Vikram entered the room slowly. His eyes searched for Tara, and when he saw her sitting on the bed with her back to him, he felt the full weight of the mistake he had made.
The room was quiet. Too quiet. Only the ticking of the clock echoed around them. Vikram took a deep breath, mustering the courage to approach her. He knelt beside her, trying to hold her hand. But the moment Tara turned to look at him—tears brimming in her eyes—he broke.
Tara (with teary eyes): "What's your explanation, Mr. Suryavanshi?"
Vikram (in a low, guilty voice): "I'm sorry."
Tara: "Sorry? Do you really think your 'sorry' will fix everything? Will it erase all the pain you've given me? The accusations you've thrown at me from the very first day of this marriage? Was this contract marriage just your revenge plan because you thought I gave that tender to Prithvi? You once said you married me just to hurt me."
Vikram: "Do you really believe I would marry someone just for a tender? Or to take revenge on Prithvi?"
Tara: "It doesn't matter what I believe. The truth remains the same. This wasn't a marriage—it was a deal. A contract formed from your ego and my helplessness."
Vikram: "You can say whatever you want right now. But our marriage was real. We followed every ritual."
Tara: "Rituals? You mean the ones performed just to show Dada, Dadi, and the public?"
Vikram: "Listen, Tara. I married you in just three days. No one could stop me. If I really wanted a fake marriage, I wouldn't have done all those rituals. No one would've objected either."
Tara: "And that changes what exactly?"
Vikram: "I forced the marriage because I was trying to protect you from Prithvi. You don't know the kind of person he is. He changes girls like clothes."
Tara (moving away): "Protection? You mean like the night you made me sleep in the freezing cold balcony? Was that your protection? Explain that to me."
Vikram (closing his eyes): "I was angry… angry about the tender, about Prithvi. But I brought you back into the room, didn't I?"
Tara: "Pick one, Mr. Suryavanshi—was it protection or anger? What ruined my life more?"
Vikram: "Ruined? I might've forced you into marriage, yes—but I saved you from being destroyed by him."
Tara: "You could've just told me! Do you even realize how hard this marriage was for me? My father was in the hospital. I had to lie to my mother and sister… I told them you loved me..." (She trails off.)
Vikram (looking into her eyes): "And why couldn't that be true?"
Tara: "I'm naive, not stupid, Mr. Suryavanshi. A man like you—powerful, respected—you wouldn't fall for a driver's daughter like me. You used my helplessness for your convenience. Just like someone cages a bird to watch it suffer. And these bruises… these marks… you gave them."
Vikram (eyes filled with both guilt and anger): "That's your problem, Tara. You only remember the pain I gave you, not the reasons behind it. Did you ever look into my eyes when I hurt you? I was hurting too. I didn't mark you on purpose—I was angry because… (tears fall from his eyes) I couldn't bear to see you with someone else. Not Prithvi. Not anyone."
Tara: "Oh right. And the reason for our marriage? You traded my father's treatment for a contract. What would you call that? If not using me?"
Vikram: "You think I wasn't helping before the marriage? I was already handling your father's treatment. Contract or no contract—I would've continued."
Tara: "Wow. Now you say that? I lived every second thinking if I didn't agree to that contract, my father would suffer. And now you say it didn't matter?"
Vikram (emotional + angry): "Think for yourself, Tara! Why do you think I did it? Maybe there was another reason. One that you never tried to understand. For years, I didn't marry. Do you think I'd marry just to teach someone a lesson? There had to be a reason. But you kept your eyes—and your heart—closed."
Tara: "You're rich. You can make decisions for anyone's life. You can buy anyone. That's exactly what you did with me."
Vikram: "I'm not saying I was right. I forced you, yes. But my intentions were never wrong. I did what I thought was best for you. (He grows emotional.) Tell me something—did I lack options? If I really wanted to take advantage of someone, I had plenty of girls who would do anything I asked. But I married you, Tara. And not because I had to. Because I wanted to. I didn't stop you from living freely. I only stopped you from talking to Prithvi—for a reason."
(He moves closer to her, eyes full of pain.)
Vikram: "This house… this room… it's your space. Not a cage. You are free here. But your problem is—you only see what you want to see. You never tried to understand me. You've made a long list of the things I've said—but have you ever listened to what I've heard? No one dares speak loudly in front of me—but you? You get away with everything. You remember every time I hurt you—but not once did you remember when I cared. I'm emotionally weak, Tara. I've lived alone most of my life. I only know how to do business—not how to talk… not how to explain myself. But did you ever try to understand that?"
(He starts walking out… then stops at the door.)
Vikram: "Even if I say those three words now… you'll still think it's a lie."
And he walks out of the room.
---
Later that night...
Vikram reaches his farmhouse. He begins drinking silently. The watchman who has known him since childhood approaches.
Watchman: "Sir, I've watched you grow up here with your parents. It hurts to see you like this. Please stop."
Vikram: "Just do your job. I assume you already called Dada and Dadi?"
Watchman: "How long will you mourn Ma'am's death? It's been 25 years."
Vikram (laughing bitterly): "Do you know what hurts the most? I loved my mother. And without thinking about me… she left. Just like that. Now there's another girl I love—but she doesn't believe in me. One mistake… and all the right things I did are forgotten."
Watchman: "Tara is young. Give her time."
Vikram: "You figured I was talking about Tara?"
Watchman: "Everyone knows, Sir. Everyone knows how much you love her."
Vikram: "Exactly. Everyone knows. Except the one who should."
(The watchman leads him to bed and covers him.)
---
Vikram's Monologue (while lying on the bed):
"Yes, I made mistakes. I misunderstood her. I forced her. But there was one reason behind it all—I love her. If it was any other girl, I would've protected her without marrying her. But because it was Tara, I married her. Even when I was angry. Even when I thought she liked Prithvi. Maybe I was selfish—but it felt right at that moment. Because the world is cruel. And I was scared someone might hurt her. She says I hurt her—but she never saw how much pain I felt when I did. I never wanted to hurt her. But I did. And for that—I live in guilt every day.
My anger shows. But the love behind it? It never did. I'm the man who listens to her endless words—even when she never listens to mine. Maybe I did ruin her life by marrying her… but if I hadn't, Prithvi surely would've. She sees this marriage as a cage. But I gave her my name so that the world couldn't touch her. This marriage wasn't a trap. It was a shield.
And maybe… in this cruel world… the biggest truth is that money and power are everything. And I used mine… just to keep her safe."
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