Chapter 18

Diya could see her sisters and grandmother waiting in the hallway. She stopped right in front of the room and looked through the window.

Her mother looked almost lifeless. Her head was bandaged and she was pale as a ghost. There were bruises all over her body.

Diya couldn't control her tears from falling anymore.

Tasha stepped forward to stand beside Diya. "Pari said that dad came home drunk this morning and started to argue with mom about you. He accused that it was her, who taught you to talk the way you did to him, that day at the restaurant. He was upset that you insulted him in front of others.".

Tasha sighed and continued, "He said that you're messing around without marrying and that it's destroying his reputation. Then he... he started to hit her. Pari and grandma tried to stop him but they couldn't. She said he only stopped when he saw mom bleeding.".

"Where is he now?" Diya asked. "In the police station. I called the police after Pari called me. But uncle is there and grandma convinced Pari to lie to save her son. So now as per their testimony, mom fell when she went out for her morning run. Although the doctor and police didn't believe them, they can't do anything as they don't have any proof.".

Diya wished that she was strong or cruel enough to punish her father. But she was helpless when it's come to her family. And in this situation, she can't do anything without proof or witness even if she wants to.

Diya heard footsteps coming towards her. Then she heard the voice of the man she hated the most at that moment. "Diya. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do anything of this. I was drunk-".

Diya turned to face him with rage. "Drunk? You would've done the same thing even if you weren't drunk. Will you only stop when she's dead?".

Just as Balu was about to say something, Diya's uncle beat him to it. "Diya! Is this how you should talk to your father? Humans make mistakes. Who doesn't hit their wives nowadays? Your dad just wanted to teach your mother a lesson. But he overdid it as he was drunk.".

Diya couldn't believe what she just heard. She gave him a disgusted look and turned to look at the room when the door opened wide. A doctor came out of it and looked at everyone. "She might have a concussion after waking up but overall her condition is good. She's still unconscious so only one person can go in.".

Tasha nudged Diya signaling her to go. She didn't want anyone else to go in first. As Diya felt the same, she went in after informing the doctor about her relationship with the patient. She sat on the stool beside the bed and examined her. "I'm sorry, mom. Because of me, you're...".

Diya swallowed the lump in her throat and looked straight at Mala, "I'm scared that I will end up suffering like you did all these years. I didn't know how you managed to live after everything dad did to you. All the beating, humiliation, the way he cheated on you with someone you thought of as a sister, and the fact that you have no one to support you other than me, Tasha, and Pari. I don't think I can continue to live if something like this happens to me.".