Under his gaze (his forced bride) by Olivia Jessie (the giving tree read aloud txt) 📕

I had finished eating my  lunch and Nidhi was packing for our return to Delhi .As for divorce ,I  would wait  for a week or so and after that everything would end . The marriage ,the abuse and the relation . I  too packed few of my belongings although had nothing much to call a possession of mine .

"He would be transferred to Tihar Jail .The living conditions are better there ." Nidhi told someone over call. To be honest ,she really did protect me . Indirectly , although she did nothing but the way she assured me about everything from the start made my hopes to rise beyond my self doubts .

She had two bags full of some precious memories ,which she told me, ready by the door . I had filled few water bottles for the travel . The thoughts lingered in my mind and made me restless.

" Nidhi ." She looked up at me smiling ." Don't you think the trial was too fast . I mean it usually lasts for a month and in some cases years and meanwhile the person gets bailed out ." She licked her lips and with a sympathetic look walked towards where i was standing .

"It was so because Bhabhi ,Bhai  never hired a prosecutor to defend himself and even denied the one provided by the govt .He accepted everything . And the girl was dead for 48 hours already so there was no way to make it more of a delay . Plus due to covid , the jury did it a lot faster .."

With a slight nod , I picked up my bags and there was a cab waiting outside .Nidhi denied driving Advay's car because of long distance and she wasn't ready for another travel .

"Bhabhi , before transferring to the jail in delhi , Bhai wants to meet us . " i stared out of the window ,the trees sprinting away and the snow getting thinner as we reached the district with market and hustle . "But you don't have to.I will talk to him. Please ." The car was already stopped in front of the district court . She ran to meet her brother after i gave her my approval.

I breathed in and out slowly ,to calm down my anxiety . I definitely would need many therapies to erase those nightmares i was having after he was gone .Because when he was there ,i had never the chance to think about anything but him . My mother tried to talk to me when Nidhi informed her about everything .Not everything though . Just the murder and trial .

I didn't talk to her because she was defending Advay . She won't believe he killed someone .he was a doctor after all. But i had nothing to say and didn't talk with her .

One police man came after checking the area looking for me . My anxiety kicked in as he approached the car and asked me pull down the window .

"Mrs Kaushik ?" He asked for confirmation . After i nodded ,he handed me a slip . I looked at him confused .

"This from Dr Advay .He wanted me to hand it to you ." With this he went back in the building . I was expecting some sort of threat related to divorce or his insecurity but it was a different thing .

" Please Mihika ,Take care of Nidhi .She needs you . And i believe that you won't abandon her because of me . Moreover, I have named you as my beneficiary for all the income and property.You don't need to work . Our rental properties will be enough for all the expenses . There is no sort of mortgage or bill pending related to any property. You have my everything ,because you are my everything . I love you. And will always do . I can do anything for my family . To protect you all. And about divorce ,i am not giving you any . And even if the state does separate us ,I don't consider a piece of paper can do that ..

Love you always 

Advay .."

He won't give me divorce . I knew that but the fact that he won't even consider the divorce was a thing to worry about . I put the note in my purse in case ,it could work as a proof of threat .Maybe .

Finally ,I saw Nidhi coming towards the car .Crying with red face . That would have been very difficult for her .She quietly sat in her spot and the driver drove out of court area .It was pure silence in the car because she needed some time to stop crying and i gave her the space .

"Are you okay ?" I asked her when she settled and behaving normal again .

"yes .Bhabhi you know he was standing there in the dark prison . My brother .He was still thinking about me ,about you . " I flinched at her words . About me ." Sorry I shouldn't have said that . but bhabhi he was my hero and my .." I squeezed her hand a bit because the driver was listening too .Although he was pretending not to . 

Nidhi understood the situation and put her head on my shoulder . Take care of Nidhi . He was right ,she needed me . She had no one other than me and the same with me . We had to be strong work together, live a normal life . I needed to get a job . We were free and there was no danger or threat of any kind at least for seven years .Till then ,everything would slow down .i would be mature and strong and Nidhi doing good in her life . 

Seven years was a big time lapse .And people tend to forget about past, he would forget me . 

"I am sorry . Sorry . Galti ho gyi .." Nidhi murmured in between her nap. I slowly touched her head and patted .She went quiet again .She was a really nice soul even after living in that hell of life with her father .Maybe because she was young .

I had already decided that i would live in the same house in Delhi where i had lived because i had the right on it . I wasn't going to leave all my rights just because i needed to prove that i was strong . My father would never give me any property and i just needed the house for a year or so .After i will get back my confidence ,i would leave .
 

After two months :

Working for the first time was dreadful ,the scariest thing . I had no prior experience nothing just my degree and me . But i got a job as a project coordinator for an NGO working for women . The work was triggering because most of women issues are related to spousal abuse . But i had to overcome my fear . 25000 rupees per month was more than enough for both of us with Nidhi doing an internship of 15000 . She would start her masters in Forensic science after six months .