Page 16

Story: Tainted Bride

"I have no interest in any frivolity; don't you believe that she saved my daughter in such a kind manner, took her away, and then suddenly attacked me? .... It is not easy for any normal person."

"Sir, I suggest that you look at her social media account, which hasn't been active for the past two years, as some of her information may provide answers to many of your questions."

"Shut up…"

He jerks his car, and as soon as he takes the first step out, he hears his daughter crying loudly, which is enough to add to his distress. He runs inside and sees that Aashi has been crying for a long time because her condition is very bad.

"Aashi..."

"Papa..."

She runs to her father. Prakram's eyes are on the three nannies who could not stop his daughter from crying. He hugs her to comfort her, but she starts crying even more. Her hiccups clearly indicate that she is crying heavily. With her head bowed, the nanny tells him.

"Sir, Madam has to stay in the hospital; that is why Digvijay sir did not come here. He called us and asked us to take Aashi baby from the hospital because it was not good for her. We also brought her, but as soon as she woke up from sleep, she started crying continuously. Neither has she yet even a drop of water nor ready to eat anything.”

"Aashi, my love..."

“Papa, my Avu is hurt; she is bleeding a lot; I have to go to her.”

“You are not going to anyone; you will stay here with Papa.... We enjoy ourselves together.”

“Papa, I just have to go to Avu.”

“Let us eat something first, and then we'll talk about it.”

Prakram does not like his daughter's inclination towards Avi at all, so he wants to end this matter by any means and feed his daughter by engaging her in his words, but perhaps this time it is a more difficult task.

"No, no, I want to see Avu.... Just want to go to the hospital.”

"Aashi, listen, my love.”

“Avu….”

“Aashi…”

Prakram is deeply troubled by the attack, and he is also filled with fear for his daughter's safety. In such a situation, his daughter's constant insistence on meeting a stranger causes him to lose his temper. He yells loudly at his daughter, causing her to become frightened and begin crying even louder. As a result, Armaan quickly approaches Prakram and forcibly takes her from his arms, while Aashi wraps her arms around his neck. She starts crying even more loudly. Aashi's crying voice starts resonating throughout the house.

Prakram tries to calm himself by holding the bridge of his nose, aware that it's evening and Aashi hasn't eaten anything since breakfast in the morning. He fears that a major accident could occur in the interim. His mother is also in the hospital, due to which he is worried, and all of a sudden his anger gets directed at his beloved daughter. He begins to approach his daughter, but upon seeing him, Aashi cries loudly and expresses her feelings.

“I have to go to Avu; she is in a lot of pain, and I have to bandage her painful leg.”

“This is the doctor's job, not yours.”

“But Avu says that if I stay with her, then she will get well soon.”

“Avu, Avu, Avu, Avu is no one to you, so now you stop all this nonsense and go quietly and have dinner with Papa.”

Aashi knows that her father is angry with her, so she gets down from Armaan's lap and runs towards the stairs, crying, so she can go to her room. Prakram also keeps watching her go, but he is not ready to accept her insistence under any circumstances; hence, he feels that maybe after some time she will agree to his request.

After some time, Prakram slowly opens the door and looks inside to see what Aashi is doing, but she is crying, holding the tiara, which is no longer fresh. He closes his eyes tightly, and he feels as if he will have to accept defeat in front of his daughter's stubbornness. Armaan is standing behind him, and he tells him softly.

“Stubbornness is in her blood.”

Prakram stares at him, and Armaan walks away with his face down. He sits inside next to his daughter, who doesn't look at him at all. She hugs the tiara to her chest and silently lies down near her teddy bear. She has cried so much that her condition has deteriorated, to the point where she is no longer able to cry properly. Prakram cannot see his daughter in this condition at all, so he tells her.

“Okay, first let us eat food and then go to the hospital.”

Aashi immediately sits and looks at her father very well; it is as if someone has poured lava on Prakram's chest when he sees his daughter's beautiful eyes so swollen because of crying. Aashi says, wiping her tears as she stands up and walks towards the door.