Keshav's POV:

I returned home late as I had to handle some preparations. Surprisingly, Bhaiya was home. When I thought I'd quietly sneak back into my room, both my brothers were talking about something in serious, hushed tones.

"Keshav," Bhairav Bhaiya cleared his throat, "Maa ko ek ladki ki khabar mili hai. Hum do din baad uske ghar jaenge ladki dekhne."

(Keshav, Maa has inquired about a girl. We'll go to her house in two days to discuss the wedding.)

I froze. What? Had they decided things this soon?

"Aap akele jaiye... Main nahi aanewala..." I muttered.

(You can go alone... I'm not coming...)

"Tum zaroor aaoge," My brother glared.

(You're coming.)

I just went back to my room and shut the door. The tickets were ready for travelling to the city; now the only thing left to do was inform Payal to pack her things. I wrote a short letter and kept it folded in my pocket.

Just as I began packing my things, there was a hurried knock on my door. I opened it to find Sanjana. She pushed me back and closed the door behind her.

"Kya hua?" I frowned.

(What happened?)

"Jagdish jaanta hai... Woh jaanta hai ki Payal kisi aur ke saath tha, magar tumhara naam nahi jaanta ab tak."

(Jagdish knows now... That Payal was with someone else, but he doesn't know it was you.)

My eyes widened. "Kya? Kaise? Aur Payal theek hai?"

(What? How? And is Payal alright?)

Sanjana sighed, her eyes downcast, "Jagdish ne use bahut maara... Aur seedhiyon se neeche gira di... Woh ek mahina pet se thi..."

(Jagdish really hit her a lot... And he pushed her down the stairs... She was a month pregnant...)

My chest felt tight. Payal was pregnant?

"Tumhara bacha tha..." Sanjana whispered.

(It was your child...)

Wait. Why was she saying it all in past tense?

"Seedhiyon se girte waqt, usne woh bacha kho diya."

(She lost the baby when she fell down the stairs.)

I couldn't breathe as I somehow sat on my bed. Sanjana looked equally nervous. She glanced at the door often, as if she was somewhere she shouldn't be.

Payal...

I didn't even know she was pregnant.

She had told me that she had a miscarriage in the past, and I remember how she cried at that time.

But a second time?

That too, our baby?

How could fate be this cruel? What had she ever done wrong?

I didn't care if the world decided to punish me... But she had already suffered enough in her life.

The door burst open, and Bhairav Bhaiya entered, his eyes glaring murderously at Sanjana. She looked startled when he grabbed her arm. "Idhar aao... Itni baar chetavni dene ke baad bhi tum nahi sudhrogi!" He thundered.

(Come here... No matter how many warnings I give, you'll never learn!)

Sanjana desperately tried to fight his hold. There were tears in her eyes, "Par... Par use jaanne ka haq banta hai!"

(But... But it's his right to know!)

"Chup ho jao, aurat!" My brother raised his hand to hit her. Sanjana flinched, soft tears running down her face, but Bhaiya didn't really hit her. He gritted his teeth and dropped his hand.

(Be quiet, woman!)

"Aap m-mujhe maarna chahte hai toh maariye... Magar woh bechari ab bhi us ghar mei hai... Kal subah woh zinda hogi ya nahi... Aap bhi nahi jaante!"

(If y-you want to punish me, then do it... But that poor thing is still in that house... Nobody knows if she'll be alive in the morning... Not even you!)

I clenched my fist. This had been going on for way too long. Jagdish was a fucking monster. I wouldn't let him lay a hand on her again. Never again.

I'd save her. Even if my life depended on it.

Bhairav Bhaiya grabbed my collar just as I was about to sprint outside.

"Tum kahi nahi jaoge-!"

(You're not going anywhere-!)

But Sanjana pushed his arm away and hugged him from behind. She was trying her level best to restrain him. I stepped back as she slammed the door shut in my face. "Jao, jaldi!" She shouted from inside.

(Go, quickly!)

I sprinted down the stairs, but Bhargav Bhaiya was guarding the door like a faithful dog. He cleared his throat, trying to sound like our oldest brother, "Tum is samay bahar nahi jaa sakte, Keshav."

(You can't go outside at this time, Keshav.)

But right then, his wife screamed from the couch while hugging her stomach. He grew so alarmed that he rushed to her side immediately.

"Aru... Kya ho gaya tumhe? Tum theek ho? Vaidh Ji ko bulao?"

(Aru... What happened to you? Are you alright? Should I call the doctor?)

Hearing her scream, even Rekha burst into tears and climbed into her Father's arms. "Pet mein bahut dard hai... Aap mujhe chodkar mat jaiye," she whispered to him. But at the same time, Bhabhi glanced at me over his shoulder and mouthed, "Jao."

(My stomach is hurting... Please don't leave my side.)

(Go.)

I didn't waste any more time and hurried outside. Payal truly had wonderful friends.

When I reached Jagdish's house. I didn't wait for permission. His Father was sitting outside on the verandah, blind drunk, and the door was left ajar. I went inside, straight to his room, and the sight gave me chills. Payal was on the bedroom floor, crying softly and mumbling that she was sorry, while Jagdish squeezed the belt in his hand. His mother was standing right there on the bed, watching the poor girl, but she didn't even say anything.

Wasn't she a woman too?

How could she allow her son to do something like this?

If it had been my mother, she'd never allow such cruelty. Never.

"Keshav...?" The woman looked up in surprise, and before Jagdish could react, I shoved him against the wall.

"Us par phir se haath lagane mat dunga..." I growled.

(I won't let you touch her again...)

His brows furrowed in confusion for a second, but then it was all clear for him as he chuckled under his breath.

"Tumhare saath kar rahi thi woh?"

(She was doing it with you?)

I clenched my jaw. It was hard to hold back anymore, and I punched him. There were bruises on Payal's face, on her fucking heart... All because of this bastard.

I was blind with rage as I punched him over and over again. All the times Payal cried flashed before my eyes. Everytime she told me I didn't have to interfere because she believed we'd soon get our happy ending.

She was crying now.

My fragile flower was crying.

Jagdish collapsed on the floor. He struggled to get back up, and just as I was about to punch him again, Bhairav Bhaiya's arms wrapped around me from behind. He pulled me back, all the way to the verandah, as I tried to free myself.

Jagdish's mother was screaming and crying as she helped her son. The bastard was still alive as he knelt on the floor.

"Keshav! Pagal ho gaye ho kya?" Bhaiya barked as he pushed me onto the courtyard. He was panting; I was too. But I ran back inside again because I had left Payal behind.

(Keshav! Have you gone mad?)

She was still on the floor, too terrified to move. I knelt beside her and cupped her face. She clutched my shirt and began crying into my shoulder, "Y-yeh sab... M-meri galti hai..."

(I- It's all... M-my fault...)

I kissed her forehead, "Pyaar galti nahi hota. Chup ho jao... Hum yaha se chalte hain."

(Love isn't a mistake. Don't say that... We'll go away from here.)

I squeezed her hand and led her outside. Bhairav Bhaiya was glaring at me. He saw how firmly I held Payal's hand. And not far behind him stood Paramesh. His jaw dropped in surprise as he stared at all of us.

"Y-yaha... Kya ho raha hai?!" He thundered.

(W-what's happening here?!)

My brother was quiet. Jagdish's mother came outside at that time, holding her son's hand. His face was bruised up quite badly.

"Paramesh Ji! Aap sahi samay par aaye hain... Aapki behen ko wapas le jaiye. Hume nahi chahiye ise! Paraya aurat hai yeh... Main apne bete keliye aisi ghatiya ladki nahi chahti... Yeh dobara kisi achi gharwali se shaadi karega. Yeh toh baanjh bhi hai!"

(Paramesh Ji! You came at the right time... Take your sister back. We don't want her here! She's another man's woman now... I don't want a worthless girl like her for my son... He'll marry again, that too a girl with a decent upbringing. She's barren as well!)

Paramesh grew startled as he rushed forward, "Aisa mat kahiye! Ise... Ise main samjhaunga... Panch saal ho gaye hain unke shaadi ki. Aap ab aise kaise keh sakte hain?"

(Please don't say that! I... I'll make her understand... They've been married for five years now. How can you say this now?)

He glared at his sister at that time. Payal was already shaken up by everything, so she tried to let go of my hand. I didn't allow it as I held her behind me.

"Maine vadha kiya hai..." I gritted my teeth, "Aur main vadha nahi thodunga."

(I've made a promise... And I won't break it.)

Even Bhargav Bhaiya was watching everything, and villagers were starting to gather at the gate.

But at that time, my oldest brother stepped forward and slapped me right across the face.

It stung badly. My vision was blurred for a while.

All my lovely memories with him flashed before my eyes as I held my cheek. Whenever I broke something as a child, he used to stand before Baba and take responsibility. He used to hold my hand tightly while walking me to school...

And now he had slapped me with that same hand. There was a look of pure disgust in his eyes as he glared at me.

Payal squeezed my arm, her eyes moist with worry as she looked at me. The past didn't matter anymore. I had promised to give her a better life. The woman beside me had placed her entire trust in me. Only my future with her mattered now.

"Kaash ki tum mere bhai na hote..." He muttered through gritted teeth, "Nikal jao mere gaon se. Haveli par phir se pair rakhne ka sochna bhi mat." He thundered before turning and walking back home.

(I wish you weren't my brother... Get out of my village. Don't even think of stepping foot in my haveli again.)

... Huh?

I felt like I was imagining things.

Did my brother just disown me?

Everything that I had put up with so far hadn't weighed down on me as his words did.

Paramesh chased after him and begged him to stay and to take me away from his sister. The barrister was losing his mind. At the same time, Jagdish's parents declared that they'd move away from the village after the humiliation they had faced.

I still couldn't move.

"Keshav...?" Payal squeezed my arm.

I glanced at her this time. Her soft, bruised face... I had sworn to protect it. Sworn to make her smile.

All this time I had been hesitant to leave the village because of my family. I didn't want to leave them behind. But now I had been disowned by them as well. Even Bhargav went after the Thakur for a compromise.

He'd never go back on his word. I wasn't his brother anymore. I had no more reason to stay.

"Payal..." I took the crumpled letter from my pocket and tore it apart. "Andar jaakar tumhari zaroori samaan lete hain. Mere ghar se bhi samaan lekar hum nikalte hai..."

(Payal... Let's go inside and get your important things. I need to take things from my home as well...)

She gulped, taking a moment to digest everything. Finally, she lowered her eyes and nodded quietly.