18. Don't dare to touch my wife

Ishqi POV

At night, I was getting ready for the party. I wore a black saree for the party.

I got ready and then came down. I saw Bade Thakur and Raghav coming inside together.

But Bade Thakur doesn't like Raghav and can't even stand him. Something is wrong.

" Jaan, ready to go? " Abhimaan asked me while coming to me. I held his hand and then we both came out of the haveli.

As we walked towards the car, my gaze flickered back to where Bade Thakur and Raghav stood, engaged in what seemed like casual conversation.

A forced smile graced Bade Thakur's lips, contrasting with the genuine laughter that often adorned his face.

I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to their interaction than met the eye. Was this newfound camaraderie a facade, concealing ulterior motives and hidden agendas?

Or perhaps, it was a sign of shifting alliances and alliances forming in the shadows, unbeknownst to the rest of us.

The tension simmered beneath the surface, a silent storm brewing amidst the festivities.

I tightened my grip on Abhimaan's hand, drawing strength from his unwavering support as we embarked on this evening cloaked in uncertainty and apprehension.

I looked at Abhimaan. He was about to start the car. I held his hands.

" Abhimaan, I am not feeling well. I'll just go and rest. You go forward and attend the party. " I lied because the questions in my mind were confusing me.

" Okay, take care. I will be back soon. " He said. I opened the door of the car and came down.

Abhimaan started the car and then went from there. I held my saree and then started to walk inside the haveli.

Maa wasn't there. She had gone to visit her mother in Jaipur. I came back to my bed and then lay down on the bed.

I didn't change and then slept. When I felt someone in my room. I thought that Abhimaan would be back.

I started to feel someone's wait over me. I forced open my eyes and saw Bade Thakur on me.

He wasn't wearing anything on his top.

" What the hell? "

I said and tried to push Bade Thakur but he held my hand and then tied my hands with his shirt.

" Ishqi, you don't know how much I lust over you. And at this point no one is there in the house. Let's enjoy this night. "

My heart pounded in my chest as panic surged through me. Bade Thakur's unwelcome presence loomed over me, his actions sending shivers of fear and disgust down my spine.

"Get off me, you monster! I am your son's wife. " I struggled against his grip, my voice trembling with anger and fear.

Bade Thakur's eyes gleamed with a sinister desire as he ignored my protests.

"You're playing hard to get, Ishqi, but we both know what you really want. I know my son hasn't done anything till now because if he would have done then you would have been pregnant till now. "

His words dripped with arrogance and entitlement, a toxic mix that fueled my defiance.

"I want you to leave, now! This is not going to happen," I shot back, my tone laced with defiance.

He chuckled darkly, tightening his hold on me.

"You can't deny the attraction between us, Ishqi. Don't pretend like you're not craving this as much as I am."

The revulsion I felt towards him intensified, fuelling my determination to break free.

"I don't want anything from you! Let me go!"

But Bade Thakur's grip remained unyielding, his intentions clear and menacing.

"I've waited long enough for this moment. Tonight, you're mine, Ishqi."

My struggles grew more frantic as I realized the gravity of the situation. Alone and restrained, I had to rely on my wits and strength to escape this nightmare.

In this struggle one of my hands got freed and then I looked around. I knew that Abhimaan kept a gun under his pillow.

I picked that gun and kept it on the head of Bade Thakur.

" Move away from before I press the trigger and kill you. " I said. I warned my eyes were locked with his, daring him to make a move.

And then with a growl of frustration, Bade Thakur released me, his face contorted with fury.

" You will regret this Ishqi. " He hissed before storming out of the room.

I collapsed back on the bed. I will make sure that you will pay this for what you did to me. I am not a victim and I will not be ever.

I couldn't shake off the feeling of violation, of having my autonomy and dignity threatened in such a despicable manner.

The trust I once held for this man shattered into irreparable shards of betrayal and disgust.

But amidst the turmoil, a fierce resolve took root within me. I refused to be a victim, to succumb to the machinations of power and privilege.

My hands trembled with the aftermath of adrenaline, but my mind was clear and resolute.

I made a vow to myself in that moment, a promise fueled by righteous anger and the strength of survival.

Bade Thakur would not go unpunished for his heinous attempt, for the violation he sought to impose upon me.

With trembling hands, I reached for my phone, dialing a number I never thought I would need to call.

I was about to dial the number but the phone's battery ran out. Shit. I quickly picked the charger and then started to charge the phone.

I ran and then locked the door. I kept the gun with me only. I came to the closet room and then wore Abhimaan's shirt

As I drifted into an uneasy sleep, my subconscious became a battleground of fears and nightmares.

Images of Bade Thakur's menacing presence haunted me, his face contorted with a sinister desire that sent shivers down my spine.

In my dream, I found myself trapped once again, his grip tightening around me as I struggled in vain to break free.

The sense of helplessness and terror engulfed me, suffocating any semblance of peace or solace.

I awoke with a start, gasping for air as the nightmare released its hold on me. My heart raced in my chest, my body drenched in cold sweat as I tried to steady my trembling hands.

And then, as if on cue, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Panic surged through me, my mind clouded with fear as I thought Bade Thakur had returned to torment me once more.

The door creaked open, and Abhimaan's concerned voice cut through the darkness, dispelling the shadows of my nightmares.

"Ishqi, what happened? Why are you so scared?"

Abhimaan's eyes searched mine, his worry palpable as he took in my shaken state.

I struggled to find the words, the memories of the nightmare still fresh in my mind, blending with the harsh reality of what had transpired earlier.

"It's... it's nothing, Abhimaan. Just a bad dream," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper as I tried to push away the lingering fear.

But Abhimaan wasn't convinced, his gaze piercing through my facade of calm.

"Ishqi, please tell me. I can see that something's wrong. Was it about my father?"

Abhimaan's voice was gentle yet insistent, his concern for me evident in every word.

I hesitated, the truth weighing heavy on my heart, yet I knew I couldn't keep it hidden any longer.

"Yes, Abhimaan," I finally confessed, tears welling up in my eyes as I recounted the harrowing events of the night. "Your father... he tried to assault me."

Shock and anger flashed across Abhimaan's face, his fists clenching at the revelation.

The pain of betrayal and disgust mirrored in his eyes, a stark contrast to the warmth and love that usually filled them.

"Ishqi, I... I can't even begin to imagine what you went through," Abhimaan's voice cracked with emotion, his hands reaching out to comfort me.

"I'm so sorry, Ishqi. I should have never left you alone," he murmured. He was guilty in his voice.

" I promise Ishqi, that he will not get away with this. He will pay for it. " He said while caressing my head.

Abhimaan's POV

That night was long for me. I had made Jaan sleep. She was scared so I left Ratan with her.

I sat on the terrace while smoking. When Maanveer came to me. " Bhaiya, we have him now. He is in the basement. "

I got up and then walked down. Maanveer followed me. We came down in the basement and saw my father being tied up.

" Mujhe toh pata tha ki aapme pyaar naam ka shabd nahi hai aur aap meri maa se pyaar nahi karte. Toh meri biwi toh haath kaise lagaya? "

"I know that you don't have the word love and you don't love my mother. How dare you touch my wife? "

I asked while putting my hands in the pockets. He raised his head and looked at me.

" BASTARD, LEAVE ME. I AM YOUR FATHER."

" AND SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW WHO IS LIKE YOUR OWN DAUGHTER TO YOU."

I shouted back, striding him and glaring straight into eyes. He glared back at me in anger.

" ABHIMAAN, YOUR WIFE IS NOT LESS THAN A WHORE. SHE CAME TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT YOUR SON IS USELESS AND DOESN'T TOUCH ME. PLEASE TOUCH ME AND MAKE ME PREGEANT. And why are you forgetting that you married her only for that land. You don't like her."

How dare he called my Jaan a whore. That was the end of my patience. I picked my leather belt that had some nails on it. I thrashed it on the floor.

" Abhimaan, you are not doing this. I AM YOUR FATHER. "

I didn't care about the father son relation right now. Without wasting even a second, I started to thrash him with that belt. His painful voice was echoing in the basement.

" AHHHH." he shouted in a painful voice. I kept thrashing him because of the nails, his flesh got pulled out and blood was coming out if it.

Each strike was a release of pent-up fury, a cathartic expression of my hatred towards the man who had brought nothing but pain and misery to our family.

The screams of agony that tore from Uday's throat were like music to my ears, a symphony of retribution for the atrocities he had committed.

" I KNEW THAT YOU WERE A FUCKING MONSTER BUT DON'T DARE TO TOUCH MY WIFE."

I threw the belt down and looked at Maanveer.

" Get him out later."

He nodded and then we both came out of the basement. As we reached the hall I saw Maa coming inside.

" Good morning."

I came to her and hugged her. She also hugged me back. Maanveer also came and then hugged us.

" BASTARD. Open me. " Uday shouted.

Maa looked at me with a lot of questions. " Maa, actually. He tried to assault Ishqi when I wasn't there. "

My words fell like shock on Maa. She fell down with a thud.

"I didn't know that my husband was such a big monster that he will not leave his daughter-like daughter-in-law. Abhimaan, you did the right thing."

Maa's words trembled with a mixture of sorrow and resolve, her gaze locked with mine in a silent affirmation of our shared pain and determination

"Thank you, Maa," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

"I couldn't bear to see him hurt you or Ishqi. He crossed a line that can never be forgiven."

The weight of my hatred for my father bore down upon me like a suffocating blanket, choking the air from my lungs with every breath.

But in that moment, as I held my mother in my arms, I knew that we would face whatever challenges lay ahead together, united in our defiance against the darkness that threatened to consume us.

As Maa steadied herself, wiping away her tears with trembling hands, I vowed to her and to myself that Uday would pay for his crimes, that justice would be served for the atrocities he had committed.