Anguish & Affection

Part 34

The sound of her name being shouted startled her awake. "Atharv! Please, I can't train anymore!" she protested, pulling the blanket over her head in a desperate attempt to get some more sleep. When he tugged the blanket away from her hand, she huffed and glared at him with messy hair and an annoyed expression. She hid her face in the pillow to shield her eyes from the bright light.

"Atharv, please!" She pleaded, tears streaming down her face. He reached out and placed a tender hand on her shoulder, guiding her to look at him. His serious expression filled her with unease, pushing away any thoughts of sleep. Her heart raced with fear for her dear friend, who had narrowly escaped Death's grasp.

"What's wrong? Is Pranav okay?" she inquired with worry etched on her face.

For a few tense moments, the only noise in the room was the consistent whooshing of the air-conditioner. Diya's lower lip trembled as her mind raced to imagine the worst. She struggled to sit up, but Atharv came to her aid by adjusting the pillows behind her and helping her lean against the headboard.

"Atharv, say something, please!" Atharv's hands were shaking as he gently held her face in his palms. "He's going to be okay, Diya. I'm so sorry. Your father- " "Was he released on bail? I always knew his power and influence would get in the way of his punishment- "

"He took his own life while in police custody just a few hours ago. I am sorry, Diya!" Atharv's words hit her like a ton of bricks, causing her to gasp in shock and disbelief. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, instead she hung her head in sorrow, feeling the weight of his words crushing her soul.

A storm of emotions raged within her as hot tears welled up in her half-closed eyes. The realization that her father was no more filled her with a deep sense of loss and regret. All the hurt and anger she had felt towards him vanished in an instant, washed away by the overwhelming grief for the man she had loved unconditionally, even before she knew the meaning of love itself. In that moment, there was no sin that could not be forgiven in the eternal slumber of death, especially those committed by the man who held her heart from the very beginning.

She yanked Atharv's collar and drew him closer to her. Atharv didn't struggle as he kept his head down. "No! No, this can't be happening! Papa wouldn't do that! Atharv! Please tell me it's not true!"

"I wish it was a lie, Diya. But it's the truth. I'm so sorry. He's gone. I am-"

A gut-wrenching scream escaped her throat, echoing off the walls as she crumpled into his chest. Her nails dug into his collar with a desperate hold as she wept, her body shaking with inconsolable grief. Each breath came in ragged gasps, her chest convulsing with the weight of her emotions. As tears continued to stream down her face, Atharv quickly grabbed a glass of water and gently tilted it to her lips, trying to soothe the exhausted sobs that wracked her body.

She hiccupped between sobs and asked Atharv, "Why? Why did - Hic!- he do it? How could he?"

Atharv offered her a glass of water, but she pushed it away. "Diya, please drink some water," urged Atharv, gently pressing the rim against her trembling lips. Finally, her dry throat gave in and she took a few reluctant sips. Atharv wiped away the tears that escaped from the corners of her eyes.

Atharv urgently thrusts a crumpled piece of paper into Diya's hands, his eyes pleading with her to read it. As she unfolds the letter, her heart races with fear and dread, knowing it was left by her late father. The elegant cursive writing on the page seems to taunt her, tightening like a noose around her neck, suffocating her with anguish. Her breath hitches in her throat as she reads the devastating words that bring tears to her eyes.

"My dear Laado."

The letter trembled in her shaking hands and she fought to keep her grip, unwilling to let go of the last remnants of her father. But as she read his final words, a thunderbolt of realization struck her with the weight of a thousand collapsing stars. The gravity of the situation, the endless abyss of darkness that lay before her, crashed down on her like an avalanche. These were the last words from her beloved father, now lost forever to her.

"As I write this letter, my trembling hand struggles to hold the pen. The weight of my sins crushes me down, suffocating every breath out of me. I know I will no longer belong in the mortal world when you receive these words. Only death and the Lord of Death can decide my fate for the horrendous deeds I have committed in my pitiful life. My dear daughter, with tears streaming down my face, I beg for your forgiveness. You were always a source of pride and joy for me, but as your father, I failed you in every way possible. I used you as a pawn to pay off my debts, and then cowardly hid from the truth when I saw attraction blooming between you and the boy we had selfishly married you off to. Please forgive me, my sweet Laado, for I know I am beyond redemption."

Sobs escaped her bruised lips and her heart grew heavier with every passing second.

"Blinded by my own faults, I barged into the hospital without any hesitation, attempting to take the same boy's life for the second time. In that moment, I forgot that I was no better than him - a culprit myself. Now, I am overwhelmed with guilt and regret. My actions almost cost me your life and Pranav's life, my dear Gudiya. The mere sight of myself in the mirror is unbearable now."

The crushing weight of guilt tightens its grip around her throat, constricting like a noose. She struggles to take in a single breath as it squeezes the air out of her lungs, leaving her gasping for oxygen. It's as though every ounce of regret is physically manifesting and suffocating her from the inside out.

"In my next life, I pray that you are born as my daughter again so I can make amends for my sins. You were the only light in my dark existence, like a sacred diya illuminating my path. But I chose to hide in my own personal hell, where even the faintest glimmer of light was forbidden. This life has no purpose without you, so I must depart from this mortal world."

She was enveloped in Atharv's comforting embrace, but the warmth of his touch could not thaw the icy void that consumed her heart. No matter how long he held her, it never felt like enough to ease the pain and emptiness she carried with her. Not even for a moment.

"Atharv, I cannot give away my daughter in another wedding ceremony. However, I entrust her to you. I deeply regret my actions towards your parents and the difficult life you have had to endure because of them. You should not have been punished for their wrongdoings. Please take care of my daughter."

Atharv's lungs constrict as he struggles to inhale, his body trembling with a mix of emotions. The long-awaited apology from his father-in-law hits him like a tidal wave, crashing over him with unbearable weight and suffocating force. Instead of bringing him relief, it drowns him in overwhelming remorse, leaving him gasping for air and choking on regret.

"My dearest Diya, I cannot apologize enough for what I have done. An apology can never erase the pain I have caused you. Please never doubt that your father loves you. It would weigh heavily on my conscience if you did not believe that. Until we meet again, with all my love, Papa."

Her father's overwhelming love hit her like a physical blow, causing her stomach to churn and bile to rise in her throat. Their last meeting had been tainted by accusations and animosity, and she regretted not realizing it would be their final goodbye.

One last hug. One last time listening to him call out to her. One last kiss on her forehead. And then another kiss, and another, each one filling her with a bittersweet ache, a yearning for his essence that could never truly be satisfied.

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