Five Weeks by Shruti Omar (any book recommendations .txt) 📕

She failed to comprehend what should she think of Yuvraaj? What exactly was he? The man who humiliated her before people or the one who cared for her as if she were precious to him? She was troubled, confused and broken.

“Are you planning to sit there and cry whole night?” Yuvraaj sneaked up on her and tried his best to keep the annoyance away from his voice. This was a bit much for him. His wife was crying over another man and that didn't sit well with him. She was with him physically and her mind was still dwelling on the skirmish happened with Mukund.

“I asked something!” He repeated, prodding her to gain some reaction. Silence greeted him yet again. Anahita was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize his presence. He pressed his lips together and scooted closer, contemplating whether to hold her or not. Nonetheless, he glided an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her in a brief hug, “C'mon! Get done with waterworks. I've ordered food for you. Feed yourself.”

“Okay!” she responded meekly and he retracted his hand, stretching them behind his back. “That’s good,” he murmured, closing his eyes and breathed in the soft, briny breeze that teased his face and downy tufts of hair. “It’s so serene, isn’t it?”

She hummed, dropping her chin on the folded legs. He slanted a long glance at her and his fingers itched to touch her yet his mind suggested otherwise. Deciphering how she acted repulsively all the time, he kept hold on himself and didn't touch her. She might not like that, she might shout at him for advantaging her in her lowest point.

Yuvraaj was one of those men who generally had a different way of comforting. He could sit beside her, hold her in his embrace and could listen until she fell short of words. He could rub her arms as a supportive gesture but his mouth wouldn’t utter a single word and that was because he didn’t find it alright to gift false promises.

“I hate him.” Anahita whispered monotonously, diverting his attention towards her. Her eyes were intact on the magnificent scenery before her. The endless inky sky, touching the elusive borders of serene oceans and the moon looked like taking a dip in its gentle water. “I hate him for slandering me. I did everything he asked me to do. He asked me to marry you because he couldn’t come to pick me up at that day and for him, I did that. Then how can he accuse me?”

Pain surfaced in her eyes and they shone with tears, “I trusted him with all my heart and what he did! He slandered me and I know he thinks of me as such because one can't say things one doesn't dwell on them.”

“I can get him killed for you. Illegal? Yes. But that would get me some sort of relief.” Yuvraaj offered with sincerity without implying a mouth filter and she sneered, making her tears spill on her cheeks. Wiping her tears, she took a short look of him, smiling diabolically. “Of course, stab him to the point he begs mercy on his knees.”

He reciprocated her grin and realized that it was the first time they didn’t try to get on each other’s nerves and actually endeavored to become the healer. Pouting her lips, she casted her eyes down to her feet and toyed with her foot nail. Yuvraaj sensed her mood and pursed his lips, “Anahita, I am sorry for….”

“Don't be. I told you one says the thing one thinks. Maybe I am low as such in your eyes,” she interjected in low, under-confident voice. “I am used to it by now. You are not the first one, that place was already acquired by my aunt.” She attempted to crack a joke on her circumstances and Yuvraaj shook his head, snagging her hand, “I don't think as such of you. Why can't you believe it?”

“Fine, answer me then.” She gazed at his disturbed orbs which were definitely dark with remorse but she refused to acknowledge them, “Did you or didn't you book that room for Mukund? Didn't you bring me here for him? Didn't you plan to humiliate me like that way back?”

“I refute the third allegation.” He contradicted, “I accept that I brought you here so that you can easily leave with Mukund and none would be affected with that. I booked that room for Mukund, so that I can observe him and be sure that he would not mistreat you. It all happened after I overheard your conversation. That wasn’t on plan from the beginning.”

“You really thought that I will leave like that? You really thought I am that heartless to leave you in misery? You really think low of me.” She murmured, pulling her hand back and evaded him. She was judged once again. Yes, she wanted to leave and start a new life with Mukund but not like that. Not like a coward anymore. She had already seen the consequences of deceiving her family, now she didn't want to do that to his family.

Yuvraaj dragged a sigh and turned to her, “I do not think low of you, Anahita but my family is more important than you. I would rather hurt you in order to save my family.”

His honest words broke a part of her but she quickly gathered herself and regarded him with a new generous perspective. He was loyal, banefully loyal though, and his sheer fidelity oozed right from his eyes. He didn’t sweet talked her with his words alike Mukund and made her face the bitter reality. She was spell-bounded to him and his callous words that could slay a stone hearted man, let alone a fragile girl.

I wish I could be a part of his family. Her heart longed with unfruitful desire and she made a puppy face, “You would hurt me?”

Yuvraaj gaped at her, astonished that she chose to notice the only segment out of his whole statement. “This was the only thing you heard? I meant I would do that just in order to save my family but I don't plan to do that. Whatever I did at the reception was completely driven by anger, I couldn't bear the words when you said you were suffocating in my home.” He released her and looked at the ocean frustrated, “Anahita mom loves you more than Gitika and dad adore you. He always takes your side regardless of situation. My sister follows you like a cosseted puppy and you said you were suffocated. It was stabbing to me. I couldn’t tolerate that.”