I apologise for not uploading everyday. But it's because of my periods :/
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(Note - the chapter will be uploaded after the target has been hit.)
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Author pov
Tulasi woke up to the sounds from the living room. She rubbed her eyes and then opened them. The first thing she saw was Indra's face. He looked so peaceful in sleep.
Tulasi realized that they were cuddling naked, her bare skin against his. Tulasi felt butterflies forming in her stomach.
But wait... She fell asleep in the afternoon. Anuja will be so pissed by now. Tulasi hurriedly got up, but Indra was holding her waist in sleep. She didn't want to wake him up, but she had to go. She slowly got out of his hold and draped the saree around her body.
She checked her face in the mirror; her vermilion was smudged, as well as her kajal.
She rushed out to the bathroom to wash her face. Tulasi didn't want to embarrass herself.
But as she was about to cross the hall, Anuja stopped her.
"Maha Rani has woken up at last. How should I serve you, Miss Mam? Anuja said while gritting her teeth.
Tulasi didn't say a word. She just kept looking away.
"What are you thinking?? Roaming around the house with no head cover. Do you want to get us in trouble again?!" Anuja yelled at her.
Tulasi flinched. She tried to cover her face but got halted by Anuja. She held Tulasi's wrist and dragged her into her room.
Anuja closed her door and faced Tulasi with rage.
"What is this?? So even through all these problems, you were enjoying your time, huh? Look at you! You look like a prostitute." Anuja's words stabbed through Tulasi's heart.
"M..maa ji, please don't say such things." Tulasi's eyes were brimming with tears.
"Then what should I say, Maha Rani ji? Have you forgotten your punishment!? You didn't touch a thing from this morning. And you slept all afternoon like a rani saheb." Anuja said while walking closer towards Tulasi.
"S..sorry, maa ji. I wasn't in my right mind. A...and I...I fell asleep due to sleep deprivation and exhaustion." Tulasi muttered.
"ohh...I can see. You don't have strength to work, but you have strength to do 'that'. What can I even expect from such low-class people? They are always ready to fall onto the beds of rich men. Maybe you're habituated." Anuja said with a scoff.
Tulasi was in disbelief. She just questioned her purity and devotion towards Indra.
"Maa ji... D.. don't say such stuff. H... how can you just say that? I... I did everything that you told me to do, t... then why do I deserve this?" Tulasi spoke with tears flowing down her face.
"What else should I say? You trapped my son. You just wanted to get married into a rich family. Isn't that what your low-caste women do? Lure men into their huts." Anuja kept spitting venom at Tulasi.
Tulasi couldn't believe her words. How can she say that when they're the ones that brought the marriage proposal? She didn't even know Indra before marriage.
"Maa ji... I... I never met Indra ji before marriage, and if you had a problem, then why didn't you say that to Indra? Why didn't you stop the marriage at that time?" Tulasi spoke the words with heartbreak and disbelief.
Anuja was furious. She grabbed Tulasi's arm and pulled her closer. Her grip was threatening and hurtful.
"How dare you? So now you're going to speak back to me!! To your mother-in-law?? You'll teach me what to do now? You're the reason everything is crumbling in this house!! You're a curse; that made my son almost die!! And... now, my second son is going to marry an ugly, widowed woman. It's all because of you! You stepped into the house like a witch!" Anuja's seemed so scary. Tulasi was shaken by her change of demeanor. She doesn't even have the courage to let out a sob.
Anuja pushed her down. Tulasi fell on the ground. Poor Tulasi was shivering in fear and controlled emotions. She couldn't even defend herself.
"I'll see your end. You better keep your mouth sealed. Your dances on Indra's head will be done. If you think that you can turn him to your side, then you're dreaming. You're nothing but a bed warmer and the girl who'll carry the blood of this family. That's all." Anuja was breathing heavily due to anger.
Tulasi didn't utter a word. What can she even say? If she did, then her tongue will be cut off by her mother-in-law.'A woman from a different family is always an outsider to in-laws. I don't even have a place to call my house.' tulasi thought with tears flowing down her face and neck.
"I'll definitely send a message to your parents about your 'good deeds'. Then I'll see what step they'll take. The woman who almost got ruined by another man because she can't sit at home like a woman!" Tulasi's eyes widened. She knows what will happen the moment their parents know about this.
Tulasi rushed and fell at Anuja's feet while crying. "M..maa ji, please don't do this. I beg you. I'll never even dare to look into your eyes again. I'll never cross your words. I'll do everything that you want. Please don't tell my parents anything."
Anuja smirked; she always wanted her daughter-in-law's to be under her feet. Because once they let out as free birds, they'll start ruining themselves. She thought.
"Whatever. Now get back to work. I don't want Indra to wake up and witness your horrible face. Go now!" Anuja retracted her legs and walked towards her bed.
Tulasi got up slowly and walked out. She felt numb. She was so mentally disturbed. It felt like she had no control over anything. And she's just existing to serve everyone. But... isn't that the story of every daughter-in-law?
She washed her face and put on vermilion. She got to work immediately after. She wanted to cry out loud or atleast on someone's shoulder who'll listen to her without saying that it's her fault.
In this world, a woman has no voice... Even the same gender hates on them. She couldn't imagine what will happen if they get to know about her past incident. They'll even blame her for that man's death, just like her parents did.
But... first, she knows that a hell will break out if she gives birth to a girl child. Tulasi closed her eyes and joined her hands, praying to god not to bless her with a female fetus. She didn't want her girl child to even step into this cruel world. She knows she's not pregnant yet.... But now she wants to pray every day to her Shiv Ji to not give her a girl child no matter what.
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