw how well you did!", I heard my voice echo in the large Singhania mansion.

I was expecting her overly protective husband to bustle out from some room to defend her, but nothing as such happened.
She just stood, looking shocked.

"My Samar.. he-he can never-"
"Your darling Samar had insulted me to no end, I tolerated it because I was guilty. But today! My father is struggling between life and death in the hospital! All because you were careless! Could you not keep a check on what he was doing?!", I shouted.

I suddenly sounded like my old self.
The one that was used to blame Meera was everything.
And she stood looking down, like she always did.

"If Arshi finds ways out to manipulate, Meera can't help it, Vanraj.", I heard Malvika from behind.
I turned.
She stood looking straight into my eyes.
"Really?! Are you going to defend-"
"I am saying what is right-"
"Really?! And what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to take care of Mom in the hospital-"

"Vanraj-", She tried to say but I had had enough.

I strode down to her.
I knew the old Vanraj was back. The darkness had pulled me back.
The villian.

"You will always be an irresponsible child!", I shouted at her.
She looked at me in shock.
"I know you are stressed Vanraj-"
"Oh please. You don't even understand how it is! After all being born with a golden spoon, doesn't teach responsibilities!"
"Vanraj ji-", I heard Meera's voice weakly.

But my temper had shifted to Malvika.
How could she leave my mother alone there!

She drew in a deep breath and looked down.

I drew in a sharp breath as I was about to walk past her. Our hands brushed and I suddenly felt a yank.
Her wrist band had stuck to my watch.

She turned towards me.

"Vanraj.. you have to at least hear me out. At least stop for a moment.", She said softly, her eyes were moist.
"I have to manage all the responsibilities, unfortunately. You both can sit and drink margherita, you know.", I said with s forced smirk as I yanked my hand. The little thread untwined as I turned and stormed out.

...