The way I used to live

Flashback continues:

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Daksha came back to consciousness after a while and opened her eyes to observe the surroundings. When she noticed that she was in the hospital, all the previous happenings flooded into her mind and she sat up with a jerk who;e thinking about Teju. She hissed in pain because of the wound on her arm.

She removed the IV needle from her hand and slowly walked outside. When she went outside, she saw her Mom was sitting there on a chair silently. She slowly went to her and nudged her a little.

"Maa? Where is Teju? She is okay, right?" She asked her mom in a low voice and her mom shook her head a little.

"Doctors aren't saying anything. She is still in the operation theatre." Her mom sighed sadly.

"Maa, please take me there.. Let's go." Saying this, Daksha grabbed her mom's hand weakly, urging her Mom to take her there.

"You are so weak. You can see her but rest for a while." Her mom suggested after seeing her daughter's weak countenance.

"No, Maa. She is more important to me now. I can't calm down until I assure myself that she is well and safe. Please take me there. I beg you." Daksha said agitatedly and her mom took her to that floor after thinking for a while.

When they reached there, she saw that her brother was standing at the corner of the hall and was looking outside the window calmly. But his tensed shoulders clearly indicated that he was anything but calm and her father sat on the chair silently while covering his face with his hands.

Daksha didn't know what to say or how to console them when she herself wasn't in any better condition. She took her seat silently and started looking at the operation theatre without blinking her eyes.

Suddenly the doors of OT opened and Adi was the first one to rush over to the doctor and started bombarding the questions in anguish.

"Doctor, everything is okay, right? Is she alright? Can I see her now? When will she regain consciousness? Please discharge her soon. She doesn't like hospitals. We will get her treated from home itself." Adi said hurriedly in a hopeful tone but all he got was silence as an answer from the doctor.

"Doctor, why are you not answering? Tell me. Nothing is serious, right?" He again asked him. This time his father intervened in between and let the doctor say his words.

sorry. By the time you guys brought her here, she had already lost so much blood and suffered from hemorrhage. And on top of that, her blood group is RH -ve which is very rare. Though we have her blood group in our blood bank,

them.'. After hearing it, she just sat there like

did you just say? What do you mean by 'them'?" Adi asked in a pained voice, praying in his heart to not let it

was three months pregnant and the miscarriage is the main reason why we couldn't save her. She lost too much blood from the fall." Doctor

them but still, we couldn't. Please excuse

sin had we committed that you punished us so cruelly?" Mrs.Indraja started sobbing while holding her chest. Adi just rushed inside the room to see the love of his life lying on the bed lifelessly with a

went to her. After kneeling down to the bed level, he took her cold hand into his hand and brought it to his

hand and placed it softly on her belly where there was a symbol of their love alive until the tragedy hit

if he wanted to immerse her into him as the tears left his eyes endlessly for the first time in his

when you promised that you will be with me forever." He accused her while weeping

done so quickly and they couldn't recover themselves from the loss they had suffered. What

started living a secluded life, Daksha hadn't uttered a single word from the time they heard about Teju's death. She was just

help her. The glint in her eyes disappeared. Her cheerful persona changed into a muted one. Her nights turned into sleepless ones. Her dreams changed into

couple's worries increased. So Daksha's father consulted his friend

Flashback ends.

...........

Arjun's POV:

she had endured in the past. I really didn't know what to do and whom to blame. I never expected that she was

with the comfort that she needed but I knew she had to let out all her pent up emotions. So, I let her cry her heart out, silently promising

her body amidst a pool of blood. It was so frightening, Arjun. All it took was a night. It destroyed the dreams which we had in our hearts. It took away our smiles and our peace. But did you see?

of her memories. My parents were so supportive. They just wanted my well being, sothey let me do whatever I wanted. I am really grateful that I got them as my parents. As for Adi Anna, we didn't even know his whereabouts. After that incident, he visited us for the first

knew, they were missing me like hell. I am so selfish, right? I am really a bad daughter, a bad sister, a bad friend. Many suffered just

assurance. "Don't talk like that. You deserve everything in this world, Daksha," I told her softly and she gave out

brought hope in

am the reason why they lost their lives. Swathi and Teju both are innocent and the babies they were carrying were even more innocent. They don't know how cruel the outside world is, yet they suffered at the hands of it. I felt like if I didn't insist Swathi to file the case back then, she might have not led a happy life but at least she would have been alive somewhere, living her life with her baby. If I hadn't interfered in their argument, maybe all of this wouldn't have happened. Teju must still have been alive and we would all be still happy. Our house must have been filled with the innocent laughter of a baby. How good it would have been!" Saying this, she leaned into my embrace while sobbing

am not worthy of you. I am a culprit. Though I don't deserve punishment in the eyes of law, my conscience won't let me be happy until I serve that animal with the punishment he deserves. I can never live a guilt-free life. Just when I thought I could be happy with you, again my past came in front of