Keshav finally opened the bedroom door around the afternoon, and I gave him lunch in his room. His face was slightly bruised too... And knew my husband had caused it.

"Tum Payal se sach mein pyaar karte ho?" I whispered.

(Do you really love Payal?)

His hand froze as he looked up at me, "Karta hoon."

(Yes, I do.)

"Keshav... Payal ki zindagi bahut dukh bhari hai. Woh pehle ek chor se pyaar karta tha, usko Thakur Ji aur Paramesh ne milkar bhaga diya. Mujhe pehle se us barrister se nafrat tha... Woh us bechari ki zara bhi parvah nahi karta. Phir Jagdish se zabardasti shaadi bhi karva diye-"

(Keshav... Payal's life is already quite depressing. She used to be in love with a thief before, and he was chased away by Thakur Ji and Paramesh. I've always hated that Barrister... He doesn't even care about his sister. Then he forced her to marry Jagdish-)

"Mujhe sab kuch pata hai," he replied, "Isliye mai uska saath nahi chodna chahta hu. Payal ka dil bahut saaf hai... Bachho ki tarah... Mai nahi chahta ki log uski zindagi aur barbaad kare. Main sirf use khush karna chahta hu, Sanjana. Mai hamesha use khush rakhunga."

(I know it all. That's why I don't want to leave her side. Payal has such a pure heart... Just like a child... I don't want people to ruin her life. I only want her happiness, Sanjana. I'll always keep her happy.)

There was a strange resolute look in his eyes that I had never seen before. Maybe that was what worried my husband so much.

"Bhaiya se keh do ki humse door rahe..."

(Tell Bhaiya to stay away from us...)

I frowned, "Woh kaise kar sakte hain? Agar kisi aur ko pata chala... Toh tum dono ko barbaad karenge!"

(How can he do that? If someone else finds out about you both... Your lives will be ruined!)

"Kisi ko pata nahi chalega. Mai... Dekh lunga."

(Nobody else will find out. I... I'll make sure of it.)

"Tum kya karne wale ho?"

(What are you going to do?)

He didn't reply. After eating, Keshav drove off somewhere on his bike, and Maa invited one of the marriage brokers home to happily discuss alliances for her precious son. She was unaware of all that had happened, but it was better this way.

Even as I bathed the children in the evening and made snacks for everyone, my mind was still racing. What would Keshav and Payal do now?

There was suddenly someone banging on our front door. "Thakurain! Thakurain! Darvaza kholiye! Haath jodti hu!" It was Payal's voice.

(Thakurain! Thakurain! Open the door! Please, I'm begging you!)

Maa had gone to the temple, and even the children looked petrified as I rushed to open the door. Aradhya came out of her room with Rekha in her arms. She was equally surprised to see Payal.

There was an ugly cut on her forehead. Her eyes were watering; I could tell that she had been punched straight in the face. But that was not the issue; Payal was hugging her stomach as she sobbed uncontrollably, "P-pet mei... Pet mei dard ho raha hai... Bachao mujhe... Woh maar dalenge."

(M-my stomach... It hurts so much... Please save me... He- He'll kill me...)

I immediately embraced her in my arms and took her to the guest bedroom to lie down. The maids helped me take care of her, but to my shock, the poor girl was bleeding between her legs.

"Kya hua tumhe? Yeh khoon? Mahima chal raha hai?"

(What happened to you? All this blood? Are you on your period?)

She shook her head, trembling, "Jagdish ne mujhe bahut maara... seedhiyon se main neeche gir gayi... A-aur... A-aur... Mera bacha... Phirse... Mar gaya."

(Jagdish hit me so much... I fell from the stairs... A-and... And... My child... Again... It died.)

My eyes widened. Had she been pregnant?

Could it be that it was Keshav's?

But none of that mattered right now. Payal was injured badly and trembling in fear.

"Jaldi Daima ko bulao," I instructed the maid beside me.

(Fetch the midwife immediately.)

"Par Thakurain Ji, yeh toh-"

(But Thakurain Ji, she-)

"Jaldi bulakar lao!" I snapped. She nodded and rushed outside immediately.

(Hurry up!)

Someone was ferociously banging on the door again, "Darvaza kholo Sanjana!" Even the maids were startled to hear the foreign man address me so boldly by my name. Payal squeezed my hand, begging me not to go. She kept whispering again and again that Jagdish would kill her.

(Open the damn door, Sanjana!)

Aradhya stayed with Payal while I made sure to lock their bedroom door from outside. One of the maids hid the keys while I opened the front door.

"Jagdish Babu? Aapko kya chahiye?"

(Jagdish Babu? Did you need something?)

"Hatt!" His eyes were red with rage as he pushed past me and entered the haveli. The amount of disrespect that he showered me with was really starting to get on my nerves.

(Move!)

"Woh kaha hai? Woh randi kaha hai?!"

(Where is she? Where the hell is that whore?!)

The kids were silently sitting in a corner, and I realised they were equally scared.

"Tameez se baat kijiye," I glared, "Bache hai yaha. Thakur Ji kuch der baad ghar wapas aa jayenge. Aise haveli mein zabardasti ghus kar aap aise chilla nahi sakte!"

(Mind your language. There are children here. Thakur Ji will be back in a while. You can't barge into the haveli like this and start yelling!)

He glared at me and stepped dangerously close. The maids gasped, and one of them tried to interfere, but Jagdish pushed her aside. The others hurried to call the guards.

"Main khud dhoondh nikalunga use... Aur apne haatho se maar dalunga!" He roared and stormed towards the kitchen first. I followed him. God knew when help would come, so I had to take matters into my own hands.

(I'll find her myself... And kill her with my own hands!)

"Payal!" He thundered again. I pretended to hide the storeroom door behind me, and Jagdish noticed it. He shoved me to the side and began searching inside it. The bastard.

I used that chance to grab the best iron tawa I owned. The maids were wide-eyed as I whacked the back of his head with it. Within seconds, Jagdish collapsed on the floor. I didn't think he was dead, just unconscious.

"Thakurain Ji, aapne yeh kya kar diya!" One of the maids looked terrified.

(Thakurain Ji, what have you done!)

I handed the tawa back to her and ordered the store room to be locked well, in case Jagdish woke up and tried to break down the door. It felt like the only right thing to do. When a few of my husband's men arrived at that time, I asked them to bring him and Bhargav home immediately.

By then, the daima had arrived. Aradhya and the maids took care of the children while I stayed with Payal. A few maids helped me change her clothes, and after inspecting her stomach, the daima concluded that she had indeed suffered a miscarriage. The foetus was a month old. Payal was very weak and ill. She had lost quite a lot of blood.

I made sure to send everyone outside while talking with Payal. She could barely keep her eyes open as she told me everything that had happened.

When Jagdish returned from the city after a long time, it was Paramesh who had told Jagdish about her affair. But he never mentioned Keshav's name.

But that was more than enough to ruin Payal's life. How heartless could that barrister be?

Her in-laws had been starving her for the past two days after they realised she could be pregnant. Jagdish had beaten her so much to the point of pushing her down the stairs. When she couldn't bear it anymore, she came to me. The poor thing.

Was falling in love such a crime?

I didn't care what my husband commanded, but I'd always be on her and Keshav's side. He was the only man worthy enough to protect her.

When Maa Ji returned in the evening along with Bhairav Ji and Bhargav, I told them about how Payal was having an affair with someone, and that she had been pregnant. But when Jagdish found out, he was extremely violent and made her miscarry.

"Tum aur Aradhya theek ho?" My husband frowned as he inspected my face. "Aur bache?"

(Are you and Aradhya alright? And the kids?)

I sighed. This man would never change.

"Bache Aradhya ke saath humare kamre mein hai... Woh bahut dar gaye the," I replied. Maa didn't understand anything, but she rushed outside to talk with Jagdish's parents. My husband asked me to stay with Payal while he handled the rest. I trusted him.

(The kids are with Aradhya in our room... They're really scared.)