𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢 ~ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 |𝟏𝟖+| - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Author's POV:-
Arjun pulled out the kangan from the drawer and held it in front of her accusingly.
"Bataiye, buaji... aapke drawer mein yeh kangan kahaan se aaya? Aapne toh kaha tha ki aapne yeh Sakshi ko wapas de diya tha... toh yeh kya hai, haan?" he asked, voice sharp with betrayal.
("Tell me, Buaji... how did this bangle end up in your drawer? You said you returned it to Sakshi... so what is this, huh?")
Sakshi turned to buaji in disbelief, her eyes wide in shock.
Buaji stood frozen. Silent. Fuming.
"Neeche jo itna bhashan de rahi thi meri biwi ko... ab kya hua? Bolti band ho gayi?" he snapped, taking a step closer.
("You were preaching downstairs so much to my wife… and now? What happened? Lost your voice?")
"Beta..." she began, her tone suddenly frail..
"Mujhe laga mein vaaqee usse wapas kar chuki hoon... aajkal na bohut saree cheez dimag se nikal Jaa rahi hain .. bhool jaati hoon beta..." she added, trying to sound innocent, her face morphing into a pitiful expression.
("I really thought I had returned it to her… these days, I tend to forget things… my memory has been slipping…")
But Arjun wasn't buying it. His eyes darkened, voice heavy with restrained fury.
"Aapko mein rag rag se jaanta hoon," he said coldly.
("I know you inside and out,")
"Aapko ache se pata hai yeh kangan meri maa ki aakhri nishani hai... aur aap usse bhi harapna chahti thi na? Baaki sab toh aapne maa ke saath-saath sab kuch jala di... ab yeh kangan bacha kyu reha jaay hain na?? Yahi socha tha na aapne??"
("You know very well that this bangle is my mother’s last keepsake… and you tried to steal even that, didn’t you? You already burned everything else that belonged to my mother… only this bangle remained, right? That’s what you thought, isn’t it?")
His voice cracked slightly at the end. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Sakshi and buaji both flinched at his anger.
"Ji... shaant ho jaaiye aap," Sakshi rushed to him, gently holding his arm, trying to soothe the storm raging inside him.
("Ji , please calm down..")
But Arjun turned to her, pain deep in his voice.
"Tujhe nahi pata, Sakshi... yeh aurat kya cheez hai. Bholi shakal lekar ghumti hain isliye kuch pata nahi chalta, lekin andar se sirf zehar bhara hai. Yeh sab jaan bujh ke kiya hai taaki ilzaam tere upar aaye. Pehle maa ke saath... ab tere saath. Kya mein samajhta nahi hoon?"
("You don’t understand, Sakshi… what this woman really is. She wears an innocent face, that’s why no one suspects her. But inside, she’s filled with poison. She did all this deliberately so that the blame would fall on you. First my mother… now you. Do you think I don’t see it?")
Buaji looked at him, stunned.
"Tujhe har waqt yeh kyu lagta hai ki teri maa ka sab kuch main cheen liya? Har dosh mujh par kyu?" she shouted, voice trembling.
("Why do you always think I stole everything from your mother? Why is every blame thrown at me?" )
Arjun gave a hollow chuckle
'Toh aapko chorkar iss ghar mein aur kaun hi le sakta hain bhala?? Mein toh tab bohut chota tha...Lata toh bas kuch mahine ki..baba toh apne hi jagat mein doobe rahate thein..bacha toh sirf aap hain ..toh phir kaha gaye maa k saare kapre, gehane, taas veere ..kaha gay?? Ab apne aap toh ghar se bhaag nahi jayega na??"
("Then who else could it have been in this house besides you?? I was just a child back then… Lata was only a few months old… Baba was lost in his own world… that only leaves you. So where did all of my mother's clothes, jewelry, belongings go?? They couldn’t have vanished into thin air, could they?")
Buaji retorts back , 'Mujhe kaise pata hoga???'
("How would I know??")
He smiled bitter and cold, 'Ab toh aap yahi kehange na?? Kyuki aapne woh saare cheez bech k uske badle paise jo le liye thein...aapne thore hi bacha k rakha hain kuch sabit karne k liye..??'
("That’s what you’ll say now, right? Because you sold all of it and took the money… you didn’t bother to keep anything that could prove your guilt, did you?")
She looks away not having any answer.
He pointed a firm finger at her, eyes blazing with contempt.
"Aapko agar itna shauk hai na sone ke gehne pehnane ka, toh apne pati se kahiye... jaake khareed ke de aapko!"
("If you’re so fond of wearing gold jewelry, then go and ask your husband to buy it for you!")
His voice grew sharper with each word,
"Lekin... agar dobara meri biwi ke paas kuch bhi maangne aayi na... toh mein bhool jaunga ki aap meri Buaji hain. Samjhi aap? Yaad rakhiyega yeh baat."
("But… if you ever come to ask my wife for anything again… I’ll forget that you are my Buaji. Understand? Remember that well.")
Buaji stared at him, her face flushed, hands tightly gripping the edge of her saree. Her knuckles turned white, but she said nothing. Her silence screamed louder than any words.
Without another glance, Arjun walks away, dragging Sakshi with him.
Arjun and Sakshi stepped into their room in complete silence. He slumped down on the bed, rubbing his forehead wearily. Sakshi, unsure what to do, quietly brought him a glass of water.
"Yeh lijiye..." she whispered, offering it to him.
("Jii..water")
He opened his eyes-red and heavy with emotion-and took the glass without a word, downing it in one gulp. She stood beside him silently, unsure whether to stay or leave.
"Mujhe maaf kar dijiye, ji... mujhe nahi pata tha ki buaji kuch aisa karne wale thein..." her voice trembled as she bit her lip, trying to control her sobs.
("I’m sorry, ji… I didn’t know Buaji would do something like this…")
Without speaking, he took her wrist, making her flinch slightly, and gently slid the kangan onto her both hand.
She stared at him, hoping-desperately-that he would say something. But he remained quiet. Then, without a word, he stood up and moved toward the door.
"Kahan jaa rahe hain ji?" she asked in a cracking voice, holding onto his kurta.
("Where are you going, ji?")
"Kaam pe..." he answered flatly, pausing only briefly.
("To work..")
"Ghar kab aayenge...?" she asked again, almost in a whisper.
("When will you be back home…?")
"Aa jaunga samay pe..." he said, and walked out.
("I’ll come back on time…")
Tears welled up in her eyes at his cold tone. She watched the door for a long time, her heart heavy.
It was already night. After feeding Lata and putting her to sleep, Sakshi returned to her room, but her eyes kept drifting to the clock.
11:45 PM. Still no sign of him. Her heartbeat quickened.
"Kya karu, Kanha ji? Aaj toh bohot der kar diya unhone... Itni der toh kabhi nahi kiya. Abhi bhi mujhse naraz hain kya...?" she whispered, wiping her tears with her pallu.
("What should I do, kanha ji? He’s really late today… he’s never been this late before. Is he still upset with me…?")
Suddenly, a knock at the main door broke her thoughts.
She closed her eyes in relief. Finally... he's back.
She quickly ran and opened the door-but her relief turned to shock.
"Arjun ji..." she gasped.
There he stood, swaying slightly, one hand braced against the wall for support. He looked up at her, and his lips curled into that same charming smile that always made her heart race.
Her face turned pale-it didn't take her more than a second to realize: he was drunk.
He took a wobbly step toward her, and just as he stumbled, she lunged forward and caught him by the waist. He chuckled softly, leaning into her warmth as she silently guided him into the room. Her long smooth hair open in that process.
"Tu kuch bol kyun nahi rahi, meri Sakshi?" he mumbled, slurring slightly.
("Why aren’t you saying anything, my Sakshi?" )
"Itni chup-chup kyun hai? Mere samne toh bohot chapar-chapar karti rehati thi..."
("Why are you so quiet? You always talk nonstop in front of me…")
She gently helped him sit on their bed, her eyes filled with silent accusation and unshed tears.
"Aapne... sharab pi hai?" she asked, her voice trembling.
("Did you drank alcohol??'")
He gave a sheepish smile, like a child caught sneaking sweets.
"Bas thoda sa re..." he said, showing a tiny space between his fingers.
("Just a little bit..")
Without a word, she bent down to remove his shoes, her hands trembling.
'Khule baal mein tu kitni pyaar lagti hain ...aise hi khule rakhna mere samne' he whisper dreamily, playing with her one long strand of hair before sniffing the sweet scent of it.
("You look so beautiful with your hair open… keep it like this in front of me,")
But she was all silent, shifting her hair to another side out of his reach.
The truth was-she hated alcohol. Despised it.
Her father had been a drunkard too. Every night, he came home reeking of alcohol, only to beat her mother senseless. Those screams... they still echoed in her mind.
She had promised herself-never again. Never in her life would she allow that horror to enter her home. Never would she accept a man who drank.
"Tu ro kyun rahi hai, Sakshi? Bas ittu sa toh piya hai..." he murmured, now trying to hold her chooda cladded wrist.
("Why are you crying, Sakshi? I just drank a little…")
She pulled her hand away. "Chhodiye mujhe... jo log sharab peete hain... woh mujhe bilkul pasand nahi jii..."
("Let go of me… I don’t like people who drink… not at all.")
She turned her face, wiping her tears silently.
He reached out and cupped her cheek, but she tried to pull away. He gently wiped her tears and pulled her close by wrapping his arm around her waist.
Her breath hitched. She shut her eyes in fear. Her body started to tremble in his touch.
"Tu darr kyun rahi hai mujhse?" he whispered, stroking her cheek softly.
("Why are you scared of me?")
"Tujhe lagta hai... sharab peeke mein tujhe maarunga?"
("Do you think… I’ll hit you because I drunk?")
Her eyes flew open in shock.
"Nahi re pagli... main apne baba jaisa nahi hoon," he chuckled bitterly, a lone tear escaping his eye.
("Na re pagli… I’m not like my father")
"Haan... unka khoon zaroor daudta hai mere andar. Par unke jaise rakshas nahi hoon... ki bina wajah apni biwi par haath utha doon..."
("Yes… his blood may run in my veins. But I’m not a monster like him… I’d never raise my hand on my wife without reason…")
"Arjun ji..." she breathed, heart cracking as she watched his pain spill through those tired eyes.
"Bas... bohot dard ho raha tha, Sakshi," he said, pressing a hand to his chest.
("I was just… hurting a lot, Sakshi")
"Rok nahi paaya khud ko... toh thoda pi liya..."
("I couldn’t stop myself… so I had a little drink…")
And then, without waiting for a response, he wrapped his both arms around her waist and pulled her close. He rested his head on her chest, clinging to her like a child seeking comfort.
Her hands froze mid-air with his act, stunned by the sudden intimacy before moved to his hair on its own, fingers weaving through it as she held him.
He buried his face into the valley of her chest.His breath were shaky and uneven.She could feel the silent sobs racking through his body-the way his shoulders trembled, how his grip tightened around her waist-but not a single sound escaped his lips.
It broke her heart.