"Vairagya... Vairagya Rajvansh hates only one thing — betrayal. Yes, betrayal! If Sarangi betrays him..." Ajit said excitedly.
"Are you crazy...? Why would Sarangi betray him...? She would die for him herself..." Shikha said.
"But we can make it look like she's betraying him..." Ajit said with a sly smile.
"Are you mad...? Just a few days ago we planned everything perfectly. But what if Sarangi gets caught...? On top of that, Vairagya has gone crazy for her... Do you really think he'll believe that Sarangi betrayed him?" Shikha expressed doubt.
"When there's proof, my dear, no one can do anything... I'll explain the plan to you, and you just follow it..." Ajit started explaining his plan.
"Absolutely not... I do hate Sarangi, I could kill her with my own hands... but this... no, never..." Shikha said firmly.
"You won't do it, baby...?" Ajit asked threateningly.
"I said no..." Shikha repeated.
"Okay, check your WhatsApp... then reply..." Ajit said mysteriously.
Shikha opened WhatsApp and saw many photos and videos of her and Ajit, where they were very close.
"What nonsense is this...? You recorded these...?" Shikha said angrily.
"So what did you think? That you could use me against that foolish Sarangi...? No, baby... I made her yours. From day one, I understood your jealousy and turned it into a weapon. I wanted to have two sweets at once. Those photos on the wedding day... Because of them, everything went wrong... and Sarangi fell into the hands of that Vairagya Rajvansh... but now you will help me get him back..." Ajit revealed his cunning.
"Never... I will never do this..." Shikha refused.
"Think about it, baby... what will happen to your reputation, your family's, if these pictures get viral...?" Ajit blackmailed her.
"Ajit please... don't do this... that's my family, they will die while living..." Shikha begged, breaking down.
"You should have thought about that before the plan, baby... I gave you a week, a week to finish the plan however you want... otherwise, these photos will expose you on the whole internet..." Ajit said ruthlessly.
"Ajit..." Shikha started crying.
"No drama, understood? Big Ajit Verma trapper... hang up." Ajit cut the call.
Shikha entered Sarangi's room where Sarangi was watching a TV serial.
"Shikha... where were you? You didn't come to the hospital even once..." Sarangi asked.
"Sorry Sarangi, nobody was home so I had to check on the house... and you just spend the whole day fooling around, so someone has to take responsibility, right..." Shikha said carelessly.
"Oh God... how did I forget, here I'm the daughter-in-law, not a daughter... Mom also told me to be a good daughter-in-law... too much happiness makes one crazy... I'm going to the kitchen to make evening snacks..." Sarangi got up.
"Oh, and proving in front of Mr. Rajvansh that even in this much illness his daughter-in-law works less..." Shikha said sarcastically.
"Shikha... why would I do that...?" Sarangi asked, surprised.
"You won't do it, but Mr. Rajvansh will think so..." Shikha repeated, her smile hiding cruelty.
Sarangi's face turned pale. Tears of fear and helplessness welled up in her eyes.
"Then what should I do...?" Sarangi whispered almost inaudibly.
Shikha took a deep breath and, feigning sympathy, said, "Let it be today. From tomorrow, get to work... and yes, fulfill all the duties of a good daughter-in-law. Just because the Rajvansh family accepted a girl like you, doesn't mean you can dance on their heads..." Her voice dripped sarcasm again. She didn't want to miss a single chance to humiliate Sarangi.
"Why are you saying this, Shikha?" Sarangi looked at her with teary eyes.
Shikha gave a sharp laugh. "Does it hurt, Sarangi? But the truth is bitter, and people can't digest it... Let me tell you something, Sarangi... you neither deserve Ajit nor do you have any talent or beauty... and your behavior is childish... You're 21 years old and act like a 2-year-old..." Shikha tried to crush every bit of Sarangi's confidence.
Sarangi's heart broke into pieces. Shikha's words reached her core, making her realize her shortcomings. She closed her eyes so Shikha wouldn't see her pain. "Shikha, please don't say that... it hurts..." her voice broke into sobs.
Seeing her pain gave Shikha even more pleasure. "Oh, as if I'm enjoying this... You know what, Sarangi, Mr. Rajvansh deserves a girl a thousand times better than you, but since you were forced on him, what can the poor man do..." Shikha finished, her eyes sparkling with victory. She had completely broken Sarangi.
Shikha's words were poisonous, each carefully measured as if stabbing Sarangi's heart with a knife. Sarangi sat on the bed listening, her eyes slowly filling with tears. Shikha's words echoed in her ears — 'You don't deserve it', 'Childish behavior', 'Forced upon him'. Each sentence shattered her self-esteem.
Sarangi had never thought of herself as very special. She was an ordinary girl who had suddenly found a place in a huge and wealthy family. Vairagya's love felt like a dream, and Shikha's words tried to shatter that dream. She started feeling that maybe Shikha was right. Maybe she really wasn't worthy of Vairagya. Maybe because of her, Vairagya had to compromise in life.
"I will become worthy of them, won't I Shikha... like the girls they like..." Sarangi said very softly, trembling in fear of losing Vairagya.
"Oh? Do you even know what Mr. Rajvansh likes...?" Shikha laughed sarcastically.
Sarangi's face lowered further. How much had she really known Vairagya in all this time? Their relationship was still new, and she still didn't know much about his likes and dislikes.
Shikha took advantage of her silence. "Let me tell you... Mr. Rajvansh likes black color, his favorite perfume brand is Loris... He likes healthy salads and Italian sandwiches... And you know the most interesting thing... Mr. Rajvansh likes model-type girls, like me... not childish girls like you and Sister..."
"I've been with Mr. Rajvansh here for less time than you, yet I know everything about him, and you... you only get time to pamper him. I don't know whether he married or adopted a child."
"Well, as a friend, it was my job to explain this to you, the rest is your home, your husband... your call..." Shikha pretended sympathy and started leaving the room.
"Shikha please... please help me... I want to become worthy of everyone... please..." Sarangi pleaded helplessly.
"Fine... now that you're my friend, I can do this much... From tomorrow, I'll tell you how to behave, what to do... today rest..." Saying this, Shikha left, but a sly smile lingered on her face. Sarangi sat on the bed holding her head. Ajit had just taken out his frustration on someone, and she was the scapegoat, without considering how deeply his words would hurt.
"Why am I like this, God... why can't I live up to everyone's expectations...? Everyone cares for me so much, and I... I'm not worthy of anyone..." Sarangi began blaming herself.
In the evening, when Vairagya came home, he went straight to the room and smilingly said, "Jaan..." But Sarangi was fast asleep.
"She's still sleeping... Is she feeling alright?" Vairagya said, touching her forehead; everything seemed normal.
"No fever, right...? Jaan, is something wrong? Are you in pain?" Vairagya asked worriedly.
"I'm feeling sleepy, Mister Rajvansh..." Sarangi said softly, without opening her eyes.
"Okay, eat something, then take your medicine and sleep," Vairagya said lovingly.
"No, I'm not hungry..." Sarangi hid herself deeper under the blanket.
"Jaan, I can bear anything but not your health being neglected, okay? Go freshen up; I'll get dinner brought to the room," Vairagya said firmly.
Sarangi quietly got up and started to go to the bathroom, but Vairagya grabbed her hand—"Were you crying?"
"No..." Sarangi turned away, trying to hide her eyes.
"Don't lie... your eyes are red. Tell me, did someone say something to you?" Vairagya held her chin and turned her toward him.
"No, just missing home..." Sarangi made an excuse.
"Is that all?" Vairagya didn't believe her.
"What else would it be?" Sarangi said coldly.
"Okay, get better, I'll take you home. Crying over such a small thing? Besides, phones aren't just for looking at; you can call your mom," Vairagya said lovingly.
Sarangi said nothing and went to the bathroom.
"This girl, I don't understand her... she was fine till morning, what suddenly happened?" Vairagya said, going into the closet to change.
In the bathroom, Sarangi looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was pale, with red patches from allergies, eyes red, hair messy... she hardly recognized herself.
"Why would anyone love you, Sarangi?" a bitter question arose in her heart.
Shikha's words echoed in her mind. "Shikha is right; she's bold, confident, beautiful, mature, and I'm just a fool..." Sarangi felt her flaws more sharply. She felt she really wasn't worthy of Vairagya.
"Jaan, how long...? Your food's getting cold," Vairagya called lovingly.
"Just five minutes..." Sarangi splashed some water on her face, as if trying to calm the turmoil inside, as if trying to erase her own existence.
A little later, she came out, and Vairagya set a plate for her and began feeding her by hand, but Sarangi said, "I can eat by myself..." Her voice was harsh.
"But baby, I want to feed you..." Vairagya said lovingly.
"I'm not a child..." Sarangi snapped back.
"Jaan... what's wrong? Did someone say something? Why are you behaving so strangely?" Vairagya asked, holding her hand.
"Because... I'm just like this..." Sarangi said as she snatched the plate and started eating quickly.
"Eat slowly..." Vairagya said softly, surprised.
"I always eat like this..." Sarangi replied without looking at him.
Vairagya kept looking at her. The Sarangi who was a child before him in the morning was now acting so differently.
"Okay, do whatever you want..." Vairagya said, got up, and left the room.
As soon as Vairagya left, tears started streaming down Sarangi's face.
After a while, Vairagya returned with a bowl of oil and stood behind her, massaging oil into her tangled hair. His touch was gentle and full of love.
"What are you doing?" Sarangi asked, surprised.
"Massaging your hair. Look how dry it's become..." Vairagya said, lovingly stroking her hair.
"Don't do it, I'll do it myself..." Sarangi said hesitantly.
"Yeah, you have four hands, don't you?" Vairagya said playfully.
"Mister Rajvansh..." Sarangi said again with a bit of coldness.
"Not a word... If I'm not speaking, then you can't speak either," Vairagya lovingly scolded.
Sarangi fell silent.
Vairagya massaged her scalp thoroughly and braided her hair, saying, "Perfect... tomorrow wash your hair and use the same shampoo you always do, it smells really good..."
Sarangi looked at him in surprise. She hadn't expected Vairagya to notice such little things.
"Now take your medicine and milk and go to sleep..." Vairagya handed her the medicine and a glass of milk, his voice gentle now.
Sarangi silently took the medicine and lay down on the bed, covered herself with the blanket, and turned her face away.
Vairagya ate alone and told the servants to clear the table, then lay down on the sofa. Sarangi peeked at him from under the blanket; his eyes were closed. She thought he had fallen asleep.
After a little while,
Sarangi got up quietly and covered Vairagya properly with the blanket. Then she gently stroked his head.
"You should do this in front of me; I'd like that more, my jaan..." Vairagya said suddenly opening his eyes, his voice playful.
"You're awake...?" Sarangi got a little nervous; she thought he was sleeping.
"Forget me, tell me about yourself... worried but not showing it?" Vairagya held Sarangi's wrist and pulled her close. Sarangi fell right into his lap, her face blushing.
"What are you doing?" Sarangi asked softly, a little anxious.
"Showing some love to my jaan... she's stingy, doesn't do it herself... so I've taken on both jobs," Vairagya said, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her closer.
"I'm sleepy, I'm going to sleep now..." Sarangi said quickly, got up and tucked herself into bed, her face toward Vairagya but eyes closed.
Seeing this childish act, Vairagya laughed and his love for her grew even more.