*SCENE ONE*

Let me be very clear," Naintara said, her voice flat yet sharp enough to slice through the heavy silence of the room. "Don't expect anything from me. Not now, not ever."

Rudransh stood a few feet away, hands tucked casually in his pockets. His stance looked relaxed but his eyes remained fixed on her, steady, unreadable... like the calm before a storm, or perhaps the eye of it.

"I will live here as the daughter-in-law of this family," she continued, each word crisp and deliberate. "I'll fulfill every responsibility they expect from me. But never as your wife. Not in the way you think."

Her voice dipped, firmer now. "There will never be love between us. No bond. No trust. In this room, we are nothing but strangers."

She paused for half a breath,

A muscle in Rudransh's jaw twitched subtle, almost unnoticeable but his expression remained carefully neutral, unreadable.

"I want to make it absolutely clear," Naintara went on, unflinching. "Before we take another step into this... marriage, I don't want you harbouring any illusions about what we are, or what we'll ever be."

Rudransh's lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, maybe defend himself, maybe deny it but Naintara didn't let him.

"And don't worry," she said, her tone suddenly colder, a hint of cruel finality slipping into her voice.

"You'll be the one asking for a divorce soon enough."

"That's never going to happen," he said, his voice low and firm. "There's no way I'll ever let you walk away from me. Not now. Not after you've become mine."

*SCENE TWO*

"Naintara beta, take blessings from God," Nani said gently.

She nodded. Walking toward the idols of Radha and Krishna, naintara ara went down on her knees, bowed her head, and touched their feet in reverence, seeking blessings. Afterward, she stepped slightly back to make space for others to do the same.

Rudransh was then called forward to take blessings.

But instead of moving toward the idols, he turned in a completely different direction.

Toward NAINTARA.

She was standing beside her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. The moment she noticed him walking toward her, confusion crossed her face. As he reached her, he began to bend-

toward her.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked instinctively, stepping back, her eyes fixed on him in disbelief.

He didn't answer.

Without saying a single word, Rudransh quietly went down on his knees in front of her. He lowered his head to the floor-right at the spot where she had been standing just moments ago. And then, gently, reverently, he kissed the ground.

The very place her feet had touched.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice trembling as she looked at him.

"Nani asked me to take blessings from God," he said calmly, still on his knees. "So I came to my God."

"Please aisa mat kijiye..." she whispered nervously. "Sab dekh rahe hain... Bhagwan ji bhi naraaz ho jayenge."

(Please don't do this... Everyone is watching. Even God might be displeased.)

"Dekhne dijiye jo bhi dekh rhe hai," he replied softly. "Aur Bhagwan ki baat karein... toh sach kahun, mujhe kabhi Bhagwan par itna vishwas nahi tha jab tak aap meri zindagi mei nahi aayi."

(Let them watch if they want. And as for God... I never truly believed in god until you came into my life.)

He looked up at her.

"Isliye mere liye... aap hi meri Bhagwan hai. Aur main toh aapki har subah-shaam pooja kar sakta hoon."

(So for me, you are my God. And I could worship you every morning and every evening.)

She didn't know what to say.

His words wrapped around her thoughts, leaving her completely lost-wondering how someone could love like this.

How someone could be this devoted.

"Please... stand up first," she said quietly.

Listening to her, he rose to his feet. Around them, people continued to watch, whispering softly.

"But why would you kiss the floor where I was standing?" she suddenly asked, still stunned. "It was dusty there."

He looked at her, his voice steady, unwavering. "Kyuki mujhe kabhi aapke pair chhoone ka, ya unhe chum ne ka bhi mauka nahi mila. Isliye maine us dhool ko chuma jahan abhi-abhi aapke kadam pade the... aur mere liye woh bhi kisi aashirvaad se kam nahi hai."

(Because I never got the chance to kiss your feet, or even touch them. So I kissed the dust you left behind... and even that feels like a blessing to me.)

*SCENE THREE*

"Don't you understand?" she shouted. "I don't want to talk right now!"

"Shaant ho jaiye, Nain," he said gently, moving toward her. "Itna stress aapke liye achha nahi hai-" (Calm down, Nain. This much stress isn't good for you.)

But before he could finish, she took two rushed steps forward and slammed her phone onto the floor with all her strength. The sharp sound echoed through the room.

"Why can't you understand?" she cried. "I don't want to hear anything. Please... just leave me alone for a while. I hate it when someone stays around me when I'm angry. Main gusse mein kuch bhi kar leti hoon-dekha na abhi? Next time, I don't even know what I'll do. So please... just go away."

Her legs gave up, and she dropped to her knees on the cold floor, trembling.

"Aap kyun nahi samajh rahi hain?" he said quietly, stepping closer until he was right in front of her.

"Main aapko ek pal ke liye bhi chhor kar nahi jaa sakta. Jo hoon, jaisa hoon-aisa hi hoon. Aapko gussa karna hai, kijiye."

(Why can't you understand? I can't leave you-not even for a moment. This is who I am. If you want to be angry, then be angry.)

He knelt down in front of her.

"Aapko jo todna hai, tod dijiye," he continued softly. "Mujhe gusse me jitna kuch kehna hai keh dijiye. Chahe gusse mein aap is ghar ko bhi jala dena chahe-toh jala dijiye... mujhe koi farq nahi padega. Bas please..." His voice cracked.

(Break anything you want... say whatever you want to me in anger. Even if you want to burn this house down in your rage-do it. I won't stop you. Just... please )

"bas please... Baccha mujhe aap se dur jaane ko mat kahiye... yeh mujhse bilkul nahi hoga."

(please baby, don't ask me to walk away from you... I simply can't do that.)

With that, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if letting go would shatter them both.

*SCENE FOUR*

"So, do you love apples?" he asked casually.

She was sitting on the kitchen counter, her legs dangling slightly, while he stood in front of her,

slicing fruits on the counter opposite her.

"I love apples," she replied.

But her eyes weren't on the apple he was cutting.

They were fixed on his Adam's apple, moving ever so slightly every time he swallowed.

"Achha... phir yeh lijiye, khaiye," he said, bringing a slice of apple up to her lips.

(Alright... then here, have this.)

She leaned forward and ate it from his hand, still lost in her thoughts, her eyes never leaving his Adam's apple.

She was so distracted that she didn't even remember....

She was allergic to apples.

She had only said yes because she was staring at his Adam's apple, not the fruit

*SCENE FIVE*

He swallowed hard. Her face was inches from his, and he could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin.

"Agar aage se maine aapki shirt ke yeh khule buttons dekhe na," she warned, her fingers already sliding up his chest, closing each button one by one with slow, deliberate authority. "toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga."

(If I ever see these buttons of your shirt open again, no one will be worse than me.)

He remained seated, frozen like a terrified intern who had accidentally talked back to a senior surgeon.

She buttoned his shirt as if he were something that belonged to her-something she intended to protect fiercely, teeth and claws included if necessary.

Then she grabbed his collar and pulled him closer. "Aapko meri baat samajh aa rahi hai na?" she asked, her eyes locked onto his.

(You understand what I'm saying, don't you?)

He nodded-because his voice had completely abandoned him.

"Words, Mr. Husband," she demanded, still staring at him as if she could see straight into his nervous system.

He wasn't scared without reason.

She was terrifyingly gorgeous-and aggressively possessive.

"Y-yes," he finally managed. "I understand."

*SCENE SIX*

"Anshhh... I want a baby," she said suddenly, her words slurring as she leaned into him.

He blinked at her, equally unsteady. "Aww," he smiled lazily, "my sweetheart wants a baby? Then let's-let's go make a baby." he declared with complete confidence.

They were both heavily drunk.

Then his expression shifted into a deep frown.

"But... wait," he said slowly. "I don't know how to make a baby. I forgot."

He snapped his fingers in sudden realization.

"Wait, let me ask Maa," he said seriously. "She made me, na? She'll know."

And with that, he actually started walking toward the door.

*SCENE SEVEN*

"Yeh lijiye... divorce papers par sign kar dijiye," he said, handing the papers to her.

(Here... sign the divorce papers.)

She looked down at them... then slowly raised her eyes to him.

"Kya sochte hai aap? Yeh kuch kagaz ke panne aapke aur mere rishte ko mita sakte hai?" she said calmly. "Toh bata du aapko... yeh aapki galatfahmi hai."

(Do you really think these few sheets of paper can erase the bond between you and me? Then let me tell you... that is your misunderstanding.)

He exhaled sharply.

"Dekhiye, mujhe koi galatfahmi nahi hai. Hamara rishta khatam ho raha hai. Baat khatam." he said firmly.

"Sign kijiye... aur mujhe khud se azaad kijiye."

(Look, I have no misunderstanding. Our relationship is ending. That's it. Sign them and set me free.)

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

But it held something unsettling.

"Yeh toh is janam me hone se raha," she said quietly. "Kyuki aap mere hai... mere the... aur mere hi rahenge."

(That is never going to happen in this lifetime. Because you are mine... you were mine... and you will always remain mine.)

As she spoke, she reached toward the fruit basket beside her.

Her fingers wrapped around the knife.

Before he could react, she pressed the blade into her palm.

"Ye...A-Aap kya kr rhi hai? " he asked,?" he stammered, staring at her hand in horror. Blood was dripping steadily, the knife clenched tightly in her palm.

(Wha-what are you doing Nain?)

"Apne sirf meri nafrat aur..... Mera pyaar dekh hai Ansh. . ." she said, her voice trembling yet resolute. "par apke ke liye Mera deewanapan nhi dekha."

(You've only seen my hatred and....you've seen my love, Ansh But you never saw my madness for you.)

As she spoke, the knife dug deeper into her palm, crimson spilling between her fingers-pain she welcomed, pain she didn't even flinch from.

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