5. The wedding night

Ishqi's POV

I was sitting on the king size bed. I was in the golden lehenga with a light weight necklace that Maa gave to me. I had the anklets in my feet. I sat down waiting for my unwanted husband.

Thud!!

The door opened and I looked up. He was standing there with his kurta open. I looked away. When I heard the sound of the door closing.

I looked at him.

" Get up."

He said. I got angry. Didn't his mother promise me that he will not force me for anything?

" Didn't you hear at once? I said get up."

He commanded again. I really wanted to slap this man. I slide myself to the edge of the bed and then came down.

" What?"

I asked while folding my arms. He scanned me from top to bottom and then walked towards the sofa. He sat down and then picked a glass. He poured the whiskey in the glass.

He then kept his right arm on the sofa and kept his one leg above the other one.

" Remove your veil and then start doing sit ups. "

He ordered, his voice dripping with authority.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to show him any sign of weakness.

" And why should I listen to you?" I retorted, my voice laced with defiance.

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"Because, my dear wife, I am your husband. And you will do as I say."

He replied, his tone dripping with arrogance.

My blood boiled at his words, but I knew better than to provoke him further. Swallowing my pride, I reached up to remove the veil that had been shielding my face, my movements deliberate as I revealed myself to him.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself for what was to come, determined not to let him break me, no matter how hard he tried.

I had done 10 sit-ups and got tired. I looked at him.

"I can't. I am not used to all this."

I revolted. He had a sip of his whiskey.

" Come on do it. Otherwise, I can do exercise on the bed also. "

He said. I got more angry. I did some more push-ups and then got tired.

" Come on faster."

He said in a loud voice. I looked at him in anger and then continued doing it. My legs were hurting. My hair were messed up.

I had almost done 100 push ups and now my legs didn't have any more energy. I was sweating because of the lehenga.

" Stop my dear wife. Now you can rest."

He said and then closed his eyes. i slowly got up but my legs were hurting. I held the bed and then got up.

I lay on my stomach, my breaths ragged and my muscles protesting from the exertion. The weight of his expectations hung heavy in the air, pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.

As I tried to catch my breath, his words echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of my newfound reality. I was trapped in this gilded cage, bound by the chains of marriage to a man I barely knew, forced to bend to his will.

But even as anger simmered within me, a flicker of defiance burned bright in my chest. I refused to be broken by his demands, to let him strip away my dignity and my sense of self.

I slept because of tiredness.

" ISHQI, ISHQI."

I heard the voice of Maa who was knocking the door continuously. I forced open my eyes and saw that it was the morning time.

I sat on the bed. I kept my feet down and moved a step and fell down. My legs were hurting too much. I struggled and somehow reached the door.

I opened it and saw Maa standing there with a orange colored's lehenga. She looked at me. I remembered that my hair were messed up.

I moved my hand and then curled it up in a bun and left them open.

" Ishqi, is ... is everything okay? Di .... Did anything happen between you and Abhi? Did he force you for?"

" No Maa, he ... he didn't do anything. "

I replied. She took a sign of relief and then looked at the lehenga. I also looked at that saree. She was moving her hand on that saree.

" Ishqi, this is Abhimaan's mother's saree. She kept it for her daughter-in-law. "

What did she say? Abhimaan's mother? Isn't she his own mother? But he treats her like his own? Arrgh this Thakur family is too confusing for me to understand.

Leave it, I should not get indulged with this family. I don't care about them and I will never do.

" Here."

" Thanks Maa. "

I said and took that lehenga while keeping my doubts aside. I looked at that lehenga. It was a beautiful saree with golden boundary.

I came inside the washroom and then stood under the shower. I was rubbing myself with the shower gel and thinking about my father.

Oh, I forgot to talk to him. I quickly cleaned myself and then came out of the washroom in the bathrobe.

I picked my phone and call Baba.

" Hello."

I heard Baba's voice and smiled with a tear rolling down to my cheeks.

" Ishqi bacha, is everything alright? Are you fine?"

"Baba, I miss you."

I said. He let out a soft sigh on the other end of the line.

" I miss you too, my dear Ishqi. Tell me, how are you holding up?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But the longing to confide in him won over my reservations.

"Baba, it's been... difficult." I admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush.

" I feel suffocated here, trapped in a life I never chose."

There was a moment of silence on the line, filled only by the sound of our shared breaths mingling together across the distance.

"I understand, beta." Baba said finally, his voice filled with empathy.

"But remember, you are stronger than you think. You have the Tiwari blood running through your veins."

His words struck a chord within me, stirring a flicker of determination amidst the despair.

" I know Baba."

" And don't worry. I am coming there in a few hours. "

He said. I cut the call and then kept it down. I picked the red saree with some earrings and necklace.

I picked the vermillion box and then opened it. I picked the vermillion and then filled my partition.

" You look good as Mrs Abhimaan Singh Thakur."

I heard his voice and turned around. He was standing there in his gym clothes. He was sweating as he was there straight from the gym.

" I think you should go and get ready Thakur sahab. Everyone must be waiting for you."

I said and then set the saree on my hand. I walked towards him and then crossed him. He might be sweating but his perfume's smell was still there.

Shut up Ishqi. You can't fall for him. He is a devil and nothing else.

I came down slowly. My legs were still hurting.

" Bhabhi, Bhaiya ne aisa kya kiya ki aapse chala tak nahi ja raha."

" Bhabhi, what did Bhaiya do that you can't even walk?"

Maanveer asked me. This man is so shameless. I shook my head.

" Come on Maan, you know what Thakurs become when it comes to women, especially on bed. "

I heard my father-in-law walking inside. He was with a girl who wasn't the same one whom I saw yesterday.

" I didn't ask you about this. And Bhaiya is not like you. Now you are back with another one."

Maanveer said. He looked at me.

" Bhabhi, Maa is calling you in the kitchen."

Maanveer said to me. I nodded and then walked towards the kitchen. I saw Maa there. She was waiting for me.

She looked at me and smiled.

" Ishqi come. Today is your pehli rasoi. You make a sweet dish for everyone."

I smiled. Maa went from there. I knew that I will make kheer for everyone. The other servants were making the breakfast. I was waiting for the milk to boil so that I could mix rice with it.

After some time, I was standing alone in the kitchen. All the food and the sweet dish was made. now I was standing in front of the kheer bowl.

This sweet dish will be so sweet for Mr Abhimaan Singh Thakur that after this you will not have any sweet dish.

I kept the kheer bowl in the fridge and then came out. I looked at the Thakur family who were placed at the breakfast table.

I pulled a chair near Maa when she stopped me.

" Ishqi, you are the new bride. You should sit with your husband. Go and sit there."

She said. I looked at Thakur sahab who was sitting and picking the salad from his fork. I pushed the chair inside and then walked towards Thakur sahab. I pulled a chair next to him and then sat down.

Bade Thakur and that other girl also came there.

" She will not sit with us."

Maanveer shouted while getting up.

" Shut up Maan. Not right now. "

Maa said and Maanveer stopped. The servants came and then served the food to us. We all started to have the food.

" Bhabhi, what did you make?"

" I made kheer for everyone. I will just get it for everyone."

I said and then got up. I came to the kitchen then then took six bowls. I put all the kheer in the bowls. I looked at the a small tube that I was holding.

I mixed that poison in a kheer bowl and then walked out. I kept one bowl for everyone. I kept that poisoned kheer to Thakur sahab. I sat down.

Everyone took a spoon of kheer and were about to have it.

" Wait."

Thakur sahab said. Everyone looked at him. He looked at me.

" First, my wife will have the first bite and then everyone will have the kheer."

He declared, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

I felt a wave of panic wash over me as the entire family turned their expectant gazes towards me, awaiting my compliance. But deep down, a voice whispered words of defiance, urging me to resist, to fight back against the chains that bound me.

" I... I'm not hungry."

I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper, my hands trembling as I held the bowl of poisoned kheer.

But before I could protest further, Thakur sahab's Bua intervened, her sharp eyes piercing through my facade of reluctance.

" Nonsense, Ishqi." she chided gently, her tone laced with authority.

"You must eat. It's tradition."

I felt a knot form in my stomach as I met her unwavering gaze, the weight of her expectations bearing down on me like a crushing burden. But even as I struggled to find my voice, a spark of defiance ignited within me, a silent rebellion against the forces that sought to control me.

"I... I can't," I whispered, my resolve faltering in the face of her unwavering insistence.

But with a gentle yet firm hand, she reached out and placed a spoonful of kheer to my lips, her eyes locking onto mine with a silent command.

"Open your mouth, beta," she urged, her voice soft yet compelling.

I hesitated, torn between my fear of the consequences and my longing for freedom. But as her gaze bore into mine, a sense of resignation washed over me, a silent acceptance of my fate.

With a heavy heart, I parted my lips and allowed him to feed me the poisoned kheer.

" Badi Thakurain."

I closed my eyes with a sense of relief as a servant call Maa.

" What is it?"

Maa asked.

" Choti Thakurain's father has come and he wants to meet her."

Baba. He is here.

I got up and then ran towards the gate. I came out and saw my father standing there with the jeep.

He looked at me and smiled. He spread his arms. I ran and then hugged him. He held me in his embrace in a protective way.

" I am so glad that you are here. "

I said while crying. Baba held my face and then kissed my forehead.

" Hello Mr Tiwari."

Maa said while coming to us. We both looked at her. Baba bowed down.

" Nice to meet you, Badi Thakurain."

" Please don't bow down. You have given us your daughter. Tomorrow is the reception of both of them. Please stay here."

Maa said in a polite voice. I was thinking that what people thought about the Thakurs were wrong.

" I would love but I can't stay in this house. I am a lawyer and you know the reason why I can't stay here. So I have to go back. And Ishqi's elder sister and her husband is also coming from Canada. So I have to get them. I will come tomorrow with them."

Baba said. I smiled. It has been many years since I met Mannat di. Now she is coming here, then I will enjoy with her a lot.

Baba sat in the car and looked at me.

" Take care."

I nodded. Baba reversed the car and then left from there. I stood there looking at my father.

As I watched my father drive away, a sense of longing washed over me, mingling with the bittersweet relief of his presence. Despite the fleeting moment of solace his visit had brought, I knew that the shadows of this suffocating life would soon descend upon me once more.

Turning back towards the imposing gates of the Thakur mansion, I squared my shoulders, steeling myself for the challenges that lay ahead. With each passing day, the weight of my captivity grew heavier, threatening to crush the flicker of hope that burned within my chest.

But even as I braced myself for the battles yet to come, a newfound determination ignited within me, a silent vow to never surrender to the forces that sought to break me.