Author's POV

The sound of laughter echoed from the lawn outside as Chhavi stood by her dressing table, draping a light crimson silk saree around her 'not- so attractive' frame. Her hands smoothened the fabric over her waist, the delicate gold zari work catching the sunlight that filtered through the window. She adjusted the pleats, tucking them in tightly, ensuring that the saree fell perfectly over her form. The festive scent of gulal mixed with fresh flowers wafted through the open windows—a reminder that the Holi celebrations were in full swing outside.

Her family—her husband- Vinesh, in- laws, the relatives, and friends—were all gathered in the expansive lawn of their bungalow, splashing colors and throwing water balloons at each other. But Chhavi was here, quietly doing the household chores, preparing everything for the day, as she always did. But she never felt a slight pang of sadness. This is how it’s always been, and she never complained. Infact, she loves to put everyone else first. She quickly picked up a pair of small gold earrings, holding them up to her ears and glancing at her reflection.

Acne scars, slightly over- grown eyebrows, a little larger than usual hair parting at the middle...

Just then, Aahana, her eight-year-old daughter, skipped into the room. Her face was smeared with bright pink and green gulaal.

“Mumma, someone gave this for you!”

She chirped, holding out a small package wrapped in plain brown paper.

Chhavi turned around and paused, slightly confused.

"Who gave it, baccha?"

Aahana shrugged.

"I don’t know. Guard uncle said someone left it at the gate and asked him to give it to you."

Chhavi smiled at her daughter and took the parcel, quickly running her hands over the worn-out paper.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” she said softly. “Now, go play. I’ll be out soon.”

Aahana grinned and ran back toward the lawn, leaving Chhavi alone again. She set the parcel down and turned back to the mirror, fastening her earrings. As she reached for her bangles, her brow furrowed slightly.

Did I order something recently?

She was unable to recall any recent purchases.

Her curiosity got the better of her. She unwrapped the package, revealing a small electronic device inside. It was sleek and nondescript, almost like a portable VLC player.

Chhavi raised an eyebrow.

Who would send me something like this?

Fingers trembled slightly with an unease she couldn’t explain. Chhavi sat down at her dressing table. The large, ornate mirror reflected her anxious face as she plugged in the device and turned it on. The screen flickered to life and she noticed there was a single video file preloaded on it. Without thinking much she tapped on the play button.

The video began to play and at first, Chhavi didn’t fully comprehend what she was seeing. The footage was grainy, the angles unclear, but then, unmistakable figures came into focus. Her heart stopped.

It was Vinesh. Her husband. And he wasn’t alone!

Chhavi’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Vinesh laughing, his arms wrapped around another woman. The camera zoomed in, and there was no mistaking the intimacy between them—the way his hands caressed her curves, the way he pulled her close. Her mind raced, trying to reject what her eyes were seeing. But the longer she stared, the clearer it became.

The video showed them in a room, a place Chhavi didn’t recognize. The woman was young, with striking features and a figure that made Chhavi’s stomach turn with jealousy. Her hair fell in perfect waves over her shoulders and she wore a dress that left little to the imagination. Vinesh seemed mesmerized by her. His hands roamed freely over her body as they kissed, laughed, and touched each other with the passion Chhavi had longed internally for but hadn’t felt from him in years.

Chhavi’s hand flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. Her entire body felt cold, numb, as though all the warmth and joy of the festive day had been sucked out of her world. The bangles she was about to wear slipped from her hands, clattering loudly on the marble floor, but she barely noticed. Her eyes remained glued to the screen.

Her husband- the man she had loved for over a decade, was making love to another woman.

She watched in horror as the video became even more explicit. Their kisses deepened, clothes were discarded, and soon, they were intertwined in a way that made Chhavi’s stomach churn.

The laughter, the soft whispers, the intimacy, the moans—all of it felt like a cruel mockery of everything she had ever known. It was a level of passion she hadn’t seen from Vinesh in years, maybe ever.

Chhavi’s hands shook violently now. Her entire body trembled as tears began to blur her vision. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the screen, even though every fiber of her being screamed at her to stop watching. But she couldn’t stop. She had to see it—had to confirm the truth with her own eyes.

Her breath came in ragged gasps, her chest tightening painfully. It felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart, twisting deeper with every second that passed.

How could he do this? How could he betray me like this?

Her mind screamed in agony and her heart splintered into a thousand pieces.

The video ended abruptly with the screen going black, leaving Chhavi staring at her own reflection in the black screen with disgust. She barely recognized the woman staring back at her. Her face was pale, her lips trembled as her eyes widened with disbelief and pain. The red saree that she had so carefully draped now felt suffocating- like a cage trapping her in a life that had been built on lies.

She reached out, pressing a hand against the cold glass of the mirror. as though trying to ground herself in reality. But the images from the video continued to replay in her mind, tormenting her. Her body felt weak, drained, as though the very life had been sucked out of her.

The crowd’s laughter from outside pierced the silence of the room. Everything now felt like an assault on her very soul. Her husband was out there, playing Holi with the family while she sat here- crumbling under the rock of his betrayal.

Chhavi pressed her palms into her face, her tears soaking the edges of her saree.

How long had this been going on? How many lies had he told?

Her mind spiraled with questions. She thought of Aahana, their daughter, and the life they had built together. How could he risk it all for this? For a fleeting moment of pleasure?

Her mind drifted back to the days when Aahan was their little doll, filling their world with joy. She remembered playing hide and seek with the apple of their eyes. She had been hiding behind the wooden wardrobe when Vinesh tiptoed toward her, pulling her into his arms and twirling her around. Their daughter’s laughter echoed through the room while she stood there as a blushing mess, overwhelmed by the warmth of that moment.

Her hands shook as she picked up the device, her anger slowly rising to the surface. No matter how much she wanted to hurl it against the wall across the room she couldn't. First she needed to balance her self. She needed to confirm if its true! But she knows every inch of him right? She'd definitely recognised him, isn't it so? Even though his face wasn't very clear but which woman in love would not recognise her man by his skin? She'd remember every mole on his dermis until she's lying on her death bed, lifeless. This intense is her love for him. But did she recieve the love she gave?

Chhavi sat back down with her heart racing like a horse reaching the finishing point of a race. Her mind was clouded with rage, sorrow, and disbelief. The joyous sounds of Holi outside continued as though nothing had changed. But for Chhavi, everything had. EVERYTHING.

She wiped her tears, steeling herself. This was not over. She needed answers. And she would get them—no matter how painful the truth might be.

She sat in stunned silence, her hands trembling as they wiped the streaks of tears from her face. Her heart hammered in her chest- a mixture of disbelief, betrayal, and raw fury bubbling inside her. The pain was unbearable, but the anger—oh, the anger—was sharper than any emotion she had ever felt. It surged through her veins, propelling her into motion. She couldn’t sit here anymore, consumed by the weight of his betrayal. She needed to confront him. RIGHT. NOW.

Without thinking, she stormed out of the room, her saree rustling as she hurried down the stairs. Her footsteps echoed through the empty hallways of their bungalow, the rhythmic low tap of her barren foot on the polished marble floor sharp and unyielding. As each second passed by along with her steps caryring her to the lawn, fueled her rage, hardening her resolve. Vinesh couldn’t hide behind the holy colors of Holi—not today.

As she descended toward the sprawling lawn, the scene before her was a sharp contrast to the storm raging inside her. The vibrant hues of pink, blue, and yellow filled the air, and the unmistakable scent of gulal and water filled the space. Everyone was outside—her in-laws, cousins, relative, friends—all smeared in color, laughing and shouting, immersed in the spirit of celebration. Buckets of water balloons were stacked by the garden’s edge, and children squealed as they hurled them at each other. People ran around, splashing one another with colorful powder of spring.

Chhavi scanned the lawn and within a nanosecond, her gaze fell on Vinesh almost immediately. There he was, in the center of it all, the perfect image of a man at ease- a family man, with a beautiful family.

Sarcastic right?! Certainly, her life is!

His face was streaked with colors, a wide grin spread across his lips as he tossed a balloon toward his cousin. Laughter rumbled deep from his chest, his arms stretching lazily as he pulled one of his relatives into a playful embrace.

How could he?!

Chhavi seethed, her breath coming in shallow bursts. Here he was, enjoying himself as if nothing had changed, as if he hadn’t torn her world apart just moments ago. The sight of him, so carefree, so completely oblivious to the pain he had caused, only stoked the fire inside her. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

Without hesitation, she strode forward, her steps heavy and deliberate, each one carrying the weight of her fury. The bright laughter of the celebration seemed to dull around her as if the world had narrowed to just her and Vinesh. Relatives turned their heads as she passed them, murmuring to one another, their faces painted with surprise and disapproval. Normally, she would have greeted them politely, smiled, and exchanged pleasantries, but not today. Today, she didn’t care. Let them make their faces, let them whisper—she had only one focus.

She was so consumed by her purpose that she didn’t even notice when she collided with someone—a tall, broad figure standing in her path. The impact sent a jolt through her but she barely registered it in her mind. She didn’t stop to see who it was, and didn’t apologize. Whoever it was didn’t matter. Nothing mattered right now except reaching him.

Vinesh’s back was turned to her, his attention focused on his cousins as they flung colors at each other. Chhavi’s vision tunneled, her hands shaking with the intensity of her emotions. She pushed through the throngs of people, ignoring the confused looks and the playful splashes of color that landed on her saree. When she reached him, her rage boiled over.

Without a word, without warning, she reached out and grabbed his shoulder, yanking him toward her with all the force she could muster. He staggered, caught off guard, his laughter faltering as he turned to face her. His eyes widened in shock the moment he registered her furious expression, but before he could say a word—

SMACK!

Chhavi’s hand flew across his face in a resounding slap, the sharp crack of her palm against his skin silencing the laughter around them. The force of the slap whipped his head to the side, and for a moment, the world stood still. Vinesh stumbled back, his hand flying up to his cheek, his eyes wide with a mix of pain and disbelief. The bright colors of Holi smeared across his face now blended with the bright red mark where her hand had connected.

The gasps from those around them echoed in the sudden quiet but Chhavi hardly careed. Her chest heaved unevenly with the weight of her emotions. Tears brimmed in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. Not here. Not now.

Vinesh stared at her, his mouth opening and closing, searching for words that wouldn’t come. He had no idea what had just hit him—not the slap, but the truth she had uncovered. Chhavi stood there, her hand still trembling from the impact, her heart thudding in her chest, staring into the eyes of the man she had once trusted with her entire world.

But now, all she saw in his eyes was the reflection of a faithlessness that had shattered everything.

"How dare you," Chhavi hissed, her voice trembling with barely restrained fury. "How dare you do this to me?!"

She didn’t wait for him to respond. His stunned silence was all the confirmation she needed. The man who had smiled so easily just moments ago, the man who had kissed another woman with the passion he had denied her for so long—he was nothing but a lie.

Chhavi stood there, trembling with rage and heartache, as the sting of her slap still echoed in the shocked silence around them. Her eyes, burning with unshed tears, bore into Vinesh's, but before she could fully process the whirlwind of emotions she had just unleashed, a sharp tug on her arm sent her reeling.

"How dare you?!"

A voice screeched from behind her, pulling her back harshly. Her balance faltered, and for a moment, she nearly stumbled onto the ground, barely catching herself as she spun to face the source of the sudden aggression.

It was her mother-in-law, her eyes blazing with annoyance and her hands gripping Chhavi’s arm so tightly that her nails dug into her skin. Her face smeared with Holi colors made her look like an avenging monster, her shrill voice ringing out, commanding everyone's attention.

"How dare you disrespect my son like this?"

She spat. Her voice shook with both anger and disbelief.

"How dare you hit my son?"

Chhavi- her body still trembling, tried to wrench her arm free from her mother- in- law's tight grip, but that woman held her firm, her eyes boring into hers as if waiting for an explanation—a justification for this public humiliation of her dear son. The air around them tensed up with the festival of colors long forgotten as the guests and relatives stood frozen, unsure of what to do, what to say, only watching the drama unfolding in front of them.

For a moment, all Chhavi could hear was the erratic pounding of her heart in her ears, the ache in her chest threatening to suffocate her. The shame, the hurt, the betrayal—it was all too much. But she refused to be silenced. Not this time. Not when everything had just come crashing down around her, when nothing was true but a terrible facade.

With a shaky breath, Chhavi met her mother- in- law's enraged gaze, her own eyes now brimming with tears that she could no longer hold back. She could feel the warmth of them sliding down her cheeks, but her voice, when it came, was steady—sharp as a blade.

"Your son," Chhavi began, her voice rising, every word laced with the weight of her anguish, "has been cheating on me."

The silence that followed was deafening. Gasps rippled through the crowd.

The older woman recoiled as if Chhavi had slapped her too. The color seemed to drain from her face but then, just as quickly, her expression twisted with disbelief, then something more sinister—justification.

She straightened, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing with disdain.

"If my son doesn’t get what he needs at home, then of course he’ll look elsewhere," she hissed, her words dripping with venom. "Maybe you should ask yourself why he had to seek comfort with another woman. What weren’t you giving him, Chhavi?"

The words hit Chhavi like a physical blow, her knees nearly buckling. For a moment, she was speechless, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to process what the mother of her husband had just said.

Is she seriously blaming me for this? For his betrayal?

Chhavi’s hands shook with rage as she clenched them into fists, her tears now flowing freely

"You're blaming me?" Chhavi's voice cracked, but she didn’t care. "You think this is my fault?

"Clearly!" She cut her off, her voice rising. "If you were, my son wouldn’t need to look elsewhere, would he? Men have needs, Chhavi. And if you can’t fulfill them, someone else will."

The words were vile, cruel, and they stung.

Her entire body shook with rage, with disbelief.

How could she be so heartless?

How could she defend her son’s betrayal?

How could she support his infidelity?

Without another word, Chhavi turned on her heel. She didn’t care about the relatives, their gasps, their judgmental stares, or the hushed whispers that followed her every step. She didn’t care about the Holi celebrations, the colors still splattered on her beautiful saree.

With her vision blurry, her feet moved faster, guiding her back to her room. The moment the door closed behind her with a thud, the dam broke. Her shoulders shook as sob after sob wracked her body, the full force of her husband’s betrayal crashing over her. All she could do was hold her chest, struggling to catch her breath as the reality of everything finally sunk in.

As she wiped her tear-streaked face, her phone buzzed. A message.

Unknown Number: Come to this address today at 5 PM.

A Google Maps location attached with it.

Chhavi stared at the screen, the tears momentarily forgotten as confusion and curiosity took over.

Her hands trembled as she stared at the message. Without thinking, she quickly typed back.

"Who are you? Why should I go there?"

Her heart pounded in the silence that followed. No reply. She stared at the screen, waiting, tension building with every passing second. Then, suddenly, her phone buzzed again—a new message.

A video clip.

Her breath hitched as she tapped on it, and the screen filled with the another heart wrenching clip: her husband, Vinesh, intimately wrapped around the same woman from the earlier footage. This time, the angle was different, showing more—his smile, his hands roaming freely to places that made her feel like fire, their laughter mixing with hushed words and whimpers she couldn’t hear. It was undeniable.

She felt her stomach churn, nausea creeping up.

Tears burned her eyes, but she forced herself to watch until the end.

Another message popped up.

"Now it’s up to you."

What was this? A threat? A warning?

Chhavi wiped her face, struggling to breathe as panic surged through her.

Someone knows. Someone's playing a cruel game, and she was caught right in the middle of it.

Should she believe this? This can be a trap too...

Chhavi’s mind raced just like her heart in her chest.

Was this person trying to help her? Or was it another twist in the nightmare she had stumbled into?

Her gaze shifted to the clock. Should she go? Could she risk finding out the truth, or would this plunge her deeper into something she isn’t ready for?