-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER - 8
Days passed by, and Isha's life became worse after that day, the day when she got her husband to revert his punishment for the first time in his life, she was very happy that she was able to save her mother-in-law and thought even after putting her hand in the lion's mouth, she got away unscathed but she was proven wrong after three days when he called her to his office the third day evening, the last day of her punishment... no energy is left in her to do anything but she gathered herself and walked to his office thinking he needed some water or his coffee...
Entering it, she saw everything messed up as if it was hit by a tornado, and there sat the BEAST sipping his whiskey, sitting on his throne-like chair, his chair... He asked her to clean the whole office which is as huge as a theatre that could fit 2000 people, even the files on the shelves, books, everything was lying here and there... she started cleaning everything and after cleaning just a quarter, she fell unconscious due to lack of food for the past 3 days yet working continuously, both at the office and home, she didn't eat in office as she didn't want to lie to him or be a cheater, she didn't know if he could know or not, but she didn't want to be a cheater, she could never do that...
To her luck, her brother-in-law picked her up in the evening as well at the main road all three days, so that she didn't have to walk for 15 kilometres, he knew she is not eating anything and walking so long distances could even make her unconscious and he didn't want that, after what she said to her brother, andhow she stood up for his mother against The BEAST, created immense respect for her, Avyan's hatred for her sister-in-law vanished that very moment... He knew she is the kindest woman he ever encountered, and thought to help her as much as he could... Though he didn't talk to her much, he did have a soft corner and respect for her, and made sure she knew it, Isha is thankful to her brother-in-law for picking her up. Abhyansh knew what his brother is doing but he let him, as he didn't want her to completely breakdown at a single time, he wanted to break her piece by piece, but what he didn't know is he will be the one who would be struggling to join those pieces one day...
She fell unconscious, Abhyansh walked to her, threw a bucket full of water on her face and she woke up with a jerk...
"Clean the rest and then die for today...", He said with so much disgust that shivers ran through her... "You will get even your death, in instalments... I'll give you death every single day", Abhyansh said, and hot tears ran through her eyes, she felt humiliated seeing herself drenched in water... The hatred dripping in his voice made her question her existence... There is no energy left in her body to get up and clean, but she had to... That very moment, for a second, she wanted to die so that she doesn't have to face all this, but the very next second she chided herself, she is not the one to give up easily, and despite enduring her uncle's and aunt's torchers for years, the idea of dying never crossed her mind, but in just less than half a year, he managed to bring that thought, and that moment, for the first time, a wave of hate hit her for him... Isha is the kindest soul, she doesn't know what is hate, she didn't even think she is capable of disliking someone, hatred is far but Abhyansh Singh Ranawat changed that...
She got up and cleaned the rest of the study, walked to her room, changed, and fell unconscious... The next day, early in the morning, Amruta cooked a meal and took it to her daughter-in-law... She tried to wake her up, but she didn't even move, Amruta panicked, and sprinkled some water on her, but she didn't wake up...
Amruta screamed for a doctor, and Abhyansh who is in the gym room, working out, walked to the room calmly...
"Abhyansh, son, she is not waking up, I think she fell unconscious, please call the doctor, please...", Amruta pleaded to her ruthless son... He looked at the glass of water in his mother's hand...
"I even tried sprinkling water but....", Amruta's words are in the air when Abhyansh snatched the water glass and threw the glass of water on Isha's face waking her up with a jerk...
"From here on, if you find her unconscious, which you will, frequently from now on, do this (showing her the glass and throwing it aside), do not shout and disturb me", he said walking away...
Amruta looked at Isha, took the napkin, and wiped her face lovingly...
"He used to continuously kick me when he was in my stomach, I was so happy every time he did, feeling his presence, never for once did those kicks hurt me even though they gave me physical pain, but now when he kicks me on my heart every single day, it pains me more than death...", Amruta said, taking the food plate...
"Ma...", Isha said weakly holding her mother-in-law's hands as in consoling her...
"Have your food", Amruta said feeding her daughter-in-law...
Isha feeling the weakness, ate calmly, after that, she took half an hour of rest before resuming her daily duties...
After breakfast, Isha got ready for her work and walked to the gate, she waited for her brother-in-law for 10 minutes, but he is nowhere, she decided to call him but thought he would be busy, so she decided to walk thinking he won't be going to his office today and hence wouldn't be able to drop her.
She started walking when she heard him...
"Wait...", Avyan said running towards her... he didn't know how to address her, as his brother refused to call her 'bhabhi sa', and Mrs. Ranawat seemed too formal...
"You okay Avyan?? I thought you won't be going to the office today, why are you running by the way??", Isha asked with a smile, but that didn't reach her eyes, her husband's cruelty and the hate she felt for the first time in her life for a person lowered her spirits, she felt her cheerful soul slowly dying and she didn't want it...
"For you, you are getting late and I saw you walking away, come let's start, we can talk in the car", Avyan said politely to his sister-in-law, usually he wouldn't speak much but looking at her a bit dull, he got worried, his sister-in-law is a person who is cheerful and happy despite all the pain she endures... looking at her like this didn't feel right to Avyan...
Both of them settled in Avyan's car and he started driving...
"You can call me Isha, Avyan", Isha said softly, she remembered he just said 'wait', and she understood his unsaid dilemma about how to address her...
"No, you are my sister-in-law", Avyan said immediately, and Isha gave him a small smile...
"But you can't even address me like that... can you??", Isha asked him softly and he shook his head... "That's why call me Isha... no problem", she said
"I can't, and Mrs. Ranawat sounds too formal, I don't think I want to be that formal with you, I feel like you are my family", Avyan said, and Isha gave him the first real smile for the day and he smiled back...
"I do too, after ma, you are my favourite in this house", Isha said with a small smile and Avyan nodded with a smile, he decided to accept her as his family, irrespective of what his brother wanted if Abhyansh can't accept her as his wife, then he wouldn't call her 'bhabhi sa' but he can accept her as family, that's the least he could do, thought Avyan...
"Why are you not your usual self today??", Avyan asked after some time and Isha shook her head with a smile...
"Nothing, just tired", she said with a weak smile