Ruhi's eyelids fluttered open.

Everything around her was black, she felt something stopping her eyes from opening. She sensed a cloth was tied around her eyes.

She moved little, trying to push her body when suddenly, she felt someone dragging her, holding her arm in a tight grip.

She felt grass stabbing her skin as she was being dragged.

Then suddenly-

A violent push.

The freezing water swallowed her whole...

The moment her body hit the water, instinct screamed at her to swim.

Kick.

Move.

Rise.

But her body refused to obey properly.

Her arms felt unbearably heavy, as if invisible ropes were tied around them. The drug in her system blurred her senses, slowing every movement by seconds that felt fatal.

Ruhi tried to push upward.

The lake spun around her.

Water entered her nose and throat instantly, making her choke beneath the surface. She forced her eyes open, but she felt cloth around them.

She knew swimming.

Her Saurav Bhaiya taught her.

Her body remembered the movements, but the drug stole control before she could fully use them.

By the time she managed to reach upward weakly, her lungs were already burning.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her hair and pulled her out.

Ruhi collapsed against the muddy ground, coughing violently as air rushed painfully back into her chest. Her hands trembled beneath her as she tried to crawl away.

Stalker (laughing darkly): Do you know, your identity?

Ruhi could hear the words, though faintly but she did. She couldn't recognise the voice, but she heard the words.

Stalker (dangerous tone): You are an illegitimate child. A home-wrecker's daughter. A cheater's daughter.

She heard the words but couldn't process them as he again pushed her into the lake.

She was struggling to push herself up.

She tried to control her breath but failed miserably due to the drug effect.

After a few minutes, when she was losing her consciousness, he again pulled her out.

Stalker (in cold tone): People looked at your mother with disgust... and you still walked around as if you belonged here.

She was coughing and vomiting water. But words rang in her ears.

Stalker (in serious tone): People looked at your mother with disgust... your father as a stain... and you still walked around as if you belonged here. No, you are a combination of disguise and stain.

Her body trembled, her breath uneven. She was trying to gather herself.

Stalker (laughing with a cold tone): Your mother? She just wanted someone to open her legs.

He paused...

Stalker (calmly yet roughly): Your parents are destroyers. They gave birth to destruction.

Stalker (in disgust tone): You are drowning? No! Ruhi... you were already drowning. The moment you breath first time. You are already drowning in lies, as a betrayer, as a sign of a broken house.

She? She heard these words. Faint yet messed but the word entered in her ears. She was not able to process them.

Stalker: Your father? He cheated his first wife to marry your mother. Your mother? She ran away to marry an already married man. Is it love? Never...

His laughter echoed in her ears. Suddenly, she was inside the water once again.

She kept struggling and failing. When her body gave up, her lungs were filled with water, her heartbeat slowed, and she fainted...

...

Ruhi screamed, still struggling to push herself out of the water, trying to breathe, her hands trembling, trying to grip something, her feet moving, kicking, trying to push herself up, her mouth was wide open, struggling to breathe through her nose.

She used all her strength to push herself. She sat on the bed, still in trauma, trying to breathe.

Her family surrounded her, they were scared, looking at Ruhi's situation.

Using all her strength, trying to push out all the water from her lungs, Ruhi took a deep breath.

Her lungs burned but she opened her eyes, her vision blurred, and she could see white dots in front of her eyes.

She felt someone holding her hand. She jerked it, considering Stalker.

She felt someone rubbing her back, someone sobbing around, A voice calling her Rooh. A hiccup was heard, and she sensed a familiar touch on her hand.

She blinked a few times, gaining her senses.

She looked around to see her family worried for her.

Stalker's words rang in her mind.

She jerked everyone and stood up hurriedly.

She took her mother's photo from the nightstand, throwing it down angrily. Her body was trembling, and she was hiccupping.

Anirudh (pulling her towards him): Rooh!!

She pushed him away, she took a step towards the exit of the room, her feet shaking, her step wobbly.

After 2-3 steps. She fell, not able to hold herself. Saurav who was beside. He immediately sat, holding her hand.

Saurav: Calm down princess.

Her mind whispered the word "Princess" and at the same time stain, disguise, betrayer, sinner screamed in her mind.

She forced herself and stood up, maintaining distance from Saurav.

She was about to walk away when Vidyut using his reflex, immediately pulled her in a tight hug.

She tried to free herself, but his grip was tight yet gentle.

She gave up, not having any energy.

A loud sob escaped her lips.

Ruhi (in broken voice): I am a stain, a disguise, a sinner in the name of Rajputs.

Her words were not clear but Anirudh, Saurav and Vidyut who were standing near her, understood her words.

Ruhi: Sorry...

She lost her consciousness in Vidyut's arms.

Saurav saw her face, and she fainted due to trauma.

He held Ruhi and took her in his arms.

He laid her on the bed, kissing her forehead.

Anirudh and Vidyut saw each other, understanding Ruhi's words. Vidyut gasped and Anirudh stood frozen.

Saurav's eyes fell on her mother's photo, which was lying on the floor, glass broken.

Her words and actions alarmed Saurav's mind.

Whereas, other family members stood shocked, processing everything.

Harsha (after calming): She fainted after all the trauma. Something is very wrong

To be continued...