Kabhi Toh Nazar Milao Part 3

Izzat

Sameer tried to keep the simmering umbrage in control as he took Naina in his arms.

She had been punished all her life for no fault of hers. His anger at taiji had transformed into white hot rage... making him itch to go and confront the vile woman and her husband. How could they subject their own daughter like niece to such abuse, both physically and emotionally? He had himself seen the remnants of her brutality on Naina's body... the way taiji had pinched her when her alliance with some useless boy recommended by her could not be finalised.

His mother also slapped him a few times, shouted at him, forced him to do things he didn't want... but he had always shown the seething reaction, venting out in whichever way he could... be it breaking things, screaming at people around him, or throwing punches madly into the punching bag.

But Naina... he was sure she wouldn't have even whimpered in front of anyone... except the star that she considered her mother. The  void in her life was too deep to be filled easily. But he would do it one day... whatever time it takes. And he would make taiji pay for what she did to his Naina. His blood boiled again, making his resolve stronger.

His tightened hold made Naina aware of the turmoil within him.

"Sameer, agar tum soch rahe ho ki taiji aur tauji ne jo kiya uska sabak unhe sikhana chahiye toh yeh khyal apne dimaag se nikal do." Her words brought him back.

"Ky... kya matlab?" He looked down at her.

Lifting her head off his chest, she blinked her clear eyes, "Jo baatein khatam ho gayi unhe fir se nahi kuredana hai... taiji ko toh pehle hi bhagwaan ne itni badi sazaa di thi... shaadi ke kitne saalon aur kitne ilaaj ke baad Pralay paida hua tha... woh saal unke liye bohot dard bhare the."

Sameer did not feel an iota of sympathy for taiji, "Unke yahan toh koi aana hi nahi chahiye tha... jab unme aur unke pati mein kisi ko samajhne ki insaniyat hi nahi hai toh apne bachche se kya pyar kar payenge."

"Nahi Sameer, aisa nahi kehte... ismein Pralay ka kya kasoor hai." She implored.

He shook his head, "Pralay ke liye nahi, Naina... uske mata pita ke liye keh raha hun... main chahta hun Pralay unke saath aisa hi vyavhaar kare jaisa unhone kiya hai tumhare saath... tabhi unhe ahsaas hoga."

She tugged at his arm, "Shh... kisi ka bura nahi sochte."

Sameer looked at her in surprise, "Kya tumhe zara si bhi shikayat nahi hai unse? Thoda bhi dil nahi karta ki unhe unke kiye hue bure kaamon ki sazaa mile? Naina, kya tumne apne tauji taiji ko unn sab zyadatiyon ke liye maaf kar diya jo unhone tumpe ki thi... ya fir papaji aur Arjun pe?"

She lowered her head.

"Bolo Naina, itna sab hone ke baad bhi tumhare dil mein unke liye izzat hai?" He prodded.

She looked up with a hard expression on her face, "Nahi Sameer, koi izzat nahi hai unke liye... zara bhi nahi... jis din unhone tumhare baare mein galat bola tha ussi din se unke liye saare jazbaat khatm ho gaye... na apnapan, na izzat, na lihaaz, aur na koi darr... yeh bhi tumhare saath ki wajah se hua, tumhari di hui himmat ne mujhe sar uthakar unki taraf dekhne ka bharosa diya... Preeti ki mehendi wale din taiji ne jab dhamki di toh main unka saamna isiliye kar paayi kyonki mujh mein dahshat ki jagah aatm vishwas tha... ab toh sirf rishta hai isliye unse baat karni padti hai... main khush hun ki woh log yahan se jaa rahe hain."

Sameer was somewhat satisfied at her admission, but letting them go scot free for their misdeeds was not acceptable to him.

She could see his eyes shrouded with hatred.

"Main isliye tumhe nahi batana chahti thi... mujhe pata tha tum nahi sahan kar paoge... Sameer, jo beet gaya uske liye aaj ko kyon kharab karna hai." She dipped her head to the side, a pleading look in her eyes.