Kyra (Complete)

Chapter Eleven

“Vihaan!”

The voice that sounded behind Kyra was strong enough to break Vihaan's hold on her wrist.

Struggling to keep her tears from falling, she watched the blurry image of his feet make their way past her.

“Are you okay, Kyra?” Something settled on her shoulder.

Swallowing a sob, Kyra nodded to Mrs. Sodhi's question, knowing that was the answer expected of it even if it wasn't the truth. Here she stood, married to a man who wanted nothing to do with her. Was she destined to suffer the fate of her mother? The more time she spent trapped in Vihaan's house, the clearer it became to her that she didn't have to say anything, neither did she have to do anything in order to provoke Vihaan's wrath.

He blamed her for this marriage. His anger was misplaced for she had nothing to do with the marriage. She had absolutely no say in it and if she did have a say, she'd have chosen to stay home with her mother. She thought that by marrying Vihaan, she'd be doing her parents proud. She was willing to sacrifice her own happiness and choices, for the happiness and choice of others.

Growing up, Kyra didn't allow herself long for many things. She had learned early enough to be content with the desires of others. She saw the pain and hardship of her mother and she longed to do everything to make her mother happy. So, she was a good child —perfect child. She thought if she didn't cause her family trouble, Mother would be proud of her and with Mother being so sad all the time, Kyra wanted to be her mother's happiness. She wanted to put a smile on Mother's face and she thought by marrying Vihaan, she would be doing just that. Yet, her marriage to Vihaan had failed even before it began. Wouldn't this piece of information break Mother's heart? Wouldn't it bring shame to the Jindal family that their daughter couldn't keep her husband? What would people say? What mockery would this information bring to her family?  

Kyra didn't give into her tears until Vihaan's mother left her side and she was left alone in the bedroom.

It felt like the weight of the entire universe was placed on her shoulders and she crumbled under it. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't force Vihaan to stay with her. She couldn't survive another second under his hatred.

She needed to go home.

****

Anja held her eye lids shut as she felt the impact of her husband's fist making contact with her jaw. Tears filled her eyes but she fought to keep them shut —she couldn't look at him. She had learned many years ago to keep her eyes closed whenever he abused her.

She knew that if she could blurt out the image of his angry eyes as his fists made contact with her body, the pain would seem less. Perhaps it was because she knew if she couldn't see his eyes, she'd not be afraid? She hated fear much more than she hated his fist.

She couldn't even remember why he was so angry, why he thought he needed to relieve himself of his anger on her. She hardly ever knew the source of his anger, all she knew was that she was the brunt of it.

His fists tightened around her throat, choking her. She tried not to think of the pain. She tried instead to think of Kyra. Her precious daughter. Her miracle. Kyra was the gold that had survived the furnace of her marriage into the Jindal family. Kyra was the only good thing she had and with Kyra on her mind, Anja could survive any torture.

But as his fist tightened around her neck, the image of Kyra in her mind began to fade away and her sense of hearing began to fade. Was she dying?

Anja reached helplessly for his fists, tightening its hold around her neck, her eyes flickering open for the first time in twenty five years while he was hurting her. She couldn't breathe. She clawed helplessly at his fingers but he didn't relent.

Kyra! All she could think of was Kyra. Had she failed Kyra? Had she done this to herself? Anja felt guilt wash over her body. She had allowed this abuse. She allowed it for too many years instead of taking her daughter and leaving. Now, she was allowing him kill her. What would happen to Kyra? Anja had failed as a mother. She failed to teach Kyra that being a woman didn't mean weakness. She failed to show her precious child that her allegiance was first to herself. No, Anja had taught Kyra instead to be weak, to give in to abuse. To hurt and cry over a man who took pleasure in her tears.

But it was too late for Anja. For today, today was the day that she'd die in regret.

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