It was evening time when Chahat was returning from the hospital with Shalini Ji. The doctor had told them that perhaps Chahat had injured her head while jumping into the river, which might have caused temporary memory loss. She just needed some time, and they shouldn't put too much pressure on her brain—she would remember everything on her own.
As they were returning home, Chahat asked,
> "Aunty ji, this Ashwat… who is he? Can you tell me about him?"
Hearing this, Shalini Ji looked at her and replied,
> "Beta, you already know everything about him, don't you?"
She paused, then realized Chahat had no memory, so she began explaining:
> "He was just six when his father passed away. I raised him with great difficulty. By the time he finished college, he had already established his own business. I always worried about him because he wasn't someone who mixed easily with others. But I stopped worrying when Anira entered his life.
From the moment she came, Ashwat began to change. The boy who never smiled started living happily.
I thought maybe now he'll finally be happy in life. But I was wrong.
Anira married Ridhaan, and Ashwat returned to being the way he was before—only worse. He became even angrier. So, I thought if he married you, maybe your innocence would melt his heart and help him start a new life.
But it didn't happen… he started taking out all his anger on you instead.
Now I will correct my mistake. I'll get you out of this marriage. You can start your life fresh, and this time Ashwat won't be a part of it."
Saying this, Shalini Ji lovingly stroked her head, while Chahat turned to look out of the car window, lost in thought.
> What should she do?
Should she get a divorce from Ashwat while being in Vrinda's body and live a new life?
Or should she try to change Ashwat?
Lost in these thoughts, her head began to ache, so she rested it against the window and fell asleep.
When they reached home, Shalini Ji woke her up. Chahat got out of the car and went straight to her room.
---
It was night when Ashwat arrived home. He saw Shalini Ji massaging Chahat's head with oil and laughing as they talked.
Watching them so close, Ashwat, for some unknown reason, felt jealous.
He glared at Chahat—whom he still saw as his rural, illiterate wife, Vrinda—and then silently walked away and went to his room via the lift.
Chahat saw him but said nothing.
What did she care about Ashwat anyway? She wasn't even his real wife.
---
Later that evening, the three of them sat at the dining table.
Shalini Ji was at the head, with Ashwat on her right and Chahat on her left.
While Chahat quietly ate her food, Ashwat kept staring at her, which Shalini Ji noticed. She looked at Chahat, who was peacefully eating, and then at Ashwat, who had been staring at her non-stop.
She couldn't understand what was happening. Why was Ashwat suddenly staring at Vrinda like that?
For her, it was Vrinda sitting there—not knowing that the girl finishing her food so joyfully was actually Chahat.
Eventually, Ashwat spoke up:
> "Who are you?"
Chahat looked up at him—her mouth full of food, her cheeks puffed out.
She tried saying something, but it was completely incomprehensible due to how stuffed her mouth was—even aliens wouldn't understand her gibberish.
Seeing this, Ashwat scowled and growled,
> "Speak clearly! Don't move your mouth like a buffalo with your mouth full in front of me, or I swear, it won't end well for you!"
Chahat was terrified by his angry glare. She could see Yamraj himself in his eyes.
She quickly swallowed her food as if her life depended on it. Then she drank a glass of water and tried to respond.
> "I was saying that I'm Chah—"
She suddenly paused.
She realized she was about to reveal her real identity, which she couldn't do.
She couldn't tell them that she wasn't from this world… that they were just characters in a story.
She held back the words and fell silent. But Ashwat pushed:
> "What were you saying? Chah? What?"
Chahat quickly tried to think of an excuse. Her mind blanked—until her eyes landed on the bowl of kheer in front of her.
She got an idea and smiled.
> "I was saying I want… kheer! I want more kheer. Aunty, you made it so delicious!"
But as she looked up, she noticed Shalini Ji staring at her.
> "Why are you looking at me like that, aunty? Did I say something wrong?"
Shalini Ji raised an eyebrow.
> "You used to call me maaji. Since when did you start calling me aunty?"
Before Chahat could respond, another question pierced her ears—this time from Ashwat:
> "And you always ate with your right hand. Why are you using your left hand now? Tell me…"
Chahat was now completely rattled.
She realized she had slipped. She needed to act like Vrinda, a village girl who didn't know anything. But now… what could she do?
Just as she opened her mouth to make an excuse, she suddenly felt dizzy—and a moment later, collapsed.
---
Shalini Ji panicked and splashed water on her face, but Chahat didn't regain consciousness.
She asked Ashwat to carry her to the room, while she called the doctor.
Ashwat picked her up gently, and her head rested against his chest.
He looked at her innocent face and carried her to her room.
Once inside, he laid her on the bed and turned to leave, but her hair got caught in his watch strap.
He untangled her hair gently and sat down on the nearby sofa, observing her quietly.
It was as if he was trying to read her mind through her expression.
It was impossible to tell what Ashwat was thinking.
---
Soon, Shalini Ji entered the room with the doctor.
After checking her, the doctor turned to Shalini Ji and said:
> "I told you earlier—don't put pressure on her brain. If she's really lost her memory, let things come back gradually. Forcing her could worsen her condition."
Shalini Ji nodded:
> "I'll be careful, Doctor. Thank you so much."
She escorted the doctor out.
---
Meanwhile, Ashwat looked at Chahat again.
She seemed… different.
He remembered that Vrinda always looked down, afraid to even meet his eyes.
But this girl didn't fear him. Her behavior had changed too.
She used to speak in village dialects, but ever since she was saved from drowning, she started using urban language.
He stared at her a little longer, then quietly left the room.
---
As soon as he left, Chahat sat up abruptly.
She looked at the door—it was closed.
She sighed deeply and thought to herself:
> "You escaped today, Chahat… but what about tomorrow?
How long will I have to stay trapped in Vrinda's character?
Will I ever get back to my world?
I don't understand anything anymore…"
---
To be continued...
> What will happen next?
What will Chahat do now?
Will she ever escape this story, or be trapped here forever?
Will Ashwat ever find out she is not Vrinda but Chahat?
Keep reading...
Rebirth in Novel