8 years later

Aditi's point of view

Smack..

The sound of hitting my flash cheek echoed in the room and again her fingerprints printed to my cheeks. But I was stubborn, not to let go my tears from my eyes to give her a satisfaction, which she always get when she hit me.

"Is this what you call a coffee, bitch. In all those years you don't know how to make a coffee, you useless person."

"Aahh.." I winced in pain when she through hot coffee on me.

"But Ahhana, I made the coffee as you like." I said while suppressing my pain. I noticed the smirk formed on her lips when hot coffee burned the skin of my hand.

Smack..

She again slapped me and this time harder than before that I couldn't stopped the tears which welled up in my eyes. She pulled my hair from the scalp and make me look into her eyes. Her three inch heels making her taller than actually she was. Looking at her I can tell she came into the house few minutes back after late night party, last night. She must sneak from the backyard gate so no one can know, she was not at home last night.

She continue coursing me and keep me realizing how worthless I am but little did she know I am used to it since my childhood and now the feeling is numb. I accepted my fate. I accepted that I am useless person and accepting things hurt less.

"It's ma'am for you slut." Again her lips curled into a smirk when my eyes filled with pain, hearing that particular word which hits me the most because of my horrible past. I could not help the tears which shaded out from my both eyes making them more red and burn with tears when that horrific memory fill my mind. The memory which still haunts me in my sleep if I get some. The horrific past which raised its finger on my existence in this world.

"Don't call me that." I said while glaring at her through my tears. She tightened her fist on my hair make me winced in the pain.

"Why..? Did you remember something from it?" She mocked me and I can't stop my tears when she again mocked me about my past. She knows what happened to me five years ago and she loves to mocked me about my past so that she could hurt me the most.

"Listen bitch, you are whore, a slut, a prostitute who loves to spread her legs for every man who came into her ways. You deserves to live in a brothel not in our house." I blinked and more tears escaped from my eyes hearing such words about me.

"Don't say such things Please." I hate myself for begging again in front of her. But if my begging could stop her say such words I am ready to do that all my life.

"You don't have any idea how much I live to see those tears in your eyes. You are stubborn as hell not to shred them in front of me. But I have my ways. I get the satisfaction when you mourned in pain. I will make your life living hell in this house." She laughed at me and then threw me to the floor.

"Make another coffee for me." She shouted on me. I don't say anything just nod while looking down.

"Words..." She pushed me to the floor by her leg.

"Ye..yes...ma'am." I stammered in my voice because of sobbing. I am not that strong how I think myself. Aahana knows how to make me cry she did it every time.

"Good..now prepare my coffee before I shower. Otherwise you know what will I do to you." After saying this she leave and slammed the washroom door with thud.

I started collecting the broken pieces of coffee mug which Aahna broke after throwing the coffee on me. I was ready for another slap which will going to come on my way because of this broken mug by Ahaan's mother. She will hit me without knowing behind the reason of this broken mug is none other than her daughter.

My life and me are like this broken mug, completely shattered, broken and deserve to the bin at the end. No matter how beautiful you crafted by the nature, people used and then throw it away after its use. My family also did this to me. I worked for them as a free maid for three years. I started believing that they trust me now. But again they proved me wrong. They believed an outsider over their daughter. They abandoned me five years ago and throw me outside from the house in the middle of the night, in front of whole society. They refused to accept me after that day. I never forgot that day. It was a black day of my life.

My trust broken, my belief in families had broken. There is no such things of love.

My bua ji accepted me as their free maid and gave me shelter to live. I am always glad for her at least she never hide her hatred towards me and never show her fake concern. I am happy at least, she gave me the shelter to live, though she and her family never leave a chance to make my life a living hell. It's been five years I am living in this hell.

It's all because of my family. People whom I thought they love me but never showed, throw me outside from the house. They cut all ties with me like, I was nothing to them. Even court give a chance to criminal to put his side but my family gave their decision without knowing what happened to me.

This is not the life I dreamed for myself. That is not the family, I ever wanted. I am ashamed to even call them my family.

I hate my family. I hate them so much.

I pick all the broken glasses and through them in the dustbin. Tears fell down on my cheeks when I looked at the broken pieces of mug in the dustbin.

I wish someone also pick broken pieces of me but joint them instead of throwing me into the dustbin.

I wiped my tears and went downstairs to prepare breakfast for everyone.

I came into the kitchen and started kneading the dough for paratha, while making coffee for Aahhaa, putting every ingredients carefully so that she would not throw the hot coffee on me. The burning pain on my left hand is long forgotten. It was nothing in front the mentally and physical pain which I gone through every day. Like other marks it's also fade with time if I get lucky and no one paid their attention to beat me with their belts.

Aahana and bua ji are better than Aakash bhiya and my uncle. They don't spare me and don't show any mercy when they decide to take out all their frustrations on me. They beat me with their belts and shoes until I lost my consciousness.

I am like a pet in this house. Even a pet have the better life unlike me. I have some sets of rules which I has to follow. If I break them, they will beat me.

I am not allow to use any thing in this house, no shampoo, no soap. I am not even allowed to use the sanitary pads in my monthly periods. I use old Jeans and shirt of Aakash bhiya and uncle in my periods. Aahana gave me her old clothes which I wore after sewing them. They only gave me food at night.

Two chapati and salt, this is my dinner. Sometimes, I did not get this also. They makes me sleep empty stomach. Sometimes if I get lucky, they allowed me to eat their leftovers in the plate.

I started work from early in the morning and keep doing until it's late at night. I sleeps only three or four hours. Sometimes my body also give up due to extra exhaustion but I don't allow myself to rest because if take rest they beats me blue and black. This is my life in Lucknow. My bua ji' place.

I tried to commit suicide many times but failed miserably. They admitted me in the hospital and when I healed, they again beats me mercilessly so I will be their slave till my last breath.

In all of the past years, there is one good thing happened with me. My bua ji and uncle let me do my graduation. Though the reason was their greed for money but still I am glad that I am doing my graduation.  Two years ago a state government started the scheme for girls in which they conduct the written exam and who will crack the exam, they gave them yearly scholarships, plus monthly wedges for the girl. Aahana could not crack the exam but I did. Every year my uncle withdrawal the scholarship's money from my account.  He also make sure to collect my monthly wedges from the bank.

The Government started the scheme to win the elections and they did but unknowingly they did the huge favor for me.

Now I am in my final year of graduation and after this I will run away from this hell if they won't catch like all the attempts I made in past.

Today is Sunday and everyone is at home. I have to be more careful with my work so I could not give anyone chance to beat me.

****

It's already dinner time and my body is giving up. I lost all my energy and exhaustion taking place in my body. I have a very hard time to keep me stay still. I was working since morning without having any food and taking any rest. Though I drink water to avoid the hunger but still I need some calories to continue my work without fainting.

Everyone is almost done with their dinner, So I took my plate from the lower shelf of the kitchen where I keep my other things also. In past five years this kitchen is my room. I sleep on the floor with torn blanket and sometimes outside in the backyard under moon or rain when someone in the family punished me for my mere mistakes.

I washed my plate and went to dinning room to take my dinner from bua ji before she leave. If I get a second late, I have to sleep with empty stomach.

"Bua ji, food." I forward my plate towards her so she could give me two chapati and salt. At morning when she saw the broken coffee mug she slapped me hard and blamed me for the broken mug. I didn't dare to say anything against Aahana otherwise she would tell to uncle and he will beat me mercilessly to utter a word against her dearest daughter.

Bua ji nodded her head and was about to give me my dinner when..

"Stop mom..." Aahana stopped bua ji.

I looked at her and the smirk which were playing in her lips gave me the idea, something dirty is going inside her mind.

"Aakash bhiya..." She looked at Aakash bhiya and he is also smirking looking at me.

"Make her beg for the food." She said while giving me her dirtiest smirk.

"Gladly sister." Aakash bhiya said while looking at me. My heart was already beating faster to think, how this time how they make me to beg for my only one time meal.

"On your fours now." Aakash bhiya ordered me.

I stood there while bending my head down. It's not the first time they are making me beg to my food. All the family members in this family are cruel. Even the elder daughter of my bua ji who lives with her husband is worst than Aahna. Five years ago when they take me here to the Lucknow in there house from then to now, not a single day passed when they don't beat me or slapped me. Every single minute of the day they make me realize how worthless I am, what happened to me and why my family abandoned me. They made me starving for weeks if opposed anything. When I fed up all of this I tried to suicide but they saved me and then again beat me till I fainted.

"What are you waiting for girl. Didn't you hear my son?" I flinched when bua ji shouted on me.

"Are you deaf or do I have to tell you in my special way?" I looked at me uncle and his hand already reached his belt to remove it. My eyes went wide in shock when opened his belt buckle to beat me. I immediately get down on my fours like a dog to save myself from the wrath of my uncle and Aakash bhiya.

"Bitch come here to your master, and take your food." Aakash bhiya ordered me like a master of his pet. Tears welled up in my eyes, when they treated me like a dog. It's been a long time when I threw my self respect to the bin. Nothing is left inside me. I am just a body without soul who breathing not living.

I crawled to him like a dog and sit on his leg. I looked at him with my teary eyes asking for my food. This is not just the food for me it's is two pieces of bread which I need to continue my work and gave me energy to endure all the pain.

"Bhiya don't give her easily.  Let's have some fun." Aahana chirped in excitement.

"Sure sister." Aakhash bhiya assured her. He laughed looking down at me.

"First lick my leg and then show me how loud you can bark." I can't stop the tears, falling out from my eyes when they actually treated me like a dog. But I don't know  there is some dignity left inside me. My inner voice telling me not to do it while my mind telling me to do it otherwise they will beat me.

"Aahh.." I winced in pain and put my hand on my stomach when I feel Aakash bhiya's kick on mh stomach.

"Start already.  We don't have all day." He shouted.

I shut down my mind and do as he say. Because I know the value of that two pieces of bread. I bent down and started licking his leg while Aakash bhiya was patting my neck thinking me as his own personal human bitch. My tears drop to his feet which he made me lick them.

"Now show us how loud you can bark, Tommy." He already gave the name of his pet.

"We are waiting girl..." I flinched in fear when I hear my uncle's belt hit near me.

"Bhow...bhow.. " My body started shaking due weeping when I bark in my shaky and broken voice. Everyone started laughing at me seeing me facing the humiliation while Aakash bhiya keep patting my neck like a actual bitch he made me.

"Aakash beta, today you made my day. You make her actual bitch. From now on we will give her food like this." Bua ji said between her laugh.

"As you say Mom. Go get your food." Aakash bhiya through two chapati away from me. I was about to get up when...

"Don't you dare to get up. Get your food like this and eat it in kitchen." Aahna shouted on me. I obeyed the order of my master and walked to my food on my fours where Aakash bhiya throw it.

I pick my food with my mouth and went to kitchen to eat meanwhile everyone enjoying their free show and laughing on me.

****

I took salt and chili powder, mix them well with few drops of water and make a thick paste of chutney. I put my two chapati in my plate and set on the floor of kitchen to have my dinner. Bua ji locked every shelf of kitchen and fridge also so I could not steal anything to eat. It's been five year I tasted any type of curry. It's like I am forgot how the curry tastes. It was difficult at beginning to live such life but as time passed I am used to it.

I took the morsel and was about to eat when my mind bring me back to the memory of 8 years ago. A lone tear drop from my right eye thinking back the days when my life is less difficult than now. Years I spent in Saharanpur were much beautiful than today. Though my family hates me, beats me but still I have people in my life who brighten up my days.

Divya, I still remember that of my friend. She bubbly, talkative and naughty but always have my back if someone bully me. Though I never share my pain with her but still, somewhere I was in relief that I have someone to talk. I miss those days when she used to call me Tripathi. It always brings the painful memory of last day when she break her friendship with me and wished that we will never met in future.

Raghav, He never leave a chance to tease me and flirt with me but he always like a brother to me which I want to see in my Atul bhiya. Raghav is a brother to me in form of my friend. He never contacted me back after he left for the Delhi to achieve his dreams. I hope, he achieved what he dreamed since his childhood.

My life is darker than before. Before I have some hope in my life, there was a ray of light but now that light also left me and made my life a black hole where the light could not pass because of the high density.

The single ray of light was him.

I still remember how my days lightened up just seeing his face and how I used to dance in happiness if he talked to me. No matter how my mother treats me but when I saw his face, I forget everything and again my day brighten up with happiness.

I was full with positivity just because of him.

I remember every single things of that beautiful days of my life. How I used to sit hours on my roof, under the burning sun, just to see him once. How every night I prayed to God that he opened his window at least once.

I still love him.

I still love Dhruv insanely and immensely. Not a single day went when I don't think about him or miss him. Sometimes I met him in my dreams and he always smile at me. I still carry his letter which he wrote for me, the last time. When my family threw me out  I only took few thing and his letter is one of them. How could I leave it behind that was the fist thing he gave it to me or should I say wrote something for me. Every night, I read his letter again and again. I feel closed to him when I read it.

Before I have a hope for us but now I lost my hope that I could ever met him. I always prayed for him and his safety at the bottom of my heart, with so much love. No matter where he is now, I hope he achieved what he dreamed for from years and became a successful IAS. I don't know about my future but I pray his future is as bright as the most shining star.

My cheeks are already wet with my own tears and wetting my neck. I sniffed and wiped my tears with my upper arm. I took the same morsel which I left and was about to eat it when someone kicked my plate and destroyed my only meal of the day under his feet.

I raised my head and looked at the person with fearful eyes. My uncle and Aakash bhiya was standing in front of me and looking at me with rage. They both had their belt in their hand and I know what is coming in my way.

"My boss cancelled my promotion and I want someone to take out my frustration." Aakash bhiya said while looking deadly into my eyes.

"Don't worry son. You can take out your frustration on that bitch. I will help you in that." Uncle said while rolling his belt in his palm.

"Un...un..uncle..by.. bhiya.. Please No..." I stammered while crawling backwards, creating distance between us as much as possible.

"What..no..huh..since you step into our house. Happiness turn its face from us. You are curse to our family. Nothing good happened since you are living in our house." Aakash bhiya take the dangerous steps towards me.

"Don't leave her today son. Let out all your frustration on her." Uncle said while looking at me with same rage.

"Sure dad."  Aakash bhiya raised his hand and hit me with his belt.

"Aahhh...Please stop bhiya please...it's hurting." I begged to him plead to to him to leave me, to show me some mercy but he didn't stop. Uncle also joined him after sometime and they both beat me black and blue. My suit which I was wearing, torn out from the places. I was started bleeding but they didn't stop and continue their torture on me. They made me see hell alive.

Bua ji and Aahna also came from their room, hearing my screams and pleads but instead of stopping them they encouraged them. Aahana even made the video of beating me by her brother and father. When they both didn't stop, I started feeling numb. My body stop reacting at their hits and I was lying there on the kitchen floor as object. My eyes stuck to the one spot and I was keep waiting when this torture stop. I don't know if I was crying due to pain or on my fate but my tears wasn't stopping I laid there like a dead body.

When they both get tired and didn't get the satisfaction of my screams, they slide me to the backyard pulling me by my legs and threw me outside of the house.

Every single bone of my body was aching in pain. The flash of my body was burning ina unbearable pain but still I was feeling numb. I was lying there like a dead body which could only breath but could not feel anything.

I used to think  how it feels to lead a happy life with your family but now I don't feel