Taken As Reward (The war of politics and love BOOK 2 )

11. Muqtalif

ZEHRA

I had so many questions. How did this start? Why did this start? And yet I couldn't bring myself to ask him anything. Maybe seeing him lose his control has attacked my nerves. And I am as scared for him as I was the first time.

After I have seen him maniac like that, I wanted to go back home. With no second thought, true I might have loved this person for 6 years. But all I ever knew about him was the bares.

I closed my eyes and nodded.
It's his family, I can't break them up, "But how long are we going to pretend?"
This was another question I had been reminiscing about.

He stared blankly at me, "I will buy the house back and send them away soon as possible. We can stop then." He said,
He walked inside the house, he wanted to pass by me to walk towards the cupboard and take his clothes,

His steps faltered but so did mine, as I took my pace backward and he passed by me, opening the door and picking up the new clothes.

He picked out the clothes, "Did you talk to your mom?" He asked me, apparently my routine to call her had been in the evening since I arrived in this house. And today was everything but normal.

I shook my head in response, he took a small nod and handed out his phone to me, the screen completely broken. But still in the working condition.

I took it from his hand, staring blankly, it's the screen broken today. Just the screen.

I started to dial the number, as I sat on the edge of the bed. He took his spare clothes and probably went out to change. He too had a lot of stains on his clothes, that his family did not notice, maybe because they know what he does. Or what he ends up doing in rage!

I won't lie, I truly felt better that the man died before my eyes. Am I too a monster just like him?

I heard the phone ringing and in three bells she picked it up, "How are you?" was her first question. I fake smiled, well aware that she won't be able to see, "I am fine. You?" I implied, and she hummed.

The rest of the conversation was her gossip about the town, and I just gave humming responses to all of them.

The door opened back, and he entered with a black beater and trousers, keeping his dirty shirt on the cabinet at the left.

He did not comb his hair or anything in particular, just taking the towel he ruffled in walking around the room,

"And then Aarti's mom fought with Naresh," I heard the voice and turned my attention back to the call. I don't even know why they fight, I did not hear the reason. I hummed once again.

And he opened the cabinet and picket out a tote and put his clothes in the bag and he took it outside, probably to throw it.

The call had hung up with a tune already in my ear when I realized that Ammi already said her goodbyes.
And I wasn't even paying attention.

Call it fear or distraction, I am completely unaware. He came back inside, and this time he met my eyes. "I will sleep in the television room," he said and walked out, taking a pillow from the other side of the bed, and a blanket from the cupboard.

I did not say much or anything for that matter.

~

I woke up very late because this was the only time in the week I had slept.
Hastily sitting up, I looked around and found him standing there once again in his towel wrapped around him, by the cupboard bringing out clothes.

His habit of doing it every morning because he use to do the Jal-Arpan. I instantly took my eyes away sliding at the bed edge, facing the wall.

"I thought there was a daughter-in-law in this house! Is she sleeping till now?" I heard his mother calling out from outside, I instantly jumped on my feet.

He saw me, and shook his head, "Don't worry about all these things. She doesn't know but we know that you are not obliged to do the daughter-in-law's duties." he said but I shook my head, picking up the dupatta that must have fallen last night while sleeping.

"Yes, she doesn't know," I said and I kneeled to pick out the bag of clothes and picked out something to wear.
He still standing there, looking inside the cupboard.

For a long time, "Is there something you want that you are not finding? Should I look for you?" I asked him when he shook his head.

"I am searching for my black shirt," He asked me, as I went towards him.  I picked some stacks, shifting the clothes here and there and I found it within seconds.
"You can't find something by just staring at it." I don't know where this came from.

I handed him, as I picked my clothes to bathe myself.
The whole time I was busy doing personal chores, I kept hearing the occasional taunts my way.
Waking up late, not making tea. And since I am Muslim I can't do the pooja in the morning.

I heard her, and I am not offended about it because this is what your average daughter-in-law is supposed to do. As soon as I came out of the bathroom. I went inside the kitchen but she had already made the tea herself.

She had started to make breakfast. But I started to help her, asking her what I must do, I helped her to make breakfast, coming to acknowledge that Daiwik doesn't have to go to work for two days. Because Abhiraj gave him off.

Devakshaya walked inside with his head high, touching his mother's feet. Yes, I was supposed to do that in the morning too.

Divya was sitting with Daiwik who had been helping her fill out the academy forms and helping her with the fees again.

I started setting the table in the television room when I saw the pillow and blanket there.

And his mother did too, "Did you tell my son to sleep outside?" She asked me, surprised I blinked.

"Maa, she did not." He denied it instantly.

"Which man wants to sleep away from his wife at night?" She asked him, and he was left there shunned, "Was she angry because I and Divya came to live here? And her freedom of waking up in the middle of the afternoon has to stop? Or does she have to work? Oh no, maybe because I said I did not want a different religion daughter-in-law?" she asked him, and he closed his eyes.

"None of that."

"It's okay. You won't have to hide. It's normal for women nowadays to dislike living with their in-laws." She said and started to eat.

Daiwik stared at me with an apologetical look.

I was about to sit when the only place left was next to him, I did walk up there and sat beside him, while he ate the food quietly. All of them having conversations like a family and all I felt was an outcast.

I did my duty later on and Divya was forced to help me because it is not my duty alone as it was said. And I cleaned the kitchen making lunch for everyone.

When I heard footsteps behind me, "It's okay Divya, I can make it myself." I told without looking back when I turned around,

~

PAST (4 Years Ago~) -:-

I turned around when I heard someone calling me. Completely flabbergasted by the commotion I turned around,

"What is wrong?" I implored when she shook her head, breathing heavily Anju was really beautiful but Arti along with her panting was a sight herself too.

"I heard your brother is in a fight with someone in the market! " Anju explained, and eyes widen.

"Yes, please! Please stop him. He will kill him if you don't reach right now!" I heard her say, my eyes are wide open. She was in tears, her face red.

I turned around and I jogged towards the market. "Who is he hitting?" I asked when they sobbed,

"The gajra boy."