Chapter 27

Arjun exhaled sharply, holding the phone to his ear. 

"Hello, Papa..." he said, his voice low and strained. 

"Haan, beta. Kya hua? Bani mili?" (Yes, son. Did you find Bani?) 

Arjun clenched his jaw. "Nahi, Papa. Shree apne gaon wapas gayi hai, aur kal subah uski shadi kisi Sarpanch ke bete se kar rahe hain." (No, Papa. Bani went back to her village, and they’re marrying her to the Sarpanch’s son tomorrow morning.) 

There was a moment of silence before his father responded, his tone sharp and commanding. "This nonsense will not happen. She is your wife. No one touches what belongs to you." 

“Papa. I have until morning." 

"You listen to me, Arjun." His father's voice grew firmer. "Use every resource, every connection, and stop that wedding. I'll make some calls from my side. If they lay one finger on her, they’ll regret it." 

Arjun nodded. "I won't let them take her from me." 

"Good. Bring her home, Arjun. If you don’t, then don’t come back either." 

The line went dead, leaving Arjun staring at the phone.

He stood up abruptly, turning toward Rani. “Mami, mai jaa raha hu Shree ko lane.” (Mami, I’m going to bring Shree back.) His voice was calm, but fury burned beneath the surface. “Aise kaise meri biwi ki shadi kisi aur se karwa sakte hain?” (How can they marry off my wife like this?) 

Rani wiped a tear, sensing the intensity in him. "Beta, tumhe ab khud kuch karna hoga." (Son, now it’s up to you.) 

Arjun turned to Chola, who gave him a firm nod. "Let’s go." 

Chola grinned, adjusting his backpack. "This is going to be interesting." 

Arjun adjusted his watch and strode out of the courtyard. He wasn’t going to let anyone take Banishree away from him. Not now, not ever.

Arjun and Chola barged into the courtyard of Banishree’s paternal house. The buzz of wedding preparations halted as soon as Arjun’s imposing figure stepped inside. Relatives stared, stunned by his unexpected arrival. 

"Stop all this nonsense!" Arjun shouted, his voice thundering through the house. "Where is Banishree?" 

The room fell into an uneasy silence. His fierce gaze scanned the crowd, daring anyone to answer. Finally, Rupa, Banishree’s aunt, crossed her arms and said nonchalantly, "Upar wale kamre me." (She’s in the room upstairs.) 

Without wasting a second, Arjun stormed up the stairs. Chola stayed behind, arms crossed, standing like a guard at the entrance. 

Rupa turned to her husband, Vibhushan, and smirked. "Dekhna ab kya tamasha hoga." (Just watch the show now.) 

Meanwhile, Ujjwala Devi, Banishree’s formidable grandmother and the matriarch of the family, sat silently observing everything unfold. Her sharp eyes didn’t miss a thing. 

"Amma, aise akele dono ko milne dena sahi nahi hoga. Sarpanch ji kya sochenge?" (Mother, it’s not right to let them meet alone. What will the village chief think?) Rupa asked, her voice dripping with false concern. 

"Kal baniya ki shadi hai." (The wedding is tomorrow.) Vibhushan added, glancing toward his mother. 

But Ujjwala Devi said nothing, her gaze steady, calculating. She leaned back into her chair, her silence heavy with unspoken thoughts. Something in her intuition told her that her granddaughter fated to be with her Doctor husband.

Arjun burst through the door with a force that made the hinges rattle. The women working on Banishree’s mehndi design gasped and froze, their hands suspended mid-air. Banishree sat silently in the center of the room, draped in a soft sap-green saree, her head bowed low. She knew he was here. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, and she bit her lip hard to keep them from falling. 

"Everyone. Out," Arjun ordered, his tone sharp and unforgiving. 

The women exchanged nervous glances but didn’t dare linger. They scrambled to leave the room. Arjun watched them go, then locked the door behind them with a loud click. 

The room fell silent except for the sound of Banishree’s uneven breathing. Arjun's steps were slow and deliberate, like a predator closing in on his prey. He knelt before her and grabbed her hand, his eyes narrowing as he traced the delicate swirls of mehndi on her palm. His jaw clenched the moment he spotted the name—‘Viraaj.’

His grip tightened on her wrist. "Get up," he said, his voice low, dangerously calm. 

Without waiting for a response, Arjun dragged her toward the adjoining washroom. Standing behind her, he shoved her hand under the running tap. Water splashed everywhere, smudging the intricate design. He leaned in close to her ear, his breath hot and laced with fury. 

"The only name on your hand will be mine, Shree," he whispered, his voice like a threat wrapped in a caress. "Do you understand? It’s only ‘Arjun’ for you. Forever." 

Banishree’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the blurred henna. 

Suddenly, Arjun spun her around to face him. His dark eyes bore into hers, blazing with frustration and betrayal. "How dare you leave me like that?" he growled, his teeth clenched. "Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through?" 

Banishree, struggling to hold back her emotions, whispered, "Humne socha—(thought you didn’t—)" 

"Didn’t ‘what’?" Arjun cut her off sharply. "Didn’t love you? Didn’t care?" He let out a bitter laugh. "Shree, you’ve got no idea what you mean to me." 

He placed his hands on her shoulders, gripping them tightly but not enough to hurt. His voice dropped to a softer, raw tone. "You’re my wife. My everything. And I will not let you go. Not now, not ever."

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Hare Krishna