After storming out of his room, Armaan drove aimlessly through the streets, his mind clouded with frustration and an unsettling sense of guilt. He hated the way Mannat's tears tugged at his heart, but he couldn't let her presence disrupt his life.
She was the root of his turmoil, and he decided he needed to do something to regain control. If she wanted to play the role of a dutiful daughter-in-law and an innocent girl in the eyes of the family, he would ensure she paid the price for stepping into his territory.
---
The next day, Armaan sat in his study, his mind brewing a plan. He couldn't throw her out of the house, not without causing chaos in the family, but he could make her life miserable enough that she would want to leave on her own.
He called Kabir for a casual chat but subtly brought up the topic of disrupting someone's peace.
"Kabir, ek kaam karwana tha ?" Armaan said, his tone casual but with an underlying edge with a smirk on his face
Kabir chuckled. "Tu sure haina , Bhaii i mean ek baar phir soch le aise karne se she...
"Just do it," Armaan replied dismissively. "
Kabir, sensing the intensity in Armaan's voice, said..." Ok I'll do it"
Armaan smirked. It was exactly the kind of push he needed.
---
Mannat, on the other hand spent the day trying to focus on her duties at home and college. But every time she crossed paths with Armaan, his cold gaze sent a shiver down her spine. He didn't need to say anything-his presence alone was enough to make her uneasy.
The first blow came during breakfast when Armaan casually mentioned to Sumitra, "Dadi, kal raat ko Mannat kaafi late tak apne room se bahar thi. Pata nahi kya kar rahi thi."
Sumitra frowned. "Mannat, beta, ghar mein raat ko late tak kyun jaag rahi thi? Tumhe pata hai na, yeh achi baat nahi hai."
Mannat looked confused and flustered. "Nahi, Badi Maa, main toh apne kamre mein thi."
Armaan smirked as he took a sip of his coffee. "Shayad mujhe laga. Par mujhe kuch awazein toh zaroor sunayi di thi."
Sumitra gave Mannat a questioning look, and despite her innocence, Mannat felt cornered.
---
Armaan's plan extended to Mannat's college life too. Using his contacts, he ensured that she was burdened with additional assignments, projects, and unexpected responsibilities that disrupted her routine and made her days exhausting.
During one of her classes, a professor called her out. "Mannat, tumhare previous assignments incomplete hain. Ye tumhare liye acceptable nahi hona chahiye."
Her friends looked at her with concern, while Mannat felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She knew she had completed her work, but somehow, it hadn't been submitted properly. She suspected Armaan had something to do with it, but she had no proof.
---
By evening, Mannat returned home drained, only to find that her room had been rearranged. Her books were scattered, her clothes thrown around, and her neatly made bed was a mess.
She rushed downstairs, her eyes brimming with anger and frustration. Armaan was sitting in the living room, scrolling through his phone, his expression indifferent.
"Yeh sab aapne kiya, hai na?" she demanded, standing before him.
Armaan looked up lazily. "Tum kis baat ki baat kar rahi ho?"
"Banaiye mat! Aap sab jaante hain main kya keh rahi hoon," she snapped, her voice trembling with anger.
Armaan smirked. "Tumhe lagta hai main tumhare room mein jaake ye sab karne wala huu itna faaltu time nhi hai mere pass, samjhi? Kitna convenient hai mujhe blame karna, par shayad yeh tumhari galti hai-tumhe apna kamra or apni cheezein sambhal kar rakhna chahiye."
Their argument drew the attention of the family. Sumitra stepped in, her voice firm. "Kya ho raha hai yahan?"
Mannat hesitated, her anger giving way to frustration. "Badi Maa, mere kamre ka saaman... koi usse idhar-udhar kar gaya hai."
Armaan shrugged. "Ho sakta hai tumne khud galti se kiya ho aur ab blame kar rahi ho."
Shanti Devi look them from afar gave them both a look of disapproval and said in dominating voice. "Mannat, apni cheezein dhyan se rakho. Aur Armaan, tum bhi is ghar mein shanti banaye rakho. Mujhe dono ki ladai bilkul pasand nahi,Jao ab yaha se sab log"
---
That night, Armaan cornered Mannat when she was going to drink water from kitchen in the hallway.
"Tumhe samajh aaya ab?" he whispered, his voice cold. "Mujhe takleef dene ki koshish karogi, toh yeh sirf shuruaat hai. Main tumhari zindagi itni mushkil bana dunga ki tum khud yeh ghar chhod kar bhaag jaogi."
Mannat's eyes welled up with tears, but she stood her ground. "Main yeh ghar nahi chhodungi. Aap jitni koshish kar lo, mujhe tod nahi paayenge."
Armaan's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Dekhte hain, Tumhari himmat zyada din tikti hai ya meri nafrat."
As he walked away, Mannat felt her knees weaken. She knew this was just the beginning of a battle she hadn't signed up for. But deep inside, she resolved not to let him break her spirit, no matter what he did.
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