Heartbeats and Boardrooms

ten

Past

!! Trigger warning : described physical violence; mentions of blood !!

The sky echoed with the rumble of thunder as Manish painfully dragged Vidhi towards their house. Overhead, a blanket of ominous clouds loomed, casting a sorrowful hue upon the scene. Their heavy presence seemed laden with an empathetic grief, as though they, too, sensed the impending fate awaiting Vidhi. It was as if nature itself mourned, shedding tears in advance for the trials that were about to unfold in her life.

In the house, Manish forcefully shoved Vidhi towards a wall, causing her to collide with it and tumble to the ground. She let out a sharp hiss of pain as her father's voice thundered through the room, "How dare you whore around with that son of a bitch, how dare you?"

Manish's furious outburst left Vidhi trembling with fear. His uncontrollable anger was unsettling, and it seemed like he had completely lost control of himself.

"You didn't spare me any respect in front of the entire neighborhood," he said, getting dangerously close to her. With a harsh grip, he grabbed her chin and seethed in a whisper.

Vidhi's fear grew even deeper as she realized that her father's violence had reached a new level. The man standing before her seemed completely unhinged, and she feared for her safety.

"That's it, I'm going to kill you today. You do no good to me living here, better go to your mother" Manish's voice echoed with a finality that sent chills down Vidhi's spine. She couldn't help but tremble, instinctively retreating towards the wall, hoping it could shield her from his rage.

Manish's anger consumed him, transforming him into a primal force. With a feral roar, he seized a nearby chair, its legs scraping across the floor. Vidhi's heart pounded in her chest as she instinctively pressed herself against the wall, hoping it could shield her from his wrath. In a terrifying display of violence, the chair came crashing down upon Vidhi, the impact causing her head to bleed. Fear gripped her as she realized the gravity of the situation.

As Vidhi's father forcefully grabbed her by the hair, a surge of pain shot through her scalp, causing her to wince in agony. Her head spun from the impact, disorienting her senses. Before she could regain her bearings, another wave of force crashed into her body as her father mercilessly hurled her against the wall, over and over again. Each collision sent shockwaves of pain reverberating through her fragile frame. Blood trickled from her nose, staining her face as a testament to the brutality she endured.

Gasping for breath, Vidhi managed to choke out, "Please... stop... why are you doing this?" Her voice trembled with fear and confusion, pleading for an end to the relentless assault. But her father's rage seemed impenetrable, his eyes filled with a darkness that overshadowed any semblance of compassion or reason.

In that moment, Vidhi realized she needed to find a way to escape or she'd end up dying in the hands of her father.

With every ounce of strength she could muster, Vidhi fought against Manish's grip, wrenching herself free from his clutches. With a burst of determination, she pushed him away, her heart pounding in her chest. Blood streamed down her head, mingling with the tears that stained her face, as her nose continued to bleed. Despite the pain that coursed through her body, she refused to surrender.