VOTE TARGET - 50 💫

The drive home was suffocatingly silent, except for Meera's occasional sniffles and Shaurya's angry huffs. The moment they reached the house, Shaurya yanked her out of the car and pulled her out by her arm. His nail digging her soft skin making her whimper in pain.

Shaurya's grip on Meera's arm was vice-like as he dragged her inside the house. She kept winching in pain but didn't dare to protest. The guards in the hallway turned to stare, their eyes filled with pity, but no one dared to intervene.

"Sh-Shaurya, please," Meera whispered, her voice trembling. "Yo-You- You're hurting me."

"Hurting you?" His voice was laced with venom as he yanked her towards him. "You don't even know what real pain feels like yet." His words shook her to her soul as continued dragging her.

Once inside, Shaurya slammed the door shut and spun around to face her. His eyes burned with fury. "Now tell me what the hell were you doing, Meera?"

"I wasn't doing anything wrong," Meera stammered, clutching her saree as if it could shield her from his wrath. "I didn't do a-anything t-to I-Ishani d-dii"

"You didn't huh?" he roared, stepping closer. "You were with Vikrant! My sister's husband right in front of her! How fucking dare you?"

"I wasn't with him like that!" Meera's voice cracked as she tried to defend herself. " y-you and d-dii ar-are m-misunderstanding !"

Shaurya's laugh was cold and cruel. "Misunderstanding ? Do you think we are blind? Or just stupid? You came to the office with the lunch yourself when I had sent the driver. Why? To get the chance to talk with Vikrant? Huh"

Before Meera could respond, Shaurya grabbed her by her nape and shoved her backward. She stumbled, her feet catching on the edge of the carpet, and she fell against the glass coffee table. The sound of shattering glass filled the room as the table broke beneath her.

A sharp cry escaped her lips as shards of glass pierced her skin. Blood seeped through the fabric of her saree, staining it a deep red. She tried to push herself up, but the pain was too much.

Shaurya stalked toward her, his face a mask of rage. "Get up!" he barked, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her to her feet.

"S-Shaurya, please, a-aap m-meri b-baat toh s-suniye" Meera sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "You're h-hurting m-me!"

"That's the point!" he snarled, slamming her against the wall. The impact made her cry out in pain.

He leaned in close, his voice low and menacing. "How dare you even think of ruining my sister's marriage? Do you have any idea what you've done? Didn't I tell you the rules huh but you fucking disobeyed me, Meera. My Ishani, my sister, my only family, she is in hospital because of you. ALL BECAUSE OF YOU." Meera cries as he backhanded her with a brutal force.

"Ahh" she whimpered in pain and tried to crawl away from him.

"I-I didn't d-do anything!" Meera pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. "I s-swear, i-it's not what y-you think!"

"Liar!" he spat, his hand wrapping around her throat. "You think I'll let you get away with this? You think I'll let you destroy my Ishani's life?"

"I didn't... I didn't..." Meera choked out, her hands clawing at his, desperate for air as Shaurya slammed her back against the wall.

Shaurya's grip tightened for a moment before he let go, letting her fall to the floor in a heap. He reached for his belt, yanking it free from the loops of his trousers.

"I'll show you what happens when you go against me and try to mess with my only family," he growled, his voice dripping with fury.

Meera's eyes widened in terror as she saw him raise the belt. "S-Shaurya, n-no! P-Please!"

Before he could strike, the door burst open.

"Shaurya, stop!" Vardhaan's voice thundered through the room.

Shaurya froze, turning to see Vardhaan standing in the doorway, his face a mix of surprise and anger.

"What the hell are you doing?" Vardhaan demanded, striding toward them. "Are you out of your damn mind?"

"This is none of your business, Vardhaan," Shaurya snapped, his grip tightening on the belt.

"It became my business the moment you decided to treat your wife like this," Vardhaan retorted, stepping between them. He glanced down at Meera, his eyes softening as he saw her bloodied and trembling form.

"Look at her, Shaurya," Vardhaan said, his voice firm. "Look at what you've done. This is barbaric."

"Do you even realize what you're doing to her?" Vardhaan continued. "You're breaking her, Shaurya. You're turning into a monster. She is your wife god damn it"

Shaurya's eyes darkened. "She deserves this," he said coldly. "She's trying to ruin my Ishani's marriage—"

"Enough!" Vardhaan interrupted, his anger flaring. "Listen to yourself, Shaurya! You're blaming her for something she hasn't even done! You're punishing her for a situation you don't even understand!"

"She was with Vikrant!" Shaurya shouted, his grip tightening on the belt. "I saw them with my own eyes!"

"And did you ask her why? Did you even give her a chance to explain?" Vardhaan countered, his voice sharp. "No, you didn't. You jumped to conclusions, and now you're hurting her—your own wife!"

"I saw them talking" Shaurya glared at Vardhaan.

And so what if they were? You think that gives you the right to treat her like this? To hurt her?" Vardhaan's voice cracked with anger. "She's your wife, Shaurya. Your responsibility. You are supposed to protect her.The one person who's supposed to be your family."

Shaurya's grip on the belt loosened, but his glare didn't falter.

"Ishani is my family, and she will always come first to me. I am not going to replace my baby with anyone else, especially not with this fucking whore" Shaurya hissed, as he glared at Meera making her sob at the insult thrown at her.

"You fucker" Vardhaan threw a punch on Shaurya making him stumble back and grabbed his collar.

"Ishani is married now, " Vardhaan shot back. "She has her own family. Vikrant might take time to accept her, but he will never treat her like the way you are treating Meera."

"You, are just destroying the only real family you have left. Meera is your wife, Shaurya. She's the one who is going to stand by you for the rest of your life and would keep you above everything and everyone. And you are going to repay her with this? Atleast respect the relationship that you have with her"

Shaurya looked at Meera, trembling and tear-streaked, her arms wrapped protectively around herself. Something flickered in his eyes, but his pride wouldn't let him amend anything.

"If you don't stop this now," Vardhaan continued, his tone softer but still firm, "you'll lose her. And once she's gone, you'll have nothing left. Ishani soon would have a family of her own and your existence in her life would not even matter. You will die alone."

Vardhaan turned to Meera, his eyes laced with pity as he took in the scene—the shattered glass, the blood on Meera's saree, the bruises already forming on her arms and cheeks. Her bleeding lips. Only if Shaurya wouldn't have been his friend m, he would have thrown him behind bars by now.

Meera sobbed weakly, her body trembling.

Vardhaan faced Shaurya again. "If you can't protect her, at least don't destroy her, Shaurya. Whatever your issues are, this is not how you handle them."

For a moment, the room was silent except for Meera's quiet sobs.

Shaurya clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "Get out, Vardhaan ," he said through gritted teeth.

Vardhaan sighed and tried to make him understand again.

"She can give you a family of your own Shaurya. You can have what you have always craved for. Your own kids, your own family. Respect her. Give her time. Forget the past and focus on the future that you can have with her. Think about what you're doing, Shaurya," Vardhaan said quietly.

"Before it's too late." With that, he left, leaving Shaurya and Meera in the heavy silence of the room.

Shaurya's chest heaved with frustration as Vardhaan slammed the door behind him. Silence filled the hall for a fleeting moment before his gaze fell on Meera, trembling and pressed against the wall like a frightened bird.

Her breath hitched as Shaurya began walking toward her, his dark eyes stormy yet unreadable. She backed further into the corner, but there was nowhere else to go.

"P-Please..s-so-sorry." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He didn't say a word. Bending down, he swept her off her feet in one swift motion, carrying her bridal style. She flinched, unsure of his intentions, her tears dampening the fabric of his shirt.

"S-Shaurya, I..."

"Not a word," he interrupted coldly, his tone sharp enough to cut through her plea.

Meera stayed silent as he carried her upstairs to their room. The heavy door clicked shut behind them, the sound reverberating in her chest like a death knell. He gently placed her on the bed and stood straight, his eyes locking onto hers.

"Strip," he ordered, his voice calm yet laced with authority.

Her lips parted in shock, and she stared at him as if she'd misheard. "W-what?"

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