1. Betrayal

Chapter-1

Author's POV

May, 2019.

Jivapur, Amaravati.

The air was thick with apprehension. The day looked like any other ordinary day but none of them knew that their world would be forever changed.

He looked at the little girl, his baby sister and then at his friend, best friend.

The yellow thread adorning her neck proved that they were indeed married despite his strong refusal.

His face was etched with an unequal mixture of concern and anger. The silence in the air felt suffocating.

Both of them knew that his silence only meant destruction.

His gaze pierced through her. His eyes did all the talking. She couldn't look into his accusing eyes anymore. Gritting his teeth, he looked at his best friend who tied the knot to his baby sister. There was no guilt in his eyes. But sadness shone from the depths of his black pools because he knew that this would end their years of friendship.

He would never forgive this. For him, it was the ultimate betrayal.

He clenched his fists. Frustration mixed with sadness and anger was palpable.

" Is this your final decision Manvi?" he asked, his voice mixed with anger and sorrow. His gaze lingered between his sister and his best friend.

She looked at her lover, now husband. His black pools were filled with love for her. Yet there was a tinge of sadness. Her eyes darted back to her brother. His dark brown eyes screamed anger. The feeling of betrayal was evident in his eyes.

Tears welled up in her brown eyes as she nodded her head meekly.

" Are you choosing him over me? Over your brother who did everything to make you happy? Is this what I get in return?" his voice rose, laced with accusation and fury. His nose flared in anger.

She looked at him with teary eyes.

" Please don't say that Anna ( brother) try to understand me... please" She begged, looking at him with pleading eyes. " I cannot live without Arya... please shivu... Forgive me" She pleaded again, joining her hands in front of him. Tears streamed down her eyes, mirroring his own pain.

" You betrayed me, Arya!" Shiva looked at Arya, who looked down, clenching his jaws.

Did he betray him?

" There is no forgiving for betrayal!" Shiva stated, his voice curt, his eyes gleamed with fury. Both Arya and Manvi looked at him. Hurt and heartbroken.

" Betrayal leaves a lasting scar" he spat, taking a step back from both of them. " There is forgiveness for mistakes. but what you did is not a mistake. It is betrayal... the ultimate betrayal and there is no forgiving it!" he stated through gritted teeth. Taking a deep breath, he took another step back.

" Shivu please...don't do this..." She tried to take a step towards him but Shiva raised his hands, ordering her to stop approaching him.

" Shiva...don't do this to her. Manu loves you so much. You are hurting her Shiva.." Arya spoke for the first time during this heated conversation.

As soon as Arya said this, Shiva raised his hands and punched him square in the jaw. He raised his fists again to punch Arya but Manvi stood in front of Arya, halting Shiva's actions altogether.

She looked at him with teary eyes. Hurt palpable on her face.

" Shivu...I love Aryan.." she cried, holding Aryan's hands. " if you ever raise your hands on him again, consider me dead!" She said, breathing heavily.

Shiva looked at her with widened eyes. It's his little sister, his baby sister whom he loved with everything.

" Is it...?? Manvi Raj Aras?" he said, looking at her. She didn't react anything.

" You are threatening Shiva Raj Aras..!" his voice came out sharp, laced with pride and warning. Both Manvi and Aryan knew what that meant. " If I see him in my territory again, I will make him pay with his blood. Neither you nor your tears could save him!" he hissed, warning clear in his deep voice.

She was hurt. He never used this tone with her.

" There is no relationship between you and me" he said, pointing his fingers towards Manvi and then at Aryan. She started sobbing.

" Manvi Raj Aras died the moment she ran away with her brother's best friend!" Shiva spat, eyeing them with utter disgust.

Her heart broke into pieces listening to this.

" You are no longer a sister to me" he declared, heaving a deep sigh. " You are just a wife of my ENEMY!" he gave her one final look and then turned around to leave.

" Shivu... please..."

" Shiva listen to me..-"

Their pleadings stopped when he looked at them. Anger mixed with hurt danced in his dark brown eyes. " You..." he pointed his fingers at Manvi and.., " you lost the right to call me by that name!" he said, his voice deep. With that final words, he turned around and walked away from there.

Manvi's broken sobs filled the air. He heard his sister's wailing but didn't bother to turn around and offer some comfort to Manvi.

The air echoed with unspoken promises and the bittersweet understanding that life would never be the same.

For him, she was dead.

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July 9, 2021

Jivapur, Amaravati.

The clock struck 12. It was the time she usually got off work. It was a hectic day and she was in a turmoil of her own.

Changing into casuals, she made her way out of the 'Mellow Mermaid' bar and pub.

As soon as she stepped out of the bar, the cold wind welcomed her. The thin white shirt didn't give her much warmth. Clasping her hands around her body, she walked towards the car parking.

Her quick steps halted looking at the familiar figure.

In the hushed darkness, a familiar figure leaned against her red Swift car. Wisps of smoke curled upwards from the glowing ember of his cigarette. His silhouette stood tall and enigmatic. The dim light cast shadows across his features, concealing his thoughts.

The soft glow illuminated his chiselled profile, revealing the sinister madness glistening in his chocolate brown eyes. His eyes fixated on her. The tendrils of smoke danced around him, mirroring the dark-commanding aura that emanated from his presence, creating an atmosphere tinged with terror and fear.

Her eyes went round seeing him there. She knew he was waiting for her.

But why...

And then something clicked inside her mind.

She glanced at her phone and his name sat on top of the notifications. Hundreds of messages and numerous calls which went unanswered by her.

Although he looked extremely calm, his chocolate brown eyes which looked almost black were the evidence of the brewing storm.

She knew how mad he could get when he lost his patience. Heaving a deep sigh, she took slow steps towards him.

He watched her intently. His eyes roamed from her terror-filled eyes to her visible cleavage and then back to her eyes. She felt uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze.

He didn't bother to talk although she was standing in front of him for several minutes now. He took his time to finish the cigarette and then, smashed the remaining cigarette butt under his foot and then, cleared his throat.

" What are you doing here Shivu? We can talk about it...you shouldn't be here... please shivu don't do this...I don't feel--" She stopped blabbering when he leaned closer to her face.

She closed her eyes and took in a sharp breath.

" You...you talked about it Jennifer...," he paused, tracing his thumb on her quivering lips.

" You promised me" he whispered, leaning back.

Jennifer looked at him with teary eyes. The hurt was visible in his chocolate-brown eyes.

" SHIVU...!" She raised her voice, immediately regretting it. He hated it when someone raised their voice against him.

" I'm sorry..we can talk.. please listen to me. I love you Shivu! Please don't leave me?" she begged, joining her hands in front of him.

" Was it nice?" he asked, looking up and down, his eyes hinting something akin to disgust.

She bit her lips tightly, tears streamed down her eyes.

" Shivu..are you disgusted by me? You loathe me?" she cried, her lips wobbled as she spoke.

" This...this is why we cannot be together like normal couples! That look...it's not love Shivu... it's disgust...you loathe me!" she cried, her lips wobbled as she spoke.

He let out a dark chuckle.

Pulling her closer to him, he wiped her tears and placed his lips on hers, kissing her hungrily. There was no gentleness in the kiss. It was rough and forced. When she didn't kiss him back, he squeezed her waist roughly and entered his tongue inside her mouth. Jennifer patted his chest to let her breathe, but Shiva was long gone.

After kissing her to his heart's content, he pulled back. Jennifer breathed out heavily, taking huge gulps of breath to soothe her burning lungs.

" So you didn't fuck him behind me!" He asked, his voice came out sharp like a knife piercing through her heart.

" Shivu...!" she looked at him, her lips wobbled as tears ran down her eyes.

" Trust me Shivu please..." she cried, looking at anywhere but him.

Shiva held her hands. But Jennifer roughly wiggled and pulled her hands back.

" Did you or Did you Not?" Shiva said, pressing each syllable, and looking at her. Shiva clenched his jaws, his forefinger ran on his thick arched brows. He was losing his patience.

"I... I...--" she stammered, unable to form a proper sentence.

Shiva smirked, an evil smirk. He knew the answer. Yet he wanted to hear the truth from her.

" You said we cannot be together anymore and that's.. and..I was hurt...I wanted to get rid of this pain...I am sorry Shivu" she cried, her eyes filled with guilt. That was it for Shiva.

A loud slap resonated in the silent parking lot followed by a painful shriek. Without giving her a chance to react, he secured his big hands around her slender neck and pinned her against the car, choking the life out of her.

" You slut! Don't you fucking blame this on me!" he spat, clenching and unclenching his jaws.

Tears ran down her eyes, wetting her bruised cheek.

" I paid off your father's debt and you agreed to be my personal whore!" He hissed, choking her even more.

His words felt like a stab to her heart.

" I loved you even after knowing everything about you!" he loosened the grip slightly. " And what did you do...you fucked other men behind my back!" he spat, leaving her with a jerk.

Jennifer coughed, breathing heavily. Her face turned red with tears and lack of oxygen.

" You are nothing but a dirty whore!" He said, looking at her with disgust in his eyes.

She didn't look at him. She didn't have it in her to look at him in the eye.

" There is no forgiveness for betrayal!" he gritted, giving her a look of disgust.

With that said, he dashed out of there, leaving her alone and hurt.

Jennifer cried, sitting on the ground, hugging her knees. After what felt like hours, she got inside the car and drove off from there.

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July 10, 2021

Mangalore, Karnataka

Laughter echoed through the open windows. A happy family of three were on a blissful drive along the curvy roads. The moonlight sneaked in, casting a soft glow on their beaming faces.

The car hummed with contentment as they sang along to their favourite tunes, filling the air with joyous melodies.

The daughter's excited voice blended harmoniously with the parent's laughter, creating a symphony of pure happiness.

On the other side of the same national highway, a young woman, in a tumultuous haze of heartbreak engulfed in a sea of emotions, sought solace in the destructive embrace of alcohol.

Chugging down the whole content of brown liquid, she threw the bottle on the passenger seat and smiled bitterly.

Her tear-stained face and dishevelled hair betrayed the pain that consumed her. With blurred vision, she drove the car, recklessly. She drove wildly, swerving between lanes, pouring her emotions into driving. Each turn became a desperate attempt to outrun the anguish that tormented her. The screeching tyres and erratic voices echoed her inner turmoil. It was a dangerous dance between despair and a thirst for escape.

The red swift car rushed towards the white Alto. The middle-aged man tried his best to turn the car down the road but failed. The red car dashed into the white Alto. Series of gasps, painful yelps and screams escaped their mouths because of the sudden and hard collision.

Both the cars collided with an explosive force. The clash of metals and screeching tyres failed to overpower the painful screams.

The air was filled with the sounds of shattering glasses and the crunching of twisted frames. Time seemed to slow down as the cars momentarily dashed in a violent embrace before thrusting apart.

The collision resulted in shattered windows, crumpled metal, and dented fenders, along with blood and lost lives!!! The car collision left an indelible mark on the fate of three people because of one's drunken mistake.

In a perilous state, she risked not only her own life but also the lives of three, a happy family, lost in a desperate search for fleeting relief amidst a storm of heartbreak.

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This is the first chapter of Burning Hearts and there was so much emotion and drama in the beginning itself.